In the 1984 message, the lord saint Lord Bo Tien said, "...some of them understand His Doctrine and some still don't understand His Doctrine but because of His Mission in "save mankind and beings in all realms", He has to descend tonight (that night in 1984) to give the message for us to ponder over." Historical version of 1984 birthday eve message of Lord Bo Tien...
He was lamenting that there were still members of the mission who did not understand the Doctrine he had said in the thirteen years ending in 1984. Despite the fact that the mission is to save mankind and beings in all realms, many members of the mission still did not know the doctrine and without knowing, there was no way they could carry out the Mission.
In an earlier 1978 message, he said that the mission is not just welfare and charity but way beyond to save souls through understanding and practice of doctrine.
The Aged Home was a good charitable deed, which they had accomplished and it was in line with His wish to have it built. Now that the Aged Home had been established, it was time to put forward His Doctrine. He said, "Good deeds are in many forms." At the present place (Woodlands Singapore), it was known that every effort put in had brought forth fruits for all to see and yet many are ignorant of His Doctrine. The setting up of the Aged Home had seen people with many ulterior motives; some for self-interest; others to gain higher status in the society while there were some not expecting any returns. He added that the good deeds done in this life would be repaid perhaps instantly in the present or in future.
............. He then invited the congregation to look at the awning of the Temple (with its pillars) and said, "This is my doctrine."
Otherwise though charity is good and will bear good results for the receiver and good doer, this is just not good enough. "Good deeds come in many forms." Gift of Doctrine to save of souls is the ultimate good deeds
Moreover, the motive for charity may be more personal than spiritual.
But whatever the motive even if not spiritual and not mission directed, any good will still beget good though the good that results will NOT be as good as from the good from saving souls through doctrine.
What is the focus of the doctrine There is need to know the Way or Tao (Tou-li) on how to be atop and balance the yin and yang and master it before one can be at peace and pure to be with God and heavenly saints.
The Tao is in all religions. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions are the pillars. "The temple shed with pillars is the doctrine."
The Tao is in all religions. The sky is the roof of the temple and religions are the pillars. "The temple shed with pillars is the doctrine."
Lamenting thus that men still do not understand doctrine at his last annual message to men, he said that he had to come down that year in 1984 for the mission. His coming down to deliver message is for the Mission despite the fact that the men then still did not understand the doctrine.
Worse of all, as his representatives said umpteen times over the first 13 years from 1969, many had mistaken and will continue to mistake what men do and say as what the lord saint do and say. They had often mistaken man as saint and saint as man.
Worse of all, as his representatives said umpteen times over the first 13 years from 1969, many had mistaken and will continue to mistake what men do and say as what the lord saint do and say. They had often mistaken man as saint and saint as man.
As a result, they would misconceive that the lord saint might not be real but the concoction and imagination of man.
As a result, what a man did and said may be misconstrued as what the saint did and said. That would be sad as men in later years may even deny that the messages are not genuine.
They would even conclude that there is no history and doctrine mission.
What is the history? They will answer that there is none. They will surely say that there is no need to write history.
What is the mission? Well they will say that there is no mission other than to do good - to carry out charity as had been done for centuries by men the world over. There is nothing new. Then what is the need for the lord saint to descend in 1969?
What is the history? They will answer that there is none. They will surely say that there is no need to write history.
What is the mission? Well they will say that there is no mission other than to do good - to carry out charity as had been done for centuries by men the world over. There is nothing new. Then what is the need for the lord saint to descend in 1969?
Why would the lord saint come down in the first place in 1969 when he made it clear he was not here to be a new deity or god for men? He was not here to start a new sect or religion. He was not here to start new temples.
He was merely using the typical Chinese temple culture to show that the same basic or inner truth behind all religions and sects, behind all churches, temples and houses of God and saints exist in magnificence in a Chinese temple named after him.
There is no need to say more. Men will somehow fall short of the glory of God and saints. Had it not been for the grace of God and heavenly saints, few if any will make it to save their souls, let alone save the souls of others though they may do good like charity.
Charity is good and good will result. But the gift of truth and doctrine is the best gift to all. The Mission of Heaven is the gift of truth to all so that they can live in doctrine and be saved.
The mission goes on even if men are not ready. But the irony is that men may hijack the mission of Heaven and do their own instead. Is this what should be? Time and time again, men somehow will end up wanting Heaven to do their bidding and not they doing the bidding of Heaven.
The mission goes on even if men are not ready. But the irony is that men may hijack the mission of Heaven and do their own instead. Is this what should be? Time and time again, men somehow will end up wanting Heaven to do their bidding and not they doing the bidding of Heaven.
No wonder the lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say that "new subcontractor and workers" may be needed for the mission. How is this going to be done? The writing is on the wall, or is it?
Men who failed the mission now or in the past may have to return in future to make up. This secret of Heaven is obviously no longer a secret as it had been revealed. This is out of compassion for those who might have to return if they fail to make it in their present lifetime.
The answer to the problems of the mission lies in having awareness of doctrine. Devotion can be blind and centred on ego needs. Man projects his own ego in God. Devotion to God is based on devotion to his own ego. It is often superficial as man is naturally more devoted to personal gains than to God and saints.
What motivated most men to God and saints are the favors - the worldly blessings from God and saints. Blame not the flower for ants coming to it for nectar. Lord BoTien said.
There is need for men to go beyond the nectar of personal favors and go for the peace of the spirit through doctrine. This is the peace that will last and is unaffected by life.
Men are so often preoccupied with the worldly gains and attainment that the mission to them is to do good through welfare activities for the worldly good of not only the needy but also for their own good in terms of status and acclaim. There is no lasting satisfaction, let alone peace.
This becomes the mission albeit at the apparent level. Doing good becomes the only doctrine. But the highest good is the good not for worldly gains but for peace of the souls - the enlightenment that is the salvation or saving of souls. The gift and practice of doctrine is the highest good.
The real mission is the gift of the highest good to men. This is none other than doctrine. Many men are not ready to go beyond the worldly blessings they expect from God and saints. They need to go further for the doctrine which is the highest good.
Men are blinded by quest for worldly good or attachment. But the mission for the highest good is beyond worldly attachment and is none other than the mission to spread the doctrine. This true mission must go on even if men are not ready.
If goodness like charity is motivated by doctrine, then it is even better than the goodness that is not. Many are not ready for doctrine. The mission cannot wait for them.
But even if men are not ready for mission, men can be motivated to do charity even if the motivation is not based on grasp of doctrine but on devotion of sorts. This is better than waiting till kingdom come for them to be keen on doctrine and have grasp of doctrine.
Incidentally, with regards to the true Mission, there are three phases. The charity phase followed the first phase of devotion phase. Each phase lasted 13 years. There should be enough of both spiritual orientated devotion and good deeds to spur the interest in doctrine. The third phase is the doctrine phase. The doctrine is the prime driver of mission. It is the mission proper.
Doctrine if cultivated and practised enables peace from within and this will last more than any gains from without.
What is given from without cannot last but what is cultivated from within may last if it is the peace that comes from Tao (Way) of balancing the ups and downs, the yin and yang of life that is in us.
If we have no problem with yin and yang in the world within us, we have no problem with the yin and yang in the world outside us. The mind is chief. As the saying goes, we will be what we think.
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