你們要立大志，做大事，不要想做大官，賺大錢，那是為自己個人的享受，對世界人類沒有什麼貢獻。要想將來怎樣利益社會，怎樣利益國家，怎樣利益全人類，要有這樣的抱負，才算大丈夫、大英雄、大豪傑。

All of you must make great vows and do great things. Don't think about getting a high position or making a fortune, because these are only for your own enjoyment and are not a contribution to humankind. Ask yourselves, "How can I help the country? How can I benefit humankind?" These are the aims of a great person.

不要想當醫生就可以賺很多錢；沒有病的人，給他打一針，他就送錢來了。這會錯因果的，將來是要墮地獄的。不要想做律師又可以賺很多錢，為了賺錢，替有罪的人辯護成無罪，藐視法律如兒戲，令受害者無處申冤。不要想做科學家，雖然能賺很多錢，可是發明殺人的武器，令成千上萬的人死亡。

You shouldn't want to be a doctor for the wrong reasons. Doctors can make a lot of money, but some of them give shots to people who are not sick and charge them for it. By making such mistakes in cause and effect, they will fall into the hells. Although lawyers can make a lot of money, you shouldn't want to be a lawyer. For the sake of making money, they will defend a guilty person so that he is found innocent. They scorn the law and treat it as child's play, and those who are hurt have nowhere to redress their grievances. You shouldn't want to be a scientist. Although scientists can make a lot of money, they also invent deadly weapons that can exterminate countless people.

「錢」是害人的東西，能令人互相殘殺，親人變成路人。兄弟為爭家產，變成仇人，甚至為錢作怪，兒子殺死父親。最近洛杉磯就發生這種兒子殺父親的事件，在洛杉磯有個大富翁，名叫吉爾，他有六千萬美金的財產，大概來路不大光明。他有兩個兒子，是不良少年之流，為了錢，把親愛的爸爸謀殺了。你們看！錢是好東西嗎？你們應該看錢如糞土一樣，不要對錢著迷，也不要對錢打妄想。要安分守己，盡己所能，為人類造幸福，所謂「犧牲小我，完成大我。」這是偉大的志願，大家共勉之。

Money is harmful. It makes people kill each other and turns relatives into strangers. In squabbling over family estates, brothers become sworn enemies and sons are driven to murder their fathers in their greed for money. Recently it was reported in the news that a boy killed his father in Los Angeles. The father was a wealthy proprietor in Los Angeles who owned a sixty-million-dollar estate, which he had probably obtained in an underhanded way. His two sons were juvenile delinquents. Out of desire for money, they murdered their beloved father. You see? Is money really such a good thing?

Think of money as you would of manure or dirt. Don't become attached to it, and don't fantasize about it. Just be content with what you have, and do your best to create blessings for humanity. Great people wish to sacrifice the petty self to achieve the great self, and we should encourage ourselves to follow their example.

在學校讀書，首先要學怎樣做人，不要學拍馬投機的行為，不要給人家戴高帽子，也不要歡喜人家給自己戴高帽子。你們要學真實的學問，要立言、立功、立德，做個出類拔萃的人。這是我今天對你們所講的話，希望你們記在腦海中，不要當做耳邊風。

When we study in school, we must first learn how to be good people. Don't flatter others in order to get on their good side. Don't put others on a pedestal, and don't hope that others will put you on a pedestal. Study true knowledge. Establish good teachings, merit, and virtue; be an outstanding person. I hope you'll remember what I said to you today and will not let my words pass in one ear and out the other.