The Origins of Sickness – A Buddhist Guide to Health and Wellbeing

< NOTHING HAPPENS BY CHANCE, YOU CREATE YOUR OWN KARMA > 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 93 (27 June 2020) 

When life becomes catastrophic and difficult,we need to learn to accept it without any grievances or regrets. The sufferings you experience in this life and the happiness you feel are the seeds you sowed in your previous life.

The mountain of karma that we pile up hinders us from our spiritual cultivation in this world.Understand that this mountain of karmic obstacles is inevitable. But, at the same time, trust that there will come a day, when this mountain will be levelled. 

< WHAT BRINGS THE GREATEST SUFFERING IN YOUR LIFE? >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Episode 45 (18 April 2020)
ONE’S PHYSICAL BODY BRINGS THE GREATEST SUFFERING 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me tell you, you need to reckon the one thing that brings the greatest suffering to our life. And that is, your physical body. 

Your body is well at one time, and unwell at another. It suffers pain at one time, and after some time the pain is gone. You use your body to experience life’s pleasures, use it to enjoy what is not seen, those fleeting riches and glory. Then one day when you come to know that you suffer from a terminal disease, all of these are like the passing of the fleeting clouds. 

< THE EIGHT SUFFERINGS > 

1.  The suffering of birth.

2.  The suffering of old age.

3.  The suffering of illness.

4.  The suffering of death.

5.  The suffering of having to leave the one you love.

6.  The suffering of having to be with the one you detest.

7.  The suffering of not getting what you want.

8.  The suffering of the five appropriated aggregates.

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Radio Program) 
Volume 2, Chapter 1
THE THREE TYPES OF ILLNESSES

There are three types of illnesses on the human body. 

The first one is illness due to past karma (宿业病). These are the illnesses caused by negative karma that one has accumulated fromunwholesome deeds committed in their past lives.

This karma is brought over to their present life in the form of retributions. Hence, it is known as illness due to past karma. 

Another type of illness is internal disorder (内伤) and the third type is disease caused by external factors (外感). 

Wenda20120701B 30:47 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE PHYSICAL ILLNESS, ILLNESS CAUSED BY FOREIGN SPIRITS?  

Caller: I heard that some fellow practitioners have questions regarding the difference between physical illnesses (肉体病) and illnesses caused by foreign spirits (灵性病). In reality, both types of illnesses are considered illnesses due to karma (因果病), right? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: That is right. Be it physical illnesses or illnesses caused by foreign spirits, they are considered illnesses due to karma. It’s only that at times, physical illnesses may not involve foreign spirits. That said, diseases caused by the law of karma come about when the karma has crystallised,  causing the person to contract a disease. It does not necessarily involve the presence of foreign spirits. 

Caller: However, these foreign spirits would often find the weakest parts of our body to effectuate the harm on us. 

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes. A simple example is when a person is reborn. Parents with heart issues would give birth to a child with a weak heart. Will you consider this a form of karmic illness? If you are reborn with a poor heart condition, it proves that you had an evil heart in your previous life. 

Caller: I understand now. When we are physically ill, it is best to adopt approaches that address the illness from both the physical and foreign spirit perspectives (灵性病和肉体病一起治).

Master Jun Hong Lu: That is correct.

 
Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms (Radio Program)  -Volume 2, Chapter 1
KARMIC ILLNESS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO CURE 

Out of the three types of illnesses, karmic illnesses (宿业病) are the most difficult to cure. This kind of illness is a result of your unwholesome deeds in past lives and you are here in this life to suffer the retributions (来受报). Past life karma is stored in your mind, in your eighth consciousness (八识田中). This is whykarmic illnesses are the most difficult to cure.

When a person is being treated unfairly, the first thing that comes to his mind will be, “Why me?” “My performance is equally as good, why is he given a chance but not me?”  When something is missing in the company, “Why does my boss scold me instead of him?”

This explains the workings of past life karma (宿业). 

Shuohua20120608 02:03 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) An Excerpt
INBORN ILLNESS VERSUS ACQUIRED ILLNESS.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT THE LATTER? 

Caller: What are the karmic reasons for one to be deaf, mute or blind?

Master Jun Hong Lu: A person suffers from deformity or incomplete body parts in this world due to the accumulated karma from their previous lives. This is referred to as ‘karma of the three time periods’ (三世因果).

Those who are blind in this lifetime must have commited evil deeds in their past lives, such as looking at things they were not supposed to see, especially those unwholesome things. These include, deriving pleasure from witnessing an act of killing or watching pornography. When the accumulated karma from committing these deeds reaches a tipping point (达到一定因果时), the person will become blind in this life. 

When the things we watch are extremely filthy or violent, they will inevitably penetrate our eighth consciousness (进了八识田中), making their elimination impossible. When this happens, this person will suffer from blindness in his next life. 

Caller: Can these conditions be cured?

Master Jun Hong Lu: As these are ills of the mind, as long as the said organ is not entirely ‘damaged’, there is still hope.

Caller: If the condition is inborn, does it mean that it is comparatively more difficult to be cured?

Master Jun Hong Lu: If the doctor says that there is no hope, it might be that changes have already taken place in the body. Hence, there is less hope that the illness can be cured. 

Acquired illnesses (后天性), on the other hand, depict one’s karmic obstacles are not weighty and the person did not do a lot of bad things; it’s just that, they might have watched a couple of ‘things’ that they were not supposed to; or probably something in this life has triggered a specific past life negative karma that brought about ‘THE’ condition. Hence, the sudden…

When you think about it, it is such a pity. If only these people started recitation or spiritual cultivation earlier, they would not have gone blind nor deaf. 

……

They must recite the Heart Sutra, the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Repentance (LIFO), and the Little Houses. The recitation of the Little Houses must be a lifetime commitment for them.

< INTERNAL DISORDER 内伤 >

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Sydney Guan Yin Hall – 16 October 2020
THE MIND IS THE ROOT OF ALL INTERNAL DISORDERS 

Master Jun Hong Lu: There is another type of ailment that we humans suffer from and that is, internal disorder 内伤. We are highly vulnerable emotionally, either due to the lack of understanding from others or our lack of understanding towards others. All of these are capable of causing harm to us and have a significant bearing on our health.  

Jealousy, resentment, greed and ignorance are sources of internal disorders. Those who harbour jealousy towards others over a prolonged period will feel an increasing pain in their heart. People who always bear grudges towards others will experience worsening dry eyes and suffer from heartbreaks. 

The Bodhisattva has advised us, to do away with our internal disorders, and the best method is to “do no evil” (诸恶莫作). I shall now caution that not only it is important to do no evil, all of you must “think no evil” (诸恶莫想) and do all good (众善奉行). 

For some physical ailments, certain medication may help restore your health. But, in the case of internal disorder, you must “think no evil” and dedicate yourself to a life of good deeds. 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms
Volume 4, Chapter 46 (An Excerpt)

DISCURSIVE THOUGHTS WILL AFFECT ONE’S HEALTH

Master Jun Hong Lu: Human thought is capable of generating some kind of frequency (频率), which is created the moment you give rise to a thought. What is this frequency? It’s a kind of vibrational resonance (震荡的共鸣) in your mind that corresponds with the quality of each arising thought. 

A kind thought will set your heart to beat smoothly and steadily. On the other hand, whenever you lose your temper or toy with the idea of doing something bad, your heart beat becomes rapid; your brain goes into an overdrive, while your eyes turn red, your nose tenses up and phlegm starts to build up in your throat, etc.

In response, your body suffers from spasm which is the reaction that serves as a physiological resonance (产生的一种共振). This goes to show that the physical illnesses we suffer from can also be a manifestation of one’s deranged mental state (颠倒梦想).  

Do not be misguided by what you are suffering from today is just some form of common cold or flu. Many do not understand that the underlying reason for their ill health lies in their erroneous view about what’s right and wrong and their fallacious reasoning (歪理). 

When your awareness lacks a sense of righteousness (意识的不正) and you are filled with discursive thoughts (意念错乱), your mind  will be deranged (心灵错乱). When this happens, your endocrine will go haywire (内分泌失调) which disrupts your bodily functions, causing you to fall ill. 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Radio Program)
Volume 2, Chapter 15 (An Excerpt)
UNWHOLESOME THOUGHTS ATTRACT FOREIGN SPIRITS 

Master Jun Hong Lu: In our daily interactions with people, many things happen because we ask for it; and many troubles that arise are self-inflicted. 

The moment you give rise to an unwholesome thought, the spirit world (灵界) will immediately know about it. It is therefore important to think good thoughts, speak good words, and do good deeds (存好心，说好话，行好事). In doing so, you are able to ward off these foreign spirits, even the vicious ones.

This is because even spirits know that they are not supposed to inflict harm on kind people. Similarly, our deceased parents or any deceased, for this matter, may have become a foreign spirit, but they will not harm people who are kind. 

On the flip hand, if you stoop so low such that your state of mind is equivalent to that of the foreign spirits (境界跟鬼一样), this is when they are able to get their hands on you to cause you harm. I hope all of you can exercise caution and safeguard your actions, speech and mind, so that they are free from greed, anger and ignorance. 

< INFECTIOUS DISEASE 外感 >

Disorders caused by organisms — such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites in the environment.  

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Sydney Guan Yin Hall – 16 October 2020
BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY BY WATCHING YOUR SIX SENSES

Diseases caused by external factors (外感) is another type of illness humans suffer from. What does this refer to? It is when a person’s health is affected by the external hot or cold weather, humidity and wind which cause them to either catch a cold or have fever.

These illnesses can actually be prevented. When it is cold, you can wear more layers of clothings; when it is hot, you can shed some of it. And, try to maintain a relatively constant body temperature at all times. 

What’s hard to control is how you experience the external environment which includes the words of others, those hurtful things and words, etc. All of which causes the weakening of your immune system.

The fact that you are filled with hatred and anger; in touch with pornography and dining, wining, whoring and gambling (吃喝嫖赌). All of these give rise to the evil thoughts (邪念) in you. As a result, your immune system weakens; you start to think in a perverse way (思维不正) and your eyes will shy away from others’. An absolutely normal person hence becomes dispirited (颓废). This is also considered a type of disease caused by external factors.

How do we manage diseases caused by externalities? 

Firstly, we should watch our six senses (管好自己的六根) and keep ourselves in check against the corresponding six sense objects (控制好自己对应的六尘). We have to learn to practise vegetarianism, recite the Buddhist scriptures, make great vows and perform life liberation. 

An ancient Chinese medicinal classic “The Esoteric Scripture of the Yellow Emperor” (黄帝内经) mentions that, if a person is on the brink of succumbing to a serious illness, or is already ill, he must cease all sexual misconducts (杜绝邪淫之事), refrain from the act of killing and be disciplined.

This is because preventing oneself from the cause of evil is in itself the root of virtue (不碰恶因就是在种善根). 

By Letting Go of Resentment, Buddhism Helps Restore A Life Wrecked By An Accident 

< The Path to HEALING our Body and Mind > 

Master Lu Jun Hong’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 September 2019
BODHISATTVA HELPS US THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIUMS 

Question: A fellow practitioner made a vow to transcend the cycle of rebirth in this lifetime (一世修成). His karmic obstruction came to fruition (业障爆发) and he was diagnosed with cancer. He refused to go through a surgery despite doctor’s advice and insisted that he wanted to prove the effectiveness of the teachings by applying the Four Golden Buddhist Practices (四大法宝) to help him recover. Master, may I ask if this is advisable? 

Master Jun Hong Lu: This person is rather stubborn. In fact, when we are ill, Bodhisattva extends help to us through various mediums. For example, you may be required to undergo a surgery and Guan Yin Bodhisattva helps you find a good doctor; the doctor may coincidentally be available at a particular time and somehow, he is the best surgeon in that particular field. These are the arrangements made by Bodhisattva and it is one way to save your life. 

Of course, certain illnesses may not require surgery, whereby Bodhisattva may appear in your dreams to help resolve them. There are various methods that may be used to save you. Thus, don’t be so stubborn and insistent to say, “I will never go through the surgery; this is it”. Some people recover after going through surgery because of the help from Bodhisattva. Do you understand? You should not be so stubborn and obstinate. 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Sydney Guan Yin Hall – 16 October 2020
GENERAL GUIDELINE TO AVOID ILLNESS – PERSISTENT REPENTANCE 

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are the greatest doctors, helping us resolve the many afflictions of our mind (心灵的烦恼) and our paranoia (心病). Many physical illnesses stem from the mind, so do many major life-threatening illnesses. 

It is more unlikely for a person with a relaxed mind to suffer from cancer. Consequently, a person who is able to let go in life, is less likely to suffer from mental anguish. Due to karma from past lives, at times it can be difficult to cure illnesses that arise from it.

Take for example, you once harmed someone in your past life. In your present life, you will continue to meet with car accidents and calamities or contract infectious diseases. You will also be born with certain hereditary diseases. This is because of the accumulated karma from your past lifetimes which is precisely the reason I always ask all of you to recite the “Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance”.

If you perform recitation and repent everyday; when every single minute of your life is spent doing these, they will help you alleviate major karmic obstructions, and quell minor ones (大业变小、小业变无). Gradually, all calamities will be eliminated. 

Wenda20111204 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
THE ‘RESISTING’ THOUGHT CONSCIOUSNESS OF ANIMALS WOULD DAMAGE THE ENERGY FIELD OF THEIR KILLER

Caller: Those who kill animals would probably have to go under the knife themselves (身体可能会开刀). Is there an explanation for this?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It is because the animal killer has absorbed the resentment (恶气) from the animal, as it  resists (反抗) to be killed. This form of resistance may differ. When a human is about to be killed, he will resist in action and thought consciousness (意识和行为).

However, when a fish is about to be killed, it is incapable of putting up any physical resistance. Hence, it can only hold out against the killing through its thought consciousness (用意识来反抗). The energy from this resistance will affect the killer by causing damage to their energy field, affecting their physiological blood circulation (生理的血脉循环) and causing cellular mutations in their body (细胞变化). 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms
Volume 10, Chapter 41 (An Excerpt)
ABSOLUTE FAITH IN GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA

What forms the energy field (能量场) of a human? It is the power of his resolution (愿力). A resolute person will enjoy perfect health. If a person does not believe in his own abilities and even doubts that he will go far in his Buddhism practice, what do you think is wrong with this person? 

If a person is timid, something could be wrong with his kidneys. If he tends to overthink, something could be wrong with his spleen, while his pessimism could be due to a condition of his lungs. A person should have the complete “Five Viscera of Traditional Chinese Medicine” (namely heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney) (五脏要俱全) that is strong and powerful. A person with a strong heart fears nothing.

There is one common method used by many people. They go, “I have faith and I will leave everything to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. I trust everything is the best arrangement.” When their relationship is strained, they will say, “So be it”. When they suffer from ill health, they will say, “That’s alright. I am sure it can be treated”.

With the presence of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, one is filled with awe-inspiring righteousness (浩然正气). In Traditional Chinese medicine, we often talk about having “Positive Energy” (正气). This essentially means that the five internal organs are in harmony (五脏调和) and the Yin and Yang are in good balance (阴阳平衡). 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse to Disciples
24 May 2021
ENSURE OUR CONNECTION WITH THE HEAVENLY REALM IS NOT LOST

If you wish to alleviate the serious consequences of your karmic deeds (重报轻受), one way is through ensuring that your connection with the heavenly realm is not lost. This is achieved through unceasing recitation of the Buddhist scriptures. 

Performing recitation is a working of the mind, just like the active brain waves that pick up signals from the outside world. Therefore, we must not cease reciting the Buddhist scriptures. A person who refuses to perform recitation, goes to show that he is not interested in resolving his hefty karma (不想消掉自己的重业). 

Wenda20180831 22:55 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
THE RECITATION OF THE BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES HELPS REGULATE THE ‘FIVE ELEMENTS’

Caller: Master, in one of the replies to a written enquiry”, it is mentioned that “Harmony of the Yin Yang and the Five Elements” (阴阳五行调和) is a natural phenomenon  and cannot be gained through beseeching (不是求来的). 

The recitation of more of the Great Compassion Mantra (大悲咒) has the effect of making up whatever element one lacks. However, in one of the radio programs you mentioned that the recitation of the Heart Sutra (心经) can help in regulating the Five Elements. Master, does this imply that both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra have the effect of regulating the Five Elements (调节五行)?

Master Jun Hong Lu: This is for sure. Both the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra have the effect of regulating the Five Elements of a person. 

Caller: The Five Elements consist of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth (金、木、水、火、土). Which of these five elements does the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra fall under?

Master Jun Hong Lu: In essence, the Heart Sutra is considered “internal”, while the Great Compassion Mantra represents blessings received from an “external source” (外面的加持). One is internal and the other external. Why do you think the Little House comprises the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra?

Caller: To ensure an equilibrium (平衡).

Master Jun Hong Lu: That is correct.

 
WHOLEHEARTED RECITATION OF LITTLE HOUSE IS CRUCIAL

The Little House is a type of positive energy that comes from within our mind that is capable of quelling our vexations (烦恼) and ignorance. You must recite wholeheartedly, instead of treating it like some dosage of medication. 

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism in Plain Terms Volume 7, Chapter 41 
(An Excerpt)
HATRED IS LIKE A BALL OF FIRE THAT BURNS YOU

Cease all kinds of hatred. You have to put an end to all forms of hatred in your mind. In other words, you should never harbour hatred against others – you have to stop it, calm down and stop the hate. 

Hatred is like a ball of fire. This malicious fire would burn your heart and organs and damage them. It is important for us to stop the fire from burning. Put your wisdom to good use to exterminate all your enemies. The instant you stop hating, you have essentially destroyed all of them. Furthermore, this form of elimination is effortless. 

You may resent someone at first. However, if you cease to resent him all of a sudden, you no longer find any feelings of hatred towards him. Doesn’t this mean that you have eliminated this particular enemy of yours? Without any feelings of hatred or resentment, this person is no longer your enemy.

Conversely, if you continue to keep resentment within you, this fire will continue to burn your heart and lungs. In fact, it is unnecessary to take any actual actions to subdue our enemies (制服我们的仇敌) by thinking, “I hate this, I hate that. I will make life difficult for him, etc.”. What you need to do is to be genuinely willing to understand others because humans are generally kind-hearted in nature – a person who is always ready to forgive is a Buddhist practitioner.

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse, Sydney Guan Yin Hall – 16 October 2020
IF WE WISH TO BE FREE FROM KARMIC ILLNESS, PRACTISE GREAT COMPASSION AND GRATITUDE 

If you wish to eliminate the illnesses caused by past karma and not to suffer the retribution now, there is one important point that you have to look out for and that is, to practise great compassion. 

Guan Yin Bodhisattva is demonstrating this quality to us every single day, in hope that we can understand the importance of having a heart of compassion. Not only do we need to practise great compassion, we also need to have great determination (大愿心) and to transcend the karmic grievances from our former lives (超度宿世的冤结).

In whatever circumstances, you should learn to surpass yourselves and be grateful. Thanks to these karmic grievances, we now understand we cannot afford to generate anymore new karma in our present life. If we keep generating new karma, we will never be able to eliminate all our karmic obstacles within this lifetime because our past karmic debts have yet to be paid off (前世的宿业还没还清). That said, if we wish to be free from karmic debts in our next life, we need to pay off all our karmic dues within this lifetime and no matter the circumstances are, we need to face them with a heart of gratitude (感恩心). 

Wenda20160527 22:57  (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)
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.

SUMMARY

• Today I learned that sickness is one aspect of suffering in the teachings of the Buddha and a natural part of the human life cycle.
• Today’s session has enlightened me on the correlation between deed and its subsequent consequences that could affect one’s health and disease they suffer from. For example, karmic illness, mental illness or even compromised immunity.
• Today, I am enlightened to a very interesting fact on ‘Acquired Illness’, which in actual fact, is avoidable from the perspective of Buddhism. For example, even if I have the karma seeds of blindness brought forward from past life, as long as I do not trigger that specific past life karma (in this life, for example, I avoid watching unwholesome things) I will not create the ‘condition’ that will make me go blind in my present life.  

Illness due to past life karma

Master Lu reminded us that illness due to past life karma is the most difficult to cure, and Buddhism practice is aimed at ensuring that the negative karma will not further erupt and the person is spared from other possible troubles. 

Internal Disorder

In this session, Master Lu reminded us that our mind is the root of our internal disorders. To be free from sickness of this type, I need to ensure that I am free from jealousy, greed, resentment and ignorance. And, not forgetting, “think no evil”. 

I also need to often check if I am holding erroneous views (a sense of what is right and wrong) as Master Lu says, ‘This is an underlying reason for one’s ill health, which many people are unaware of.’

Infectious Disease

Today I learned that the “immunity-killer” includes holding on to hatred, anger, or engaging myself in unwholesome habits. I need to always remind myself what my Master says today, ‘Preventing oneself from the cause of evil is in itself the root of virtue’ (不碰恶因就是在种善根).

Do I wish to HEAL my body and mind?

A Checklist on what needs to be done.

1. I need to seek medical help when necessary, because Bodhisattva may well be blessing me with my recovery through helping me meet the best doctor.
2. I need to repent my past wrongdoings
3. I need to have an absolute faith in Guan Yin Bodhisattva
4. I need to stop eating the meat of other sentient beings
5. I need to ensure that I am performing the recitation of Little House wholeheartedly
6. I need to stop the hatred and overcome the anger in me
7. I need to be compassionate and grateful (even in adverse situations)
8. I need to always be connected to the heavenly realm, that is through my diligence in performing recitation
9. I need to make the basic Great Vows

HAVE FAITH AND TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME << A CLOCK STORY >>

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, New Zealand – 22 Nov 2015
HAVE FAITH AND TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME

You do not have to overthink about your future. Focus on the hard work and not the harvest.

You just need to make sure you achieve what you set forth to do every single day, with utmost grit.

Just like the clock. Tick tock, tick tock… moving effortlessly every day.

Only then, the joy of attaining Buddhahood will penetrate your body and mind, little by little.