SUMMARY Buddhism in Plain Terms V 1-2 (Part 1) - 'The Objective of Practising Buddhism and Cultivating one’s Mind' 学佛修心的目标

Guan Yin Citta Singapore Class date: 1/12/2019. Credit: Ms June Wong. INTRO TO SESSION: WHAT ARE WE LEARNING TODAY? 1. We always hear about The Ten Realms (十法界) in the Buddhist Cosmology, what are they? 2. What does it mean to be free from the cycle of rebirth? 3. We want to be liberated from the cycle of rebirths, is it sufficient to focus on amassing merits? Is there something else that is equally important? 4. How important is it for us to eliminate our karmic obstacles? How do we go about doing it? 5. What if we choose not to? ***************************************************************************** Q1: Master Lu mentioned in this chapter that we should strive to ascend to a higher level in Heaven. Why? A1: The higher the level of Heaven one can attain, the longer he will be able to remain in the Celestial realm; the closer to the Human Realm, the more likely he will descend to the lower realms. Q2: Name the Ten Spiritual Realms in Buddhist Cosmology. A2: The Ten Worlds comprises of Six Lower Worlds and Four Higher Worlds. The Six Lower Worlds, Six Lower Realms are (from highest to lowest): • Heaven (天界) • Asura (修罗界) • Human (人界) • Animal (畜生界) • Hungry Ghost (饿鬼界) • Hell (地狱界) The Four Higher Worlds, Four Noble States are (from highest to lowest): • Buddhahood (佛界) • Bodhisattva (菩萨界) • Pratyekabuddha (Beings enlightened by conditions缘觉界) • Shravaka (Sound Hearer声闻界) Q3: Master Lu mentioned in this chapter that, living in this mortal world is like sitting for a university's admission test. Why is that so? A3: Because we have to be aware of the prerequisites for participating in the test to ascend to Heaven, as well as the content of the assessment. Cross-reference 1 <’Spiritual Test’> Wenda20180204A 46:53 功德积累到多少会有大的考试 …..台长答：你一个级别要到一个品位、到一个位子了 ，就会给你大考一次。如果你在人间，境界进入天人道，他会考试，进入阿修罗道，他也会考试，如果你想进入声闻、缘觉，那就不得了了（这种大考试一般是什么样的考试呢？）现实当中也会给你考试啊，让你在学佛当中突然非常不顺利，度了人身上会沾惹灵性，看看你退转不退转（明白了）慈善要坚持的，梦考一样，所以上次说的文殊菩萨给我们的佛陀梦里有一个考试也是的，吃很多苦，就是这个道理，就是看你的慈悲心坚定不坚定。 Wenda20180204A 46:53 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) (an excerpt)… WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF MERITS ACCUMULATION BEFORE A PERSON IS FACED WITH A MAJOR ‘SPIRITUAL TEST’? (大的考试 Dà de kǎoshì) Master Jun Hong Lu: Before you proceed from one spiritual level to another, you will have to sit for a major test. For, eg, you are now in the human realm, regardless of which heavenly realm your state-of-mind is, be it Asura or the far-reaching realms like the Pratyeka Buddha or Sound-hearer realm, there will be tests that one would have to face. Caller: How do we go about this “spiritual test”? Master Jun Hong Lu: You will be tested in real-life. For example, you will experience adverse conditions in life out of a sudden, or after you help others, foreign spirits got attached to you. This is to test if you would backslide in your practice. When it comes to the practice of benevolence, it is something that needs perseverance (慈善要坚持Císhàn yào jiānch). It is the same with ‘dream test’. Just like the story I told you about Manjushri Bodhisattva tested Lord Buddha in his dream. It was really tough for the Buddha. Tests like these are to assess the strength of one’s compassion. Cross-reference 2 <’Spiritual Test’> Wenda20191124 55:15 做功德而不注重提升境界，会有果位吗 问：您讲如有功德才是最终上天的通关石，功德很重要，还有一个就是如果这个人自修，他不度人或不出去做功德，他最后声闻缘觉道，因为他们境界高，但功德不够。还有一种花很多精力去做功德，不注重境界修行，他最后会得到什么果位吗？会成就果位吗 答：福报啊！他如果没境界他怎么上去？你想想看，慈善家，下辈子再投个更有钱的慈善家（有钱人）嗯，有什么用了？没用的（嗯。那是不是有可能也会上天，但是还在六道之内，欲界天啊、色界天啊……）绝对会上天的。现在社会上很多人做善事，做到后来上天肯定上去，就没出六道，有什么用啊？不就白修了？（是，还会下来的）嗯 （还有一个情况，他花很多精力做功德，因为他不注重修行，会不会导致有时候可能起烦恼啊，看见什么事情不顺眼，导致他的功德漏了？）漏得更厉害。我告诉你，不修心的人看谁都讨厌，就算你自己做了功德，你还是讨厌别人的（明白）这个世界上，没有境界的人一天都活不下去的，看谁谁讨厌（对，看什么事都不顺眼）嗯，什么事情都不顺眼的。 Wenda20191124 55:15 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) ONE WILL NOT ACHIEVE ANY SPIRITUAL STATUS (果位Guǒ wèi) BY MERELY PERFORMING VIRTUOUS DEEDS (做功德 Zuò gōngdé) WITHOUT ELEVATING ONE’S STATE-OF-MIND (不注重提升境界Bù zhù chóng tíshēng jìngjiè) Caller: Master Lu, you mentioned that a person’s merit (功德Gōngdé) is his token for admission to heaven, hence it is very important. In the case where one focuses on cultivating himself spiritually, but he doesn’t go out to help others or perform any virtuous deeds at all, he will end up in the Sound-hearer (声闻道Shēng wén dào) or Pratyeka Buddha (缘觉道Yuán jué dào) realm because he has a high state-of-mind but lacks meritorious blessings. Conversely, if a person puts in a lot of effort in helping others, but he does not pay attention to his state-of-mind nor cultivating himself, will he achieve any spiritual status (果位Guǒ wèi) in the end? Master Jun Hong Lu: If one does not have a high state-of-mind, how can he ascend to heaven? Think about those philanthropists (慈善家 Císhàn jiā); they will only be an even more affluent philanthropist in their next life. What is the point? It is meaningless! Many people in society are doing many good deeds now. They will ascend to heaven for sure, but they still fail to break away from the cycle of rebirths. Their cultivation will come to nought (白修Bái xiū). Caller: Also, if a person put in a lot of effort in accumulating merits and does not pay attention to cultivating himself spiritually, he may be troubled whenever things turned out to be unpleasant, hence resulting in his merits diminishing (功德漏Gōngdé lòu). Master Jun Hong Lu: The diminishment of merits is even worse in this case! A person who does not cultivate himself spiritually hates every single person around him. Seriously, if you do not have a high state-of-mind, you cannot survive a single day in this world as nothing pleases your eyes! Q4: Each and every of our souls (灵魂Línghún) consists of both ___________ karma and karmic__________, with the only difference being the amount accumulated. A4: Each and every one of our souls consists of both negative karma (孽障Nièzhàng)， and karmic rewards (福报 Fú bào), with the only difference being the amount accumulated. Every karmic debt and every karmic reward, once formed, are tied to you on one end and affinity on the other. Q5: Name some of the ‘effects’ that the respective stages of karmic debt would have on us : Before its maturity? Upon maturity? A5: A karmic debt, before its maturity, can put pressure on us, obstruct our fortune, and cause damage to our body, resulting in hindrance and ill health in our life, which serve as the interest and reminders of the karmic debt. Upon maturity of the karmic debt, our karmic creditor will demand repayment via various ways and means such as the occurrence of sudden and emergent diseases, accidents, and so forth. Once fully repaid, the negative karmic affinity，is considered eliminated, and thus the karmic affinity is put to an end (孽缘就消掉了Niè yuán jiù xiāo diàole). Cross reference 1 <Relationship between karmic obstacles and foreign spirits’> 佛学问答 64问 如果火药代表孽障，火药在一个人的身上积存得越多，等全部的火药都满了，也就是坏事做得实在太多了。只要一个灵性激活了之后，也就是这个人的报应期，身上所有的火药都爆炸了，人会炸得粉身碎骨，也就是这个人查出有癌症等疾病，或者如撞车等死于非命。 灵性与孽障之间的关系就是，灵性是激活的孽障，而孽障是没有激活的灵性。 Buddhism Your Questions Answered (Question 64) Supposed explosives represent karmic obstacles. When a person has accumulated a large number of karmic obstacles in their body, it is similar to having a lot of explosives stored in their body. Once this person has committed many wrongdoings and the storage is full, as soon as the karmic obstacles are activated and transformed into one spirit, they will then undergo karmic retribution. When all the stored explosives explode at once, this person will be “blown to pieces”. This may be the time that a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness such as cancer, or is involved in a fatal car accident. The relationship between foreign spirits (灵性Língxìng) and karmic obstacles (孽障nièzhàng) is as follows: Foreign spirits are activated karmic obstacles, and karmic obstacles are foreign spirits that have not yet been activated. Q6: Explain the difference in the rate of which negative karmic affinity (孽缘Niè yuan) and positive karmic affinity (善缘Shàn yuan) is cleared. A6: Negative karmic affinity is usually cleared within three cycles of reincarnation (三世内清算 Sānshì nèi qīngsuàn), whereas the positive karmic affinity, which is commonly known as 'blessing' (福分Fú fen), is generally exhausted in the next life of reincarnation (下一世Xià yīshì). Hence, the blessings (福报Fú bào) enjoyed by a person before the age of 45 are derived from the positive karmic affinity of his previous life, whereas the blessings enjoyed during the ages between 45 and 55 and thereafter, are the karmic rewards gained through the accumulation of good deeds in this life. Q7: According to Master Lu, does the dominating force of our karmic affinity lies with our positive or negative karmic affinity? A7: Positive karmic affinity generally carries a relatively lesser weight in one’s karmic net. The dominating force lies with the negative karmic affinity (孽缘Niè yuán `). This explains why eliminating karmic debts should be our top priority (应把消孽障放在首位Yīng bǎ xiāo nièzhàng fàng zài shǒuwèi). Cross-reference 1 <Elimination of negative karma> 白话佛法2，13、业障缠身，解脱放下 我们在这个无边无际，梦幻苦海的世界里，我们的业障犹如鲨鱼一样，同时与我们在苦海里，而这个鲨鱼尾紧随着盯住我们咬，这就是业障，是过去的业障在盯住我们咬，追着不放，而你拼命地游，还是被它追上了，好不容易来了一只普度之船，有菩萨来救你们了，你刚刚往船上爬的时候，也就是你刚刚学佛的时候，知道为什么学佛的时候，身上会感觉痛吗？为什么会有东西来搞你呢？因为你刚刚爬上船的时候，这个鲨鱼会咬着你的腿不放，要把你拖下水，你罪恶的业障就是这样的，不让你跑，追着你，很多人爬到一半被鲨鱼一拉，又掉进苦海之中了，所以你们想想看一个人的业障是如此之重，自己根本不能控制，就算已经上了船了都会被你的业障拖下去，明白了吗？ BUDDHISM IN PLAIN TERMS (Vol. 2 Chapter 13) BREAK FREE FROM THE KARMIC OBSTACLES THAT BIND US Master Jun Hong Lu: In this boundless, illusory and a world of sufferings, your karmic obstacles are like the sharks in the sea. Their eyes are set on you and they are waiting for every opportunity to bite you just like your karmic obstacles. They are the past karmas that keep haunting you and refusing to let you go. No matter how desperately you swim, somehow they will catch up with you. A stroke of luck rendered you a life-saving boat - Bodhisattva has come to save you; you started to climb on to the boat; this is akin to when you first started practising Buddhism. Do you know why you experience aches and pain on your body when you first embarked on your spiritual practice? It is because the sharks are biting on your leg and not letting go. They wanted to drag you into the water. This is how karmic obstacles from evil deeds are. There is no way that you can run. Some people may be able to make it halfway on to the boat. However, with just one pull from the sharks, they will fall into the sea of suffering once again. This is how hefty a person’s karmic obstacles can be. It is something that is beyond one’s control. Even if you have made it on to the boat, chances are you may be drag down by the power of karma. Cross reference 2 <Elimination of negative karma> 白话佛法十一 、29真修实修真智慧 很多人说：“我没有业障啊。”那是不可能的。因为业障紧随你的身体不会离开，如果你是个不修行的人，它就会越积累越多。为什么很多人的身体会越来越不好？因为他没有修行，业障就会越积越多。 要忏悔自己的业障。念经可以去除很多的业障，但是不能再造新业，福慧才能增长。 师父告诉大家，有业障的人智慧会越来越少，这一点你们一定要记住啊。当一个人业障很重的时候，他的智慧越来越少。 什么事情都想不出来了。所以，怎么样能够让自己的业障少呢？最简单的方法就是守好自己的身口意，不要让嘴巴、行为、思维的那种恶业增长。就是说你今天知道自己还有业障，你不能让它长得太快，你不能让它一直这么长下去，否则的话，菩萨是不能加持到你的，护法神也加持不了你，因为业障太多，障碍了你的慧命，所以要控制住它。 BUDDHISM IN PLAIN TERMS (Vol. 11 Chapter 29) GAIN TRUE WISDOM THROUGH SINCERE CULTIVATION Master Jun Hong Lu: Many people say, "I don’t have any karmic obstacles." That is impossible as karmic obstacles are something that follows and never leave us. For someone who does not practise Buddhism, a karmic obstacle is something that gets accumulated day by day. This explains why some people suffer from deteriorating health. We should repent for our karmic obstacles (忏悔自己的业障Chànhuǐ zìjǐ de yèzhàng). Recitation of Buddhist scriptures can help eliminate a lot of karmic obstacles provided that one does not commit new ones (不能再造新业Bùnéng zàizào xīn yè). Only then one is able to experience an increase in wisdom. That said, a person with hefty karmic obstacles generally lacks wisdom, and they tend not to be able to think clearly. So, how can do we reduce our karmic obstacles? The best way is to guard our bodily action, speech and thoughts (守好自己的身口意Shǒu hǎo zìjǐ de shēnkǒuyì of which we are saved from accumulating new negative karma. We should not allow our karmic obstacles to continue growing or grow too speedily because if it does, we will fail to receive the blessings from Bodhisattva and Dharma Protectors. The reason being, hefty karmic obstacles will hinder one’s spiritual life (障碍了你的慧命Zhàng'àile nǐ de huì mìng). Therefore, karmic obstacles are something that should be kept under control. Cross reference 3 <Elimination of negative karma> 白话佛法1，10 阻止业障产生的方法 第二个阻止业障产生的工具是“感恩心”，这里说的感恩心，不是单指心态，它是一个工具，这是一个修行的法门。在人的七情六欲里，每一情每一欲都会产生业障，只有感恩心才可以断绝业障，是“唯一”可以使业障不生的一种心情，也是对付贪瞋痴的有效武器，所以当你逐渐习惯用感恩心去看周围的人和事，业障就会越来越少。 BUDDHISM IN PLAIN TERMS (Vol. 1 Chapter 10) HOW TO PREVENT KARMIC OBSTACLES FROM COMING INTO BEING ….(An excerpt) The second tool to prevent karmic obstacles from coming into being is to have “a heart of gratitude” (感恩心Gǎn'ēn xīn). The sense of gratitude referred to here is not only a state-of-mind but also a tool, a cultivation method. With human’s throng of desires (Seven Emotions and Six Sensory Pleasures 七情六欲Qīqíngliùyù), every passion and desire brings forth karmic obstacles which can only be severed through a heart of gratitude. While gratitude is the only emotional response that is able to prevent the formation of karmic obstacles, it is also the weapon against greed, anger and ignorance. As you gradually adopt a heart of gratitude in dealing with the people and matter around you, that your karmic obstacles would be reduced. Cross reference 4 <Elimination of negative karma> wenda20150130 07:25 小房子的作用是超度灵性还是消除业障 男听众：如果一个人身上的业障为50%，那么每天礼佛大忏悔文5遍，大约多少张小房子能够逐渐地全消，这些小房子用于超度灵性、身上要经者，还是消孽障？ 台长答：首先要看你自己，如果你在念小房子、烧送之前，你说“我要消孽障”，它就帮你消孽障；你要说“超度灵性”，它就超度灵性；但是如果你不说，它要看的，灵性要得很急，就被灵性拿走了。一般都是先还灵性，灵性相当于贷款的利息，而业障相当于本金. Wenda20150130 07:25 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) THE FUNCTION OF LITTLE HOUSE – IS IT TO HELP SPIRITS TO ASCEND TO HIGHER SPIRITUAL REALM (超度灵性Chāodù língxìng) OR TO ELIMINATE ONE’S KARMIC OBSTACLES (消孽障Xiāo nièzhàng)? Caller: If a person's karmic obstacles are 50% and he performs five times of the Eighty-eight Great Repentance daily, roughly how many Little Houses does he need to eliminate these karmic obstacles gradually? Are the Little Houses used to help the foreign spirits, the karmic creditor on him to ascend to a higher realm or is it used to eliminate his karmic obstacles? Master Jun Hong Lu: It all depends on you. Prior to reciting and offering the Little Houses, if you state that, "I want to eliminate my negative karma", it will then be used to for this purpose. Otherwise, if you state, “I want to help the foreign spirit on me to ascend to a higher spiritual realm” it will then be used to help the foreign spirit. In the event that you did not state any prayer, then it will depend on the situation. If the foreign spirits are very anxious, the Little Houses will be taken away by them. Generally, the foreign spirits will be given priority in terms of repayment. Foreign spirit is akin to the interest on a loan, whereas karmic obstacle is like the principal. Cross reference 5 <Elimination of negative karma> Wenda20171222 01:18:06 带着忏悔心看《白话佛法》，消业很快 女听众：师父，梦中我看《白话佛法》，就是带着忏悔心看的，消业好厉害，从意识当中消业（对，你怎么知道？）第一次看了新加坡带回来的度人方法的一本书，做梦也是的，第二次……两次看了《白话佛法》，意识当中消业。 台长答：今天算你做功德了。我告诉你，一边看《白话佛法》，一边带有忏悔的心，消业快得不得了（我一看《白话佛法》里面师父讲的都是我犯的错，我说“哎哟，错了，错了”）对了（有时候我就对自己下“军令状”，一定要看进到八识田中里面，一定要改掉这个脾气。我自己都没度好，我还怎么度人？”你就这一个意念，我告诉你，就这种善念，一种功德念，直冲云霄，消业消得可快了！ Wenda20171222 01:18:06 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) READ BUDDHISM IN PLAIN TERMS WITH A REMORSEFUL HEART (忏悔心Chànhuǐ xīn) CAN HELP SPEEEDY ELIMINATION OF NEGATIVE KARMA (An Excerpt) Caller: Master, I had a dream whereby I was reading the Buddhism in Plain Terms and I was feeling remorseful as I reading it. I sense that the elimination of negative karma from the level of consciousness (意识当中消业Yìshí dāngzhōng xiāo yè) was indeed remarkable. The first time I was reading a book I on how to help others to be spiritually awakened and the second time, I was reading the Buddhism in Plain Terms, I could feel that my negative karma was eliminated from my consciousness. Master Jun Hong Lu: When you feel remorseful as you are reading the Buddhism in Plain Terms the speed of which your karma is eliminated is extremely fast. Caller: When I read how all that Master Lu highlighted in the book are mistakes that I committed before, I felt I was so wrong. Sometimes I will force myself to study earnestly so that what I read will go into my Eighth Consciousness, and I tell myself I must change my bad temper. I know Master Lu, you are aware of my shortcomings. Master Jun Hong Lu: Yes. For example, when you read the Buddhism In Plain Terms about the importance of finding one’s true nature that is your Buddha nature and that you will have to help yourself to solve the problems in life, that should get you thinking, “I feel so bad now that I cant seem to be able to control my own temper. I can’t even help myself; how can I help others? It is precisely this kind thought (善念Shàn niàn) which is meritorious in nature that will help you eliminate negative karma at a speed you can never imagine! Cross reference 6 <Elimination of negative karma> shuohua20130104 02:25 用功德消业也需自己求菩萨 女听众：您常讲要有功德才可以帮助自己消业，那么我们念经也是一种功德，当我们念礼佛的时候求的就是消业，如果是其他的功德，比如说放生、度人等，是自动消业还是要求菩萨“我现在拿这个功德消业”呢？ 台长答：功德也要求的，就求自己消哪块业。比方说“我今天放生300条鱼，请大慈大悲观世音菩萨帮我消掉我某某某的业”，它也会消的，你不说就存到你的功德里了。 Shuohua20130104 02:25 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) IF WE WISH TO UTILISE OUR MERITS TO ELIMINATE NEGATIVE KARMA, MAKE PRAYER REQUEST TO BODHISATTVA Caller: You often say that merits are essential in the elimination of karmic obstacles. There is merit involved when we perform the recitation of Buddhist scriptures and when we recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance, we also make wishes to eliminate our negative karma. My question is: what about when we perform other types of virtuous deeds? Does the negative karma gets eliminated automatically or we have to make prayer requests, for eg “I would like to utilize this merit to eliminate my negative karma”? Master Jun Hong Lu: You would have to make the prayer request stating for example, which negative karma specifically that you wish to eliminate. For instance, you pray "Today, I am going to liberate 300 fish. May Guan Yin Bodhisattva help me eliminate my ‘xxx’ negative karma" and it will be eliminated accordingly. Otherwise, where there are no prayer requests made, it will be conserved as your meritorious blessing. Cross reference 7 <Elimination of negative karma> wenda20140117 01:17:05 关于化解孽障块的问题 女听众：人的孽障块，在化解它的时候是不是要把它打碎呀？ 台长答：没有什么打碎的，孽障块实际上是在慢慢地化解。比方说你前世做了一个很大的坏事，在今世四月份形成一个孽障块了，那么在四月份就应该倒霉了，人家算命都算出来说你在四月份要倒霉。你在一月份就开始不停地念礼佛大忏悔文、念小房子了，实际上这个孽障块就会越化越小。等到四月份的时候它还会报，但不会像原来一下子那么大的报了，是很小的报了. wenda20140117 01:17:05 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) ON ELIMINATION OF NEGATIVE KARMA Caller: Is it necessary to shatter the blocks of negative karma in the process of its elimination? Master Jun Hong Lu: It is not about shattering the negative karma. Rather it is eliminated gradually. For example, you did something really bad in your past life in the month of April. Hence, you are supposed to go through a period of ill-luck in April. This may be something that even fortune-telling would be able to read. However, in January, you started to recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance and Little House, and this block of negative karma began to shrink in size gradually. It will still come to fruition in April, but the retribution will not be as significant as it was in the beginning. Q8: In this chapter, Master Lu mentioned an interesting concept on how to ‘escape’ the ‘karmic net’ (消掉孽缘摆脱尘网Xiāo diào niè yuán bǎituō chén wǎng). What is it? A8: Another fundamental concept is that 'a cause-effect relationship can only be altered by another cause-effect relationship'. It is precisely because of this concept, as long as we practise and cultivate according to the Dharma teachings (只要我们学佛修心，依教奉行Zhǐyào wǒmen xué fú xiū xīn, yī jiào fèngxíng), Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, by virtue of their great compassionate nature, will allow this cause-effect relationship to be converted into our virtues, so as to eliminate our karmic debts (记作我们的功德来消掉孽障的因果. jì zuò wǒmen de gōngdé lái xiāo diào nièzhàng de yīnguǒ) Cross reference 1 <Alteration of cause and effect relationship> wenda20130503 45:57 学佛后能改变因果，以前的果报就一笔勾销了吗 女听众：您提到一句话：因果定律里面有另一层意思，一份因果只能以另一份因果来改变。那学佛就是这一份新的因果，它改变了我们以前应该受的因果。那么这种改变应该理解为是站在更高的层次上来看，并不是说我改了以后，我以前的那些果报就全都一笔勾销了吧？ 台长答：不可能一笔勾销的。就是说你虽然认错了，但是这个错还是在，只不过你以后不犯了. wenda20130503 45:57 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) WILL KARMIC RETRIBUTION INCURRED PRIOR TO PRACTISING BUDDHISM BE CANCELLED ONCE AND FOR ALL SINCE BUDDHISM PRACTICE IS SAID TO BE ABLE TO ALTER ONE’S KARMA? Caller: Master Lu, you mentioned before that there is another level of understanding about the law of cause and effect that is “karma can only be altered by another karma (一份因果只能以另一份因果来改变Yī fèn yīnguǒ zhǐ néng yǐ lìng yī fèn yīnguǒ lái gǎibiàn)”. Practising Buddhism is reckoned as the new set of karma (学佛就是这一份新的因果Xué fú jiùshì zhè yī fèn xīn de yīnguǒ). Hence it is able to alter the effect that we were supposed to endure otherwise (它改变了我们以前应该受的因果Tā gǎibiànle wǒmen yǐqián yīnggāi shòu de yīnguǒ). How should we comprehend this phenomenon? Should we view this from a higher state-of-mind, or should we take it as after we transform ourselves, all my previous bad deeds will be written off entirely (一笔勾销Yībǐgōuxiāo)? Master Jun Hong Lu: What is done is impossible to write off. What you are doing is, you are repenting for the wrong you have done, and you are not to commit the same mistake again. Cross-reference 2 <Alteration of cause and effect relationship> wenda20120415A 49:02 性格的弱点是不是前世的孽障 男听众：一个人性格上的弱点，包括容易造口业、或者小气、或者容易妒忌，这些都是属于前世的孽障？ 台长答：前世的孽障跟今世的新业都有关系。比方说这个人生出来气量就很小，气量越小他碰到很多事情做得越不好，越不好气量越小，形成恶性循环，所以跟前世跟今世都有关系的（这个就是心经、礼佛跟小房子多念就可以了，是吧？）多念，可以改变命运、性格的。 Wenda20120415A 49:02 (Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program) A PERSON’S WEAKNESS IS CAUSED BY HIS PAST LIFE NEGATIVE KARMA? Caller: With regards to the shortcomings in a person’s personality for e.g. their tendency to commit negative verbal karma, stinginess, jealousy, etc., is it due to the karmic obstacles from a person’s past lives? Master Jun Hong Lu: It has to do with both karmic obstacles from his past lives and new karma from his present life. For example, he is a petty person in this life. Due to his pettiness, he is not able to achieve much in life. As he failed to achieve, he becomes even pettier, and it becomes a vicious cycle. In cases like this, one should recite more Heart Sutra, Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance and Little Houses, as this will help a person transform his personality and destiny.