WHAT KIND OF SPEECH KARMA WOULD RESULT IN FALLEN LOTUS PEDESTALS IN HEAVEN?
Caller: Hi Master, in some totem programs, you caution about the dire conditions of the lotus pedestals of Buddhist practitioners, who have committed negative karma of speech. In some cases, their lotus pedestals have fallen from heaven. Under what circumstances would negative karma of speech bring about such serious consequences to one’s lotus pedestal in heaven?
Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s simple. They fail to conduct themselves like a Bodhisattva and have perpetrated negative karma of speech with the intent to inflict harm on others, that is, they have been verbally abusive. When you go overboard in berating others, the White Guard of the underworld will come to keep an eye on you. If you sabotage others behind their back, you sow seeds of discord through your words, you speak harshly, double-tongue or defame others, the Black Guard of the underworld will make his presence.
As a matter of fact, the engagement of the Black Guard of the underworld signifies retribution will be served at a later stage of your life. The opposite is true for his White counterpart, where retribution is served early which includes present-life retribution.
Take for example, you secretly sabotage a well-behaved girl by alleging that she works as a prostitute when in actual fact she has a job in the city. No one tells her about your allegation. Nevertheless, what you do will reach the netherworld. As for this girl, she would suffer and become very miserable. The severity of the retribution you receive will be proportionate to the extent of her misery.
If she commits suicide by jumping into a well, your retribution will be grievous. This is why a saboteur will suffer from great misfortune ultimately.
Caller: Yes. They lack Yin virtue.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Such a sinful act falls under the jurisdiction of the underworld. The underworld is very strict about it.
Caller: Understood. When we commit wrongdoing, is there a difference between the corresponding punishments served by the Black and White Guards of the underworld, and the heavenly Dharma Protectors?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course there is a difference. If you are under the surveillance of the underworld, it simply means you have severely violated the law of the underworld. Conversely, if you are being monitored from above, at the least it can be said that you are of a noble class and you fall under the purview of heaven. So, even though you have sinned, the Dharma Protectors are still somewhat lenient towards you.
Caller: I see. This is how it is.
Master Jun Hong Lu: To cite a simple example: Assuming you are holding a managerial position in a company, and you make a mistake, at worst, you will be disciplined by the general manager from whom you would most likely receive an earful. On the other hand, assuming you are an ordinary worker who has erred, you will be fired from your job. Do you think the outcome is the same?
Caller: It’s different. The compassion that Bodhisattva showers on us hinges on the level of our spiritual cultivation which also determines whether the sentences will be prescribed by the Dharma Protectors, or the Guards of the underworld. Am I right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct. This is because a mistake made by someone, who has meritorious blessings versus one devoid of merits and virtues is conceptually different.
Caller: Understood.
Source: Wenda20200731 48:30, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
< About Spiritual Cultivation