PRAYER REQUEST WHEN PAYING RESPECT TO ANCESTORS Question: Some fellow practitioners would like to ask about Ching Ming Festival and the death anniversary of their ancestors. What should we say when taking out the ancestral tablets to pay our respects? Master Jun Hong Lu: You can place the tablets on the offering table and while […]
DO NOT LEAVE THE MEMORIAL TABLETS OF THE DECEASED ON THE OFFERING TABLE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD Question: During Ching Ming Festival or Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice), should we place the memorial tablets of the deceased on the offering table throughout the day or should we put them away once the prayer ceremony is over? […]
IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO SET UP THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON CHING MING FESTIVAL Question: How many days before or after Ching Ming Festival is it not advisable for us to set up Buddhist altars? Answer: Simply avoid doing so on the day itself. It is best for one to stay at home to perform […]
APPLY BUDDHISM IN DAILY LIFE Master Jun Hong Lu: The Dharma is hard to come by and the chance to be born a human is rare. Even though we have such a good opportunity to be a human, it is only for a limited time. Those who fail to let go will definitely suffer. Therefore, […]
AVOID SETTING UP THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON CHING MING FESTIVAL, WINTER SOLSTICE OR ZHONG YUAN FESTIVAL Caller: Is it true that we should avoid setting up the Buddhist altar on the days of the 24 Solar Terms? Master Jun Hong Lu: It should be fine to do so in the morning. That said, avoid the […]
SHOULD WE OFFER LITTLE HOUSES IN FRONT OF THE DECEASED’S TABLETS OR THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON THE DAY OF CHING MING FESTIVAL? Caller: Hello Master. On the day of Ching Ming Festival, when offering Little Houses to the deceased at home, should we offer them in front of their tablets or the Buddhist altar? Master […]
WHAT SHOULD WE DO IF WE HAVE TO LEAVE OUR HOME EMPTY DUE TO BUSINESS TRIPS DURING CHING MING OR ZHONG YUAN FESTIVALS? Caller: Some Buddhist friends have to go for business trips which could be for an extended period, straddling over several weeks and this period coincides with Ching Ming or Zhong Yuan Festivals. […]
IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO PERFORM THE CALLING OF ONE’S SOUL DURING THE PERIOD BEFORE AND AFTER CHING MING FESTIVAL Caller: Master, may I clarify that it is not advisable to perform the calling of one’s soul during the Ching Ming Festival period? Or does it only apply to the day itself? Master Jun Hong […]
CAN WE OFFER FLOWERS AND ALCOHOLIC DRINKS WHEN PAYING RESPECT TO THE DECEASED? Caller: When paying respect to the deceased at their grave, can we offer flowers and alcoholic drinks? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is not recommended to do so if you feel that the deceased has ascended to heaven. If you are thinking […]
IT IS ADVISABLE TO WEAR PLAIN CLOTHES TO THE CEMETERY TO PERFORM TOMB SWEEPING DURING CHING MING FESTIVAL Caller: Is it true that we should not wear flashy or bright-colour clothes to the cemetery to perform tomb sweeping during Ching Ming Festival. Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course it is better to wear clothes that […]
DO NOT BRING HOME ANY OF THE OFFERINGS TO THE DECEASED; HOW SHOULD WE STATE OUR PRAYER WHEN OFFERING LITTLE HOUSES TO THE DECEASED IN FRONT OF THEIR GRAVES? Caller: When offering Little Houses at the cemetery, does it matter if we do so in the morning or afternoon? Master Jun Hong Lu: It does […]
HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE CHING MING FESTIVAL IS IT MOST APPROPRIATE TO PERFORM TOMB SWEEPING? Caller: A Buddhist practitioner would like to know how many days prior to Ching Ming Festival is it more appropriate to perform tomb sweeping for those who are unable to be at the cemetery on the day? Master Jun Hong […]
REASONS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO PERFORM RECITATION, AND WHY ILLNESS MAKES A COMEBACK DURING CHING MING FESTIVAL, ZHONG YUAN FESTIVAL OR WINTER SOLSTICE Caller: During Ching Ming Festival, Zhong Yuan Festival and Winter Solstice, some Buddhist friends will start having difficulty in performing recitation a few weeks prior to the festivals. Things will return […]
ERADICATE THE THREE POISONS WITH THE RIGHT VIEW Master Jun Hong Lu: When you allow greed, hatred and ignorance arise in you, you welcome the devil into your heart. These Three Poisons will then continue to reside in your heart. When this happens, you will start to hate everything that you see. “Why is he […]
BREAK THROUGH IGNORANCE AND DELUSION WITH PRAJNA WISDOM Master Jun Hong Lu: I want you to study Buddhism so that you can correct your wrong views and to eliminate your worries and ignorance with the Right View. What does that mean? It means you are to look at situations and things in the right way […]
ACHIEVE PERFECT MERITS AND PREVENT THE DEPLETION OF MERITS BY EMBODYING THE MIND OF A BODHISATTVA Question: When we persistently perform meritorious deeds for an extended period, we are bound to become physically drained. There are times in the midst of performing a virtuous deed, fatigue may overtake us to the extent that our mind […]
SHOULD WE SAY SEPARATE PRAYERS TO NANJING BODHISATTVA, TAI SUI BODHISATTVA AND GUAN DI BODHISATTVA? Caller: Master, Buddhist practitioners of Guan Yin Citta would generally pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Nanjing Bodhisattva, Tai Sui Bodhisattva and Guan Di Bodhisattva at home. Is there a better way for us to say our prayers and connect to […]
THE RIGHT VIEW Master Jun Hong Lu: We need to have the Right View to properly see through all the wrong views and thoughts, our vexations and ignorance. To give a simple example, today, you are told your neighbour is spreading a rumour about your family. Upon hearing it, you immediately give rise to the […]
HOW DO WE OBSERVE CAUSES AND CONDITIONS? Caller: One should observe causes and conditions when propagating Dharma to others. Is there a method that we can apply with regards to this? Master Jun Hong Lu: There is definitely a method. It is through calmness that you have the ability to observe causes and conditions. If […]
THE THREEFOLD TRAINING OF MORALITY, CONCENTRATION AND WISDOM IS THE KEY TO NON-OUTFLOWS Master Jun Hong Lu: Perfection and non-outflows are tantamount to the cultivation of morality, concentration and wisdom. Only with a mentality that is always perfect, you are able to free yourself from outflows. In other words, when you do not allow any […]
OFFERING SELF-CULTIVATION RECORD FORMS IN THE ABSENCE OF A FORMAL BUDDHIST ALTAR Caller: With the exception of the Self-Cultivation Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance, is it alright for those without a Buddhist Altar to offer Self-Cultivation Record Forms of the Great Compassion Mantra, the Heart Sutra, the Cundi Dharani, the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra and […]
TRANSFORM BAD HABITS TO ACCOMPLISH THE BUDDHA’S PATH Master Jun Hong Lu: What is “dharma”? It is about making use of Bodhisattva’s wisdom and energy to reflect upon ourselves in our daily lives and to apply the pure Buddhist teachings to our daily life. It is about a constant application of what you know of […]
WHAT CONSTITUTES DILIGENCE? ALL-ENCOMPASSING DILIGENCE Caller: Master, you often make comments about those who have been very diligent in their cultivation. I am in the opinion that just by being diligent in performing recitation is far from enough. One needs to study Buddhism in Plain Terms, keep the “body, speech and mind” pure, help others, […]
HOW DO WE DETERMINE IF WE CAN MAKE THE VOW TO SUCCEED IN OUR CULTIVATION WITHIN THIS LIFETIME? Caller: Master mentioned before that the ripening of negative karma will take place at an accelerated pace within five years after making the vow to succeed in cultivation within this lifetime. Some Buddhist practitioners are worried that […]
CONTEMPLATE FEELINGS AS SUFFERING Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me tell you about: “To Contemplate our Feelings as Suffering”. We have to constantly contemplate and recognise that our feeling is suffering. For example, you had a lot to eat today. It was all bliss when you were eating. You just wouldn’t want to stop. What’s […]
EVERY SINGLE THOUGHT IS GEARED TOWARDS SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION Master Jun Hong Lu: How do you practise diligence? It is the consistent mindfulness to practise. That is, every single thought is geared towards spiritual cultivation and to make sure every single thought is positive. It also means forcing yourself out of bed in the morning, even […]
CREATE OUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES Master Jun Hong Lu: In ancient times, there was a fencing master. When asked who and what was the one unforgettable thing that had benefited him the most in his life, he said it was something his mother once said to him. At that time, he was just 18 years old, […]
THOSE WHO ARE TRULY WISE WILL DEVOTE THEIR LIVES TO HELPING OTHERS Master Jun Hong Lu: For Buddhist practitioners, we should understand that it is only through dedication that we are considered to be truly diligent. Have you dedicated yourself today? How much have you done for others, being of service to others and helping […]
THE RATIO OF NEGATIVE KARMA THAT WILL TRIGGER RIPENING Caller: The issue of ‘ripening of the negative karma’ is often raised and in this regard, is there an approximate level to trigger the ripening of the negative karma? Is there a reference point? Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, 80%. Generally, it starts to ripen at […]
THE THREE DHARMA SEALS – UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF EMPTINESS Master Jun Hong Lu: “All dharma is devoid of self” means you do not own any of your undertakings in the human realm. You have no idea where you would go ultimately. If not for the name that was given to you at birth, you […]