Q: Master Lu, I have a question. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, can I go to several temples to make incense offerings and make vows? These temples all have the statues or images of the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva. The vows I made at each temple are the same. According to our customs, we always go to several temples to pay our respect.
A:
It is good to pay respect to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at temples.
It is good to pay respect at temples where Buddhas and Bodhisattvas visit, but it is not desirable for an individual to pay respect at temples where Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not visit.
It is best to go to the same temples regularly to pay your respect, and follow Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s instructions to practise Buddhism diligently.
Most importantly, you should perform recitations, make vows, perform life liberations, as well as cultivating your mind and practising Buddhism diligently in your daily life. Only then will Guan Yin Bodhisattva protect and bless you.