Everything You Need to Know About Karma (Part 1)

< Buddhism in Plain Terms < 白话佛法共修分享    

Time : Saturday 2pm-4.00pm
Platform : ZOOM Cloud Meeting
Topic of Discussion : EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KARMA (Part 1)

 

The Buddha once said,
“Even if it’s for a thousand kalpas,
the deeds we commit would never fade.
Comes the day we meet with our fate,
suffering is certain as karma awaits”.

On 9 October 2021, Guan Yin Citta, Singapore held yet another online English Buddhism in Plain Terms Group Study, to delve into the immutable law of causality – KARMA.

Karma is hardly a foreign concept to Buddhist practitioners, but, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we oftentimes overlook it.

The session kickstarted with an inspirational video where Master used an intriguing story of an old lady who nearly poisoned her son by accident to remind us that kind and evil deeds will unquestionably come back to us.

You reap what you sow, this is the universal law. Coupled with the Principle of Heaven, Karma may be late but will be served without fail in the form of karmic obstacles or blessings according to the nature of the original deed or thought. The good and evil are dormant in us. We need to cultivate the good side in us by being extremely careful of whom we hang out with and by watching our behaviour and thoughts. 

The most important takeaway of the session is, if no attempt is made to resolve karmic obstacles in this life, there is a high chance of them repeating their misdeeds, which could lead to the ‘activation’ of their karmic obstacles. To avert this from happening, the participants were told to learn to take the shorter end of the stick, repent and perform more merits.

One of the participants voiced out her own experience with hatred and how she broke the vicious cycle by resolving her negative karma through the recitation of the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots during the discussion segment.

In the upcoming session, we will continue to delve deeper into the concept of KARMA.

 

? Let us now look at some comments from participants:

“Small action, Great consequence”. I think this is a very important message to take away with today. We should learn from Bodhisattva, fear cause instead of worrying about the effect when it happens. Do no evil, as it will lead us to the lower realms. 

 

?Join us in our next session 

Please contact Loh SX (96978356) / Woan Yi SX (82182248) for more information

 

 ⏰ Date and time:
Saturday 16 Oct 2021 (2pm – 4pm)

 

Please click here to download the Summary Slides shared during the Group Study:

   Summary Slides_Everything you need to know about KARMA – I

 

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WHAT ARE WE LEARNING TODAY?

 

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KARMA (业)

The force produced by a person’s actions in one’s life, that influences what happens to them in future lives.

 

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THE LAW OF KARMA
= THE LAW OF CAUSE & EFFECT
= THE LAW OF CAUSATION
(因果) 

You reap what you sow

 

 

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< Intro to Karma > 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms
Volume 1, Chapter 8 (An Excerpt) 
WHO IS IN CONTROL OF OUR DESTINY?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Destiny is the path generated from the string of karma that is ought to be experienced in this life.  Be it the cycle of rebirth (轮回) or destiny (命运), it strictly follows two fundamental principles. The cycle will repeat itself and without exception, all sentient beings fall under its purview. These two principles form the foundation of reincarnation, before which, all sentient beings are viewed equally with no exception. 

The first principle is the foremost law of the universe: The Law of Cause and Effect (因果定律) – something that everyone is familiar with, that is, you reap what you sow (种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆). The principle of karma is an immutable law that the innumerable Three Thousandfold World Systems (恒河沙三千大千世界) have to strictly abide by. There is no force that is capable of intercepting the cycle of causality.

If you mistreat your mother-in-law today, these negative seeds of ‘cause’ are sowed, chances are, they will bear fruit in the form of conflicts with your spouse in your next life. Those, who had committed countless acts of killing in their past lives, will be afflicted by ill health in this lifetime. As you sow, so shall you reap.

 

The second principle is the Principle of Heaven (天理).

When we talk about the “Principle of Heaven and the Appropriate Retribution” (天理循环), it is not something that can be taken lightly.

In fact, the Principle of Heaven is a management system, which specifies in detail the karmic causes and the corresponding consequences, the extent and the exact timing that the retribution will be served. 

The Heavenly Principle does not only govern individuals, but it also covers a region, a dynasty, a country and even the world at large. Natural and man-made disasters are the negative outcomes of collective karma (共业). The greenhouse effect (温室效应) is a perfect example. All of these fall under the jurisdiction of Heaven.

The moment one commits an evil deed, or gives rise to an evil thought, the corresponding karmic retribution that he or she so deserves will automatically be arranged as per the Principle of Heaven (天理).

Following that, it will be transformed into a karmic obstacle (业障), with a scheduled time and date when it will be unleashed in one’s future life. The same goes for good and virtuous deeds, the karmic reward (福报) will automatically be planned according to a specific schedule.

 

THE RETRIBUTION PROCESS:

(Note: The same applies to virtuous deeds)

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 1, Chapter 34 (An Excerpt) 
THE CONTINUATION OF ANCESTRAL KARMA

Ancestors’ lack of morality, good fortune and virtue (没有积福德) covers a large scope which includes the ancestral grave, fengshui and the positive and negative karma of their past lives. If the ancestors have not accumulated much negative karma, the retributive effects would last till the second generation.

However, if the negative karma comes from the act of killing, the retributive effects will last till the third and fourth generations. In the case where the karma of killing is more severe, the effects will be more pronounced and can be perpetuated to more generations. This is similar to injuries on the human body. If the injury is light, a short period of rest would suffice. If the injury is severe, a longer break is needed for recuperation. 

Descendants’ own negative karma leads them to be reincarnated into a particular family to suffer the karmic retributions of their ancestors. Ancestral karmic debts or ancestral virtues (祖业或祖德) and the environment we live in are all determined by the negative karma, good fortune and virtue the person had accumulated in his past lives.

If we had accumulated fortune and virtue in our previous lifetimes (前世有福德), we will be born with a silver spoon in our mouths (含着金钥匙出生) and we will get to enjoy the protection of our ancestors. On the contrary, if we had accumulated substantial negative karma in our previous lives, the resulting karmic obstacles would cause us to live in poverty in this lifetime.

Thus, we must take responsibility for the well-being of our descendants by performing virtuous and kind deeds and DO NO EVIL – one should especially refrain from the act of killing.

 

Wenda20181019 22:10
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program – An Excerpt) 
WHAT LEADS US TO DO BAD DEEDS?

Caller: Master, you’ve mentioned before that when a person did something inappropriate or against the moral principles (做了不如理、不如法的事情), say, at a certain time in his previous life, his inner demon (心魔) will surface and be kept alive in his consciousness (在意识当中残存). This explains why the person will keep thinking about the said matter.

When this happens, karmic obstacles are formed and if the person is not able to remove this thought from his mind, it will gradually enter his eighth consciousness (八识田中). This will lead to the creation of a major karmic obstacle (大的业障). Master, may I know what kind of major karmic obstacles we are referring to here?

Master Jun Hong Lu: For example, you did something bad in your previous life that caused the death or injury to others. You were entangled in this matter in your past life and couldn’t find a way to make amends because you did not practise Buddhism; nor did you recite the Buddhist scriptures; this means you did nothing to help that person ascend to a higher spiritual realm (没有超度人家). 

When you died in your previous life, this karmic obstacle remained in your eighth consciousness (存在你的八识田中) and brought forward to your present life.

Once the time when you harmed that person in your past life comes by (regardless if the cause of your harm was intentional or not), this idea will vaguely and repeatedly arise in your eighth consciousness in the form of dreams, obstacles in life, and ill-health.

At this time, as long as you give rise to such a thought, this karmic obstacle basically fixes and deepens in your eighth consciousness. Then, you will experience the same kind of…. correspondingly, your external environment will change. Similar things will start to appear in your life. If you resolve them, the karma in your eighth consciousness will weaken.

Master Jun Hong Lu: On the contrary, if you do not attempt to resolve them and on top of that, you repeat your misdeed, the karmic obstacles will get bigger; this is when the karmic obstacles are activated (激活).

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms Volume 8, Chapter 34 (An Excerpt)
SEE CLEARLY THE SIX REALMS OF EXISTENCE 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me tell you this: If you are merely living your life doing the things you are supposed to as a human and stay away from evil deeds, the best outcome will be for you to be reborn as a human. That said, how many people are doing the ‘humane’ things now? 

There are many people who are committing all sorts of evil deeds in this world. They con, sabotage, speak ill of others behind their back and commit negative karma of speech. They play with others’ emotions (欺骗人家的感情) and swindle others (欺骗人家的钱财) – all of these are tickets to become ghosts in the lower realm (下去做鬼). 

In cases involving heinous and grave sins (罪大恶极), hell is where you will be heading. If you rob others of their possessions or harbour jealousy towards others, you are setting yourself a path to the hungry ghost realm (饿鬼道).

Let me reiterate this: Your jealousy is something that is going to kill you one day.

Here I am desperately urging all of you so that you do not end up in the lower realms. I hope you will appreciate what I am telling you now instead of on the day you are about to leave this world. We have been committing all those immoral acts (不像人的事情) in the past, we cannot continue to be like this.

We must seize this very moment to mend our ways so that there is still a chance for you to ascend to Heaven, or at least to become a human in your next life. Failing which, you will lose your precious human form in your next life.  

You need to recognise the human realm and the six realms of existence and ask yourself which realm are you aiming to proceed toward? To say the least, it’s not easy to be a human of morality. How many of you are able to be one? Who has never back-stabbed or spoken ill of others?

Unfortunately, there are still some who will find lame excuses such as “What’s the big deal?  Everyone’s doing it”.

Ask yourself this question: When these evil doers fail to ascend to the higher realm, are you willing to join them in the ghost realm and be a ghost?

Are you ready to endure the pain and suffering that they are bound to undergo? Just because these people are doing something that seems like a norm, so you want to descend to the lower realm like them too?

 

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< HOW TO PREVENT THE CREATION OF KARMIC OBSTACLES? >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Auckland, New Zealand – 22 Nov 2015
BE AWARE OF THE KARMA YOU ARE CREATING

One night a man had a dream. In the dream the God of the Earth (土地公公) said to him, “I need you to help me build a wall with that family next door. This is because the man in that family was a very virtuous man in his previous life.”

“Hence, everyday when he returns home, I need to stand and bow to him in respect. It tires me terribly. Can you help me build the wall?“

The man agreed to fulfill the God of the Earth’s wish. Since then, he never dreamed about Him anymore.

A few years later, this man had another dream. In the dream, the God of the Earth said to him, “You may tear down this wall now.”

The man asked, “Why?”.

And the God of the Earth answered, “Because he has no more merits. Hence, I don’t have to stand up anymore whenever I see him”.

The man thought to himself, “This man must have done something inappropriate that breaks the code of morality”.

So, he asked his neighbour, “What did you do lately? Did you do anything inappropriate that breaks the code of morality?” 

The neighbour answered, “Not that I know of.”

The man asked again, “Think again…”

The neighbour then realised, “Oh, I helped someone write a divorce letter.”

It was this divorce bill that depleted all of his merits. 

In life, we are constantly creating karma.

I hope that everyone will always try to mediate rather than separate (劝和不劝离).

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse for Disciples
Volume 2, Chapter 15
WE BECOME WHO WE SURROUND OURSELVES WITH

Interpersonal relationships are getting increasingly complicated nowadays. Why?

Married couples suffer from marital dissension, while children are estranged from their parents. What’s the reason behind all these phenomena? The problem lies in one’s thoughts.

Each of us has both the Buddha and the evil seeds in our eighth consciousness (八识田). When a person’s Buddha nature is tapped on, he will be kind to his wife; the moment an evil seed enters his mind, he will treat his wife badly. We hold both wholesome and unwholesome thoughts in our mind which determines whether we react positively or negatively towards a person or situation. 

When a person is working from his Buddha nature, he will empathise with his wife, thinking, life has not been easy for her. As a result, instead of reprimanding her, he will choose to forgive her. However, the moment a negative thought comes by, he will find his wife to be so irritating that any woman outside will appear to be more pleasant looking than her. 

The seeds of evil make you an evil person. Likewise, the seeds of kindness make you a kind person. A person who perpetually harbours kind thoughts is a kind person and vice versa. This explains the many differences experienced in families, workplaces, etc. 

‘Conditioned Origination’ (遇到缘则起) – this means, whether it is a positive condition or a negative one, depends on the people you encounter. The good and evil are dormant in us. When you meet good people in your life, they will inspire the kindness in you. Soon, you become a good person.

Conversely, when you meet an evil person, one who only has bad things to say, he is likely to arouse your resentment and jealousy towards others. Soon, you will turn into a bad person, one with a bad temper. 

Hence, your encounter with negative people contaminates you, while your encounter with good dharma friends (善知识) will unlock the Buddha nature within you.

 

Master Jun Long Lu’s Discourse (Question 203) – 22 Jan 2018
ONLY GRATITUDE AND COMPASSION CAN ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES

Question: Master Lu has mentioned in Buddhism in Plain Terms that every passion and desire within the Seven Emotions and Six Sensory Pleasures (七情六欲) has the effect of creating karmic obstacles (断绝业障) and it is only through gratitude one is able to exterminate them. I’d like to understand why gratitude is the only tool that can help prevent karmic obstacles from forming.

Answer: I covered this in my earlier chapters of Buddhism in Plain Terms. Our original aspirations begin with a heart of gratitude (感恩心是最初始的心). This positive emotion is the foundation of compassion that is in one’s innate nature (慈悲心是我们的本性). 

Compassion is derived from a heart that knows gratitude and correspondingly, gratitude stems from a heart of compassion which in turn helps unleash the Buddha nature within us (把佛性带出来).

Hence, compassion is the only way that helps prevent the formation of all karmic obstacles, regardless of the type. In a truly compassionate heart, there’s no room for greed (贪心), resentment (瞋恨), ignorance (愚痴) and arrogance (贡高我慢). With this, do you think this person will commit a sinful act? 

And would you now agree that compassion is the only effective way that can exterminate all karmic obstacles (断除一切的唯一方法)? This is how this concept works.

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk – Malacca, Malaysia – 20 August 2016
TRANSFORM YOUR NEGATIVE AFFINITY WITH A KIND HEART

We sometimes find certain people uncongenial (不投缘). That might be due to the grievances between us in our past lives. Through understanding the law of cause and effect, we should learn to take things easy.  The Buddha once said,

Even if it’s for a thousand kalpas (假使百千劫),

the deeds we commit would never fade (所做业不亡),

Comes the day we meet with our fate (因缘会遇时),

suffering is certain as karma awaits (果报还自受).

In getting along with our friends, we must watch our speech –  it is better to squash enmity than to keep it alive (冤家宜解不宜结).

We must be aware of how karma works. In this lifetime, no matter how a person treats us, understand that it must either be due to the positive or negative affinity we had established in our previous lives. 

From now on, we must try to transform our negative karmic relationships with our kindness (用善心转换逆缘). When we encounter animals with bad smell or strong odour, we should take pity on them and be compassionate. This is especially so when we are performing life liberation. Fishes may have a fishy odour but we must still take mercy on them.

Life liberation cultivates compassion in us; we will be blessed with calmness and longevity for lifetimes to come and be saved from the trap of revenge and hatred. In this modern day, we have already created many grievances with many people (和人结了很多的怨); it is time for us to practise vegetarianism so that we do not incur any more hatred with animals. This is wisdom; an exemplification of compassion.

 

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< The Truth about our Affinities with Family Members > 

Caller: Hi Master, let me share with you this: My relationship with my husband turned sour two years after our marriage, and this has persisted over the past six to seven years. I have started practising Buddhism for more than a year now and since then, I have been reciting the Mantra to Untie the Karmic Knots (Jie Jie Zhou). 

Just one week ago, I had a dream, and it was about my past life with my husband. In that life, we were also a couple. He murdered me with a knife before dismembering my corpse. The lady police officer, who was tasked to protect me in that life, failed to do so due to her unsound reflex, and now, in this present life, she is my daughter.

Through this dream, I now truly understand how horrifying the cycle of rebirth could be. We don’t have the slightest clue about the type of people that could end up as part of our family nucleus.

Master Lu: You are exactly right! Destiny brings enemies together as a family  (冤结才凑成一家子).

Let me tell you this: Had you not dreamed of the lady police officer, who is now your daughter, and your husband of your past life murdering and dismembering your dead body, you would never know how the three of you are interconnected. Now you understand why, at times, I am not willing to divulge information like this to all? It does no one any good by knowing. In fact, it is potentially troubling! Do you wish to know how your life would end in this life? 

Caller: My guess is he would continue to bully me and push me beyond my limits. And, if I did not practise Buddhism, I might end up killing him sometime in the future which would then perpetuate our cycle of rebirth.

Master Lu: Correct! 

Caller: However, this dream has strengthened my resolve in practising Buddhism. I will be diligent to learn from Master Lu and to transcend the cycle of rebirth. I will definitely do so. I will ensure that I repay all my karmic dues, clear all my negative karmic debts and eventually transcend the harrowing cycle of rebirth.

Master Lu: You are exactly right!

Caller: I would like to tell all Buddhist friends that we should not be too obsessed with our family relationships, as they are all transient and illusory. Nothing here is real! 

Master Lu: Now you understand? This is what being “Disillusioned with the mortal world” means (看破红尘). It should not be looked upon as a pessimistic outlook. Instead, it is a positive attitude as your knowledge of the illusory nature of all phenomena makes you more steadfast in your spiritual cultivation. 

Caller: Yes! Thank you to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Master Lu for the opportunity to chance upon Buddhism in this lifetime. I will surely remain steadfast in my Buddhism cultivation. I surely will…

 

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Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, New York, USA, 22 Sep 2014
BODHISATTVAS FEAR CAUSES, WHILE SENTIENT BEINGS FEAR EFFECTS

There was a quack doctor (庸医) who misdiagnosed and caused someone’s son to die. To make up for his mistake, he gave his son away to be adopted by this family. After some time, he caused someone’s female servant to die. To compensate, the doctor gave his own servant away.

One night, there was a knock on the doctor‘s door. The visitor said, “Oh doctor, my wife’s stomach hurts terribly. Please come with me to take a look at her.”

The doctor called out to his wife and said, “Dear, please make preparations to part.”

We must try to prevent bad things from happening instead of preparing to make some impractical compensation. We always allow ourselves to make mistakes first, only then will we start thinking about making them right.

Why can’t we learn from the Bodhisattvas who clearly understand the law of causation (知因懂果)? If only we understood the karmic ramifications of what we do today, this would have saved us from possible retribution.

As Buddhist practitioners, we should be concerned about all actions – Bodhisattvas fear causes, while sentient beings fear effects (菩萨畏因，众生畏果). Humans are fearless in their action – only when retribution comes their way, do they begin to fear. As Buddhist practitioners, we should fear the cause of our action as only then we will be fearless of the effect of its retribution (畏因，才不怕果报).

 

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< NO ONE ESCAPES KARMA >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Paris, France, 29 Sep 2017
NO ONE ESCAPES KARMA

It doesn’t matter who you are, karma spares no one.

All the wrongs you have committed would follow and haunt you everywhere you go.

 

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Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 77 (An Excerpt)  23 May 2020
STORY: THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING KARMA

Once upon a time there was a lamb butcher. One day, he made a request to the king.

“Your Majesty, should you have any celebration in the palace and if you need help in slaughtering lambs or cows, please let me be of service to you.” 

The king felt strange. He asked, “Butchering is something many people will try to avoid. Why are you willing to do it?”

The butcher replied, “The merit I accumulated from slaughtering had allowed me to be reborn into heaven after I died.

 

 

“In fact, I have gained rebirth between heaven and human realm six times. And, whenever I returned to the human realm, I’ve always insisted on being a butcher. I know I owe it to the merits from my slaughtering job that I have enjoyed endless happiness in heaven.”

The king then asked, “How do you know all these?”

And the butcher replied, “I have the knowledge of previous lifetimes”.

The king became very troubled by what he heard, and he decided to consult the Buddha.

The Buddha told the king, “Indeed this butcher has the knowledge of previous lifetimes.”

In one of his lifetime, he met a Pratyeka Buddha whom he highly revered. He  worshipped Him and was diligently learning from this Buddha. Because of this merit, he gained rebirth in heaven with intermittent rebirth in the human realm”.

 

 

The Buddha continued, “What he doesn’t know about is that after the end of this life, he will fall into hell to serve the sentence for his karma of killing. When he is released from hell, he will be reborn as a sheep to repay his karmic debts.”

The butcher is not able to see this part of his karma due to his limited knowledge in seeing his previous lives. He can only see his stay in heaven but not his earlier encounter with the Pratyeka Buddha.

This has resulted in him mistakenly believing that slaughtering and killing sheep was the cause for his good rebirth in heaven.

 

Wrong Views can lead to dire consequences that go beyond our imagination.

In this story, the repercussion of the butcher’s wrong view on the Law of causation is unthinkable.

In fact, it is far worse than that of a person who is ignorant of this Law.

 

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KARMIC OBSTACLE = KARMIC HINDRANCE (业障)

Master Jun Hong Lu:
“Karmic obstacle is the negative ‘effect’ derived from the law of cause and effect.
In other words, it is the effect that you have derived from the cause that you have sowed.”

业障是一份因果关系中的恶果，同时它是你种的因所应得的果，

— Buddhism In Plain Terms Vol.1 Chapter 8

 

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< HOW TO ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES? >

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms – Volume 11, Chapter 28
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM RETRIBUTION ARE PRONE TO CREATING NEW NEGATIVE KARMA

Caller: So, we must practise patient endurance (忍辱).

Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course! To practise patient endurance is not easy but it is absolutely necessary. In China, there is a saying “Great plans can be ruined by just a touch of impatience” (小不忍则乱大谋). Endurance and tolerance are of utmost importance. If you wish to make your way to the heavenly realm, but you cannot even bear the hardships in the human realm, how can you attain this goal?

Caller: So, does this mean ‘an eye for an eye‘, or ‘tit for tat’ (以眼还眼，以牙还牙) is not the way to go for Buddhist practitioners?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course. Compassion is of utmost importance. Societies nowadays are advocating harmony – retaliation in kind (以牙还牙) is never the way to go. However, for some principle-driven issues, one must then exercise great caution to ensure the action they take is appropriate.

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms Volume 1, Chapter 29
ONE LAMP DISPELS THE DARKNESS OF A THOUSAND YEARS

“One lamp dispels the darkness of a thousand years.” 

The ignorance within our minds is indeed like a room that remains dark for a thousand years.

However, with a single lamp, everything can be illuminated.

In Andersen’s Fairy Tales, there’s a story called The Little Match Girl. Every time she lights a match, she sees something in the past or in the future and things in the spirit world, or Heaven.

When the match burns out, her eyes fall upon darkness once again. Therefore, what we require is not a match, and not even a box of matches. What we need is a permanent lamp that is lit by the Bodhisattvas. With the little energy that we possess, it cannot be lit by us.

Once you have created negative karma, you must sincerely repent. If you don’t, with the negative karma you created, you are like being confined to a room so dark that you can’t see anything. However, when you sincerely repent, it’s like turning on a lamp that purifies all the unwholesome deeds committed in your past.

You must repent sincerely, because if you do, your mind will start to become pure. After all, who has not done a single bad thing in their life? Who has not made a mistake?

As long as you’re human, you will make mistakes – but that just means you must understand the importance of repentance. Without it, you will never find the right direction.

 

Wenda20170813B 22:09 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in Radio Program)
CONSTANTLY PERFORMING GOOD DEEDS; RECITATION OF EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE (LIFO) WILL EXTEND THE TIME IT TAKES FOR NEGATIVE KARMA TO COME TO FRUITION

Caller: We often hear Master tell us the Lord Buddha’s stories about the law of causation, mentioning,  ‘May all my evil deeds not come to fruition.’ However, the law of causation is an undeniable truth, and evil deeds will ultimately come to fruition. Master, could you please tell me if we can mention this phrase to Bodhisattva prior to our recitation of LIFO?  Will it extend the time it takes for negative karma to come to fruition?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, it will. By extending the time it takes for negative karma to come to fruition, it will gradually eliminate a substantial amount of negative karma, due to the fact you are constantly performing good deeds.

Caller: How should we add it into our prayer prior to reciting LIFO?

Master Jun Hong Lu: When you mention, ‘May Bodhisattva protect and bless me (name) and help me eliminate my karmic obstacles’, it has the same significance as when you say, 
‘May my karmic obstacles not erupt.’

Caller: I understand now.

 

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“The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a standing mirror bright.

At all times polish it diligently, and let no dust alight.” 

“We are reliant on our meritorious blessings to purify the ‘dust’ in our mind.”

身是菩提树，心如明镜台，时时勤拂拭，勿使惹尘埃，

要靠功德拂去心上的尘埃。

 

~ Buddhism In Plain Terms Vol.1 Chap 11 ~

 

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Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms
Volume 1, Chapter 8 (An Excerpt)
ONLY MERITS AND VIRTUES HAVE THE POWER TO OFFSET KARMIC OBSTACLES

There are only two ways karmic obstacles are transformed – either they are offset (抵消掉) or break-out in the form of foreign spirits (变成灵性发作出来). That said, the latter can also be an effect of one’s ‘transformed’ karmic obstacles or due to some other external factors. This begs the question: If karmic obstacle is the ‘effect’ that takes place in the law of cause and effect, shouldn’t it be something that cannot be wiped out? How is it possible for the retributive effects to be offset then? 

How are spiritual cultivation, making prayers to Bodhisattva and performing recitation able to offset karmic obstacles? 

Karmic obstacles are the undesirable effects that have crystallised as per the law of cause and effect (业障是一份因果关系中的恶果). At the same time, it is the fruit you reap from the seeds of action you sowed. In that sense, other than a set of positive karma (另一份善因果), there is absolutely no other power that is capable of transforming them.

This set of positive karma, in this context, is one’s merits and virtues. Hence, merits and virtues have the power to offset karmic obstacles (抵消业障).

 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms Volume 1, Chapter 8 (An Excerpt)
WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY OVER YOUR DESTINY

When we perform recitation of Buddhist scriptures and pay respect to Bodhisattvas, it does not mean that they will result in Bodhisattvas helping us remove our karmic obstacles (把业障消掉). In fact, performing recitation and paying respect to Bodhisattvas (念经拜菩萨) are acts that are in itself meritorious (功德). The karmic reward reaped is unbelievable as we will accomplish extraordinary amounts of merits (成就不可思议功德).  

Under normal circumstances, merits will be sorted out based on the Principle of Heaven (天理). Therefore, they will not automatically offset any of our karmic obstacles. 

However, when we pray for Bodhisattvas’ mercy to bless us with a smooth-sailing career or love life, Bodhisattvas will use Their spiritual powers to utilise our merits to counteract the specific karmic obstacle that is obstructing either our career or relationship. Our life will thus be smooth-sailing.

Our own merits (功德) together with the compassion and spiritual powers of Bodhisattvas (菩萨的慈悲神通) go hand in hand. However, the basis of it is still our own merits: “With one virtuous reward, one karmic obstacle is eradicated” (一份善果去一份业障). If a person only prays profusely to Bodhisattvas without performing good deeds or recitation, Bodhisattvas are not able to help too. The same goes for a person, who has a substantial amount of karmic obstacles and very little meritorious blessing, his prayers will not be answered. 

 

Shuohua20130104  02:25 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
IN UTILISING MERITS TO ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES, ONE NEEDS TO MAKE PRAYER REQUEST TO BODHISATTVA

Caller: Master Lu often says that we need to have merits to help us eliminate our karmic obstacles. We know that the recitation of the Buddhist scriptures is one type of meritorious deed and hence, when reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO), we are in essence praying to eliminate our karmic obstacles.

What about other meritorious deeds like performing life liberation or propagating dharma to others? Do they automatically eliminate our karmic obstacles, or must we make a prayer request to Bodhisattvas by saying, “I now wish to use these merits to eliminate my karmic obstacles”?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Even when there are meritorious blessings, you would still need to pray to Bodhisattva for help to eliminate the karmic obstacles in a particular area. For example, you say, “I have liberated the lives of 300 fishes today. May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva help me (your name) eliminate my karmic obstacles” (请大慈大悲观世音菩萨帮我消掉我某某某的业). This is the way to elimination.

If you do not make this prayer request, the deeds you perform will be stored as merits (存到你的功德里). 

 

 

Wenda20130726  33:33 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
IS IT POSSIBLE TO ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES FROM THE EIGHTH CONSCIOUSNESS?

Caller: When reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO) and praying to Bodhisattva to first help us eliminate the karmic obstacles in our eighth consciousness (消除八识田中的业障), will it make it easier for us to eliminate the karmic obstacles related to our bad habits (习气方面的业障) and prevent us from committing new karma?

Master Jun Hong Lu: To eliminate the karmic obstacles (业障) from your eighth consciousness (八识田) takes more than just paying lip service. Just because you pray to Bodhisattvas doesn’t mean that they will be eliminated, because Bodhisattvas will not alter the law of cause and effect. As these karmic obstacles are the consequences of the seeds that you have sowed in your eighth consciousness, hence, the retribution is bound to take place.

That said, when we talk about Bodhisattva helping us eliminate our karmic obstacles, these are the karmic obstacles that have come into being and from the unwholesome deeds that we have committed.

You can’t eliminate those in your eighth consciousness. Only when your external karmic obstacles become lesser and lesser with the condition that no new karma is committed, then those in your eighth consciousness can slowly be eradicated.

To give a simple example, you write something in a notebook, and then you keep erasing the word. It can’t be entirely erased as some of the marks will remain. If you leave it alone, do you think the mark will slowly fade? Even the paper will slowly turn yellow till you cannot tell the colour anymore. Don’t you think the mark has been eliminated? This is how it is when you eliminate the karma in your eighth consciousness.

 

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SUMMARY

1. Today’s session enlightens me that, “Every evil deed of mine shall stay with me; and every kind deed of mine shall come back to me” because there is no force that is capable of intercepting the cycle of causality.

2. On the importance of breaking the cycle of committing negative karma: I learn from today’s session, if I do not attempt to resolve my karmic obstacles in this life (through recitation, repentance and cultivating my mind and behaviour), I stand a high chance of repeating my misdeed which leads to the ‘activation’ of my karmic obstacles.

 

Some important tips I gather today on how to PREVENT the creation of negative karma include:

• I need to be careful whom I hang out with as Master Lu warned, “Negative people contaminate you, while good dharma friends unlock the Buddha nature within you”.
• I also need to instill great amount of gratitude and compassion in me as these are the two ‘nutrients’ that prevent the creation of karmic obstacles
• To prevent the creation of negative karma, from now on, I need to transform my negative karmic relationships with my kindness to those around me. 
• Lastly, to prevent the creation of negative karma, I need to always remind myself to learn from the Bodhisattvas who truly understand the cause and effect, so They are cautious of every action They take. In contrast, sentient beings like me do not fear or realise the consequences until it is too late.

 

Some important tips I gather today on how to ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES include:

• I need to learn to endure difficult situations and be willing to be at a disadvantage. After all, whatever adverse or unpleasant situation or people I encounter in this life were the seeds I sowed in my past lives.
• In order to eliminate my karmic obstacles, I need to repent sincerely. This is the only way towards attaining purity of mind.

• Today, I am once again reminded of the power of meritorious blessings. Not only are they THE element that allows my prayers to be answered, most importantly they are also an important ingredient that makes the elimination of karmic obstacles possible.
• Last but not least, the metaphor of erasing the writing in a notebook helps me understand, for me to eradicate the karmic obstacles from my eighth consciousness, I seriously have to stop reacting negatively to things in life and at the same time continue my effort to ‘erase’ what is presently in existence. Only then can I see hope in eliminating those karmic obstacles in my eighth consciousness.

 

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 < SMALL ACTION, GREAT CONSEQUENCE >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 98 (An Excerpt)

SMALL ACTION, GREAT CONSEQUENCE

In practising generosity, what we give may seem trivial.
However, because the determination and sincerity to practise is great, the karmic effect we experience is remarkable.

 

 

< Buddhism in Plain Terms < 白话佛法共修分享