LET US READ THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTICLE AGAIN....... ..TO REMIND US OF OUR PLEDGES
The Harmony of Brotherhood - The Higher Level of Consciousness
Let us imagine that suddenly a superior man with the torch appears and everything around becomes bright and clear.
The living beings in the dark solitude suddenly find a great relief as they look about to recognize one another and happily share their companionship.
By "a superior man with a torch" meant enlightenment assuming a human form, and by his wisdom and compassion he illuminates the world.
First, there are those that are organized on the basis of the power, wealth or authority of great leaders.
Second, there are those that are organized because to its convenience of the members, which will continue to exist as long as the members satisfy their conveniences and do not quarrel.
Third, there are those that are organized with some good teaching as its center and harmony as its very life.
Of course, the third or last of these is the only true organization, for in it the members live in one spirit, from which the unity of spirit and various kinds of virtue will arise. In such an organization there will prevail harmony, satisfaction and happiness.
Enlightenment is like rain that falls on a mountain and gathers into rivulets that run into brooks, and then into rivers which finally flow into the ocean.
The rain of the sacred teaching falls on all people alike without regard to their conditions or circumstances. Those who accept it gather into small groups, then into organizations, then into communities and, finally themselves in the great ocean of enlightenment.
Then, to make the Brotherhood Circle complete, there must be perfect harmony among the members, the teachers teach the members and the members honor the teachers so that there can be harmony between them.
Members of the Brotherhood Circle should associate together with affectionate sympathy, being happy to live together with fellow followers, and seeking to become one in spirit.
There are six paths of Liberation that will help lead a Brotherhood to harmony.
They are:
First, sincerity of speech;
Second, sincerity and kindness of actions;
Third, sincerity and sympathy of spirit;
Fourth, equal sharing of common property;
Fifth, following the same pure precepts;
And sixth, all having right views.
Among these paths of Liberation, the sixth or "all having right views" forms the nucleus, with the other five serving as wrappings for it.
There are two sets of seven rules to be followed if the Brotherhood is to be of success.
The first is, as a group:
(1) They should gather together frequently to listen to the teachings and to discuss them.
(2) They should mingle freely and respect one another.
(3) All should revere the teaching and respect the rules and change them.
(4)Elder and younger members are to treat each other with courtesy.
(5) They should let sincerity and reverence marks their spirit.
(6) They should purify their minds in a quiet place which they should, nevertheless, offer to others before taking it for themselves.
(7) They should love all people, treat visitors cordially, and console the sick with kindness. A Brotherhood that follows these rules will never decline.
The second is, as an individual separately,
Each should:
(1) Maintain a pure spirit and not ask for too many things.
(2) Maintain integrity and remove all greed.
(3) Be patient and not argue.
(4) Keep silent and not talk idly.
(5) Submit to the regulations and not the overbearing.
6) Maintain an even mind and not follow unscientific teachings from the outside society which is corruptible.
(7) Be thrifty and frugal in daily living.
If each member follows these rules, the Brotherhood Circle will endure and never decline.
As mentioned above,
A Brotherhood Circle should maintain harmony in its very essence; one without harmony cannot be called a Brotherhood.
Each member should be on guard not to be the cause of discord.
If discord appears it should be removed as early as possible, for discord will soon ruin any organization.
THE STATES OF ACHIEVEMENTS:
Blood stains cannot be removed by more blood.
Resentment cannot be removed by more resentment.
Resentment can be removed only by forgetting it.
In the fellowship of a Brotherhood that is based on the harmony of right teaching as in SCOUTING and/or APO,
Every member should always appreciate the spirit of Alpha Phi Omega. Not as a fraternity of exclusivity but as a special culture of a brotherhood of men and women whose very spirit emanates from its desire to alleviate human suffering and its commitments in the service of humanity.
The members of the Brotherhood Circle should appreciate and practice this spirit of Alpha Phi Omega in their daily lives.
If a man's mind becomes pure, his surroundings will also become pure.
The point of the teachings is to control your own mind.
Keep your mind from greed, and you will keep your body right, your mind and your words faithful.
If you always remember that our life in this world is just transient and short, you will be able to resist greed and anger, and will be able to avoid all evils.
If you find your mind tempted and so entangled in greed, you must suppress and control the temptation;
Be the master of your mind.
Under the teachings of Alpha Phi Omega, you should respect each other and refrain from disputes; you should not, like water and oil, repel each other, but should like milk and water, mingle together.
Study together, learn together, practice the teachings together.
Do not waste your mind and time in idleness and quarreling.
Enjoy the blossoms of enlightenment in their season and harvest the fruit of the right path.
If you neglect them it means that you have never really followed the golden teachings of Alpha Phi Omega.
If you are far from the spirit of Alpha Phi Omega even though you are actually an APO member, it is a membership with no substance and meaning, just a name for an empty belongingness.
Being an APO does not end in a Lip RITUAL Ceremony.
The "RITUAL CEREMONY" is the starting point to become an APO.
The Brotherhood Circle that you loosely called "organization" is a "learning process" from which every member should be continuously training himself.
He trained himself to avoid abusing others, and then wished that all might have the serene mind that would follow by living in peace with others.
He trained himself to avoid all duplicity, and then he wished that all people might know the joy of fellowship among those who followed these teachings.
He trained himself to avoid anger, and then he wished that all members might love one another.
He trained himself to avoid ignorance, and then he wished that all members might understand and not disregard the law of causation.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
LET US BRING FORTH OUR FRATERNAL RELATIONS INTO.....
A HIGHER LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS!
