[Editor’s Note from the Secretariat of Australia Oriental Radio]
This teaching was originally a transcript of a lesson that Master Lu gave to his disciples and was compiled for internal reference. At the time, some of the content was intended exclusively for disciples and not for public distribution. However, when the draft was submitted for Master Lu’s review, he compassionately said, “Let everyone have a look. Let all Buddhist practitioners understand the consequences of not reciting the Little Houses properly.” We hope this article helps everyone gain greater clarity and a deeper appreciation for our beloved Master Lu. The original internal draft is hereby published for your study.
There have been some recent changes in the situation in the Underworld. These days, many people are reciting Little Houses and burning them, but if they’re not recited properly, karmic offences begin to accumulate. This is no joke.
If you recite carelessly and then burn the Little House, you’re committing multiple forms of deception. First, you’re deceiving the spirits. Second, you’re deceiving the deities in the Underworld who oversee those spirits. Third, you’re deceiving the living. And fourth, you’re also deceiving the Bodhisattvas in Heaven—because the sutras come from the Bodhisattvas themselves. Think about it—how serious is that?
If someone recites a Little House improperly and casually burns it, I’m telling you now—that is a karmic offence. This is especially true for members of the Chanting Group. If you don’t recite properly, you’re like a walking ghost. Any spirit from below can come after you. Why? Because you’ve committed an offence. You may not have broken any laws in the human world, but you’ve broken the laws of the Underworld and the Heavenly Realms. That’s a serious matter—not something to take lightly. Anyone who dares to recite Little Houses improperly is only doing harm to themselves. I cannot say whether such a person will be able to ascend to Heaven in the future. You must reflect on this deeply.
My Dharma body is now very powerful, with great spiritual strength. As long as you sincerely recite sutras, if you make a request to me, I can help you resolve your problems. However, I don’t often speak publicly about these things, as it still consumes spiritual energy. You must remember that the Dharma body relies on Dharma power. When someone’s Dharma body is strong, it means their Dharma power is vast and boundless. Even here in the human world, Dharma power still depends on the physical body, which must be nourished and kept healthy. My physical health is very important—because the healthier I am, the greater my Dharma power, and the more sentient beings I can guide and awaken. But if my health declines, how can I maintain Dharma power?
Many people seek me in the spiritual realm, but my true spirit—while it has a presence in Heaven and is recognised in the Underworld—is still most concentrated in the human world. That’s why I urge you to cherish me and not keep upsetting me. If you treat me as someone who knows nothing or sees nothing, then you are the one being foolish. So in your Buddhist practice, don’t act foolishly. It’s always better to speak and act with honesty. Don’t try to hide things. Don’t lie. This applies to you disciples as well. You might think, “I’ll keep this from Master so he doesn’t get upset,” but in the end, I’ll still see through it—and still get upset. That’s why it’s always better to be open and genuine.
Today, I want to explain the idea that the Dharma body must remain unmoved. What is the Dharma body? It is our present physical body. In the Dharma realm, for the Dharma body to remain unmoved means to remain as it is—Tathāgata: “thus come, thus gone.” It means the body is the same when it arrives and the same when it departs. In truth, this refers to the spirituality within the physical body. That spiritual essence enters the body in a certain state, and when it leaves, it should be in the same state. That is the mark of a good person—because they came into this life pure and sincere, and they leave it the same way. Such a person comes and goes freely. They are not concerned about falling into Hell or rising to Heaven—they remain natural. Just like the Tathāgata, they come and go freely—“There is coming and going, yet no coming, no going; neither coming nor going.” In other words: “I didn’t feel myself arrive, nor did I feel myself leave. There is no coming, no going. Everything remains as it is.” If you can see the world with a greater sense of detachment, then you embody the Tathāgata. So what is the Tathāgata? It is emptiness. There is no coming in, no going out—nothing truly matters. If you arrive in a daze and leave in a daze, then you’re just an ordinary person. But the Bodhisattvas—they come and go without ever feeling they have come or gone.
“Constantly abiding, unchanging.” This means that whether you remain in the human world for a long time or just a short while, you stay the same. A person like this truly possesses spiritual attainment. If someone enters this world as a Bodhisattva, they will also leave as a Bodhisattva. For example, I’ve come to the human world to help save you, having descended from above. But if I were like those arrogant and self-indulgent individuals who fail to cultivate properly, then I wouldn’t have the spiritual ability I have today. I might not even be able to return to my original home. My blessings would be depleted. Even now, I continue to examine and reflect on myself. Although I began bowing to the Buddhas at the age of three, I still think—if I had started reciting sutras and cultivating my mind earlier, this radio station might have started sooner, and I could have helped even more people. I am constantly repenting for my past. I didn’t begin this mission until I was forty-eight. Some may say that’s already impressive, but I still feel it was too late. That’s why Buddhist practitioners must cultivate wisdom—always reflect on yourself and avoid changing. This is how we should live—not constantly changing. A person who is always changing cannot be relied upon, and others won’t want to build friendships with them.
When I descended from Heaven into this world, I surely made a great vow: “When I go to the human world, I will save all sentient beings with affinity for Buddhism, and guide and awaken them broadly.” But to return to Heaven, I must remain constant and unchanging. If, after coming here, I became greedy for wealth, fame, or personal gain—do you think I could still return? Of course not. So you must remember this principle.
One of my radio program listeners once consulted a psychic to check my spiritual position in Heaven. They found that I am a high-ranking disciple of Guan Yin Bodhisattva in Heaven. From a Buddhist perspective, does Guan Yin Bodhisattva have disciples? Technically, you could say no—but you could also say yes. If you’ve watched the TV series Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you’ll recall: did she have disciples? Yes. All of us can be considered her disciples. In fact, we are all disciples of the Buddha—because Guan Yin Bodhisattva is a Buddha.
When evaluating a great Bodhisattva who has returned to this world by vow, look at their actions. Are they continually progressing? Are they saving more and more people? Is their teaching growing brighter, reaching more people, and producing greater results? If these qualities are there, then nothing more needs to be said. Remember: whatever you do, do it with sincerity, and your merit and virtue will be great. But if your heart isn’t in it, there will be no merit or virtue at all.
Last time, when we performed a life release, we drove for over three hours. Some people thought, “That’s so far… and the fish just swim away anyway.” But if you think like that, you won’t earn even a single ounce of merit and virtue. Don’t let distracting thoughts arise. Think to yourself: “I’m going to save lives. I’m going to perform a life release.” If you helped keep order on the day, or helped an elderly person onto the bus—every action generates merit and virtue. Isn’t that wonderful? But if this kind of activity ends up in the newspaper—so what? Even if I’m holding a letter from the Prime Minister—if the Prime Minister steps down, it’s just another piece of scrap paper. What’s the use? Fame and fortune vanish in the blink of an eye—how can they last?
We live in this world day after day, hardly noticing how time quietly ages us. Look in the mirror—can you stop yourself from ever getting wrinkles? Can you freeze your age forever? Of course not. Only your heart can remain forever young—forever clean, forever pure. If your heart is clean and joyful, if it blossoms like a flower that’s always in bloom, then you’ll never truly grow old.
That’s why it’s said: “The Dharma body of a Buddha abides as it is.” The Dharma body itself is a Buddha. Each one of you possesses the body of a Buddha. But do you truly take care of it? You use your body to do harmful things—do you realise that? Even small misdeeds, like stealing someone’s food—would a Bodhisattva do something like that?
Because your physical body is the body of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, and your inherent nature is also that of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, every action you take with your hands should reflect that. But when you do things that are impure—stealing, taking what isn’t yours, cursing, or hitting—you move further and further away from the Bodhisattvas and the Buddhas. How could they possibly dwell within you? Many people call in to my radio program asking, “Master Lu, is the Bodhisattva with me?” To be honest, that’s quite a pitiful question. The Bodhisattvas only bless those whose hearts and bodies are clean.
Some people also ask whether the Bodhisattvas have ever visited their homes. In reality, when a Bodhisattva comes, it’s not that they physically enter your Buddha statue—they reside in Heaven. If a Bodhisattva so much as spares a moment of care or glances in your direction, I can sense whether they’ve come or not. In truth, a Bodhisattva can protect and help you with just a single thought.
It’s like your parents. Even when they’re not physically by your side, their thoughts are still with you. The moment you’re in trouble, they’ll do whatever they can—offering money, effort, or support. So how could a Bodhisattva physically live with you every day? Are they really just sitting atop a small altar in your home? Do Bodhisattvas need to eat the fruit you offer? No—it’s your heart that you’re offering. The fruit represents your sincerity. The flowers you offer symbolise cause and effect. Why do flowers bloom? To bear fruit. When you sow good seeds, the flowers will blossom more and more beautifully. If the energy in your home is good, even an iron tree will bloom. But if the atmosphere is heavy with misfortune, even the healthiest flowers will wither. Flowers and plants are living beings too. So reflect deeply: whatever cause a person plants will inevitably bear fruit. If a disciple tries to deceive the Bodhisattvas—or me—there will certainly be consequences. Even within your own family, if you plant a negative cause, you will definitely receive the corresponding result.
You must perfect both wisdom and virtue. If someone possesses wisdom but lacks virtue, that isn’t true perfection. And if someone has virtue and regularly performs good deeds but doesn’t cultivate wisdom, can that be called perfection either? Both wisdom and virtue must be brought to perfection. Think back to when we were young—we used to speak of the balanced development of morality, intellect, and physical health. At the time, we didn’t understand these ideas through the lens of Buddhism. People thought “intellect” referred to IQ or cleverness, and “morality” meant ethics or professional conduct. But after learning Buddhism, we come to realise that these qualities should permeate the entire Dharma realm. You must use your perfected wisdom and virtue to extend throughout the Dharma realm.
You need to go beyond ordinary thought. This means surpassing the usual limits of your understanding. For example, if you see that a shop opens at 8am, that’s ordinary thinking. But if you think beyond that—“What if the shopkeeper is late today? What if a special guest arrives? Should I get the key or call to make sure they’re on time tomorrow?”—that’s wisdom that goes beyond conventional thinking. This kind of “beyond thought” isn’t for making money in the human world—it’s for guiding and awakening sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm.