BEING CALCULATIVE OVER THE AMOUNT OF MERITS GENERATED WHEN PERFORMING VIRTUOUS DEEDS WILL NOT TAINT OR WIPE OUT MERITORIOUS BLESSINGS ACCRUED Caller: Let’s say I have 100 dollars in my pocket and plan to utilise them for a meritorious deed. In deciding whether to use it for releasing captive lives or printing of sutra booklets, […]
THE PURPOSE OF THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS IS TO TRANSFORM ALL WRONG THOUGHTS INTO RIGHT THOUGHTS Master Jun Hong Lu: There are two sides to every coin regardless of one’s point of view and their pursuit of things. You can say that something is good but for the very same thing, you can say it is […]
DO NOT LET YOUR SURROUNDINGS FLUTTER YOUR STATE OF MIND Master Jun Hong Lu: A person needs to have the Buddha nature that is fundamentally pure. As the Buddha often said, “The mind remains unmoved despite external changes”. No matter what changes have taken place around you, your mind remains unperturbed. Don’t let the surroundings […]
THE NOTION OF SELF Master Jun Hong Lu: The “Notion of Self” is when you make yourself a priority where you always go, “This is what I think…” “This is what I believe, etc”. Everything revolves around the word “I”. This is a typical case I often come across when I answer questions from the […]
SHOULD I TELL SOMEONE IF I DREAM OF THEM IN A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION? Question: I dreamed that a fellow practitioner was faced with a situation concerning life and death. Can I tell him about my dream? Answer: You should tell him, otherwise you will regret it. The fact that you had this dream is because […]
WOULD REJOICING AFTER PERFORMING MERITORIOUS DEEDS TAINT OUR MERITS? Caller: A Buddhist friend is interested to know whether rejoicing after performing a meritorious deed, or taking delight after being praised by others would taint one’s merits? Master Jun Hong Lu: No, it would not as long as you are not haughty and arrogant. Caller: I […]
RIGHT THOUGHT – TO SEE ALL PROBLEMS IN A POSITIVE LIGHT Master Jun Hong Lu: Let me tell all of you, when looking at a problem, we must see it in a positive light, which means we should steer our mind towards the positive. For example, you have a fight with someone today, and you […]
EFFECTIVE METHODS TO OVERCOME OUR SHORTCOMINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: Many people are confused. For example, when others are greedy, they will tend to be greedy; if others are out to harm others, they, too will do the same. In a group of children, if one child is hit by a person, others will secretly […]
IS IT FINE TO WATCH BUDDHISM-RELATED DRAMAS? Question: A Buddhist practitioner has made a vow to stop watching drama series. In that case, can he watch the drama series about the biographies of the Buddha and Guan Yin Bodhisattva? Answer: This is simply a rigid interpretation. Drama series in this sense refers to those that […]
UNDERSTANDING THE “PERFECTION OF MERITS AND VIRTUES” Caller: Master, there’s a Buddhism phrase that says, “the perfection of merits and virtues”. How should we comprehend this phrase? Master Jun Hong Lu: When performing meritorious deeds, many people fail to achieve the perfection of merits and virtues. Let’s take the example you mentioned just now: By […]
ONE SHOULD NEITHER HOLD TO THE WRONG VIEW NOR BE OBSESSED TO THE IDEA OF HOLDING TO THE RIGHT VIEW Master Jun Hong Lu: To unleash your Buddha nature, you should not hold to the wrong views, neither should you be obsessed with the idea that you are holding on to the right view. When […]
THE SIGNS WHEN ONE SHOULDERS KARMIC OBSTACLES OF OTHERS Caller: Master, are the following possible signs when one shoulders the karmic obstacles of others: falling sick, having a headache, reduced spirituality, overwhelmed by negative energy, regressing in one’s spiritual cultivation or even harbouring thought of giving it up altogether? Master Jun Hong Lu: They are […]
PRAYER REQUEST WHEN PAYING RESPECT TO ANCESTORS Question: Some fellow practitioners would like to ask about Ching Ming Festival and the death anniversary of their ancestors. What should we say when taking out the ancestral tablets to pay our respects? Master Jun Hong Lu: You can place the tablets on the offering table and while […]
DO NOT LEAVE THE MEMORIAL TABLETS OF THE DECEASED ON THE OFFERING TABLE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD Question: During Ching Ming Festival or Dong Zhi (Winter Solstice), should we place the memorial tablets of the deceased on the offering table throughout the day or should we put them away once the prayer ceremony is over? […]
IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO SET UP THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON CHING MING FESTIVAL Question: How many days before or after Ching Ming Festival is it not advisable for us to set up Buddhist altars? Answer: Simply avoid doing so on the day itself. It is best for one to stay at home to perform […]
APPLY BUDDHISM IN DAILY LIFE Master Jun Hong Lu: The Dharma is hard to come by and the chance to be born a human is rare. Even though we have such a good opportunity to be a human, it is only for a limited time. Those who fail to let go will definitely suffer. Therefore, […]
AVOID SETTING UP THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON CHING MING FESTIVAL, WINTER SOLSTICE OR ZHONG YUAN FESTIVAL Caller: Is it true that we should avoid setting up the Buddhist altar on the days of the 24 Solar Terms? Master Jun Hong Lu: It should be fine to do so in the morning. That said, avoid the […]
SHOULD WE OFFER LITTLE HOUSES IN FRONT OF THE DECEASED’S TABLETS OR THE BUDDHIST ALTAR ON THE DAY OF CHING MING FESTIVAL? Caller: Hello Master. On the day of Ching Ming Festival, when offering Little Houses to the deceased at home, should we offer them in front of their tablets or the Buddhist altar? Master […]
WHAT SHOULD WE DO IF WE HAVE TO LEAVE OUR HOME EMPTY DUE TO BUSINESS TRIPS DURING CHING MING OR ZHONG YUAN FESTIVALS? Caller: Some Buddhist friends have to go for business trips which could be for an extended period, straddling over several weeks and this period coincides with Ching Ming or Zhong Yuan Festivals. […]
IT IS NOT ADVISABLE TO PERFORM THE CALLING OF ONE’S SOUL DURING THE PERIOD BEFORE AND AFTER CHING MING FESTIVAL Caller: Master, may I clarify that it is not advisable to perform the calling of one’s soul during the Ching Ming Festival period? Or does it only apply to the day itself? Master Jun Hong […]
CAN WE OFFER FLOWERS AND ALCOHOLIC DRINKS WHEN PAYING RESPECT TO THE DECEASED? Caller: When paying respect to the deceased at their grave, can we offer flowers and alcoholic drinks? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is not recommended to do so if you feel that the deceased has ascended to heaven. If you are thinking […]
IT IS ADVISABLE TO WEAR PLAIN CLOTHES TO THE CEMETERY TO PERFORM TOMB SWEEPING DURING CHING MING FESTIVAL Caller: Is it true that we should not wear flashy or bright-colour clothes to the cemetery to perform tomb sweeping during Ching Ming Festival. Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course it is better to wear clothes that […]
DO NOT BRING HOME ANY OF THE OFFERINGS TO THE DECEASED; HOW SHOULD WE STATE OUR PRAYER WHEN OFFERING LITTLE HOUSES TO THE DECEASED IN FRONT OF THEIR GRAVES? Caller: When offering Little Houses at the cemetery, does it matter if we do so in the morning or afternoon? Master Jun Hong Lu: It does […]
HOW MANY DAYS BEFORE CHING MING FESTIVAL IS IT MOST APPROPRIATE TO PERFORM TOMB SWEEPING? Caller: A Buddhist practitioner would like to know how many days prior to Ching Ming Festival is it more appropriate to perform tomb sweeping for those who are unable to be at the cemetery on the day? Master Jun Hong […]
REASONS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO PERFORM RECITATION, AND WHY ILLNESS MAKES A COMEBACK DURING CHING MING FESTIVAL, ZHONG YUAN FESTIVAL OR WINTER SOLSTICE Caller: During Ching Ming Festival, Zhong Yuan Festival and Winter Solstice, some Buddhist friends will start having difficulty in performing recitation a few weeks prior to the festivals. Things will return […]
ERADICATE THE THREE POISONS WITH THE RIGHT VIEW Master Jun Hong Lu: When you allow greed, hatred and ignorance arise in you, you welcome the devil into your heart. These Three Poisons will then continue to reside in your heart. When this happens, you will start to hate everything that you see. “Why is he […]
BREAK THROUGH IGNORANCE AND DELUSION WITH PRAJNA WISDOM Master Jun Hong Lu: I want you to study Buddhism so that you can correct your wrong views and to eliminate your worries and ignorance with the Right View. What does that mean? It means you are to look at situations and things in the right way […]
ACHIEVE PERFECT MERITS AND PREVENT THE DEPLETION OF MERITS BY EMBODYING THE MIND OF A BODHISATTVA Question: When we persistently perform meritorious deeds for an extended period, we are bound to become physically drained. There are times in the midst of performing a virtuous deed, fatigue may overtake us to the extent that our mind […]
SHOULD WE SAY SEPARATE PRAYERS TO NANJING BODHISATTVA, TAI SUI BODHISATTVA AND GUAN DI BODHISATTVA? Caller: Master, Buddhist practitioners of Guan Yin Citta would generally pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Nanjing Bodhisattva, Tai Sui Bodhisattva and Guan Di Bodhisattva at home. Is there a better way for us to say our prayers and connect to […]
THE RIGHT VIEW Master Jun Hong Lu: We need to have the Right View to properly see through all the wrong views and thoughts, our vexations and ignorance. To give a simple example, today, you are told your neighbour is spreading a rumour about your family. Upon hearing it, you immediately give rise to the […]
