Metaphysics Q&A 002 – Changing names
Q002: Do we burn the Application for Name Change (Kai Ming Sheng Wen) after we pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and ask for protection? What is the best time and location, and how should we perform the ritual? I just downloaded the application form and I would like to make name changes for my child and myself. Please advise.
A002:
Your name represents your souls and spirits. When your name is called, your souls and spirits follow your name. When a person is born, the name written on the birth certificate is also recorded in the spiritual realms, including the heavens and underworld. If you have changed your name for over one year, your new name may also have dynamic spiritual effects. However, if you have changed your name, it is best to lodge the Application for Name Change. If you have not lodged the application, it is best to use your original name on your birth certificate to perform recitations and to address your Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu).
When you lodge the Application for Name Change, you are also updating your new name with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, officers who are in charge of name changes in the heavens and the underworld, and all other spiritual beings.
You can download the Application for Name Change form from <www.GuanYinCitta.com>. Print the application form on a piece of A4 sized, yellow paper. [See Appendix C: Application for Name Change].
Fill in your original name and your new name. On the application form, fill in your original name where it says, “Devotee’s original full name”, and fill in your changed name where it says, “Now changed to” and “Devotee’s full name”. If you are completing the application form for your child, please also write the date of birth of your child, e.g. 2001/12/31 (according to the Gregorian calendar).
Please fill in your current location on the form (e.g. “Beijing, China” or “Sydney, Australia”). Please also fill in the date that you burn the form.
It is best to burn the application form on a sunny day. The best times are 8AM, 10AM and 4PM.
You can also hand write the form on a piece of A4 sized, yellow paper.
If there is an altar at home, then you need to offer incense and oil lamp(s) to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Read out the text on your application form in front of the altar (you may kneel down). Recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times and the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, and then you can burn the application form (burn from top to bottom).
If there is no altar at home, then you need to go to a temple to lodge your application. Make a full prostration to every Buddha and Bodhisattva in the temple, and then read out the text on your application form in the shrine where Guan Yin Bodhisattva is worshiped, “I, <your full name>, come to, <name of the temple>, today to pay my respects to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I sincerely ask the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva to witness and verify that my original name was <old name> and now my name has changed to <new name>. I sincerely invite all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in this temple to be my witnesses.” Recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times and Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, and then you can burn the application form in the urn where the incense sticks are burnt (burn from top to bottom).
You only need to lodge your application once. If you feel that your name change has not been successful, you can lodge your application multiple times until it is successful.
It is best if you can lodge the Application for Name Change yourself. If a child is too young and is unable to lodge the application, parents or other family members can also lodge the application on behalf of the child.
You do not need to lodge the application for a deceased person. You can address the Little Houses to the full name of the deceased that was used before the deceased passed away.
If you are unsure of your original name, for example, if you were adopted, then you can lodge the Application for True Name[1]. You can download the Application for True Name form from <www.GuanYinCitta.com>.
To determine whether the Application for Name Change has been successful, 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. Please refer to Q&A 081 “Regarding how to determine if the Application for Name Change is successful”.
Q002: Do we burn the Application for Name Change (Kai Ming Sheng Wen) after we pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva and ask for protection? What is the best time and location, and how should we perform the ritual? I just downloaded the application form and I would like to make name changes for my child and myself. Please advise.
A002:
Your name represents your souls and spirits. When your name is called, your souls and spirits follow your name. When a person is born, the name written on the birth certificate is also recorded in the spiritual realms, including the heavens and underworld. If you have changed your name for over one year, your new name may also have dynamic spiritual effects. However, if you have changed your name, it is best to lodge the Application for Name Change. If you have not lodged the application, it is best to use your original name on your birth certificate to perform recitations and to address your Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tzu).
When you lodge the Application for Name Change, you are also updating your new name with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, officers who are in charge of name changes in the heavens and the underworld, and all other spiritual beings.
You can download the Application for Name Change form from <www.GuanYinCitta.com>. Print the application form on a piece of A4 sized, yellow paper. [See Appendix C: Application for Name Change].
Fill in your original name and your new name. On the application form, fill in your original name where it says, “Devotee’s original full name”, and fill in your changed name where it says, “Now changed to” and “Devotee’s full name”. If you are completing the application form for your child, please also write the date of birth of your child, e.g. 2001/12/31 (according to the Gregorian calendar).
Please fill in your current location on the form (e.g. “Beijing, China” or “Sydney, Australia”). Please also fill in the date that you burn the form.
It is best to burn the application form on a sunny day. The best times are 8AM, 10AM and 4PM.
You can also hand write the form on a piece of A4 sized, yellow paper.
If there is an altar at home, then you need to offer incense and oil lamp(s) to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Read out the text on your application form in front of the altar (you may kneel down). Recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times and the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, and then you can burn the application form (burn from top to bottom).
If there is no altar at home, then you need to go to a temple to lodge your application. Make a full prostration to every Buddha and Bodhisattva in the temple, and then read out the text on your application form in the shrine where Guan Yin Bodhisattva is worshiped, “I, <your full name>, come to, <name of the temple>, today to pay my respects to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I sincerely ask the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva to witness and verify that my original name was <old name> and now my name has changed to <new name>. I sincerely invite all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in this temple to be my witnesses.” Recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times and Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, and then you can burn the application form in the urn where the incense sticks are burnt (burn from top to bottom).
You only need to lodge your application once. If you feel that your name change has not been successful, you can lodge your application multiple times until it is successful.
It is best if you can lodge the Application for Name Change yourself. If a child is too young and is unable to lodge the application, parents or other family members can also lodge the application on behalf of the child.
You do not need to lodge the application for a deceased person. You can address the Little Houses to the full name of the deceased that was used before the deceased passed away.
If you are unsure of your original name, for example, if you were adopted, then you can lodge the Application for True Name[1]. You can download the Application for True Name form from <www.GuanYinCitta.com>.
To determine whether the Application for Name Change has been successful, 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. Please refer to Q&A 081 “Regarding how to determine if the Application for Name Change is successful”.
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