Reflections on The Forty Fifth Year of The Mission

Learning Point No 420

    

The mission of the lord saint has indeed reached 45 year mark on 17th Oct 2013 - the 13th day of the ninth lunar month. 

A temple is the people and not the building. This the lord saint said. 

Forty five years on, there should be concrete temple of people with men not lacking at all in doctrine. 

The men should be solidly grounded and substantial in doctrine. 

It is the concrete men that matter and not the concrete building. The success of a temple and mission depends on the quality of people. 

Success is not reflected by the type of building or the societal trappings. 

Success is not in the numbers or quantity of people gathering for the celebration of the mission day. This the lord saint said before. 

Lord Bo Tien said that what is needed is just a handful of good men. If there are such men in the crowd, then the mission day is indeed a joyous occasion for the lord saint and for Heaven.

The men of the mission should be men of God and saints and not just mere men of the world of men.

The agenda of men are secondary, of less concern and often incidental. Men of God go for wholesome divine calling of Heaven to save souls and are not detracted by any worldly distractions. 

There must be focus on doctrine and not on worldly material physical needs. Welfare activities are just the beginning. To save souls, more need to be done. 

Only when all these are there, only when they are factored, instituted and operational, the mission could then be considered truly to have arrived as is indeed the case... 

The Mission has fared well but much more must be done. Do not rest on past laurels....

If men can be more man, that alone will suffice....

Learning Point No 419

Have we wondered why man is better than animal and yet far from being immortals? 

Men and animals have pack loyalty. But men can think and can understand doctrine. Animals cannot. Men can go beyond loyalty and hero worship but animals cannot. Men respect elders and parents more so when the elders are old and infirm. 

Animals like hamsters can be cruel to elders and parents. They enforce subservience and fear of those weaker than them. They can maim and kill those which are sick and old, more so the old. 

In a human society with ageing population, if the old have to work as cleaners and dish washers despite being frail and old, it is both good and not so. Why not so? It is not a good reflection of that society unless society can accord dignity to the job. 

But often their supervisors are young and may even yell at them to get job done at hawker and food centers  This they say is being pragmatic and how to ensure cost effectiveness. But if there are young children around, what impressions will this create in the young minds. 

In a temple or a church, if younger men have to yell at the old who were previous leaders or pioneers and take them to task for their wrong, something is seriously wrong or simply just not right. Where has the morality and spirituality gone to? Some temples run by the younger generation even expel the elder founder pioneers. 

They are in a way like pack of animals such as hamster packs. How shocking and unbelievable can this be? 

If in a family when the children are young, the parents patiently teach and coach young children in school work, such as spelling and mathematics. But when they grow up, it is difficult for the elderly parents to get the help of the grown up children to teach them how to handle computer. Isn't this an eye opener that human society has backslided and no longer as human as before and perhaps more like animals. 

Men should be better than animals and one clear distinction lies in man's respect for elders and parents. 

No wonder, monks in temples of old used to say that before men can learn to be immortals and be in Heaven, they must first learn to be men and not be like animals. In fact, some animals are more lovable than some men and they put many men to shame. 

In a growing nation, if the population can degrade the old retired statesmen for some sore points of contention when these elder statesmen have done wonders for nation building, what has become of society? 

The young should take over the good work of the old and add on to the good work. They should not discredit the old and credit themselves for the good work of the old. 

Man is innately better than animal and can even be immortals but some men cannot even be man and behave more like animals. Some animals can be so lovable and loyal and can even put some men to shame.

The precept of respect for elders  and the precept of respect of what belonging to neighbors in the universal precepts of the mission of Lord Bo Tien are to ensure that men will be better than animals. Some men have no qualms and would not even blink an eye when committing adultery or incest. If this happens in a house of God, what an eye opener?

If they cannot be good men and even behave like animals towards elders and neighbors, how can they be immortals and saints? If men can be more man, that alone will suffice for now. 

No need for them to try to be immortals and saints. Better be good mortals, of course more man than animal.... 

As good mortals, they should not mortalise and cause hurt but rather immortalise the elders and pioneers in temple, in society and in the nation for their contributions towards the good of many generations of men and women.

Men may wrong God but will God wrong men?

Learning Point No 418

The mission of a church must first start with the church. If it is to save souls, then the first souls to be saved are those in that church. 

Any man who professes to be in the mission must be role model of how his soul will be saved. If man is to love others the way God loves all, then he must hold to his awe of God, not just God as a being but God as the Word or Doctrine. The Word is God. 

The church or temple is the place for men to feel the greatness of God and men are mere beneficiaries of God's greatness. Instead, men  in a church or temple may end up being swayed by the greatness of some men who want to claim credit and who often like to also discredit. They want to make others beholden to them and to hold them in awe. 

They put aside God and the lord saint of that temple or church so that they can stand in their place and be great, so as to get acclaim of sorts. They usurp the place of God and saints and the Word which is God.

Even if they try to be the embodiment of the Word, in no way are they great like God and the Word. So what will happen or become of the mission of that temple or church? 

People at a church may thus often be so naive and incapable at mission and only know how to find fault with one another. 

As what Jesus said, they see the dust in others' eyes but not the dust in their own. They are good only at crediting themselves for the work others do and discrediting others. 

Their errant ways will not help to save souls, be it their own or the significant others. 

Some men in a church or temple can be naive and incapable of mission. They need to stand aside for more worthy others to run the place. 

But, like it or not, the church or temple is indeed still the best place for them to learn and be better off. They may wrong God (and other men) but will God wrong men? God and saints will not wrong men but men have to learn and make good. 

Men even in a temple or church may wrong God but God will not wrong men. God will put them right. 

This can happen in any temple or church and even in a mission related temple of Lord Bo Tien. He says that insects may come to the flower for nectar and we should not blame the flower for insects coming to it. 

The lord saint however reassured that the lord saint is like the vast ocean and no amount of mud flowing into it will sully the ocean.

What must we do when it is our turn?

Learning Points No 417

As human beings, we ago through the same phases of life whatever and however varied and different our life fortunes may be. 

We are born, will be the children, then go to school or learning of some form, become adults and take on jobs, then reach the top of careers, only to come down and level off into the sunset of life. 

At every turn and corner, there are joys that come and do not stay for long even if we want to cling on to them for dear life. There are also the headaches and issues we rather not have but could not avoid. 

We will not be spared and we must face every turn and corner of life. It is a matter of time. Our turn will surely come and so what must we do?

The sages of old refer to these turns and corners with their inevitable issues as the woes and wows of life. Woes are bad but wows are no better as when they fade, they give rise to emptiness and even more woes that are not only more numerically but more intense. 

But to live as humans, we go through the same phases and face the same destiny of issues going from cradle to grave. Even the greatest of statesmen cannot stay on top for long and when they do come down, the descent can be precipitous and all hell may break lose. Their descent into the pits is even more pronounced

We have to embark on life and cannot let go of life the moment we see the light of the sun at birth till the time the sun literally set on us for good unless on earth we are reborn again. 

Lord Bo Tien re-introduce this description of life. We climb and come down high mountains of life to cross seas and oceans of life, sometimes calm and at times stormy. Then though victorious we will still have to face the merciless heat of the sun  to finally face drought of desert of life where the end is nigh and all that thrills and fill life no longer matter and seem to come to nothing substantive. 

This aptly describes the phases of life all of us will undergo, regardless of who we are. There is no giving up the moment we see the light at birth and no stopping till the sun sets on us at the end of life, only to be reborn for the next journey of life. 

Mountain phase 
-This includes birth, childhood, education, job, marriage and advancement in job or success in business enterprise.

Sea phase
This refers to middle age when things appear calm and plateau or level off but interrupted by storms / problems.

Scotching sun and desert phase
This encompasses late middle to early old age when we are dehydrated and drained by the strains of age and want a slower pace but could not. This is the last phase when life is drying up and does not seem to be as exciting, more so for those who are better endowed. 

Sages too walk the same road but they stay calm and at peace in the various phases and come what may. 

They run not from life. At one extreme, they deny not life. 

At the other extreme, they do not cling to more and more in life so that they do not end up ever the more in pain, not from not having life but having too much of life. Unlike others, they do not suffer as they do not cling to them though they value them. 

Others who have too much of life could not stomach life. Life issues will give pain when they cannot have what they want. They want too much out of life. They suffer when they envy what others have that they cannot have. Also what they have will cause sheer pain when these are no longer there. 

The wise ones and the sages tread life and balance the host of vicissitudes and contingencies of life, experiencing them like any other men but always not disturbed or ruffled in any way. 

They convert them into positive experiences as though the whole of life is the living gospel for them to learn and be wiser and more stronger from the learning. They are at peace despite the ups and downs - the yin and yang. 

This is the way of the saints which we must tread so that when our turn comes, we are at peace and  not suffer from the varied many trepidations of life. 

We will then not make issues into big issues and issues however big will at most be small issues even if they cannot be no issues. Issues big and small will be no issues. This the great saints do say is possible.

For many of us who are new to this Way or Tao of saints, we do need the shelter of the great saints like Jesus the Messiah, Ji Gong the Living Buddha and Lord Bo Tien the Messenger of God The Jade Emperor. 

Omitofo.

The worst things in life may happen in a temple

Learning Point No 416

Some of the worst conflicts of men arise in the house of God and saints. This is not the making of God and saints but the making of men who are like insects who come to a flower for nectar. 

Blame not the flower for insects coming to it. This parable was used rather aptly by Lord Bo Tien in one of his past annual messages.

Men may be attracted to religion but once in the very house of God and saints, they may take matters into their own hands and do what they ought not to do. 

They are supposed to love their neighbors but they may not even love their brothers in the same temple or religion. 

They literally clobber their brothers and elders. Elders may even bash the young who take over the managing of their temple or church. Where have all the religiosity and the doctrine of God and saints gone to? 

Isn't this pathetic? Like what the lord saint Lord Bo Tien said in one of his messages that when it rains, it would be like Heaven shedding tears in pity. Men should know better having learnt the doctrine in the very house of God and saints. 

Heaven is benevolent and will wait patiently for men to learn. But men of faith and even of the same church forget the Word thinking that they know best. 

They forget that the Word is God and when they do not live in the Word and act not in accordance with the Word, what would we expect? Some of the worst things in life happen in a temple or rather in the house of God and saints. 

Wars are waged in name of God. Wars do take away many lives. Terrorism may well still surface despite the best of supposedly spiritual intentions. 

Men plunder the wealth of congregations. Adultery and divorce too are not uncommon in the house of God. 

All these are not because God is not there but because men are there. Men often get carried away when they live not in the Word. 

The best things in life are free

Learning Point No 415

The best things in life have to do with love and not hatred. Love cannot be made to order. Love cannot have a price. Love is priceless and yet it is free. 

Lord Bo Tien like all saints of all religions advocate love without borders for all beings and in this respect, love must begin with self. Love for others can only happen if there is love for self. 

Why we may ask? The concept of loving kindness is profound and is in the 1975 message of the lord saint. 
(Do left click to read 1975 message. The most profound message was in 1975)

When there is love for life especially one's own, there is contentment with whatever life one has. 

With contentment, one treasures and cherish life so that there is health of both mind and spirit. 

Both health and contentment favor self confidence and the person is his own best friend. 

All three cannot be purchased with money though money may play some part. 

In essence, they are free. They are the three loves - health, contentment and self confidence which all must have. 

All three help the individual to have the best of all which is the liberation of the soul through spiritual. This is the ultimate love of life. 

While money may play some part, we cannot attach any price to the foursome. We cannot buy them but we can cultivate them. 

The foursome are indeed the four best things in life. They are (1) health, (2) contentment (3) self-confidence and (4) spiritual liberation. 

They are wholesome. They are the best blessings in life.  

Buddha Gautama says, 

Health is the highest gain, 
Contentment is the greatest wealth, 
Self confidence is the best friend 
Enlightenment is the real bliss. 

They make us free from the hang-ups in life and they are free as well. The best things in life are free as they cannot be purchased though money can help in some way. 

We cannot put a price tag to any of them but in this modern world, we still need money to get things moving. But money cannot buy anyone of them. 

Can we buy friends? At best, they are social escorts of sorts. 

Can we buy health? No but we can cultivate health and money helps but is not an item of health. 

Can we buy contentment? It is how we feel and the inner attitude that count towards contentment. 

Can we buy enlightenment and a place in heaven among God and the saints? We cannot or can we?. 

No monks, pastors or priests will be able to sell you a place in heaven. If they say they can do so, there must be a problem and the problem is not with us, not with God and saints, not with the church or temple and not with the religion or sect. The problem is with them. 

Making it in the temple may often be difficult

Learning Point No 414

When is the last time we go to a temple? What do we do there? Do we go there for spiritual purpose or do we end up doing more of the same which we do in society? 

It is likely that we seek for worldly and mundane blessings. We will thus go to a temple to get more of the same we want in life outside the temple. 

But if we keep on doing this, we may reach the end of the rope in life. When will we wake up and realise that the purpose of life is beyond the worldly and the mundane. 

The mundane ends are at best mere stepping stones to eternal happiness and peace in life. Such peace can be elusive and cannot be obtained and realised with mundane attainments. 

We must go to a temple for a difference. We must ask and seek for the eternal and lasting peace in life which worldly mundane achievements could not provide. 

This all in a temple or church must do, be they pastors, monks or members of the congregation. But are they making the effort or just squandering and wasting time in a house of God? 

Often and sad enough, many will not make it in the temple in time to save our souls as soon in the wink of the eye, time is up. Many do go round in circles by going for the mundane in society and even in a temple, they do the same. 

Thus they create the same problems as men would face in society outside the temple, such as money, corruption, women and vices though behind the masks of spirituality, albeit also that misguided and misconceived. 

They are then, as Lord Bo Tien often say far though near to divinity. They have problems with making it to and in the temple in time to save their souls as time and tide waits for no man and time will soon be up. 

They squandered their time and their good fate or karma of being in a temple of God and saints for their somewhat unGodly and unsaintly ends. 

A finite pursuit of the mundane ends is alright but not in total exclusion of the more lofty and divine ends of eternal peace in God and saints. 

But men being men go for you know what --- their own distorted idea of what God expects. Making it to and in the temple may often then be difficult and even elusive. 

Isn't this so? How pathetic can men be? This includes you and all of us. 

God have pity on us for we know not what we do or perhaps we choose to know not what we do. 

Luckily, God knows us better than we know him. He gives us not just one saint or religion but many, so that we have not just one choice but many, not just one chance but many infinite chances to save and redeem our souls.

Making it in the temple may often be difficult. This is because of our own making and not the wish of God and saints. We often do realise this only when it is way too late and time is no longer on our side.

The late Senior Brother Chong Sim in his final months with terminal cancer would like to remind us to remember this. He had succeeded far more than many of us but he could have done more and achieved more. He would like to guide and lead us from beyond.  

We don't have to be in any specific temple or church, least of all in a Bo Tien mission related temple. Just continue to be in the religion of our choice. 

Just be in the temple or church of our choice and decidedly make it in the name of God and the saint of our chosen temple or church. 

It is as simple as that but effort is needed not to waste time. Be wary of sloth and torpor. 

We must not postpone and procrastinate but start early and persist. "Strive on with diligence" as said by none other than Buddha Gautama.