The advent of Maitreya

Learning Point No 389

Maitreya is the next Buddha who is now awaiting in Tusita Heaven to come down to enable men to rediscover the truth taught by Gautama. 

This will happen once the teachings on the truth of life taught by Gautama Buddha are no longer effective because people have forgotten or that people have misrepresented the truth, the very same truth that are present in all religions and sects but which people with passing of time see as separate and at times conflicting. 

This is due to the workings of men and not the workings of God and Heaven. Men have egos and want to stand out from one another. They project this ego need even in the religions or sects they are in. 

Religions like the parts of an elephant may present the different aspects of God and Divinity but men being blind to the totality of Divinity argue till kingdom come that the different religions and sects do not belong to the same one Divinity. 

This is because men are blind and do not grasp the overall reality. Men do perceive in their separate individual ways but are still blind to reality. 

Reality has to do with the Word or Doctrine. The Word is God. Maitreya is not going to add to the confusion by being some new Buddha or saint but Maitreya will invigorate the original basic teaching common to all religions and sects and from which the other distinctive elaborations and practices grew. These made the various religions and sects appear different. 

The teachings of Maitreya cannot be new or distinctive but when in the hands of men, they will appear to be so. Even who will be Maitreya is already a controversy. 

Is he the next prophet that all religions talk about? Will he fulfill the prophesy of the second coming? God knows but men may not know.

It is often said that a notable teaching of Maitreya Buddha upon his descent to the world will be the ten non-virtuous deeds and the ten virtuous deeds.

The ten non-virtuous deeds are killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, abusive speech, idle speech, covetousness, harmful intent and wrong views.

The ten virtuous deeds are the abandonment of: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, abusive speech, idle speech, covetousness, harmful intent and wrong views. 

The purported teachings of Maitreya will not be new but will be a paraphrase or representation of the teachings in all religions and sects. 

They teach us how to be good and pure, how to love life, our own as well as others. Above all, they made us good and empower us to teach others how to be good as well. 

The teachings would be simple and down to earth, not complex and remote to the ordinary men. 

How to be good has to do with the Word or Basic Truth of Goodness which is present and universal to all religions. 

There will be many claimants to Maitreya but what is important is the teaching of the claimants and not whether any of them is the true Maitreya. 

It is the Word that counts and not who is the real Maitreya. Idol or hero worshiping is an obstacle to deliverance - enlightenment. It is admittedly after all no different from any other form of indulgence or clinging. 

But, perhaps there is still one difference. The hero or idol worshipers are near to the lord though far in substance of the Word. 

Maitreya's advent in years to come or when it happens will be because of the Word and nothing else. It will be because men fail to see the sun as rising from the East and are insistent that the sun must rise from the west

It will be because men see not the simple truth of need for purity and simplicity but go for the fantasy of the sun rising from the west and the complexity of philosophy and academic indulgence in religion. Religion is not the purview of the academia, not the playground and forte of the intellectuals. 

It should also never even be the domain of the men oozing with charisma out to mislead with notions that are akin to and as ridiculous as the sun rising from the west.

Such fantasy of sun rising from the west can happen but what are the odds. Will it ever happen even if it can? Should it even happen? 

But it has and can possibly happen when wolves in sheep's clothing make the scene in temples and in churches. They move the masses and cause deep hurt and damage. They want men to idolise not only God and saints but them as well.

Lord Bo Tien's descent in 1969 is for the Word and not for men to idolise or put him on the pedestal for hero or idol worshiping. 

There is in reality no difference between the two - hero worshiping and idol worshiping. Men should not even idolise God and saints, let alone fellow men however good men may be. 

Lord Maitreya will come when men are blind and see not the simplicity of truth. It will happen when men see not that the sun should rise from the east - when men prefer to idolise God and saints instead of living up to the Word. 

It is equally not good if men end up idolising the Word and worshiping the Word as ultra holy verses, mantras and incantations to be kept in seclusion like relics in pagodas instead of fathoming the Word, spreading the Word and living in the Word. 

Maitreya may come sooner than we think. 

Cultivate the peace of God and saints

Learning Point No 388

If there is no religion which is unlikely, there is still God and saints. If there is no saints which too is unlikely, there is still God. If there is no God, which is far fetched  there is still the basic truth or the inner truth that is behind religions, saints and God. So what is most important is to know the truth or doctrine. It is referred to as Tao or Way. It is also the logic behind life - The Tou-li. 

God and saints are at peace come what may. They are able to be atop the yin and the yang, the hardness and softness of life and nature, the active and passive polarities of life, the constant flux of worldly contingencies like gain-loss, praise-blame, honor-dishonor, happiness-sorrow, health-ill-health. form-formlessness and birth-death. 

We can be with God and saints if we can have the peace of God and saints. We need only to be atop and balance the yin and yang. This is the Tao or Tou-li. It is as simple as that but yet not so simple. 

Cultivate the Tao and make it a way of life. Have moment to moment mindfulness. 

Do not deny life. Do not indulge in life. Live life without denial and indulgence. Make life work for us and do not work for life. Balance the polarities, the yin and yang. This is the Tou-li or Doctrine. 

Lord Bo Tien reiterates that those who know the Doctrine know God and saints. Those who do not, know not God and saints even if they are with God and saints. 

It may not be worthwhile to know who is God, is God the creator or part creator, is He created and can he create. 

Just know the Tou-li, cultivate it and develop the moment to moment peace of God and saints. Then we will be with God and saints even in this life. 

We will be near though in a sense still far from God and saints. But it is better than to be near in the very church or temple of God but yet far, not knowing Tou-li and not having taste the peace of God and saints. 

Cultivate the peace of God and saints. Then God and saints will be in us and we in God and saints. We can do so through any religion or sect of our choice and preference. 

There is no need to deny that God and saints exist. There is also no need to cling to God and saints. Both extremes of denial and clinging are not good. Just know the Tao Doctrine and make it a way of life. 

Do let it be alive in our lives, that is, come to life in our individual lives. Then we have God and saints in us, specifically the living peace of God and saints - what some religions refer to as the Holy Spirit and others as the taste of Deliverance (Enlightenment). 

Lord Bo Tien's Five Statements on His Mission

Learning Point No 387

One of the statements by Lord Bo Tien is that His Mission to save souls is not only beyond good works but also to project Tao or Logic (Tou-li) - the doctrine of cultivation of inner peace by yin yang balance, the balance of polarities. (Let us refer to this as the first statement.)

This can be achieved in any religion or sect. The application results in spiritual growth but if applied to worldly or mundane life yields peace of life as well. Work life balance is the best example. 

The assertion by Lord Bo Tien that if a value that works for spiritual is applied to mundane life, it will also bring good results. This too is another statement by the lord saint. Let this be the second statement

There is yet another striking statement by the lord saint and that is that the Mission is by Heaven and not by Man. This is the third statement by the lord saint.

This does not mean men cannot play their part. This does not mean that men will not be able to prevent other men with motive other than spiritual to usurp the purpose of the Mission but that if the mission is to depend merely on men, it is just not possible for the Mission to reach out to all corners of the world like the great ocean that reach out to many a land. 

No mission related temple any where can do so and that is a fact even if men at such a temple are passionate. But in the very first place, how many can be passionate? Also, few will be those who can really make the doctrine a part of their life and live in doctrine, let alone spread the Word to others in all corners of the world.

There are still many men who have the heart but for Mission of the lord saint, it is beyond the means of men. The Mission is by Heaven and not by men. 

Men will benefit from the Mission and there is no doubt about that. But men cannot carry out the Mission and should not think they are indispensable to the Mission. Instead, the Mission and the basic doctrine of how to have inner peace through any religion is indispensable to Men. That is the truth.

The least men can do is not just to make the doctrine integral to life but also to make sure that if they cannot play their part in mission, they should not cause the mission to go awry. 

The lord saint has said that the Mission is like the flower and blame not the flower for insects coming to it for nectar. He further explained that the near may be far and the far near. Need more be said. 

Let us be serious enough. The Mission is the Mission of Heaven and not the mission of Men. It will ever be the Mission of Heaven. This as said earlier is the third statement by Lord Bo Tien on The Mission. 

The fourth statement is that The Mission is the mission of God and the lord saint is the messenger of God for the Mission. So how can the lord saint relegate responsibility to men however wonderful they may be and whether they be near or far to him? 

The far may be near and the near far. In fact all are near and yet far to God and saints. All deserve the grace of God and saints but all have fallen short of the glory of God and saints. The issue of far and near constitutes the fifth statement. 

All the five statements incorporate the underlying need for loving kindness for all beings that exist. This is central emotive base for mission thrust. Charity, welfare activities, love for self and others must be done out of love and kindness.

The Tao that is in all religions

Learning Point No 386

Many years have gone since the lord saint Lord Bo Tien ended w.e.f. 1969 the first 13 years of His mission reiterating that He has passed down the basic the basic Four Pillars Doctrine. 

Religions may be different like sunshine and rain or if you prefer, like Fire and Water. But different as they may be, they gravitate towards saving of the souls so that more may be good enough to be with God. How do we do so? 

We have to be good or to put it in another way to be pure. Doing good works is just the mundane or worldly step. It helps us to feel good that we are helping others who are in need. But we are helping them to meet more of the mundane or physical needs so that they like us could better live the mundane or worldly life with less strive, less worldly problems. 

Even saints try to help us when we seek their help or blessings through prayers. Issues if big may then be small issues even if they could not be no issue. Small issues will be no issue. For we alone by ourselves may not be good enough though we do know that we must live our own life and Heaven help those who help themselves. 

It is easy to depend on others but too much may not be good. We need to be more independent. That is perhaps why the lord saint Lord Bo Tien had limited his coming down through a medium Philip to only thirteen years and even Philip had ascended many years now, in fact not many years after the end of the 13 years of the first phase and during the second 13 years which was devoted to good works or charity. 

Good works help to alleviate physical suffering  The saving of souls is beyond good works. 

We have to cultivate the mind or spirit so that we can have that more lasting peace not affected by worldly contingencies or polarities like birth and death, gain and loss and what have you. The list is endless. 

What is paramount is not to deny them but to face them. We must be able to balance them and be at peace with the ups and downs of life. There is so much we can do. 

But we can always have more of the peace come what may. We need to balance the polarities, the yin and the yang. This will promote the saving of the soul. 

This is Tao or Tou-li, the Logic of the Way. This is the Tao that is in all religions and mind you the terms yin and yang are just Chinese terms peculiar to Chinese language.  

Tao is also present in mundane life when we talk about work life balance. Perhaps in holistic sense, taking both mundane and spiritual life, Tao has to do with the optimisation of man and his soul / spirit and this is even more significant type of Tao at higher helicopter level. 

Cheers. God bless

Managing life fortunes to ensure more lasting peace

Learning Point No 385

There is the common truth in life that we must have proper financial planning. We should not spend all we earn and commit all our savings for housing. Worse still, we commit our future earnings as well and too much of this is bordering on indiscretion as if in the event we lose our job and income, we cannot bankroll our debts and expenditures. 

The same applies to spiritual. We have finite amount of merits from past and present lives. Our continued peace in life and good fortune is very much dependent on this. 

We may inadvertently use up our merits or fortune Thus it is prudent that we need to create more by doing good, more so good to the less fortunate and being good to others without doing disservice to self. 

But there are those who over use their fortune of merits and leave nothing to cushion, buffer and prevent bad fortune. Worse still, some even go into overdraft and have to face misfortune of disasters in life. They go into bankruptcy and meet bad fate of accidents and serious illness. 

Thus it is best that we lead a humble life, that we lead a simple life and not overdraw on our bank of merits so that they act as cushion for us to avert bad fortune and allow us to depend on in order to continue to have reasonable good fortune for the rest of our life. 

We need savings and new earnings of merits to bankroll life of peace. But if we over splurge and overindulge, we will deplete our reserves and go into the red. We may then face misfortunes. 

Thus we need to be prudent and not overindulge in worldly pleasures and cultivate Tao or Way.

Be humble and modest. Do value what God gives but do not be greedily attach to life. 

Denying life like denying what we have is like denying God. Going greedily for all and more is to enslave our spirit to strife and no life.

Lead a simple and peaceful life and be ready for rainy days. The humble and simple will be exalted and  the exalted will be humbled. 

Do not go into overdraft and debt. Always have your reserves and buffer. Do manage life fortunes to ensure more lasting peace and a life that is a more uneventful.

We must endeavor to manage life fortunes to ensure more lasting peace. This is more important than living up to the Joneses and suddenly falling down the precipice of misfortune when our fortunes are depleted. 

Do not play with life as though life is like the share market, for life is neither a gamble nor a game. Be atop the ups and downs of life like the feet of Lord Bo Tien in his seated image. 

Hold on to the inner truth / basic doctrine of God like the right hand of the lord in his image. It is indeed the singular divine fortune we can have. It is and ever will be found in all religions and sects as well as beyond. 

Be ever sure and steady in this chosen path of life, neither swaying unnecessarily more to left or to the right as depicted by the left hand in salutation and showing the way ahead. 

Do not be like the wilting flower

Learning Point No 384

It is often the case that when a flower is in the bud stage, there is growth and there is no issue but once it blooms, insects will come and that is when it will wilt as the nectar, not the flower is what insects go for. This did Lord Bo Tien say. 

Blame not the flower for the insects coming to it. This the lord saint reiterated. 

Religions grew in communities where poverty and suffering festered. The core pioneers were usually from the rather poor. Poverty is fertile ground for sprouting of the buds of religiosity. 

In the history of mankind, abundance was the cause of downfall of societies and dynasties. Poverty and wants favored birth of dynasties, religions and great men. Once societies grew and with abundance and complacency setting in, there would be decadence with fall of religions and dynasties. 

Great institutions, churches and temples grew from humble beginnings but once they reached the apex, with abundance and endowed with wealth and affluence, the story would invariably change and a different story would unfurl. 

Once the flower of success bloomed in a temple or church, it would attract insects coming for nectar. Thus it would be not surprising if churches and temples get corrupted and defiled by men of greed. They would come for the worldly agenda under guise of religious agenda. 

Blame not the flower for insects coming to it. Likewise, for goodness sake, blame not God and saints for the designs of such men in a temple or church. 

Even in a mission related temple of Lord Bo Tien, the humble beginnings brought out the best of men, even created men of finite substance into substantial men. Then the temple bloomed. 

But alas, when a temple or church grew, the men became affluent and the temple or church attracted men of status, wealth and society, the temple like a flower seemed to wilt and mediocrity would set in. 

It would then lose its shine and become lackluster. But so long as it did not decline further and run foul of the law of the land, there would be hope. But it would like the wilting flower never be in its full glory again or perhaps it might. One could never be sure.  

It is however perhaps even be better that it could wilt and bear fruit and its seeds give rise to new temples to serve more men and save more souls. The fall of a temple or church can be a blessing in disguise. It could lead to more churches and temples. 

Likewise, the fall of religiosity due to the changing trends of men who are that much more worldly and demanding can be a double edge sword. It could admittedly lead sadly to a fall of religion but this paradoxically would be a fertile ground for birth of new sects and religions. 

The Yin Yang concept is central to mission and to life

Learning Point No 383

Salvation is beyond good works. It has to do with the peace and refinement of the spirit. This is only possible if one is able to balance and be atop the yin and yang - the polar dualities of life at every moment and station in life. 

The yin yang equation changes with the times and varies from person to person. There is no one size fits all and one solution for all issues and problems. Thus there cannot be just one but many saints, sects and religions for mankind and for beings in all realms.

The image of Lord Bo Tien portrays the need to be atop and balance the polarities or dualities of life. We cannot have only yin or only yang but need to find the fine point of combination of yin and yang, sometimes more yin and sometimes more yang. 

The left hand of the lord saint in salutation bids us to be ever mindful and steady to go for yin yang balance as depicted by the feet atop the elements. 

The scepter in right hand depicts the mission for yin yang balance for all.

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Plea bargains with God may still be alright

Learning Point No 382

Often men enter into plea bargains with God. Men would even barter trade with God their undivided allegiance so long as God give in to their plea bargains. 

In some eastern traditions of the orient, all men want are to have more fortune such as luck at the gambling table or in a lottery draw, even an illegal one that may run foul of the law of the land. 

Some cultures even have outright offer of paper money and gold to God and his saints as though God and saints need them. They don't if they are God and saints. 

But the very intent and act of giving even if done with less honorable spiritual motive would in itself be meritorious, that is, it will attract goodness of sorts for the giver. Yes, it is the act that counts but what is better and more worthy is the intent behind the act. 

Modern day men of 2013 with education and globalisation, are more savvy. They no longer say to God, "Please give me more as I am giving you." But now they say, "God, I am yours and you will provide." 

This is alright and above board but do we need to give to God before He will give to us, more so if He is God? The answer is both "Yes" and "No". 

For most, it is alright but for the discerning and more spiritual, this may be not as good as men must relate to God in sincere and unconditional ways. There should be no semblance of plea bargain as any such would make a mockery of God and what He stands for. 

But God is understanding as like children, we want reward when doing good and the best is to do good to none other than God. We prefer to do good to God or in God's name instead of just good to our fellow men and we expect or to put it bluntly, we expect pay back or kickbacks for doing good, for giving to God. 

We seem to set pre-conditions that God will give to us because we are going to give to God. To God, this is not wrong and still good as a start, but we must go further than that. 

Thus many will tell God that they commit to God and will bring other men to God but in their minds they want blessings from God and be assured of paradise. 

Can't men be better than that? They will in time to come. God has no issue with them but only men who think they are wise may think otherwise. God is God and man is man after all. 

God is not petty but the same cannot be said with men. Plea bargains with God may still be alright. Some burn jos papers to God whilst others offer their souls. 

They may even try to hold God to ransom if what they want God cannot give. God can accept that but some men who think they can speak and act for God, won't and that is a fact. 

God does not need proxies to act on His behalf. That too is a fact. 

Even His saints are not His proxies. They in fact act on their own merit but, of course, in concert with Him. That too is a reality we can accept.

Respect for elders needs no reminder

Learning Point No 381

Need men be the same and do what others do in the name of God and saints? 

Did God ever say that the ancestors were wrong and did God ever say that the descendants or later-on men were right just because what they did or believed were different? 

Many would like to judge but the reality is that what was right might no longer be right and what was later considered right might really be no more that more right than before or even not as right. All depended on the times, the people and the context.

With change of prophets, the basic beliefs might be same but the way of believing and approach might well differ and be poles apart. There was the same God but different men were involved. 

Men would say that there was the old and the new chapters or testaments. Some even went to the point that there was the new religion different from the old but God was the same God. In fact, the same one God might be described very differently and even given different descriptives and names as though there were different gods. 

Though the ancestors would normally predict that the descendants would differ and be more right, the descendants might even say that the ancestors were wrong when in fact the ancestors were right in their own ways. This would obviously be not in keeping with respect for the elders or pioneers. 

Respect for elders needs no reminder. No wonder, it is one of the seven universal precepts of mission undertaken by Lord Bo Tien. 

Men of later years should not despise and belittle the men of old. That would be a bad reflection of the work of the old timers and a worse reflection of the new.. 

Had the old timers somehow failed to connect with the later-on men of God? Was it in bad taste that the descendants wanted to be different and to discredit the old timers and gave themselves credit and applause instead? They would even distinct themselves in religion different from the men of old.

There would never be any right or wrong but for sure, respect for elders needed no reminder. It had to be cultivated and not God given or to be taken for granted. 

In fact, the so-called newer religions or sects were really just continuity of older religions or sects, albeit repackaged with new orientation. How could they say the older religion or sect was not of God? 

The latter day adherents of the older religions too should not say likewise of the newer religions. This is often forgotten and they basked in secluded pride and deception.

Respect needs no reminder, more so for elders, for it would always be likely that the respect for elders to be denigrated by the latter day men who simply just wanted to be different and to strike out on their own due to their wanting or rebellious nature.

They carried a new banner and said theirs was the one when the old and new were really one and same. God too was and is one, the very same one God though saints might differ somewhat.

Can we be more like God and saints ?

Learning Point No 380

It is the way of many men to look at the bright side of life. This is good but at times can be a flat denial of reality of life and a manifestation of grasp of the opposite side of the coin of life when in reality, one is actually dead unhappy with life. 

Life is suffering and a pain but there will be sages who in wanting to give hope say that it is only through pain that we can know God and that is the only way for our spiritual body born of the spirit to be beautiful and whole when the physical body is not. 

This gives strength and fortitude to bear with the pain of mind and body to the end. This is similar but not exactly the same as equanimity as both may result in peace of mind but of course of different degree and quality. 

But this is rooted in faith and clinging to belief that God will resurrect us in spirit even if we are tormented by the ails of the body. However, we are still trapped by the body but takes solid solace in our new hope in the spirit that is reborn in God. We become numb to pain and hold on to the joy and peace of hope of our new spirit in God. 

The other of equanimity enables the person who cultivates it to accept that there is pain and pain is there. But he reckons that life must go on and is not all pain. Despite the pain, there is also gain and we must know that. 

But be there pain or gain, what matters is that we are at peace for the gain will not last and may give way to more pain. The pain that we have may be there for long and if so, are we going to be worse off from the pain? 

Why don't we steel ourselves and be atop of life, be unwavering and calm amid the storms, for surely we must not let pain rob away our life and zest for life. 

We must have the peace that is not affected by pain and gain but is independent of pain and gain. This is the inner peace that sages of old refer to as good and make us more like God and saints and less like men. Can we be more like God and saints ?

This is the basic message or inner truth that is present in all religions and sects. Lord Bo Tien wants us to know that. Best of all, we can reap the blessings of this inner truth in whatever religion or sect we are in. 

We do not have to denounce our faith and embrace a new religion or sect. Isn't this wonderful and more wholesome? We can become more like God and saints. That certainly is good. 

Can we be more like God and saints ?

The folly of men

Learning Point No 379

The folly of men is often to idolise a man instead of God and saints. Man however good is not good enough. 

In fact, we should not even idolise God and saints and to make matters worse, go further to put words in their mouths. 

We should live in God by living in the Word of God and saints instead of being awed by the awesome goodness of God and saints. 

It would certainly be more far fetched to idolise man which would be unthinkable but many do this. 

Instead, we need to learn from both sides of a man - both the sunny side and the dark side. 

After all, life be it our own or of others is the living gospel and the gospel is God.

How will Lord Bo Tien achieve His Mission?

Learning Point No 378

To the lord saint Lord Bo Tien, His Mission is for all to understand that in whatever religion they are in, they have the same doctrine, the inner truth to God that will save souls. 

The same basic universal teaching is found in all religions but the presentation differs from religion to religion. 

The cultivation of peace of spirit come what may in life is present in the teachings of all religions.

There is one God or Divinity and many saints and religions to bring men to Divinity. 

But men are not able to be good enough to be with God and saints. Heavenly saints of all religions are there to help. 

Unlike other saints, the lord saint is not helping men through any one religion or temple but through all religions and temples. 

He is not a saint of any religion or temple but is the saint to point out that the same basic inner truth is there in all religions through the saints or prophets of religions. 

Thus the lord saint will fade away from dominance of a temple, such as any mission related temple in His name. In fact, in time, such a temple may not find it appropriate to have the temple bearing His name. 

It was and is never his intention to start a new sect or religion or to be a new saint of any existing religion or sect. He was never meant and is not meant to grace any temple, church or website. 

But He chose Chinese culture to begin with so as to show that there is the same teaching in Chinese culture as in all religions. 

The lord saint would have achieved His purpose if men of a temple or church are better in their respective religion because of His mission. 

A  devout follower of religion X will be a more understanding follower and better at religion X than before. He will understand that all religions are the same though different. Isn't that ideal? 

Then the mission would have achieved its purpose. 

There is no need for any new religion, any long term temple in His name or for that matter any long term website or blog site in His name. 

Living Life Series too will in time fade into oblivion as it would in time be not distinct in content and presentation from the blog sites and websites of religions and sects. 

It is not meant to compete or displace the blog sites or websites of religions. It is meant to fade off once the mission is achieved.

"Botienism" as a sect, school or religion is not meant to be. The religions and sects that are already there in the world are adequate to save souls if properly harnessed. 

All that need be done is for the common inner truth with the spirit and vigor of the pioneers of religions be energised, reinvigorated and revitalised. 

This is so that despite being attracted by the wide choice of religions, men will still see the common tread of the inner truth as the same denominator of all religions and sects. 

In religion, all may be right and not wrong

Learning Point No 377

Do not ever think that you are right and others wrong. There may be more than one right and in religion this is often the case. In fact, all are right in their own ways and they appeal to various segments of society so that more will know God and the inner truth of the way to God. 

The truth is that there must be balance approach to life so that there will be peace of spirit. This may be referred to as the Middle Way in one religion or as the balancing of the yin and yang in another. 

In other religions, it is even referred to as treading the spiritual road with neither idolising nor good works for one to be saved and to be with God. 

No one has strayed from the mission of God to save souls just by taking up the position of a religion that is not professed by others. Perhaps they just differ in perception and are in transit at different points of the mission. 

The different parties involved would look at one another strangely and asked, "Why are you not with us?". This is because they are at different points of mission and are in transit. 

Each may think the other is wrong when all are both right and wrong. In fact, they are different because by being different, they surely will appeal to more segments in society and thereby be complementary. 

Eventually, if the mission matures, in time to come, perhaps many years from now, all will meet and work as one. 

In fact, they may already be working independently now but have the same objective and working under the same God. They are on different highways to God. 

In religion, there is more than one right. In fact, all may be right and not wrong. Do not be bigoted. No good will come out of bigotry. 

Be it in religion or in any mission such as the Mission by Lord Bo Tien that all religions are one with the same God and inner truth, there is no one way alone but many. 

Partly extracted from Beyond 45 years of Mission

Knowing God by knowing the inner truth

Learning Point No 376

We must know God. We must know how to be good enough to be with God. We must know that doing good is not enough. Believing in God and his saints too is not good enough. 

We must know how to be like God and saints so as to have the peace of God in us, the peace that makes life pleasant even in unpleasant times and the peace within that ensures we are not carried away by indulgences of life. 

We do not indulge and be enslaved by indulgences of modern materialistic living. At the other extreme, we should not deny life and thereby self- mortify ourselves. 

These are the parameters of practice or cultivation that allow us to have peace within. They are the perspectives present in all religions and sects. 

But over the years, the basic teachings with all these perspectives were buried and religions might become archaeological institutions for men to dig and discover the original teachings or basics. This we refer to as the inner truth common to all religions. 

Initially, this doctrine of the inner truth was given a descriptive name - The Four Pillar Doctrine as the four main religions and the religions and sects of the world in the four cardinal directions are of essence from the same God though they are evolved by men over the centuries.

Extract from

• Beyond 45 years of Mission

God in the world of men

Learning Point No 375

God is for all men and all beings. He cares and loves even those who do not believe in Him. . 

God is never the monopoly of any sector, group or religion. There is no chosen people and no one is denied from getting to know God. 

There is no exclusion of anyone, not even those in Hell. There is no precondition from knowing and getting close to God and his saints. 

Such preconditions only exist in the minds of men. Even the answers to who is God, how he came to be God and what he is like differ from person to person. What he can do and what he can not are contentious. 

Men can argue till kingdom come and no one is wiser to the truth. 

Whether in the first place, there is God or whether the world or universe can exist in the absence of God should not stop man from cultivating goodness akin to Godliness. 

Whether God is the creator or the created or both creator and created will never ever be known by men but this should not deter men from spiritual pursuits. 

Cultures of men tell us myths of the origin of God and the universe that are often too simplistic and unbelievable though they were consistent with the times of old. 

To stop God belief from ridicule, men capitalise on fear and say that it is blasphemous not to belief the stories and myths on origins of God and universe. 

Religions created and institutionalized by men erect dogmas to state the stories as realities not to be doubted. 

Modern culture would weave the evolution into the God belief and this is to be expected of men but in years to come, this may then be outdated and be subjected to ridicule as well.

Whether men need to have God concept in their spiritual pursuits is not the concern of God but may be the concerns of men. 

It is the heart that counts and not what one professes to believe and do. 

This is just like what Ji Gong said that what matters is what goes through the heart and not what one does or what goes through the gut. 

The one who believes in God may not be as Godly as the one who is not. He who knows how to be Godly is closer to God than one who is not Godly but believes in God. 

The one who is Godly has the God in him even if he believes not in God. He may even be closer to God than you think. 

To be Godly means to be pure, to love life more so own life as well as that of others, to appreciate the chance to be man and to value life, neither to waste or deny life nor indulge in excess but to be at peace and in cool control of the peace of the spirit or soul come what may. 

The sages of old refer to this as to be atop of the yin and yang. This is not just found in Taoism but is inherently present and written into all cultures, sects and religions. 

Lord Bo Tien refer to this as the basic or inner truth common to and behind all religions.

The green green grass of home

Learning Point No 374

There is more to life at home than we think. We always prefer the home away from home. We envy what others have. We want to live away from parents and want to strike it out alone. 

We give up a stable job and go for a new one. Is the new one better? Distant fields may look greener but there is nothing like the green green grass of home. 

We often think that what we have now is not as good as what others have. But once we get what others have, there is no guarantee that it will be better than what we have now. This is the situation which everyone may find himself in. 

True the new can be better than the present or the old. But before we give up the old, let us learn to better appreciate the old before we plunge for the new. 

This applies to the religion and culture we are born into. Many cast disdain on the culture or religion they are in without even knowing more and decide that the religion that others offer is better or at least has more to offer. Distant fields may look greener but there is nothing like the green green grass of home. 

The next time we think that the religion of our forefathers is not good, think twice. Are we saying that our forefathers are backward, ignorant and ill bred? Surely not. There is more to it than meet the eyes. 

The new may be better but make sure we know the old better before we make our judgement. Please judge not lest we be judged. 

For example, do not be taken aback when others think that our forefathers are idol worshipers for those who claim they do not idol worship may well be idolising God and saints without knowing the Word and they forget that the Word is God. 

God is present in all religions. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien reiterated. Even in a Chinese cultural temple, do we find God and the Word of God. The Living Life Series is testimony to this. 

All religions are one in God and God is one in all religions. Know the Word, and we will know God and saints. This is the truth we must know. Thus did the lord saint, Lord Bo Tien say.

Know the Word and we will know all religions and why they are same and yet different, so that more can know The Word and God, for the Word is God. 

It may be not fruitful to be changing religion or sect just because others tell us to do so. Don't judge a book by the cover. Don't be swayed by the worldly appeal of men who likes to oversell. Human appeal alone should ideally not be the push and pull factor. That might well be somewhat shallow as such.

We may end up uprooting ourselves and have to grow new roots. This may also become a fad and fad does change in cyclical fashion. We should not change religion like changing fashion and clothes.

Better to know and fathom more the Word in the culture or religion you are in. Compare this with the very same Word in other religions and cultures, albeit presented in different perspectives and ways. 

That way we will know more and be closer to God and saints. Then we may realize that distant fields may look greener but there is nothing like the green green grass of home. 

But perhaps, we may need to change religion or sect after all. Then our choice would be that more well deliberated, more in depth and will be based on an informed decision and due to a better calling as such. 

It would be truly a call of God through His Word presented in the format that best fit our spirit or soul. Praise God and saints. May God bless us.

Doctrine grows the light and liberates the spirit

Learning Point No 373

Let us face facts. The doctrine phase of mission is in for good and doing well. 

The pioneer phase of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien's descent to the world in the first 13 years some 45 years ago from 2013 is now history. 

Even the second phase of love for fellow beings is now in place, more as backdrop than the front or forerunner of mission. 

People are asking more on doctrine. What must be the attitude of the mind? How do we go beyond the physical needs of the world? What more beyond mundane worldly milestones, events and needs? 

What must be the long lasting impact on the spirit and soul in the present life and way beyond this life? Surely, these must transcend the essence and substantiality of the first two phases of mission. 

Knowing God and saint is just not enough at all. Worshiping God and saints is beyond prayer and worship? 

We must be also go beyond the motivation for doing physical or mundane good for the less fortunate in the form of welfare activities which meet only the worldly needs. 

Doctrine must take precedence. It nourishes the soul and enhances it to grow from darkness to light and from light to light. Doctrine grows the light and liberates the spirit.

In both the mission to save souls as well as the individual life, there are three phases. 

The first is phase of coming to know God and saints. 

The second is the motivation to do worldly good from knowing God and saints by helping the less endowed so they have ample worldly needs. 

The third is to go beyond just alleviating mundane or worldly misfortunes of the unfortunate and the poor. This requires growing the light and liberating the spirit by knowing doctrine God and saints stand for.  

Doctrine opens the way to save souls as mere belief in God (and saints) and good deeds are not good enough. 

The pivotal yin yang balance is the determinant of success in practice of doctrine, be it for mission or for individual life, be it in any religion or in secular life. 

Any principle that applies to spiritual if applied to secular worldly life brings about enough comforts without excesses. 

This will surely facilitate optimal growth of the peace of the soul. There will be no incessant wants to spur excesses and in process create unrest and impede, or worse still, degrade the soul or spirit. 

Doctrine grows the light of God and saints in us and liberates the soul from form to formless and to beyond even formless - to be of pure essence, ever unconfined, without borders and omnipresent like God and saints.  

More on the God Knowledge

Learning Point No 372

How can we know that the gospel or scripture truth is really the whole verbatim truth when it had to be narrated and later written down many many years later, perhaps even centuries later? 

What we can hope at best is that by God's grace, the writers of old would be able to pen down what they could recollect and share with later men like us whatever precious little or more they know of the gospel or scriptures though their mental eyes. 

Thus what we can have is at best a view of their visions of the gospel but not exactly whole in real absolute terms. But we cannot say it is adulterated or unadulterated. 

The writers would not want to discredit themselves but as long as they are men, they would not be as absolute and dead correct as the prophets or saints who delivered the gospel or scriptures. 

Anyway, gospels are only divine guides and even if there is the hand of God and gospel writing through automatic writing or what have you, there is the re-channeling of sorts and this will somehow make at least some subtle differences which may not be for the worse but at times may be for the better and good of the many. 

There is of course nothing like the gospels being written by God and saints. But who would think that this is plausible unless the writers are the very saints themselves from whose mouths the gospels were uttered and floweth forth. 

Even then history is replete with and not short of instances where the very translations of the gospels undergo some revisions of sorts due to ineptness of language as the style of language itself changes with time. 

Thus the translations must change in tandem and the latter-day clergy who effected the change, like it or not, had not the first or second hand knowledge of the gospels other than through passed down written texts in languages that were not of second nature to them. 

Thus the lord saint Lord Bo Tien wants us to know that there is need to rekindle and reinvigorate the spirit of the founders of religions and men must learn to decipher more from life the basic truth behind all the well written gospels and see the magnificence of the teachings as known by the pioneers. 

This the human transmitter at Bo Tien mission half century ago (perhaps only 45 years w.e.f. 2013) refer to as God Knowledge. 

This is however definitely not the last word on the God Knowledge. Our life is the living gospel which will elaborate on the God Knowledge. This the lord messenger Lord Bo Tien did reiterate and wants us to know. God bless.

Let us face facts. God is God, not man

Learning Point No 371

Let us face facts. Are we closer to God and his saints by having more choice of religions and sects, by having more differing styles of relating to God and saints? 

The answer is a big 'Yes' as there is need for God to bless all men with more choices and more chances. What is good to John may not be good to Jane. That is a reality. 

If there be only one choice, then God is being not fair loving and just as that choice only appeals to a minority. What about the interests and needs of the many others? 

If you say that to worship God, all must carry incense sticks, then many more may be alienated than be attracted to have affinity with God and his saints. 

If you say and insist that all must sit cross legged in meditation for a few hours every day, then you are raising the barriers for men to get closer to God and saints. 

This is not that there is no value in meditation but that there is more to religion and affinity with God and his saints than meditation. 

Also, there are many ways to kindle the light in us than just sitting full lotus cross legged in guru style meditation. Prayer of any form or even free style is in a way meditation of sorts. 

As said before and need to say again, there must be choices and God provides many so that many can higher chances of developing affinity with God and his heavenly saints. 

Praise God for his love and understanding. Let us face facts. God is not like some men.  Men may be that narrow minded and want to alienated others by creating barriers for them. They may want to have exclusive hold on God. 

God opens himself to all even those whom many think are beyond redemption. They too have the right and places with God in their own ways and no one can say they are condemned or goner for good. That is why God is God and not man. 

For men, there is eternal damnation or hell if you are disobedient but for God, how can that be if God is God and a loving and benevolent God. Men may like to curse and damn but not God. 

Even those already in Hell will be saved by His saints who heed the cries of those in Hell. They will show those in Hell how to cultivate the Way or Tao even in the midst of Hell fire. This is so that they may leave Hell and be in Heaven and beyond like the saints themselves. 

King Yama the lord of Hell is ever too busy helping them as well to think and energise any past good they have so that they need not be in Hell even a second more than necessary. 

King Yama

Linyin monastery monks might have condemned, defrocked and sent away from the monastery the young novice monk Ji Gong as he did not behave with decorum, drank wine and ate meat. 

Ji Gong - Lord Ji

But he was pure and cultivated at heart. "What matters is what goes through the heart and not what goes through the gut or one's outward display." 

This was the pivotal principle of Ji Gong. His practice was based on this. He succeeded and is the living Buddha after all.