A lesson of life from Sitiawan Perak

Mission History and News No 6

Bo Tien Temple at Sitiawan before rebuilding
was essentially a wooden structure.
The temple was set up in 1972

Temple rebuilt as a brick wall building and near completion  --- 2012 .
 Notice the higher roofing, brick wall, bigger doors and glass windows.
The sky backdrop is reminiscent of the teaching by Lord Bo Tien
 that the sky is the roof of the temple and all under Heaven are in the temple.
The rustic laid back countryside atmosphere beckons all those
who want quiet, solace and divine peace

What can we learn from the news below of some life events at Sitiawan Temple?

Warning --- you need not believe but there are one too many of spiritual people  and events connected somehow with the mission of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien. Below is write-up of eye-opening information from Sitiawan, at Perak, Malaysia. After reading, do pause and reflect why the lord saint said that the mission he is carrying out for God is not the mission of men but the Mission of Heaven. Men are not able to do what Heaven and saints can do. The agenda of mundane life can blind men to the mission proper.  Men should not make the decision even if it is a majority opinion for the wise with foresight and insight are few and scarce. The mission needs only to depend on Heaven and on one or two good men but must benefit all men more so those lagging behind and those who know not what they do or would regrettably do what Heaven would not  want them to do. Do read on and learn from the lives of others for life after all is the gospel. The news below will be of learning value for some of us who are mindful, ready and receptive

A polymarble image of Lord Bo Tien
as shown above is one of the 3 images at Sitiawan Bo Tien Temple,
--- beside the images of Lord Buddha and Goddess of Mercy

Elder Ling at Sitiawan rang up on 13th May 2012 to say that for the immediate need, Bo Tien Temple there is being rebuilt with higher roofing and brick wall. But for the long haul, plans are underway to secure a land site by the sea.

Highlighted in red is the State of Perak in Malaysis (yellow)

Elder Ling is putting up at the home of Mr Lim Ing Hai nick named "Ah Bai" (handicap, one legged)  born 1944 and age 68. As a child, the moment Ah Bai  could talk, he told his granny that he wanted to be a monk and was able to chant Tibetan prayers spontaneously. He was able to meditate and his master in Tibet communicated with him via meditation to travel to Tibet for training.

Mr Lim Ing Hai alias Ah Bai always there for you....

His current life apparently is his 6th spiritual life. He resisted the call but was told that it was not wise and that he might loose a leg.

He continued in his lumberjack trade and one day a tree felled by him hit a dry piece of wood which broke up into pieces and the projectiles flew to him.  One projectile piece hurtled towards his calf, damaging his right leg. That was how he lost one leg.

Though not ever seeing his spiritual master except via meditation, his master sent an emissary to meet him. The emissary met him at Sitiawan and brought him to India for few months of spiritual sojourn. and he returned to Sitiawan. Eventually after short time, his master sent an emissary to fetch him to Tibet and he ended up in Tibet for a few years to complete his training after an emissary. This was despite having only one leg.

On his return to Sitiawan not long after in mid 1973, one night while at a rubber estate, he saw vision of  two huge images of Lord Bo Tien and Goddess Kuanyin but the images were huge and taller than the trees and  at eye level, he could only see the legs and lotus bases. They told him to go to Bo Tien Temple but he was then unaware of such a temple at Sitiawan.

Whilst at a coffee shop, he enquired from his friends and it so happened that someone at the next table overheard and happened to be a member of Bo Tien Temple Sitiawan. That was how he came to Bo Tien Temple Sitiawan.  

In 1980, he met temple medium Philip at Singapore and returned to Sitiawan. Chee S. H. followed  suit. With some others at Sitiawan, Chee paid series of visits to Bo Tien Temple Sitiawan. There were some contentious issues and there soon followed unhappiness of sorts amongst the followers there.  But Ah Bai stayed neutral and a few years later, sometime in 1982 or 1983, he had to leave the temple as many were unhappy with his stand to be always neutral.

He then travelled all over Malaysia even to USA doing spiritual assistance to others through Tibetan prayers. All this time, he had his heart still focused on Lord Bo Tien.

In March 2012, Lord Bo Tien told him during meditation to return to Sitiawan temple.  Coincidentally a few days later as though by divine design,  Elder Ling travelled there having been  divinely inspired by a Penang visitor to reactivate the temple there as the temple was in sorry state. The Penang visitor was willing to defray part of the cost of reconstruction if the temple there agreed.

Ah Bai has been with the temple since and has brought back life and crowd to the temple. The dilapidated wooden temple hut like the old one at Singapore was in sorry state. The members  galvanised and of one heart are now in high spirit, with the fervour of pioneers.

On 13th May 2012, they even organised a successive Karaoke fund raising with the help of a Christian  lady and a daughter of the Treasurer of Sitiawan temple who is also a Christian but open minded. She will likely be the up coming temple Secretary

Elder Ling has been up there again in early May 2012 at Sitiawan to see to the final touches of the rebuilding for a more spacious brick based temple. One day with the likes of many devoted like Ah Bai, Bo Tien Temple Sitiawan will see better days

There seems to be divine hand in the scheme of things and in how and why people ended up at the temple and did what they had to do. Ah Bai is one classical personality and appeared uncannily moulded in six lives to take on some role in the mission of the lord saint.

This is as though predestination is very much at work and the divine is very much in control of the mission at least at Sitiawan and obviously beyond and elsewhere. The secrets of Heaven however may not be revealed to us now and in the foreseeable future but event language will speak to us and make the picture clearer to us as the days unfurl.

PS Incidentally Ah Bai was in Singapore in April 2012 to bring Elder Ling to Sitiawan. On the way up, he requested to see the new Singapore temple but at the temple with Elder Ling, there was no welcome and they were told to leave as there was no proper protocol arranged for the visit. Ah Bai was full of disdain and disappointed but hopeful otherwise of better days for both temples of the lord saint. Cheers. Namo Bo Tien Posat

The narrative above is a lesson in life that all of us can learn  be it from our own life or the life of others. We will be more enriched and be more insightful from the learning. Life is the living gospel and the gift from God through the saints and prophets of all religions and sects.  The little we learn day by day adds up and make life more meaningful, more acceptable, more purposeful and more peaceful. Little drops of water make a mighty ocean. A little bit more peace adds up to bring us the ocean of bliss and peace of enlightenment. Namo Bo Tien Posat!  

The struggle from landless to landed (1969 to 2001)

Mission History No 5 

 1969 attap hut temple at Woodlands Singapore

1972/3 awning shed temple at Woodlands Singapore

1974 to 2002 Singapore Bo Tien Temple at Woodlands Singapore

Abridged excerpts from Elder Ling's draft memoirs

"On the tenancy issue, sometimes in 1996 or 1997, some officials from a government body held a meeting with the management in our aged home ground at Woodlands. They set irrevocable terms in that the tenancy lease would end on 30 June 1999. There would be no further extension. The aged home at Woodlands must move out and the aged residents would be dispersed to other homes. They offered to us an alternate project - a day-care - in the void deck of a housing estate. There was no mention on the fate of the shrine hall."

"For more than a year, we went around frantically looking in vain for a suitable site for our purpose. They were either not suitable or the prices were exorbitant."

"Three or four months before the tenancy lease deadline (30 June 1999), there was hardly any headway made. I discussed with the incumbent President about it. He asked me why I was confident that our organization would survive. I responded by a quote Lord Bo Tien told us before – no one could destroy our organization so long that our own members stand together as one."  

"It was only after my assertion that the thought of appeal to extend lease dateline at Woodland site was revived. The appeal was rejected. We were however successful in the second appeal. Soon after, we were took part in a tender by a government body JTC for a land parcel at Chin Bee Road. We were successful in our bid. Our tenancy lease was immediately extended at Woodlands to allow time for development of Chin Bee site." 

Majestic temple building at Chin Bee Road Singapore in July 2003

"We obtained the legal documents in the beginning of year 2000. The whole development process was thus set in motion. Our success in securing the land had greatly enhanced the morale of the members. Good efforts were put in to promote the first fund raising project – a dinner and show – at Neptune Theatre & Restaurant. It was a great success. That propelled the members to organize two bigger stage shows by foreign artists at Harbour View. The capital outlay for these shows was more than four hundred thousand dollars. The next that followed were donation draw and other smaller projects. There were problems of human nature along the way but we prevailed and succeeded"

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From awning shed to concrete

Mission History No 4

but what matters in the mission are concrete people  keen in doctrine and not concrete building

Elder Ling in 1980
He is the unpolished diamond

Attap hut where the temple altar was housed
at Woodlands before moving out to awning shed

The original awning shed with metal pipe poles.
One of the rooms in atap hut in background is where
the shrine hall was before moving out to awning shed.
The shed was donated by Poona. Notice the urn
of God Almighty and the black flag of temple at fore

The renovated awning shed
with zinc roof and walls at Woodlands

Excerpts from Elder Ling's draft memoirs - abridged version

"I held the position as President in Bo Tien Organization for almost 25 years – 1970 to 1972, 1974 to April 1982, 1984 to 1993 and 2002 to March 2004. This position was dedicated to me by Lord Bo Tien. He cautioned me not to pass the chair to anyone without his permission. In spite of this, I stepped down on several occasions but only returned during crisis times. Though in his 1981 anniversary message, he instructed me not to falter in the mission, I had on numerous occasions in his descent requested him to release me of my responsibilities. It was because I saw the inconsistencies of the late medium going coupled with the manifest behavior of most members in their response to my stand, in implementing reform in the temple practices in accordance with the Lord Bo Tien’s directions. Lord Bo Tien however, asked me to leave the issue of the medium to him and advised me to exercise patience and tolerance with the members.

......................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................
..................................................................................................."

( *The welfare section however in the ensuing interim absence of Elder Ling at the helm came to become distinct from the religious entity / temple and took on an entity of its own --- the welfare services society. This is not consistent with original thinking but is acceptable somewhat. Is this more to facilitate personal and social convenience of sorts? Perhaps, this would facilitate those not spiritually motivated by the lord saint and those not religiously inclined to be involved and to have some roles and association. Pragmatism thus did call the tune but not to the liking of Elder Ling. But the Mission Head had to let the prevailing majority have their way though he was and still is hard headed and in many ways a tough nut to crack. This is him which earned him the description by the lord saint as the unpolished diamond of the mission. He has as many detractors as those who see eye to eye with him but he is known to remain firm and hard like the unpolished diamond)

"In 1984, my 1974 understanding of Lord Bo Tien’s directions was clearer. The management conceded somewhat to my ideas to introduce reforms in praying and practices – discourage old habits of burning joss sticks and joss papers – so as to keep the environment clear from pollution. The shrine hall would cease supply joss sticks for members and devotees. For the time being, the main urn would be kept for the convenience of devotees who were unaware of the change taking place. Notices to this effect were placed prominently around the shrine." 

"But many would secretly put back the joss sticks in the shrine. In the mean time, whenever there was opportunity, I opened up my little understanding on Bo Tien’s teachings to the founder members. They were not receptive and condemned it as figments of my own imagination. Some devotees however, took my understanding as refreshing. Founder members kept me at distance after that."

"Architectural plans include fish pond, sky dome and four pillars with water curtain to project serenity and air of simplicity. These plans for the temple building were ready by year 2002 and contract works had also been awarded. Before the first pile went into the ground, we had an AGM which was around March for election of management for term 2002 - 2003. Few weeks earlier, I had just undergone a major operation. I was still recuperating when I attended the AGM. Strange as it might be, my name was the first to be nominated for the post of President. I declined so were the incumbent and all others that followed. The assembly then decided to let Lord Bo Tien do the selection through the “bei”. I knew in my mind, by this means, I could not escape from being selected. The incumbent personally cast a negative “Bei”, Mr Lionel Wong who cast on my behalf turned to be positive. The outgoing incumbent frantically rushed up to me and shook my hand with both of his and said 'thank you, thank you' as though he had shaken off the impending heavy load from his shoulders."

"When I took over, I realized that it was indeed a heavy task ahead of me. The total construction cost was $8.3 million excluding the land cost which had been fully settled. The temple funds stood at $8 hundred thousand though there were about $6 million under the welfare services society accounts which could not be used for temple construction. I then decided to call in the main and subcontractors to inform them of our financial status. I was met with strong objection from the committee who felt that contractor might not proceed with the construction works. My response to their objection was that we had to be open and honest and leave the rest to Lord Bo Tien to show the way."

Concrete success

"Soon after and before we met the main and subcontractors, the media reported a case similar to ours. A temple sued the contractor for stoppage of work half way through and the contractor countered sued the temple for not being honest with them on their financial status. The contractor won the case. My firm decision was well received by the committee after that. On the financial side, we were advised and confirmed by our auditor that we could use the welfare society* funds to construct the temple but via loan. With this big load settled and more donations coming in, we promptly completed the whole project in good time without any hitch."

 The sky dome towering over the octagon or bagua shrine

The glass dome over the altar at the bagua shrine

The altar at back of octagon or bagua  shrine

One of four firbre glass pillars amidst the koi pond
surrounding bagua shrine. Each pillar has watery curtain 

The koi pond around and under the bagua shrine floor

Below are snapshots of the aged home facilities, exercise and rest areas at the temple in Singapore ---- photos courtesy of Elder Ling

The future depends on the present

Mission History No 3

The success of the first phase of devotion and discipline at Jalan Kali Batu had paved the way for the charity  or compassion phase at Woodlands but at Jurong site whether there will be success of the third phase remains to be seen.

It was predicted that there must be the third phase of awakening in the doctrine  which will enable more to purify their spirit and save not only their souls but others as well.

 

The new concrete building at Jurong is the apex of the success of second phase transiting to third phase but what remains to be seen is whether the wisdom phase has come on to enhance both the discipline devotional and charity compassion phases.

A few booklets have been printed but beyond that there must be more to show that the doctrine phase has or had set in. 

Fire and water marked the first two phases.

The earliest shrine premise was gutted by fire, necessitating shift to second phase.

The second phase with the aged home and free distribution of rations through mutual help and care division was beset with inundation of premises by flood water at Woodlands Road 11 3/4 ms.

The shift to a mega concrete building did set the tone for the third phase. While the first phase of devotion and discipline underwent test by fire, the second phase by flood water, the third phase will be tested by human issues and problems. 

The future depends on the overcoming of nitty gritty issues of men. This was foretold by the lord saint Lord Bo Tien. Praise the lord and praise the men at the helm and hope they could pass the test of human problems. The future is in how the present is negotiated and handled.

There are two or even three connections to the mission story. We have the Singapore connection, the Sitiawan (Perak, Malaysian) connection and the world wide web connection. Will there be an interplay of the three? God knows but the future is in the hands of men and what they want will determine the outcome for the lesser or greater good. It can be better than good.......

Heartening to note that there is no shortage of interests to run the mission, but more important is to put in place a concerted and purpose-directed doctrinal push. This must go beyond having web sites and blog sites

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The story continues and the rest is now history

Mission History No 2

Abridged version

Elder Ling continues,

"Not long after I returned to the chair in 1974, Lord Bo Tien descended, asked about the position of the home for the aged. I told him that it was impossible in our capacity to build one as most of the National Servicemen were drawing a meagre allowance and temple had no funds for it. Moreover, the recurrent maintenance costs were high. However, Lord Bo Tien in firm tone retorted that we could and he wanted us to undertake the project. The next was the question of space for which Lord Bo Tien ordered that the home should start from the shrine."

"I could not imagine at that time how we could carry on with the project at the place. As a law enforcement officer, I would be putting my neck on the chopping block waiting to be chopped for all the illegal activities which took place on the ground. The attap hut was dilapidated, most beams and supports were termite infested. Moreover, the land was private own, the land owner would not give permission for a home for the aged home to be built there. As a result of Lord Bo Tien’s insistence, we just resigned ourselves to our faith and follow his instructions with no thought of the consequences we were going to encounter."

"The unthinkable project we had undertaken turnout to be a blessing in disguise for me in the mission. It was at this dialog with Lord Bo Tien, I picked up great deal of understanding of his teachings and directions. We learn that the images of saints or deities are only pieces of stone or blocks of wood if the divine spirits do not descend on them. They are only symbolical objects and there is nothing to be fearful about as most people do. They are necessary in his shrine so as to attract the group of worshippers who are most prone to superstitious beliefs, come to his shrine hall to learn his teaching and change their mindset."

"As a result of the encouragement and our understanding that, to undertake a divine project, men must make the first move before the divine can open the way. The mood of the National Servicemen and Policemen was set in motion. The altar in the shrine was moved out, the shrine renovated for the intake of destitute aged, most of them picked from the five-foot ways. Several good Samaritans came in with their donations - one an awning shed 30 x 40 to house the altar others, beds, cabinets and other necessities."

"The shrine area could accommodate only six residents. They were all males. Soon after, three to four Indian families who were occupying other rooms moved out one by one. All the vacant rooms were renovated to expand the population of residents to maximum capacity of twenty-two - eleven males and eleven females. We could not afford then to employ a paid staff to take care of the residents. The able ones were asked to help around. They were fed with packet food brought to them by volunteers. In the evening after work members and volunteers turned up to tidy the rooms and surroundings. Ladies helped in the laundry and also did area cleaning if required. The spirit of every member and volunteer was high."

"No sooner had we settled down, one fine afternoon, a gust of wind blew off part of the bitumen sheets covering the broken down attap roof. A boy who went up to put the bitumen sheets back in place, the roof swayed. This situation kept us in dilemma, nightmarish feelings ran deep in our heart whenever it rained as we were worried that the hut might collapse and bury the residents in it. In that situation, we were arguing within ourselves, we had already committed to the illegal project and if we did not do anything to improve the strength of the hut, the consequences would be greater. Whichever way we did was not legal, we might as well take risk to go a step further by constructing a complete new dormitory to save the risk of aged the residents being buried under the debris of the hut."

"Our faith with Lord Bo Tien held the reign. For so long we had carried out our illegal project which was situated along the main road leading to Johor Bahru, we had not seen any relevant Government authority or agency coming to disturb us. That emboldened us to negotiate with a contractor who was prepared to do the project with no initial deposit while we went about raising funds to meet the cost. In the meantime in order to save cost, we had to chop down numerous matured coconut trees and level the ground for the construction works to begin. A member brought in a borrowed JCB for the purpose of pushing down all the coconut trees which were in the way of the construction site. The JCB was immobilized when it came in because the whole area was flood prone and the ground soil was soggy. Half of the body of the JCB sank into the ground. It was easier to bring in the JCB than to re-track it from the ground. The members end up having to manually cut down the coconut trees before leveling the ground."

"Soon after the new dormitory and the septic tank were completed, the contractor and us were chatting, suddenly came a heavy storm and down pour of rain. Both the dormitory and the septic tank were flooded not serious enough where there was a need to evacuate the residents in the attap hut. The suggestion from the contractor was that the whole surrounding of almost half an acre of land had to be raised by at least 3 feet to avoid future flooding. Nothing could be done on the dormitory but the wall of the septic tank had also got to be raised accordingly."

"The thought of filling up such a big area to the required level was indeed a headache. Where could find so much earth Another problem was how to house the 22 aged residents while the attap hut had to give way for the movement of heavy vehicles carrying earth into the ground for the filling. It was indeed a great relief when realized that the development of adjacent industrial estate was in progress. Heavy machineries were leveling hills on the ground deep inside the industrial estate behind our ground. The earth moving contractor was more than willing to help us and gave us the earth required all for free. Within a few days a few hundred lorry loads of earth were dumped in to the level required. The aged residents were housed under a huge tent at the adjacent ground which was about two and a half meter higher than our ground. The construction was completed in 1975. The population of the residents was increased by 10 more beds to a total of 32."

"The next stage of our construction was a block to accommodate administration office, the meeting room, the kitchen and a dining hall. As time and speed was the essence of our progress before relevant authority or agencies caught up with us, we carried out the construction of the block without allowing the time for the newly filled earth to settle. Three quarter through the construction of the block, in 1977 or around 1978 – this could be the time when they had just acquired the land in the vicinity - an officer of the statutory land authority telephoned me and asked me to stop work and pull down the building alleging that it was the plan was not cleared for go ahead. I told him that the works could not be stopped. I asked him to give us some leeway, for we were doing service for the society. However, we did not stop our work on the block."

"Upon completion of the block, we continued with the construction of the temple without further queries from the land authority. Lord Bo Tien was then invited to grace and bless the building. His first remark was that he did not require such a big building. Since it had been built, he accepted it. He then declared that from then on his shrine was a full-fledged place of worship just like any other big places of worship. All superstitious beliefs such as pregnant women, coffin with dead bodies in them which were considered unclean could be brought into the shrine without any fear."

"Our yet-to-be legal status however, was timely saved by the great foresight of the leader of the nation. Just around the time the land authority told us to stop work, the leader of the nation spoke out and expressed his concerns of the aging population in Singapore. He encouraged temples, charitable and civic organizations to start home for the aged to cater for their needs. Although Bo Tien group’s activities were not yet emplaced on legalised platform, it was nevertheless, the only cultural place of worship in Singapore having a free home for the aged built side by side. It was followed by ... others at later stage."

"Social Welfare Department of the government took the queue. Their officers contacted us, gave us moral and administrative supports. They offered our home the status of Institution of Public Character (IPC) without even querying whether we had a constitution or bye laws governing the running of the home for which we did not apply for it. On the land authority side they on their own initiative widened the old drain and also constructed new ones along the side of the dormitory on the boarder which was higher than our ground to prevent water flowing into our ground. The annually renewal land lease was extended to two years. They even asked us to submit a sketched plan of our place for their record. At later stage, their staff came annually to the home with goodies and also organized party to entertain the residents." 

"The improvement of the environment in the home and its surroundings enhanced the image of the home. These together with encouragement of Government agencies, supports of food stuffs and provisions from members of the public especially the middle class, were overwhelming. Three storage space the size of 20 ft containers were not enough to store them. The excesses were then repacked into smaller ones and distributed to poor families and single aged residents living in public housing flats throughout the island regardless of race or religion. Even Members of Parliament from various constituencies ...... approached us for provisions for them to distribute at their weekly meet-the-people sessions. There were also thirty over community centres approaching us for the same."

"For proper control and regulate the distributions, sometimes towards the end of 1989 or beginning of 1990, Mutual Help & Care Division was created under the umbrella of the organisation. I was then the President (before I stood down in 1994). I appointed Mr Alfred Toh Teck Kok to head the Division. He faithfully headed the Division for 17 years. Through his able leadership, communication skill and connection with business people, Mutual Help & Care Division had grown to become the jewel of Bo Tien organization. Voluntary homes such as Sun Shine Home, at the beginning stage, Joo Seng Home, Muslim Association like Pertapi and civic organization like Lion Befriender all approached us for provisions for their consumption and distribution. It has been twenty over years passed, to date, the supports on food and provisions from the public are still flowing in, in abundance."

"A few years after the Mutual Help & Care Division was formed, the Inland Revenue Department created a new division known as Commissioner of Charities to supervise and control the running of charitable organizations. They wrote to us for a copy of our constitution governing the running of our welfare activities. I spoke to the officer concerned that we did not have a constitution for the welfare activities. As we were running a mission, we considered the temple, the home for the aged and mutual help & care division as a single unit. If the welfare services came under a separate constitution, in long run, both units might break apart by opportunists who might use the welfare services unit activities for their own agenda, for fame and status and thus would render our mission meaningless. This view was understood by all founder members at the time when the fire torch logo of the organisation was created, blessed and accepted by Lord Bo Tien. The three rings under the logo were representatives of the activities – the teachings of Lord Bo Tien, the home for the aged and the welfare services under the mutual help & care division - of the overall organisation, operated as a single unit."

"The officer was very accommodative and understanding, she accepted my views, my concerns of the future of the mission if there was a separate constitution for the welfare services. She also accepted my suggestion that we write out by laws under the temple constitution to regulate the activities of the welfare services. Her remark to my suggestion was, they only wanted certain rules and regulations for that purpose. We immediately drew up two separate bye laws – one for the home, the other for the mutual help & care division – under the temple constitution and forwarded them to Commissioner of Charities Division for their record. We also sent the same to the Registrar Societies for their filing. They were however, returned by the Registrar of Societies with the remark that by laws were internal regulations and were not required to be filed with them."


Further insight by Inner Truth Netizen 2.

It would appear then that the emphasis was charity. This continues to be true but the Mission is not just that but overall it is to save souls. The mission has three aspects or phases which may be concurrent or successive. They are discipline or training phase, charity or mercy phase and the doctrine phase, corresponding to the three images of the shrine, Lord Bo Tien in armour on the left, Goddess of Mercy or Kuanyin on the right and that of Buddha in centre.  Each phase is around 12 years and the events referred to above by elder Ling happened while the mission was starting on the charity or compassion phase. With the concurrent phases all in one but with emphasis on doctrine, the mission will then be firmly on the doctrine or buddha phase with all aspects of the mission on going.




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Testimony on how it all came to be

Mission History No 1


Testimony slightly abridged

Elder Ling Diung Kwong 
at age 76 in 2012

"I am a pensioner and a retired Police Officer. I joined the Singapore Police Force in 1959 as a constable and was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1963. I retired from the Police Force on 31 August 1981."

Inspector Ling Diung Kwong
as he was then known
in his prime of life.
Photo taken in 1980

"In the beginning of 1970 I was working at the Queenstown Police Station when my curiosity was drawn to a unique temple by a junior officer who told me that at this temple, the saint in his descent did not perform activities like those in other temples. This saint would preach his teachings and doctrine which is more akin to Buddhism. He then brought me to the temple and I learnt that this saint identified himself as Bo Tien. This was the first time he was authorized by Heaven to come to this planet to set up his temple mission, as a model for others to follow. The essence of his teachings is to change people’s mindset on superstitious beliefs. He emphasized the essence with this sentence 'we do thing for others to follow and we do not follow others'. In other words, the founder members are the first generation pioneers to undertake the task, to understand and compile his teachings and doctrines for the salvation of mankind which may take many generations to carry out."

Image depicting the pose of
the lord saint
at his first descent

"The temple should be built without the image of a dragon or be Chinese in character. The interior should be simple and serene so that a devotee with heavy mind should find immediate relief as he steps into the temple. Praying should be conducted in simple manner. As for individual, he should pray single-handedly direct to the saint or deity he is comfortable in, without the assistance of a third person. A human should not take another as master. It is to avoid any complications in the future, whereby one would blame the saint or deity for causing the problems." 

"As a heavenly spirit, he could not communicate with human and he chose the body of late P. Philip, a Catholic by birth to act as a medium. He descended alone and he had the authority to acquire the services of any elements on this planet to assist him in the Mission. His descent would be for 12 years and he would return to heaven. After that he would impart his teachings and understanding to us through our mind as though they are our own ideas. To differentiate between our own ideas and that of his, is in the implementation. If they are that from him, the implementation would be smooth. There would be obstacles if they are our own." 

"From the day I stepped into the temple which was situated at the foot Jalan Kali Batu, almost every day I must pay a visit there or else I would feel uncomfortable the whole night. On March 1970, the temple was gutted by fire to the ground. Devotees who were mainly National Servicemen Policemen managed to rent a haunted room in a dilapidated atap hut at 407A Woodlands Road 11 3/4 ms." 

"On the night of inauguration, there was some commotion amongst participants who appeared to be in trance pushing at one another. I was standing in the courtyard in front of the temple when I felt my body trembling. I went into the shrine and came out to the courtyard again, my body continued to tremble. As I am a free-thinker, I thought then that some evil spirits might be going possessed me. I thought I could avoid the situation if I were to leave the place. I told the medium the late P. Philip. I was about to go home but he told me to wait as he could not find the late Chee S. H., who was Lord Bo Tien’s interpreter during his descent. I drove my car together with my wife, late P. Philip and wife... we went around places he was known to visit to look for him in vain. When we then went over to the burnt out site of the old temple, we found late Chee S. H. in the company some devotees there." 

"At this point, Lord Bo Tien descended. All the devotees present crowded around the medium when he (Lord Bo Tien) called for 'Ah Tau' – in Hokkien, Head (Elder) in English. Nobody knew who Lord Bo Tien was referring to. They started pointing fingers at one another for Lord Bo Tien to acknowledge. He did not reciprocate. I was the last. He requested me to go nearer to him. He asked me whether I knew what was happening. I replied negatively as I was not involved. He then explained that he was testing the quality of the devotees there, how confident they were in undertaking his missionary works. He identified me as most suitable and asked me to take on the responsibility to lead them along." 

"I accepted the responsibility with great reluctance as I had not even believed in him. I could only do my best. Lord Bo Tien advised me not to worry for he would be there to guide me and a day would come that I would believe in him. From then on, Bo Tien would address me as 'Ah Tau' at every of His descent. Even now some members in the temple still address me by this name....but...." 

"In the middle of January 1970, the application to register the organisation was approved by the Registrar of Societies. I became the founding President of the organisation. I stood down my position in 1973 due to differences in opinion and interests among the founding members. On the night of the AGM, I declined my nomination. Another person G. Wong was elected to take the position. Soon after the election was over, Lord Bo Tien descended. He asked the assembly to be cleared and spoke to me alone. He scolded me for declining the position saying that this position was designated by him for me and I could not abandon it without his permission. He ordered me to take back the position instantly. I told him that spiritually it might be possible; humanly it was impossible as there were unhappiness expressed by members against my leadership and I would abide by it the follow year."

This invaluable book
edited by Bro. Peter Kong
and published 6th Sept 2000
contains the anniversary messages
by Lord Bo Tien

PS: In 1981 Mission Day Observance, Elder Ling asked the lord saint on his tiredness and sleepiness. The lord saint told him that he should have no concern and that heaven will guide him along in his cultivation (meditation) so as to have peace and happiness but what is important is that he does not falter in the mission. The lord saint did say in other years that the issues of men are many and plentiful. Thus there is risk of the mission faltering and the poignant instruction in 1981 for elder Ling not to falter in mission reminds us of the foresight of the lord saint. In the final part of the 1981 anniversary message, Lord Bo Tien "asked elder Ling to write out the history of the mission." This would of course be of great learning value for future generations.....

NAMO BO TIEN POSAT

12 inch tall teak wood image of Lord Bo Tien

Elder Ling standing, at the centre right
and in light colored clothes at a later year
anniversary descent of Lord Bo Tien

Close devotees congregated at the later-year better furbished shrine hall at Woodlands

Painting of the Shrine Hall of Lord Bo Tien at old Woodlands premises. This was a new building donated by a follower when the shrine was placed under an open awning in front of the historic atap-hut shrine. The run-down but cosy hut shrine hall gave way to the first modest aged home home dormitory at the instruction of the lord saint who said that his shrine can even be in the open under the sky. Elder Ling said that this was perhaps the first of many aged homes to be run by a temple in Singapore and happened coincidentally just before the then PM suggested that this be the norm. The temple home received help from the government and accorded full legal assistance in short time. Some 12 years later, the lord saint again said that it was not at all important how his mission was housed. His temple can be in the open. His temple, he said, is the world and the sky is the roof of the temple. All under Heaven are in his temple. Religions are the pillars...