EXCESSIVE PRAYER REQUESTS COULD BACKFIRE ON YOU Master Jun Hong Lu: When you pray to the Buddha, it is important not to go overboard with your prayer request. If you do it at a time when you have an insufficient level of merits, willpower and worldly blessings, your prayer may reflect back as karmic obstacles […]
WHAT IS THE TRUTH TAUGHT BY THE BUDDHA? Caller: On the Laba Festival (the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month), which is also Shakyamuni Buddha’s Enlightenment Day, while offering an incense, a disciple received some messages from Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Allow me to read it out: “Today is the auspicious Enlightenment Day of the […]
THE SPIRIT OF THE BUDDHA WILL LONG ENDURE IN THIS WORLD Master Jun Hong Lu: Today is the Laba Festival (the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month) and also Shakyamuni Buddha’s Enlightenment Day. Why are there still five to six hundred million people in this world who revere the Buddha? Hasn’t the Buddha left […]
LET US HONOUR THE LORD BUDDHA FOR HIS TEACHINGS ON THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE THAT GUIDES US TOWARDS LIBERATION Master Jun Hong Lu: According to the written accounts in the scriptures, our great Shakyamuni Buddha relinquished His throne and ordained as a monk to seek the truth of life and the way to liberate […]
FOR 49 YEARS, THE BUDDHA USED EXPEDIENT MEANS TO SPREAD THE DHARMA, TEACHING THE ‘BLINDED’ MASSES TO OBSERVE THE TRUTH OF THE UNIVERSE Master Jun Hong Lu: We can draw parallels between Shakyamuni Buddha observing the universe and a person with normal vision observing an elephant, while the approach taken by the science field is […]
IT IS OUR RELENTLESS EFFORT THAT MAKES CULTIVATION, ENLIGHTENMENT AND PERFECTION IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE POSSIBLE Question: During His time in the human realm, the Lord Buddha practised extreme asceticism for more than 10 years and yet, He failed to come to any spiritual awakening. However, when He meditated with His eyes shut under a Bodhi […]
SEIZE YOUR LIFE – GOOD OR BAD DEED IS A MATTER OF CHOICE Master Jun Hong Lu: The Buddha has never imposed on anyone to do anything that is against one’s will. However, the great Lord Buddha has taught us what’s wholesome and what’s not, and the choice is ours to make. Sadly, many people […]
CONSTANT COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEEDS OF SENTIENT BEINGS IS AN EXPEDIENT WAY TO ENLIGHTEN THEM Master Jun Hong Lu: “To be constantly complying with the needs of sentient beings” when guiding them to learn Buddhism, means we need to be extremely patient in our effort to enlighten sentient beings; we should help them with loving-kindness, […]
SAMANTABHADRA BODHISATTVA’S NINTH GREAT VOW: CONSTANTLY ACCEDING TO THE NEEDS OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS Master Jun Hong Lu: Samantabhadra Bodhisattva‘s ninth great vow is ‘To constantly comply with the needs of sentient beings’. Think about it, there are no alternative means other than complying with sentient beings, be it in our Buddhism practice, conducting ourselves […]
THINGS TO NOTE DURING THE WINTER SOLSTICE PERIOD Master Jun Hong Lu: I hope all of you will exercise more caution during the Winter Solstice, especially during the period prior to the festival. Do take extra care to prevent falls, injuries, catching a cold or the flu. These recommendations have long existed in Chinese traditions. […]
WHY IS ONE’S PRAYER FOR A JOB INEFFICACIOUS, UNLIKE OTHER REQUESTS? Caller: In his quest to secure a job, a Buddhist practitioner has utilised merits generated from his volunteering work in several of the past dharma conventions but his wish remains unfulfilled. Hi Master, I’d like to ask: Why is it that the prayer requests […]
IT IS BEST TO USE DATE OF OFFERING ON THE SELF-CULTIVATION RECORD FORM OF THE EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE (LIFO) Caller: For the Self-Cultivation Record Form of LIFO, should we fill in the date when we complete our recitation or the date of offering? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is best to write the date […]
PRAYER REQUEST WHEN OFFERING THE SELF-CULTIVATION RECORD FORM OF THE EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE (LIFO) An Enquiry to Secretariat of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, 12 September 2015 at 11:39 Dear staff, How should we state our prayer when offering the Self-Cultivation Record Form of the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance (LIFO)? ———————————————————————————————– Reply from Secretariat: […]
IS WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATED AS A NEW YEAR IN THE UNDERWORLD? Caller: Someone said that the Winter Solstice is celebrated as a new year in the underworld. Master, can you tell us more about this? Master Jun Hong Lu: It should be viewed as such: Right before the Lunar New Year in the human realm, […]
SHOULD ONE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY IF IT FALLS ON WINTER SOLSTICE? Caller: A fellow Buddhist practitioner’s birthday happens to fall on Winter Solstice. Is it alright to hold a birthday celebration? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is best not to do so. Misfortune will surely befall you if you consume meat-based food on this day. […]
WHY DO WE EAT DUMPLINGS AND GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS DURING WINTER SOLSTICE? Question: It is a custom to eat dumplings and glutinous rice balls on Winter Solstice. Is there a metaphysical rationale for it? Answer: We commemorate the deceased during Winter Solstice. Our loved ones who passed on would return on this day. In order […]
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LITTLE HOUSES OFFERED DURING WINTER SOLSTICE AND THOSE OFFERED ON REGULAR DAYS? Caller: A fellow Buddhist practitioner is interested to find out whether there is a difference between Little Houses offered to the deceased on Winter Solstice and those offered on regular days. Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course there […]
IT IS BEST TO START OFFERING LITTLE HOUSES A WEEK BEFORE WINTER SOLSTICE TO THE ACTUAL DAY Question: Master has previously mentioned that one should offer 49 Little Houses to his karmic creditor during the Winter Solstice period. Is there a specific timeframe to start reciting and offering these Little Houses? Answer: You should start […]
IT IS BEST TO OFFER MORE THAN 49 LITTLE HOUSES TO YOUR KARMIC CREDITORS DURING THE WINTER SOLSTICE PERIOD Caller: Master, typically how many Little Houses should we offer to our karmic creditors during the Winter Solstice period? Master Jun Hong Lu: It’s best to offer more than 49 Little Houses. Caller: Alright, Master. Thank […]
21 IS THE BASE NUMBER OF LITTLE HOUSES TO BE OFFERED TO THE DECEASED IN GENERAL Caller: Master, if we don’t dream of the deceased, can we still offer Little House to them on occasions such as the Tomb-Sweeping day, Zhong Yuan Festival, Winter Solstice or their death anniversary? Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, you […]
LODGING THE APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF NAME ON THE DAY OF WINTER SOLSTICE Question: Is it alright to lodge the Application for Change of Name on the day of Winter Solstice? Answer: Yes. Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 274), 22 December 2018
IT IS BEST TO MOVE HOUSE AFTER THE WINTER SOLSTICE Question: Is it better to move house before or after the Winter Solstice? Answer: It is better to do so after the Winter Solstice. Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Discourse (Question 274), 22 December 2018
CRITERIA TO PERFORM ALL-NIGHT RECITATION AFTER OFFERING FIRST INCENSE ON WINTER SOLSTICE Question: Amitabha Buddha’s birthday falls on 23 December 2018, and it so happens that Winter Solstice is the day before. Is it alright to perform all-night recitation of Buddhist scriptures, including the Heart Sutra and the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng […]
DAILY RECITATION OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA DURING THE WINTER SOLSTICE PERIOD CAN BE REGARDED AS PART OF THE VOW OF 10,000 REPETITIONS ONE MAKES Question: If one has made the vow to recite 10,000 times of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou), can the three batches of 108 repetitions […]
PREGNANT WOMEN MAY OFFER NO MORE THAN 49 LITTLE HOUSES TO EACH DECEASED PERSON, AS WELL AS KARMIC CREDITORS ON WINTER SOLSTICE Question: Master has previously mentioned that one may offer no more than 49 Little Houses to each deceased person and his own karmic creditors, respectively, on the day of Winter Solstice. Can pregnant […]
WOMEN WHO HAVE YET TO REACH THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF THEIR PREGNANCY CAN RECITE THREE BATCHES OF 108 REPETITIONS OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA EACH DAILY DURING THE WINTER SOLSTICE PERIOD Question: Can pregnant women recite three batches of 108 repetitions of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Zhou) each day […]
THE ADDITIONAL AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA RECITED DURING MENSTRUATION CAN BE REGARDED AS PART OF THE ADD-ON RECITATION PERFORMED DURING THE WINTER SOLSTICE PERIOD Question: From Winter Solstice till the third day of Lunar New Year, one may recite up to three batches of 49 or 108 repetitions of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth […]
CAN WE RECITE MORE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA FOR BABIES FROM WINTER SOLSTICE TO THE THIRD DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR? Caller: Is it alright to perform daily recitation of the three batches of 49 or up to 108 times of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra for a three-month old newborn from Winter […]
CHILDREN MUST BE AT LEAST 12 TO RECITE THE THREE BATCHES OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA DAILY FROM WINTER SOLSTICE TO THE THIRD DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR Question: In relation to a child, what is the minimum age to perform daily recitation of the three batches of 49 or up to 108 […]
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SELF-CULTIVATION RECORD FORM OF THE AMITABHA PURE LAND REBIRTH MANTRA Question: A fellow practitioner does not have a Buddhist altar at home and hence, he is unable to offer any Self-Cultivation Record Form of the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra from Winter Solstice till the third day of Lunar New Year. He […]
