AFFLICTIONS ABOUNDS FOR THOSE WHO LACK EQUANIMITY Master Jun Hong Lu: Many of us are constantly being tested mentally and physically. In reality, it is a reflection of our inability to liberate ourselves, and the lack of an equanimous view in life. Many people frequently ask, “Why do I have to endure such injustices in […]
IT IS YOUR CONDITIONS, NOT YOUR ABILITY, THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS Master Jun Hong Lu: Remember: It is your conditions, not your ability, that determine whether you can succeed perfectly in your endeavours. No matter how much effort you put in, or how capable you are, you may still fail. This is because blessings in […]
REGARD EVERY SITUATION AS A NORMAL PHENOMENON Master Jun Hong Lu: It is a must that all Buddhist practitioners uphold the Buddhist precepts in all their actions. As mentioned before, as long as you do not impose yourself on others, you will not be planting bad karma. Instead, you should regard everything in this world […]
SUFFERING CEASES WHEN WE LET GO OF OUR ATTACHMENTS Master Jun Hong Lu: We should let go of the idea that we are entitled to happiness. Many people think they deserve happiness, when what they should do is to relinquish the notion of entitlement to happiness and success. Only then will they find their life […]
PAIN STEMS FROM OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO FACE REALITY Master Jun Hong Lu: One of the humans’ greatest pains is living with regret. We should never regret things that have happened. After all, it is said in the Buddhist scriptures that even the Buddha cannot change the past. The Buddha will accept whatever happens and He […]
ON EQUANIMITY Master Jun Hong Lu: Our thoughts, be it kind or evil, are all the same in the eyes of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Just like how a mother would perceive the good and bad deeds of her child – they are of no difference to her. As the mother feels sorry for the child, […]
UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUDDHIST PRACTICE AND WORKING LIFE Caller: Master, lastly I would like to seek your advice on this matter: I’ve just joined the workforce, and have not been able to balance between Buddhist practice and career. Please enlighten me. Master Jun Hong Lu: With regards to balancing Buddhist practice and career, it […]
NEGATIVE KARMA IS CREATED IF ONE CHEATS IN EXAMINATION Caller: Am I right to say that negative karma is created if one cheats in examination? Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s correct. Do you know what type of negative karma this is? It’s considered stealing. Caller: Am I right to say that stealing happens if someone […]
ONE WILL GAIN WISDOM THROUGH THE GIVING OF DHARMA Master Jun Hong Lu: If you sow the seeds of Dharma Giving and help others to awaken spiritually, you will reap the fruit of wisdom. Many people ask, “Why are some people so smart and wise?” It came from the Giving of Dharma that he has […]
IS IT APPROPRIATE TO USE OUR PARENTS’ MONEY TO PERFORM MERITORIOUS ACT WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT? Caller: The parents of a fellow Buddhist practitioner are in poor health. With the savings passbook that the parents entrusted to him, he will withdraw and send money to his parents regularly. Whenever he withdraws money for his parents, he […]
DEBUNK THE MYTH OF DILIGENCE: IT IS NOT ABOUT TRYING HARD Master Jun Hong Lu: If you are diligent in your spiritual cultivation, you will immediately correct any shortcomings pointed out to you – this is what being “diligent” is about. However, this explanation is not what you would usually hear from other venerables, whereby, […]
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU HELP AWAKEN SPIRITUALLY CORRESPONDS WITH THE CONTENT VIEWS Caller: I would like to ask about Buddhist teachings posted online whose content views are ever increasing. Does it mean that the number of people we help awaken spiritually is also increasing? Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, that’s considered as helping others […]
PRAYER REQUEST FOR MAKING A VOW TO RECITE 100,000 TIMES OF THE MANTRA TO UNTIE KARMIC KNOTS TO ELIMINATE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA Caller: Master has previously mentioned that one can make a vow to recite 100,000 times of the Mantra To Untie Karmic Knots to eliminate the risk of developing dementia in the […]
VIOLATION OF THE PRECEPTS WILL INCUR RETRIBUTIVE EFFECTS Master Jun Hong Lu: As Buddhist practitioners, you must be just and honourable in your speech. If you speak ill of others behind their back, you commit the act of stealthy speech. If you eavesdrop of things that others are reluctant to tell you, you commit the […]
FIVE METHODS TO CULTIVATE FORBEARANCE: COMPASSIONATE FORBEARANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: The last method of forbearance is “Compassionate Forbearance”. At this stage, you regard yourself as a Bodhisattva. Hence, in times of adversities or humiliation, not only do you not hate others, you are compassionate towards them, and you feel that they are really pitiable. […]
FIVE METHODS TO CULTIVATE FORBEARANCE: REFLECTIVE FORBEARANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: The fourth type of forbearance is “Reflective Forbearance”. What do you do when others dishonour you or pick a fight with you? You need to elevate your state-of-mind, which is to reflect on the wisdom of emptiness. You imagine the light of the Buddha […]
FIVE METHODS TO CULTIVATE FORBEARANCE: CAUSAL FORBEARANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: The third type of forbearance is “Causal Forbearance”. This is when others insult you, you apply wisdom to observe its causes and conditions. The practice of patience is made possible through a good understanding of causes and conditions. You need to understand that the […]
MERITS WILL BE DERIVED FROM PRINTING OF DHARMA BOOKS EVEN IF THE DISTRIBUTION IS DONE BY OTHERS Caller: I managed to convince a few of my friends to practise Buddhism when they were at my place. They then passed me some funds for the purpose of printing dharma books which were subsequently distributed by others […]
THE PRECEPTS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF UNSURPASSED ENLIGHTENMENT Master Jun Hong Lu: In Buddhist practice, observing the precepts is of the utmost importance. This explains why the Lord Buddha told His disciples, “Treat the precepts as your teacher” before He entered Nirvana. By observing the precepts, you avoid committing mistakes. Only those who can observe […]
FIVE METHODS TO CULTIVATE FORBEARANCE: STRENGTH FORBEARANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: The second type is “Strength Forbearance”. When others insult or slander you, first of all, you have to use your own mental strength to tell yourself, “I did not do any of those things they claimed I did. I am not like how they […]
THE MEANING OF COMMON FORBEARANCE Master Jun Hong Lu: Amongst the 84,000 dharma methods, there is a method called “Patience under Humiliation” which comes in five levels of cultivation – from basic to profound. The first one is, Common Forbearance. What does it mean?. It means that when you become the target of insults or […]
TESTIMONY SHARING: EYE BAGS DISAPPEAR AFTER SHARING TEACHINGS ON THE PRECEPT AGAINST SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND PRAY TO ELIMINATE THE KARMIC OBSTACLES RELATED TO THIS BEHAVIOUR Caller: I would like to share my testimony. Not long ago, I performed the Giving of Dharma on refraining from sexual misconduct. I prayed to Guan Yin Bodhisattva to help […]
BE COMPASSIONATE, DO NOT CREATE THE KARMA OF KILLING Master Jun Hong Lu: In essence, when we release captive lives, we are putting out our karmic seeds of killing. We should all remember, the law of cause and effect is unceasing. Our tendency to kill animals in this life stems from the karma of killing […]
FOLLOWING UP WITH BUDDHIST PRACTITIONERS BY SHARING THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS WITH THEM IS ALSO AN ACT OF ‘HELPING OTHERS TO AWAKEN SPIRITUALLY’ Caller: When we talk about helping others to awaken spiritually, it usually means to introduce Buddhism and Guan Yin Citta to new Buddhist friends and teach them how to recite Buddhist scriptures. However, […]
THE SIN OF KILLING IS INCREDIBLY SEVERE Great Strength Bodhisattva: “Sentient beings who are stuck in the cycle of rebirth due to their ignorance are pitiable. When I observe how sentient beings in the human realm consume fish, prawn, chicken, pork, it is just like witnessing humans eating humans. Just like humans are made of […]
OBSTRUCTIONS ARE STEPPING STONES AND PATHS TO BUDDHAHOOD Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s crucial to recognise that life is fraught with tribulations, difficulties, and bitterness. Simply being a human being in this world is never a walk in the park, not to mention the trials of one’s fate. I have oftentimes talked about the complexity […]
WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN THE MIND OVER THINKS IN TROUBLED TIMES Caller: Master, in the face of illness or when encountering challenging situations, you and other revered monks seem to be able to keep your mind still. Others, on the other hand, view it as, you have shouldered too much karmic burden of sentient […]
‘COPE WITH ALL MOTIONS BY REMAINING MOTIONLESS’ WHEN KARMIC CONDITIONS ARE NOT IN YOUR FAVOUR, OR WHEN YOU ARE FACED WITH THE ‘3, 6, 9 PREDESTINED CALAMITIES’ OR OTHER KARMIC ADVERSITIES Caller: Master, I’ve been seeking guidance from Bodhisattva for career direction. Soon after, I had a dream and in the dream, the image of […]
THE RIGHT MINDSET WHEN PERFORMING MERITORIOUS DEEDS TO RESOLVE CALAMITIES Caller: Master, there’s a question that some Buddhist friends are struggling with. Please enlighten us. You once shared a story about a revered monk forewarning two brothers of an impending calamity that would occur in four years. The only remedy suggested was to do more […]
DILIGENCE IS KEY TO ELIMINATING KARMIC OBSTACLES; KARMIC PASS IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THOSE WHOSE AGES END WITH ‘3, 6, 9’ Master Jun Hong Lu: Keep in mind that a person who is diligent in his practice is able to eliminate many karmic passes and repay karmic debts. As a simple example, there is a […]
