WHAT IS THE TRUTH TAUGHT BY THE BUDDHA? Caller: On the Laba Festival (the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month), which is also Shakyamuni Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, while offering an incense, a disciple received some messages from Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Allow me to read it out: “Today is the auspicious Enlightenment Day of the […]
WHY IS ONE’S PRAYER FOR A JOB INEFFICACIOUS, UNLIKE OTHER REQUESTS? Caller: In his quest to secure a job, a Buddhist practitioner has utilised merits generated from his volunteering work in several of the past dharma conventions but his wish remains unfulfilled. Hi Master, I’d like to ask: Why is it that the prayer requests […]
HOW DO WE BALANCE THE NEED TO IMPLORE THE BLESSINGS OF BODHISATTVA? Caller: Master, you mentioned that we may confide anything to Guan Yin Bodhisattva; however, you also reminded us “not to pray to Bodhisattva for trivial matters, otherwise our prayers for matters of grave concern will be rendered ineffective”. The reason I ask is […]
AWAKENING COMES TO THOSE WHO SINCERELY REPENT AND MEND THEIR WAYS Master Jun Hong Lu: One must learn to sincerely repent to be awakened. No matter what mistakes you have committed, you must be able to admit “I was wrong”. This is because only when you are able to admit your mistakes will you be […]
MASTER LU’S MOST TOUCHING AND UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS Caller: Hi Master, it’s been almost 20 years since you embarked on your Buddhism propagation journey. Would you be able to share with us the most touching and memorable event that has taken place during this period? Master Jun Hong Lu: The most touching moment was when I […]
WHEN WE PRAY FOR WISDOM, GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA WILL BLESS US WITH ‘GLAZE WATER’ Caller: Master, what are the functions of the ‘glaze water’ (nectar of blessings) contained in the vase held by Guan Yin Bodhisattva? Would you please elaborate? Master Jun Hong Lu: First, it helps to clear your mind; second, it blesses you […]
THE MEANING OF ‘KARMIC FORCE IS AN IMPETUS THAT SPURS ONE TO PROGRESS SPIRITUALLY’ Caller: Master, how should we understand ‘karmic force is an impetus that spurs one to progress spiritually’? Master Jun Hong Lu: Do you think people will seek the blessings of the Buddha if they don’t suffer in life? Aren’t they progressing […]
THE IMPORTANCE OF REVERING THE BODHISATTVAS Caller: A fellow Buddhist practitioner had the following revelation when reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance: ‘Paying respect to the Buddhas’ statues and respectfully making offerings on the Buddhist altar is an ingenious method to curb one’s arrogance. There are people who have the financial means but are not […]
HOW TO ELIMINATE THE UNHEALTHY MENTALITY OF BEING SAD WHEN SEEING OTHERS SUCCEED? Caller: Master Lu has mentioned multiple times that nowadays people have a bad mentality: they feel sad when seeing others do better than them, and feel happy when others are worse than them. How can one eradicate this kind of unhealthy mentality? […]
MASTER JUN HONG LU’S DISCOURSE ON GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA’S RENUNCIATION DAY Caller: Master, tomorrow is the renunciation day of our great Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Could you give a word or two in commemoration of this special day? Master Jun Hong Lu: Renunciation day is a day when one makes a resolution. To fulfil Her resolution […]
HOW TO BALANCE WORLDLY PURSUITS WITH DETACHMENT IN BUDDHISM? Caller: We live in a world where it is a norm to chase one’s dreams, aspire to get into the best school and find a good job, earn more money, etc. In fact, these ambitions help to propel us forward. Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches […]
WHAT DOES “LETTING GO” MEAN TO A LAY BUDDHIST PRACTITIONER? Caller: Buddhism teaches “To see through the reality of things and let go”. What it means is that we should have no concern for any worldly matter, and we are supposed to let go and lead a life of asceticism. But, how about lay practitioners […]
HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY QUELL HATRED FROM OUR HEART? Caller: We have Buddhist friends who are diligent in their cultivation and have shown improvement in their behavioural conduct. However, the only hurdle which they have difficulty overcoming is managing the hatred that still harbours within them. Due to their karmic debts, the sense of hatred […]
THE ELIMINATION OF NEGATIVE KARMA AFTER ONE GAINS WISDOM DIFFERS FROM THAT WHEN ONE REMAINS IN AN UNENLIGHTENED STATE Caller: Hi Master, it’s said that hardship we experience in life can help us eliminate our karmic obstacles. The same goes for performing repentance, offering of Little Houses, having wisdom and a magnanimous heart. I’d like […]
PERSEVERANCE IS THE KEY TO OUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE Master Jun Hong Lu: There are only two words in my mind – work hard, I work with all my might. When I draft my speech, there are times I fall asleep at my desk and when I wake up, I’ll continue drafting. Today, if I can’t […]
THE EARLY SIGNS THAT SPELL THE RIPENING OF ONE’S KARMIC OBSTACLES Caller: Hi Master, are there early signs to watch out for to indicate the ripening of one’s karmic obstacles? Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, there are, that is, a string of misfortunes will befall you. This will occur when your karmic obstacles have ripened. […]
STUDYING BUDDHISM IN PLAIN TERMS HAS REPENTANCE EFFECTS, BUT HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE RECITATION OF THE EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE? Caller: Master, is it true that studying Buddhism in Plain Terms can help us repent? The reason I ask is because there are times when we are studying Buddhism in Plain Terms, we […]
GREED, HATRED AND IGNORANCE ARE THE MAIN CAUSES FOR ONE TO BE TRAPPED IN THE THREE EVIL REALMS Caller: How are you Master? Is it correct to say that “Greed is the main cause for one to be reborn in the animal realm, while hatred is the ticket to hell”? Master Jun Hong Lu: To […]
FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN REPENTING OF ONE’S MISDEEDS AND NOT GRASPING TO THEM Caller: Master, you have said before that if we become fixated on our wrongdoings, we are bound to develop depression after a prolonged period. You have also advised us to frequently reflect on our wrongdoings and to have a penitent heart. In […]
SIGNS OF THE RIPENING OF KARMIC OBSTACLES Master Jun Hong Lu: Please remember, when things do not seem to go well for you, it is a sign that you are laden with karmic obstacles, and it is time you learn to eliminate them. Source: Zongshu20171128 22:16, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
STRESS IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE KARMA Caller: One Buddhist practitioner has dreams daily and they are mostly dreams with implications, either premonition dreams or dreams that act as a reminder to him or someone else. As such, he is rather stressed out and is unable to sleep well. To address this problem, what should […]
WE SHOULD NOT LIVE OUR LIVES BLAMING OTHERS Master Jun Hong Lu: We should not live our lives blaming others. Instead of finding fault with others, we must often reflect on our own mistakes. When you are afflicted, as much as possible, you must look for ways to apply wisdom to resolve the issue at […]
REASONS FOR ONE TO DROP OUT OF THE SPIRITUAL PATH; DILIGENCE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS Caller: There is a saying that goes, “Uncrowded is the path to the Lotus Pond in the West” because there are too many who will drop out of this path of spiritual cultivation, arising from: 1. The disappearance of […]
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. […]
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 […]
WAYS TO AVOID BEING CHAINED DOWN BY GREED AND NOT BECOMING A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES Caller: Hi Master, given our inherent Seven Emotions and Six Sensory Pleasures, we tend to be captivated by beautiful things, people and objects. When one recognises and enjoys the good qualities of the objects or person, but has no desire […]
ENDURANCE IS NOT THE HIGHEST STATE OF MIND; STRIVE TO RESOLVE THE KARMIC CONFLICTS INSTEAD Caller: Hi Master, as the saying goes, “Kind people are vulnerable to being taken advantage of”, in that case, do we still have to always tolerate everything? As Buddhist practitioners, what should we do? Master Jun Hong Lu: You need […]
IN THE FACE OF A NEGATIVE AFFINITY, DO WE ENDURE OR AVOID IT? Caller: There are both good and bad affinities within one’s relationship circle. In the context of a negative affinity, where deep down, we understand the nature of it is the crystallisation of evil seeds sown in the past, and hence, we must […]
INTERNAL FORBEARANCE AND EXTERNAL FORBEARANCE Caller: For those who are accomplished in their spiritual cultivation, when they endure humiliation, their heart is in a state of unmoving suchness. As for us with lower-level of spiritual cultivation, though on the surface we may appear to be able to restrain from committing negative karma of speech, but […]
