IS IT POSSIBLE FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ELIMINATE THEIR KARMIC OBSTACLES IF THEY ARE ON DUTY ON SPECIAL DAYS AND UNABLE TO RECITE THE REPENTANCE MANTRA (LIFO)?
Caller: How are you, Master? On certain special days, we are allowed to recite 21 or 27 times of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO). But this may not be possible for volunteers who are on duty on those days. Undoubtedly, what they do is meritorious but how about the elimination of karmic obstacles? Would the degree of elimination be the same as those who are able to kneel down to recite LIFO?
Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s for sure they are able to eliminate their karmic obstacles but it also depends. Assuming everyone is of the same spiritual foundation, I would think those who have the time to recite would be able to eliminate more karmic obstacles compared to those who don’t.
Caller: But it is equally important for the Practice Centre to have enough volunteers, right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, that’s why everyone can take turns to perform recitation. You can’t be saying, “I am on duty at Guan Yin Hall, so I am not going to perform any recitation”. If you do not recite the Buddhist scriptures, how are you going to become a Bodhisattva?
Caller: Right. For example, during the eve and first day of Lunar New Year, some people will visit the Practice Centre to offer First Incense. This is also the time when one is allowed to recite many times of LIFO. Those who are not on duty can happily prostrate and recite LIFO throughout the day, while those on duty will have to assist visitors and guide them to offer incense. Am I right to say that the latter too can eliminate a lot of their karmic obstacles?
Master Jun Hong Lu: What you have just said is basically looking at Bodhisattva from the worldly perspective. Let me ask you, what’s the difference between Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Wei Tuo Bodhisattva (韦驮菩萨)? Wei Tuo Bodhisattva protects the dharma while Guan Yin Bodhisattva propagates the dharma. If both tasks are done well, there is surely merit to be had.
You are protecting the dharma by doing a good job in safeguarding the Practice Centre. Why do you still need to differentiate it?
If you go all-out to safeguard the Practice Centre on the first day of the lunar month, by all means, you can stand there and who is going to reprimand you for performing recitation? Even if you have no time to recite LIFO on the day itself, why can’t you make it up by reciting a bit more on other days? If you add the merit from volunteering during Lunar New Year to the merit from your recitation, don’t you think you have generated immense merits for yourself?
Caller: Yes, Master.
Master Jun Hong Lu: You should learn to gain more wisdom.
Source: Wenda20170120 01:20:17, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
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