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宣化上人開示錄(九)
Venerable Master Hua’s Talks on Dharma Volume Nine

上宣下化老和尚開示 Lectures by the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua

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Abide by the Rules and Cultivate Diligently

 
循規蹈矩，要依照規矩去做；不要太放逸了，
不要太浪漫了， 我對每一個人的期望都是這樣子。
We should certainly be people who abide by the rules and work according to the regulations.
Don't be too lax or emotional. Those are my expectations for each one of you.

光陰是過得非常快的，在不知不覺把暑假的時間就過去了。在中國孔子說過，這個人生就好像流水似的，川流不息，過去時光就不會再回來了。又有的人說：

 

The time passes by very quickly. Without our realizing it, the summer is already over. In China, Confucius compared life to a ceaselessly flowing stream. Time that has gone by can never return. Someone also said,

　

一寸光陰一寸金； 寸金難買寸光陰。

An inch of time is worth an inch of gold,   But even if one has an inch of gold,   One can hardly buy back an inch of time.

說這一寸的光陰，就好像一寸黃金那麼樣寶貴。可是這黃金，你若丟了，還可以想法子再把它找回來；這光陰過去了，就沒有法子再把它找回來了。由這樣看來，這光陰比黃金更貴重。所以，在佛教裏說：一寸時光，就是一寸的命光。這個時光已經過去了，這個命光也就少一點。所以才說：「時光減處命光微。」時光減少了，命光也就少一點了。所以我們對這時間一定要看重了，不要把它隨隨便便地就放過去了。

An inch of time is as valuable as an inch of gold. If you lose gold, it's possible to recover it. Once time has gone by, however, there is no way to get it back. Therefore, time is even more valuable than gold. Thus, in Buddhism we say, "An inch of time is an inch of life." When time grows short, one's life is also shorter. We must certainly value our time and not casually let it go by in vain.

在我們這個暑假的時間，由早晨六點鐘就開始，或者打坐，或者研究佛經。那麼由早晨到晚間九點鐘這段時間，每一個人都很認真地去用功修行。我相信在這個期間，比這個黃金更貴重，比鑽石也更有價值，所以大家能以在一起聞薰聞修。在我們每個人生命裏頭，這段時間可以說是最寶貴、最有價值的一個時間；可惜這個時間不太長，那麼轉眼之間就過去了。過去了，可是我們每一個人所學的佛法，在每一個人的腦筋裏頭，在每一個人的八識田裏邊，都種下去一個寶貴的金剛種子。那麼這個種子種下去了，等到將來一定會結金剛不壞的果。金剛不壞的果就是佛果，就是成佛。

During this summer, we have begun our days at six o'clock in the morning, either meditating or studying the Buddhist Sutras. From early in the morning until nine o'clock at night, every person applies himself diligently to cultivation. I believe that this period has been more precious than gold, more valuable than diamonds. Everyone has been together, being permeated and influenced by what we have heard and cultivated. This period of time could be considered a most precious and valuable time in each of our lives. It's a pity that this time is not that long; it has passed by in the twinkling of an eye. Although it is over, the Buddhadharma that each of us has learned has planted a precious vajra seed in our brain and in the field of our eight consciousness. This seed has been planted, and in the future it will certainly bear the indestructible fruit of vajra. The indestructible vajra fruit is also the Buddha-fruit; in other words, we will become Buddhas.

那麼在什麼時候成呢？這就看我們每一個人自己的耕耘灌溉。這個種子種下去了，但是好像種田似的，種到地裏頭，你必須要給它灌一點水，除一除草，把這個地耕得掀騰起來。那麼你把這個地的草除去，就是怎麼樣呢？就我們每一個人要時時刻刻防微杜漸。怎麼叫防微呢？防微就是防備、預防這個微細處，我們的心念不要打妄想，不要令它生很多雜念。不要有妄想，不要有雜念，這叫防微杜漸。防就是防備，防備著這個很微細的念頭生起來；杜漸就是杜絕，杜絕這一切的妄想，這個妄想把它沒有了。

When will we become Buddhas? It depends on our own efforts at tilling and irrigating the fields. The seed has been planted in the ground, but, just as in farming, you have to water it, pull the weeds, and turn the soil by tilling it, making it soft so that the seed can sprout. How do you pull the weeds out? What does it mean to weed the ground? It means that at all times, each one of us must "guard against what is subtle and stop what is gradually going to happen." That is, we must guard against the arising of very subtle thoughts. We must put a stop to all false thoughts, getting rid of them completely.

這是每一天這樣地用功，每一天這樣去修行，栽培灌溉。就好像種田，我灌一點水，我再把這個地收拾得沒有草，那麼一天一天的，你這個金剛種子種到地裏去，就生這個菩提的芽。你菩提樹生出來了，這就是菩提芽生出來了；菩提芽生出來，將來就結菩提果。可是你要保護這個菩提芽，保護這個菩提果，你不要不管它了，也不灌水，也不去栽培它，那麼它就會枯槁了，會乾了。   Every day we must apply effort in this way. Each day we must cultivate in this way, tending and irrigating the fields. It's just like farming. You give it some water and pull out all the weeds, day by day, and the vajra seed you have planted in the ground will produce a Bodhi sprout. After your Bodhi tree has produced shoots, that is, after your Bodhi sprout has come up, it will eventually bear the Bodhi fruit. But you have to protect that Bodhi sprout and Bodhi fruit. Don't neglect it. If you neglect to water it and tend to it, then it will wither away and dry up.
     
你能以灌溉──怎麼叫灌溉呢？你就天天學習佛法，用佛法的法水來灌溉這個菩提芽，那麼這樣呢，久而久之，你這個金剛的果也就會成就了。如果你過去了這個時間，就不繼續地理它，這個金剛的種子種下去是種下去了，它也不容易生出來的。你必須要好好地保護著你這個金剛的種子，不要再做以前所歡喜做的事情，就是要守規矩──循規蹈矩，不要再像以前那麼樣子不守規矩，做一些個不守規矩的事情。那麼你守規矩，這就合佛法；不守規矩就不合佛法。所以我們做人一定要循規蹈矩，要依照規矩去做；不要太放逸了，不要太浪漫了，這是我對每一個人的期望都是這樣子。   What is meant by watering? If you study the Buddha­dharma every day and use the Dharma water of the Buddhadharma to irrigate your Bodhi sprout, then over the course of time, your vajra fruit will come to maturity. If you don't continue to care for this vajra seed after this period is over, then even though it was planted, it won't be easy for it to sprout. You must protect your vajra seed well. Don't go back to doing the things you used to like doing. Follow the rules and behave yourselves. Don't be as rowdy as you used to be. Don't do the heedless things that you used to do. If you follow the rules, then you are in accord with the Buddhadharma. If you don't follow the rules, then you are not in accord with the Buddhadharma. We should certainly be people who abide by the rules and work according to the regulations. Don't be too lax or overly emotional. Those are my expectations for each one of you.
     
在這個暑假的期間，講這《楞嚴經》，這一定是所謂「一歷耳根，永為道種」；經耳朵一聽這個經典的道理，永遠在你八識田裏邊，有這種菩提的種子。   During this summer session of lectures on the Shurangama Sutra, it has surely been the case that, "Once it enters your ears, it is forever a seed of the Way." As soon as the principles of this Sutra pass through your ears, they remain forever in the field of your eighth consciousness as seeds of Bodhi. 
     
     
一九六八年九月於三籓市佛教講堂   A talk given in September, 1968, at the Buddhist Lecture Hall, San Francisco, during the Shurangama Sutra lecture series
     
     

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