Live life like the saints

Learning Point No 409

Make it in life by living life and not running away from life. Make it in life by having less and not more. Having more than we can stomach can mean hell and no peace. 

There must be the fine balance between not living and trying to live too much. 

Do not look beyond one's life and at others lives and expect that we can live their lives and they live ours. 

Is this not the Middle Way or the Way of Tao? 

In Tao, there is not only the extremes we need to avoid but also the moderation and pairing of attributes which sages refer to as yin and yang. 

In gain, we do not be overjoyed for gain may be transitory and subject to wane, ebb and flow. 

In loss, we do not lose our peace. We do not give up but hold on to life and not break away from life. We do not surrender to life and its vicissitudes. 

But in times of gain we do not try to hold on to the gains for dear life, for what we have may soon be not there. 

We treasure the gains but avoid the pains for all that come may in time go. Isn't this the reality like sunrise and sunset and like storms and calm seas? 

This is the way to live our life like the sages of Tao in days of old. This is the way not only for those in any one particular religion or sect but in all known religions and sects. 

Religions and sects open doors for us to know more of God and saints. What we need to know is how to be like them. They show the way, the light and the truth of Heaven Divine.

We can be like them through the Way common to all saints. Call it Tao or what may be. A rose by any name is still the same. 

While we can learn to be like them, we have a long way to go to cultivate the Way. But so long as we are on the way, that is what matters. It matters not that we are not yet saints and far from being saints. 

The irony of some men in a temple or church

Learning Point No 408

Men often have strange ways. When they want to lose weight, they can still take interest in food. They then ask why they don't lose weight. When they want to put on weight and should whet their appetites, they lose interest in food and their diet is blend. 

Such is the ironical approach of men in society. But the same irony is displayed in a temple or church. 

When men take interest in a temple, they should have rightly some spiritual interest and devotion. They should show that they care and live up to the teachings of the temple saint. 

But in the temple, some do behave as though the temple saint is not there. They dwell in pursuit of money, status and women in the very temple of the lord. They might as well not be in the temple or church.

They go for worldly standing to get the land to bestow knighthood award for them so as to be a nobility of sorts. Why go to a temple or church for that? 

They run away to a temple to get away from such desires and societal trappings. But they still end up going the mile for the same and for that, in a temple or church.

Instead of being celibate or at least faithful to their spouse and even till death do they dread to part, some men of a temple may even find it somehow opportune to have illicit relationship and they have no qualms about this. 

Even some monks on eve of being monks patronise call girls and face consequence of venereal disease as monks. That is absurd but it happens. 

Some men of temples may even love their brother's wife, their wife's kin and yet be leaders of men in the temple of a heavenly saint. Some may even divorce their old wife of decades and go for a bar girl or a young girl barely yet old enough to be of legal marriageable age. 

Yet they act noble, take up leadership positions and hold their heads high and proud as spiritual leaders without remorse for the wrong they commit and while still actively upholding the spiritual tenure of being the appointed ones by heavenly saints to help others. They sat the saints speak through them. 

Some men of temples may accept the precepts of the temples but yet break the precepts or tenets so readily and without even a second thought. They should be upholders of the precepts, more so if they take up leadership roles. 

Some may rise against the pastor or temple elder who have done good in setting up the temple or church and expel him ungraciously to wilderness. They may send them to Siberia or Batam. 

Some have no respect for elders, just because they want to get them off their backs and find them boring, nagging and intolerable. They eye the status and positions of these temple or church elders. 

Some men of temples and churches may decry that more men give up jewelry and wealth but they are the very ones who horde more of such. They can do it but we cannot. When asked and confronted, they say that these belong to their spouses and not to them. 

How is it that some men go to a temple or church and yet do not live up to the purpose of being in a temple or church? They are so near to God and saints but yet far. 

What have heavenly saints to say about them? Plenty! Here are some ....

Lord Bo Tien says that we can learn from their good and bad points and be wiser from the learning. 

Jesus says that we judge not lest we be judged. See not the dusts in others' eyes when we cannot see those in our own eyes. 

Blame not the flower for insects coming to the flower. This too did Lord Bo Tien say. 

He also said that the near may be far and the far near. But near and far are dear to God and saints. 

No one is condemned however wrong they may be but if this is indeed rightly so, then why must some temples expel members they do not fancy.

The irony of some men in a temple or church is that they may be inapt role models, but their folly enables us to learn from their mistakes. Then we will wake up and be wiser even if they fail to make good. 

That way we will be counted by God and saints as those who stand a better chance to make good. 

No human master or cult please

Learning Point No 407

Is there the need to idolise a man who can be of help to others and call him human master or sifu in Chinese? 

Certainly, this is not to be encouraged even if out of gratitude for it will spoil the good work and the very nature of all parties. Men will get the wrong idea that the human master is the gateway to God and saints, if not God himself. 

This will place him on pedestal and blow up his ego and grow the monster in him. Any man, be him a priest, monk or pastor will suffer the same if he is venerated and exalted this way. 

The exalted will be humbled and the humble will be exalted. This was said by none other than the Lord Jesus.

Lord Bo Tien even went further to say that men shall not idolise the image of the lord saint or that of any saint but instead see the doctrine in the saint. The doctrine of salvation of soul is in the image and the image is the doctrine.

Lo and behold, do take note of the divine peaceful demeanor and the poise of feet balancing the yin and yang of life - the polarities or worldly contingencies which all men and beings without exception must face.  

We too can have this divine nature if we can balance and be stop the yin and yang. The scepter in right hand is the symbol of the doctrine or mission to spread the message and the left hand in salutation reminds us to move forward steadfastly and have confidence that heaven is behind us, regardless of our religious affiliation or even if none. 

The doctrine is the master, not even God and his saints. God and saints do not want us to idolise them but to benefit from practice of the divine doctrine, behind or common to all religions and sects.

If it is not right to idolise God and saints, it would be far more not right to idolise man, however good at helping and guiding others he may be. Take refuge in the doctrine or Word for the Word is God and God is the Word. 

Nowadays in the name of a religion, in the name of God Almighty and his prophet, a charismatic leader may rouse the crowd and make them idolise him. This can also be a grave error or mistake as this can potentially cultivate cult personality and culture, even without any solid image of God or prophet before them. 

They may well be more of idol worshipers than those they point fingers to as idol worshipers and pagans. That would be ironical. They see the dust in others eyes but not in their own. 

Let there be no human master please for man cannot replace God. As far as God is concerned, God is the Word and the Word is God. Idolise not God but be the embodiment of the Word. Then God is in us and we in God. 

When that miracle happens, God is great and men can be great as well. That is why there are saints in heaven and some even go beyond to be Buddhas. 

Of monsters, pastor, temple head and more

Learning Point No 406

Men must be discerning to know that what God and saints can do for men are very different from what religions can do for men or what temples / churches can do for men. 

What are of God and saints are controlled and managed by God and saints. What are of men like religions, churches and temples are controlled and managed by men though we say these are influenced by their inclinations to God and saints. 

Thus know who are God and saints and who are men. Give to God and saints what are due to God and saints and to men what is due to men. 

Man is man and God is God. Do not mistake man for God or we will end up worshiping the God in man and make a monster out of man who is the pastor or the priest at the pulpit. 

It may not at all be the primary fault of the pastor or priest for being the devil in sheep's clothing but the fault of the congregation for idolizing him and creating the monster out of him. 

Blame not God and saints for the predicament. Blame not the flower for insects coming to it. This is the oft repeated parable narrated by Lord Bo Tien. 

Often the wrong type of man will come to a church to be pastor because of the nectar offered by the men making up the congregation. Well the pastor should know better than to err but the poor pastor is no God. 

Well, in the end the pastor will take the blame and the men cry foul that providence is cruel. These men escape blame and end up scotch free. How ironical can life be?

Likewise whose fault is it when a temple head turns obnoxious and overbearing. Some men would like to point fingers at him but the real culprits are the small group of reigning and not-so-principled men at the temple for being wrong and prodigal. 

This makes it necessary for the temple head to come down hard on them and from there there will be bad blood. The men turns against the temple head and of course, they say that his head will have to roll albeit figuratively. 

In this instance, unlike the priest or pastor, the monsters may very well be the men and they are monsters simply because the temple head has failed to manage them well enough. Blame not these men when the temple head may well be at fault for not managing them well. 

But is it too unkind to let the temple head bear the burden of the problem? Well, this story may well be repeated over and over again in many temples and organisations. The rest of the story can have various versions, can of course go either way and can be open ended as well. 

The crux of problem may be due to a few unprincipled men with little or no spiritual ballast but yet want to call the tune. Whatever has become of respect for elders and their good works? 

Those who know better should advise and lead and not those who know little or less. But those in apparent majority and control of the reigns may still call the tune even though less right. 

The ultimate outcome is that mistakes and weakness of men, of pastor, priest, monk and temple head are there for all to learn and to be better off from the learning. 

A spiritual obstacle is for the learning and not to divine who is right and who is wrong or less right. When will men learn and have men already learnt? That is the issue. 

But the cost may be high if men are slow to learn or if men fail to see the light. That will be fate perhaps...

Temples should be progressive and not regressive.

Learning Point No 405

    

Temples of today cannot be like temples of the past, be it in any culture, and more so in Chinese culture. Bo Tien Temple set up in 1969 is different in that right from the start there was no need for sacrifices of animals and offerings of joss papers, not that these are wrong but they are not as right. 

Bo Tien Mission Temple is a Chinese temple poised to be different and to be pivoted on doctrine to show the world that all religions are one in basic truth and that we must see beyond the culture and somewhat archaic external facade of rituals and age-old traditions. 

To this end, the lord saint has directed that we live by doctrine which has to do with love for self and others. 

One significant off-shoot of this is the setting of a small token aged home of less than thirty due to legal constraints as well as the setting up of the collection and free distribution of provisions for the needy through Mutual Help and Care, both to be under the umbrella of the temple and not heartlessly divorced as separate entities or society from the temple. 

It has been way more than 45 years and the mission seems to be mired down and not going beyond these and almost every other temple in town is doing the same perhaps much to its credit but others may say they started these before Bo Tien Mission and can better do so. Whatever the reality is not important. 

The stark fact remains that the mission should not and never be just merely a very small token aged home, a small day care center and distribution of rations to but limited hundreds of needy. The mission is more than that.

It should be more and should go beyond physical welfare. There is the greater need for doctrine and its cultivation. The end is to save souls. There is obvious confusion of what constitutes the mission. 

Any confusion is because of men and the seeming failure to go beyond in the push of the mission with respect to doctrine. 

To do these, changes in culture must be made with the parallel push of doctrine. 

The temple of the mission must be simple, with no urn, less or even no images, safe for the serenity and pure aura of God and saints. 

Is there the need for images when the lord saint says that those who know and see the doctrine knows and sees the lord saint? Those who do not, see not and know not the lord saint. 

For centuries, most Chinese and Asains pay homage to God Almighty the Jade Emperor without having any image of him except for the main urn at the entrance or front courtyard of the temple. 

It is high time for the Mission of Heaven led by Lord Bo Tien to lead by example and be more openly and daringly progressive by giving up of images, urns and jos sticks and in place create ambience of Heaven and Earth  interface at the very temple of the lord. 

Let there be meeting of Heaven (sky) and Earth (men) in the temple. Let the shrine hall be air-conditioned. Let there be the hustle of leaves, the chirping of lovely birds and the music of breeze and of the cascading of water at the four waterfall pillars of the shrine. 

Let men not sit jammed and cross legged but on cushion chairs with backrests to meditate and to rejoice in the heavenly words shared by pastors at the pulpit. 

Pastors should not be entertainers but healers of the souls. They should be soothing in words, thoughts and deeds. 

Let organ music or orchestral music resound softly in the air to soothe the body and enrich the spirits of men to focus and be in tune with serenity divine. 

Let there be holograms of saints descending and passing bye and blessing men in their paths. 

Let there be that definite tinge of aroma incense waffling in the air and dry ice billowing towards the epicenter of the shrine with colored lights alternating in synchrony. The occasional timely chime of bells in the distance will be simply divine. 

Perhaps the occasional clang of cymbals and rolling of drums building up to a motivating crescendo as though descending from heaven will blend well and serve as the awakening of sorts to show oneness in diversity. This will provide the blending of old to the new and modern as a spectrum of sounds to assuage and titillate the senses.

A mission-related temple and for that matter all temples and places of worship should modernise and better address the spiritual needs of men of today (2013) and the future and they should not be stuck in the mud of rituals and old traditions not in tune with modern society. 

If they do not change, the young will shun them and the temples will simply fade into oblivion. Temples will then become relics of the past. 

Do not let temples be relics and museum of the past. Temples should be progressive and not regressive. 

Temples should not be archaeological burial sites of the doctrine of God and saints but should be attractive to the young and modern and expose into the open the rich wisdom and simplicity of the doctrine of God and saints. 

They are where men meet doctrine and the doctrine is God. They are where men meet God and saints. Let no archaic rituals and paraphernalia separate men from God and saints. 

Men should not need to dig into the layers of rituals and paraphernalia before they can quench their spiritual thirst to be with doctrine and God. 

Lest we forget, the doctrine is God. God is the doctrine. God and saints are one in doctrine. The Word is God and God is the Word. 

Men in a temple need not belong to any religion but they must believe in God and his doctrine. Elder Ling is such a man. 

He was appointed as Temple Head by the lord saint Lord Bo Tien when the temple was set up in 1970 after the descent of the lord saint in 1969 in body of P. Philip. (This was borne out by the minutes of the general meeting in 1971 and in the annual mission day messages of the lord saint) 

Elder Ling Diung Kwong

He has the progressive outlook and vision but finds it onerous to explain and share with others because they find that he is a pain in the neck. Looking back, this may be the very reason why the lord saint appointed and anointed him as Temple Head - Ah Tau (Hokkien term). 

Temples should be progressive and not regressive. The lord saint wants his temple to be different and be model for others to follow. 

He identified the progressive Elder Ling to ensure mission stays on course, does not falter and stays progressive. Only then can temple or rather temples stay relevant, meaningful and connect with modern society. 

Temples must ever be progressive or may well end up as archaeological relics of the past and be relegated to oblivion with passing of time. 

The many countless centuries of good works of the heavenly saints like Ji Gong, Kuanyin, Amitabha, Kuan Kong, Necha and The Great Sage Tai Seng would then be lost to men if temples are archaic and not progressive. 

Whose fault would that be? Of course the fault lies with men who hold on to temples and refuse to let temples be progressive. They need to learn from men like Elder Ling. But can they and should they when they think they know better. 

Well there will always be different viewpoints which may be right in their own ways and at the same time. Otherwise, there will be only one religion and not many religions and for any one religion, many sects and schools. 

Perhaps it is better not to identify specifically with any but instead to believe and respect all. That may be considered a commitment, yet not. In a way this position or stance is progressive. Temples should respect all religions and have place for all religions in both their hearts and premises. 

There will however be those temples who prefer to preserve the old ways and practices. That is their choice and some say this is good as well. They want to protect and further the age old culture and traditions of the past forefathers. They will then say,"What's wrong with that?" 

But they should ask themselves whether the young in their families will feel the inclination to be in the organisations of their parents. If so, then their insistence on old ways and traditions are alright. If not, they are selfish in orientation and the temples they are in will fade away with them into the sunset. 

Temples should follow in the footsteps of the temples of Lord Bo Tien but like it or not, enough is never enough in as far as progressiveness of temples is concerned, more so in a mission temple of the lord saint. 

But if elders and wise ones like Elder Ling are too pushy and brash, they will be shunned by those who would certainly feel threatened and pressurized by their relentless and somewhat stubborn pursuit for progressiveness. 

Sad to say that they will look set to fail in their pursuit if they cannot carry the equally or more stubborn men in the temples with them. They may even be ostracized and be caught in quad-mire of their making. 

But this will be a small problem compared to the bigger problem of regressiveness and refusal to embark on road of progressiveness advocated by men the likes of Elder Ling. 

People must not stubbornly hold on to old ways but allow reforms to rationalize and make simple the practices in a temple to align with and uphold the doctrine of Heaven. Time is not on their side. They may well live or even die to regret.

Elder Ling 

So obviously there are problems in temples and the problems lie with men. The issues and problems of men are many and plentiful. This did Lord Bo Tien opined.

In summary, progressiveness applies to all places of worship and religious institutions. There must be the proper showcasing of doctrine and emphasis on simplicity and purity of God, not hanging on to age old traditions and rituals which run counter to simplicity and add to complexity, often causing issues of misconceptions. 

Doctrine and practice also must take precedence over hero worshiping and idolising, be it of men or of God and his saints. 

It must be stressed that there must however be no room for both overt or covert manipulation and twisting of doctrine by men for devious human gains. 

Doctrine emphasis must be on the premise that God is the Word and the Word is God. This must be. 

Doctrine coverage must be holistic and global, so that it will not by any chance or other be slanted, wrongly conveyed and misconstrued.

The man of God and saints

Learning Point No 404

We have finite useful years and in fact for those older, not many years left. What we can do, we just do for the mission of God and saints to save souls through any religion or sect. 

Lord Bo Tien is but a messenger for the mission. He is not here to start a new religion or sect. But we can say the Mission of Heaven is his mission or responsibility. The mission can optionally start with a mission-related temple in his name. 

If we cannot get along with others in mission, there is no need to submit to them or to be at odds with them. We just adopt the path of least resistance, even if this means that we are loners. It is better to be loners than to rub people the wrong way round or be rubbed by them in unpleasant ways. 

We need to lead simple life at pace that brings us peace and is meaningful. Don't make life complex and there is no need to know what others are doing all the time, perhaps most of the time. 

Basically do let them handle their own lives and not try to handle for them. We come in and help them only when appropriate but mind you, we do not make use of them or be made use off by them. This would not be easy but it is best to be simple and be contented. This is not giving up and letting go. 

We need just to be simple and move on with sunrise and sunset. Be happy with each sunrise and sunset. It is as simple as that. 

To be simple means neither to give up nor to overdo, to indulge in life and wanting all and having less. We do not go for zero or void and we also do not go for more and more, making life complex, complicated and no more simple and peaseful.

Perhaps, we could be a bit more adventurous at times. 

At times, there is no harm to withdraw from life and society once in a while and know that this is not the answer. We will not be at peace. 

We too can at times rush around and be busy bees. This too we will learn is unpleasant and life will be dread, not peaceful. 

Then we will realise that the best is to moderate and be simple in life, have a bit of many things but not too much and at a pace we are comfortable with. This then is life and truly best way to live. This is the way or Tao of the sages. 

This same way works for us both in spiritual and mundane life. It can be practised regardless of religious culture and affiliation or even if none. Be simple and have more. Want more and end up less. 

Perhaps take a break, go to the sea and to the mountains and be at peace. Go for the buzz of society and be busted. Be at peace and not be in pieces. 

Stay clear of those who rattle and dazzle if we do not want to have less or no peace. They are noisy and can be 'nosey'. 

Thus sometimes being alone is good but not good enough. We need to associate with the wise men and honor those men who are worthy of honor. These Gautama Buddha say will be best for us. We will be that more blessed and peaceful. 

Review of the pivotal role of precepts

Learning Point No 403

The universal precepts introduced by Lord Bo Tien
1. I must believe in One God
2. I must believe in what all the Saints preach in words, thoughts, deeds and all that are written.
3. I must not kill.
4. I must not steal and do what is extremely bad to harm my neighbours or their belongings.
5. I must not covet my neighbour’s wife.
6. I must respect my parents and all those elder than me.
7. I must not bear false witnesses against my neighbours

Precepts are good for those who do not know doctrine and have little devotion but still want to be in religion at superficial level. Only with some devotion to God and saints can there be spiritual conscience. Precepts are good for the many who are in this category. 

To comply with precepts, there must at least be some sense of conscience. Those without devotion has no spiritual conscience. 

Those who break precepts are either those with no spiritual doctrine and hence no conscience or those who know but yet ignore doctrine and precepts. They end up living beyond the out of bound markers we know as precepts. 

They end up with sexual misconduct and no respect for elders and parents. All they want is that they benefit and they want glory for themselves. They go for tuff guarding and take over others' tuff. They often belittle the elders, scoff at them and some are even openly adulterous partly because they do not respect hierarchy and personal space.

Many in a temple break precepts and they do so because they are wanting in devotion, doctrine and conscience. They are after all like insects coming to the flower for nectar. 

If men of a temple cannot keep precepts, they cannot carry out the mission of the temple saint. They are only interested in their own secular interests or agenda. We can say they are only going for their own mission. 

Those in the mission of a temple saint may not know the doctrine or tou-li well but must at least be able to keep the precepts. This is really the bare minimum. If they can keep precepts, they can still be reliable, have faith or devotion to the temple saint and the potential to know the doctrine. 

But do be aware that the temple saint cannot stop those who cannot make it from coming to the temple, for the flower cannot turn insects from coming to it for nectar. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say. 

It is best that men who cannot keep precepts learn to be meek and humble and not act high key to denounce others, unless they themselves have clean slate in the past. 

Judge not lest we be judged. The exalted will be humble and the meek and humble will be exalted. This can work both ways, that is affect both parties with disputable bone of contention. 

Those who couldn't keep precepts and did not make amends, yet quick to point fingers at others or perhaps even nonchalantly and knowingly carry on breaking the precepts will face retributions they created. 

They may even have to undergo correctional training here or in the after life. This is for their own good and not out of ill-will or wrath of Heaven. 

The common transgressions of precepts are telling lies, putting on records that which are not true with intent to mislead and malign, not valuing a spouse and throwing him or her away for another, having adultery with another member's wife or with wife's sister or kin, despite still having religious frontage and stature. 

The more high profile a temple or church is the more likely will there be breaches of precepts. The modern world is replete with new fad for breach of precepts. One is the misuse of money or finance. which is tantamount to stealing and day light robbery. 

There is always the tempting tendency when there is abundance and plenty and when men of high stature are fallible and their following gullible. This is likely when they have catapulted themselves into leadership through charisma and deceit such as twisting the holy word and slanting it.

Precepts are the pillars to guard against impropriety and men acting like they are insects coming to a flower when they are in the house of God. The flower cannot stop insects from coming to it. 

But in the house of God and saints, precepts give ample notice and are wake up calls to men who may transgress and face what they themselves create. 

God and his saints are kind to give advance caution but men may throw caution to the wind. Don't ever say God and saints are unkind when men commit transgressions and tarnish the good name of God. 

Such men also create their own consequences of their actions. Blaming God for the consequences is ironical. But the good God will still help them though of course in God's own terms. However, they will still face the law of the land even after facing the softer laws of Heaven. 

Thank Heaven that though the problems of men are many and plentiful as noted by Lord Bo Tien, a mission related temple of the lord saint can still make it somehow. With divine blessings, issues big and small will be no issues even if big issues can at times end up still as small issues. 

Men can learn but let them learn at their own paces. Do not be a busybody. No two men are alike. Thus even for seemingly identical problems, different solutions for the two may be warranted. 

One size fits all will not work, more so in religious matters. Hence over exuberant evangelism can often create more headache and woes than solve them. A little may still be alright. 

Do not expect much from men at a temple

Learning Point No 402

What do we expect from men in a temple or church, especially those who are active and managing the place? 

For one thing however good they may be, they pale in comparison to the prophet or saint of that temple or church. 

Also they may not have the fervor and zest of the founders. 

They also may not share the same primary motives and their hidden agenda are their main concerns behind their professed primary motivation. 

Though many are still good enough, there will be those who are like insects coming to the flower for nectar and we should not blame the flower for coming to the insects. This the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say in 1975 at Sitiawan Malaysia. 

Do not expect much from men at a temple, let alone expect the sky out of them. Otherwise, we will be disappointed. 

Worse still, we may view the saint or religion in the same light and be disgruntled. We may then even doubt the existence of the saint. We may think the saint is the concoction of some cone men. 

No wonder Lord Bo Tien said "that man is man and saint is saint"

So if a pastor or monk who can speak well, entertain and sway the crowd, do not be deceived that he is wonderful and idolise him. He may have weaknesses which if made known to us may make them repulsive and less wholesome to us. 

But this does not mean that the religion of the temple or church is not sound. All religions are good and doing the good works of God. 

There will always be the few exceptional  men in a temple who are good and exceptional but even the best may still pale in comparison to the saint or prophet of the temple or religion. That is the reality. 

In a temple of Lord Bo Tien, the lord saint does not even want us to idolise him but to see his image as depiction of the doctrine. The doctrine is in the image and the image is the doctrine. 

His feet on the elements depict need to be atop and balance polarities in life - the worldly contingencies or yin and yang like gain and loss, honor and dishonor. 

His right hand hold on the scepter which depicts the mission to save souls through explaining and reinvigorating the common Tao or doctrine in all religions or sects.

If we should not even idolise or hero worship a saint or prophet, how on earth could we idolise the pastor or monk to extent of kissing the ground the pastor or monk steps on. 

But if men know the doctrine well and practise it, men will know where the pastor or monk have gone wrong and learn from his flaws. Men will also model the good examples of the pastor or monk.

But men should not spoil him and make a devil out of him. If ever he becomes one, it is not his fault alone but he is the making of those who fawn on him. 

Do remember not to expect much from men at a temple. Even the founder temple elder does not need to be that exemplary in many aspects. This does not mean, he should be asked to leave and removed from the temple. 

He certainly has done good and made the temple following and devotees proud of him. But he is man and not saint. 

Those who point fingers at him may well be worse than him and wolves in sheep's clothing. But they too have their place in the temple of a saint like that of Lord Bo Tien. 

All men have their place or right to be in a temple but please do not expect much from men at a temple. They are men and not saints. We too are men and not saints. 

Man is man and saint is saint. This God and saints will always say. Lord Bo Tien did say this as well. 

More on The Tao (Way) for Peace

Learning Point No 401

- based on explanations by Lord Bo Tien who is not here to start a new religion or sect but he is here to show that the same basic doctrine is there in all religions and sects. He seeks no one to worship him. The future of his temple if any is of no consequence compared to the awakening of men to the basic doctrine - the inner truth in all religions and sects.

Everyone in a temple or church likes to think he is the chosen one and without him, the temple will not be as good. Whilst this thinking is in a way good, it is also not good as it means that he is attached to or clinging on to the temple or church. 

He either needs the security of the temple saint to back him up or he needs to use the temple as stepping stone to be somebody in society so that he can get national award or knighthood. 

He may well be also taking some risks at work or job and hopes the temple saint will ensure that he don't run into troubled waters and be censured or taken to task by secular society. 

Both these two motives are acceptable. Why is this so? Most people including ourselves do seek God and saints for such blessings. 

But to the more insightful and discerning, there must be doctrine that would make them realise that there is more than these two motives in coming to a temple saint. 

What is perhaps or obviously more paramount is not just worldly blessings but how to go further than worldly or mundane blessings. 

It is true that our worldly or mundane life must be satisfactory so that life will be less problematic. Big issues will at least be small issues even if they cannot be no issues. 

Men must go for more than what the material or mundane world could provide, that is, which cannot be derived from worldly and mundane life. 

Men must realise that more and more from worldly life may not be more but end up less and less for life will be that more onerous and problematic. 

The peace of life that men wants cannot be from the material world. At the same time, men cannot go away, give up and deny (do without) the material world. 

There are somehow at least certain basics and what these tantamount to depends on the individual and do vary from person to person. 

Beyond the basics more can be counterproductive and can in fact be less. How to decide on how much is really enough or optimum depends on insight or awareness. No two persons are alike. 

What we want subconsciously is the peace come what may. 

Having no worldly trappings of mundane life brings no peace. Having too much even if we can have all we want can embroil us to hectic high pace life and there is no peace but allot of headache trying to attend to and maintain or have more. 

When we cannot have all and more, we would suffer from torment of getting what we want, when in fact, we already have more than what others could even hope for. 

Thus we must have mind keen to have balance in life, not only of mundane or worldly life but also the spiritual or supra-mundane. 

We cannot go more and more even of spiritual or supra-mundane, for then, there is incessant wants and no peace. 

We could also not give up every thing in life for that would result in void and no peace. 

We must go for peace of life moment by moment and try to have a little incremental improvement of that peace from time to time. 

Even if we do backslide but still have some peace, we should be accepting and be peaceful - never be ruffled by the apparent down for the time being. 

We should know that the balance of the ups and downs or the contingencies of life is a dynamic one. 

What we go for is peace, be it less for now or more for now or the same as before. This is a good habit. 

We need to be contented and be restful. We should have less of restlessness of the mind but fear not having restlessness if this happens. 

We must take stock and be aware. Mindfulness is half the battle won and we will have peace and not war within. 

We should not let fear or guilt have the better of us but if they do happen, be aware of them as feelings or emotions. Just by being aware, they seem to be less intense and to subside. 

Sometimes, perhaps even often, the faithful in any religion will call on the names of the saints. By their faith and by virtue of the vast meritorious energy of the saint, the restlessness, fear or guilt will dissipate and problems will seem to go away. 

Why do we need to call on the name of a saint such as Omitofo? We are still on the path to have peace. We are novices at that and few are adept at the path or Tao (Way) to have more lasting peace. We do need self cultivation but often this is not good enough. 

We then call on Jesus, Omitofo or any of the many saints that God provides through religions and sects and even outside religions and sects. 

The wonders of some men in a temple

Learning Point No 400

What is important in any temple is the doctrine and the patron saint's guidance, not a concrete building or who can manage that building. It is imperative that men do not waste time over human wants and issues as doctrine is of foremost importance. 

All that arise will fade away. Knowing this, we must treasure what we have and go for that which will not be subject to arising and fading. The mind at peace come what may is the blessing that comes from doctrine cultivation. The gift of truth that leads to peace is the greatest of all blessings, far superceding all that are mundane. 

Woe will befall men who go for the mundane and fight for the worldly self gains even in the house of God. They should know better but yet don't seem to know. When it rains, it is as though Heaven is shedding tears for them. They are so privileged to be with God and saints but yet so ungodly.  When will they wake up, learn and put things right?

If even concrete so sturdy and robust does not last for eternity, how then can we hold on to what we are in flesh and blood? We must pass on. Even Gautama must pass on. We too will do so as well. But are we at peace that transcends death? Surely we too want to be like the Buddha. 

If Omitofo has his way, all who call out to his name will not do so in vain. So do so now. Practise and cultivate the mind to have peace and be on the Way. 

If at all, those in a temple want to waste time over the mundane and want to seize control of the temple, advise them but if not heeded, leave them alone and be on your way to peace of the saints. 

The chance of men to be born and live in same lifetime is small. Men may not meet again in the afterlife. Knowing this, men must treasure one another, more so in the temple of the lord saint, like Lord Bo Tien. Love for one another should rightly be the rational consequence but men can be strange and odd. 

They can come to blows and in the same breath talk of loving kindness and charity through aged home and distribution of food rations in community. That is simply ironical and pathetic. 

They can perhaps even have the cheek to denounce and expel the founder. They can even see the saint in the eye and yet do that which the saint do not want them to do. Like what saints like Jesus said, "They see not the dust in their own eyes but readily see the dust in others' eyes."

That is why there is the mission of the lord saint and the mission starts at home ground of the temple of the lord. This is the stark reality which needs to be addressed. Mission starts with ground zero. 

The near may be far and the far near. This did Lord Bo Tien say. All are near and far or neither near nor far. 

Those who are keen to run any temple are those who can commit time and physical energy as well as financial support. But they do by and large lack interest in serious doctrine and are content with some semblance of understanding. 

To them, mission of a temple is simply to help the needy and to work with the mainstream in this aspect. This may end up that the mission is to help needy and is a digit of the mainstream thrust to help society. 

They would do better with more devotion and uphold the patron saint as the prime driving force for mission. Somehow the recognition by the leaders of the land  can end up as the prime driver for then there would be social acclaim for a few in the management of that temple. 

Without them there are no hands and no legs, that is, no runners for the temple. 

Lord Bo Tien did forsee this as the consequence in any temple. The main mission is not just to alleviate the physical worldly needs but to go much beyond. 

There is the long haul need to enlighten men so that they will have peace of spirit through avoiding denial of life and overindulgence and through being atop and not affected by worldly contingencies or polarities of life - the yin and yang. 

Few could understand this, let alone be motivated. Thus there is need to appoint a few elders right from the start to oversee but these few elders will be lone rangers. 

If unable to oversee, the spiritual mission will falter because there will be many of those who will usurp and replace the mission with the mission of men. They may even detach the community services as a separate entity or society from the temple. 

This will be the common outcome or development in any Tom and Dick temple or church of any religion. It is just both believable and unbelievable that they happen in any temple or church. 

In a negative way, we may say that they are the wonders of some men in any institution and for the matter, even in a temple or church. 

An institution must be overseen by men with capabilities but such men are few and may not be popular. Those who support them may be sizable but they may not want to join the fray to support them if there be the need. 

Thus many temples and churches though popular cannot really go far spiritually and cannot uphold the fervor and purity of purpose of the founder and pioneers of the religion. 

A mission related temple of Lord Bo Tien is an exception but yet not an exception, though each is supposed to be a model for other temples and churches to follow. 

They should not end up like any other temples that have been around. They should be models for other temples and not model after other temples. 

Religions differ but yet are one in basic doctrine

Learning Point No 399

The lord saint has said that the purpose of welfare services is to relieve the suffering of the needy so that they have some basic comforts and the three meals a day and a shelter. 

The members who carried this out in the early years of mission were putting doctrine of loving kindness into practice. 

The ultimate is not only to fill the stomachs of men and give shelter but also to fill the minds of men with peace so as to enrich and save souls. 

The minds of men must be filled with the knowledge of the doctrine basic to and common to all religions. 

There is need for peace come what may. We cannot have peace by running away from life. We also can have no peace when we go for all in life, thinking that what we want, heaven must provide. 

What Heaven promises is peace that comes from what Buddhists call the Middle Way - avoiding denial of life at one end and overindulgence of life at the other end. 

Taoists refer to yin yang balance of polarities or contingencies in life. We should never ever let the contingencies like praise blame, gain loss, and the ups and downs in life swirl us around and get the better of us. We shall ride, balance and be atop the yin and yang like the feet of Lord Bo Tien atop the elements in his seated pose image. 

Christians refer to the grace of God and not just good works. Salvation cannot be by doing good deeds for good deeds must be sincerely done without expectations of good returns. For such motive of expecting good returns is not good. 

Men must find peace in God through Jesus and be motivated to do good thereafter. The motivation is the peace that God gives and that fills the vacuum in the spirit of man. This will spur men to be good.

Good deeds motivated by ego so as to have recognition and stature is simply not good enough. Such motivation will blow up the ego and make men feel exalted, conceited and unpleasant as well as abrasive to other men. 

They will then displace the presence of God in them with the presence of ego. Ego will distance men from fellow men and God. 

Subdue the ego but not deny it. Submit it to be part of God so as to be borderless, merge with God and thereby realise the grace of God. There is no denial of self  nor indulgence but merely submitting it to be part of God. 

This is very much alike the Middle Way concept for Nirvana or Enlightenment that Buddhists talk about and to the Tao or Way of Yin and Yang Balance that yields divine inner peace that Taoists refer to. 

By the grace of God, peace and life motivated by being one with God will spur men to love other men and beings and to be truly good. One then does good not for blowing up one's ego but because one is with God and God with him. There is no place for personal ego space or pride. 

Religions differ but yet are one, more so in the underlying basic doctrine. Only men with shallow thinking argue till kingdom come that they are correct and others wrong and that religions are different. 

This above is an elucidation of the Inner Truth that Lord Bo Tien talks about. The older term for Inner Truth is the Four Pillar Doctrine. 

Four Pillar refers to the four cardinal directions. Religions are the pillars of the House of God with Heaven or Sky as roof. All men and beings are in the Universal House or Temple. 

Respect for elders is indispensable to any society or temple

Learning Point No 398

Respect for elders is the backbone of family, society and temple. There is need for balance between meritocracy and seniority. Elders hold the key to institutional know-how and their experience would be second to none. 

But for elders to add value, they need to nurture the young and guide the young to lead and to take over. The young may lack experience and benefit of hands-on handling of problems in past. 

Society must model after the extended family of the old days where elders have those who are older than them. Such a system will have a better balance with checks and balance. 

The young will manage the front line but need to take the cue from the elders who with their wealth of experience and many years on the scene can better grasp the picture and size up the situation as well as foresee what will happen in the future if a certain line of action is undertaken. 

The men who think must not be the only ones who carry out the actions. Those who are young are likely the ones to carry out the actions in an organisation. 

They may not be comprehensive, thorough and exhaustive in thinking before leaping into action. They lack holistic insight from the wealth of past experiences that the old have. 

At the same time, the old must let the young front the running of the organisation be it a temple or society. This is so that new and progressive ways can be injected and effected for the organisation. This is to leverage on meritocracy and combine it with seniority for a better outcome.

This applies to a temple as well. One elder is not enough. We need more elders and better still a hierarchy system of elders is best. More ideal would be a council of elders to add value and augment the dynamic youthful vitality and zest of the young. 

The young cannot afford to ignore the respect for elders. There must be that yin yang combination (a) of elders with the young and (b) of seniority with meritocracy in any organisation, even in a mission temple of Lord Bo Tien or in any sect, religion, temple or church.  

Respect for elders is one of the universal precepts instituted by Lord Bo Tien. No Bo Tien Temple can function without enshrining this precept. 

Even Gautama Buddha said that our parents are our very first gods and the home is the very first temple. Respecting and honoring the elders is equivalent to respecting the Buddha. 

So if you notice that in a mission-related temple of Lord Bo Tien, there is no respect for the elders especially the founding elder, there is seriously something very wrong. But would you by any stretch of imagination ever believe that this will happen in such a temple?

Surely not... It would be simply unbelievable. It can only happen if the doctrine of Lord Bo Tien is ignored. Then such a temple should not bear the name of the lord saint.

God and saints are not dumb and puppets of men

Learning Point No 397

The point of interest in any mission like that of Lord Bo Tien is that the pioneer saint is directive not only verbally in the early years but also in event language. 

After the early years of perhaps say 13 years, there might not be any more trancing or automatic writing and thus no more verbal cues. 

Only event language and the doctrine the saint left for men would be there to guide and to gel them as one. 

But what if insects did come to the flower for nectar and not for the flower? This Lord Bo Tien did allude to for any mission or temple.

What if men who were not there in the founding years, that is, not in the first phase of 13 years and who have not been cultured by the first phase decide to gate crash and take control of the fruits of the pioneers and call it their own but under the name of the same founding saint initially (and later even usurp it by renaming it under another saint's name.)

Worst still, what if they decide that the good works motivated by spiritual faith and doctrine should be hived off as independent entity from the spiritual body or temple. 

This would easily had been foreseen but men of the first phase could end up being a disappointment. They could have chosen to align with those not in the first phase to have a free hand and to have better hold of the mission to meet not mission goals but to better meet their own agenda. 

They might still partake in worthwhile social good works like aged home and community help and care. 

But this time round, the motive might then be no longer spiritual, that is no longer based on faith for the pioneer saint or motivated and moved by the doctrine of the saint. 

The good works no longer are spearheaded by pure heart and pure actions but tainted by self interest and greed for social standing in society. 

Are we such men? Do we know of others who are like that? How do we caution them or awaken them? Do we leave them to their god forsaken ways and be lost spiritually? 

God willing, they will have to learn from God and saints but how will this be? Leave it to Heaven. God knows. Saints will have their ways. 

In a mission like that of Lord Bo Tien, one or two might have been identified from the early days as reliable ones to correct the wrong. Who are they? 

Surely this is true in any temple or mission. God and saints are not dumb. They are not puppets of men. 

But some men think God and saints are indeed dumb and puppets. Well they have guts because they are dumb and need help. 

Do help them if we can but how? God will help us if we try and are sincere. 

Otherwise, they may even come in guise of monks, pastors or priests to use God's good name to mislead their flocks. 

This is not inevitable and can come to pass so long as men are men and that insects do come to the flower for nectar. Blame not the flower. This did Lord Bo Tien say. 

God and saints do have their plans and places for such men even if they might have wronged men and they have to face the law of the land. They are the prodigal ones, wrong but yet loved and welcome by God and saints.