所謂「家家都有一本難念的經」，這本經什麼時候能念完？什麼時候能不難念？誰也不知道。

我們修道的人，可以說把這本難念的經，已經念完了。現在念的經，是容易念的經。

It is said, “Every family has a Sutra that’s hard to read.” [Every family has a skeleton in the closet.] When can we finish reading this Sutra? Or when will this Sutra not be so hard to read? No one knows. We cultivators can say that we have finished reading this difficult Sutra. Now we are reading the easy Sutras.

我今天對大家說這個因緣，提醒大家要認識「生老病死」的問題。遇到這種境界，要想得開，放得下，不要被境界所纏縛。最好對境無心，視為平常。人能不動心，就是如如不動，了了常明。

Today I tell you of these causes and conditions, reminding you to recognize the question of birth, old age, sickness, and death. When we encounter these states, we should be able to put them down and not be bound by them. It is best if you can face a state with no mind, regarding it as something ordinary. If you can remain unmoved in your mind, then you are in a state of unmoving thusness and clear and constant understanding.

世間的人，都被境界所轉，而不能轉境界。所以漫無目標，拿不定宗旨，糊糊塗塗一輩子，生來糊塗，死去糊塗。所以上一回當，不知覺悟，又上一回當，在六道中流轉，好像賭錢一樣，賭輸了還想下注。

People in this world are often influenced by situations, instead of being the ones who influence situations. That’s why they are aimless and cannot hold on to their principles. People are born muddled, live their whole lives muddled, and die muddled. We are cheated once, don’t learn anything from it, and come back to be cheated again; in that way we revolve in the six paths. It’s like gambling-you’ve already lost but you still want to make bets.

所謂「省吃儉用下大注。」凡夫總想孤注一擲，將所輸的錢，一下子贏回來，可是越賭越輸，越輸越賭，乃至陷在淤泥中，拔不出腿來。結果傾家蕩產，把本有的家珍、自性的法寶，統統丟掉了，還不知返本還原，也不知迴光返照，反迷歸覺；更不知背塵合覺。在人世間，生了又死，死了又生，在生死苦海中掙扎。努力向上爬，剛剛爬出頭，又掉下去。如此周而復始，永無了期。

There’s a saying, “Live frugally so you can place a big bet.” Trying to win back their lost money, ordinary people always want to stake everything on one bet. But the more you gamble the more you lose, and the more you lose the more you want to gamble, until you find yourself sinking in quicksand, unable to pull yourself out. In the end you lose everything, including your family heirlooms and the Dharma treasures of your own nature. All is lost, and still you fail to return to the source and go back to the origin. You don’t reflect within and return from delusion to enlightenment; you don’t unite with enlightenment and go against the dust. Being born and dying in this world again and again, you struggle in the bitter sea of birth and death. You strive to climb out, but just as you get your head above the waves, you’re submerged again. Thus the cycle goes on, never coming to an end.

出家人就要努力修行，否則，逃不出六道輪迴。若能急流勇退，知道賭錢不是好事，所謂「浪子回頭金不換」，這時，曉得「誰賭博誰輸錢，不賭博就贏錢」的真理。好像下棋，總有輸贏，下棋的人，永遠不是輸，永遠不是贏。這種哲理，令我們對境明心，因事悟道。

各位善知識！要痛念生死，發菩提心，不要再在苦海中浮沉。凡是不願離開苦海的人，便是愚癡人。若貪戀紅塵，以為樂事，那麼這本難念的經，就永遠也念不完。我們已經出了家，不要再念這本念不完的經。

Those of you who have entered the monastic life must cultivate diligently, otherwise you won’t be able to escape rebirth in the six paths. If you can quickly withdraw, and know that gambling is no good, then as the saying goes, “The return of a prodigal son is something that even gold can’t buy.” At that time you will know the truth of the saying, “Whoever gambles, loses money; whoever doesn’t gamble, wins money.” Just as in chess, there are always winners and losers. A chess player won’t always lose, nor will he always win. With that principle, we can understand our mind and awaken to the Way as we face situations. Good advisors: Take birth and death seriously, develop the Bodhi mind, and stop bobbing up and down in the sea of suffering. People who aren’t willing to leave the sea of suffering are fools. If we crave worldly pleasures, we’ll never finish reading this difficult Sutra. We have already left the home life, so we shouldn’t waste time reading this difficult Sutra that can never be finished.