性定魔伏朝朝樂，
妄念不起處處安；
心止念絕真富貴，
私欲斷盡真福田。

When one's nature is settled,
Demons are subdued,
And every day is happy.
If false thoughts do not arise,
Every place is peaceful.
When the mind stops and thoughts cease,
That is true wealth and honor.
Complete severance of selfish desires
Is truly the field of blessings.

我們為什麼有魔障？就因為「性」沒有定。如果性定，時時刻刻都是明明了了，清清楚楚。到了這種程度，內觀其心，心無其心；外觀其形，形無其形；這時身心皆空，遠觀其物，物也沒有了，身心物這三種都沒有了，這時只有空理，依空理而起中道。這個中道，沒有喜，沒有怒，沒有哀，沒有懼，沒有愛，也沒有惡，更沒有欲，在喜、怒、哀、懼、愛、惡、欲七種感情上，沒有波浪。那麼在內沒有妄想，在外也沒有貪求，內外身心都清淨，這種境界就是性定，性定就是中道的本體。

Why do we have demonic obstructions? They occur when our nature is not settled. If our nature were stable, it would be lucid and clear at all times. In that state, one inwardly observes the mind, yet there is no mind; one externally observes the physical body, yet there is no physical body. At that time body and mind are both empty. One observes external objects, and they are non-existent too. The body, the mind, and material objects, all three have vanished. There is only the principle of emptiness, and the Middle Way arising from it. In the Middle Way, there is no joy, no anger, no sorrow, no fear, no love, no disgust, and no desire. The seven emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, disgust and desire make no waves. At this point, internally there are no idle thoughts, and externally there is no greed. The body and mind are all clear and pure. This is the state of having a settled nature. A settled nature is the essence of the Middle Way.

性定，就不會被七情的境界所動搖，堅固如金剛山一樣。若是見喜時，你知道喜；見怒時，你知道怒，這就證明你還沒有性定。或者境界來了，你就生一種貪愛的執著，或生一種憎惡的執著，這就是沒有性定。

When the nature is stable, it is as firm as a vajra mountain, not swayed by the states of the seven emotions. If you are delighted by pleasant states and upset by states of anger, your nature is not settled. If you experience greed or disgust when states appear, your nature is not settled.

七情好像海中的波浪，若是白浪滔天，可能將船打翻；若是風平浪靜，船就能平安抵達彼岸。修道人首先要將七情認識清楚，但不是知道七情的道理，就沒事了，還要控制七情的引誘，調伏七情的作怪，如果不被七情的境界所動搖，那就是性定。

The seven emotions are like waves on the ocean. Mighty tidal waves can wreck a ship, but if the wind is gentle and the waters calm, the ship can sail to the other shore safely. Cultivators need to really understand the seven emotions. It's not enough to know them in principle. We need to know how to control ourselves when these emotions arise. If we aren't influenced by them, then our nature will be settled.

性定了之後，魔就降伏了，他不能再興風作浪，擾亂修道人的身心。降魔之後，順境來了也快樂，逆境來了也快樂，無論喜的境界，惡的境界，統統快樂。這種快樂乃是真快樂，不是被外物所誘的快樂，而是內心得到其樂無窮的滋味，時時在快樂，天天在快樂，憂愁、煩惱統統沒有了。

Once our nature is settled, the demons are subdued. They can't make waves to disturb cultivators' minds and bodies. With the demons subdued, we'll be happy, whether a good or a bad state manifests. Whether it's a joyful situation or an evil one, we'll be happy either way. This kind of happiness is true happiness, unlike the happiness brought about by external things. Our mind experiences boundless joy. We are happy all the time, and never feel any anxiety or affliction.

性定魔伏就時時快樂，妄念不生就處處得到平安，所謂：

When the nature is settled and demons are subdued, one is always happy. If idle thoughts do not arise, every place is peaceful. It is said,

念動百事有，
念止萬事無。

When the mind moves, everything appears;
When the mind stops, all things disappear.

若能不起心動念，身心自然清淨平安，所以說：「心止念絕真富貴，私欲斷盡真福田。」這是修道的圭皋。不要認賊作子，他會將你的財寶偷光；不要聽魔鬼的話，他會欺騙你上當，你中他的詭計便會吃大虧。不要和魔鬼的眷屬做好朋友，他們只會陷害你，令你做些顛顛倒倒的糊塗事。

If our minds don't move and thoughts don't arise, our bodies and minds will naturally be pure and peaceful. That's why it's said, “When the mind stops and thoughts cease, that is true wealth and honor. Complete severance of selfish desires is truly the field of blessings.” This is the criterion of cultivation. Don't take a thief for your son. He will steal all your treasures and leave nothing behind. Don't listen to the devil for he will cheat you. If you fall for his schemes you will lose in a big way. Don't befriend the followers of demons, for they'll only ensnare you and cause you to do muddled things.

修道人要性定，才能反迷歸覺，捨邪歸正。時時刻刻正念現前，就沒有任何的煩惱，事情來了，應付一下，不要存攀緣的心；事情去了，不留痕跡，心淨如洗。要曉得「三心了不可得」的道理──過去心不可得，現在心不可得，未來心不可得。性定之後，才能破無明，顯法性。我們一定要把無明破除，一定要把法性顯現，這才達到學佛的目標。

Cultivators should make their natures settled so that they can return from delusion to enlightenment, renounce evil and return to propriety, and have a proper mind at all times. Then there won't be any afflictions. When a situation arises, deal with it, but don't try to exploit it. When the situation is gone, it leaves no trace, and the mind is as pure as if newly washed. Realize that the mind of the past is unattainable, the mind of the present is unattainable, and the mind of the future is unattainable. We should be determined to destroy ignorance and reveal the Dharma-nature. This is our goal in studying Buddhism; however, it can be done only if our nature is settled.

明白之後，依法實行，才算是真正懂佛法了。如果學而不行，無論學多少佛法，無明煩惱還是一大堆，那也是無有是處，這樣就算學到盡未來際，也得不到相應處，你真正智慧也不會現前，就算有點智慧，也不過是在皮毛上打轉轉，不是真的。

Once we understand the Dharma, we should put it into practice, for only then can we be said to truly understand the Buddhadharma. If we study but don't practice, then no matter how much Buddhadharma we learn, it's all useless. We'll still have plenty of ignorance and afflictions, and we'll never obtain any response or be able to reveal our real wisdom. Even if we do gain a little wisdom, we're just skimming the surface.

凡是在萬佛聖城修道的人，要愛惜光陰，不可以浪費寶貴的時間，所謂，「一寸時光，一寸命光。」我們在道場所學的佛法，要真真實實地躬行實踐，不要敷衍了事混光陰，那就和道相違背了。學佛法最忌諱的就是有始無終，半途而廢。我們若是中道自劃，停止前進，就會前功盡棄，始終到不了寶所。切記！切記！無論做什麼事，都要有始有終，不要被外境所動搖而退失自己的志願。發願立志要如同金石，不要被逆境和不如意所搖動，而忘失菩提心。如果失去菩提心，這才是最大的損失。真正明白佛法的人，無論在任何情形之下，都保持菩提心，不會退轉菩提心。

People cultivating at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas should cherish this precious time and not waste it. It is said, “An inch of time equals an inch of life.” We should truly and actually practice the Buddhadharma that we learn in this Way-place. Don't dawdle and be perfunctory about things; that would be going against the Way.

If you want to study Buddhism, you should certainly not give up halfway and fail to finish what you started. If you draw a line halfway and stop advancing, all your previous efforts will come to nothing. You will never get to the treasure trove that way. Please remember this. Whatever you are doing, finish the job you have started. Don't be moved by external states and lose your resolve. Your resolve should be as firm as steel; don't be swayed by bad states and disappointments and lose your resolve for Bodhi. The loss of the resolve for Bodhi is the greatest loss. People who truly understand the Buddhadharma will hold on to the Bodhi resolve and not retreat under any circumstances.

如果不懂修行的方法，無論做什麼事情，都是虎頭蛇尾，有始無終，開始時很勇猛，終了時卻很懈怠，那一切就不會圓滿，為什麼呢？因為「如是因，如是果」，因果是絲毫不爽的。學佛法，就要相信因果，不可錯因果，更不可撥無因果，當知因果是萬世不變的定律。

People who don't understand the proper way to cultivate will be vigorous in the beginning but lazy toward the end. As a result of their sloppy practice, the outcome of their cultivation will be far from perfect. The principle of cause and effect never fails. In learning Buddhism, one must believe in cause and effect. Don't make mistakes in cause and effect and, above all, don't dismiss it. You should be aware that cause and effect is an unchanging law for all time.

一九八三年七月十日開示
於萬佛聖城