修道人，一定要培養四無量心。有了四無量心，才能教化眾生，令眾生離苦得樂。修道人若無四無量心，就與道相違背，就是修了八萬大劫，離佛道尚有十萬八千里。

Cultivators must develop the Four Unlimited Aspects of Mind. With these Four Unlimited Aspects of Mind, one will be able to teach and transform living beings, helping them to escape suffering and attain happiness. If a cultivator lacks these Four Unlimited Aspects of Mind, his practice will run counter to the Way. Even if he cultivated for eighty thousand great eons, he would still be 84,000 miles away from the Buddhas’ Way.

四無量心是修道人應具有的基本條件。何謂四無量心？就是慈悲喜捨。無量就是沒有限量，不半途而廢，不中道自畫，得少為足，認為夠了。其實慈悲喜捨沒有夠的時候，越多越好，應把它推而廣之，擴而充之，達到止於至善的境界。

The Four Unlimited Aspects of Mind are basic requisites for every cultivator. They are kindness, compassion, joy, and giving. Unlimited means having no limit; it means not giving up halfway, not setting a limit for oneself. One should not be satisfied with a small achievement and think it’s enough. Actually, one can never have enough of the qualities of kindness, compassion, joy, and giving－the more the better. We should develop and expand them until we achieve their ultimate perfection.

（一）慈能予樂。我們是否給了眾生快樂？若是沒有，那就是沒有盡到慈心。應該朝向「無緣大慈」的目標邁進，不但同情人類的遭遇，而且也要同情動物的遭遇。如有不幸的事情發生，要即時伸出援手，幫助他們脫離苦海，這是佛教徒應該做的事。不要存著隔岸觀火的心理來觀賞，那樣就失去佛教的救世精神。佛教是慈悲為懷，方便為門的宗教。

1. Kindness makes others happy. Have we made living beings happy? If not, then we have not perfected our kindness. We should strive to feel “great kindness towards those with whom we have no affinities.” Not only should we sympathize with people who are going through hard times, we should feel for animals caught in unfortunate circumstances. In times of misfortune, we should extend a hand to help living beings out of the ocean of suffering. This is our duty as Buddhists. We cannot look on with total unconcern, for that would go against the Buddhist spirit of saving the world. Buddhism is based upon kindness and compassion, using a wide variety of expedient means to teach living beings.

（二）悲能拔苦。我們能不能拔除眾生的痛苦？若是不能，那就是沒有盡到悲心。應當有「同體大悲」的思想。也就是人溺如己溺、人飢如己飢的精神，佛教以「悲」為宗旨，悲就是憐愍的心；與儒家所說的「悲天憫人」不謀而合。

由此可知，天下聖人的思想，同出一轍，沒有離開惻隱之心。佛教主張「慈悲」，儒家提倡「忠恕」，心心相同，這是宗教的髓，如果不如此，那就同於異說外道。

2. Compassion eradicates suffering. Are we able to eradicate the suffering of living beings? If not, then we have not practiced compassion to the utmost. We should have the attitude of great compassion, which is to regard ourselves as being one with all. With this attitude, if we see others drowning, it’s as if we ourselves were drowning. Seeing others hungry is equivalent to being hungry ourselves. Compassion is Buddhism’s primary emphasis. Compassion refers to a sympathetic heart, which coincides with the Confucian idea of “caring about the destiny of humankind.” This shows that all sages think alike. Their philosophies follow the same line of thought and do not go beyond the sympathetic mind. Buddhism advocates kindness and compassion while Confucianism promotes loyalty and forgiveness. These are actually one and the same. This is the essence of all religions. Anything that didn’t agree with it would be the deviant teachings of externalists.

（三）喜是喜心。我們是不是歡喜學佛法？有沒有生憂愁起煩惱，或者鬧情緒？如果有的話，趕快糾正，不可任性發展。若有半點習氣存在，在七情六欲上用功夫，那就是錯誤觀念。要知道這種觀念錯不得，否則後果不堪設想。

3. Joy refers to a happy state of mind. Are we happy in studying the Buddhadharma? Or are we worried or afflicted or in a bad mood? If it’s the latter, we must correct ourselves immediately and stop such states from developing further. We are mistaken if we think it’s okay to keep our bad habits and get caught up in our emotions and desires. We had better not continue in this mistaken way, or else the consequences will be unthinkable.

（四）捨是捨心。我們有沒有捨心？如果有，是大還是小？是一時還是永遠？捨就是發心給予眾生快樂，拔眾生的痛苦，扶人困危，會生起無限歡喜，但不可執著。做完之後，統統把它忘掉，不可留記心頭。如果執著不忘，那不是菩薩的願行。要有施恩不求報的胸襟，才算是真正的佛教徒。

4. As for giving, do we wish to give? If so, is our wish great or small, temporary or permanent? Giving involves wanting to make living beings happy, to alleviate their suffering, and to help those in need. This process will generate boundless happiness within us, but we should not get attached to it. After we have done these things, we should forget about them. If we get attached and cannot forget what we have done, then we aren’t practicing the vows and conduct of a Bodhisattva. If our aspiration is to practice kindness without seeking anything in return, we can be considered genuine Buddhists.

一九八四年四月廿六日開示