人在世界上，什麼奇奇怪怪的事情都有，為什麼？因為當初種奇怪的因，所以現在結奇怪的果。你若不種這種因，就不會結這種果。我們若明白因果的道理，就要「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行」。世界上的人與因果是分不開的，但是人人都看不見因，只看見果。當果報到來的時候，就手忙腳亂不知如何是好，這都是當初種因時不知小心，等到受奇奇怪怪的果報時，才覺得莫名奇妙。

There are all kinds of peculiar matters in this world. Because peculiar causes were planted before, now peculiar results appear. If we hadn't planted a certain cause, there wouldn't be a corresponding effect. If we understood the principle of cause and effect, we wouldn't do any evil deeds, but would only do good. People in this world cannot avoid cause and effect, yet no one can see the causes; we only see the effects, the results. When retribution comes, we panic and don't know what to do, but it's all because we weren't careful at the time the causes were planted. We wait until we receive all kinds of strange retributions and are then confounded by them.

現在大家研究《楞嚴經》上的〈四種清淨明誨〉，這段經文把人雜亂古怪的因果，全都說得清清楚楚。你若明白因果，就要「諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。」不要天天儘想利益自己，應該想怎麼去利益他人，但是也不必在口頭上說：「我常利益人啊！我修廟、造塔、布施、濟貧…。」這不是講的，而是要真正去實行。以「助人為快樂之本」為自己的天職，那麼這個世界自自然然就會好起來了。

In the Shurangama Sutra, which we are studying now, the section on the Four Rules of Purity explains very clearly about various kinds of strange, confusing causes and effects. If you want to understand cause and effect, then you should “do no evil, but do only good. ” Don't spend your days thinking about how to benefit yourself. Instead, think about how to be of benefit to others. You don't need to announce, “I often benefit other people. I build temples and stupas, and I give to the poor. ” This isn't something to talk about; you have to actually do it. Consider helping people to be the source of your happiness and your personal duty. Then this world will naturally become wholesome.

一九八三年四月三十日中午開示
於萬佛聖城