TO UTILISE MERITS TO ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES, ONE NEEDS TO MAKE THE PRAYER REQUEST TO BODHISATTVA
Caller: Master Lu often says that to eliminate our karmic obstacles, we need to have merits. Given that the recitation of the Buddhist scriptures is one type of meritorious deed, so when we recite the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO), we are in essence praying to eliminate our karmic obstacles.
What about the other forms of 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 to help eliminate a specific karmic obstacle. For example, you say, “I have liberated 300 fish today. May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva help me, <your full name>, eliminate my karmic obstacles”. This is how it works. Without a prayer request, the merits will be stored.
Source: Shuohua20130104 02:25, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program