RECLUSIVE RETREATS HELPS CLEAR ONE’S MIND AND GAIN MENTAL STRENGTH Master Jun Hong Lu: Our minds must always be pure, and in our daily lives, we should frequently undertake brief reclusive retreats. These reclusive retreats help clear and free our mind from all thoughts. By detaching ourselves from worldly matters and dedicating time to recitations […]
AVOID CONSTANT CRYING WHILE PERFORMING RECITATION Master Jun Hong Lu: Today, Master will teach you some of the latest methods to perform recitation. One must recite the scriptures with utmost sincerity, as it is the most important ingredient in recitation. I have specifically consulted Bodhisattva on this aspect. To perform recitation sincerely means that the […]
HOW DO MERITS AND VIRTUES ELIMINATE NEGATIVE KARMA? Caller: When we pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to use our merits and virtues to eliminate negative karma for cases where foreign spirits are present, are those merits and virtues used directly to repay the foreign spirits? Could they be used as a substitute for Little Houses […]
THE MAGNITUDE OF MERITS LIES IN THE INTENTION Caller: In your early discourses to disciples, Master mentioned, “Distributing dharma books generates tremendous merits, and even Buddhas and Bodhisattvas praise highly of those who distribute dharma books”. Master, exactly how significant are these merits? For fellow practitioners who perform dharma giving online, should the measurement of […]
ONLY A TRULY GENUINE PERSON IS ABLE TO TOUCH OTHERS DEEPLY Master Jun Hong Lu: Why are the monastics able to preach by example? They instill a sense of dignity in others. Wherever they go, people around them would lower their volume and behave in a dignified manner. In the presence of the monastics, people […]
SHOULD ONE DECIDE TO CONTINUE RECITATION AFTER OFFERING THE FIRST INCENSE ON BUDDHAS’ BIRTHDAYS, CONTINUOUS OFFERING OF INCENSE IS NECESSARY TO AVOID ATTRACTING FOREIGN SPIRITS Question: On several occasions after offering the First Incense on Bodhisattvas’ Birthdays or Enlightenment days etc., I continued to recite the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO) throughout the night without […]
THINGS TO TAKE NOTE OF WHEN PERFORMING RECITATIONS Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s not recommended to feel excessively energised when performing your recitation. Many people will say, “I’m very energised when I recite the Buddhist scriptures; the moment I recite, I feel energised”. When you are charged, your eyes will be wide open, causing excessive […]
THE FUNCTIONS OF BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES Caller: The way foreign spirits inflict harm on humans is by disrupting our neuro systems, controlling our emotions and interfering with our rational thinking. The power of the scriptures of Bodhisattva lies in their ability to clear the flow in one’s meridians (energy channels) by removing blockages in the nervous […]
NEGATIVE KARMA WILL BE ELIMINATED WHEN THE MIND AND BUDDHA CONNECT DURING RECITATION Caller: In Buddhism in Plain Terms, you mentioned that “recitation can eliminate negative karma”. I’d like to know, as negative karma is being eliminated during our recitations, how do we unite the compassionate vows embodied in the Buddhist scriptures, and the state […]
BE TOLERANT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE OVERZEALOUS IN THEIR DHARMA GIVING Question: We have a dedicated platform primarily to broadcast Master’s latest discourses and notification on the activities of Guan Yin Hall. In the group, there is an overzealous disciple who diligently forwards Master’s discourses that he receives from other social media platforms, including Words […]
DIRE CONSEQUENCES AWAIT THOSE WHO SLANDER A DHARMA DOOR THAT IS CAPABLE OF ENLIGHTENING SENTIENT BEINGS Those who have yet to realise the path of the Bodhisattva or have yet to be enlightened, if they were to slander any dharma doors that have helped enlighten others, innumerable karmic calamities will befall them, besides having to […]
A GREAT PERSON IS ONE WHO HAS A BIG HEART Master Jun Hong Lu: Buddhist practitioners should understand that regardless of whom you are troubled by, they should be regarded as a person who toughens your self-cultivation and elevates your state of mind. No matter what others say about you or how they insult you, […]
THREE WAYS TO AVOID BEING ANGRY Master Jun Hong Lu: When someone in your family is angry, the first thing you should do is to stay away. But for many people, their first reaction is to put themselves on a collision course with their spouse, only to be embroiled in a heated exchange. In fact, […]
ALWAYS LEAVE ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE IN OUR INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE Master Jun Hong Lu: Anish Kapoor, a contemporary British sculptor, became famous overnight with his sculpture “Descent into Limbo”. One day, a reporter from the famous British newspaper The Sunday Times interviewed him. The reporter, who was a sculpture amateur, was eager to find out […]
THE IDEAL NUMBER OF LITTLE HOUSES TO BE OFFERED FOR A TODDLER ON USUAL AND SPECIAL DAYS Question: For a toddler around one year old, what is the maximum number of Little Houses that can be offered daily, on the 1st and 15th days of a lunar month and on Buddhas’ birthdays? Answer: You may […]
IS IT ADVISABLE FOR CRITICALLY-ILL PATIENTS TO RECITE ADDITIONAL EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE (LIFO) ON SPECIAL DAYS? Question: On special occasions such as the Buddha’s Birthday, we are recommended to recite 27 times of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO), can critically-ill patients do the same? Answer: First and foremost, the terminally-ill person should make […]
OFFERING OF THE FIRST AND SUBSEQUENT INCENSE ON A MINI BUDDHIST ALTAR ON BUDDHAS’ BIRTHDAYS Question: A Buddhist friend does not have a typical Buddhist altar at home, but he does own a mini altar that he uses to perform recitation. With this mini altar, if he offers the First Incense at 12 midnight on […]
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE DISCOURSE BEFORE SHARING IT ONLINE Caller: Master, many Buddhist practitioners post the dharma teachings on the internet However, some of them have been involved in actions that are contrary to proper conduct and teachings. Lately, we have noticed some public social media accounts bearing names similar […]
THE IDEAL NUMBER OF LITTLE HOUSES TO BE OFFERED FOR CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES ON BUDDHAS’ BIRTHDAYS Question: In Master’s latest radio programs, it is said that we may offer three, not exceeding five Little Houses daily, for children. Is this on a case by case basis? I’d like to ask about the maximum number […]
WHAT TO DO WHEN FAMILY MEMBERS COMMIT NEGATIVE KARMA OF SPEECH WHEN BUDDHISM IS INTRODUCED TO THEM? Caller: Hi Master, how should we repent the negative karma of speech committed by our family members when we introduce Buddhism to them. How many times of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO) should we recite? Master Jun […]
WHEN KARMIC CONDITIONS ARISE, WE WILL EXPERIENCE THE RESULTS OF OUR OWN DEEDS Master Jun Hong Lu: Buddhist scriptures say, “When karmic conditions arise, we will experience the results of our own deeds”. This suggests that upon realising that whatever unfolds is the consequence of karma taking effect, you will not be overly fixated on […]
THE CONCEPTION OF LOVE AND HATE Master Jun Hong Lu: Any form of love or hatred in this mortal world is accumulated from countless lifetimes. If you are deeply in love with someone today, it is because of the love you had for this person in your past lives and the same goes for the […]
THE ARROGANT MONKEY Master Jun Hong Lu: During the Spring and Autumn-Warring States period in China, King Wu went up the Monkey Mountain. All the monkeys, except one, fled the scenes upon seeing an army of soldiers in armour. Wanting to show off its agility, one lone monkey was seen jumping from branch to branch. […]
HOW DO WE BREAK THE CYCLE OF ANGER? Master Jun Hong Lu: As Buddhist practitioners, you should learn not to take everything to heart as this will be the cause of your suffering. This suffering will then lead you to heartaches and your heart will be tangled in knots, known as the knots of the […]
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. 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 […]
GREED BRINGS OUT THE WORST IN A PERSON Master Jun Hong Lu: During the era of Xia Dynasty, there lived a famous archer. His name was Hou Yi. Being the best archer in all of the lands, his fame spread far and wide. One day, the king invited him to the palace to showcase his […]
ONE STANDS TO GAIN GREATER SPIRITUAL ENERGY IF HE KEEPS HELPING OTHERS AND PERFORMING MERITS Master Jun Hong Lu: When you perform acts of kindness today by helping others, wouldn’t you increase your spiritual energy? That’s for sure. Conversely, if you engage in self-cultivation at home, would you claim to have the spiritual energy? In […]
IT IS ONLY THROUGH CALMNESS THAT YOU SEE THE TRUTH Master Jun Hong Lu: As Buddhist practitioners, you should actively practise concentration. What is concentration? No matter what suffering and tragedy you are faced with, you need to stay calm, unperplexed and untroubled by what you see. This is because what you see today may […]
‘THE INVISIBLE WOUND’ – THE AFTERMATH OF CONFLICTS AND DISPUTES Master Jun Hong Lu: One of the reasons we as humans suffer is because of our inability to see the reality, we are as if blind to the true nature of things. All conflicts and complex interpersonal relationships entail invisible wounds. After having a row […]
OUR PHYSICAL BODY BRINGS US 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 […]
