Men wrong in the eyes of the many may well be right.

Learning Point No 329

The ones who succeed to be saint and to lead men somehow were considered not up to the mark during their times as men. By standards and norms of the times, they were wrong in what they did and were often looked down by the clergy of their times. But they succeed even if what they did were wrong and not in keeping with the thinking of their times. 

Gautama as ascetic after giving up royalty lived up to the expectations of gurus of his day and practiced denial of food and necessities of the flesh as it was believed that by doing so he could free himself from the world of flesh and blood and be divine. 

A watered down version of this today is practiced in fasting but fasting pales in comparison to asceticism. 

Due to ascetic ways, he was reduced to skin and bones and in ill health let alone any where near sainthood. Then he realized that he must not deny or mortify his bodily needs even if did not want to pander to the needs of flesh and blood. 

So he gave up both extremes that of asceticism as well as princely indulgence. He followed his own way much to the chagrin of the gurus of his day. 

You can say that he was a rebel and went against the tide. But because he was a rebel and could think differently, he succeeded and is to date the Buddha of the present era. 

Jesus did not toe the ways of the Jews and the expectations of the mighty Roman Empire. He spoke his mind and what he said even contradicted the Old Testament  and the Jewish beliefs then. 

He was a rebel of sorts and stuck to his ways. The might of the Roman Empire was of no deterrence and even death on the cross like common criminals of the day could not stop him. He succeeded beyond all odds and expectations. 

Ji Gong knew that eating meat and drinking wine were unexpected of a monk in the monastery. He knew but did not conform like the monks of his day. Even monks in modern days too would not drink wine or eat meat unreservedly. He did and was like a rebel. But why? 

He wanted to show that sainthood concerned more with the practice from the heart and not outward show. He was seemingly a rebel but actually was a more true follower of the Way than those monks who did not eat meat or drink wine. He succeeded as the Living Buddha. 

In the history of Bo Tien Mission, the medium was a colorful personality and many talked behind his back but he was chosen as a medium. Many think that he is a failure spiritually but who knows that he is a bit like the Buddha, Jesus  or Ji Gong? 

Elder Ling too was often tough and speaking his mind and not in tune on many matters with others. 

If he had not been a rebel, insisted on his way, the aged home would have been closed down with inmates dispersed to bigger homes as per direction of the government. 

Had it not for his ways, the mission premises would never have grown from dilapidated hut to awning, then to simple half brick and half wooden building to massive three storey concrete premises. 

But Elder Ling was not as lucky. He was ostracized from the mission premises soon after the concrete premises rose from the ground. But he never would give up and would always be adamant that others must understand and appreciate his intentions. Heaven would not be blind even if men with eyes see not. 

Great men are seemingly rebels of sorts aren't they?  We are not saying Elder Ling or the medium are great men but they are or were not ordinary. They stand out as being different - rebels of sorts. 

But if they are right, it does not mean others are not right. It is not as simple as that. All can be both right and not so right in other ways. The complex interplay of yin and yang at interlacing levels would make judgement difficult. 

(But if they are wrong, it does not mean they have not been right or are not right because there always will be yin and yang interplay at interlacing levels.) 

Those who are wrong in the eyes of the many may well be right. The far may be near and the near far. This did Lord Bo Tien say. 

Men who are right in the eyes of the many may well be wrong. Many examples abound in the present world. 

They are able to pander to the concerns of many who want to have their senses pleased in a temple and they make them feel that they can use money to buy themselves to sainthood. 

Behind and at the back door, they may out of being intoxicated by self glorification help themselves to public funds. But their wayward ways get the better of them. 

They may get caught up by the laws of the land even if they could nonchalantly take advantage of both the benevolence of God and saints and the idolization of their congregations. 

Men who are right in the eyes of the many may well be wrong. Men wrong in the eyes of the many may well be right. The far may be bear and the near far. This is one statement from Lord Bo Tien that the world will remember for a long time to come. 

(PS: Near and far can be in the same one person. Do reflect and be mindful. Omitofo. God bless.) 

In touch with God and saints the Bo Tien Way.

Learning Point No 328

Whoever says that to reach God and his saints you must go to a church or temple and let God and saint talk to you through a book, website or pastor. They may in fact be misleading you. 

Why? Perhaps in the beginning, you need a medium or intermediary like a pastor or trancer but if this is the case for long, you may end up talking more to the man who is the pastor or a trancer and less to God and his saints. 

But if you say you can talk directly and wholly to God and saints, you must make sure you are not hallucinating and you are right in the mind. 

But then at Bo Tien Mission (or call it temple if you like), we have unique experiences. Let us dwell in them. 

We were told during the first 13 years that the medium will be the intermediary and that man is man and saint is saint. We must not mix up the two. To ensure that the confusion between man and the lord saint Lord Bo Tien would not take root, there is no trancing beyond 13 years. 

But if time is ripe, the people are one in doctrine, the lord saint will come down once more. This will of course be not through a medium and not through another man as well. How else can this be? 

Do not forget that at the mission, there is the gift of God which is the gift of invoking the energy of Heaven through what is known as the art of divine power or energy. 

A man who has been initiated or baptised can invoke that energy and it will course through his body and mind to make him peaceful and his mind or limbs will move. Yet, he is fully conscious and not in possession by spirit or saint. He is not in a trance. 

Only the pioneers of the mission could invoke and baptise another man to have that energy. Few have valued this gift and many consider it as yet another superstition to be forgotten and not remembered.  

Those rare few who practiced it often do it wrongly or in cursory manner. They do not cultivate a pure mind and a mind centered on God and doctrine common to and behind all religions and sects. Without such pre-requisite, the invoking of the energy will remain just an experience and no more. 

But if one is committed and focused on purity and Godliness, it opens up the inner eye or channel for him to be one with God and saints. 

That gift of divine energy may then move him to pen out thoughts that he would never had planned or even worked through. The thoughts of God and saints like Lord Bo Tien just come through but may get interrupted and disjointed if he is unable to stay attuned. 

That is exactly how the posts of inner truth netizen came to be penned and published. That too explains why at times the posts are disjointed in presentation and flow of thoughts as when inner truth netizen lacks focus, the channel of flow of thoughts from say the lord saint is compromised. 

Let this be testimony that men can communicate with God and saints directly and not through a book, website, blogsite or through another man. 

The usefulness of the gift of divine energy at Bo Tien Mission can perhaps open up many other doors for God and saints to work on men directly and not through a pastor, priest or medium. 

But the person who nurtures such gift must not think he is God or saint for he is still man who has more of the purity of God and saints in him than many other men. 

Everyone can be more pure and be more in oneness with God and saints. Then he or she can be more in touch with God and saints and "talk" to God and saints. 

Of course, it is not talking but just the natural unplanned thoughts that come into him that are not his and yet is. He is not possessed  but possesses the gift of God.  

But if he gets carried away and be more egoistic, and less Godly at heart, this gift will not connect with him for long. 

He may appear to have insight and wisdom and yet not up to the mark in practice. 

This is to be expected for he is tapping on the wisdom of God and saints but is not yet a saint himself. 

Though pure enough to be in touch with God and saints, he will still have the issues of ego though he may talk like a saint. 

If you do not know that he was just tapping on wisdom of God and saints, you may think that he does not live up to expectations. 

You will be riled by how a man still somewhat infested with ego can speak with seemingly lofty wisdom and insight. You will not be able to reconcile with the duality in him and think he is a hypocrite. 

This is simply because you think that he should be as good as the doctrine he professes. But you didn't know that he was just a channel for God and saints to put forth the doctrine and naturally, he is not as good as the doctrine. 

The doctrine is of God and saints. The doctrine  is not of man through from that man. Man is man and God is God. Man is not saint but has potential to be one. That is why many saints and buddhas were formerly men. 


Omitofo

Why newcomers seem to be better off?

Learning Point No 327

Have you ever wondered why newbies to a temple often get their prayers for worldly blessings answered while those who have been there for long time often ask why they cannot have more? 

This observation was made known to the lord saint Lord Bo Tien by Elder Ling at Bo Tien Mission in the early years.

The lord saint asked "if more means better and that more may well mean more problems and issues down the road and the disciple may be worse off ". This is food for thought. 

Certainly saints do think of the welfare of the many and welfare should not be in all in monetary or worldly terms. Saving a person's soul is beyond ensuring more of the worldly needs. Ample worldly  resources that are are not excessive for that person will be the platform to launch him to bliss spiritually and mundane. 

Saving of soul has to be holistic and has to go beyond worldly entrapment. There must be the balance in life so that person is not entwined in worldly indulgence but have enough or ample of them to go beyond that to have peace in life. Cultivating this peace will put one on path to save his soul - to be enlightened like the saints. 

Thus a newbie will have worldly blessings but with time the blessings he get will be no longer of the mundane but beyond mundane. 

Even Buddha have to step away from the laps of indulgence as Prince Siddhatra Gotama and from the woes of worldly denial as acetic Gotama before he can find the balance between the mundane world of life and the spirituality of life. Only then could he reach the apex which is Buddhahood. 

Thus do understand why those who are new but not spiritually attuned may seem blessed in worldly sense. They may well even take on the helm of administration of a temple and hold on to the reins of management so tightly that they ostracise the pioneers and the more spiritually attuned. 

Yet, they seem to get worldly blessings and readers should know why. Do not doubt the wisdom of the heavenly saint of that temple but be perceptive of the way of the saints. 

Saints put men through the mill of the spiritual path - three phases: induction phase, social phase and doctrine phase. 

In the induction phase, the individual receives (from heaven) and in the social phase he gives (charity) and in the doctrine phase, he must go beyond receiving and giving but cultivating the Tao or Way. 

Many are stuck in the first two and are lost in self indulgence and their worldly gains prove to be losses and they may think that the heavenly saint appears no longer with them. Worldly gains must not be excessive or they may prove to be the undoing of that person's well being. 

They are just means to the end but not the end in themselves. Thus there will be pastors or monks who run foul of the law and get caught up by the law. 

Greed never pays but many say they do not have enough. Abject poverty or impoverishment too will not be good either. 

Worldly gains are good servants but not good masters. Without some worldly endowment, the body will suffer and no way can the person be spiritual to attain peace and wisdom. 

The lord saint thus want all to reflect "if more means better and that more may well mean more problems and issues down the road and the disciple may be worse off ". 

Men must see the logic (tou-li) in what the lord saint said. Omitofo.

Dare to be different like the sages of old

Learning Point No 326

If you do not believe the package teachings of conventional religious institutions, you are not odd or lost to religions. In fact, you may perhaps be different and more perceptive than those who just flow along with culture and the tide. 

Had not prophets and founders of religions be different and not accept the culture and norms of their times, there would be no religions  and sects that we come to know today. They were not dogmatic and did not just accept so that they can flow with the crowd. They questioned and were different. They had no notion that they are creating religions. 

They did not consciously create religions that we know today. These arose from what they profess. If they had not professed beliefs and understanding that were different and somewhat at odds with their times, the religions and sects that we know today would not be there. 

But the irony is that the religions of today that take reference from them too have evolved and may be so changed that if they were around today, what would they say? Perhaps they would be heartened that men do not just believe but think on what best to believe. 

Men are like them. Men dare to think differently and be different but this is alright so long as the basic doctrine, the fundamentals are more or less the same. These basics are what collectively referred to by Lord Bo Tien as the Inner Truth. 

The truth is that all religions and sects are different but yet one in God and saints. Saints might preach what were best for the times and the people but there will ever be the same one Divinity or God. 

God has his saints and saints do try various ways to help and save men. One saint alone cannot help all but only some. More are needed. Thus one religion is not enough and one sect for one religion too is not enough. There must be many. 

Men too reinvent more ways that better appeal to fellow men. But whatever the ways, the fact remains that there are the ups and downs in life. These can be upsetting and men must find peace unaffected by the ups and downs, the dualism in life. 

The peace cannot come from without but from within the man. Man must be at peace with himself and only then can he be at peace with the world outside himself. Man must find God in himself, in his heart before he can find God everywhere outside him. 

It is always the case that those who found God in them are those who are different and do not just flow along. They need to question, to rethink and to  be challenged or troubled enough to want to have that peace that can only be found in their hearts before they can be at peace with the world and the whole gamut of ups and downs inherent in nature and life. 

Men must dare to be different and go against the tide. Men must if they want to be insightful and grasp the divine peace. Men must dare to be different like the sages of old such as Buddha, Lao Tse, Ji Gong and Jesus. 

He is different. He is Ji Gong

If Ji Gong had not been different and ate meat, drank wine, would we know him as Ji Gong today? Surely not.... He said that "what matters is what goes through the heart and not what goes through the gut or what one does."

Gautama Buddha

If Gautama had not been different and decided to eat and not follow ascetic self mortification, would he have become the Buddha? His five followers left him when he decided to eat and not mortify. He even ate whatever offered by others to him, even meat. 

Jesus did not sing the tune of the Roman Empire or the synagogues then. He was different and that made him special and the Messiah. Death on the cross could not stop him. He did not die but live on. He was resurrected. Had he not been different, we will not know him as the messiah. 

Know the Word and know God

Learning Point No 325

The greatest service to God is to know the Word and live in the Word so that we will be able to nurture God in us. This Word was there even before the beginning and many fail to realise that. This the sages of old in China did say. 'Tao' is the Word.

The greatest disservice to God is not to know the Word and to idolise God. Had not God said that He should not be idolised in any way? 

We are given a brain to think and to see the logic or rationale in every aspect of life. This was referred to as Tao (Way) or Tou-li (Logical Thinking).  

Those who teach not the Word but instead in its place the Worship of God are not in tune with God. God is not there for us to idolise. Will idolising God have any lasting benefit if men know not the Word and do not live in and by the Word?  

Who is closer to God? Is he the man who lives in the Word or the man who idolises God and yet knows not the Word? 

For the man who knows not the Word knows not God even if he claims to worship God. The best gift we can give to God is to live in The Word and nurture the Godliness in us. 

God will bless those who live in the Word. Why? Haven't we heard that the Word is God?  

For such men who live in the Word will be at peace with life. There is no fear of life, come what may for they are at peace with the ups and downs, the yang and yin, the dualities of life. 

There is no fear of life for sure, let alone fear of God, simple because God is in them. They have the Word in them and the Word is God. 

Know the Word and know God. The Word is God.

Saints do not think like men

Learning Point No 324

The very people whom many think are not right for a temple may well be the very ones who are running the temple. This seems not right more so that the members or congregation have chosen them to be the leaders both spiritual and administrative. 

This is not uncommon not only in temples but also some churches and not infrequently, this is more so when those patronizing hail from the lofty, the well-off and the highly educated. 

In the past when the pioneers ran temples with few being well-off, educated and somebodies, temples were only empty shells or houses of worship for devotees to go to once in a while. You would not see much of a daily or weekly crowd and those were the days. 

But even if the characters of the leaders leave much to be expected, so what? Will more suitable people come to the fore and will the members prefer them to be at the helm? 

The answer often is that this may be wishful thinking. There will always be insects coming to a flower for nectar and please do not blame the flower? Without insects coming to the flower, we may not be more aware that insects more than others are the ones who will be there when the flower blooms. 

There is learning when men who lead a temple are not as they should be but are like insects to a flower. The lord saint Lord Bo Tien said that it is good that they take an interest in a temple and they may be more wayward if they are not attracted to a temple. 

At least, they have the chance to make good spiritually and socially. At least even if they do not make good and reform their ways, others could learn from their undoing and weaknesses. 

The lord saint Lord Bo Tien did say that we learn from the strengths and weaknesses of fellow men, more so men at a temple. Then men can be wiser and better off from the learning. 

Thus the saint of a temple will more than welcome such men. They are near though far. This too did Lord Bo Tien say. 

But we may still opine that they would undermine the mission of that temple. Think again if this is right. Wouldn't a heavenly saint relish the chance to rehabilitate and change someone from bad to good. 

But what if they do not? Would it be right for the saint to be heavy handed. There again, this may only serve to send them out and be lost to their wrongful ways. At least, if they remain, there is the hope they will learn and make good one day. 

The way of a heavenly saint certainly may not be the way of the common man. We cannot apply our human standards and that would certainly discredit the wisdom of a saint. 

Saints are not men (at least no longer ordinary men) and do not think like men. If they do, then they are not saints but men, perhaps the creation of men and not real? 

Does it mean that the more baddies running a temple or church, the more likely that God and his saints are there? Think again and be wiser. Perhaps, just keep an open mind.  

Do keep your relationship with Divinity a simple and direct one between you and God and saints. Do not let other men and their unbecoming ways get in the way. 

Spirituality is between God and man and not between God and other men before a man can be with God. The holy communion is between God with every man. 

No other men should get in the way and be the go-between, not even the pastor or leader. However good that pastor may be, he is still a man and not infallible - not above men.  

Do always value and treasure the sacred personal and unique relationship between God and Man - between Heaven and Man. 

We go to a temple or church for God and saints - not by any chance for other men. Do not see the God and saints in men and end up worshiping men instead of God and saints. Worship God, not man. 

This may well be a good point for many if not some temples and churches to keep in mind. By looking up to men, men may be disappointed in God and saints. 

Go for God and saints and not for men, otherwise we may end up questioning the wisdom of God and saints. Remember that saints do not think like men.

Life is about love and love begins with self

Learning Point No 323

Love is the light of life. Life must begin with love, continue with love and end with love. You must love yourself before you can love others. God's love for you will be of no avail if you do not love yourself. Without love, there will be no inner peace and no way you can be in tune with the love and peace of God and saints. Life is about love and love begins with self. Religions revolve around love and there never should be any religious divide with regards to love.

Here are some quotes:-

(1) "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself." Romans: 13.9 King James Version - Bible 

Dalai Lama

(2) "If you don't love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself, then you are not able of developing compassion for others." His Holiness The Dalai Lama 

(3) "The cultivation of spiritual light in life is like a candle flame. All beings must seek the profound truth behind life and nurture the divine light in them by cultivating loving kindness for life (not just primarily for their own life but for the life of others as well)." 

Lord Bo Tien

"Loving kindness is the source of divine hope and the very essence of God the Jade Emperor's will. It is the nature of the divine or holy spirit ('leng' in Hokkien)." 

"This divine love for life is expounded by all religions and by all prophets, sages, saints and even contemporary world leaders in some form or other." Lord Bo Tien 1975 Mission Day Message 

The Buddha

(4) "You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection." The Buddha