病後始知身是苦，
死後方知錯用心。

Only after being sick do you realize
the body is suffering.
Only after dying do you realize
you applied your effort wrongly.

這是眾生的通病，在沒有病時，滿以為在世間非常快樂和滿足，到有病的時候，不能動，也不能吃，一切都不自由了，再加上種種難以忍受的痛苦，才覺得原來這個身體是令我們苦的，可是呢？已經太遲了。所謂：

臨崖勒馬收韁晚，
船到江心補漏遲。

Living beings all have this problem. When you are not sick, you think the world is a happy and satisfying place. But when you get sick, you cannot move around, eat, or have the freedom to do what you want, and you endure all kinds of unbearable pain and misery. That's when you discover that this body actually causes us a lot of suffering, but it's already too late. As it is said,

When the horse is on the edge of the cliff,
it's too late to draw in the the reins.
When the boat is in the middle of the river,
it's too late to patch the leaks.

誰叫你自己在沒病的時候，任作胡為，不好好地珍惜自己。病是這樣，生死大事也是這樣。

Who told you to act so recklessly and brashly when you were free of sickness, instead of cherishing and taking care of yourself? This is true not only with sickness, but also with the great matter of birth and death.

「死後方知錯用心」，平時不加檢點，等到見了閻王時，才知自己生前所行所事及存心都不正當。生前看見別人念佛，自己反而去譏謗他，說他迷信，笑他愚癡，但現在後悔已晚了！刀山油鑊之苦，都是自己招來的。就像剛才所說「臨崖勒馬收韁晚，船到江心補漏遲」，誰叫自己事前沒有準備？

“Only after dying do you realize you applied your effort wrongly.” During ordinary times, you failed to examine and rectify yourself. But when you see King Yama, you realize that everything you have done in your life, and all your intentions, were improper. When you saw people reciting the Buddha's name, you slandered them, called them superstitious, and laughed at them for being fools. But now it's too late for regrets. You have brought the suffering of the Mountain of Knives and the Cauldron of Oil upon yourself. As it was said above, “When the horse is on the edge of the cliff, it's too late to draw in the the reins. When the boat is in the middle of the river, it's too late to patch the leaks.” Who told you not to prepare ahead of time?

所以朱子說：「宜未雨而綢繆，毋臨渴而掘井。」我們在未下雨時，早就應該顧慮到下雨時可能發生的事。譬如北方的窗戶，都是用紙糊的，所以在未下雨時，就應把窗紙糊好，省得雨水濺濕了屋內的東西；若是等到下雨時才趕忙去糊窗，那未免太遲了一點。又好像在窮鄉僻壤的地方，沒有自來水管的設備，所以你在蓋房子時，就要考慮水源的問題；若是到了渴時，才記得去掘井，那不是太晚了嗎？

So Zhuzi said, “Make preparations before it rains. Don't wait until you're thirsty to dig a well.” Long before it starts to rain, we should consider the problems that might occur when it rains. For example, in northern China we use paper windows. Before it rains, we have to make sure the paper windows are pasted up well, so the rain will not wet the things inside the house. If we wait until it rains and then rush to paste up the windows, it's a bit too late. Also, in poor villages where there is no running water, you have to consider the water source when you build a house. If you wait until you're thirsty to dig a well, isn't it too late?

我們學佛的人，都明白一切無常，不免一死。可是！為什麼不為自己的「死」先下一番工夫呢？所謂：

若要人不死，
先下死工夫。

When we study Buddhism, we understand that all things are impermanent and death is inevitable. So why don't we first spend some time to look into the problem of our own death? It's said,

If you don't want to die,
You must first work “dead hard.”

死工夫，就是譬如今天的打七念菩薩名號。我們打七，第一，是為求世界和平；第二，是為自己的身後打算，這就是「未雨而綢繆」了。我們打七要年年參加，不可中斷，這樣才能與阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩結大因緣。我們必須念到好像阿彌陀佛是我們的師父，觀世音菩薩好像是我們的朋友一樣親切，既然能做佛的弟子，做菩薩的朋友，而且能年年月月日日都是如此，自然會成為老友了。這樣，佛、菩薩一定會在我們臨命終時，接引我們到西方淨土去的，這點大家切莫懷疑。所謂：

修道之人心莫疑，
疑心一起便途迷。

Working “dead hard” is just like joining this session to recite the Bodhisattva's name. We are holding this session first of all to pray for world peace, and secondly, to prepare for our future after this life. This is just to “Make preparations before it rains.” We should participate in this session every year. Don't skip a year. Then we will have great affinities with Amitabha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. We should recite until we see Amitabha Buddha as our teacher and Guanyin Bodhisattva as our close friend. If we can be the Buddha's disciple and the Bodhisattva's friend year after year, month after month, and day after day, we will naturally become old pals. Then when our life is about to end, the Buddha and Bodhisattva will surely come to lead us to the Pure Land in the West. No one should have doubts about it. It is said,

Cultivators should be careful not to doubt.
Once they doubt, they will be lost.

我們聽善知識的話，不應該存有半點疑心。譬如善知識說：「修行要下苦功。」你就應該相信。若是你能信得徹底，那麼你一定可以明心見性，返本還原。所以我們要常聽善知識的開導，他教你「念佛」，你就應該依教來念佛；善知識他叫你「不要任性」，你就不要任性。這就是修道的要訣。

When we listen to a Good and Wise Advisor, we should not be the least bit skeptical. For example, if the Good and Wise Advisor says that cultivation requires arduous effort, you should truly believe it. If you believe completely, you will surely be able to understand the mind and see the nature, return to the origin and go back to the source. Therefore, we should always listen to the instructions of a Good and Wise Advisor. If he tells you to recite the Buddha's name, you should follow the instruction and recite. If he tells you not to be stubborn, then don't be stubborn. This is the essential secret of cultivation.

方才說：「病後始知身是苦」，可是呢？人若是不經過一番的病苦，是絕不肯發心修行的；因為在沒病時，他不知痛苦。

Earlier we said, “Only after being sick do you realize the body is suffering.” If people don't go through some pain and suffering, they will not want to cultivate, because they don't know what pain is if they have never been sick.

又有一句話說：「富貴學道難」，若是一個人很富有，那麼他樣樣如意，你叫他如何會想修道呢？所以，貧病都是我們修道的助緣。病來了，也不必憂；貧來了，也不用愁。有一首偈頌這樣說：

我見他人死，
我心熱如火；
不是熱他人，
看看輪到我。

It's also said, “It's hard for the rich and honorable to cultivate.” If a person is wealthy, he can have everything the way he wants, so why should he want to cultivate? So poverty and illnesses are all aiding conditions to our cultivation. When we get sick, there's no need to be depressed. If we're poor, there's no reason to be worried. There's a verse which goes,

When I see someone die,
My heart burns like fire.
It's not burning because of him,
But because I know it will soon be my turn.

自己貧、病，固然應增長修道的心，就是看見別人貧病老死，也要引以為惕。人生有如「長江後浪推前浪」，若能及時發願往生，則事前有個準備，不至臨時手足無措，手忙腳亂了。好像國家若不經過一番變亂，人民都會耽娛愛樂，不曉得愛國衛土。現在的佛教也是如此，現在的人都不謀復興佛教，所以佛教便顯得萎靡。

If we are poor or sick ourselves, of course we should quickly resolve to cultivate. If we see others who are poor, sick, aging and dying, we should also take it as a warning. Life is like a succession of waves. If we can make a vow to be reborn, then we will be prepared in advance. We won't be in a frantic scramble when it comes time to die. It is just like if a country hasn't passed through times of disorder, the people will indulge in pleasures, and not know that they should be patriotic and defend their country. That's the situation Buddhism is in right now. Currently no one is working to make Buddhism prosper, so Buddhism seems rather low in spirit.

要知道提倡佛教，責任不單單在比丘或比丘尼身上，而是在每一個佛教徒的身上，若是我們每個人都這樣引咎自責，那麼，還愁佛教不發展嗎？現在有些佛教徒以為佛教不及外教時髦，所以不敢對人說自己是個佛教徒，甚至於還附和別人說佛教是迷信的，你說，這樣可悲不可悲？譬如九龍的道風山上有一個外道的團體，專門收容那些佛教的比丘及比丘尼，經過他們一番「改造」之後，那些忘本的人竟然毀謗佛教。

We should realize that it is not only the Bhikshus and Bhikshunis who are responsible for promoting Buddhism. It is the responsi-bility of every Buddhist. If each and every one of us can take up the responsibility, how can we worry that Buddhism will not thrive?

But now, there are some Buddhists who think Buddhism is not as fashionable as other religions, so they don't dare to tell anyone they are Buddhist. In fact, they even agree with others that Buddhism is mere superstition. Isn't that pathetic? For example, there's a non-Buddhist group at Daofeng Shan in Jiulung (Hong Kong) which specializes in accepting Buddhist monks and nuns. After they are brainwashed, they forget their roots and actually slander Buddhism.

所以真心信佛的人，應寧死不變，提起勇氣來，不可因為別人的譏笑或利誘而變志。如果每個人都不忘記自己是個佛教徒，那麼佛教復興是必然的。

People who truly believe in Buddhism would rather die than change their faith. We should pluck up our courage, and not let our resolve waver even if others make fun of us or tempt us. If every Buddhist remembers that he is a Buddhist, Buddhism will naturally prosper again.

一般的外道雖然目前盛極一時，可是天道循環，物極必反，大家切不可被外表的興衰而動搖自己的心志啊！真理是不滅的，佛教的復興全憑大家的努力！

Although other religions may experience temporary prosperity, the way of Heaven is a cycle, and when one extreme is reached, things turn around. No one should let their resolve be influenced by superficial signs of prosperity or decline. The truth is never extinguished. The flourishing of Buddhism depends on everyone's hard work!

一九五八年六月十七日上午開示