Q: Dear Master Lu, according to traditional Chinese folklore, those who are destined to be pure children usually experience extreme difficulties in life. What sutras and mantras should they recite?
A:
- The idea of “pure children” or “pure boys and pure girls”, originated from the Chinese countryside in ancient times. There is a saying that they cannot get married. In fact, the reason they are not suitable for marriage is that they are reborn into the human realm from heaven. Some events or activities in the human realm are not suitable for them. Just like some people become sick as soon as they get married. They are very pure and have long lifespans. However, some will pass away at an early age if they get married.
- Another type of a pure child is bound to have a short lifespan. In general, they come to this world to repay their karmic debts to their parents. Once the debts are paid off, they will pass away.
There are also many pure boys or pure girls who are reborn into the human realm from the underworld. They are here to suffer short-term hardships in life. Once their suffering comes to an end, they will leave the human realm.
A few are also reborn into the human realm from heaven to fulfil their vows or to repay their karmic debts. Once they have completed their tasks or cleared their karmic debts in the human realm, they would either return to heaven or be reborn into a good family in the human realm.
- Pure children need to practise Buddhism diligently as well. Those who cultivate well and recite sutras and mantras diligently can also attain the state of perfect awakening. Most importantly, they need to persist with their daily recitation, including the Great Compassion Mantra, the Heart Sutra, the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance, the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots, the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou, and the Sheng Wu Liang Shou Jue Ding Guang Ming Wang Tuo Luo Ni, together with Little Houses. In addition, they should make vows and perform life liberations.