我们人从无量劫以来，习气毛病太多了！不知悔改，也不知修行，所以习气一天比一天增加，智慧一天比一天减少，业障也一天比一天重。因为这种关系，人若想修行也不容易，想学好也不容易，想出家更不容易，有种种孽缘牵缠不清。在因地时不知不觉造了很多罪业，不怕因果报应，所以到想要修道时，四面八方的障道因缘都发生了。有的是家庭环境不许可，有的是国家环境不许可，有的是个人所行所作发生种种障碍，而不能修行。
From limitless eons in the past until now, we have had too many bad habits and faults. We haven't known how to repent and reform, and how to cultivate, so day by day our bad habits increase, our wisdom decreases, and our karmic offenses grow heavier. As a result, if we want to cultivate, it's not easy. If we want to learn to be good, it's also not easy. If we want to leave the home-life, it's even more difficult. We cannot break free of the various retributions which bind us up. Not fearing the retribution, we unknowingly planted causes that created a lot of offense karma. So now that we want to cultivate, causes and conditions arise from every direction to obstruct our cultivation of the Way. For some, it's the family situation which prevents them from cultivating. Some are prevented by the national circumstances. In other cases, the individual's behavior has generated all kinds of obstacles, making it impossible for him or her to cultivate.
所以真正想修道是难如登天，那么是不是说这么多困难就不修了呢？不是的。越难才越要修行，要勉为其难。若是不从困苦艰难中打筋斗打出来，始终是破不了业障关，所以才要修忍人所不能忍的功夫，让人所不能让，行人所不能行，做人所不能做的事，吃人所不能吃的，受人所不能受的，能如此地日积月累，才能把善功德增多一点，罪孽减少一点，使智能天天增长，业障天天减轻。
Therefore, if you truly want to cultivate, it's as hard as ascending to the heavens. Now, if it's that difficult, does it mean we shouldn't cultivate? Not at all. The more difficult it is, the more we have to cultivate. We must overcome the hardship. If we don't take a flying somersault to escape from our distress and difficulty, then we will never be able to break through our karmic obstructions. So we have to cultivate the ability to endure what others cannot endure, to yield where others cannot yield, to practice what others cannot practice, to do the things that others cannot do, to eat what others cannot eat, and to put up with what others cannot put up with. In that way, over the days and months, we can increase our wholesome merit and virtue a bit, and reduce our offenses and evil deeds a bit. Day by day, our wisdom grows, and our karmic obstacles become lighter. Since we accumulated the karmic obstacles bit by bit in the past, now we have to reduce them bit by bit. It's like when the weather turns cold, each day is colder than the day before, until winter has arrived. When the cold reaches the utmost point, the weather starts warming up again. But it doesn't warm up instantly. Each day is warmer than the day before, and gradually the hot weather arrives. The hot weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles have been lessened, and the cold weather represents the time when our karmic obstacles are heavy. These are just analogies.
因为以前的业障是一点一点累积下来的，所以现在也要一点一点地减轻它。就好像天气寒冷一样，天气一天比一天冷，就到了冬天，当天气冷到极点了，就又开始暖和。但也不是立刻就能暖和起来的，而是一天比一天暖和，渐至热天。热时就譬如没有那么多业障，冷时就好像业障重，这些都是譬喻。
As we are here cultivating, you can investigate Chan, recite the Buddha's name, or do whatever, as long as you find something to do, so your mind won't be idle and start having random thoughts. Instead of having random thoughts, you should use the time to recite the Buddha's name, hold mantras, or recite sutras. Don't let the time pass in vain. If you allow your mind to casually indulge in random thoughts, you're just wasting a lot of energy without accomplishing anything.
我们在这儿修行，参禅也好，念佛也好，无论你做什么，总要找点事情做一做，不要令心无事就打妄想。要把打妄想的时间拿来念佛、持咒、诵经，不让光阴空过。否则令心里随便打妄想，浪费很多精神，结果一事无成。人身难得，佛法难闻，佛国难生，善知识难遇，好道场难逢。想修行没有遇到好道场，也不能修行，所以必须要有好道场。我们现在在万佛圣城，打禅七有打禅七的地方，念佛有念佛的地方，拜忏有拜忏的地方。你愿意做什么，只要你修行就可以，只要不把光阴空过，能老老实实地用功就可以。
"It's hard to obtain a human body. It's hard to be able to hear the Buddhadharma. It's hard to be born in a Buddhist country. It's hard to meet a Good and Wise Advisor. It's hard to encounter a good Way-place." If you can't find a good Way-place, then even if you want to cultivate, you won't be able to. So a good Way-place is essential. Now at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, there is a place for holding Chan Sessions, there is a place for reciting the Buddha's name, and there is also a place for bowing repentances. You can do anything you like, as long as you cultivate and seriously apply effort and don't waste time.
无论哪一位愿意用功，我都愿意做你们各位的护法，来帮助你们用功。因为当初我想用功，但找不到一个好的地方用功，到处都有很多细节皮毛的事要做。譬如在禅堂，你要学会敲引磬、打钟板，到时当值、巡香，如何给人倒茶、喝茶、收茶杯，啰啰嗦嗦的一大堆。你想用功都用到喝茶、收茶杯上；用到巡香、当值上，用到敲钟板、鱼鼓这些皮毛上了，这些琐事最低限度要三个礼拜才能学会，而通常打七也不过打一两个礼拜，这些零碎的皮毛事就够你学的了。
If any of you are willing to apply effort, I am willing to be your Dharma protector to aid you in applying effort. That's because when I first wanted to work hard on cultivation, I couldn't find a good place where I could do it. In every place I went, there was a lot of detailed, superficial work that had to be done. For example, in the Chan Hall, you had to learn to use the handbell, hit the boards, serve as a proctor who makes rounds, pour tea for people to drink, collect the teacups－a whole bunch of fussy details. You wanted to apply effort, but all your effort went into the trifling matters of serving tea, collecting teacups, making rounds as a proctor, and hitting the bell, boards, wooden fish, and drum. These petty jobs took at least three weeks to learn, and usually the Chan Session only lasted one or two weeks. These miscellaneous tasks were more than enough to keep you busy learning.
现在在万佛圣城，无论你参禅、念佛、翻译经典、研究经典，做什么都好，总而言之，你若专心去研究，则一切都很方便，没有一些繁文细节，要你当这个值、当那个值，皮毛事多得令你头昏脑胀。这里是很简单，做维那只要止静、开静就可以。你在这儿还不知用功，那就不知还有什么地方可以用功的了？这里是最可以用功、最方便的地方，你不要一边用功，一边打妄想：今天的斋饭不好吃，天气又冷，今晚又如何去睡觉……。尽打这些无用的妄想，这只是空过时光啊！应该专心致志，拼命用功才是。
Now at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, you may investigate Chan, recite the Buddha's name, translate the sutras, study the sutras, or engage in other practices. In general, if you practice with a concentrated mind, then everything will be convenient for you. There won't be any of the complicated regulations and petty details requiring you to do this job or that job, making you dizzy with so many superficial matters. It's very simple here. The proctor (wei no) only has to start and end the periods of silent sitting. If you are here and you still fail to apply effort, then I don't know if there's any place where you can apply effort. This is the best place where you can apply skill and have the most convenience. Don't be applying skill and at the same time having idle thoughts, such as: "Today's lunch was awful. It's really cold. How am I going to sleep tonight?" Don't have all these useless idle thoughts, and let the time pass by in vain! You should concentrate your mind and focus your attention, and apply effort as if your life depended upon it.
舍不了死，换不了生；舍不了假，成不了真。
If you can't renounce death,then you can't exchange it for life.If you can't renounce the false,then you can't realize the true.
不单单在念佛堂、禅堂要用功，随时随地也都要用功。用功就是眼不被色尘转，耳不被声尘转，鼻不被香尘转，舌不被味尘转，身不被触尘转，意不被法尘转。都不被境界转，而能转境界，这才叫用功。
You should be applying effort not only when you are in the Recitation Hall and the Chan Hall, but at all times and places. Applying effort means your eyes are not turned by sights, your ears are not turned by sounds, your nose is not turned by smells, your tongue is not by turned by flavors, your body is not turned by sensations of contact, and your mind is not turned by dharmas. If you remain unmoved by all those states, and can instead turn those states around, then you are applying effort.
行住坐卧不离这个，离了这个便是错过。所以时时刻刻都要念兹在兹，把念头制住，把金刚智慧王宝剑举得高高的，斩尽一切烦恼魔军！
Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, do not be apart from this. Separating from this is a mistake. In every moment, pay attention to whatever you are doing, and control your thoughts. Raise the Jeweled Sword of the Vajra Wisdom King up high, and slash through all the armies of afflictions and demons!
问：为大众服务，而又被人诽谤，怎么办？
Q: What should I do if people slander me when I am working for the public?
答：为大众服务，又受人诽谤，就越要去做！若受人诽谤，就不去做，这还不是真的。
A: If you are working for the public and are slandered, you should want to do it even more! If you quit because people slander you, you are not really being true.
问：为什么现在佛教徒不懂得正法，而拼命求神通？为什么现今多数佛教徒反而更爱钱？
Q: Why do Buddhists of the present fail to understand the Proper Dharma, and instead do everything they can to obtain spiritual powers? Why are most of today's Buddhists even more in love with money?
答：这个问题很重要。因为现在的人都中了钱毒，钱上有一种钱癌毒，这种东西是很毒很毒的。魔无形中洒上这种毒，所以人一接触到钱，就忘了一切，父母也忘了，只知道钱，认为钱是最亲切的，而为钱造了很多罪业。乃至于佛教徒也想尽方法，不择手段，又讲风水，又求密法，贪心比一般不懂佛法的人更多，比天还大，这样子就叫末法。末法，就是没有人懂得道理。想要没有这种毛病，就要守万佛圣城的六大宗旨：不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不妄语，这六个条件能把末法邪恶的风气改变。不要以为万佛圣城的六大宗旨是很简单的，你们平常人不但没资格学，也没有资格听。我讲这六大宗旨是讲给三步一拜的行者（恒实、恒朝）听的，我看他们苦干到如此，若再不说点真法给他们听，就太可惜了。所以这六大宗旨是破邪知邪见的照妖镜、降魔杵。
A: This question is very important, because people nowadays have all been poisoned by money. There is a kind of cancerous poison on money, which is extremely toxic. Invisibly, the demons sprinkle this poison on the money, and so as soon as people come in contact with it, they forget everything. They forget even their parents, and the only thing they know is money. They regard money as their closest friend and create a lot of offenses for the sake of money. Even Buddhists will think of all kinds of schemes and will do anything to get it, including consulting geomancers and seeking secret dharmas. They are even greedier than ordinary people who don't understand the Buddhadharma－their greed is greater than the sky. This is known as the decline of the Dharma. The decline of the Dharma means that no one understands true principles. If we want to correct this problem, we have to uphold the Six Great Principles of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas－do not contend, do not be greedy, do not seek, do not be selfish, do not pursue personal benefit, and do not lie. These six requirements can reverse the deviant and evil trend of the Dharma-ending Age. You shouldn't think the Six Great Principles of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are that simple. Ordinary people are not only unprepared to study them, they are not even ready to hear them. It was for the cultivators of Three Steps One Bow (Heng Sure and Heng Chau) that I spoke these Six Great Principles. I saw how hard they were working and thought it'd be a pity if I didn't speak some true Dharma for them. These Six Great Principles are a demon-spotting mirror and a demon-subduing pestle for destroying deviant knowledge and views.
至于神通，不是求来的，而是修来的；就是修来的，也不能把它当作一回事。神通在佛教中不算一回事，只是雕虫小技而已，哄小孩子的一种戏法，根本不可拿它当一回事。学佛的人，如果有求神通的思想，就走错路了，根本就不是正信佛教徒了。
As for spiritual powers, they are gained not through seeking, but through cultivation. And even if you get them as a result of cultivation, you shouldn't think they are a big deal. Spiritual powers are not a big deal in Buddhism. They are just small skills, a kind of child's play, and cannot be considered something important. Students of Buddhism who are out to get spiritual powers have gone down the wrong road and are basically not Buddhists of proper faith.
问：为什么人不拜唐僧玄奘大师，反而拜孙悟空？又真有孙悟空吗？
Q: Why do people pay homage not to the Monk from Tang, Great Master Xuanzhuang, but rather to Sun Wukung (the monkey in Journey to the West)? Also, is there really a Sun Wukung?
答：因为孙悟空有金箍棒，会翻筋斗，上天入地，无所不能，所以人人爱。孙悟空、猪八戒、沙僧等都是真有其人，只是他们是无形的精灵，是帮助、护持唐僧去西天取经的。他们并不是凡夫的肉眼可见，他们没有凡夫的实体，而是一股灵性。而玄奘大师，是个脚踏实地的修行人，他不会翻筋斗，也不会大闹天宫，只会收敛锋芒真修实行，凭着坚、诚、恒三个字，一心去取经，利益众生，因而感动孙悟空等前来护持。
A: Since Sun Wukung had the golden rod; knew how to perform somersaults, ascend to the heavens and enter the earth; and was skilled in everything, everyone adored him. Sun Wukung, Ju Bajie, Sha Seng, and so forth, actually existed, but they were invisible spirits. They aided and protected the Monk from Tang on his trip to India to obtain the sutras. They were not visible to the eyes of ordinary people. They didn't possess physical bodies like ordinary people; they were spirits. But Great Master Xuanzhuang was an honest, down-to-earth cultivator. He didn't know how to do flying somersaults, or cause a big uproar in the celestial palaces. He only knew how to hide his talent and truly cultivate the Way. Relying on the three qualities of determination, sincerity, and constancy, he single-mindedly went to obtain the sutras, and dedicated himself to benefiting living beings. As a result, Sun Wukung and the others were moved to guard and support him.
一九八二年十一月廿六日开示
A talk given on November 26, 1982
