METAPHYSICS- PLAQUES FOR ANCESTORS AND DECEASED RELATIVES

Metaphysics Q&A 075 – Plaques for ancestors and deceased relatives

Q075: Master Lu, we would like to invite the plaques for our ancestors and deceased relatives to come down from the altar. Please advise us about the detailed procedures. Thank you.

A075:

If you wish to invite the plaque of a deceased relative to come down from the altar, you would need to recite and burn 7 Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) before you proceed. Address the Little Houses to <full name of the deceased relative>. Then you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times, and Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 7 times. After you have finished reciting, you can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva kindly have my deceased relative, <full name of the deceased relative>, to protect and bless me, <your full name>. I will invite the plaque onto the altar and make offerings on important dates, including the death anniversary and Ching Ming Festival, etc.“ If you do not include the above prayer, you may experience misfortune as a result.

After you have invited the plaque down from the altar, you can wrap the plaque with red coloured materials (e.g. red paper or red fabrics) and store it horizontally in a clean and tidy place.
It is more difficult if you are inviting a plaque of your ancestors to come down from the altar. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva kindly have my ancestors to protect and bless me, <your full name>.” You can wrap the plaque with red coloured materials (e.g. red paper or red fabrics) and store it horizontally in a clean and tidy place.

For ancestors, you need to recite at least 21 Little Houses. Address them to “Ancestors of <your full name> in the present life”.
Before you recite the 21 Little Houses, you can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, help me to offer the Little Houses to my ancestors in the present life. I hope that they can rest in peace, and be reborn into the higher realms if they are able to, or be reborn into their destined realms.”

METAPHYSICS- HAVING YOUR FORTUNE READ IN THE PAST

Metaphysics Q&A 073 – Having your fortune read in the past

Q073: Respected Master Lu, during your Dharma Function, “The Art of Applying Comprehensive Metaphysics” held on 6th June 2010, you mentioned that fortune telling is not good. However, most Chinese people would have had their fortune read at least once. I have personally experienced that after having my fortune read, both my fate and fortune were affected and disturbed. After my reading, I seem to have lost what I was destined to have according to my fate. In addition, Master Lu said that readings from fortune telling are only accurate sometimes for predicting misfortunes, but mostly not accurate for predicting fortunate events. If predicted events have already happened, does it mean that the karmic retributions are over, or do the karmic retributions still continue? If the fortune telling was performed by transcendental power without using the date of birth, would my fate and fortune still be affected? If we have already had our fortune read in the past, how should we repent for such misconduct?

A073:

Fortune telling is indeed not very good. When you have your readings done, you write down details of your birth date and time. This information is then notified to beings in all of the heavens and other spiritual realms. Once you have your readings done, you are disturbing the fundamental components of your fate, and your fate and fortune would be severely affected.

After you have had your readings done, the duration of the disturbance is based on your predetermined fate and karmic conditions from your past life. The exact length of time of the disturbance is not related to the fact that you have had your readings done. If a fortune teller says that you will experience misfortune at the age of 25, and you then experience misfortune at 25, then the fortune predictions for when you are 25 were accurate. If the fortune teller says that you will be wealthy at the age of 30, but you are still poor at 30, then the predictions are not accurate anymore for when you are 30.

Readings based on the date of birth or through the use of transcendental powers are both generally considered to be fortune telling, and both are not very good. In particular, you should not have card readings because it is similar to risking and playing with your own life.
For people who have already had their readings done in the past, the first step is to never have their readings done again.

In the meantime, you can recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen). Before you recite the sutra, you can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva forgive me, <your full name>, for being ignorant and having my fortune read in the past. I sincerely hope that my karmic conditions and causalities would not be altered.” It is best to recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance 7 times in a lump sum. For the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance to have dynamic spiritual effects, it is best to recite it 7 times.

METAPHYSICS- MAKING GREAT VOWS AND FULFILLING GREAT VOWS

Metaphysics Q&A 078 – Making Great Vows and fulfilling Great Vows

Q078: Respected Master Lu, can you please explain the difference between making Great Vows and fulfilling Great Vows? What should we do?
A078:

Performing recitations, making Great Vows, performing Life Liberation are the three Dharma Gems given by the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva. We must use them appropriately. The power of Great Vows is very important for every Buddhist cultivator.

Making Great Vows involves you presenting yourself in front of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and reciting the following prayer in your mind or quietly, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, and perform miracles, help me to resolve my <confusions, problems, disasters, misfortunes, etc>, and I will[1]:
be vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month for the rest of my life;
not eat live creatures for the rest of my life;
not perform the act of killing for the rest of my life;
persistently perform good deeds every day;
offer gold plating for statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas;
cross over <number of> people, and help them to be liberated from the sea of suffering within <amount of time>;
perform virtuous deeds, make donations to print <number of> Buddhist books, etc.”
In particular, the power of the Great Vow to cross over people is immeasurable.

If you have made a vow to be vegetarian on every 1st and 15th of the lunar month, but then forget later, or you cannot fulfil the vow due to exceptional circumstances, you can inform Guan Yin Bodhisattva in advance, and practise vegetarianism on an earlier or later date. An alternative is that when you make your vow initially, you do not specify that you will be vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, but instead you state that you will be vegetarian for two days every month. This would be more flexible.

Once you have made Great Vows, you must persistently keep to your vows. If you cannot fulfil your vows simply due to personal reasons, then it is very likely that you would receive karmic retributions.

Fulfilling Great Vows is expressing your gratitude when Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have helped you to have your wishes come true. You must return to the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas in the temple where you originally made your vows. You fulfil your vows by making incense offerings, making prostrations, making donations, and performing virtuous deeds. The amount of donations that you make and the amount of virtues that you accumulate do not matter, as long as it is within your ability and you are sincerely expressing your gratitude. If you have made the Great Vows to be vegetarian and to cross over people, etc, then you should persevere in your practices. This is also a form of fulfilling your vows.

METAPHYSICS- RECITING AND BURNING LITTLE HOUSES AT NIGHT OR DURING BAD WEATHER

Metaphysics Q&A 057 – Reciting and burning Little Houses at night or during bad weather

Q057: Master Lu, many of us have the following question: We are unsure if we can recite the Little House (Hsiao Fang Tzu) at night, and on cloudy or rainy days? Can we burn the Little Houses at night, and on cloudy or rainy days?

A057:

First of all, recitation of the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) at night can easily attract foreign spirits to come and take the merits. It is best to recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra during day time and on sunny days. However, this does not apply to the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) or Sapta Atitabuddha Karasaniya Dharani (Chi Fo Mieh Tsui Chen Yan).

In good weather, you can recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra before 10PM.
On a cloudy or rainy day, you can recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra during day time. However, during extreme weather, including heavy rain, thunderstorm, and lightning, it is best not to recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra.

In addition, if you feel that you are physically weak, and you experience discomfort after you recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra, then it would be best for you to stop reciting these at night time and on cloudy or rainy days.

The best times for burning the Little House are 6AM, 8AM and 10AM in the morning, as well as 12PM and 4PM in the afternoon. Any other times during the day on a sunny day would also be suitable for burning the Little House.

For special circumstances, e.g. if the Karmic Creditor is being very demanding or a person is suffering from severe illness, and you need to burn Little Houses on a cloudy or rainy day, then it would be best to burn the Little Houses during noon time (i.e. around 11AM to 1PM) when the “Yang” energy is at its peak.
It would be best to avoid burning the Little House during night time.

Words of Wisdom(vol.3)

佛言佛语（三）🌟Words of Wisdom(vol.3)

We need to cleanse the body when it is dirty. Similarly, we need to drink plenty of water to cleanse the internal organs when they are dirty.

According to the foundational work of Chinese medicine, 'Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic', water is the best medicine.Consuming plenty of water cleanses our internal body.

What is the best remedy for spiritual cleansing?
It is the Three Golden Buddhist Practices of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door: making vows, performing recitation of Buddhist scriptures and performing life liberation.

METAPHYSICS- TRANSFERRING OF MERITS

Metaphysics Q&A 077 – Transferring of Merits

Q077: Master Lu, could you please advise us whether we, as lay Buddhists, should perform the Dharma Service for the Transferring of Merits when we perform recitations?

A077:

When we perform Daily Recitation (Kung Ko) or recite Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu), whether we perform the Dharma Service for the Transferring of Merits, it is best to respect the karmic condition and go with the karmic flow.

The Dharma Service for the Transferring of Merits is very formal and very serious. When we perform the Dharma Service for the Transferring of Merits, and recite the verses for the Transferring of Merits for our Karmic Creditors or deceased relatives from the past and present lives, we are transferring the virtues that we have accumulated from performing recitations to all sentient beings in all realms.

 In addition, during the Dharma Service, we are in fact hoping to repay the four kindnesses from our parents, all sentient beings, our country, and the Triple Gems; and we are hoping to ease the suffering of the three lower realms, including the Naraka realm (known as “hell” in English), the Preta realm (known as “Hungry Ghost realm” in English), and the animal realm.  This is a Grand Vow.

Performing the Dharma Service for the Transferring of Merits is a Grand Vow with extraordinary energy. The prerequisite is that you must have enough virtues. Only if you have accumulated a tremendous amount of positive karmic support and virtues, your transferring of merits can then be perfected without flaws. 

If you recite the verses for the Transferring of Merits, it means that you are hoping to repay the four kindnesses and to ease the suffering of the three lower realms. However, if you have not yet accumulated enough ability to do so, it would be similar to making a large donation of virtues beyond your capacity. For example, if you work very hard and only earn 100 dollars, you can donate this money to help all the people in the world who are suffering from poverty. However, the amount of money that you can donate is very limited, and the sentient beings that you wish to save and cross over are countless. It is very likely that not only are you not able to help them, you would end up with no money at all.

As Buddhists, we should aim to cross over ourselves and others. If you have the ability then you should help and save others. If you do not yet have enough spiritual power, then you should save yourself first before you save others.

When we recite sutras and mantras, perform Daily Recitations, and recite Little Houses, it is best not to recite the verses for the Transferring of Merits for the time being. Master Lu is teaching us to achieve results from self-cultivation first, and then we can make the Great Vow for transferring merits, repaying the four kindnesses, and easing the suffering of the three lower realms. When we have accumulated all of our merits and virtues, then we can make the Grand Vow to cross over all sentient beings.

METAPHYSICS-END-OF-LIFE CHANTING FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Metaphysics Q&A 074 – End-of-Life Chanting for family and friends

Q074: Master Lu, we are currently reciting for my mother who is in critical condition. We would like to know what sutras and mantras we should recite for her. Can we play chanting of sutras and mantras? Is there anything that we should be aware of?

A074:

For elderly people, what to recite for End-of-Life Chanting depends on the individual. Generally, you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou), or recite in the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva”  (Na Mo Ta Tzu Ta Pei Kuan Shih Yin Pu Sa)[1], or “Namo Amitabha” (Na Mo A Mi To Fo).

People who pass away with terminal illness tend be reborn into the three lower realms. If you do not perform the transferring of merits to them by performing recitations, it would be very difficult for them to even be reborn into the human realm. For End-of-Life Chanting, you can recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) to help them to be reborn into the human realm soon.

If the person is well-cultivated, then you can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching), Great Compassion Mantra, and Amitabha Sutra (A Mi To Ching). You can also recite in the name of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, for example, “Namo Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva” or “Namo Amitabha” to help this person so that this person would be received by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and be reborn into the Asura realm, the Deva realm (known as “heaven” in English), or even the higher realms.

The realm that the deceased person will be reborn into directly depends on how the body is handled. It would be best if family members can stay with the person during the final hours. The body should not be touched or relocated within 8 hours after death, but you can quietly and peacefully perform recitations for the person.
You can play chanting of sutras and mantras for the person. However, it would be best if you can recite the sutras and mantras yourself.

Family members can determine which realm the deceased will be reborn into by judging the temperature of the body parts. 

If the head is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm. 

If the feet are the last parts to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the underworld. 

If the naval area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the animal realm. 

If the chest area is the last part to become cold, then the person would likely be reborn into the human realm.

If the remains of the deceased are buried in separate places or are scattered into the sea, Partial Spirits (Fen Ling) or Scattered Spirits (San Ling) of the deceased would be generated. As a result, the souls and spirits would be incomplete, and it would be very difficult for the person to be reborn into the Asura realm or Deva realm.

It would be best if you can recite 49 Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) within 49 days after your relative passes away. It would certainly help if you can recite more if possible. You can burn several Little Houses together as you finish reciting them. Generally, it would be best to burn them on the 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th, 35th, 42nd and 49th day after your relative passes away.

WHEN THERE IS PREDETERMINED CALAMITY, WE MAY MAKE VOW TO PERFORM LIFE LIBERATION OF 1200 FISH - THIS IS THE CARDINAL NUMBER THAT CAN CHANGE OUR FATE AND DESTINY

Shuohua20170818 19:22
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)

*WHEN THERE IS PREDETERMINED CALAMITY, WE MAY MAKE VOW TO PERFORM LIFE LIBERATION OF 1200 FISH - THIS IS THE CARDINAL NUMBER THAT CAN CHANGE OUR FATE AND DESTINY*

Caller:  Master Lu, how do you derive at the number of fish to be liberated during totem reading?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  The amount of fish to be liberated is a figure.

Caller:  Is this figure advised by Bodhisattva….?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  It could be a message from Bodhisattva or the person’s predestined affinity.  The amount of fish that ought to be liberated will appear.  For example, the figure that appears frequently is 1200; many people are required to liberate this amount of fish.

I reckon 1200 fish is a cardinal number.  For instance, when there is predetermined calamity, we should not worry but to liberate the fish gradually; when we reach 1,200 fish, our fate and destiny will start to transform immediately.

Caller:  You mentioned 1,200 is the cardinal number.  In that case, when a Buddhist friend encountered a calamity, he should make a vow to liberate 1,200 fish, am I right?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  That’s right.  When you are unable to call through the Totem enquiry hotline, make a vow based on 1200 fish.

Caller:  What’s the amount of fish on the next tier, after 1200? 

Master Jun Hong Lu:  1800.

Caller:  What is the following amount?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  What comes next will be our perseverance in performing life liberation.  Let me reiterate, 1200 is the cardinal number.  It means that with this amount of fish liberated, we will be able to notice the changes taking place.  The main point is, when we follow Bodhisattva's advice of 1200 fish, we will start to see our fate and destiny taking a turn after fulfilling this amount. 

Caller: I understand.  Once again you have divulged some information to everybody today!

Master Jun Hong Lu:  If you didn’t ask, how would others ever get to know?  There are many other things that I wish to tell all of you but I just couldn’t recall.  The moment you ask, I can then share with you!

Caller:  I understand.  Thank you, Master, for answering my question.

DISAGREEMENT WITHIN A PRACTICE GROUP ARE DUE TO LAW OF CAUSALITY

Wenda20171015A 35:19
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller:  When there are disagreements among Buddhist friends within the Practice Centre, shall we interpret them as “there is no right or wrong as to what transpired but only cause and effect”?  I find that reciting _Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots_ can be very effective at times.  Master Lu, please enlighten us.

Master Jun Hong Lu:  It is certainly due to The Law of Causality, which is perfectly accurate in this world - where there is a cause, there is effect.  What we sowed in our past lives will bear fruits in this life.  The same rule applies in the course of our cultivation.

WHAT DO WE, AS BUDDHIST PRACTITIONERS, NEED?

World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan
October 3, 2016

WHAT DO WE, AS BUDDHIST PRACTITIONERS, NEED?

If you were an eagle, you could soar in the sky even if there was no one to applaud for you;

If you were grass, you could grow even if there was no one to love you;

If you were a flower in the deep mountains, you could bloom even if there was no one to appreciate you;

If you were a Buddhist practitioner, you could attain Nirvana in this lifetime even if there was no one to encourage you!

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

WILL NEGATIVE AURA DEPLETE OUR ENERGY OR MERITS?

Wenda20131011 52:35
 (Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller:  When negative aura affect a person, would it deplete his/her energy or merits?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  Negative aura will deplete both energy and merits of a person, depending on what kind of negative aura it is.  For example, if you abuse your elders, your merits will be depleted, whereas having unwholesome thoughts will deplete your positive energy.

Caller:  I understand now.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

RECITATION OF BUDDHIST SUTRAS CAN ELIMINATE 8 BILLION LIFE AND DEATH CATASTROPHES

RECITATION OF BUDDHIST SUTRAS CAN ELIMINATE 8 BILLION LIFE AND DEATH CATASTROPHES

If you are constantly performing recitation throughout your life, you will be able to eliminate eight billion life and death catastrophes. The recitation is not limited to just chanting ‘Amitabha’; it also includes recitation of sutras and mantras. When one hears the word ‘billion’, does it not appear to be plentiful? In other words, a person who spends all his life performing recitation of scripture will be able to dispel many calamities. 

Do you think disaster and difficulty will befall upon one who recites scripture throughout his life? In the past, the nuns and monks who renounced their commoners’ lifestyle at a very young age, and did their recitation in the temples all their lives; did they encounter any calamity in the temples? Just take a look at how much suffering and calamity we have to endure in the Human Realm. 

Therefore, Dharma speaks the truth of life. Although you may have committed many bad deeds in your past lives, if you are able to offer your prayers, perform recitation and repent sincerely like the monks and nuns, your grievous sins will gradually be dispelled. For example, to those young Buddhist friends from the Secretariat Department; if they had committed many bad deeds in their past lives, be it in lifestyle, career or family life, and they begin to perform recitation and repentance as well as amassing merits in the Guan Yin Hall daily now, what calamities could befall them? This is how many of the impending disasters are being resolved.

Repentance is a root practice for all Buddhist Practitioners - Selected recording of Master Jun Hong Lu’s discourse in Guan Yin Hall on 29 Mar 2017.

ARE WE ABLE TO PERFORM RECITATION WHEN SEATED NEXT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE EATING NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD?

Wenda20161216 06:30
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller: Master Lu, can we perform recitation if we sit next to people consuming non-vegetarian food and can also smell their food?

Master Jun Hong Lu: It is best not to recite. Stay further away; move to a further end.

Caller: What if we go to a non-vegetarian restaurant? Should we avoid recitation there too?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Recite quietly. Do not open your mouth and do not recite aloud.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

METAPHYSICS- THE NUMBER OF TIMES TO RECITE FOR DAILY RECITATION

Metaphysics Q&A 065 – The number of times to recite for Daily Recitation

Q065: Dear Master Lu, due to personal time management issues, I am only able to do my Daily Recitation (Kung Ko) six days a week. Can I skip one day and not recite anything for that day? Can I compensate for the recitation that I missed on a later day?
A065:

Once you have committed to a set quantity for your Daily Recitation, you must be able to achieve it. In some cases, it may be preferable to set a lower number of sutras and mantras for your Daily Recitation. For example, if you have decided to recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times per day, then you must achieve this quantity every day. When you recite more than 7 times per day, the additional mantras that you recited can be counted as extras.

It is very important for you to set the number of sutras and mantras that you include in your Daily Recitation.

For special occasions or unusual conditions that you are unable to finish your Daily Recitation for the day, you can inform Guan Yin Bodhisattva about your situation and perform your Daily Recitation in advance.

If there is a sudden change in conditions and you are unable to finish your Daily Recitation for the day, you should also inform Guan Yin Bodhisattva by saying the following, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva forgive me, <your full name>, I am unable to finish my Daily Recitation today and I will finish it tomorrow.”

No matter how busy you are, you should ensure that you at least recite some sutras and mantras every day, even if you are just reciting the Great Compassion Mantra several times.
For the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen), if you have missed reciting this sutra and need to make up for it at a later time, it is better to spread the quantity over several days, instead of reciting all of your missing portion in a lump sum. You should not recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance more than 7 times in one day.

Words of Wisdom (vol.3)

Words of Wisdom (vol.3)
A glass of water changes its colour and becomes unthinkable when It is stained by a drop of ink, whereas the ocean remains blue even when a drop of ink dissolves in it. Why is it so? It is because their capacity differs.

Wheat spikes grow straight upwards when unripe, but they lower their tips when they ripen. Why is it so? It is because their substance differs.

We will have more capacity of we practise tolerance towards others.

We will have substance if we practise humility. A combination of both is a sought-after quality.

Words of Wisdom (vol.3)

Words of Wisdom (vol.3)
One who knows how to be happy will not live a day without happiness.

It is no use stamping one's feet and beating one's chest lamenting and moaning.

Only when we understand our ever-changing mind can one identify their feelings and perceptions in relation to their surroundings. 

Remember that everything is made from the mind alone.

METAPHYSICS- PROPAGATING MULTIPLE DHARMA DOORS AT THE SAME TIME

Metaphysics Q&A 086 – Propagating multiple Dharma Doors at the same time

Q086: I am now cultivating under Master Lu’s Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. I am performing Daily Recitation (Kung Ko), reciting Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu), and have experienced many positive effects. Can I continue to learn more than one Dharma Door? Can I post Master Lu’s articles on my blog, along with articles from other Dharma Doors? Would this be an appropriate thing to do or would it be too complicated?

A086:

It is said that there are 84,000 Dharma Doors and we can practise any of them. Master Lu often teaches us that, when we learn Buddhism we should learn according to Dharma. You need to understand the Dharma Door, and understand which one is the most suitable for resolving your problems. This is similar to finding a suitable doctor to diagnose your condition.

When you establish karmic relationships with a certain Dharma Door and you propagate Dharma, you will receive numerous virtues from this Dharma Door. At the same time, it will help to eliminate and cease the negative karmas from your past wrongdoings.

If at the same time, you are also learning or propagating Dharma from another Dharma Door, you will in fact experience leakage in your cultivation. We can compare the accumulation of virtues to the accumulation of income. Suppose you own a store and your sales and earnings are positive (you propagate a Dharma Door and you receive virtues from this Dharma Door). While you operate this store, you open another store. It would be good if you receive income from the new store. However, if this store is not making money, then you will have to transfer your earnings from your original store to cover the lost made by your new store. The same concept applies to the accumulation of virtues.

If you are following or propagating Dharma from two Dharma Doors at the same time, it is very likely that you will experience leakage in your cultivation. If you are already accumulating virtues from following one Dharma Door, and you propagate Dharma from another Dharma Door which is not suitable for you, then your energy field would be affected. Your spiritual power and the methods that you follow from the Dharma Doors would also be affected.

Following multiple Dharma Doors is similar to learning multiple skills and you are unable to master any of them. You should therefore only focus on following one Dharma Door. If you have already found a suitable Dharma Door, then it is best not to follow another Dharma Door. People who cultivate well usually only follow one Dharma Door. For example, an athlete who is good at high jump would be better at high jump than swimming. Likewise, if an athlete is good at swimming, then this athlete would not be as good at high jump. Devoting full attention, having a specialisation, maintaining focus, or being professional – the key is to “focus”, and this principle applies to learning Buddhism as well. In order to become an all-round gold medallist, a person must devote a tremendous amount of effort, and the success rate tends to be very low.

If you have not yet decided which Dharma Door to follow, then it would be alright to find out more about other Dharma Doors. However, if you have already decided to follow a particular Dharma Door, then it is best not to read about or propagate information from multiple Dharma Doors. For example, if you are already studying finance at university, then it is better not to study courses from architecture, arts etc. In the end you may not be able to graduate from any course.

Humans have limited wisdom, especially the wisdom of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If we learn from multiple Dharma Doors, we may easily become confused. If we do not have a clear mind or we are seriously ill, then as soon as someone tells us “this is a good doctor, that is a good doctor”, we tend to seek help from all of them. As a result, we may not receive proper treatment in time. If in the end we suffer complex conditions which none of the doctors can cure, we may even lose our lives. It is therefore extremely important to choose a Dharma Door that is suitable for you.

METAPHYSICS-RECITATIONS FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS

Metaphysics Q&A 092 – Recitations for expectant mothers

Q092: Dear Master Lu, which sutras and mantras should an expectant mother recite for her unborn child? Can she also recite Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu)? Would you please provide a Dharma Talk on this issue?

A092:

For expectant mothers, it is generally best to have your Totem enquired by Master Lu first. The types of sutras and mantras that you should recite depend on the spiritual status of your unborn child. If a mother has been experiencing tremendous difficulties in life, then the spirit that is to be reborn as her child may not have the best spiritual status, and may also experience misfortunes in life. You need to recite the Guna Ratna Sila Dharani (Kung Te Pao Shan Shen Chou) in advance and transfer the virtues from this child’s previous lives into the present life in order to transform and resolve calamities and misfortunes. In later years, this child’s karmas can be transformed and resolved by the recitation of sutras and mantras. Generally, an expectant mother can recite the Guna Ratna Sila Dharani 27 times per day.

If an expectant mother tends to be physically weak and often gets sick, or she is expecting a baby girl, then it is possible that she is lacking in “Yang” energy. She can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) at least 7 times per day. It would be better if she can recite more.
If a child has hearing, eyesight, or mental problems, or is born with a prenatal disorder, you can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times per day for this child, to sincerely ask Guan Yin Bodhisattva to grant this child wisdom.

You can recite the following sutras and mantras for your child, if the child has committed many wrongdoings in the previous lives. You can recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) once per day, and Sapta Atitabuddha Karasaniya Dharani (Chi Fo Mieh Tsui Chen Yan) 21 times per day. Recitation of the above sutras helps you to repent, transform and resolve the negative karmas from the child’s previous lives.

Under the condition where you are unable to have your Totem enquired by Master Lu, you can perform the following Daily Recitation (Kung Ko) for your unborn child: recite the Great Compassion Mantra 3 times per day, Heart Sutra 7 times per day, Guna Ratna Sila Dharani 27 times per day, Sapta Atitabuddha Karasaniya Dharani 21 times per day, and Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance once per day. It is best not to increase the number of sutras and mantras that you recite at your own discretion, and please do not recite Little Houses for your unborn child.

If you have a foreign spirit occupying your body, you should recite Little Houses and transfer merits to your Karmic Creditor as soon as possible. It would be even better if your family and Dharma friends who are following the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door can help you to perform the transferring of merits on your behalf. You are likely to have a foreign spirit on your body if you often experience misfortune or illness; or if you have frequent nightmares; or if you have bleeding which may lead to miscarriage; or you have had a miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy in the past; or Master Lu has examined your Totem and informed you that you have a foreign spirit occupying your body. It is best for an expectant mother to not perform the transferring of merits for other people, including deceased relatives, or Karmic Creditors of someone with terminal illness.

Expectant mothers should also perform Daily Recitation for herself, including the recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra, Heart Sutra, Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (less than 3 times per day under normal conditions), Cundi Dharani (Chun Ti Shen Chou), etc. It is best to recite the Great Compassion Mantra as much as possible to experience optimum effects. At night time, you should only recite the Great Compassion Mantra.

You should go out in the sun frequently, and perform prostrations to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as often as possible. When you pay respects to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas you would be filled with Dharma Bliss, and you are likely to give birth to a beautiful baby.
Within the first month of pregnancy when the foetus has just formed its shape, it is best to stay peacefully at home, instead of going to places that do not have clean or pure energy field, or lack “Yang” energy. Avoid hospitals, cemeteries, or places where religious practices are performed, as these places often have burial grounds nearby.

METAPHYSICS-TUMOURS IN THE FACIAL REGION

Metaphysics Q&A 085 – Tumours in the facial region

Q085: My classmate’s son has a tumour in his nose. Which sutra or mantra should he recite? What else should he do?

A085:

Having a tumour in the facial region is considered to be one of the most severe types of karmic retributions.
Our body parts can be divided into “Yin” and “Yang”. The parts that we cover up with clothes are considered to be “Yin”, and the parts that can be exposed are considered to be “Yang”. The parts that can either be covered up or exposed are considered to be partial “Yin” and partial “Yang”.

The face is considered to be a “Yang” part. If you have a tumour in your facial region so that people can see it at first glance, it is considered to be one of the immediate karmic retributions. In ancient times, prisoners were given tattoos on their face to show everyone that they have committed wrongdoings. This is one of the types of karmic retributions that is considered to be very serious.

If you have tumours in your facial region, and you have realised that it is one of your karmic retributions, then you should believe in Buddhism and perform recitations. You should recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen)and Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) as much as possible. Meanwhile, you should also perform Life Libration and make Great Vows.

METAPHYSICS- ASKING BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS TO GRANT A CHILD

Metaphysics Q&A 088 – Asking Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to grant a child

Q088: Master Lu, which sutras and mantras should I recite so I can have a child?

A088:

When a person wants to have a child but cannot conceive, it is considered to be one of the eight sufferings in life, i.e. the suffering of not getting what one wants. Generally, there are many karmic conditions and causalities for not being able to have a child. It can be due to negative karmas created in past lives, wrongdoings committed by ancestors, or other reasons. Often these are serious negative karmas. 

You need to recite different combinations of sutras and mantras depending on the situation.
If you are sincerely asking Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to grant you a child, then you should recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7, 11, 21 or 49 times per day.

It is best to recite the Great Compassion Mantra as many times as possible. 
Generally you should recite the Great Compassion Mantra at least 49 times per day when you encounter major problems, or suffer from serious illness. 
You should also recite the Great Compassion Mantra at least49 times when you are experiencing Karmic Passes. Karmic Passes is said to be a destined period of time when you experience major calamities that follow a karmic pattern predetermined by fate. 
You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, grant me good health, and help me to eliminate any disorder in the reproductive system to allow me to conceive and give birth soon.

You should recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 or 11 times per day. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, grant me wisdom and help me to eliminate afflictions.” This should be included in your Daily Recitation (Kung Ko). 
When you recite the Heart Sutra, you will gain wisdom. You will also feel happier and be able to view your problems with a broader perspective.

You should recite the Cundi Dharani (Chun Ti Shen Chou) 21, 49 or 108 times per day. You can say the following prayer: “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, grant me good health, and allow me to conceive and give birth soon.”

You should recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 7 times per day. This is a very important sutra. Not being able to have a child is caused by major negative karmas. It would be best to recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance 7 times per day. At the beginning, if you cannot recite 7 times per day, you can start with reciting it 3 times per day, and then gradually increase it to 7 times per day. You can say the following prayer: “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, help me to eliminate karmic obstacles due to negative karmas, especially in my reproductive system, and grant me good health to allow me to conceive and give birth soon.” If you know that there are problems with your uterus or ovaries, you can specifically state these parts of the body in your prayer. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, help me to eliminate karmic obstacles due to negative karmas in <parts of body>, and grant me good health to allow me to conceive and give birth soon.”

Once you begin reciting the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance, you should also start reciting Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu). When you recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance, you are eliminating your karmic obstacles due to negative karmas, and some of the karmic obstacles due to negative karmas would be activated and transformed into foreign spirits. If you do not recite enough Little Houses to transfer merits to your Karmic Creditor in time, then your condition may be exacerbated. If you recite enough Little Houses in time to transfer merits to your Karmic Creditor, your condition would improve.

If you have had a miscarriage or an abortion in the past, then you should recite 7 Little Houses for each child to perform the transferring of merits, and address to “Child of <your full name>.” It would be better if you can recite more Little Houses.

If you have committed or contributed to a lot of killing for work purposes, then you should first change your career. In the meantime, you should recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra(Wang Sheng Chou) and say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, and help me to transfer merits to the deceased animals whose death I have caused.”

At the same time, you should make Great Vows. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, I vow that <I will never eat live creatures for the rest of my life; or I will propagate Dharma and cross over <number of> people; or I will be vegetarian for <number of> days per month, etc.>”[1] The greater the vow that you make, the stronger the effects. However, you should make vows that are within your capacity based on your current condition. You should also include the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, and grant me a child. I vow that I will perform more meritorious and virtuous deeds, and raise this child to be a good person who propagates Dharma.”

You should also perform Life Liberation as much as you can. Life Liberation encompasses the giving of wealth, the giving of Dharma, and the giving of fearlessness. It is best to release in large quantities, and the virtues are immense.

If you wish to conceive, then you should refrain from wearing high heels.

Guan Yin Bodhisattva gave us three Dharma Gems: performing recitations, making Great Vows, and performing Life Liberation. If you combine the above three practices, and sincerely ask Guan Yin Bodhisattva for protection and blessings, you will certainly have your wishes fulfilled. Countless Dharma cultivators have resolved their major problem by following the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door and using the above three Dharma Gems.

We should also learn to respect the karmic condition and go with the karmic flow. According to Buddhism, everything in the world is the result of karma and causalities, and it is not up to us to reason or find justification. When you receive something naturally, then it is considered to be good fortune. However, it is best not to forcefully request for what you were not meant to have, especially when it comes to having children. If a child is given to you as a result of your forceful request, then it may not be fortunate, and this child is most likely to be one that has come into your life to collect karmic debts.

THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE MINDSET

Handling conflicts in life is like mastering the art of cooking. The heat at which you cook should not be extreme.

To have a positive mindset in life is like being able to control the heat while cooking. A raging temper will destroy your destiny, just like raging fire will burn the dishes.

Words of Wisdom by Master Lu, Sydney, Australia, 17 January 2016

HOW MANY TIMES OF EIGHTY-EIGHT BUDDHAS GREAT REPENTANCE TEXT(LIFO) IS APPROPRIATE FOR A PARTICULAR DISEASE?

Wenda20170602 16:43
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)

Caller:  Can we recite LIFO to cure a particular ailment and many times will be appropriate?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Vow to recite 59 or 108 times.

Caller:  Ok.  How many Little Houses needed to recite after LIFO? 

Master Jun Hong Lu:  With regards to Little House, it depends. If you’re not well, you may choose the number, for example 49 times”

Caller:  “I have already recite 79 ……Thank you, Master lu for answering my question.”

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

BE INCLINED TO KINDNESS

Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk
Jakarta, Indonesia
9 March 2018

*BE INCLINED TO KINDNESS*

In this modern age, it is important that we incline to kindness and instill kindness in our hearts.  Let the compassionate heart that sprang up, just like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, help us eliminate the negative karmic obstacles in our Eighth Consciousness gradually.  Over time, our heart will soften and our blood and energy will flow more smoothly.  As our heart becomes more beautiful, so will our appearance.

*WORDS OF WISDOM*- MASTER LU'S PUBLIC TALK JAKARTA, INDONESIA

Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk
Jakarta, Indonesia
10 March 2018

*WORDS OF WISDOM*

Master Jun Hong Lu, "please remember this:

🍃A generous person shall receive more karmic rewards

🍃A grateful person shall find a smooth sailing life

🍃A helpful person shall find plenty of benefactors

🍃A person full of complaints shall find more worries

🍃A contented person shall find more happiness

🍃An evasive person shall face more failures

🍃A person who enjoys sharing shall make more friends

🍃A temperamental person shall be plagued with more sickness

🍃A freeloader shall find himself impoverished

🍃A generous person shall find riches and honour

🍃A person who leads a pleasurable life shall find more sufferings

🍃An inquisitive person shall gain more wisdom; and last but not least,

🍃A person with an eagerness to practise Buddhism shall find abundant BLESSINGS"

EXTENSION OF LIFESPAN THROUGH RELEASING TURTLE

Wenda20170604B   34:49 
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller:  Master ever mentioned that a Buddhist friend was able to gain 3 years of extension to his lifespan after releasing 200 turtles.  I was amazed by its effectiveness and later found out that he will only release large turtles, each weighing more than 1 KG or having the size of a small wash bowl.  Master did say that lifespan can be extended through releasing wash bowl sized turtles before.

Master Jun Hong Lu:  Releasing turtles in smaller size will also help to extend lifespan.  The difference is smaller turtles help to extend lifespan by days or months, i.e. one may live for few more days or months, whereas bigger turtles will extend lifespan by number of years.

THE MORE YOU WANT TO OBTAIN BUDDHA-HOOD,THE GREATER DEMONIC OBSTACLES YOU'LL HAVE

Master Jun Hong Lu’s Teaching
(Question 162)
May 21, 2017

Q:  Is it true that someone has accumulated great virtue and merits, then the person will also have great obstacles? 

A:  The more you want to obtain Buddha-hood, the greater demonic obstacles you’ll have.  The more you’re respected; the more jealousy you’ll invite.  If one day you become a model worker, you may need to deal with jealous individual.  The taller a tree grows, the stronger wind and rain it will withstand.  No one will pay attention to a sapling.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

METAPHYSICS- PERFORMING RECITATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE ILLNESS

Metaphysics Q&A 082 – Performing recitations for people with severe illness

Q082:  Dear Master Lu, I am very thankful to encounter your Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. I have a friend who has cancer. There is still a long time before we can book an interview with you for Totem Enquiry, could you please advise us on what we can do to save his life in the meantime? Thank you very much.

A082:

First of all, observe whether your friend has religious beliefs. If he has religious beliefs, then there is a chance that he can be saved. If he does not yet have religious beliefs, but is willing to believe in it now, then there is still a chance that he can be saved.

Foreign spirits that cause people to have cancer are usually powerful ones. When the time comes, people’s karmic fruits will ripen and their causality will take effect. If by this time, they still carry a lot of negative karmas, then this is when people can develop terminal illnesses such as cancer. People who pass away with terminal illness (e.g. cancer, leukaemia, etc) usually pass away with an immense amount of negative karmas.

In general, when people with terminal illness are in a critical condition or are about to undergo a major operation, it is best to focus on a single sutra or mantra. Continuously recite the Great Compassionate Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) whenever possible and for as long as possible. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, grant me good health and cure my illness in <part of body>.” It is important to persistently recite the Great Compassionate Mantra for as long as you live. 

Once your condition stabilises, you can recite the Great Compassionate Mantra 49 times per day.
It would be best to recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 3 to 5 times per day to repent your negative karmas. According to the latest teachings by Master Lu, the recitation of the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance is very effective for healing cancer and acute illnesses. Since it can eliminate and activate negative karmas, it is important to also offer Little Houses for the best effects. In general, you would need to offer 3 to 5 Little Houses per week for your Karmic Creditor if you recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance 3 to 5 times per day. Please ensure that you can offer a sufficient number of Little Houses if you are reciting the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance 5 times per day.

You can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 or more times per day. For mental illnesses, 21 or 49 times per day is required.
In the case where you and your family have performed killings in the past, or consumed too much live seafood, or your ancestors have performed killings, you will also need to recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) 27 or 49 times per day to transfer merits to the creatures.

Ensure that you are offering at least 3 Little Houses per week, and it is better to offer more. It is best to make a vow to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and state that you will offer a certain number of Little Houses in one batch. For example, “I, <your full name>, will recite <21 or 49> Little Houses for the Karmic Creditor of <your full name> before <date DD/MM/YYYY>.” Continue to offer Little Houses in batches until you have fully recovered. Please note that you do not need to finish the entire batch before you offer them. It is best to offer them as soon as possible, and avoid prolonged delays. For example, you can offer Little Houses when you have completed 3 or 4 of them.

If you have dreamt of deceased people or you have had an abortion or miscarriage in the past, please transfer merits to them as soon as possible. Offer at least 7 Little Houses for each of them and address them to “The child of <full name of the mother>”, or “<full name of the deceased>”. It is best if you can offer 21 Little Houses.

Meanwhile, it is recommended that you make Great Vows. The greater the vow, the greater the effectiveness, but you must be able to keep your vow. For example: “If I recover, I will cross over <number of> people, propagate Dharma and share my experience with others to demonstrate the results of learning Buddhism.” If you feel that you have limited capabilities, you can make the following vow: “For the rest of my life – I will be vegetarian on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, I will not eat live seafood, and I will not perform any form of killing.”

At the same time, you should perform Life Liberation, preferably in large quantities. For best results, you can perform Life Liberation on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month. When you arrive at the releasing site, you can recite the Great Compassionate Mantra, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou). There is no limit for the number of times that you can recite, but better results can be achieved if you recite more. Before you recite these sutras and mantras, you should state your full name, and say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, grant me good health and cure my illness in <part of body>.” If it is not convenient for you to perform the Life Liberation yourself, you can ask your family members to do this on your behalf. For best results, it would be better to use the patient’s own money for the Life Liberation.

Performing recitations, making Great Vows, and performing Life Liberation are the three Dharma Gems given by the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva to us for curing illnesses. We must use these three Dharma Gems appropriately and wisely.

DO NOT USE TOOTHBRUSH TO CLEAN OFFERING CUP, USE CLOTH

Master Jun Hong Lu's Discourse (Question 212)
6 March 2018

Question:  Can we use a brand new toothbrush to clean the cups used for offering water at Buddhist altar?

Answer:  Using toothbrush is not ideal.  You may use a new cloth instead.

WISDOM EQUATES HUMILITY AND BEING CAUTIOUS

Wenda20170326A 01:00:47
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller: A Buddhist practioner thought that he was not diligent in cultivation.  However, other Buddhist practioners, who know him very well, had dreams that he cultivated well.  For example, they dreamt that he became a Bodhisattva, brought a lot of delicious food for other Buddhist friends, or had a divine power to help them.  Nonetheless, he does not think himself in that way.  What is the reason behind this?

Master Jun Hong Lu: When others say that you are good, but you do not think in that way, you are indeed humble.  I mentioned this during my recent public talk: I said: “What is wisdom?  Wisdom is about being humble and cautious at all times.  A wise person will humbly seek advice from others and learn a lot.  You will not make mistakes if you do things cautiously and work on your goals one step at a time. So wisdom encompasses modesty and prudence.  Understand?

Caller: I understand now, thank you Master Lu.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

METAPHYSICS- HOW TO DETERMINE IF THE APPLICATION FOR NAME CHANGE IS SUCCESSFUL

Metaphysics Q&A 081 – How to determine if the Application for Name Change is successful

Q081: Master Lu, could you please kindly spend some time to teach us a good method to determine whether our Application for Name Change is successful?

A081:

How to determine whether the Application for Name Change is successful? First of all, it is mostly based on the feelings of the owner of the new name. Generally we change our names to improve our conditions. After you have lodged the Application for Name Change, you should feel as if you have opened up your heart and freed your mind, you should feel happier, and your mood should improve immediately. You should also feel that your fortune is changing. If you experience the above, then your application is successful. If after you have lodged your application, you feel the same or even worse than before, or have bad feelings, then your application may not have been successful, or your new name may not be suitable for you.

Secondly, you should recite more Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching). When you recite more Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching), you would obtain wisdom, and you would form a connection and be more aware of your new name. When people call you by your new name, or during special occasions when your name is used, you would know that the new name is associated with you.

Thirdly, the success of lodging the application is also determined by the energy field. Is your new name used by someone else? If someone else is already using that name, and your energy field is very close to this person, then it would be very difficult to update the energy field that is associated with your name.

Fourthly, the dynamic spiritual effects are also essential for a successful application. For example, if you have never lodged the Application for Name Change, but you have changed your name over ten years ago, then your changed name should have dynamic spiritual effects since you have been called by this name for over ten years. However, because you have not lodged the Application for Name Change, this new name has not been registered in all of the heavens and other spiritual realms. Therefore, your souls and spirits are likely to be scattered and become incomplete. Once you have lodged the Application for Name Change, you should be called by your new name in full as much as possible. Usually three months or 100 days after you have lodged your application, the dynamic spiritual effects for your new name would be generated.

Finally, you can recite Little Houses to the “Karmic Creditor of <your new full name>”. After you recite and burn the Little Houses, observe if you are still suffering from headaches, bad temper, or nightmares. You can judge whether your application has been successful by the resulting effects of the Little House. If the effects are positive, then it indicates that your Application for Name Change has been successful.

Once you have lodged your application, each day before you perform recitations, you can say your new name in full to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in front of the altar. This is also very helpful for your new name to take effect.

Before you lodge your application, you can begin by reading out the text on the application form. You can then recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, and Heart Sutra 7 times. As the final step, you can burn the application form.
It is best to lodge the application on auspicious days, including the 1st and 15th of the lunar month. The best time is 8AM in the morning.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can lodge it multiple times until your application is successful.
Generally, as soon as you have lodged your application, you can use your new name to address your Little House. If for the time being you are unsure whether your application is successful, you can address your Little House to the “Karmic Creditor of <your new name>, <your old name>”. This format can only be used temporarily as an interim solution and should not be used in the long term.

If your application is unsuccessful after your first attempt, and you have recited and burnt your Little Houses using your new name, then as soon as your application is successful after your subsequent attempt, these Little Houses would take effect.

OUR MIND IS AN IMPORTANT MACHINE, UNMOVING SUCHNESS IS THE KEY

Wenda20180223  41:04 
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Master Jun Hong Lu:  Our mind is the most important machine, if it stops functioning or malfunction, we will encounter problems with our brain, limbs, as well as soul.   Due to the close relation between mind and body, many people who are psychologically ill are likely to suffer physiologically, and vice versa.  On that premise, what could possibly be the source of problem?  

The answer is very simple: it is our troubled mind.  The jealousy, hatred and greed that harbour in our mind will bring about demonic obstacles in us, and cause us to get caught up in a predicament which we are unable to break free.  As such, the first lesson for any Buddhist cultivator is to master unmoving suchness.

DESTINY

Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk, Hong Kong 2014

DESTINY

Our destiny, the weal and woe in our life, is predetermined. However, through learning Buddhism, we can control and change our fate. 

As Buddhist cultivators, we know our what our destiny is and hence we can change it.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

WHAT MATTER MOST TO BODHISATTVA IS OUR SINCERITY, NOT THE SIZE OF OUR ALTAR

Wenda20111121 20:30
(Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program)

Caller:  My house is small, so is my altar. The altar is placed in my bedroom.  Do you think this is ok?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  It is alright.  It doesn’t matter if your altar is small.  What matters most to Bodhisattva is your sincerity rather than the size of your altar.  Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s mercy embraces all sentient beings, not solely the wealthy ones.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

INFLUENCY WHILE PERFORMING RECITATIONS

Shuohua20120622  07:28 
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program]

Caller:  Why do I became influent whenever I recite Jvala Mahaugra Dharani (Xiao Zai Ji Xiang Shen Zhou) and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Jing Tu Shen Zhou)?

Master Jun Hong Lu:  You may get stuttering when you are not familiar with the mantras yet, or you know the mantras too well.  Don’t worry about it.  For example, you may dream of reciting some mantras, and suddently someone told you to recite the Heart Sutra, and you start to recite the Manta immediately in your mind; In fact, some one passed you a message to get you recite the Heart Sutra.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

YOUR MIND OF DISCRIMINATION AND MASTER LU’S PUBLIC TALKS WILL HELP ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES

Wenda20170326B 48:18
(Master Jun Hong Lu's call-in radio program)

Caller: Master Lu, you mentioned that there will be 108 Bodhisattvas present at every Public Talk;  Will our karmic obstacles be eliminated quickly by attending the Public Talk in Penang, Malaysia?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, of course.  Attending any large-scale Public Talks will eliminate karmic obstacles.

Caller: Will that eliminate many of our karmic obstacles?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes, it will..

Caller: As many as the Public Talk in Singapore?

Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes.  Many Bodhisattvas came to the Singapore Public Talk, and so they will to the Penang Public Talk.  We must not have a discriminating mind, and Bodhisattvas will save every one of us.

Translated by Oriental Radio Practice Centre (Singapore)
Proofread by 2OR Secretariat

MAKING GREAT VOWS ABOUT RECITING SUTRAS

Metaphysics Q&A 084 – Making Great Vows about reciting sutras

Q084: Master Lu, may I please ask you, before I encountered the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, I made a vow to Bodhisattva in front of the altar that I will recite a certain sutra 100 times for my parents and myself to eliminate our negative karmas. This sutra is not included in the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. I only recited that sutra several times, and then my friend introduced me to Master Lu’s blog and the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, which I found to be very suitable for me. Since then I have been following your Dharma Door and started reciting Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu) and performing Daily Recitation (Kung Ko). I have experienced many positive results. My question is: I have made a vow, should I continue to recite this sutra which is not included in the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door? Can I recite Little Houses while I recite sutras from another Dharma Door? Otherwise, what should I do? I sincerely ask Master Lu, the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door Secretariat, and all the Dharma friends to provide me with some advice.

A084:

First of all, you need to determine whether you have made the vow to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, or you have made the vow to foreign spirits or Karmic Creditors.

If you have made a vow to recite a certain number of sutras and mantras, and this vow was made to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then the Daily Recitation and Little Houses that you are now reciting will be noticed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. For example, you originally planned to go to Beijing, and now you have decided to go to Shanghai instead. You do not need to go to Beijing first, and then go from Beijing to Shanghai. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have great mercy and great compassion. They are watching over us and are aware of how we cultivate. The most important thing is that we sincerely cultivate our mind and practise Buddhism.

You do not need to specifically state that you have decided to follow another Dharma Door to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, because they are aware of every Right Dharma Door. Furthermore, beings in all of the heavens, and all other spiritual realms will be aware as well. If you have followed a Right Dharma Door in the past, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will acknowledge it. Now that you have decided to follow another Right Dharma Door, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would also understand and would not prevent you from your cultivation.

You can also inform Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of your decision by saying the following prayer, ”May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>. I have started reciting Little Houses to repay my karmic debts. For the time being I am postponing my recitation of <name of the other sutras and mantras> until a later time. When the conditions allow, I will continue my cultivation.”

This is not considered to be breaking your vow. You are breaking your vow when you have made one stating that you will never eat live seafood, or that you will cultivate your mind and practise Buddhism, but you can no longer keep your vow. Generally, it is considered to be breaking your vow when you give up on practising some sort of good deed.

If you have made your vow to spirits or Karmic Creditors and have promised to recite a certain number of sutras and mantras, then it is best for you to keep your vow.

METAPHYSICS-WHETHER WE NEED TO CONTINUOUSLY RECITE LITTLE HOUSES

Metaphysics Q&A 095 – Whether we need to continuously recite Little Houses

Q095:  Hi Master Lu, I am a beginner. Once we start reciting Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu), do we need to continuously recite from now on? Could you please advise us? Thank you!

A095:

The recitation of the Little House is one of the Dharma Gems given to us by the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva. In the Age of Dharma Decline, the recitation of Little Houses is the grand Dharma Gem for us to transfer merits to spirits and to eliminate our negative karmas.

As we are in the six realms of rebirth, we have countless karmic obstacles due to negative karmas, and they follow us everywhere like our shadow follows us. Even after many cycles of deaths and rebirths, and even though we have changed many different roles and have been reborn into many different bodies, we always carry all of our negative karmas from our previous lives. We are reborn into the human realm in this life to receive our karmic retributions. This is also the reason why our fate can be read accurately by some fortune tellers. The karmic debts that we owe from our previous lives need to be repaid in this life. We must repay our karmic debts when our Karmic Passes, or the predetermined period of time comes. According to our fate, when the calamities or illnesses are destined to occur, our legitimate Karmic Creditors can collect karmic debts from us.

As you start to perform recitations and cultivate your mind, you may often dream about your Karmic Creditors, and you are likely to foresee your personal disasters in your dreams. This is in fact reminding you to repay your karmic debts in time. In addition, only legitimate Karmic Creditors are allowed to collect karmic debts from you, as they have permissions from the underworld. 

Generally, random spirits would not come and collect karmic debts from you for no reason, as your Karmic Creditors would all have strong karmic ties with you from your previous lives. The recitation of Little Houses is one of the most effective methods to repay your karmic debts. In the underworld, Little Houses are considered to be large currencies. When spirits receive the Little Houses, they can use the energy to proceed to a higher realm. Usually when you dream about your Karmic Creditors, it is best to recite 7 Little Houses for each of them and address the Little Houses to the “Karmic Creditor of <your full name>”.
The number of Karmic Creditors that you have depends on your own karmic conditions, and each individual has a different situation. If you have a tremendous amount of negative karmas and hence have a large amount of karmic debts, then you would need to recite a large number of Little Houses. Generally, if you experience major illness, it tends to be due to serious negative karmas. You should recite a relatively large number of Little Houses within a short period of time. If you have a small amount of negative karmas, and you owe limited amount of karmic debts, then you would not need to recite as many Little Houses within a short period of time. However, in the course of your lifetime, you do need to continuously repay your karmic debts.

Reciting Little Houses is not only about saving yourself and crossing yourself over, you are also changing your own life. In addition, you can transfer merits to your deceased family members and help them to be reborn into a higher realm. When you help others by performing recitations for them, your recitations supports them to resolve problems and helps them to prevent and avoid disasters. When you do this, you are indeed accumulating virtues. Negative karmas can be eliminated if you continue to perform virtuous deeds. People with immense virtues are protected from harm and kept safe during the Age of Dharma Decline when natural and man-made disasters continuously occur.

The Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva has given us this wonderful Dharma Gem to allow us the opportunity to change our own lives. We are now able to transform and resolve disasters through repaying our karmic debts. It is up to us to decide whether to use this Dharma Gem to save ourselves. We all have to repay our karmic debts, and this is an unalterable principle. How we repay our karmic debts is our own choice. We can choose to transform and resolve our calamities and disasters by reciting Little Houses and performing the transferring of merits to our Karmic Creditors and repay our karmic debts. Otherwise, we can choose to not repay our karmic debts by the recitation of Little Houses. We can accept our karmic retributions and experience the destined events in our lives as a result.

Learning Buddhism, performing recitations, cultivating your mind, and practising Buddhism is a life-long mission, and should not be considered as short-term activities. If you are cultivating your mind and performing recitations only to resolve your temporary hardships, then once you have resolved your current issues, you would still be lost when the next one occurs, and you would end up blindly following your fate without having any control of your own life. In addition, if you are only seeking help from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas during the last minute, it would be difficult for you to receive protection and blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the long term.