WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS, YOU GAIN INFINITE WISDOM Master Jun Hong Lu: You need to understand that when you help others, you are the one who is benefitting. Did you know how much you gain when you help others? You gain infinite wisdom! This is how it is – when you reach out to others, […]
IS BEING NON-COMPETITIVE AN ATTITUDE OF A NON-ACHIEVER? Question: Our practice of Buddhism has made us easy-going and we are not interested to contend. However, some people feel that this is an attitude of a non-achiever. Answer: It is a matter of one’s spiritual state. For example, when you let go after learning Buddhism, in […]
WHEN WE PRAY FOR WISDOM, GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA WILL BLESS US WITH ‘GLAZE WATER’ Caller: Master, what are the functions of the ‘glaze water’ (nectar of blessings) contained in the vase held by Guan Yin Bodhisattva? Would you please elaborate? Master Jun Hong Lu: First, it helps to clear your mind; second, it blesses you […]
ONCE YOU TELL A LIE, YOU NEED TEN MORE LIES TO COVER THE LIE Master Jun Hong Lu: Many people are inclined to inject lies to even the short sentences they speak. Once you tell a lie, you need ten more lies to cover the lie. For instance, you tell your boss, “Boss, I’ll be […]
HAVING NO MEANS TO HELP BUT REJOICING IN OTHERS’ GOOD DEEDS IS THE CULTIVATION OF SYMPATHETIC JOY Master Jun Hong Lu: I have mentioned before, do not badmouth others, because if you do, you are very far from resembling Bodhisattva. In this case, how can you possibly ascend to heaven? Think about it, is there […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S SIXTH GREAT VOW: TO REQUEST THE BUDDHA TO SET IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF DHARMA Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s sixth great vow is ‘to request the Buddha to set in motion the wheel of dharma’. ‘Shakyamuni Buddha has passed into extinction’. ‘To enter into extinction’ is how people in the past […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S FIFTH GREAT VOW: THE MERITS OF RESPONDING WITH JOY Master Jun Hong Lu: If you have the means to help others but you do not do it, you are not a good person. On the contrary, if you have the means and you go ahead and do it, then, you are truly making […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S FOURTH GREAT VOW: REPENT ONE’S WRONGDOINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s fourth great vow is to repent one’s wrongdoings. As long as we are in the human realm or in the six realms of rebirth, we will definitely be plagued by karmic obstacles. The Chinese word (忏悔) (to repent) can be examined […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S THIRD GREAT VOW: TO MAKE ABUNDANT OFFERINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s third great vow is to make abundant offerings. What does this mean? It means to make offerings to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Ten Directions and Three Periods of Time and to have deep respect for Them. When we […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S SECOND GREAT VOW: PRAISE THE TATHAGATAS (THUS COME ONE) Master Jun Hong Lu: Please allow me to elaborate on “To praise the Tathagatas”, there are three aspects to it: • Paying respect to the Buddhas through your actions; • Praising the Buddhas through your speech; and • Venerating the Buddhas through your thoughts. […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S SECOND GREAT VOW: PRAISE THE TATHAGATA Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Second Great Vow: Praise the Tathagata (Thus Come One). The Tathagata is likened to all the Bodhisattvas, towards Them, we must be full of praise. For example, when you worship Guan Yin Bodhisattva, your heart should praise Guan Yin Bodhisattva, “You […]
IT IS THE HEART THAT MAKES THE BUDDHA, THE HEART IS THE BUDDHA Master Jun Hong Lu: If you want to become a Buddha, visualise the Buddha’s image, recollect the Buddha’s virtues, and recite the sacred name of the Buddha. When you do these, there and then you are a Buddha. Many people ask me, […]
WHEN YOU RESPECT OTHERS, YOU DIGNIFY YOURSELF Master Jun Hong Lu: When we respect others, we are in fact dignifying ourselves. The fact that we are worthy of honour, respect for others naturally arises. Sometimes, the truth of life lies in those mundane and tranquil moments. When we are going through the humdrums of everyday […]
THE MEANING OF ‘KARMIC FORCE IS AN IMPETUS THAT SPURS ONE TO PROGRESS SPIRITUALLY’ Caller: Master, how should we understand ‘karmic force is an impetus that spurs one to progress spiritually’? Master Jun Hong Lu: Do you think people will seek the blessings of the Buddha if they don’t suffer in life? Aren’t they progressing […]
THE KARMIC CONSEQUENCES OF VERBAL KARMA I cannot emphasise this enough. You do not cultivate your mind with your mouth. Just because you have a silver tongue does not necessarily mean that you are excellent in your cultivation of the mind. If you are serious about cultivation, you should try your best to speak less. […]
RESPECT EVERYONE AROUND US Master Jun Hong Lu: We must maintain a respectful heart and have due regard to everyone around us. Through this, we are able to have a thorough understanding of our Buddha nature. A person, who can let go of his ego, is able to show respect for others; while the one […]
THE IMPORTANCE OF REVERING THE BODHISATTVAS Caller: A fellow Buddhist practitioner had the following revelation when reciting the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance: ‘Paying respect to the Buddhas’ statues and respectfully making offerings on the Buddhist altar is an ingenious method to curb one’s arrogance. There are people who have the financial means but are not […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S FIRST GREAT VOW: PAY HOMAGE TO ALL BUDDHAS Master Jun Hong Lu: The first great vow is to pay homage to all Buddhas. To pay homage means to have a heart of deference. With great respect, your mind contemplates, your body bows and your mouth praises. You prostrate to Guan Yin Bodhisattva because […]
CULTIVATE ALL GOODNESS WITHOUT ATTACHMENT TO ANY PERCEPTION Master Jun Hong Lu: The “Diamond Sutra” says “To cultivate all goodness without attachment to any perception”. To be detached from all perception means to go away from all the things you like. This detachment is not the kind of detachment on the outside, but rather from […]
SEEKING THE BUDDHA’S WAY ABOVE AND TRANSFORMING LIVING BEINGS BELOW Master Jun Hong Lu: Along the path of Buddhism practice, one should, all the more, make great vows. The greater your vows, the more you will advance in your spiritual cultivation. When you say, “Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I will be diligent and steadfast in my […]
SUSPICION CAUSES A FAMILY BREAKUP Master Jun Hong Lu: This is a real-life story. There was once a wealthy lady, who reared a pet parrot at home. For a period of time, whenever she got home, the parrot would, without fail, regurgitate this phrase, “Be patient…hang on right there, be more patient…” This evoked her […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S TEN GREAT VOWS Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva has made ten great vows, therefore He is known as “Universal Worthy Bodhisattva”. When you recite the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO), what are you actually reciting? It is in fact about your intention to change your behaviour. When you are determined to do […]
REPENTANCE WITHOUT FORM Master Jun Hong Lu: Repentance without form is in reality not repenting in any way. If ‘the perception of formlessness’ is felt deep in one’s mind, this is in itself one method of self-correction. This is a seamless self-transformation process, a type of repentance that cannot be seen because such an act […]
HOW TO ELIMINATE THE UNHEALTHY MENTALITY OF BEING SAD WHEN SEEING OTHERS SUCCEED? Caller: Master Lu has mentioned multiple times that nowadays people have a bad mentality: they feel sad when seeing others do better than them, and feel happy when others are worse than them. How can one eradicate this kind of unhealthy mentality? […]
MASTER JUN HONG LU’S DISCOURSE ON GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA’S RENUNCIATION DAY Caller: Master, tomorrow is the renunciation day of our great Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Could you give a word or two in commemoration of this special day? Master Jun Hong Lu: Renunciation day is a day when one makes a resolution. To fulfil Her resolution […]
WHAT IS REPENTANCE WITH FORM? Master Jun Hong Lu: Repentance with attachment to form will lead to ignorance, delusion and derangement. After committing a mistake, if you merely say, “I’m sorry, Bodhisattva”, and make no attempt to mend your ways, there will be jealousy in you, and you are arrogant and idiotic. On the other […]
HOW TO BALANCE WORLDLY PURSUITS WITH DETACHMENT IN BUDDHISM? Caller: We live in a world where it is a norm to chase one’s dreams, aspire to get into the best school and find a good job, earn more money, etc. In fact, these ambitions help to propel us forward. Buddhism, on the other hand, teaches […]
BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS ARE ETERNALLY COMPASSIONATE TOWARDS ALL SENTIENT BEINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: The compassion that the Buddha has for all sentient beings is ever-present. As a Buddhist practitioner, bear in mind that as long as you pray to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, be it Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Shakyamuni Buddha, or any other Bodhisattvas, Their […]
DO NOT JUDGE OTHERS WITH EVIL KNOWLEDGE AND THOUGHTS As a true-blue Buddhist practitioner, we must learn to forgive. We must not judge others with our evil knowledge and thoughts because if our view is biased, we will misjudge people. If you can’t take control of your heart and fail to see others with a […]
YOUR ABILITY TO ELIMINATE YOUR KARMIC OBSTACLES REDUCES IF YOU KEEP REPEATING THE SAME MISTAKE Master Jun Hong Lu: There are many people who have the misconception that “It’s alright for me to do some bad things today. I can recite a few times of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO) to repent and all […]
