Q: Master Lu has sacrificed so much and endured great hardships for sentient beings. Buddhist practitioners like us would like to recite Buddhist scriptures and Little Houses for Master Lu. How should we do this in the most appropriate manner?
A:
- You may recite the Great Compassion Mantra and the Heart Sutra for Master Lu. The former helps strengthen Master Lu’s spiritual power, while the latter helps to repay the karmic debts which Master Lu shoulders for sentient beings. However, it is not advisable to recite the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance for Master Lu.
- Before reciting, you may say the following prayer: “May the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless Master Jun Hong Lu, grant him good health, so that he will dwell long in the human realm. I, <your full name>, now recite the Great Compassion Mantra (or the Heart Sutra) for Master Jun Hong Lu”.
- Simply recite the mantra or sutra as part of your daily recitations. There is no need to recite and record them on the Self-Cultivation Record Form.
- In fact, reciting the Great Compassion Mantra or the Heart Sutra for Master Lu will enable you to connect to the energy field of the Bodhisattva and Master Lu. Hence, you will receive blessings from the Bodhisattva. Ultimately, you are the one who will benefit from the recitation.
- You may also recite Little Houses for Master Lu, as Master Lu has shouldered a heavy burden of karma for sentient beings. When reciting Little Houses for this purpose, the reciter needs to write his/her name in the “Offered by” field on the Little House. The recipient part (under “Offer To”) can be left blank.
- If you have many urgent matters to attend to, if you are seriously ill, or if you have severe karmic obstacles, then you are advised to perform recitations and recite Little Houses for yourself first.