EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT SHORT SUTRAS & MANTRAS (PART 1) | 21 NOV 2020

Put Your Heart Into Reciting The Buddhist Scriptures

Every time you chant with your heart,you will gain sympathetic resonance (感应) with the Bodhisattva. Chanting is all about doing it with your heart. Instead, if your eyes are running wild, but your mouth is chanting, the effectiveness of your recitation will be very far from perfection. 

< Daily recitation is Essential >
Wenda20181125 23:43 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
CONSISTENT DAILY RECITATION OF SHORT SUTRAS/MANTRAS  IS A MUST 

Caller: Master, is it possible for one to completely stop reciting sutras such as the likes of the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou, Ru Yi Bao Lun Wang Tuo Luo Ni, Da Ji Xiang Tian Nu Zhou and Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Who told you that?

Caller: It was my idea as I felt that it was no longer necessary to do so. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Who told you that?

Caller: I felt that I have been able to recite sufficient Little Houses. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Just like the major sutras/mantras, the short ones have its purpose to serve. 

Caller: In this respect, should I recite them consistently on a daily basis or only do so whenever the need arises? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: You need to recite them daily. Even if that means just a couple of times; it is better than not reciting at all.

< Sutras/mantras to Recite on board an aeroplane >
Wenda20150904 06:03 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
SECRET TO EASIER ATTAINMENT OF ONE’S WISH: RECITE SUTRAS DURING FLIGHT

Caller: Master, which mantra (经文) and/or sutra (小咒) is better to be recited on board an aeroplane?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s fine to recite the Great Compassion Mantra, the Heart Sutra or any other mantras or sutras while you are on board an aeroplane. That said, the recitation of the ten short sutras/mantras will tend to be more efficacious when you are flying due to the closer proximity with the Bodhisattvas in those sutras/mantras. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: When you recite the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra in the human realm, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will descend. However, when you recite the ten short sutras/mantras in the human realm, the smaller Bodhisattvas in those short sutras/mantras may not be able to descend to bless you. 

There was a Buddhist friend who faceddifficulties finding his other half. For some reason, his relationship with a few ladies didn’t work out. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: He persisted in reciting Da Ji Xiang Tian Nu Zhou every time he is on board a flight. There was once that he dozed off in the midst of his recitation and he dreamt of many celestial maidens (天女). Interestingly, he found his other half in that trip through relative introduction and ended up in a marriage in a span of less than six months. 

Caller: Understood. Thank you Master for your guidance.

< Quantity to VOW >
Wenda20191213  06:25 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) 

Caller: Master mentioned before, we may make a vow to recite 10,000 or 100,000 times Buddhist scriptures. May I know what constitutes a vow in this aspect? What is the minimum number of recitations to be performed? Will that be 10,000 times?

Master Jun Hong Lu: 10,000 times. It is easy to accomplish as they are short sutras and mantras.

Caller: Yes. What about major sutras and mantras like the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra? Will that be at least 10,000 times or 1,000 times?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It should be 1,000 times. In fact, it is absolutely achievable. It’s only that we are not willing to do it. There’s no reason you can’t do it. Everybody can. 

Caller: Yes. As long as we have the heart to do it, that’s all it takes.

< Vows Must Include Mention of Completion Time >
Wenda20180121B 52:17 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)

Caller: Two days ago, a fellow Buddhist friend made a vow at the Guan Yin Hall to recite the 10,000 times of the Great Compassion Mantra, Heart Sutra, Qi Fo Mie Zui Zhen Yan, Cundi Dharani and Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou respectively. After making the vow, he felt a warm sensation throughout his body. Please enlighten us on this, Master. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: His vow is great, hence, it’s very powerful. If he can accomplish this, it will be very good.

Caller: Bodhisattva has blessed him, is that right?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  Yes. He can’t scold others. If he does, the other party will get hurt and it will cause him serious depletion of merits.

Caller: What if his vow which includes chanting of 10,000 times of the sacred name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva does not come with a timeframe for completion?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It is useless if he did not specify a completion time. You must be kidding, what if halfway through he died?

< How to recite for “Self-cultivation” purposes? >
BYQA: Q&A 122. Performing recitations for self-cultivation (An Excerpt)

Q&A 122. Performing recitations for self-cultivation

往生净土神咒 (Wang Sheng Jing Tu Shen Zhou)

Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra

OR

往生咒  (Wang Sheng Zhou)

“肉”

“In the Chinese character for “meat” 肉,
there are two of the Chinese characters for “human” 人,
representative of how this is just like humans eating humans.

< Circumstances that Require the Recitation of Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra > 

< (i): Karma of Killing >
Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 411) – 5 Sep 2020 (An Excerpt) 

Great Strength Bodhisattva (大势至菩萨):

“Sentient beings who are stuck in the cycle of rebirth due to their ignorance (无明轮回) are pitiable. When I observe how sentient beings in the human realm consume fish, prawn, chicken, pork, it is just like seeing humans eating humans (人吃人). Humans are made of flesh and blood and so are the various creatures of the water, earth and air – they, too, are made up of the five senses (五识感官–sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). 

“When they are slaughtered, they too will cry, feel pain, and fear death. Before they fell to the evil realms (恶道), creatures of the animal realm were sentient beings from the human realm just like you, yet you now consume their flesh. In the eyes of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, it is just like humans eating humans.” 

Guan Yin Bodhisattva:

“In the Chinese character for “meat” 肉, there are two of the Chinese characters for humans 人, representative of how this is just like humans eating humans. All disciples of the Buddha, if you have already developed a mind compassionate enough to perform life liberation, why not become a vegetarian? As all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas harbour mercy and compassion, They can only sigh as They cannot bear to see sentient beings eat each other in this cyclical existence (相吃而轮回)” .

Ma Zu Bodhisattva:

“If you wish to pray for the blessing and protection of Bodhisattva, you must not commit the act of killing,instead,youshould become a vegetarian. The sin of killing is incredibly severe. If you do not wish to develop cancer in the near future, quickly adopt a vegetarian diet before karmic retribution makes you regret your action. By then, it will be all too late.” 

< (i): Karma of Killing >
Wenda20150524B  17:13 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) 
WHEN NEW PRACTITIONERS FEEL THAT THINGS ARE NOT GOING SMOOTHLY, THEY MAY RECITE THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou)

Caller: How are you, Master? May I know, other than the three major sutras/mantras i.e. the Great Compassion Mantra, Heart Sutra and Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (三大经文), which are the other must-recite sutras that Master would recommend to beginners?  

Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s best for people with karmic obstacles (业障) or who has committed the act of killing (杀业) in the past to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. 

Caller: How do we ascertain whether one has committed the act of killing? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: They will feel that things are not going smoothly for them.

Caller: I see. Other than the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, is it necessary to recite other sutras such as the likes of Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou (消灾吉祥神咒)  or the Cundi Dharani (准提神咒)? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: The Cundi Dharani is to pray for things to go smoothly. On the other hand, Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou is meant to ward off potential calamities.

Master Jun Hong Lu: In reality, it’s important to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra regardless of whether one currently faces any life obstacles. This is because a lot of life impediments are the consequence of past acts of killing. 

Caller: Thank you, Master. 

< (ii): Skin Disorder >
Shuohua20190111   27:04   (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) 
ALL SKIN-RELATED PROBLEMS ARE RELATED TO SMALL FOREIGN SPIRITS – INCREASE THE RECITATION OF AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou)  AND LITTLE HOUSES

Caller: Master, should someone, who suffers from neurodermatitis (神经性皮炎), make very targeted vow in terms of the recitation of the Little Houses to be offered and the number of captive lives to be liberated? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: This person must also recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou). All skin-related issues have to do with small foreign spirits. 

Caller: I see. That means the person should continue to recite this mantra? How many times should one recite on a daily basis? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Recite at least 59 times of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. This should be supplemented with Little Houses. 

Caller: I understand. So, one needs to make vows to recite the Little House in batches of 21 continuously?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes. That works. 

< (iii): After Sexual Intimacy >
Shuohua20180511   13:35  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
RECITE  THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou) AFTER SEXUAL INTIMACY 

Caller: Hi Master, please enlighten us whether it is necessary for couples to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra after sexual intimacy (正常夫妻之事)? How many times would this be? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: From a principlestandpoint, it is a must to do so. Sexual intimacy would inflict injury to some embryos causing them to die, regardless of whether the woman gets impregnated. Furthermore, a vast amount of sperm and ovum will perish in the process. As such, it is necessary to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra. By not doing so, one gives the foreign spirits a reason to create trouble to oneself. This explains why many people experience some form of misfortunes after committing such acts. Do you understand me?

Caller: How many times of the mantra should one recite?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Typically, one can recite 21 or 49 times of the mantra. After all, the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) is a short mantra. 

< (iv): When consume Medicine that contains Animal Ingredients >
wenda20120511  40:12  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
RECITE THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou) AFTER CONSUMING TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE CONTAINING ANIMAL INGREDIENTS 

Caller: In the past, I used to consume a lot of traditional Chinese medicine containing scorpions, centipedes, etc. in order to treat my leg problems. Now I am still taking Chinese medicine which may also have such ingredients. In this regard, is it necessary for me to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou)?

Master Jun Hong Lu: No issue, you may do so. These small animals are already dead. Just like in the case of Cordyceps sinensis (冬虫夏草), some insects are transformed into plant. To further illustrate my point, let me give you an example:

Master Jun Hong Lu: Assuming a long time ago, a vast number of people perished in this location which may, over a protracted period, slowly transform into crude oil or potentially other substances. In reality, substances do go through transformation.

In your case, first and foremost, you did not kill; second, it’s used as a medicine; third, you consume them to treat your health problems and not for pleasure.

Master Jun Hong Lu: Having said that, itdoesn’t mean that there is no sin; it’s just considered very minor. You can recite a few times of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra to resolve your issue.

< (v): When there are Insects in the House >
Wenda20190707   51:51  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
RECITE THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou)  IF THERE ARE INSECTS IN THE HOUSE

Caller: A Buddhist friend shared that if there are insects in the house, one can recite Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots (Jie Jie Zhou) (解结咒) as part of the daily recitations, in order to resolve the karmic conflicts with the insects so that they won’t bite. Is this the right thing to do, Master?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It is not about the insect bites. Instead, the recitation is to get them to leave your house.

Caller: Is it mainly by reciting Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou)? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: The insects will also leave when you recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou). 

< (vi) During Menstrual Period >
Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question no. 269) – 30 November 2018

Question: Master Lu, your latest discourse says that we can recite more Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) during our menstrual period. May I ask, if we are already reciting 49 times of Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) every day, do we still  need to recite 49 more of this mantra?

Answer: You should recite more.

Question: How do we tell Bodhisattva?

Answer: There is no need to. As long as the thought of doing so arises. There are organisms in the menstrual period. Hence, when you perform recitation of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou), it will help you eliminate a lot of karmic obstacles (消掉更多业障). Just make a prayer request that is, for the purpose of elimination of karmic obstacles.

Many people suffer from stomach pain, headache, feeling under the weather, troubled or quick-tempered, etc. during this period. In fact, these conditions have to do with the live microorganisms excreted from their bodies. You have no idea of all these in the past because I have never told you. After you chant the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou), you will feel much better.

< (viii) Year-end Period >
wenda20160925B  18:07  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) – An Excerpt

Master Jun Hong Lu: ….Now, on these big days, from the beginning of the winter solstice of the year till the end of the third day of the Lunar New Year of the following year, you may recite one upto three batches of of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) to help free yourself from the minor foreign spirits (小灵性)on you.

Master Jun Hong Lu: The “batch” mentioned here can be 49 times or 108 times. You may recite them in your daily recitation or through the “self-cultivation” method. It is recommended that you recite one batch as your homework and the remaining two batches using the “self-cultivation” method.

Master Jun Hong Lu: In this way, people with more foreign spirits or heftier karma need not worry that the “self-cultivation” Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance Mantra that they recite will result in the “activation” of karmic obstacles when they are not able to recite sufficient Little House.  

< Facts on Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra >

< Is it “The More the Better?” >
wenda20120518  37:29  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
RECITING MORE TIMES OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou) ARE NOT NECESSARILY BETTER

Caller: In a recent radio program, Master Lu mentioned that after reciting the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra 49 times daily for three months, it should then be reduced to 21 times. Is this correct? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct. You can revert to 49 times daily in the following month. It is not advisable to maintain your daily recitation at 49 times.

Master Jun Hong Lu: We must understand that we are in constant contact with an abundance of small foreign spirits.

These small foreign spirits have low levels of consciousness (意识); they are attracted to brightness as they know it will help them ascend to a higher spiritual realm (超度它).

As such, one runs the risk of attracting a lot of foreign spirits if they keep to a high volume of daily recitation of this mantra.

Caller: Does it mean that I should reduce my daily recitation to 21 times before increasing it to 49 times?

Master Jun Hong Lu: That is correct. 

< Mentality in Recitation >
Master Jun Hong Lu‘s Discourse (Question 383) – Date 14 May 2020
USE THE RIGHT MENTAL ATTITUDE WHEN RECITING THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou) 

Guan Yin Bodhisattva said, “My dear disciple, the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra is also known as “Ba Yi Qie Ye Zhang Gen Ben De Sheng Jing Tu Tuo Luo Ni” (拔一切业障根本得生净土陀罗尼). Do you know the root of all karmic obstacles of sentient beings?”.

The Heavenly Child replied, “Yes, I do. It is The Three Poisons: Greed, Hatred and Ignorance” (贪瞋痴三毒). 

Guan Yin Bodhisattva continued to ask, “My dear disciple, do you know the mental attitude Iembrace in heaven when reciting the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra to help sentient beings ascend to a higher spiritual realm?

It is the thought about the sufferings of all sentient beings perpetuated by the three poisons in them since the beginningless of time (无始贪瞋痴) which trapped them in the evil path of the cycle of rebirth and unable to gain liberation. (不得超脱)

If you are able to adopt such a mental state when reciting the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, your recitation would be indescribably powerful.

Master Jun Hong Lu: Guan Yin Bodhisattva is indeed very compassionate and merciful. What it means here is that when reciting the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, one should hold on to the thought of wanting to help extricate all sentient beings from the sea of suffering. (超拔一切苦难众生)

With this, your energy will certainly increase tremendously. That said, this is not an easy task. Only a handful of people would have such a strong resolve to liberate others from the sea of suffering. It is indeed a remarkable willpower.(非常大的愿力) 

Wenda20160313A 51:34 (Master Jun Hong Lu‘s call-in radio programme)

WHEN A VOW TO RECITE 10,000 TIMES OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH (Wang Sheng Zhou) IS IN PLACE, HOW MANY CAN ONE RECITE ON DAILY BASIS?

Caller: How are you, Master? If a person had made a vow to recite 10,000 of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou), what is the maximum amount he can recite on a daily basis?
Master Jun Hong Lu: You may recite as much as you want. Every time you think of reciting, do it conscientiously.

< Recitation During Pregnancy >
Wenda20160313A  51:34  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio programme) 
DURING PREGNANCY, RECITE THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA (Wang Sheng Zhou) IN THE DAY FOR A MAXIMUM OF 49 TIMES

Caller: What is the maximum number of Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) that can be recited during one’s pregnancy?

Master Jun Hong Lu: A maximum of 49 times, to be recited in the day.

< Cundi Dharani >

< Cundi Dharani: Understanding the Text within >
wenda20170205A  42:53 (Master Jun Hong Lu‘s call-in radio program)
MASTER LU’S DISCOURSE ON THE CUNDI DHARANI 

Caller: Master, I dreamt that you asked me if I knew why the Cundi Dharani was so efficacious. I had a notion that this has something to do with the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra. Master Lu, can you please explain to us?

Master Jun Hong Lu: The Cundi Dharani is one of the ten short sutras/mantras (十小咒) which is a very efficacious Buddhist scripture, blessed with Cundi Bodhisattva’s (准提菩萨) protection.

It represents one’s resolution (决心) to learn Buddhism and perform recitation –  a kind of willpower (意志) and faith (信念).

“Samyak Sambuddha” (三藐三菩陀) as mentioned in the scripture actually refers to one who has supreme wisdom (无上觉者). This tells us that one must be upright (正) for the recitation of this scripture to be efficacious. When reciting the verse “Zhe Li Zhu Li”, your faith will increase. (信心升起来) 

Caller: Master, will the effects of Cundi Dharani be better if we recite the Great Compassion Mantra and Heart Sutra first, before we recite Cundi Dharani? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Cundi Dharani may increase your spiritual energy (增加能量). The word “Cundi” means ‘Purification(清净)’. It is a miraculous mantra that has the ‘purification’ effect (清净神咒).

Once you achieve such a state of purification, all matters can come to an end. That is why there is the verse “Suo Po He” (“娑婆诃”) in the scripture – it refers to the accomplishment of perfection (成就圆满).  

< Cundi Dharani: The Importance of Merits in Having our Prayers Answered >
Wenda20190503 27:24  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
DO YOU NEED MERITORIOUS BLESSINGS TO RECITE THE CUNDI DHARANI 

Caller: A while back, the practice group had a group study on the topic of the Cundi Dharani. We listened to two radio discourses and in one of them, Master said that reciting the Cundi Dharani will not expend meritorious blessings (功德) as the act of reciting the scripture itself will generate meritorious blessings. In another discourse, Master said that regardless of the scripture you are reciting, meritorious blessing is a must. Otherwise, your recitation will not yield results. Can you help us understand this?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Regardless of the scripture you are reciting, having meritorious blessing is a must. Otherwise, your recitation will not yield results. The Cundi Dharani may help in fulfilling your heart’s desires, just like a wish-fulfilling jewel (如意珠): “All prayers will be satisfied  (凡有所求，无不称遂).”

Caller: Does that mean that regardless of the short sutras/ mantras that we are reciting, we need to have meritorious blessings as a foundation in order to have our prayeranswered? As to whether our prayer will expend our meritorious blessings, would depend on the magnitude of the issue, is that right?

Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s right. Just like eating, don’t you need to pay for your meal? Without meritorious blessings (功德), how will your prayers be answered? 

< Cundi Dharani: How does it work in fulfilling one’s wishes? >
Wenda20150717 56:04 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) 
PRAYER FOR ADVANCING ONE’S CAREER, ETC. THROUGH RECITATION OF CUNDI DHARANI WILL TAP ON ONE’S MERITORIOUS BLESSINGS 

Caller: Would one’s meritorious blessings deplete when reciting the Cundi Dharani with the purposes of advancing one’s career and fulfilling one’s wishes?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, it would. When one prays for success in career development at a time when such merits are there for one to dip into, the recitation of the Cundi Dharaniserves to speed up the process for the merits to be brought forward into a certain point in your present life. That is why it is so effective!

Master Jun Hong Lu: The recitation of the Cundi Dharani is akin to moving out needful items from a storage or dipping into one’s savings. It’s impossible for Bodhisattva to conjure up some funds for you if you have none in your bank account.

In short, meritorious blessing (功德) is like the savings you have. Bodhisattva will make use of this merits (功德) to expedite the process of crystallizing your wishes in the human realm.This is how the concept works.  

< Cundi Dharani: For prayers to be answered, prayer request needs to be mentioned >
wenda20131201A  47:18 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)  

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 I perform be conserved as meritorious blessings (存在功德里)? If I encounter some problems, either health or work related, will it then “use up” these merits?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It wouldn’t be entirely depleted, perhaps a portion of it.

Caller: If I am not even aware that things are not going well at work, hence, I did not make any prayer requests, will Bodhisattva convert the merits from sutras/mantras for this purpose?

Master Jun Hong Lu: No. 

Caller: That means, I will need to make the “request”, am I right?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, you must mention it. Just like how your monthly wages is credited into your bank account. When your house door is broken and needs to be repaired, you need to withdraw the money to pay the repairman. 

< Cundi Dharani: Prayer for Wisdom will Deplete Meritorious blessings? >
wenda20141116B 55:32 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) – An Excerpt
ONE’S MERIT WILL NOT DECREASE WHEN USED TO PRAY FOR WISDOM

Caller: Some Buddhist friends asked, if we pray to Bodhisattva for wisdom, we must first have meritorious blessings to begin with (有功德做基础). Is it true that wisdom is gained at the expense of meritorious blessings?

Master Jun Hong Lu: If you utilise your meritorious blessings to pray for wisdom, not only your blessings will not deplete, it will keep growing. I always like to quote examples. Let’s say you feel full from consuming this bowl of rice. So, is the rice in your stomach?  (Yes.) 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Good. For example, feeling full is wisdom and the rice you consume is meritorious blessing. The rice that you consume gives you a sense of fullness which is akin to gaining wisdom, while the rice you ate is the meritorious blessing. So, in this example, the rice you consume makes you full which isakin to helping you gain wisdom. So would you say that the rice is still there? 

Caller: Yes.

Master Jun Hong Lu: Is the meritorious blessing still there?

Caller: Yes.

Master Jun Hong Lu: For example, this person has been performing good deeds and he continued to do so. That is meritorious, isn’t it? In the end, he became a model employee and earned the respect of others. Let me ask you, when he is the model employee, the recognition he earned and the good he did coexist, don’t you think? It’s not that when you become a model employee, all the merits you garner is lost. Do you understand?  

< Use of Cundi Dharani: What can we pray for besides Worldly Things? (i) Pray for Elimination of Bad Habits >
Wenda20150724 23:38 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
PRAY TO ELIMINATE BAD HABITS AND LUSTFUL THOUGHTS WHEN RECITING THE CUNDI DHARANI  

Caller: A Buddhist friend suggested for us to make the following prayer request when we recite our daily Cundi Dharani:

“May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva help me XXX eliminate all my ignorant habitual tendencies (无明习气). May I be free from temper tantrums, selfishness (自私), attachments (执著), greed (贪求), etc.”

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, you may absolutely do so. For instance, some people may have greater propensity for lustful thoughts. They may pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, “…please protect and bless me, allow me to eliminate lustful thoughts”, and they will really cease thinking of such things for a very long time. You may find it hard to open up about this, especially to Bodhisattva.

Master Jun Hong Lu: Some may say, “How do I even start telling Bodhisattva all the horrible things about me?” However, Bodhisattva is our mother. How will mothers not know of their children’s pain?

Hence, if you tell Bodhisattva about this, you think Bodhisattva wouldn’t help you to eliminate these negativities? As humans, you are impure and Bodhisattva knows this! Do you understand? 

< Use of Cundi Dharani: What can we pray for besides Worldly Things? (ii) Pray for Success in Dharma Propagation >
Wenda20121026 07:26 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) 
IT IS VERY GOOD TO RECITE THE CUNDI DHARANI TO SEEK BODHISATTVA’S BLESSINGS FOR SUCCESS IN HELPING OTHERS TO BE AWAKENED SPIRITUALLY 

Caller: Master, how do you find my chanting energy field? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: For people like you, you may increase your recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra and Heart Sutra. How many times of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO) do you recite daily? 

Caller: I recite three times daily. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: I see. You may recite more of the Cundi Dharani.

Caller: I recite 27 times daily.

Master Jun Hong Lu: Increase it to 49 times. You may also recite 49 times of the Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou (消灾吉祥神咒) on a daily basis. 

Caller: I am reciting 49 times of this mantra. When I recite the Cundi Dharani, is it alright to seek blessings from Bodhisattva so that everything will go smoothly for me in my effort to help othersawakenspiritually (度人的时候顺利)? After all, I don’t have anything else to request for. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Excellent! If that’s indeed your prayer request, you will make strides in your spiritual cultivation. This is the best prayer request anyone can ever make!

As for me, I have always implored Bodhisattva for this, “Guan Yin Bodhisattva, please have mercy on me. Please grant me success in dharma propagation so that I will be able to help more sentient beings”.

This is how it works – it can only get better if you request for something positive and appropriate. On the flip side, if your prayer request is inappropriate such as when you pray to strike a lottery, it is unlikely that you will get what you wish for. I hope you will perform your recitation diligently.  

< Cundi Dharani: A Kind Heart is the Foundation for Efficaciousness >
Master Jun Hong Lu – About Ten Short Sutras/Mantras 

The Cundi Dharani helps fulfill one’s wishes by turning an unfavourable situation around. In reality, for these Buddhist scriptures to take effect, one must have the right foundation in place (要有基础才会灵). It would be difficult for these Buddhist scriptures to have any positive effect on someone with a weak foundation (没有基础).

The word ‘foundation’ refers to someone who is inherently good, kind-hearted and has performed many meritorious deeds. This person must also be diligentintheirrecitationofthe Great Compassion Mantra, Heart Sutra and Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance.

< Sow the Seed of Kindness and You Shall Have A Harvest of Peace >

Once you live by the dharma,
you are walking the path of light.

Once you sow the seed of kindness,
you shall have a harvest of peace.

Together with a heart of compassion,
you become the architect of
your own fate and destiny.