妄想是開悟的絆腳石，參「念佛是誰？」就是一把金剛王寶劍，能斬斷一切的妄想。釋迦牟尼佛在菩提樹下，初成正覺時，便說：「奇哉！奇哉！大地眾生，無不具有如來智慧德相，但因妄想執著，不能證得。」佛明明白白地告訴我們，為什麼不能成佛？就因為妄想執著，所以要破妄想執著。如何破法呢？就用「誰」字，向下鑿，鑿到水落石出，便是成功時。

Idle thoughts are a stumbling block to getting enlightened. Investigating "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" is a Vajra-king jeweled sword which can cut through all idle thoughts. When Shakyamuni Buddha first accomplished Right Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, he said, "How strange, how strange! All living beings, without exception, possess the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Tathagata (the Buddha). It is because of their idle thoughts and attachments that they cannot certify to them." The Buddha clearly told us why we can't become Buddhas. It's simply because of our idle thoughts and attachments. So we must break through these idle thoughts and attachments. How do we break through them? We use the word "Who?" We drill down into it, drilling until the truth is brought to light. That's when we succeed.

參禪，就是參這個「念佛是誰？」時時刻刻在腦海中研究這個問題，不間斷地研究。時間一長，自然有消息。所謂：

久坐有禪，久住有緣。

When we meditate, we are investigating the question, "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" At all times, in the ocean of our consciousness, we look into this question without cease. After doing this for a long time, there will naturally be good news. It's said,

After we sit for a long time,
    Chan will appear.
After dwelling somewhere for a long time,
    we will have affinities.

坐的時間久了，自然有禪。居住的時間久了，東鄰西舍自然有緣份，情感融洽，和平相處。參禪參到火候時，不但沒有妄想，而且脾氣小了，煩惱少了，人品高了，氣度也大了。這時候，智慧現前，明白是非，辨別善惡，把貪瞋癡清理得乾乾淨淨，只有戒定慧大放光明，照見五蘊皆空。

After sitting for a long enough time, we will experience the states of Chan. And when we live somewhere long enough, we develop affinities with our neighbors. We will share a harmonious relation-ship and live peacefully together.

When we have investigated Chan to the point that our skill is close to perfection, not only will we be free of idle thoughts, but our temper will also be smaller, our afflictions will be fewer, our personality will be noble, and our mind capacity will also be great. At that time, wisdom will come forth. We will understand how to tell right from wrong. We will be able to clearly discriminate between good and evil. We will have washed clean our greed, hatred, and stupidity, so that only the light of precepts, concentration, and wisdom remains, revealing that the Five Aggregates are all empty.