Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk
Sydney, Australia
27 January 2019
WE HAVE NEVER REALLY LIVED LIFE IN ITS TRUEST SENSE
Master Jun Hong Lu:
We are in such a hurry to grow up, yet we lament our lost youth; we spent the bulk of our youth chasing after money at the expense of our health, then we use all of that money to regain our health in our golden years; we always worry about our future, and yet we fail to cherish what we have in the present moment; we go through life with no clue about its purpose – hence we live neither in the present nor in the future; we think we are immortal but when death knocks on the door, we feel as if we have never lived at all
Master Jun Hong Lu’s
Public Talk, Macau
February 25, 2017
SEE THROUGH THE WORLD OF MORTALS
We would have to see through the world of mortals as it is transient. We have to realise that life is impermanent, as the most beautiful body is nothing but a body that houses the soul; and the most touching love story is nothing but a predestined affinity that meets and parts. Hence, face life tribulations with a smile. We must understand that all things are in a state of incessant change and our heart is immeasurable. Life’s trials and tribulations can only make us more matured. It takes strong faith to practise Buddhism to support the purity of the spiritual space in us
*PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM RETRIBUTION ARE PRONE TO CREATING NEW NEGATIVE KARMA*
Master Jun Hong Lu: Those with a negative mental attitude are prone to accumulating karmic obstacles. When they are hateful towards others and survive on a steady diet of negative thinking, karmic obstacles will soon find their way to them. In this human realm, those who have been hurt emotionally or physically tend to be more impulsive which results in their creation of more karmic obstacles.
We often generate karmic obstacles when we are hurt, be it physically or mentally. When we are hurt in a relationship, immediately, we set our mind to take revenge which engenders karmic obstacles. This also applies to physical harm that others inflict on us. Our yearning for revenge gives rise to karmic obstacles.
The fact is, if we look back in retrospect, we may realise the initial hurt suffered was not as serious as we had thought. More importantly, time has healed the wound, be it mental or physical, and it has become a thing of the past.
Many people suffer intense pain when it happens. However, as time passes, they may just forget about it and do not feel that much pain anymore. We know how it feels to be hurt, why do we still want to hurt others?
Non-Buddhist practitioners are ordinary people who are filled with unexplainable anger (无名火). Buddhist practitioners, on the other hand, are able to control this anger. Ordinary people who feel hurt tend to hurt others, sowing in themselves the seeds of negative karma. When someone scolds you and you feel hurt, you will want to fight back. However, if you refrain from doing so, you no longer sow the new seeds of karma and hence, you will be spared from the consequences of karma in the future.
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 11 Chapter 28_
💞 *UNDERSTANDING GUAN YIN CITTA DHARMA DOOR*
The teachings of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door are expounded by one of the three sages of the Western Paradise – Guan Yin Bodhisattva. ‘Citta’ (spirit) is analogous to a lock; while ‘Dharma Door’ (method) is the key to the lock.
It is with this key that one ‘opens up’ his heart, hence, the name ‘Citta Dharma Door’. It is a method, ‘the effective cure’ bestowed upon us through Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s compassion to help sentient beings in this Age of Dharma Decline.
People today have countless worries and their sufferings are extreme. They are also very much run down spiritually. It is with this notion that Guan Yin Bodhisattva has bestowed upon us a dharma method which assures us that no prayers will go unanswered. The dharma propagated by Guan Yin Citta is Dharma of the human world where it provides guidance on how to resolve the many difficulties in one’s life.
The Three Golden Buddhist Practices – performing recitation of the Buddhist scriptures, making great vows and performing life liberation – make the eradication of karmic obstacles, repayment of karmic debts and the elimination of one’s worries and illnesses possible. Studying Buddhism in Plain Terms leads sentient beings onto the path of cultivation of the mind and conduct, elevating their state of mind and ultimately helping them to break away from the six realms of rebirth, and return to the Western Paradise and the Four Sagely Realms.
🌿Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism Propagation Manual | Section 4 Topic 3 (An Excerpt)
*BODHISATTVAS FEAR CAUSES, WHILE SENTIENT BEINGS FEAR EFFECTS*
Master Jun Hong Lu: There was a quack doctor (庸医) who misdiagnosed and caused someone’s son to die. To make up for his mistake, he gave his son away to be adopted by this family. After some time, he caused someone’s female servant to die. To compensate, the doctor gave his own servant away.
One night, there was a knock on the doctor‘s door. The visitor said, “Oh doctor, my wife’s stomach hurts terribly. Please come with me to take a look at her”.
The doctor called out to his wife and said, “Dear, please prepare to part”.
We must try to prevent bad things from happening instead of always gearing up to make some impractical compensation. Unfortunately, as humans, it is only after we have erred that we begin to make relentless efforts to put things back in places to make up for our mistakes.
Why can’t we learn from the Bodhisattvas who clearly understand the law of causation? If only we understood the karmic ramifications of what we do today, this would have saved us from the potential retribution.
As Buddhist practitioners, we should be concerned about all of our actions – Bodhisattvas fear causes, while sentient beings fear effects. Humans are fearless in their action – only when retribution comes their way, do they begin to fear. As Buddhist practitioners, we should fear the cause of our action as only then will we be fearless of the retribution.
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s World Buddhist Fellowship Meeting, New York, USA, 22 Sep 2014_
*RIGHT MINDFULNESS IS THE FORTRESS AGAINST AN INTRUSION OF EVIL THOUGHTS*
Master Jun Hong Lu: As Buddhist practitioners if you become complacent, that is to say, when you fail to be diligent in your spiritual cultivation, all the toxins would enter your body. Your hatred and jealousy become the poisons that can harm you; so are your grievances, as this feeling of resentment is brought about by your lack of understanding of the truth.
That said, you will never give rise to any sense of injustice if you understand the truth. Therefore, you should always keep your mind healthy and ensure your body is pure. Your body should be perceived as a gift from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Hence, it is your responsibility to keep it pure.
Never allow yourself to slack off in your practice; neither should you have the slightest inclination to stop learning Buddhism or performing recitations. This is because once you stop, something invisible will enter your body. This toxin is a product of the change in your view of life.
When your mind is filled with hatred, jealousy and greed, karma is created, thus causing harm to you. So, the next time you feel that you have been wronged, you should be happy; it is a good thing as you can take the opportunity to make use of your Buddha-mind to remove this “filth”.
On the contrary, if you have a sense that many things are not going your way, it is a sign that this poison has already penetrated your body.
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms, Volume 6_
_Chapter 47 (An Excerpt)_
Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms
Volume 7 Chapter 26
(An Excerpt)
*THE ABILITY TO MANAGE ONE’S TIME IS A FORM OF WEALTH AND WISDOM*
Master Jun Hong Lu: The ability to manage one’s time is in itself a form of wealth and wisdom. You may not understand this.
Don’t you think a person who makes good use of their time reciting Buddhist scriptures and performing good deeds is a wise person? If they perform so many good deeds and are so diligent in their recitation, do you think they are wealthy too?
Blessed with both wealth and wisdom, they are able to freely allocate their time. All of you are now dedicating all of your time, helping sentient beings, it goes to show that you have wisdom. This wisdom will in turn generate wealth for you.
This is because you know what your future is like, that is, to return to the embrace of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Won’t you call this wisdom? When you go all out in your spiritual cultivation and help others, how much will you gain? Would you also agree that this is also a form of wealth?
*PRACTISE VERBAL TOLERANCE*
Master Jun Hong Lu: Those who are gracious and broad-minded are able to take in all sorts of remarks, be it kind or harsh because their modesty allows them to be open to the opinions and suggestions of others.
Such people will also let others finish saying their piece. This demonstrates their magnanimity and tolerance and a manifestation of their inner compassion and strength.
It takes courage to be receptive to what others have to say. Many people get upset before others can finish speaking, and they dismiss the opinions of others because they simply lack the courage to listen to what others have to say.
It takes patience to hear someone out. Without patience, one will never get to listen to those truthful and kind words from others.
Verbal tolerance is not about not differentiating between right and wrong or the good and the bad. It is a kind of wisdom that is capable of distinguishing between kind and harsh speech and the moral character that allows one to take in both hypocritical flattery as well as the blunt words of others.
Your heart must be as vast as the ocean, able to accept others’ opinions, as only then, will you be capable of change. Without owning up to your own mistakes, you will never be able to change your attitude.
The traditional Chinese culture has a saying, “Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened, heed only one side and you will be benighted”. The practice of verbal tolerance will allow you to help all predestined sentient beings as tolerance always leads to greatness.
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Jakarta, Indonesia, 12 March 2018_
*Singapore Guan Yin Citta’s 10th Anniversary*
Since the opening of Singapore Guan Yin Citta Practice Centre in May 2013, we have always been adhering strictly to our revered Master Jun Hong Lu’s teachings of the importance of having the right faith and the right mindfulness, and standing united. Thanks to the dedications and contributions from numerous volunteers and Buddhist friends, Guan Yin Citta has thrived and managed to reach out to many people all over Singapore.
With much gratitude, *we cordially invite you to join us as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary,* with a lineup of programmes including inspirational videos, live performances and testimony sharing by our Buddhist friends.
Let us celebrate this joyous occasion together, reminiscing about our revered Master and our initial aspiration when we set foot on this Buddhist path, as we forge ahead shoulder to shoulder.
Date: 13 May 2023 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm - 5pm
Venue: Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre
🔗 *Please click this link registration:*
https://xlfm.sg/mach/view.php?id=211981
*WILLINGNESS TO BE AT A DISADVANTAGE AND ENDURING HARDSHIPS ARE WAYS TO ELIMINATE KARMIC OBSTACLES*
Caller: Master Lu often advises us to learn to endure hardships and always be willing to take the shorter end of the stick. In this present life, if we suffer from humiliations and are on the losing end, does it mean that we had sown the corresponding seeds in our previous lifetimes? If we learn to endure such experiences, is it as good as we have ‘made repayment’ for our karmic debts and eliminated our karmic obstacles?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That is right. Young lady, you have just asked a very good question; one that has obviously been thoroughly thought through. I am very happy.
In reality, to take on this life in the human realm is already a form of retribution. Therefore, the retributive suffering will permeate our entire life. If you are angered when you suffer from such retributions, there you go, new karma is generated. It is only through enduring the hardship and taking the shorter end of the stick in life that your negative karma gets eliminated.
Caller: So, we must practise patient endurance.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course! To practise patient endurance is not easy but it is absolutely necessary. There is an ancient Chinese saying that “Great plans can be ruined by just a touch of impatience” (小不忍则乱大谋). Endurance and tolerance are of utmost importance. If you can’t even bear worldly hardships, how is it possible for you to make your way to heaven?
Caller: Does this mean ‘an eye for an eye‘, or ‘tit for tat’ is not the way to go for Buddhist practitioners?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course. Compassion is of utmost importance. Societies nowadays are advocating harmony – retaliation in kind is never the way to go. However, for some principle-driven issues, one must then exercise great caution to ensure the action taken accords with the dharma and path of rightness.
_Source: Wenda20121230B 21:23, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program_