📜 A LETTER TO MASTER JUN HONG LU – IN DEEP GRATITUDE FOR HAVING YOU AS OUR MASTER
Dear Master,
It has been some time since you entered nirvana. Still, your memory remains more alive than ever. We still remember the morning of the funeral ceremony; we watched the live broadcast at the Practice Centre, and said goodbye to you from Singapore, where you have many followers, a good portion of them, (whom you might be comforted to know), are younger people, many of whom were moved by your love, compassion, dedication and humility.
On this day of remembrance, let us assure you that we will strictly adhere to your teachings, observe the Buddhist precepts, forge ahead in our spiritual practice with great diligence, and always have the unity of the dharma door at heart as how you had always, painstakingly advised us.
There are no words to express our deepest gratitude to you for touching our lives and leaving behind the Buddhist wisdom which would be known to posterity. We will always remember that our practice is the continuation of your effort.
In deep bow with gratitude,
Your disciples from Singapore
🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷
To commemorate the upcoming special occasion, let’s walk down memory lane of this great Master of ours who came and departed for the sake of sentient beings and who will forever remain in the heart of sentient beings.
20 YEARS OF DHARMA PROPAGATION
FOR THE WELL-BEING OF SENTIENT BEINGS
It is Master Lu’s consistent genuineness and sincerity towards Buddhist friends along with His compassion and selflessness that won Him the love and esteem of millions of followers around the world.
< WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY OF MASTER LU? >
1. THE LOVING SIDE OF OUR MASTER
TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN; DEVELOP A HABIT OF BEING SELF-AWARE
Master Jun Hong Lu: You still have a long way to go. If you are not diligent, you will only have yourself to blame when you suffer in the future. I have talked to you for so many years, how many more years do I have to talk to you?
Essentially, you can only depend on yourself. You need to have self-awareness. If you are a good child, whether I am around or I am not, there shouldn’t be any difference. If you need someone to watch over you all the time, shame on you!
If you do not have self-awareness, aren’t you a disgrace to Bodhisattva?
You must lean on your own self-awareness in whatever you do. Being aware means being awakened. Bodhisattva is the awakened one – an enlightened being. If you are awakened, you see through the reality of things and are able to let go, you wouldn’t intentionally be behaving any differently just because others are watching, and behaving otherwise, when they are not. You need to transform yourself for the better.
Time and tide wait for no man. Lost time is never found again! But, the moment you transform yourself, you will realise everything around you will change.
Bodhisattva and I are fond of those who can transform themselves. When you transform, a promising life will long endure. It’s pointless to put up a false front as nothing escapes the all-pervading eyes of Bodhisattva.
Hence, The Way is to be genuine in one’s spiritual cultivation, because when a person is truly practising, he is essentially on the Buddha’s path. On the contrary, those who are pretending in their practice, what else can they expect except, deviation from their practice or setting foot on a demonic path?
One who truly comprehends the Buddha-dharma is the awakened one. A wise person is an awakened person. Hence, be true to your spiritual cultivation and work hard on overcoming your shortcomings.
I shall teach you as much as I can and help you as much as I can; if I can’t help you anymore, I shall stop. It is impossible for me to help you all the time. I hope you will rely on your own self-awareness.
You need to be more enlightened, cultivate this positive habit of a Buddhist practitioner, that is, being self-aware where you don’t need others to push you to do your recitation. This is what it means by being self-aware.
You are not in a kindergarten, where you need someone to watch over you all day long! If you are someone with such dependency, what’s the point of practising the dharma?
I hope you will put in your best effort. Cherish the opportunity given to you by the Bodhisattva. Don’t muddle through life in this world, and keep falling down. You need to keep up, otherwise, you will be eliminated!
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 390), 16 June 2020
2. THE STERN SIDE OF OUR MASTER
ALWAYS MAGNIFY YOUR FLAWS AND MINIMISE YOUR MERITS
Master Jun Hong Lu: I often say that each person’s karmic obstructions are as immense as a mountain and as vast as the sea. A mountain is heavy and the sea is broad, symbolising that a person’s faults and flaws are significant and pervasive, mirroring the size of a mountain and the breadth of the sea. These karmic obstructions are within us, with no part left untouched.
Think about it, how many shortcomings has each of you accumulated from childhood until now? Disregarding advice, not listening to others, being lazy, only considering yourself, oblivious to the feelings of others, causing harm, slandering others and so on. These offences weigh as heavy as a mountain, and the negative karma is as vast as the sea.
People should magnify their flaws and minimise their merits. In other words, perceive your strengths as tiny and your weaknesses as substantial. Only then can you realise how daunting your shortcomings are so that you can strive to urgently correct them. However, many people do the opposite. They use a magnifying glass for their merits, exaggerating even minute good deeds, and a microscope for their faults, downplaying significant shortcomings as trivial. “Isn’t it just a little thing? What’s the big deal?”. Please note this: Never forget that even minor causes can have disproportionate effects.
We should strive to be noble individuals, not petty ones. Although we are all humans, some people live as if they are in hell, while others dwell in heaven. The latter do so because their hearts are as vast as the sky, devoid of any distracting thoughts. On the other hand, those living as though they are in hell have narrow minds, as tiny as the eye of a needle, consumed by worry, sorrow, and jealousy, and hence, they are drowned in perpetual suffering. The aim of cultivating the mind, as I’ve taught you, is to rectify your flaws and cultivate a heart as wide as the sea.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 2 Chapter 15
3. THE HUMBLE SIDE OF MASTER LU
We invite you to watch the following video with a very impactful zen message:
Master Jun Hong Lu,
“Planting green seedlings all over the rice field.
As one’s head lowers, the sky in the water is seen.
It is through retreating that advancement is revealed”
(Zen poem).
In life, oftentimes, we need to retreat in order to advance.
When others attack you, the more you fight the more badly you will fail.
Instead, try stepping back, as forbearance will then take you on the advancing path.
4. THE ALTRUISTIC SIDE OF MASTER LU
FOLLOW THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS DILIGENTLY
Master Jun Hong Lu: When the Buddha was entering nirvana, His disciples were grieving. The Buddha said to His disciples that their wish to have Him dwell forever in this world is a violation of the law of nature. As the manifestation of Truth of the Universe, the Buddha cannot violate the nature of dharma.
Once, during a sermon, the Buddha told His disciples, “If you cannot follow my teachings, what’s the point even if I were to live for millions of years? If you can follow my teachings, it would be as though I was alive eternally”.
“You must be steadfast in your belief in the dharma. Act according to the dharma and don’t convert to others. You must learn my teachings diligently. Free yourselves of worries and be unperturbed, and only that will constitute a real disciple of mine”.
The Buddha exhorted His disciples not to be sad, as all things on earth are subject to formation and dissolution. Where there is life, there is death. Where there is reunion, there is parting. This is the truth from the law of impermanence.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse on the Buddha’s Renunciation Day, Buddhism In Plain Terms, 1 March 2020
5. THE HUMOROUS SIDE OF MASTER LU
“LIFE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE BITTER; OUR HEART IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE WEARY” (生活本来不苦，人心本来不累)
SEVEN GOLDEN ADVICE FROM MASTER LU TO HIS DISCIPLES
1. Keep your initial aspiration alive
EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR SUSTAINING INITIAL ASPIRATION
Master Jun Hong Lu: To avoid falling into a state of slackness, it’s best to maintain your initial aspiration. This means reflecting on the reason that thrusted you into the dharma gate, and reminiscing about the blessings bestowed by Bodhisattva.
The abundance of inspiration, peace, safety and happiness that you immerse in today is all owing to Bodhisattva’s blessings. Instead of complaining, you should focus on cultivating a sense of gratitude and keep moving forward.
There are three ways to keep yourself motivated: First, keep reading, specifically, you must study Buddhism in Plain Terms. Why so? Initially, I only asked you to recite Little Houses and the Buddhist scriptures. Subsequently, I brought Buddhism in Plain Terms into the picture in order to prevent you from regressing in your spiritual practice. That’s the first method.
Second, follow in the footsteps of those who are diligent and have never regressed in their practice. You will be able to derive a lot of positive energy from such people. In fact, by mingling with them, you will be constantly inspired to diligently perform meritorious deeds like distributing Buddhist books to others. This is of utmost importance.
Third, you must be at war with your negative behaviours, that is, you must break your bad habits, particularly laziness, including transgressions that you commit mentally such as greed and hatred. This is because these negative traits can induce slothfulness.
Those who are covetous will not persevere in their spiritual cultivation simply because they feel that it is not worth the while. On the other hand, those who harbour a deep resentment against others will even question Bodhisattva for not letting such people, whom they condemn for being vicious, die. In the mind of the ignorant, they will always think, “Why is it that Bodhisattva does not grant me the chance to win a lottery?”
Source: Wenda20160311 07:47, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
2. Perform constant self-reflection
CULTIVATING THE MIND IS AKIN TO TREADING ON THIN ICE
Master Jun Hong Lu: As we practise Buddhism and cultivate our minds, we must keep in mind that cultivation is akin to treading on thin ice. It is a fitting description, as the path of cultivation is difficult, and we must remain vigilant throughout.
While novice Buddhist practitioners are easily led astray, all the earlier efforts put in by a veteran practitioner can amount to nought with just the slightest negligence. This isn’t just a reminder for beginners, but for all Buddhist practitioners.
It is through constant self-reflection that we can triumph over the various demons that lurk within and around us, as only then can we achieve our goals in our Buddhist practice.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 1, Chapter 4
3. Seize wisdom and do away with desires
“CALM IS THE HEART WITH NO DESIRE” 无欲自然心如水
Master Jun Hong Lu: All of you are familiar with my motto in life: Calm is the heart with no desire. I hope all of you will break free from desires. Your heart should be calm like the water. When you have no greed, you will not give rise to hatred, and you will not do foolish things.
We need to see through the reality of things in life, understand the Buddhist doctrine and the truth within that teaches us that all desires are transient; they are mere hallucinations brought forth by one’s bewilderment.
When we are driven by desires, we go into a state of confusion. Being ordinary mortals, we are seduced and we lose our soul. That is why I need to tell all of you that desires are detrimental to our souls.
The more we have, the more we want and the better we want them to be. With that, we step into the realm of greed and lose all control. This is the predicament you bring upon yourself because of your desires.
When you seize wisdom, you will have no more desires. You begin to understand that everything in the world is illusory – no matter how much happiness there is, it will all come to an end; and no matter how much pleasure it may be giving you, it will leave you one fine day. Then, you take a look at what is right in front of you and feel content, that’s when you will be most happy as you are no longer enticed by the things that used to be your objects of desire.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 72, 11 June 2020
4. Be diligent in order to keep ignorance and bewilderment at bay
STAY DILIGENT IN YOUR BUDDHIST PRACTICE TO KEEP IGNORANCE AND BEWILDERMENT AT BAY
Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me share a fable with you. Once upon a time, a horse and a donkey came to know that Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang would be travelling to the West to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures.
Reasoning that it would be a long and exhausting journey riddled with challenges, the donkey said, “I’m not going”. The horse, on the other hand, said, “I will go”. And off the horse went with Buddhist monk Tang Sanzang.
After overcoming countless difficulties, they successfully retrieved the Buddhist scriptures. Upon returning, the donkey probed, “Brother, has it been an arduous journey for you?”
The horse replied, “While I was away to retrieve the scriptures, the distance that you had covered was not any shorter than mine. To top it all off, you were blindfolded and were constantly being lashed by humans. Being a diligent horse, through this round of trials and tribulations, I’ve become a thousand-mile fine steed”.
In reality, the actual fatigue experienced has nothing to do with our physical but mental because true fatigue stems from our ignorance and bewilderment. The moment bewilderment sets in, many people will enter into a state of confusion which is tantamount to being ignorant simply because they have yet to see through the reality of things, and are still attached to the perception of form (着相). This will cause them to sink deeper into confusion over time. Hence, those who hope to keep confusion at bay, they must stay diligent in learning Buddhism, performing recitation and mind cultivation.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Milan, Italy, 23 September 2017
5. Practise equanimity and stop judging others
LIVE BY THE PRECEPTS
Master Jun Hong Lu: When the Buddha was about to enter nirvana, His disciples knelt before him and implored, “Master, after you are gone, what are we supposed to do?”
The Buddha answered, “The precepts will be your teacher”.
As long as a person lives by the precepts, he will never stray. Cultivation of equanimity is essential to safeguarding the primitive heart of ours (要用平等的心保护住自己本原的真心), the one that is sincere in nature. You started off as a kind-hearted person, how did you become unkind afterwards? That is because you have stopped perceiving others with a heart of equanimity and become judgemental and you go, “This person is bad, that person is good, this person is rich, that person has no social status”. All these will transform into ideology and the development of a mind that lacks equanimity. Little by little, it will tarnish the kind and compassionate heart of the Buddha in you.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Guan Yin Hall, Sydney, Australia, 31 May 2016
6. Never slack in your spiritual cultivation
NEVER SLACK IN SPIRITUAL CULTIVATION
Master Jun Hong Lu: Go ahead and slack off in your spiritual cultivation – wait till you are confronted with challenges, and you will then cry your eyes out! If you want to spare yourself the tears, you’d better start to work hard NOW!
Source: Wenda20200209 33:28, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
7. Ultimately, you have only Bodhisattva to rely on
Commemorating the Second Anniversary of Our Revered Master Jun Hong Lu’s Nirvana
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