IS FORWARDING ALERT ON DECEPTIVE SCHEMES CONSIDERED AN ACTION THAT INTERVENES WITH THE WORKINGS OF KARMA? Caller: It’s common to observe an online social norm where people disseminate information to forewarn others of deceptive schemes, etc. For example, information cautioning people against scams or child abductions. We do pass on such information to those around […]

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 […]

ONLY MERITS AND VIRTUES HAVE THE POWER TO OFFSET KARMIC OBSTACLES Master Jun Hong Lu; There are only two ways karmic obstacles are transformed – either they are offset or break out in the form of foreign spirits. While the latter can be an effect of one’s ‘transformed’ karmic obstacles, it can also be due […]

DO NOT TAKE OTHERS’ MONEY WHEN PERFORMING MERITS Caller: Master once cautioned us about making illicit gains on our path of our Buddhist practice, which includes making appeals for financial assistance through our chat groups, is that right? Master Jun Hong Lu: Absolutely right. Illicit gains refer to being in possession of others’ money. For […]

MASTER LU CONDEMNS THE ACT OF RAISING FUNDS TO PERFORM MERITS Caller: Hi Master, say, a Buddhist practitioner pledges to purchase dharma recorders or print Buddhism in Plain Terms and etc, he sets up an account, through which others can remit the funds for payment to the printing company or a third party… Master Jun […]

EXCESSIVE PRAYER REQUESTS COULD BACKFIRE ON YOU Master Jun Hong Lu: When you pray to the Buddha, it is important not to go overboard with your prayer request. If you do it at a time when you have an insufficient level of merits, willpower and worldly blessings, your prayer may reflect back as karmic obstacles […]

MERITS WILL NOT BE EXPENDED FOR UPRIGHT AND POSITIVE PRAYERS Caller: When we pray to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for blessings, to become more awakened, to have more wisdom, attain enlightenment, eliminate our bad habits and so forth, since such prayers are not aimed at gaining worldly blessings, will our merits be utilised? Master Jun Hong […]

MERITS FROM SETTING UP BUDDHIST ALTARS FOR OTHERS CAN BE UTILISED TO PRAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF KARMIC OBSTACLES OR A SPECIFIC MATTER Caller: We understand that setting up Buddhist altars for others can accumulate significant meritorious blessings. In this case, is it proper for us to state the following prayer, “May the Greatly Merciful […]

WILL ONE SHOULDER KARMIC OBSTACLES OF OTHERS FOR TRANSFERRING MERITS TO THEM? Caller: Master, you have mentioned that one will shoulder karmic obstacles for transferring merits to others. May I know what determines the amount of the karmic obstacles shouldered? Is it determined by the amount of the merits transferred or the level of karmic […]

BEING CALCULATIVE OVER THE AMOUNT OF MERITS GENERATED WHEN PERFORMING VIRTUOUS DEEDS WILL NOT TAINT OR WIPE OUT MERITORIOUS BLESSINGS ACCRUED Caller: Let’s say I have 100 dollars in my pocket and plan to utilise them for a meritorious deed. In deciding whether to use it for releasing captive lives or printing of sutra booklets, […]

WOULD REJOICING AFTER PERFORMING MERITORIOUS DEEDS TAINT OUR MERITS? Caller: A Buddhist friend is interested to know whether rejoicing after performing a meritorious deed, or taking delight after being praised by others would taint one’s merits? Master Jun Hong Lu: No, it would not as long as you are not haughty and arrogant. Caller: I […]

UNDERSTANDING THE “PERFECTION OF MERITS AND VIRTUES” Caller: Master, there’s a Buddhism phrase that says, “the perfection of merits and virtues”. How should we comprehend this phrase? Master Jun Hong Lu: When performing meritorious deeds, many people fail to achieve the perfection of merits and virtues. Let’s take the example you mentioned just now: By […]

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 […]

DAILY REPETITION OF VOWS TO BODHISATTVA WILL INCREASE MERITS Question: In the recent public talk in Kuala Lumpur, Master said, “If you have vowed to be a full vegetarian, you may confide to Guan Yin Bodhisattva every day by saying, ‘I, <full name>, am already a full vegetarian’. By repeating it daily, you will accumulate […]

RECITING SELF-RESERVED LITTLE HOUSES FOR MASTER Question: Hi Master, whenever we hear your husky and weary voice being transmitted through the radio programs, we will be overcome by emotions and can’t help but feel the pain and tear up. In the past, we had always thought that with the blessings of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Master […]

THE ASPIRATION TO PERFORM MERITORIOUS DEEDS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: You must know how to transform the meritorious blessings that you are cultivating in this mortal world into one that is transcendental. One example of worldly meritorious blessings is when helping others, you embrace the heart of a Bodhisattva. You appear […]

ONE WILL GAIN MORE MERITS FOR CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHERS TO PERFORM MERITORIOUS DEEDS Caller: Is it true that one who creates opportunities for others to perform meritorious deeds will gain more merits? Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s for sure. By doing so, he will gain boundless meritorious blessings. For example, you would like to […]

SIGNS OF HAVING ACCUMULATED GREAT MERITORIOUS BLESSINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: How do you determine that you have accumulated great meritorious blessings? Firstly, just like a healthy person will hardly catch a cold, the person won’t be down on his luck easily and his life will always be smooth sailing. Secondly, no misfortune will befall […]

IT IS BEST NOT TO EXPEND OUR MERITS IN ORDER TO SEND FOREIGN SPIRITS AWAY Caller: Hi Master, you have mentioned in one of the radio programs that merits can be used to eliminate foreign spirits. In this regard, can we transfer merits accrued from volunteering at dharma conventions to our karmic creditors? Master Jun […]

ACCRUING MERITS FROM RECITATIONS Master Jun Hong Lu: I would like to tell everyone that we can also derive merits from reciting Buddhist scriptures. Why do I say so? Many people may ask, “I’ve been doing nothing other than reciting Buddhist scriptures. How is it that I’m accumulating merits and virtues?” This is because when […]

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse Guan Yin Hall Sydney, Australia 28 February 2019 (An Excerpt) WHAT VIRTUOUS DEEDS CAN ONE PERFORM? Master Jun Hong Lu: If you are a person who always contemplates on the virtues of your inherent nature, your meritorious blessings will increase. Many people ask me, “Master, besides performing recitation, offering Little […]

Wenda20130421A 28:47 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MERITS DERIVED FROM PERFORMING RECITATION AND HELPING OTHERS TO BECOME SPIRITUALLY AWAKENED Caller: Performing recitations, and propagating dharma to help others spiritually awaken will help accumulate merits. Apart from the difference in amount of the merits generated, are they essentially the same? Master […]

Wenda20200119 36:04 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) PERFORMING MERITORIOUS DEEDS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO RESOLVE CLASHES WITH TAI SUI BODHISATTVA Caller: Hi Master, you once said that the most effective way to resolve clashes with Tai Sui Bodhisattva is keep performing kind deeds. Does the phrase “kind deeds” refer to meritorious […]

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 422) 23 October 2020 COMPASSION IS A VIRTUE THAT REQUIRES FORBEARANCE Question: In Words of Wisdom Volume 8, Master Lu mentioned, “There is a price to pay for being compassionate, and that is forbearance.” Can Master enlighten us on this? Answer: There is definitely a price to pay for […]

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 369) 15 Mar 2020 LISTEN TO THE BUDDHA-DHARMA WITH YOUR HEART Question: In Buddhism in Plain Terms, it is mentioned that we must use our ears to listen to our own recitation of Buddhist scriptures to help us focus. Doing so will also generate huge meritorious blessings. I would […]