Zongshu20180915 09:17, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program
*LEARN TO ADJUST OUR MENTAL ATTITUDE*
Master Jun Hong Lu: We must learn how to adjust our mental attitude. As always, nothing is smooth sailing in this world; no matter what you do, you must learn to accord to changes, learn to become wiser, and learn to let go. Our destiny is impermanent and nothing stays the same. Hence, tomorrow is never guranteed, and neither is today.
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20 March 2024
🪷 *AWAKENING YOUR OWN BUDDHA-NATURE* 🪷
💡 *ANSWER FOR THE REVISION QUESTION*
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*WHEN YOU RESPECT OTHERS, YOU DIGNIFY YOURSELF*
Master Jun Hong Lu: *When we respect others, we are, in fact, dignifying ourselves (庄严自我). The fact that we are worthy of honour, respect for others naturally arises.* Sometimes, the truth of life lies in those mundane and tranquil moments (平淡寂静之中).
When we are going through the humdrums of everyday life (平平淡淡的生活), cultivating our mind, reciting sutras and learning Buddhism, we may feel that life is dull. But in reality, *it is your peaceful state of mind, your dedication and your setting of a good role model for others that shape your tolerance, and this is what makes you truly noble.*
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Buddhism In Plain Terms (Audio), 19 October 2017_
🪷 Thank you for your participation! 🪷
🙏🏻 If the sharing is improper in any way, we seek the forgiveness from Namo Shakyamuni Buddha, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Dharma Protectors and Master Lu. 🙏🏻
🔖 Reference:
https://bit.ly/4abBkvW
*HOW DO WE ENHANCE OUR POSITIVE AFFINITY* *WITH GUAN YIN BODHISATTVA*
Caller: Master Lu, is it true that the deeper our positive affinity with Guan Yin Bodhisattva, the more blessings we will gain and the easier it is for us to make it in our spiritual cultivation?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s for sure. Even your positive affinity with me shares the same logic - the more positive affinity we have between us, the more blessings you will receive. Previously, I mentioned this in one of the discourses to my disciples. Let me share this with you now. As much as you gaze at Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Guan Yin Bodhisattva is also watching over you. When you frequently perform prostrations in front of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you grow accustomed to gazing at Bodhisattva. At the same time, Guan Yin Bodhisattva is accustomed to seeing you perform prostrations at the Guan Yin Hall. Hence, should you be faced with any calamities at some point in your life, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will recognise you right away and render you a helping hand, For example, if someone showed me a photo of a familiar face and asks me to read the person’s totem, I will help that person right away.
Master Jun Hong Lu: The same goes with Guan Yin Bodhisattva. By performing daily prostrations, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will be familiar with your face. Hence, it will be possible for you to seek help from Guan Yin Bodhisattva when you are in Heaven.
Caller: That’s right. Generally, the deeper the affection we have now in the human realm, the more blessings we will receive.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Take Shakyamuni Buddha for example. Out of his 500 disciples, all of them were able to ascend to Heaven and become great Bodhisattvas, this also includes Ananda and Mahakasyapa. In fact, the Bodhisattva’s vow of “all prayers will be answered” is fuelled by Bodhisattva’s affection towards sentient beings. Of course it is not about the superfluous affection of the human realm but a profound and boundless concept of affection. However, when you perform prostrations on a daily basis, Bodhisattva will recognise you. Hence, when you raise your head to look at Bodhisattva, you should have your eyes wide open to gaze at the face of Bodhisattva. When you lower your head in prostration, your eyes should be closed. You will have to aim to allow Guan Yin Bodhisattva to recognise you. In the future when you make your way to Heaven, Guan Yin Bodhisattva will know everything about you with a mere glance, including where you hail from, and that you are a Guan Yin Citta practitioner.
_Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program_ _wenda20160110 01:19:28_
When you encounter adverse circumstances caused by others,
you must overcome them
in order to scale new heights.
-Master Jun Hong Lu, Words of Wisdom Volume 4
当别人给你境界时, 你要越过,你才能提高。
-卢军宏台长佛言佛语(四)
*GIVING IS THE KEY TO WEALTH*
Master Jun Hong Lu: After learning about the karma of giving, a man eagerly told the Zen Master, “When I strike it rich in the future, I will definitely cultivate generosity and make a career out of helping others”.
The Zen master answered, “If you are only willing to give after you become rich, I suppose you will neither be rich nor will you give”.
The man probed, “Why do you say so?”
The Zen master told him, “Because giving is the key to wealth”.
This man replied, “I am so poor now. I don’t even have enough to eat. How can I practise giving?”
The Zen master picked up a grain of rice from the man’s bowl and said, “A sincere and compassionate heart starts from offering a grain of rice. Taking one less grain, a few grains less or a dozen or dozens of grains less will have no effect on our health whatsoever. In fact, many a time, things that may seem worthless to us can be the things that others yearn for. When our hearts are sincere in giving, even if it is just giving away a grain of rice or a penny, it’s equally meritorious”.
“Unfortunately, many people are only willing to give after they become rich, not knowing that generosity starts now. Those truly wealthy people have no time to practise giving, nor do they have the heart to do so as they will be more interested to use the money to churn out more for investments”.
In Buddhism, it is said that it is from giving that one receives. A person who wishes to gain needs to understand that he needs to learn to give first.
It is common nowadays that people wait for others to treat them well before they will do the same. If you know that the other party is waiting for you to show them kindness, why can’t you be the one to take the first step? When you give your heart out, be rest assured that your love will be reciprocated. Hence, to be willing to part with one’s possession is the wisdom of a Bodhisattva that is free from all self-interests.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Taiwan, China, 16 October 2016
Compassion is the foundation for changing our destiny. Spare more thought for others, and less for ourselves. In this way, we can reduce our desires and our heart will be pure and calm, unperturbed by any circumstances. We can then gain control over ourselves and be the master of own destiny.
改变命运的基础是要有慈悲心。多想别人,少想自己,就能减少欲望, 心灵清净; 心不随境转,就能控制自己,主宰自己, 做自己命运的主人。
Master Jun Hong Lu
Words of Wisdom Volume 1
*SPEAK AT A MEASURED PACE*
Master Jun Hong Lu:
The way a person speaks represents his level of cultivation. It is important to speak at a measured pace. What's the point of speaking at length if others cannot understand what you are saying?
*Speak slowly and let your words reach the listeners’ ears so that they can digest your message. This is what proper speaking is about.* Make your communication work by using your words to touch someone's heart. Unfortunately, many people fail to grasp this principle.
_Source: Wenda20150522 10:53, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program_
*HUMOUR IS A POTENT ANTIDOTE*
Master Jun Hong Lu: Jokes and humour are the keys to life. All that it takes is a joke to instantly dispel the tension between a disgruntled couple, you need to have wisdom for this.
Caller: Personally, I'm just terrible at speaking.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Spend more time with me, your Master, and you will become more eloquent. I'm not joking. Let me share a story from my middle school days.
There was a classmate who never cracked jokes and he always looked stern, and seemed to have no facial expressions. However, he was fond of hanging out with me, listening to my jokes and imitating what I said. All this while, he had had trouble finding a girlfriend, but things started to change when he slowly acquired my humorous skill. He managed to find a girlfriend, started a family, and everything fell into place.
*Humour is a potent antidote, a reflection of one's true nature. Individuals who are humorous are highly intelligent.* As for those lowly people, humour never comes easy to them. Take a look at such individuals, they are just good at being mean and lowly with their words (他就会说那些下流话).
_Source: Wenda20160311 01:34:39, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program_
*SEVEN TYPES OF GIVING IN BUDDHISM THAT DON’T COST MONEY*
A man once went to the Buddha and cried, “I am such a loser; I fail in everything I do”. The Buddha told him, “That’s because you didn’t practise giving”.
This person said, “Buddha, I am a poor man. How am I supposed to practise giving?”
The Buddha told him, “Even if a person has no money, he can offer seven things to others”.
The first one is called the Giving of Facial Expression, which means bestowing upon those who see you , the warmth of your smile.
The second one is the Giving of Words, that is, the giving of kind and encouraging words that warm the heart of others.
The third is the Giving of one’s Heart. You should open up your heart, treat others with your utmost sincerity, help them and let them feel your love.
The fourth is called the Giving through one’s Eyes, that is, sending others warmth through your gaze. Unfortunately, in this day and age, people only have cold gazes. They look at others as if they are their enemies and hence, hurting themselves as well as others.
The fifth is the Giving by means of Bodily Actions, where you help others through your actions and let them feel the abundance of love in this world.
The sixth is the Giving of one’s Seat. Think about it, when we offer our seat to others in a boat, bus, it is also a form of giving.
In addition, there is the Giving of Rooms, where you offer an extra room in your house for others to rest as a means to help them.
The Buddha said, “If you are able to practise these seven types of giving, you will enjoy good luck your entire life”.
Source: Master Jun Hong Lu’s Public Talk, Spain, 14 May 2016
*HOW DO WE CORRECT HARSH AND BLUNT SPEAKING THROUGH RECITATION?*
Caller: Hi Master, through the recitation of Buddhist scriptures, how can we rectify our habits of speaking in a harsh and blunt manner (说话很冲,语气很绝)?
Master Jun Hong Lu: *You can recite the _Heart Sutra_. Be more compassionate towards others, and you must always listen to your own voice.* There is no way for those, who are harsh in the way they speak, to be aware of their own flaws, and hence, they will go around offending others.
Caller: That’s true!
Master Jun Hong Lu: Humans tend to only see the faults of others and not their own. When you speak offensively, all you hear is the voice of others, not your own. Hence, it is important for you to learn to listen to your own voice.
Why do you think those broadcasters are able to control their voices so well? *This is because the earphones they wear allow them to hear their own voices which makes it possible for them to keep tabs on the quality of their voice such that it is a mix of soft and strong tones.* When they hear their voices, they become aware of the quality of their verbal delivery, be it too strong or overly soft. Take a look at how they work at those radio stations, why do you think the hosts always have a set of earphones on their heads?
Caller : Yes.
Master Jun Hong Lu: When you're talking, sometimes you don't even realise what's coming out of your mouth. It’s not surprising for those who have verbally hurt others to say, “What have I said? What! What did I say?”.
Caller: So true.
Master Jun Hong Lu: Do you understand now?
Caller: Yes, I do.
Master Jun Hong Lu: The biggest human flaw is their inability to see their own flaws. Why do you think dancers dance in front of a mirror? This is because they need to evaluate their dance moves. Imagine, there is no mirror and you are dancing all day long; not knowing what you are doing, others may even think that you are crazy. It’s important to quote examples when you explain things to others. Do you understand me?
Caller: I do. I really like your examples, Master. One example can make me understand right away.
_Source: Shuohua20180803 06:50, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program_