Why Amitabha?

Learning Point No 296

Many know only of the historical Gautama Buddha.  But there are many buddhas and Lord Gautama himself refers to them. In fact there is in Theravada Buddhism even a sutra or holy teaching titled Salutation to the 28 Buddhas.

With respect to Amitabha, he is considered the overall Buddha and as his name implies, he is the Buddha of Infinite Light. As he has attained enlightenment, he has no form like a human but projects himself in the image of human to reach out to men and beings. He is divine energy that is pervasive and hence omnipresent. 

Amitabha Buddha

In fact, calling out his name Omitofo or Amitabha is as good as calling out to all saints or enlightened ones like Ji Gong. Thus he has promised that the devout who chants or sings "Namo Omitofo" will be able to tap into his divine energy and be blessed not only by him but by all heavenly saints. 

Ji Gong too calls on Omitofo when he blesses men

There are many bodhisattvas or posats who have been enlightened through Amitabha and Kuanyin the Goddess of Mercy is one of them. 

In Buddhist mythology, it states that she was born from Amitabha Buddha's right eye, after which he proclaimed,"Om Mani Padme Hum" -- Hail to the jewel in the lotus -- a sentiment of her preciousness to him. Some believe she is actually an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha.  Refer post:  Origin and meaning of Om Mani Padme Hum

Goddess Kuanyin

There are many who due to being less literate or to dire circumstances like ill health or disasters are unable to recite long prayers or sutras. Thus the best mantra or prayer must be short, sweet and effective.

Namo Omitofo.

Amitabha Buddha takes centre-stage at Bo Tien Temple Singapore

Reference:  
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/amithaba-txt.htm

Extract below is from http://www.amituofo.com/amituofo/ 

"In the sacred Buddhist texts of China, the Sutra of Buddha of Infinite Life relates Amitabha Buddha. 

On a certain occasion, Sakyamuni Buddha (the Buddha of our present age) was on Vulture Peak, surrounded by his disciples. Ananda, the Buddha’s personal attendant, noticed the radiant beauty of the Buddha and inquired what was the Buddha’s joy. 

Sakyamuni relates the following story: In an infinite time in the past, Bhiksu Dharmakara observed the misery of all sentient beings, and moved by compassion, he vowed to establish a pure and perfect land where all could be liberated from their suffering. He then made forty-eight Vows in which he promised to establish this land or else he would not attain enlightenment. 

The Sutra declares the Bhiksu Dhamakara practiced for many eons until he accomplished all his vows. Since he has achieved his aims, he is considered to be the Buddha of that land-The Buddha Of Infinite Light and Life."

Amitabha Buddha

The extract below is from wikipedia 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha 

"According to the Larger Sūtra of Immeasurable Life (Mahāyāna Amitāyus Sūtra) Amitābha was, in very ancient times and possibly in another system of worlds, a monk named Dharmakāra. In some versions of the sūtra, Dharmakāra is described as a former king who, having come into contact with the Buddhist teachings through the buddha Lokesvararaja, renounced his throne. He then resolved to become a buddha and so to come into possession of a buddhakṣetra ("buddha-field", a realm existing in the primordial universe outside of ordinary space time, produced by a buddha's merit) possessed of many perfections. "

It is the heart that matters

Learning Point No 295

One of Ji Gong’s most oft used phrase was 「酒肉穿肠过，佛在心中留」(What matters was the state of one’s heart, and not what passed through his/her gut)

For more, do go to article at 

http://shaunworldronin.wordpress.com/2007/07/09/heros-of-history-jigong-%E6%BF%9F%E5%85%AC%E6%B4%BB%E4%BD%9B-chinas-buddhist-monk-of-the-people/

Extract: 

"Unlike a traditional Buddhist monk, he ate meat and drank wine. He believed that what is in your heart and soul is more important than following strict rules. Therefore he marched to his own drummer, regardless of the scoldings and punishments he received. The leaders of the monastery finally tired of his behavior and kicked him out. From then on, Ji Gong roamed the streets and helped people whenever he could." 

"While meditating and studying the Buddha’s teaching, Ji Gong acquired magical powers. Because of his compassionate nature, many people started thinking of him as an incarnate of a bodhisattva, or as a reincarnate of an arahat. He was soon recognized as the incarnate of the Taming Dragon Arahat 降龍羅漢. "

Quote from author of article: "I enjoy learning about people who break the standard rules but still succeed through kindness and indomitable spirit. Ji Gong is an extraordinary hero from history."

The Sun Wu Kong in a temple

Learning Point No 294

In every temple or church, there will be those who take up leadership but for the wrong motive. They come like insects to the flower just to get nectar. 

They usurp the purpose of the temple or church and bring along their henchmen to divert the mission to serve their worldly agenda or to fester practices which are supposed to be eradicated. 

Luckily there will always be the Sun Wu Kong in such a temple who will see through the mask of such people. But like the Monkey God, Sun Wu Kong, he would be blunt and direct, making himself much detested, more a social irritant. 

Even the silent crowd in the congregation would not like him. He would be brash and unpopular. 

But time will prove that he is true and right though troublesome  and a nuisance to begin with. 

Do ask Elder Ling and he would give you a earful. He may not agree with you and will go to the end of the world to show that right is right after all.  

Elder Ling 

A leader must earn the respect of others

Learning Point No 292 

It is generally true that a leader must earn the respect of others. But the problem is who are these others. 

This is more pertinent in a spiritual organisation which cannot just be bottoms up but must be more top down. The reason is that a leader who is worth his salt must know how to guide others in spirituality and not be influenced by, dependent on and guided by the spiritually far less knowledgeable in the temple or church. 

But what if they think the leader knows nuts? Well, you can imagine the outcome.

But generally, it may be said that the others in a temple must learn from the leader who has proven track record and who knows better. But a collective spiritual leadership may be even a better option though still not perfect. 

Incidentally, with regards to the Mission of Heaven  with Lord Bo Tien as messenger, He has for good reason appointed Elder Ling early on in mission as mission head in addition to the spiritual pioneer Philip. The mission is to save souls through their respective religions.

Philip sitting in trance and
Elder Ling in white beside him

Any leader in any temple (not to mention that of the lord saint) may not be acceptable to those who are not primarily doctrinal mission orientated and want the choice to re-craft the purpose of the premises and cheese off those who have different agenda from them from coming to the premises. This is only natural and unavoidable.

This is perhaps not an uncommon development with many temples and churches. Many in congregation are just onlookers but only a few want to manage  and they are likely to include those whose primary agenda is not spiritual or doctrine but who all the same will use the spiritual front to make the entrance and be entrenched. 

They may then take matters into their own hands and be complacent due to lack of checks and balance, having silence away potential dissenting voices. Thus they may end up running foul of the regulations of the land and be caught up by retribution

They get the habit of always having a free hand. They prefer dissenting voices and the one or more historically proven and pioneer leaders to be out of the way. 

To them, it matters not if that leader or leaders were appointed by the spiritual authority. It does not matter if they are dissenting voices who need to be accommodated for a more representative temple or church. They would rather overrule such voices and the historical leaders. 

God will bless them irrespective of whether they do  not know or even do know what they do. God is magnanimous and will allow them to learn and even go round one full circle. God is love and is not only magnanimous, tolerant but forgiving. 

Perhaps, they are right and better than the spiritual authority. Indeed there is nothing to prevent men from thinking they are better than the pioneers or even divinity. They desire to strike out on their own and win over the hearts of the many. 

Divinity and even the pioneers being magnanimous will let them have their way or at least part of the way. Thus we have  budding and blooming of new sects and non denominational temples or churches

Many of the perceived success stories of later day temples and churches depend on such men. Is there the flip side or downside? God knows.

Incidentally, the same destiny that besets temples and churches at the helicopter level does happen to religions. With passing of time, religions are very differently poised and orientated compared to the days of the founders and apostles. 

This however should not be viewed as not good but unavoidable. That underlies why God wants Lord Bo Tien to invigorate the spirit of the pioneers of religions in religions of today. This is His Mission.

Lord Bo Tien

Cultivate Tao now or wait till afterlife?

Learning Point No 291

Long is the night to him who is wakeful. Arduous and trying is the worldly life to him who has no heart in Divinity. 

Short is the night to him who is rested and at peace with God. Challenging and value adding is worldly life to such a man. Life is full of learning. 

The trials and tribulations, the ups and downs and what have you are mere chapters in the book of life. Life is the gospel so enriching to one who has the goodness of God or Divinity in his heart. Life is just too short and heaven can wait for such a man. He lives and eschews every moment till his last breath. 

Life indeed is full of learning. There are always new ways to do this or that. 

God and the saints and religions

Even saints have new ways and that is why more sects, more temples, more churches and never only one way or religion though only one God or Divinity. This is the inner truth touched by Lord Bo Tien. Like religion, he is not the only saint but there are many saints and religions in one Divinity. 

Lord Bo Tien
There is Tao in his image
Balancing of yin and yang
depicted by his feet atop
yin and yang

It is immaterial who the lord saint Lord Bo Tien is but what matters is why there is Divinity or God and what God and his saints hope we can make the grade to be seated with them. 

They are not after adoration. Of what value is adoration other than for entering their respective mind realms in the afterlife to learn and cultivate spirituality. Why wait till then when we can do so now and be on path of Tao / Spirituality. 

Procrastination  is due to two woes, one of sloth and the other of torpor. They kill initiative and dull the spirit. They stifle the surfacing of the divine light in us. 

But alas if we are weak but are devoted, all is not lost, for in the afterlife  we can still be in the realm of the respective guiding saint of our destiny  to learn and cultivate what we could not due to the twin woes. 

Tao is the way to sainthood. There is need to be with the yin and yang, not to deny it but to accept. But we must not be tossed around by yin and yang, the soft and hard aspects of life. We need to be at peace by being atop yin and yang so that we are at rest and at peace. This needs cultivation of moment-to-moment mindfulness leading to equanimity and bliss. 

The Taiji with yin and yang
at the centre of Bagua

Ba gua

Cultivate Tao now and not wait for afterlife but many need shelter of the saints like Lord Bo Tien, Jesus, Kuanyin, Ji Gong and Amitabha both in this life or in the afterlife. It is never too late to cultivate Tao. 

Many can do so only when they are reborn in the heavenly realms of their respective saints. Why not cultivate Tao now and not wait till afterlife

Ji Gong and Tao reflection
on two crickets in a bowl
reminiscent of yin and yang

The Tao (Way) of the spiritual wayfarer

Learning Point No 290

It is not nice to old and yet a long way off to being enlightened. No wonder many hold on to promise by Goddess Kuanyin, Amitabha and Jesus on devoted belief in them and be saved by belief to be in the heaven they promise. 

But some insight or awakening may still be needed to augment mere faith in posats and in meritorious life. Then they are poised on a better platform to cultivate the way of saints and be with God. 

Cultivation brings better peace of spirit here and now than mere belief and faith in saints. It is callled Tao or Way. It gives more confidence and a little taste of deliverance from the woes and ills of life. There is nothing like the taste of sugar to know what is sweetness. Don't wait till death knocks to know the sweetness of Tao or Heavenly bliss.  A little even if not half a loaf is better than no bread. Cheers. Omitofo.

Meditate that is reflect on  life, be mindful and go for moment to moment peace and fulfillment of spirit, even if lasting one is not in sight. Do not yearn for more or the lasting peace for that itself is the undoing of the spiritual wayfarer. Omitofo once again. 

Yin yang harmony or balance both in mundane and spiritual dimensions of life holds the key to more moments of peace that give the taste that is akin to but yet not equal to the enlightenment of saints. Neglect not the physical body and mundane life, for that will only bring on more problems and render life with no peace. At the other extreme, with too much of the mundane, peace will be remote or elusive.  

Do not make mountain out of molehill

Learning Point No 289

Lord Bo Tien

The end of the first 13 years after the first descent of Lord Bo Tien in 1969 marks the end of trancing as the way for men to communicate with the lord saint. The anniversary or mission day messages served as the nuclei or seeds for growth of the God knowledge that we need to know behind all religions. 

God and religions

If men can see the oneness of religions and sects and why they need to be different as well, then there is more hope that religions and sects will serve their purposes and be complementary rather than be divisive. 

Early members of any mission, like say of  Lord Bo Tien must know that they are like candle flames to grow their light of God knowledge and to light up the light or candle flames in others. The candle flames must grow and come together to light up for society, the truth of God and his teachings common to and cutting all faiths. 

But men being men may not see eye to eye and this is understandable. Any saint, notwithstanding Lord Bo Tien expects this and reminds all to be mindful of conflicts that may arise when men are still growing their light for their mission. 

Let there be  give and take. Let all agree to disagree and to live by differences if needed. This is not new but also the problem at macro-level - at the level of sects and religions as institutions. 

If there be differences between men in mission or men in worship of a saint like the lord saint, let there be magnanimity and let them drop their squabbles and be amicable with one another. 

Drop the case whatever it may be if men cannot agree. Do not fan up the differences but do more worthwhile and wholesome activities. Surely, there is much more to be done than splitting hairs and making mountains out of molehills. 

By all means, do speak your mind and let others know what are your views even if they do not see eye to eye with you. But thereafter, move on and let go. 

Mission to save souls cannot wait till there are no differences among men. Mission must carry on unabated and nothing must stay in its way, least of all differences and preferences of men in the mission. 

Those who have not been correct will face fate and fate will still be kind to them in some way so long as they are mission orientated to save souls, their own as well as those of others. This is the way to ensure all religions and sects stay on course for mission to save souls and complement one another's good work. 

Men must not be stubborn and obstinate like mules. They must not clash at any level and go for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This will not be good for mission to save souls, be it at sect level or at the level of religion or between one man and another. This will be destructive and only end up destroying souls of those involved and will not help to save any soul. 

The problem is that men do make mountain out of molehill. If that is the case, then they are like ants and insects thinking that their molehill is a mountain. Don't be blinded by the molehill but look ahead at the big picture, not at the molehill. 

Then the mission to save souls will be on the right footing. Otherwise, there  will be many problems  with interpersonal conflicts, sectarian conflicts and religious conflicts within a religion, temple and across religions and temples. 

"The problems and issues of men are many and plentiful." Lord Bo Tien said. 

Learn from Ji Gong Posat. He is often portrayed reflecting on two crickets at odds with each other in a bowl. The problems between men are due to lack of yin yang harmony - balance between opposites, the soft and the hard aspects, be it of views or of life, be it religion or a mission. 

Yin yang balance is the key to peace and success of any attempt to alleviate problems and to have peace and to achieve the ends be it spiritual or mundane. When there is lack of focus and no yin yang balance, we often make mountains out of molehills.