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 […]
HOW DO WE OBSERVE CAUSES AND CONDITIONS? Caller: One should observe causes and conditions when propagating Dharma to others. Is there a method that we can apply with regards to this? Master Jun Hong Lu: There is definitely a method. It is through calmness that you have the ability to observe causes and conditions. If […]
THE THREEFOLD TRAINING OF MORALITY, CONCENTRATION AND WISDOM IS THE KEY TO NON-OUTFLOWS Master Jun Hong Lu: Perfection and non-outflows are tantamount to the cultivation of morality, concentration and wisdom. Only with a mentality that is always perfect, you are able to free yourself from outflows. In other words, when you do not allow any […]
OFFERING SELF-CULTIVATION RECORD FORMS IN THE ABSENCE OF A FORMAL BUDDHIST ALTAR Caller: With the exception of the Self-Cultivation Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance, is it alright for those without a Buddhist Altar to offer Self-Cultivation Record Forms of the Great Compassion Mantra, the Heart Sutra, the Cundi Dharani, the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra and […]
专题分享｜如何选择事业与经文的质量 20221216 专题分享【如何选择事业】与【经文的质量】 人生是六道轮回虚假的程序 （请点击视频链接观看） (如果您无法登入以上视频链接，请点击此链接下载视频) 摘自 2016-12-24 卢台长马来西亚 吉隆坡《世界佛友见面会》节选（原文链接） 台长告诉你们，人生实际上就是一种在六道轮回里循环的程序。很多人不懂，看到别人在修心、学佛、念经，他认为你怪怪的：“你为什么要学佛、要守戒？你为什么不能跟我们一样在人间吃喝玩乐？”实际上，这是一个因循，就是因果的循环。比方说，我们生出来的时候就很苦，不知道自己是谁，也不知道谁是我们的爸爸妈妈。有的孩子生出来就会啼哭，就知道自己到了这个人间，开始无依无靠。慢慢地长大了，有了一点点甜，青年的时候我们有一点快乐，但是很快地孕育着青年时代的“求不到”和超现实理想的痛苦，其实就是“得不到”的苦。慢慢地，我们进入了家庭的时代，不能接受父母亲对我们教育的观点，在我们的心灵当中就产生了痛苦，跟爸爸妈妈合不来，觉得“我要快点长大，我要快点离开家里，我不能再在家里待下去”。 等到毕业之后，想寻找自己自由的空间，找到工作之后，和同事关系相处不好，又开始痛苦了，事业上不顺利又开始烦恼了，慢慢地想解脱这些烦恼，就要寻找一种家庭生活，来让自己的内心得到一种温暖，他就把精神生活寄托在家庭生活的圆满之中。但是，没有想到好景不长，有了一段时间的婚姻后，夫妻之间、大人跟孩子之间又产生矛盾，这样又开始进入了痛苦的阶段。等到孩子长大之后，孩子有了自己的观点，跟自己的妻子、孩子又开始在一定程度上产生摩擦，矛盾很多，最后夫妻离婚，让孩子饱受家庭破裂的痛苦，让自己也转回到六道轮回之中，得到又失去，这就是我们得到了婚姻又失去，孩子得到了，我们离婚之后，连孩子也失去。 这个时候人到了中年，才开始慢慢地在回想自己：“为什么我一辈子失去这么多？为什么我到人间来？难道就是跟每个人一样走一个生活的程序吗？”这时候才想到“我要学佛，我要懂得真正的人生，我要学会解脱痛苦、摆脱烦恼”。刚刚找到家学佛了，又开始因为自身的无名习气不容易改掉，慢慢地，一年佛在眼前，两年佛在天边，三年又仗着佛在卖钱，让自己懈怠，因为累世的冤结，让自己和亲朋好友整天过着你争我斗的日子，给人生带来更大痛苦的就是你的身体，因为身体经常反复无常地病痛，让我们在这个轮回当中永远摆脱不了，最后当自己查出了严重的疾病，带来一生的遗憾，才离开这个世界，人的一生就是这么轮回、反复。 现在我们有很多年轻人，包括在座的，你们虽然还没有走上这个人生的程序，因为你们学佛了，你们懂得了这个程序，那是虚假的，所以你们一边在学佛，一边在慢慢地抛开自己这个虚假的程序，一下子让自己找到了学佛的根本。你们知道这叫什么吗？这就叫解脱。在这个世界上不要让别人来说你有没有智慧，智慧那是自己拥有的，当你能够解脱，能够想得通、想得明白，当你开悟的时候，你才能解脱自身的业障束缚。 八正道：正业 摘自 2017-04-21 卢台长印度尼西亚 雅加达《世界佛友见面会》 节选（原文链接） 正业是什么？你的行为不能偷盗、不能淫乱，你选择的工作也要是善业。很多人问台长：“台长，我们在餐馆里做工，我们有杀业，但是我们是为了生活，没有办法，可以不可以？”台长告诉你们，选择职业就是选择你的命运，如果你今天的职业不好，你的命也不会太好。你今天有杀业，就不叫正业；你今天好好地做那些去帮助别人的工作，就是选择了正业。 荤食餐厅的每个职位都有共业 摘自 Wenda20121228 56:56节选（原文链接） 女听众：我们开海鲜馆，是不是参与的任何角色都会有一个共业的孽障在？ 台长答：应该有算的（跟海鲜馆做生意，比如说每一个月帮海鲜馆维修电脑，这也会有孽障吗？）会，很少。这个业力实际上只有10%，而真正90%都是他的。但是如果你自己开海鲜馆，他是根据每个人不同的业力来判的（那如果是收银员、招呼客人、打杂这一些）都有份的，打杂是最没有业障的，收银员是直接把动物的生命换来的钱给他，一定有业障（但是打杂也是在出一份力嘛）出一份力有罪，但是这个罪很少（如果在素食馆做会不会反而有了一点功德啊？）会的（如果在素食馆洗碗呢？）也会有点功德。如果素食馆的老板娘是免费的，你洗碗不拿钱，功德大；如果拿钱的话，也是按照功德有漏来算的。 今生职业的选择与哪些因素有关 摘自 2016-07-02 中国·香港《世界佛友见面会》共修组提问 节选（原文链接） 问：世界上有各种不同属性的职业，有正当的也有偏的，除了是前世累积的福报影响，还会有哪些因素牵引我们今生选择职业呢？请师父慈悲开示。 答：实际上，选择职业，一个是跟家庭有关系，你去看，很多的孩子都是子承父业。当你投胎，父亲有一个比较好的职业，你这个孩子上辈子有修，就有福报；当你投胎投了这个家庭，父母亲并没有很好的职业，你这个孩子上辈子修行就比较差一点，这是第一个。还有第二个是什么呢？当你在选择的时候，你就要知道，你一个人在人间的环境造就了你学佛、选择的一个重要因素，你接触的人好坏对你选择职业非常有关系。如果你今天交朋友，交的是一个坏职业的人，你很快就会学很多的坏事；如果你今天交了一个朋友，虽然这个朋友的职业很好，你没有资格进去，但是他会鼓励你跟他一样，这就是你的福分。所以要珍惜善缘，去除恶缘。 不要贪求事业，不可做投机取巧之事 摘自 卢台长开示解答来信疑惑（三百八十）节选（原文链接） 关帝菩萨：“每个国家的人心正在变化，以后社会的局势越来越动荡不安。佛子们，你们往后切不可做任何投机取巧之事。在事业上也莫要过贪，求取那无谓的名闻利养。当今社会，能够安居乐业、平安无事地念经，就是最大的幸福了。佛子们，请记住我关帝所言。学佛念经、行菩萨道利益众生才能为你们往后带来莫大的利益。这个利益不是你们所认为的人天福报，将来往生净土，脱离轮回之苦才是你们学佛念经后所获得的最大的利益。” 做事情要实实在在，不要投机取巧 […]
TRANSFORM BAD HABITS TO ACCOMPLISH THE BUDDHA’S PATH Master Jun Hong Lu: What is “dharma”? It is about making use of Bodhisattva’s wisdom and energy to reflect upon ourselves in our daily lives and to apply the pure Buddhist teachings to our daily life. It is about a constant application of what you know of […]
WHAT CONSTITUTES DILIGENCE? ALL-ENCOMPASSING DILIGENCE Caller: Master, you often make comments about those who have been very diligent in their cultivation. I am in the opinion that just by being diligent in performing recitation is far from enough. One needs to study Buddhism in Plain Terms, keep the “body, speech and mind” pure, help others, […]
