在世界上有很多问题，你认为是好的，可是在这里头也会有不好的事情发生；现在你认为是很快乐，将来可能会受痛苦。要想避开这些烦恼，莫如守中道，中道既不太过，也没有不及；没有烦恼，没有快乐。在《中庸》上说：
In the world, there are many things which you might think are good, but there are also bad things which occur within them. You might think you're very happy right now, but in the future you may experience pain and grief. If you want to avoid these afflictions, you should simply hold to the Middle Way. Holding to the Middle Way means neither going too far nor coming up short. Afflictions are gone, and so is happiness. The Doctrine of the Mean says:
喜怒哀乐之未发，
谓之中；
发而皆中节，
谓之和。
While there are no stirrings of
pleasure, anger, sorrow, or joy,
The mind may be said to be in
the state of equilibrium.
When those feelings have been stirred,
and they are moderated,
What ensues may be called the state of harmony.
如果懂得这个道理，无论做什么事情，不要太过，不要迷惑，不要颠倒。你要认清楚，黑的是黑，白的是白；善的是善，恶的是恶，把它分析得明明了了，就不会做善恶夹杂的事。
If you understand this principle, then no matter what you do, you shouldn't go overboard, become confused, or be turned upside-down. You should clearly recognize black as black, white as white, good as good, and bad as bad. If you can distinguish them clearly, you won't do things that are a mixture of good and evil.
我们一生所遭所遇都是往昔业力所造成的，现在要改变我们的命运，必须多做功德事。所谓“君子有造命之学”，命由我立，福自己求。“祸福无门，惟人自召。”就是这个道理。
Everything that happens to us in this life comes from the karma that we created in past lives. If we want to change our fate, we must perform many meritorious deeds. It is said, “A superior person knows how to determine his own fate. One can establish one's own destiny and seek one's own blessings. Calamities and blessings do not come on their own; people themselves bring them about.” This is the same principle.
学佛法的人，一定要对因果报应认识清楚，不可以随便造恶业、种恶因，更不可以错因果，要十分谨慎。否则等到受果报时，则悔之晚矣！
Students of the Buddhadharma must clearly recognize causes, effects, retributions, and responses. Don't carelessly create evil karma or plant evil causes. Don't make mistakes in cause and effect. Be extremely cautious, or you'll be sorry when you undergo the retribution.
一九八三年十月一日开示
A talk given on October 1, 1983
