Have you ever wondered:
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Will merits be expended when our prayers are answered?
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Is it true that I do not have to pray for good health when offering Little Houses, if I feel that I am in the pink of health and do not have any karmic creditors?
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If one suffers from various illnesses, should he make a specific or general prayer request?
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How should one pray to Bodhisattva when faced with an urgent situation, especially for critically-ill patients?
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And last but not least, did you know that our prayers will be answered more effectively if they are concise and appropriate? What are the examples of prayers that are short and sweet?
< Praying for Others is a Manifestation of Compassion and Diligence >
< The Different Types of Prayer >
I. Upright and meritorious prayers
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 Lu: Definitely.
Caller: Our merits will still be utilised even for such prayers?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, but they will only utilise a fraction of your merits. If your prayer is upright and positive, then it won’t. For instance, the prayer to seek Bodhisattva’s blessings to bestow you with wisdom, or the prayer to attain enlightenment. However, if it is for the well-being of your child, then your merits will be utilised.
Caller: In other words, our merits will remain intact if our prayers are related to our innate nature, is that right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s right. As long as you are praying for others or for self improvement, your merits will not be expended.
Source: Wenda20140907B 56:45, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
PRAYING FOR GOOD HEALTH IS NOT GREED
Caller: How are you, Master? You have advised us to pray less for worldly blessings because it is unwise to expend our hard-earned meritorious blessings on illusory things in this world. Does that include our daily prayer for good health, wisdom, the elimination of karmic obstacles, and wishes coming true? Should we also seek less of these?
Master Jun Hong Lu: No, it does not. This is because only when we are in good health, are we able to continue our spiritual cultivation journey in the human realm. Therefore, it is fundamentally alright to put forth such a prayer request. In fact, such prayers are meritorious in nature.
Let’s illustrate this by using me as an example: Would you be able to see me if I did not assume a human form? In the absence of a human body, I can only reside in heaven to bless and protect you, like all other Bodhisattvas. Please remember, it is perfectly fine to pray for good health. In fact, good health is a necessity. Hence, such prayers are not considered a form of greed.
Source: Wenda20120120 50:28, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
II. The prayer to utilise meritorious blessings
FOR PRAYERS TO BE ANSWERED, PRAYER REQUEST NEEDS TO BE MENTIONED
Caller: If we pray to Bodhisattva with one wish in mind, that is, “I only want to be steadfast in my spiritual cultivation, to cultivate my mind and learn Buddhism from Master Lu throughout my life”, will the recitation performed be conserved as meritorious blessings (存在功德里)? Would the meritorious blessings generated from the recitation of Buddhist scriptures be expended for prayer requests related to health, career or a certain aspect of my life?
Master Jun Hong Lu: It will not be entirely depleted, only a portion of it.
Caller: If I am not aware that things are not going well at work, and do not make any specific prayer request for it, would Bodhisattva help use the merits from my recitation for this purpose?
Master Jun Hong Lu: No.
Caller: I will need to put forth a “request” for it, am I right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, you must mention it. Without doing so, the merits from your recitation will be left untouched. Just like how your monthly wages are credited into your bank account and when your house door is broken and needs to be repaired, there is no way that your manager will help use a portion of your salary to pay the repairman. Instead, you need to withdraw your salary to pay for the service.
Source: Wenda20131201A 47:18, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
III. The prayer when offering Little Houses
HOW DO WE STATE OUR PRAYERS WHEN OFFERING LITTLE HOUSES IN TIMES OF GOOD HEALTH AND KARMIC CREDITORS ARE CLEARLY ABSENT?
Caller: After starting to recite the Buddhist scriptures, many Buddhist practitioners find themselves in great health and at the same time, they do not sense the presence of any karmic creditors. In such a scenario, how should they state their prayer requests when reciting each batch of Little Houses? Should they pray for the elimination of their karmic obstacles?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, you should pray for the elimination of karmic obstacles. You may not feel the presence of any karmic creditors, but it doesn’t mean that things are not altering.
Many may claim that, “I didn’t do anything bad”, but in fact their hearts have turned evil; some other people say, “I didn’t do anything good”, the fact is their hearts have changed and they have become kinder.
Caller: Master, if we feel that there’s no karmic creditor around us, and our health is in tip-top condition, how should we state our prayer when offering Little Houses?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Regardless of your health condition, you should still pray for good health. Similarly, you should be cautious when you are in good health, like the idiom says ‘to prevent troubles before the event’ (防患于未然), for example do not eat indiscriminately, to exercise and walk more often – these are the same principles you should adhere to.
Source: Wenda20160826 39:20, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
IV. General prayers
SHOULD THOSE, WHO SUFFER FROM MULTIPLE ILLNESSES, MAKE A SPECIFIC OR GENERAL PRAYER REQUEST?
Caller: Hello Master, how are you? A fellow practitioner suffers from various physical ailments. He would like to know whether he should make a targeted prayer request for each specific illness or a general one that covers his overall health when reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO).
For instance, he suffers from a weak liver, heart, lungs and many other parts of his body. In this regard, he is interested to find out whether his prayer request should be specific or general in nature?
Master Jun Hong Lu: It is better for him to pray for overall wellbeing since he has so many health issues. How is it going to work if he only prays for one specific part of his body? He may state, “May Bodhisattva protect and bless me with good health”.
Caller: I see. By reciting LIFO, he can repent of his past wrongdoings while praying for good health, am I right?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct.
Source: Wenda20200816 49:00, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
IV. Specific prayers
STATE A SPECIFIC PRAYER WHEN YOU VOW TO RECITE 10,000 TIMES OF THE MANTRA TO UNTIE KARMIC KNOTS
Question: Recently many Buddhist practitioners have made vows to recite 10,000 times of the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots, praying to resolve the karmic conflicts of a specific matter. (Yes) If a 13-year-old is willing to recite a total of 10,000 times of the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots, or 49 or 108 times every day, can he do so without making any specific prayer request?
Answer: It is best not to do so. If you want to recite 10,000 times, you can perhaps make a great vow to resolve a specific matter. Such a method works well because it serves a specific purpose. If you recite this amount of Buddhist scriptures without a specific prayer request, it won’t solve your problems.
Remember, there must be a targeted purpose when making a vow to recite 10,000 times of the mantra. For example, you cannot get along with a colleague and you say, “Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I make a vow to recite 10,000 times of the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots to resolve my karmic conflicts with him”.
Upon completing your vow, your karmic conflicts with him will be resolved soon after. If you do so without any specific purpose, let me tell you, you may not be able to retain the merits gained through your recitation. Do you understand? (Ok. I understand now.)
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting (Q&A Session), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 18 October 2019
< Behind The Scenes: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Brisbane, Australia, 2019 >
MAKE A VOW WHEN SEEKING URGENT GUIDANCE FROM BODHISATTVA; YOUR QUERY WILL BE ANSWERED IN DREAMS
Caller: When we need to deal with some critical matters, if all attempts to get through Master Lu’s totem line, and prayers to Bodhisattva proved futile, neither is there any guidance through dreams to help resolve the issues in hand, what should we do?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Make a vow in front of Bodhisattva and your query will be answered through your dreams. After making a vow, state, “May Bodhisattva enlighten me in my dreams”. You will definitely receive guidance in your dreams. However, if you have sexual misconduct, Bodhisattva will not come into your dreams because you are simply too defiled.
Source: Wenda20161028 53:24, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
< How to make vows for critically-ill patients? >
GUIDE TO MAKING VOWS FOR BEGINNERS WHO ARE CRITICALLY ILL / STRICKEN WITH CANCER TO HELP RECOVERY
Caller: There is a discourse being disseminated on the internet that goes, “Master Lu advises those with health issues, including critical illnesses and cancer, that if you wish to recover it is essential to make the following vows:”
1. To be a full vegetarian your whole life
2. To refrain from the act of killing for your whole life
3. To perform the liberation of captives (more than 10,000)
4. To offer 1,000 Little Houses to repay karmic debts
5. To share testimonials to save other sentient beings upon recovery.
May I know if it is alright for Buddhist friends to use the points above as a model answer to be disseminated to Buddhist friends who are terminally ill and who have just started on their cultivation journey?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, they may do so as these are the basic obligations aside from those additional ones that I have specifically advised others. Once you are stricken with cancer, you will need to do the above. Failure to do so will render the making of any other “greater” vows worthless.
Source: Wenda20160527 22:58, Master Lu’s call-in radio program
< Ways to keep prayers short and sweet >
TO HAVE YOUR WISH GRANTED, IT IS IMPORTANT TO STATE A CONCISE AND APPROPRIATE PRAYER
Caller: Master, you mentioned in one of your radio programs that, when praying to Bodhisattva, it is necessary to state our prayers, yet they should not be too lengthy as we run the risk of uttering inappropriate things that Dharma Protectors may find displeasing. In this regard, Master, how should we state our prayers to Bodhisattva within appropriate bounds?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Learn from me. Didn’t I teach you all? When you say: “May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva bless me, <your full name> so that I can be freed from sufferings and attain happiness”, what do you think you are praying for?
Caller: It is to allow myself to gain wisdom.
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s wrong! “Be freed from sufferings and attain happiness” means “I am suffering now, may Bodhisattva bless me with happiness”. The prayer already speaks for itself, doesn’t it?
For example, if you hope your child can gain admission to an elite secondary school, you may pray, “May the Great Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva bless my child, <his/her full name>, with wisdom”. Do you think there’s even a need to mention “gain admission to an elite secondary school”?
Caller: No.
Master Jun Hong Lu: When blessed with wisdom, your child will naturally be able to gain admission to an elite secondary school, don’t you think?
Caller: That’s right.
Master Jun Hong Lu: This is the art of speaking. When it comes to Bodhisattva, it is all about taking care of what you say and not overdoing it.
Caller: How about praying for a career?
Master Jun Hong Lu: “May Guan Yin Bodhisattva bless me, so that I can gain wisdom, form positive affinities extensively, and have a successful career.” You can state your prayer in such a way.
Caller: How about seeking blessings from Guan Yin Bodhisattva so that Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door can spread far and wide across the globe? How should we state our prayer?
Master Jun Hong Lu: “May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva bless Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, so that it can illuminate in all corners of the world and help every sentient being with predestined affinity to become spiritually awakened”. It’s a short one, isn’t it?
Caller: Precisely.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Haven’t I made it crystal clear by putting it this way?
Caller: It’s quintessential (句句经典).
Master Jun Hong Lu: For those, who suffer from ill health, you may say, “May Guan Yin Bodhisattva bless me with good health”.
Caller: “So that I have more energy to help sentient beings”. Our power of vow arises when we also include this in our prayer.
Master Jun Hong Lu: What should you do if you have a toothache? Normally people would say, “Please bless me so that my toothache stops”. A more hilarious one would be, “May Guan Yin Bodhisattva stop my toothache, I will now buy fruits to offer you”. These people are trying to strike a deal with Bodhisattva.
You should state your prayer in this way, “May Guan Yin Bodhisattva eliminate my negative karma, so that my toothache will stop, and please bless me with good health. I will recite Buddhist scriptures to repay my karmic debts”.
The moment Dharma Protectors and Bodhisattva hear this, They will know that you are an enlightened person, because you recognise your toothache relates to karmic obstacles or the insufficiency of merits. When you say so, Bodhisattva will help and put a stop to your toothache. Therefore, how you state your prayers plays a crucial part in having your wishes granted.
Source: Wenda20171224A 36:27, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
< How does one attain Buddhahood? >
< Buddhism in Plain Terms < 白话佛法共修分享
