Q: Dear Master Lu, what should we be aware of during birthday celebrations?
A:
- Birthday celebrations for a living person should be based on the Gregorian calendar rather than the lunar calendar.
- On your birthday, you must not perform any acts of killing (animals), as the resulting negative karma generated would be doubled on your birthday. If anyone consumes freshly killed animals during your birthday celebration, then all the negative karma from the killings are counted as yours.
- It is best to adopt a vegetarian diet on your birthday. If you can perform life liberations, it would be even better.
- In addition, it is recommended that you perform more recitations and recite more Little Houses on your birthday.
- Avoid lighting or blowing out candles. Lighting candles is tantamount to informing the underworld that one year has been deducted from your lifespan.