WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF INCENSE BURNING SLOWLY OR QUICKLY? Caller: When we offer incense to Bodhisattvas, if one offered to a particular Bodhisattva burns especially slowly or quickly, what does it signify? Master Jun Hong Lu: There are two explanations for this. First, the quality of the incense itself may determine whether it burns […]

REPLACEMENT OF THE FRUITS AND FLOWERS ON ALTAR WHILE THE OIL LAMP IS LIT Caller: Master, can we replace the fruit and flower offerings on the altar when the oil lamp is still burning? Master Jun Hong Lu: No, you may get injured while you replace the offerings, the lit incense may scald your skin. […]

WHAT MATTERS MOST TO BODHISATTVA IS OUR SINCERITY, NOT THE SIZE OF OUR ALTAR Caller: My house is small, so is my altar. The altar is placed in my bedroom. Do you think this is okay? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is alright. It doesn’t matter if your altar is small. What matters most to […]

HOW TO DISPOSE OF OLD YELLOW LANDSCAPE PICTURE WHEN REPLACING ALTAR? Caller: A fellow practitioner wants to replace her Buddhist altar. How should she dispose of the old yellow landscape picture placed at the back of the altar? Master Jun Hong Lu: Just wrap it up and keep it for a month. You can recite […]

OFFERING HEART INCENSE TO BODHISATTVA ENSHRINED AT HOME WHILE WHOLE FAMILY IS AWAY Caller: How do you do, Master Lu? A Buddhist friend would like to know what they should do with their altar at home when they go away to the temple for prayers on the first day of lunar month. Master Jun Hong […]

THE ENERGY OF FRUIT OFFERINGS WILL BE DEPLETED FOUR DAYS AFTER THEIR REMOVAL FROM THE ALTAR Caller: Master Lu, may I know how many days does it take for the energy of fruit offerings to be fully depleted after being removed from the altar? Master Jun Hong Lu: Four days. Source: Wenda20170326A 57:34, Master Jun […]

HOW TO ENSURE THAT OUR ALTAR INVITES BODHISATTVA AND NOT FOREIGN SPIRITS?  Caller: Master Lu, how can we ensure not to invite foreign spirits to our altar at home? How do we invite Bodhisattva to come more often? Master Jun Hong Lu: Pray and perform recitations daily in front of the altar to prevent attracting […]

WHEN OFFERING HEART INCENSE, PAY RESPECT TO ALL BODHISATTVAS YOU MAKE OFFERINGS TO ON YOUR ALTAR Caller: Master Lu, we are supposed to visualise our altar back home when offering Heart Incense while we are on business trips. Let’s say for example, we have made offerings to six Bodhisattvas on the altar at home. When […]

HOW TO CLEAN THE DUST ON THE STATUE OF GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA Caller: A Buddhist practitioner has a statue of Guan Yin Bodhisattva at home. A year or two later, the statue might have collected dust. Generally, how should we clean it in a proper way? Master Jun Hong Lu: Use a duster, but not […]

QUESTION REGARDING HANGING THE POSTER OF GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA  Caller: Please enlighten us Master Lu. You have mentioned previously that hanging the poster of the Great Compassion Mantra at home would help create positive energy field. However, if the family members are not full-time vegetarians, is it ok to hang it in the living room? Master Jun […]

DO NOT SWEEP THE FLOOR WHEN THE INCENSE AND OIL LAMP ON ALTAR ARE LIT UP Caller: Master Lu, may I know if we can sweep the floor in front of the altar when the incense and oil lamp on the altar are lit up? Master Jun Hong Lu: Do not do so when the […]

DO NOT PLACE PORTRAIT/STATUE OF BODHISATTVA ON THE STOOL Caller: A Buddhist practitioner planned to set up an altar after moving into a new house. As he has yet moved in, the portrait/statue of the Bodhisattva is kept on a stool. Is this proper? Master Jun Hong Lu: No, it’s not proper! Stools are for […]

LOTUS LAMPS WITH BENT RODS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR ALTARS Caller: Hello Master Lu. I heard from the radio program a couple of days ago about red lotus lamps. For those who have already placed them on their altars, what should they do? Master Jun Hong Lu: Red lotus lamps are perfectly fine as long […]

CAN WE PERFORM PROSTRATION IN FRONT OF ALTAR AT HOME WITHOUT OFFERING INCENSE Caller: A Buddhist friend sometimes recites the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Da Chan Hui Wen) in front of altar without offering incense beforehand. Master Lu, can we perform prostration while reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance even if there is no incenses […]

DO NOT PUT SAND IN INCENSE BURNER Caller: Hello Master Lu. I heard from a Buddhist friend who had just set up a new altar, said that he put rice grains in the incense burner for offering of incense, but it ended up catching fire. I don’t understand why do they use rice grains instead […]

DO NOT SHARE YOUR OWN HOME’S ALTAR PICTURE IN GROUP CHATS    Caller:  When fellow group cultivators post each individual’s Bodhisattva picture from their home altars to group chats to encourage each other in their cultivation, is this justifiable? Master Jun Hong Lu:  I feel there is no necessity to do so, as each individual will […]

WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN INCENSE BREAKS OR IS EXTINGUISHED IN THE PROCESS OF PLACEMENT INTO THE INCENSE BURNER Caller: Master Lu, when we offer incense to Bodhisattva, if one of the incense sticks breaks or it is extinguished after we place it into the incense burner, do we have to offer three new incenses, […]

WITH BODHISATTVA IN YOUR HEART, ANY PLACE IS A GOOD PLACE FOR AN ALTAR Caller: How are you Master?  Please excuse me, as I am not sure if my question involves dream interpretation or a Totem enquiry. On a few occasions my daughter has dreamed that Guan Yin Bodhisattva has visited our house.  At present we […]