Some 2,500 years ago, the Lord Buddha braved untold hardships in order to bring the truth of the Buddha dharma to the human realm. Armed with the truth He had personally validated, He guided sentient beings to break through the shackles of delusion and attain enlightenment, guiding them towards the ultimate liberation.
We warmly welcome you to join us in celebration of the birthday of this great teacher by immersing yourself and your family in this special compilation of stories and discourses on the most revered teacher of all time, Shakyamuni Buddha.
In this pack, you will find the words of Shakyamuni Buddha to be remembered:
- The Buddha said, “O disciples, I will never forsake you. In reality, I am among you”.
But, can you feel the Buddha’s presence every single minute of the day? What about those times when you are throwing a fit, where has the Buddha gone?
- The Buddha said, “In future, I will take the form of a virtuous teacher. You should regard these teachers as myself by respecting and relying on them as you would to me as only then can you be free from the shackles of life and death”.
But, where can we find this ‘teacher’ in this age and time?
- A very popular saying by the Buddha, “Not a single word of dharma is ever spoken by me”.
What is the Buddha’s message to us behind this assertion?
Also, in this pack – things to ponder…
- You are performing virtuous deeds, but think again: Are you touching lives with the things you do?
- Understanding that we are all equipped with a Buddha nature, but, how confident are you in proclaiming, “I am a Buddha”?
Read on to understand more!
May the Buddha long endure in your heart!
EMULATE THE EXEMPLARY SPIRITS OF THE BUDDHA AND MASTER LU IN SPREADING THE DHARMA
Editor’s note: Some 2,500 years ago, the Lord Buddha braved untold hardships in order to bring the truth of the Buddha dharma to the human realm. Armed with the truth He had personally validated, He guided sentient beings to break through the shackles of delusion and attain enlightenment, guiding them towards the ultimate liberation.
For 49 years, the Buddha propagated the dharma in the human realm. Out of a heart of compassion and vow of empathy, He saved and transformed sentient beings through the application of wise and expedient means.
Throughout His life, our revered Master Lu was closely following in the footsteps of the Buddha in His quest to disseminate the spirit of boundless compassion and mercy of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Altruistic in every sense of the word, Master Lu practically sacrificed His life for the benefit of sentient beings. While His mortal body has perished, His dharma body will long endure!
Let us emulate the exemplary spirits of the Buddha and Master Lu, and apply the compassion of Guan Yin Bodhisattva in order to illuminate our Buddha nature as we go about spreading the Buddha’s teachings in the hope of making it possible for many more people with predestined affinity to take refuge in Guan Yin Citta Pure Land.
Source: 2OR Blog, A compilation of Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourses (Part 1), 10 March 2022
THE BUDDHA DHARMA IS ONLY ATTAINABLE BY THOSE WHO STRIVE WITH EXTREME DILIGENCE
Master Jun Hong Lu: To be very honest, wise spiritual gurus (善知识) are hard to come by nowadays. In this light, to set foot on the sacred path to liberation (神圣的解脱大道), we should not get caught up in our daily vexations nor should we sweat over the trivial day-to-day matters. Similarly, we should not allow our spirits to be constantly tormented by emotions.
Instead, we should let go of our attachments. After all, life is short and bitter, all the more reason to practise the Buddha dharma and cultivate our mind diligently.
In fact, the Buddha dharma is not owned by anyone. It is the teachings of the Buddha, and hence, it is only attainable by those who strive with extreme diligence (大精进者得之). You attain it when you do your utmost to acquire the teachings, and by doing so, you become the master of the Buddha dharma.
In other words, the greatest teachings of the Buddha are only attainable by those who put in their greatest efforts in their practice, and conversely, the teachings are beyond the reach of those who are hardly steadfast in their practice.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 8 Chapter 21
“I WILL TURN INTO VIRTUOUS TEACHER. RESPECT AND RELY ON THIS TEACHER AS YOU WOULD TO ME, AND YOU SHALL BE FREED FROM THE SUFFERING OF THE CYCLE OF REBIRTH”
Master Jun Hong Lu: As the Buddha was about to enter nirvana, grief-stricken, the disciples of the Buddha were distressed over the impending loss of someone who could guide them.
With reverence, they asked, “O Buddha, in the event that You enter nirvana, who will be the one to save and guide future sentient beings?”
The Buddha responded, “In future, I will take the form of a virtuous teacher. You should regard these teachers as myself by respecting and relying on them as you would to me as only then can you be free from the shackles of life and death.”
Does everyone know what a virtuous teacher is? As your Master, that is my role. Everything I share with you is virtuous knowledge that comprises Buddhism, philosophy and wisdom of the Bodhisattvas.
When you regard a virtuous teacher as Bodhisattva and when you are propagating the teachings to others, Bodhisattva will dwell in you, and for that you are the Tathagata, Shakyamuni Buddha and Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Do all of you understand?
When you are helping others to be awakened spiritually or propagating the dharma, Bodhisattva will dwell in you. By doing so, don’t you think you are the reincarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha?
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 8 Chapter 21
OMNIPRESENT NIRVANA 无所住处涅槃 – THE LORD BUDDHA WILL LONG ENDURE IN OUR HEART
Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me tell you what the Buddha alluded to His disciples as He was about to enter nirvana. He said, “O disciples, I will never forsake you. In reality, I am among you”.
This tells us that the spirit of a person will never perish even after attaining nirvana. When the Lord Buddha dwells in our heart and this is known as ‘Omnipresent nirvana’ (无所住处涅槃) in Buddhism.
What is ‘Omnipresent nirvana’? It means that the Buddha lives in you, and this is not limited to a particular location. In fact, wherever you go, the Buddha figure is ever present within you.
Just like a monastic who places the Buddha’s teachings, the dharma and the sangha in his heart wherever he goes, in this way, the Buddha will long endure in his heart. This explains the essence of ‘Omnipresent nirvana’, that is, the Buddha is present everywhere. The crux of the problem lies in the impure mind of sentient beings.
Is there any day when the Buddha is not present? Let me ask you, When you quarrel or fight with someone, is the Buddha present? He is still present.
It’s just that in times like this, the Buddha is not at the centre of your being, and these are when your mind is defiled or impure. If your mind is kept clean and pure, the Buddha would be within you at all times and in effect, help eliminate all your illusions and delusive thoughts.
When a person is unrealistic in his actions and words, he will be stereotyped as a braggart, a liar – one who commits the negative karma of speech that is false, frivolous or harsh in nature.
On the contrary, with the Buddha in your heart, words that you utter will be in accordance with the dharma and the path of rightness (如理如法). In this case, you will surely be able to see the Buddha because your heart is where the Buddha resides. On a similar note, when your inner heart is pure, you will be able to see your own innate Buddha at will.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 112, 30 January 2021
< Story of the Buddha – Bear All Adversities with Calmness >
HAVING TAUGHT THE DHARMA FOR 49 YEARS THE BUDDHA ASSERTS THAT NOT A SINGLE WORD OF DHARMA IS EVER SPOKEN
Question: Having dedicated His entire life to spreading the dharma yet, before His passing, the Buddha claimed that He had not spoken a single word of dharma. Does this have anything to do with the fact that for sentient beings to chance upon or even grasp the dharma, it has to do with their own wholesome roots (善根), merit and virtue (福德), their wisdom and ability to grasp the teaching? The teaching uttered is tailored in accordance with individual need, and besides, the level of comprehension differs individually. After all, the dharma is inexplicable and can only rely upon one’s realisation (只能靠悟).
Answer: Yes, this is correct. We were taught in elementary school for many years, and this continued into our secondary school years. During these times, did you attend the class? You certainly did but not anymore. Some of these lessons have penetrated your brain, while the rest have long been forgotten. So, have the teachers really taught you anything? In reality, the teachings are ingrained in your blood and have become part of your wisdom. Yet, you can’t even remember a single word said, as though they no longer exist.
Have the teachings penetrated your eighth consciousness? They certainly have. Ultimately, was anything said? Yes, but it also seems like nothing was ever said because the teachings have been processed by you. What about the food that you ate five years ago, did you actually eat it? You certainly did, but at the same time, it also seems like you did not. Having been assimilated into your body, the food caused you to gain some weight, but this extra body weight could also have disappeared because you have shed some pounds.
It is called the Teaching for what the Buddha taught for 49 years is likely to be a philosophy that has been in existence for thousands of years. A year is only a figurative unit of measurement, while infinite wisdom is something that knows no bounds, hence, how can it even be appraised by any units of measurement?
Therefore, the Buddha said, “I have spoken nothing. All that I do is penetrating into your wisdom body (智慧体), which is the ninth consciousness (Amala consciousness), where your original Buddha nature resides. The words spoken by me connect to your Amala consciousness thus, bringing forth your innate Buddha nature. This is when you are enlightened. But, does this have anything to do with what I have spoken?”. Similarly, your teachers might have nurtured you to be literate, but it seems as if they have not taught you anything.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 321), 14 July 2019
THE TRUE MEANING OF “THROUGHOUT HEAVEN AND EARTH, I ALONE AM THE HONOURED ONE” AS UTTERED BY THE BUDDHA
Master Jun Hong Lu: With one hand pointing at the sky and the other pointing at the earth, the Buddha proclaimed, “Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the honoured one”. Many people ask, “Why was it that the Buddha could make such a declaration as soon as He was born?” Many people do not even know the Buddha. As a matter of fact, the Buddha was able to understand His mind and see His true nature simply because He was already a Buddha then. He came to the mortal world, knowing truly well that He was the Buddha because He was able to see His own Buddha nature and hence, the audacity to proclaim, “I alone am the honoured one”. In other words, He was aware of His innate nature beyond the mortal form of a child that He had taken on.
As your Master, I would like all of you to be aware of your inherent nature because with this awareness, you can also proudly say, “I am a Buddha”. As long as you embody the qualities of the Budda, you are already a Buddha, an enlightened being.
When the Buddha said, “I alone am the honoured one”, essentially He was not talking about His mortal body, but rather His inherent nature. But, who are we referring to as this Buddha nature? It is your true “self”, the luminous essence of the Buddha that radiates from within you (本身所释放出来的佛的光明).
The Buddha is enlightened, hence He is at ease. When you have no fear whatsoever, knowing that you have the blessings and protection of Buddha and Bodhisattva, you discover this “self”in you and develop this profound sense of being. The fact that you have come to terms with this knowledge, you are the enlightened one and you take refuge in the island within your own true self (皈依了自己).
Many people are fearless because they trust that Buddha and Bodhisattva will certainly help and take care of them. They go, “I am a kind person who has never harmed others. Why am I not afraid? Because there is Buddha in my heart, I have found my refuge”.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 11 Chapter 48
BUDDHIST TEACHINGS ARE THE WAY TO MAKE PROGRESS AND AWAKEN OUR SPIRITUAL STATE OF BEING AND MORALITY
Master Jun Hong Lu: First and foremost, I would like everyone to know that Buddhism is key to the progress and awakening of the spiritual being and morality of mankind. To put it in contemporary terms, Buddhism is about educating the human mind, cultivating the moral values that facilitate personal growth, and raising their consciousness in society.
Secondly, why do we practise Buddhism? It is to uncover the truth about life and the universe as understood by Prince Siddhartha. This involves seeing through life and the universal truth, understanding that life and the universe to ultimately transcend the cycle of life and death, liberating oneself from all afflictions, and attaining complete liberation. This is the essence of Buddhist practice. As we all know, Prince Siddhartha is our revered Buddha. Why do we address Him as Siddhartha? It is because the Buddha Himself also worked towards His enlightenment when He was Prince Siddhartha.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Guan Yin Hall, Sydney, Australia, 2 January 2018
EMULATE THE COMPASSION OF LORD BUDDHA AS A MEANS TO ENLIGHTEN AND INSPIRE THE REFORMATION OF SENTIENT BEINGS
Master Jun Hong Lu: All of you must emulate the compassion of the Lord Buddha. Do you know what you should do after that? After emulating His compassion, you must apply such noble attributes as a means to enlighten, educate and inspire the reformation of e sentient beings. To help others, you must be able to touch their hearts. Unfortunately, in this day and age, though you may be performing virtuous deeds or helping others, you fail to touch others’ hearts and even end up arousing hostility from them. In this regard, your Buddhist practice has definitely gone wrong.
Take a look at me, your Master, and the number of people whose hearts I have touched. I inspire others with my actions. Some six years ago, many old folks with weak finances participated in my dharma convention. Lo and behold, they were duped by travel agencies. I stepped in and made good their losses. I did not utter a word about it and yet, these old folks were deeply moved by my kind gesture.
I always think what if these aged ladies were my own mother or grandmother? Having encountered Buddhism and travelled thousands of miles just to see me despite financial challenges, how could I bear to let these folks return home with sorrow in their hearts? We must see things through others’ eyes (将心比心). After all, Buddhism is all about cultivating this heart of yours.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 10 Chapter 1
BUDDHISM IS THE ANTIDOTE TO SET US FREE FROM OUR AFFLICTIONS IN THIS ERA OF DHARMA DECLINE
Master Jun Hong Lu: The Buddha-dharma propagated by Lord Buddha some 2,500 years ago has, since then, been the antidote to the inner afflictions and sorrow of humankind in this Age of Dharma Decline.
The remedy can be found in letting go and breaking free. After all, the mind of the past cannot be grasped (过去不可得), the present mind cannot be grasped (现在不可得) and the mind of the future cannot be grasped (未来不可得), either. All of these are the best cure to our worldly afflictions.
At times, we should not dwell on our past mistakes as much as we should not hang on to our possessions. In fact, we should not even be too attached to the good things that we have done, as only then are we able to build our inner strength.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 30, 30 July 2020
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