MASTER LU’S GUIDANCE ON THE ULLAMBANA FESTIVAL Caller: Hi Master, in light of the upcoming Ullambana Festival, it’d be good if you could say a word or two about this festival. Master Jun Hong Lu: By offering the Little Houses, we are helping the spirits. In actual fact, we are also helping our deceased relatives. […]
WOULD THE BURNING OF JOSS PAPERS BY OTHERS AFFECT THE LITTLE HOUSES OFFERED TO THE DECEASED? Caller: In the past, during the Ullambana Festival, I had always offered joss papers to my parents and in-laws. These days, I only offer Little Houses to them, but some people continue to offer joss papers. Would it affect […]
THE ISSUE OF CATCHING A COLD OR FEVER BEFORE THE ULLAMBANA FESTIVAL Caller: Master, some Buddhist friends have reported catching a cold or fever before the Ullambana Festival. Is this considered an elimination of karmic obstacles or overcoming a karmic pass? Master Jun Hong Lu: In times of an imminent predestined calamity, one is likely […]
ADJUSTMENT TO THE RECITATION OF BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES DURING THE ULLAMBANA FESTIVAL Question: How should we adjust our recitation of the Buddhist scriptures before and after the Ullambana Festival? In this regard, how many days before and after would the adjustment apply to? And, do we need to avoid reciting the Heart Sutra and the Amitabha […]
GIVING IS WISDOM AND RECEIVING IS THE RESULT OF KARMA Master Jun Hong Lu: Today I would like to tell everyone that, the word ‘equanimity’ from the Four Boundless States of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity is very important for Buddhist practitioners. While it is easy to practise loving-kindness, to be compassionate and to […]
THE STRENGTH OF ONE’S MINDSET Master Jun Hong Lu: Even cancer cells will be intimidated by someone who has a heart of joy. Do you think these bad cancer cells will be afraid when they see Bodhisattvas? This is for sure. On one hand, the cancer cells will be frightened when one’s mind is as […]
THE FOUR BOUNDLESS STATES Master Jun Hong Lu: We always think that mind cultivation is difficult. In fact, it can be very simple too, that is, by practising the Four Boundless States of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. You have to control yourself well with the Four Boundless States. You have to be kind […]
THE INGENIOUS APPLICATION OF THE HEART SUTRA Master Jun Hong Lu: The ingenious secret of the Heart Sutra lies in using the mind to overcome the impurities and unwholesomeness within. Many people say, “My heart has been so deeply wounded and there is no way that anyone can soothe my broken heart”. In reality, the […]
DESIRE IS THE ROOT OF ALL SUFFERING Master Jun Hong Lu: The Buddha once said that human life is fraught with suffering, but do you know the root cause of human suffering? The Buddha says, “Desire is the root of all suffering”. Where is suffering if there is no desire? On that note, covetousness is […]
CANCER PATIENTS SHOULD RECITE MORE OF THE HEART SUTRA Caller: How many times of the Great Compassion Mantra should cancer patients recite daily? Master Jun Hong Lu: They should recite a maximum of 49 times of the Great Compassion Mantra. Some of them recite desperately for 78 times or even up to 108 times daily. […]
THE ROAD TO LIBERATION Master Jun Hong Lu: If a particular sect is constantly accusing others of being improper, distorting their words, slandering them and misusing various Buddhist teachings so as to suppress people or matters, it only goes to show that it is not an upright dharma. To date, Master has never ever uttered […]
WHAT IS RIGHT LIVELIHOOD? Question: May I know what is Right Livelihood? Master Jun Hong Lu: Right Livelihood is about being an upright person in this world. You are someone who accords with conditions, you go where your fate and destiny lead you and never go against them. If you insist on going against what […]
FREE FROM GREED IS WHEN ONE IS NOT COVETOUS OF SMALL GAINS Master Jun Hong Lu: To be free from greed is when we are not covetous of small gains. We get what we deserve in life. Predestined affinity will grant us what is rightfully ours while insisting on having something that is not meant […]
THE HEART SUTRA IS A CONDENSED VERSION OF THE DIAMOND SUTRA Master Jun Hong Lu: Buddhist practitioners should recite more of the Heart Sutra as a means to regulate their body and mind, and to ‘illuminate and see the emptiness of the Five Aggregates’. The Heart Sutra is essentially a condensed version of the Diamond […]
THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION Master Jun Hong Lu: What is the power of concentration? When one encounters difficulties, one must be able to stay composed, keep to the moral precepts and be steady. Nowadays, there are many people, when something unforeseen happens to them or their family, they become distraught. How does the Power of […]
CRITERIA TO ASCERTAIN A PROPER DHARMA DOOR Master Jun Hong Lu: Using Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door as an example, we may use the following three benchmarks to determine whether Guan Yin Citta is a proper Dharma Door. No. 1 – Does Guan Yin Citta encourage everyone to be kind at all times? No. 2 […]
HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN TRUE BELIEF AND DELUSIONAL BELIEF? Master Jun Hong Lu: All of you must bear in mind of the following key characteristics of true belief: No. 1 – it should guide us to be inclined to kindness. No. 2 – its aim in cultivation is to uncover our true nature (innate […]
BE DISCIPLINED IN ORDER TO GAIN WISDOM AND THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION Master Jun Hong Lu: In order to gain wisdom and the power of concentration, one must be disciplined. In fact, the level of wisdom that one gains is in proportion to their strictness on discipline. Lacking in discipline makes the attainment of wisdom […]
IF YOU DO NOT ADVANCE, YOU GO BACKWARDS Master Jun Hong Lu: There is a saying, “If you don’t advance, you go backwards!” In Buddhism studies, a person who fails to exert some pressure on himself to make progress, is in reality going backwards. Therefore, in Buddhism, one’s dedication to progress is extremely important, and […]
THE MEANING OF “IMPERMANENCE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE”, “RICHES DON’T LAST”, “PARTING COMES AFTER EVERY CONGREGATION”, “DEATH DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE EVEN FOR THE STRONG AND HEALTHY” Caller: Hi Master, the Buddha once said that there are four things that are impermanent in this world and I’d like to seek your guidance on them. […]
THE RECITATION OF THE HEART SUTRA AND THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA WILL HELP BALANCE THE YIN AND YANG ENERGIES Master Jun Hong Lu: The recitation of the Heart Sutra and the Great Compassion Mantra can help us gain wisdom and increase our spiritual energy, respectively. Both are beneficial and can help balance one’s Yin and […]
THE ELIMINATION OF KARMIC OBSTACLES IS THE PREREQUISITE TO RETURN TO BUDDHA LAND Master Jun Hong Lu: Many people recite the sacred name of Amitabha Buddha in hopes of ascending to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. They think by persevering with the recitation till the day of their demise, they will ascend to […]
A RIGHTEOUS PERSON WILL ALWAYS BE BLESSED WITH WISDOM AND MERITS Master Jun Hong Lu: A constant presence of right mindfulness will enable us to increase our wisdom and merits on this Bodhi path. As long as a person is righteous, not only would he always be blessed with wisdom and merits along the path […]
REIGN OVER THE TWO DEMONS IN OUR LIVES Master Jun Hong Lu: When a person goes into a frenzy, even the Buddha is not able to save him, as he is already in a very different spiritual state. He has lost the right mindfulness and faith. This is when the devil can possess him. This […]
THE FOUR BOUNDLESS STATES Master Jun Hong Lu: In Buddhism, loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity are known as the Four Boundless States. To constantly think about the suffering of others is known as loving-kindness. Compassion is to feel the suffering of others. To give others strength and help them with a joyful heart is […]
PERSEVERANCE IS KEY TO EXTERMINATE THE THREE POISONS Caller: How can we restrain the Three Poisons, namely greed, hatred and ignorance in our mind? Is it alright to always pray to the Bodhisattva, “May Bodhisattva help quell the Three Poisons in my heart”, or “Bodhisattva, I do not want any of the Three Poisons”? How […]
A GRATEFUL HEART LIES WITHIN A MAGNANIMOUS HEART AND IT WILL HELP ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES Caller: Hi Master, you once said, “A magnanimous heart will keep afflictions and karmic obstacles at bay”. Is it right to understand it as: A magnanimous heart has the effect of reducing the burden of the onslaught of one’s heavy […]
PRACTISE RIGHT MINDFULNESS SO THAT DEVIL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENTER YOUR SEVEN APERTURES Master Jun Hong Lu: The more you practise Right Mindfulness, the lesser delusional thoughts you will have. With this, the devil will not be able to enter your Seven Apertures, i.e. (two) eyes, (two) nostrils, (two) ears, and mouth. Conversely, […]
THE OBJECTIVE OF BUDDHIST PRACTICE AND CULTIVATION Master Jun Hong Lu: What is the purpose of Buddhist practice and cultivation? A lot of us have the answer: To attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. However, specifically, to what extent should one cultivate for one to be reborn in the Western Pure […]
A MIND FULL OF DELUDED THOUGHTS IS A DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND Master Jun Hong Lu: A mind full of deluded thoughts is a devil’s playground. These devils are like the thieves that steal your heart away. That is why it is called the ‘Thief of Hearts’. It robs you off all the kindness, leaving you with […]