有人問我：「這次慶祝觀世音菩薩成道法會，會有多少善信參加？」我說：「也許有三、四個人吧！」今天我統計來參加法會的人，大約有四百多人，這人又問我：「是不是一個人當做百人？」我說：「我不懂。」

Somebody asked me how many Buddhists would attend this celebration of Guanyin Bodhisattva's Accomplishment of the Way. I said, “Well, maybe three or four!” Today I counted about four hundred people in attendance. The same person asked me again, “Did you take a hundred for one?” I said, “I don't understand.”

今年觀音法會，大眾比往年誠心，往年法會在吃飯的時候，大家都高談闊論，不守齋堂的規矩；吃完飯，在碗中剩下很多菜飯，丟到垃圾桶內，或者吃完飯後，也不隨喜功德就走了。今年的情形大有改善，不但不講話，也不糟蹋食物，很少人趕著回三藩市，這是很可喜的事。

This year, people who attended the Guanyin Dharma assembly were more sincere than in previous years. In the earlier Dharma assemblies, people talked during meals and didn't follow the rules of the dining hall. A lot of leftover food was thrown into the garbage, and people left after the meal without finishing the Dharma assembly. This year the situation has improved a lot. Not only was there no talking during meals, but food was not wasted, and very few people rushed back to San Francisco. This is very good.

以後再有法會時應該提醒大家：「吃飯時不要講話，飯後不要糟蹋東西，要愛惜食物。」有古詩云：

In the future, whenever there are Dharma assemblies, we should remind people not to talk while they are eating, and not to waste food. We should cherish our food. An ancient verse says,

鋤禾日當午，
汗滴禾下土；
誰知盤中餐，
粒粒皆辛苦。

As the farmer tills the field
Under the midday sun,
His perspiration falls upon the soil;
Who understands the toil involved
In producing each grain of rice on the plate?

一般人不知道粒粒皆辛苦的道理，所以任意暴殄天物，隨便糟蹋食物。要知道世上沒有飯吃的人，都是因為在往昔糟蹋食物，所以今生才受沒有飯吃的果報。這個淺顯的道理，必須告訴大家，讓大家明白之後，才不會糟蹋東西。

Most people do not realize how much toil it takes to produce every single grain of rice, so they waste food carelessly. You should understand that people who have nothing to eat now are undergoing the retribution for having wasted food in past lives. I'm telling you this simple principle, so you won't be wasteful.

管理廚房的人，為大眾預備飲食，要運用智慧，要有營養，又合衛生，為大眾服務的功德是無量的。每天要檢查冰箱，容易壞的食物要先吃，不易壞的食物，則妥善保存。不可將食物糟蹋，丟到垃圾桶中，這簡直是造罪業，大家要謹之！慎之！

Those who manage the kitchen should use wisdom in preparing food for the assembly. They should prepare nutritious food in a hygienic manner. By serving the assembly in this way, they can create boundless merit and virtue. The refrigerators need to be checked every day, and perishables should be consumed first. Things that do not spoil easily should be carefully kept. Don't waste food or throw it into the garbage. That is truly creating offenses. Please be careful about this.

管理大眾的飲食，調和恰當，就有功德；若是調和不好，馬馬虎虎，也是有罪過的。立功容易，只看你怎麼去做，合乎法度，就是功；不合乎法度，就是過。總而言之，功過操在做者的手中，愛惜食物，就有功；糟蹋食物，就有過。

If the assembly's diet is prepared properly, this will result in merit and virtue. But if it is handled in a sloppy manner, this will result in offenses. If things are done properly and in accord with Dharma, there will be merit; otherwise, there will be offenses. Whether one creates merit or offense depends on oneself. Conserving food creates merit; wasting it creates offenses.

一九八三年七月廿四日
開示於萬佛聖城

A talk given on July 24, 1983 at
the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas