研究佛法要了解經中的義理。佛所說的經典，每一部經都有其真正的義理；並且所有的經典，互相都有連帶關係，其中的義理也都是有連貫性的。佛說小乘，說大乘，最後歸納到佛乘上。不論大乘、小乘、佛乘，首先都是教人去除習氣毛病，去無明煩惱，去貪瞋癡。你若能把毛病都去除，與經義自然會相合；如果毛病不除，總是不能明白經義的。

As we study the Buddhadharma, we must understand the meanings and principles spoken in the Sutras. There are true meanings and principles in every one of the Sutras spoken by the Buddha. All Sutras are related, and so are the principles contained in them. The Buddha expounded the Small Vehicle and the Great Vehicle, and finally, the Buddha Vehicle which encompasses everything else. The first thing all these vehicles teach is to eradicate bad habits and faults, to get rid of ignorance, afflictions, greed, anger, and delusion. If you can eliminate all of your bad habits and faults, you will naturally be in accord with the Sutra doctrines. But if you don't get rid of your faults, you won't be able to understand the principles spoken in the Sutras.

現在我們研究《楞嚴經》，已經把〈五十陰魔〉和〈四種清淨明誨〉都研究完了，究竟經的真正義理是什麼？為什麼佛要說這部經呢？你若找到真義，才是真正明白經法；若找不到真義，還算不上真正明白經法。就好像有一個人，你知道他的姓名，還要進一步認識這個人的相貌、思想、行為，才算對他有所認識；你若單單知道他的姓名，而不知道他的相貌、思想等等，這還不算認識。我們研究佛經，亦復如是。

We have finished investigating the Fifty Skandha-Demon States and the Four Rules of Purity of the Shurangama Sutra. What is the true principle of this Sutra? Why did the Buddha speak it? If you find the true principle, you will be able to really understand this Sutra. Otherwise, you can't be considered to have understood this Sutra. This is just like getting to know a person. In addition to the person's name, you must find out what he looks like, what he thinks, and how he behaves before you can say you know him. If you only know someone's name, but don't know his appearance, his thoughts, and so forth, you can't say you know him. Studying Sutras is the same.

《楞嚴經》的相貌，是大而無外，小而無內的。《楞嚴經》的義理就好像人身上的骨頭，人若是沒有骨頭，只有皮肉筋血，就不像一個人，也無法站立了，所以《楞嚴經》是諸經之骨髓。《楞嚴經》的用途是破邪顯正，破一切邪，顯真正三昧。若沒有《楞嚴經》，就沒有佛法了；有《楞嚴經》，就有佛法。我們為了護持佛法，首先要弘揚《楞嚴經》，要能背能講《楞嚴經》，並且要依照《楞嚴經》來修行。萬佛聖城就是楞嚴壇場，我們一定要放楞嚴大光，修楞嚴大定，成就楞嚴大智，圓滿楞嚴大慈！

The Shurangama Sutra's scope is so vast that there's nothing beyond it, yet so small that there's nothing within it. The principles of the Shurangama Sutra are like the bones in our bodies. If we had flesh, blood, and skin, but no bones, we wouldn't look like human beings, and we wouldn't even be able to stand up. The Shurangama Sutra is the essence of all Sutras. Its function is to destroy what's perverse and disclose what's proper—to abolish all evil and reveal the true samadhi. If the Shurangama Sutra disappeared from this world, there would be no Buddhadharma. As long as the Shurangama Sutra exists, the Buddhadharma exists. In order to protect the Buddhadharma, we first need to propagate the Shurangama Sutra. We should be able to recite it from memory, lecture on it, then cultivate according to it. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is the platform of the Shurangama. We should emit the great Shurangama light, cultivate the great Shurangama samadhi, accomplish the great Shurangama wisdom, and perfect the great Shurangama kindness!

一九八三年五月一日晚間開示
於萬佛聖城