150 Regarding menopause

Q150: Master Lu, my mother is currently going through menopause, and she is experiencing problems with her health and temperament. Can you please advise what we can do?

A150:

• It has already been proven by medical research that both men and women experience menopause. However, women tend to experience more obvious symptoms.
• From the medial perspective, the cells in our body enter a natural period of degeneration when we reach a certain age. From the metaphysics perspective, this period is when causalities take effect and we begin to experience our karmic fruits as they ripen.
• The positive and negative karmic fruits from performing good deeds and wrongdoings in our previous lives would finish at the age of 45 to 50. Thereafter, the karmic fruits as a result of the causalities from our present life would start to take effect.
• When we reach this age, we would experience dramatic changes in our career, family, and life, etc. There may be major ups and downs both psychologically and emotionally. Some people may feel as if they are becoming old and unproductive, and find it difficult to adjust. This psychological imbalance may in turn affect the body and cause a physiological imbalance.
• During menopause, first of all it would be best to adjust your mind and maintain optimism. It would be helpful to have good communication with family and friends.
• In terms of daily life, it is recommended that you have a good sleep routine. Sleep early and wake up early. Maintain a healthy diet and avoid spicy or overly stimulating food. It is also recommended that you keep warm and take some health supplements that are beneficial for the overall wellbeing.
• During menopause, it is common for people to be easily agitated or upset. We can focus on our mind to control our temper. If we cannot control ourselves, then we are just following the negative karmic path. If we can control ourselves, then we are resolving the negative karmas, or even transforming the negative karmas into positive karmas. For us to change our fate and fortune, we need to perform recitations and cultivate our mind. Our body and mind would improve gradually as we pray for blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
• You can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) at least 7 times per day to increase your spiritual power so that you can better control your negative emotions.
• You can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) at least 21 times per day so that you can free your mind and obtain a broader perspective.
• You can also recite the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots (Chieh Chieh Chou) 21, 27 or 49 times per day to help resolve and transform negative karmic knots from previous lives and the present life.
• In addition, you can recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 1 to 3 times per day. You can also recite 3 Little Houses per week and address them to the “Karmic Creditor of <your full name>”. This would help to eliminate your negative karmas and repay your karmic debts.
• At the same time, you can make Great Vows and perform Life Liberation.

149 Regarding practising vegetarianism

Q149: Hi Master Lu! I am now almost a full vegetarian, but I am concerned that I am not getting enough nutrition. What can I do?

A149:

• Vegetarian food can also be very healthy and nutritious.
• It is best if we could ensure that we have a balanced diet, as we need to take care of our body. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also would like us to have a healthy body so that we can better cultivate in this world.
• Vegetarians can consume eggs. Eggs are nutritious and the consumption of eggs is accepted by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is because most eggs are not fertilised and cannot hatch. However, please avoid consuming quail eggs as they are already fertilised.
• Vegetarians can consume milk and other dairy products for the intake of calcium and other important nutrients.
• It is recommended that you consume more soy products, as they are high in protein. Soy products include soybeans, bean curd, tofu sheets, and soy milk, etc.
• You can also choose other soy products such as soy ham, soy sausage, soy meat, and soy duck, etc. These soy products contain lecithin and are high in protein. They are also very tasty.
• Vegetarians can be creative and have a wide variety. You can steam, boil, or stir-fry your dishes. If the taste is too plain and you have the same dishes over a long period of time, you may lack certain important dietary elements.
• It is also recommended that you consume more fruits and vegetables, and have a balanced diet rich in different kinds of essential vitamins.
• Mushrooms and fungus are also very nutritious and tasty.
• In addition, you can consume multigrain and nuts e.g. peanuts, walnut, and chestnuts. These are all very nutritious.
• You can also take health supplements including lecithin and calcium. Lecithin is particularly beneficial for the brain. Every day we cycle through a large number of brain cells, and the regeneration of new cells is relatively slow. Taking lecithin would help with the regeneration of your brain cells and enhance your memory.

148 Regarding eye disorders

Q148: Hi Master Lu, I am severely nearsighted. Is this a disorder resulting from karmic obstacles due to negative karmas? In addition to performing my Daily Recitation, what else can I do?

A148:

• In general, illnesses can be physically related or spiritually related. The latter is usually due to karmic obstacles originated from negative karmas. If you have not overused your eyes, then it is possible that your poor eyesight may be related to karmic obstacles.
• You can recite the Great Compassionate Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 21 times per day, and say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, help me to cure my eye disorder.”
• You can recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 21 times per day, as the recitation of this sutra can help you to gain wisdom and good eyesight. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, help me to cure my eye disorder.”
• You can recite the Cintamani Cakravartin Dharani (Ju Yi Pao Lun Wang To Lo Ni) 49 times per day, as the recitation of this mantra is beneficial for the cardiovascular system.
• You can recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) approximately 3 times per day. You can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, help me to cure my eye disorder.” In addition, you can recite 3 Little Houses per week and address them to the “Karmic Creditor of <your full name>”.
• You can use the Great Compassionate Water to wipe your eyelids. Please be careful and avoid getting the water into your eyes.
• You can also make oil offerings. The offering of oil can help us to gain wisdom and good eyesight.

147 Regarding performing recitations for people who are in a coma

Q147: Master Lu, I heard that for people who are in a coma, their souls and spirits are no longer present. For situations like this, is there still a possibility for them to recover if we perform recitations for them?

A147:

• For people who are in a coma, their souls and spirits are indeed no longer present. You cannot just perform the Recalling of Souls and Spirits[1]. You need to seek help from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to have the souls and spirits returned to the body, and you also need to have great spiritual power from making Grand Vows.
• It is recommended that you make Grand Vows, including making a vow that you will recite a certain number of Little Houses within a certain period of time. For example, you can state that you will recite 892 Little Houses, and continue to perform recitations until the patient has fully recovered.
• For the Daily Recitation, it is recommended that you include the following: the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 49 times, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 49 times, Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 7 times, Cundi Dharani (Chun Ti Shen Chou) 49 times, Guna Ratna Sila Dharani (Kung Te Pao Shan Shen Chou) 49 times, and Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots (Chieh Chieh Chou) 49 times.
• You also need to perform Life Liberation in large quantities.
• There are already many cases where people have woken up from a vegetative state through their family members cultivating and performing recitations under the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door.

146 Regarding performing recitations for people with Hepatitis B

Q146: Hi Master Lu, I am a Hepatitis B carrier. How should I perform recitations?

A146:

• From the medical perspective, Hepatitis B is due to the body being imbalanced. This is in fact an illness due to karmic obstacles originated from negative karmas, regardless of whether you were born with it or you became infected later on in life.
• The following is recommended for your Daily Recitation: the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) at least 21 times, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times, and Eight-eighty Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 3 times. These are the basics.
• In addition, it is recommended that you recite the Arya Amitayur Niyama Prabharaja Dharani (Sheng Wu Liang Shou Chueh Ting Kuang Ming Wang To Lo Ni) at least 21 times per day. This is because an illness such as Hepatitis B is especially detrimental to people during old age and affects their lifespan. Before you recite this mantra, you can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, help me to eliminate my illness due to Hepatitis B.”
• It is recommended that you also combine the above with the recitation of at least 3 Little Houses per week. Please be persistent and recite the Little Houses continuously until you have fully recovered. Generally, you can recite 21 Little Houses as your first batch, 49 Little Houses as your second batch, 21 Little Houses for your third batch, and 49 Little Houses for your fourth batch, and so on.
• It is also strongly recommended that you perform Life Liberation in large quantities, as well as make Great Vows.

145 Regarding stuttering

Q145: Hi Master Lu, I suffer from stuttering, but I was not born with it. When I was little, I was repeating after other people when they stuttered, and then I started to stutter. Would this be related to negative karmas or foreign spirits, as I had acquired this after birth?

A145:

• Stuttering is an illness due to karmic obstacles originated from negative karmas. Regardless of whether you were born with it or you acquired it from repeating after other people when they stutter, it is considered to be your karmic obstacle if you suffer from stuttering.
• It is possible that in your previous lives, you have committed major negative verbal karmas and made too many inappropriate comments. As a result, you are not able to speak fluently in your present life.
• It is also possible that in your previous lives, you have consumed an excessive amount of live creatures, or even made comments on the taste and texture, etc while you ate.
• Since this is an illness due to karmic obstacles, it is recommended that you perform recitations and cultivate your mind, as well as repent and repay your karmic debts.
• For your Daily Recitation, you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) at least 21 times, and Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 3 to 7 times. Stuttering is an illness relating to wisdom and the mind; therefore it is recommended that you recite the Heart Sutra as much 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 wisdom and help me to recover from stuttering.“
• You can recite 49 Little Houses as the first batch, and then 7 Little Houses for every subsequent batch until you have fully recovered.
• In addition, it is strongly recommended that you make Great Vows and perform Life Liberation.

144 Regarding precautions for performing recitations during postnatal care and breastfeeding

Q144: Hi Master Lu, can we perform recitations during postnatal care? What should we be aware of for both the mother and the child? Can we perform recitations while breastfeeding?

A144:

• It is a Chinese tradition for a woman to have postnatal care which lasts approximately one month. Giving birth is considered to be one of the major karmic passes for a woman, therefore it is best to take time to rest and recover after giving birth.
• During postnatal care, the mother can perform recitations, but it is best to recite without making any sounds. This is because her body may not have made a complete separation from foreign spirits. During labour, it is possible that many foreign spirits would like to be reborn into the human realm. Therefore, even after the mother has given birth, many other foreign spirits may still be staying around to wait in line. If the mother performs an excessive amount of recitations, then it is possible that other minor foreign spirits would come and collect the merits from her recitations. As a result, the mother may suffer from headaches, discomfort throughout the body, or bleeding after labour.
• If the mother would like to perform Daily Recitation or recite Little Houses, it would be best to perform the recitations during day time. After the one month period of postnatal care has passed, conditions would gradually improve and she can perform recitations during night time as well.
• According to Chinese tradition, the “Full Moon” ceremony is held one month after a baby is born, and parents would give out hard boiled eggs to visitors attending the ceremony. These eggs have the eggshells dyed in red colour. This also has special meanings.
• For infants less than one month old, their souls and spirits are usually not yet complete, and many surrounding foreign spirits may enter and exit from the infants’ bodies. In addition, when a newborn has incomplete souls and spirits, if a visitor has an aggressive facial expression or a visitor has foreign spirits occupying their body, the infant’s souls and spirits would be scared away. As a result, the infant would cry and become unsettled. This is the reason why it is not recommended to visit a newborn during the first month.
• The mother can perform recitations during breastfeeding. Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma Protectors would understand that she is not properly dressed during this time. While breastfeeding, it is best to recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) as much as possible. This would be beneficial for the child.

143 Regarding what to be aware of during weddings

Q143: Master Lu, I am about to get married. From a metaphysics perspective, what should we be aware of?

A143:

• It is best to have the wedding on a date that is an even number.
• You should be mindful of your speech before you have the wedding, and after you have moved into your new place. As a Buddhist cultivator, you should be respectful in your speech and actions.
• Your new place should not be messy or disorganised. It should be clean and tidy. It would be beneficial to have more visitors.
• You can recite 7 Little Houses and address them to the “Karmic Creditor of the house of <full name of the occupant>”.
• In your new place, you can hang paintings of water and landscapes, as they will bring you a good energy field.
• You can hang your enlarged wedding photographs in your living room for one week or longer, but it should be less than one month.
• In your bedroom, it is not suitable to hang pictures of both of you. You can hang pictures of a single person.
• It is best to have a vegetarian wedding banquet. If this is not possible, you should try your best to avoid the killing of live creatures. If this absolutely cannot be avoided, you should recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) as much as possible. It would be best if you also recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen).

142 Regarding performing recitations in hotels while travelling

Q142: Master Lu, when we are travelling on business trips or holidays, how should we perform recitations for our Daily Recitation and Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tsu)?

Q142:

• Once you have reached your destination, you can pay your respects to the local Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and supreme beings in your mind by saying the following prayer, “I, <full name>, am now paying my respects to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and supreme beings in <name of the location>. Please protect and bless me, so that I will be safe and fortunate.”
• After you have checked into your hotel room, you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou). Face each of the 4 walls in turn, and recite the Great Compassion Mantra once for each wall. You can say the following prayer, ”May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <full name>, grant me safety.” While you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, you should avoid having the intention of fighting with beings from the spiritual world. After you have recited the Great Compassion Mantra and stated your prayer, you can begin your recitations for Daily Recitation or Little Houses.
• Generally, the energy field in hotels is complex. It is best to not recite the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) or the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou) in your hotel room. Before you leave for your trip, you can state to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that you will perform your recitations for the Heart Sutra and the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra in advance or on a later date. If your situation is urgent and you must recite, then you can still recite the Heart Sutra and the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra in your hotel room, providing that you are reciting them during day time. Please avoid reciting them at night time.
• No matter how busy you are, you should ensure that you perform recitations every day, even if you are just reciting the Great Compassion Mantra several times.
• If you are reciting Little Houses while travelling, you can record the number of sutras and mantras that you have recited, and then put the red dots on the Little Houses when you return to your hotel room.
• Generally, you should not burn Little Houses in hotels, except during emergencies.

141 Regarding the Lantern Festival

 Q141: Master Lu, how should we celebrate the Lantern Festival as Buddhists? What should we be aware of?

A141:

• Regardless which one of the 24 Solar Terms it is, many Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and officers from the spiritual worlds would visit us on the special occasion, and this includes the Lantern Festival. The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15^th day of the first month according to the lunar calendar and it marks the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
• According to Chinese tradition, we consume “Tang Yuan” or glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival to celebrate the harmony and reunion of family and friends. Indeed, this symbolises the fact that we should harmonise our energy field with the spiritual realms, so that we can minimise obstacles. The spiritual realms include the heavens and higher realms, and the underworld and lower realms.
• To harmonise our energy field with the heavens and the higher realms, we should make more prostrations to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and perform more recitations. We can recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou), Heart Sutra (Hsin Jin) and the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen). Please note that the recitation of the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance should not exceed 7 times per day.
• To harmonise our energy field with the underworld and the lower realms, we should recite more Little Houses (Hsiao Fang Tsu) and transfer merits to our Karmic Creditors and deceased relatives and friends. We can also recite more Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou).
• At the same time, from a human perspective, harmony generates prosperity. We can elevate our spiritual level if we mindfully and sincerely cultivate our mind, practise vegetarianism, refrain from committing wrongdoings, be a kind person, and perform Life Liberation. During the Lantern Festival, you should recite the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots (Chieh Chieh Chou) as much as possible, as this is one of the most effective days to perform the recitation of this mantra. You can also recite the Cintamani Cakravartin Dharani (Ju Yi Pao Lun Wang To Lo Ni) and pray for good fortune. Generally you can recite the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots and the Cintamani Cakravartin Dharani (Ju Yi Pao Lun Wang To Lo Ni) 49 times or 108 times on this day.
• Traditionally, during the celebration of the Lantern Festival, people usually hang lanterns. This practice in fact emphasises on connecting and uniting our energy field with the higher and lower spiritual realms. The purpose of hanging lanterns is so that our deceased family members can find their way back home. However, as Buddhists, we do not recommend the hanging of lanterns. It is best if we can perform more recitations and recite more Little Houses for the deceased.

140 Regarding etiquettes for paying respects to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Q140: Hi Master Lu, as Buddhists, we often visit temples and monasteries. What should we be aware of in terms of our appearance and behaviour?

A140:

• As Buddhists, when we visit temples and monasteries, we should not dress causally. We should be clean, tidy and respectful. Your hair should not be covering the middle of your forehead (known as “Tien Ting”), otherwise your fortune would be affected. You should also avoid wearing a skirt or flip-flops, and you should not expose your shoulders or knees.
• Your speech and behaviour should be respectful, and you should avoid displaying inappropriate facial expressions and gestures. Inside the shrine with the statues and images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, you should refrain from inappropriate gestures, including intimate physical contact between couples. You should also keep your voice down.
• Try your best to avoid having a strong body odour or passing wind while you are in the shrine. If you are not able to control it, then it is best to go outside or go to a corner.
• A temple is considered to be a pure place for Buddhists, and it would be reasonable for you to consume vegetarian food. If you have consumed meat dishes, it would be best to brush your teeth before you go to the temple. You should also recite the Dharani to Purify Karma from Speech (Ching Kou Yeh Chen Yan).
• We should regard all Dharma Doors, and all Buddhas, Dharma and Sanghas mindfully and respectfully. It is best to perform more recitations and speak less. Ensure that you do not generate negative karmas from speech.

139 Regarding age and Karmic Passes

 Q139: Hi Master Lu, at which ages do we experience Karmic Passes?

A139:

• In general, we experience Karmic Passes, or the predetermined period of time which follows a karmic pattern that calamities are destined to occur, when the last digit of our age ends with a 3, 6 or 9. For example, when we reach 19, 29, 33, 39, 49, 59, 66, 73, and 89, etc. People also experience Karmic Passes at age 84.
• Conditions vary for each individual, and therefore this cannot be generalised for everyone. However, when we reach any of the ages mentioned above, we should be extra cautious.
• All ages are according to the Gregorian calendar. For example, if you were born on 1^st January, 1993, and you turn 19 on 1^st January 2012, then you are meant to experience Karmic Passes at this age.
• When you experience major Karmic Passes in life, you should recite the Jvala Mahaugra Dharani (Hsiao Tsai Chi Hsiang Shen Chou) as much as possible. At the same time, you can make a Great Vow stating that you will recite 108 Little Houses to transform and resolve your Karmic Passes. You should also persistently perform your Daily Recitation, as well as make Great Vows and perform Life Liberation.

138 Regarding photographing statues or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

 Q138: Hi Master Lu. We would like to invite an image of Guan Yin Bodhisattva to our home. Can we photograph the statue of Guan Yin Bodhisattva in a temple, and then print the image to pay respects and make offerings on the altar at home?

A138:

• It is best not to photograph statues or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. You can invite the image of Guan Yin Bodhisattva from Guan Yin Tang for your altar at home.
• If you must take a photograph, you should first make an incense offering and sincerely ask Buddhas and Bodhisattva for permission. You can then recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) 7 times, Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 7 times, and Eighty-eight Buddha Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) 7 times. Wait until the incense has finished burning before you begin to take photographs. You should not take photographs while the incense is still burning, as this is very disrespectful to Buddhas and Bodhisattva.
• It is best if you do not take photographs of yourself with statues or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. This is also disrespectful.
• Basically, it is best to avoid taking photographs frequently. Especially for young children, avoid using flash when you take photographs. Taking photographs too frequently would cause your souls and spirits to be scattered and incomplete.

137 Regarding keeping records

Q137: Hi Master Lu, is it okay to have a habit of keeping records? For example, recording daily expenses, the number of fish released for Life Liberation, and the number of Little Houses recited, etc.

A137:

• It is best not to keep records. An ancient Chinese saying that “the more you keep records, the poorer you get” does make sense.
• You should not even keep records for performing Life Liberation. After you have released the fish, you can state the number to Guan Yin Bodhisattva by saying, “The Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I, <full name>, released <number of or weight of> fish.” Once you have finished the release, you should not think about it anymore. It is best to perform Formless Giving.
• You can temporarily record the number of Little Houses that you are reciting for a period of time. For example, if you are reciting 49 Little Houses for the first batch, you can record the numbers until you have finished this batch. Afterwards, you should discard the record. It is best not to keep the record.
• As soon as you write something down, it becomes evidence. Everything you write is linked to the underworld. Therefore, you should not keep a diary. Typing on a computer is also considered to be writing. However, once you have deleted the files from the computer or discarded the piece of paper, then the record does not exist anymore.
• You should never burn your diary. As soon as you burn your diary, the underworld would be notified immediately.

136 Regarding birthday celebration

Q136: Hi Master Lu, for birthday celebrations, what should we be aware of?

A136:

• Birthday celebrations for a living person should be based on the Gregorian calendar rather than the lunar calendar.
• On your birthday, you must not perform the act of killing, as the resulting karmic obstacles due to negative karmas generated would be doubled on your birthday. During your birthday celebration, if you and others consume live creatures, all the negative karmas from the killings are counted towards you.
• It is best to be vegetarian on your birthday. If you can perform Life Liberation it would be even better.
• In addition, you should perform more recitations and recite more Little Houses.
• It is best not to light or blow out candles. When you light candles, it is similar to informing the underworld that one year has been deducted from your lifespan.

135 Regarding purchasing a new car

Q135: Hi Master Lu, what should we be aware of when we purchase a new car?

A135:

• You should avoid selecting silver for the colour of your car, as silver is the colour of the underworld, and it attracts foreign spirits. The probability for accidents is higher for silver cars.
• Red is also not recommended. Sometimes, without the protection and blessings of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, red cars can attract trouble and obstacles. This is similar to how red lights represent alarms and warnings.
• For people who are learning Buddhism and cultivating their mind, the choice of colour is for reference only. Most importantly, you should perform recitations mindfully and sincerely.
• After you have made the purchase, it would be good to quietly play the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) in your new car.
• In the car, you can also place a charm or an image of Buddha or Bodhisattva that has been blessed by Master Lu. Please place the image so that the Buddha or Bodhisattva is facing the inside of the car, where the driver and passengers can see.
• You should not hang bells in the car, as the sound of bells can easily attract foreign spirits.
• If there are foreign spirits occupying the car, you can recite 4 Little Houses and address them to the “Karmic Creditor of the car of <full name of the driver>”.

134 Regarding giving gifts

Q134: Hi Master Lu, when we give gifts during festival seasons or special occasions, what should we be aware of?

A134:

• Please do not give shoes as gifts. From the ancient times until now, shoes are symbols of “iniquity”. Anything that is not on the proper path is considered to be iniquitous. In addition, you should be aware of the following regarding shoes:
• Do not wear shoes that have previously been worn by others.
• Do not wear white, red or yellow shoes.
• Do not wear high heels if you wish to conceive. Wearing high heels means that your feet are not connected to the ground and you are not “down to earth”, thus you are likely to be physically unwell.
• The shoe cabinet should always be closed, and should be kept clean and tidy. Otherwise, it may affect the energy field at home.
• In the shoe cabinet, if your shoes are placed so that they are pointing inwards, then the iniquitous energy would be coming inwards; if your shoes are pointing outwards, then the iniquitous energy would be going outwards.
• The doormat should be placed outside. As you enter the door, you can step on the doormat a few times to leave the negative energy outside your home.
• If you dream of shoes, it is generally not a good sign, and it usually predicts misfortune or trouble. You can include the Jvala Mahaugra Dharani (Hsiao Tsai Chi Hsiang Shen Chou) in your Daily Recitation. It could also be related to interpersonal conflicts. If you dream of wearing shoes that are too small, so that your feet are restricted by ill-fitting shoes, it means that you would have difficulties with achieving your goal. In this case, you should recite the Mantra to Untie Karmic Knots (Chieh Chieh Chou), and continue to recite Little Houses for your Karmic Creditors.
• You should not give clocks as gifts.
• In Chinese, “giving a clock” sounds similar to “farewelling someone in a funeral”.
• Clocks represent the boundary for the “Yin” world and the “Yang” world. As one hour passes, the bells ring and this hour is gone forever, never to return. It is equivalent to the reduction of one’s lifespan. For a similar reason, the celebration of birthdays is not encouraged.
• You should not have a large clock or a clock hanging in a visible place as soon as you enter the main door. You should also not have a hanging clock in the bedroom. If you must have a hanging clock at home, you can place it in the kitchen.
• If you dream about clocks, it is generally not a good sign, as it means that time is running out. You should increase the number of times that you recite for each sutra and mantra for your Daily Recitation, and recite more Little Houses. In addition, you should make Great Vows and perform Life Liberation.
• You should not give scissors, knives, etc as gifts, as they are used for cutting or breaking things apart.
• If you dream that someone gives you scissors or knives, it means you may experience break-ups in your relationships.
• You should also not give nail clippers.
• For red pockets, it is best to have whole numbers, for example, $50, $100, $200, etc.

133 Regarding transferring merits to pets

 [Updated 07.05.2012]

Q133: Hi Master Lu, we have a pet at home. When it passes away, how do we perform the transferring of merits to help the pet to proceed to a better place?

A133:

• Generally, if you wish to perform the transferring of merits to help a pet to proceed to a better place, you can recite the Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra (Wang Sheng Chou). For example, 49 times for a cat or a dog, and 108 times for a turtle. It would certainly be better if you can recite more.
• To transfer merits to a pet, you can also recite Little Houses, and address them to, “Canine <full name>”, or “Cat <full name>”. Generally you can recite 3 to 4 Little Houses for each pet. If you recite a large quantity of Little Houses for animals such as dogs, cows, etc, it is very possible for them to be reborn into the human realm. However, it is very unlikely for avian or aquatic creatures to be reborn into the human realm.
• If your deceased pets visit you in your dream to send signals for you to perform recitations, you can recite 2 to 4 Little Houses and address them to the “Karmic Creditor of <your full name>”.
• If your pets become ill, you can perform recitations or even recite Little Houses for them. For example, if your dog becomes ill, you can address the Little Houses to the “Karmic Creditor of Canine <full name>”. It is best if you do not pray to extend the life of your pet. Instead keeping your pet in the animal realm, it would be better if you could help your pet to eliminate its karmic obstacles due to negative karmas so that it would not be reborn as an animal again. If you really want to help your pet, you can recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance (Li Fo Ta Chan Hui Wen) and Little Houses for your pet. This way, when your pet passes way, it would be possible for your pet to be reborn into a better realm.
• From the metaphysics perspective, it is generally recommended that we minimise the chance of having pets at home, as humans and animals are not in the same realm, and our energy field would be affected. However, it would be beneficial to keep goldfish, as they can help to harmonise the Feng-Shui at home to accumulate wealth. The fish tank can be placed on the right hand side as you enter the main door. You can keep 6 gold or red fish.
• If you already have a large number of pets, you may give them to others if conditions allow. If you are unable to give them away, then you should continue to keep them until the end of their lives, as they also have karmic affinities with you.

132 Regarding the Great Compassion Water

Q132: May I ask what is Great Compassion Water? Can I recite the Great Compassion Mantra (Ta Pei Chou) for a bowl of water to perform the blessing? Or is it that only water that has been offered to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is called Great Compassion Water?

A132:

• Great Compassion Water is the water that you have offered to Guan Yin Bodhisattva. It has been blessed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As ordinary humans, we are unable to bless the water so that it becomes Great Compassion Water simply by performing recitations.
• You can offer hot or cold water that has previously been boiled, mineral water, purified water or any other drinkable water that has no colour or fragrance. You should not directly use tap water or untreated water.
• Please use a new cup when you make water offerings for Great Compassion Water. The material for the cup can be glass, china or ceramic. It can be with or without a lid, but it is better to have a lid to prevent dust and insects from falling into the cup. It is best to use a white cup and there should not be any images on it. It would be alright if the cup has the Great Compassion Mantra printed on the surface, but it should not have the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) printed. The cup should also not have any names or images of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, or have any animal figures.
• The cup should not be too large in size. If you wish to offer more Great Compassion Water, you can do so by offering more cups. You should not directly offer bottles of water, or offer water using bottles instead of cups, as it would be disrespectful. Generally, you should not offer bottled water even if you are making water offerings using cups.
• You should not drink the Great Compassion Water directly from the cup used for offering on the altar. The water should be poured from the cup used for offering to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to another cup for drinking. Your mouth should not touch the cup used for making offerings to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Generally, you should face the statues and images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then with both hands, raise the cup slightly above your eyebrows, 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.” At the same time, you can visualise the purified water of Guan Yin Bodhisattva gradually pouring from the top of your head, and then flowing over your entire body. You can then pour the water into another cup, and drink the water respectfully. For best results, you can place your hand on top of the cup and recite the Great Compassion Mantra once before you drink the water.
• After it has been offered, you can heat the Great Compassion Water in a microwave or immerse the container with the Great Compassion Water in hot water to heat it up before drinking if you wish. Please do not add hot water directly to the Great Compassion Water.
• If you are making water offerings to several Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, you should not mix the water. Generally, you only drink the water that has been offered to Guan Yin Bodhisattva.

131 Regarding welcoming the Bodhisattva of Wealth (Tsai Shen Bodhisattva) on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year

Q131: Today is the fifth day of the Chinese New Year. How do we welcome the Bodhisattva of Wealth, Tsai Shen Bodhisattva (Tsai Shen Pu Sa)? Which sutras and mantras should we recite?

A131:

• Master Lu spoke about the following during a previous Dharma Function: On the fifth day of the Chinese New Year, we should remember that, we should not say out loud our wish to become wealthy. Many people make incense offerings and pay respects on the fifth day of the Chinese New Year, but are unable to have their wish fulfilled because they have said their wishes out loud. Many people tend to publicly announce what they did, for example, “I have helped this many poor people”, “I have donated this amount of money”, or “I have given this much”, etc. Please refrain from doing so. On the fifth day of the Chinese New Year when the Bodhisattva of Wealth is visiting us, please do not say, “I want to get rich.” If you say this, then it is very likely that you would be unsuccessful at becoming wealthy. Master Lu sincerely wishes everyone to be well, not just to become wealthy. Money sometimes cannot bring people happiness. Many people are very wealthy but they are not happy. A truly wise person would pray for safety. There is a Chinese proverb, “Being safe is good fortune.” We should not be greedy. Once a person has thoughts of greed, this person would experience sorrow, poverty and suffering. As Buddhists, we should not be greedy.
• Generally, during day time on the fifth day of the Chinese New year, you can recite the Cundi Dharani (Chun Ti Shen Chou) 108 times and the Heart Sutra (Hsin Ching) 21 times. Before you recite, you can say the following prayer, “May the Great Merciful and Great Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Tsai Shen Bodhisattva protect and bless me, <your full name>, so that I will have a successful career and an improved financial situation.”
• If time allows, you can also recite and offer 7 to 21 Little Houses to the Bodhisattva of Wealth, and address them to “Tsai Shen Bodhisattva”.
• In addition, it is best if you can make a Great Vow about performing the giving of money. This will help your prayers to Tsai Shen Bodhisattva to be more effective.