法界佛教總會於一九五九年成立，金山聖寺於一九七０年成立，其宗旨是將東方的佛教傳到西方來，並在西方開花結果。西方雖然工業發達，物質文明的水準一直提高，可是生活不斷競爭，令人欲壑難填，所以發生不良的後果。而佛教是提倡精神勝於物質的道理，教人不要自私自利，要學菩薩的精神。

The Dharma Realm Buddhist Association was established in 1959, and Gold Mountain Monastery in 1970, with the purpose of bringing Buddhism from the East to the West so that it can blossom and bear fruit here. Although Western society is advanced in terms of industry and material comforts, its competitive consumerism creates insatiable desires in people. This leads to an unwholesome outcome. Buddhism emphasizes the importance of spiritual concerns over material ones. It teaches us not to be selfish or concerned with personal benefit, but to learn to be like Bodhi­sattvas.

《華嚴經》所講的道理，就是行菩薩道；《梵網經》所講的，就是守菩薩的戒律，每一條都是為救眾生，利益眾生，一切為人不為己。在這物欲橫流的時代，佛教是起死回生的特效藥。現在菩提種子已經播種在西方，正在發芽生長中，不久的將來，就會開菩提花，結菩提果，來挽救迷途中的眾生，令其離苦得樂。

The Flower Adornment Sutra tells us to practice the Bodhi­sattva Path, while the Brahma Net Sutra speaks of the B­o­dhisattv­a Precepts. Every precept is aimed at saving and benefiting living beings; none are for a selfish purpose. In modern times when our desires for material things are so overpowering, Buddhism is the wonder drug that can save our spiritual natures. The seeds of Bodhi have already been sown in the West, and now it is time for them to sprout and grow. In the near future they will blossom and bear Bodhi fruit, and the lost and confused living beings will be rescued, so that they can escape suffering and attain bliss.

在金山聖寺，每個人都要修像真金那樣寶貴的戒力、定力、慧力。三力具足了，將來才能擔當弘法的重任，才能將佛法宣揚於全世界；否則我們一定不能勝任，反而令佛教的前途黯然無光。因此，無論是出家人或在家人都要注意，金山聖寺是專門培養弘法的人才，更是選拔接法人才的好地方。誰能修戒修得真，修定修得真，戒定慧具足圓滿，就有資格做法界佛教總會的主席和金山聖寺的住持。我早想把這兩個職務辭去，請人來擔任，但是多年來一直找不到一位十全十美的人，所以拖延到現在。今天我們要選拔有道德、有學問的善知識，來做金山聖寺的主人。

At Gold Mountain Monastery, everyone should cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom, which are as precious as real gold. With these three kinds of power, we will be able to spread the Buddha's teachings throughout the entire world. Otherwise, if we cannot shoulder the task, the future of Buddhism will be bleak indeed! Left-home people and laypeople alike should pay attention to this. Gold Mountain Monastery specializes in training people to propagate the Dharma. It is the best place for choosing a successor. Anyone who truly upholds the precepts, genuinely cultivates samadhi, and perfects his wisdom is qualified to be the chairperson of Dharma Realm Buddhist Association and the abbot of Gold Mountain Monastery. I have long since wanted to pass these two positions on to someone else, but after all these years I have yet to find a suitable person. Today, we must choose a virtuous and learned good advisor to be the abbot of Gold Mountain Monastery.

釋迦牟尼佛曾以以心印心的法門，傳授於摩訶迦葉祖師，迦葉祖師又傳授於阿難尊者。如此代代相傳，傳到二十八祖菩提達摩，他把心法帶到中國來，也是一代一代傳下來。到五祖弘忍大師，他將心法、衣缽傳授給不識字的惠能大師。當時傳衣缽的意思，是證明而已，證明這個接法人，是一方的法主，可以教化眾生。其實有衣缽、沒有衣缽，都沒有什麼問題，只要這個人能作得了主，就可以了。

Shakyamuni Buddha transmitted the Dharma-door of "sealing the mind with the mind" to the First Patriarch Mahakashyapa, who in turn transmitted it to Venerable Ananda. The Dharma was transmitted from generation to generation in India up to the Twenty-eighth Patriarch Bodhidharma, who took the Mind Dharma to China. In China, the Dharma was also transmitted from patriarch to patriarch. The Fifth Patriarch of China, Great Master Hong­ren, transmitted the Mind Dharma, plus the robe and bowl, to Great Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, who was illiterate. The robe and bowl symbolized that the recipient of the Dharma was a Dharma Master who was able to teach and transform living beings. Actually, whether or not he had the robe and bowl was not important; what mattered was that he had attained self-mastery.

什麼叫作得了主？就是不顛倒，不騙自己，有真正持戒的戒德，有真正修定的定德，有真正智慧的慧德。三德具足，真為佛教貢獻一切，而能弘揚佛法，廣利群生，沒有自私自利的心，絕不為自己打算：「我該怎麼樣？怎樣在佛教中把名譽造大一點？把地位提高一點？把利益多得一點？」沒有這種思想在作祟，更不會有這種想法：「我要造個大廟，比任何廟都要大；要把齋菜做得好吃，美味可口，令居士常來吃齋菜，香錢源源而來。」我們金山聖寺只想造活佛、活菩薩、活祖師，續佛慧命，替佛教增光。

What does having self-mastery mean? It means not being deluded and not cheating oneself. It means possessing the virtue of precepts that comes from truly holding precepts, the virtue of samadhi gained through genuine cultivation of samadhi, and the virtue of wisdom derived from real wisdom. Being replete with the three virtues, one offers up everything to Buddhism and propagates the Dharma to benefit living beings. One is neither selfish nor greedy for personal gain. One never schemes, "How can I become more famous in Buddhism? How can I reach a higher position and gain more benefits?" Nor does one think, "I want to build the biggest temple. I want to make the best vegetarian food so all the laypeople will come to my temple and the donations will roll in." Here at Gold Mountain, we only want to make living Buddhas, living Bodhisattvas, and living Patriarchs to continue the wisdom life of the Buddha and glorify Buddhism.

佛教正統的心法，傳到六祖大師，繼而一華開五葉，成立五宗：溈仰宗、臨濟宗、曹洞宗、雲門宗、法眼宗，一直傳到現在。（按：虛雲老和尚，是溈仰宗第八代祖師，傳法於宣公上人，成為溈仰宗第九代祖師）我觀察因緣，應該是將心法傳於西方的時候了。

The Mind Dharma of Proper Buddhism, after being transmitted to the Sixth Patriarch, split into the five sects of Weiyang, Linji, Caodong, Yunmen, and Fayan, which have been transmitted to the present time. [Note: The Venerable Master Hsu Yun, as the eighth patriarch of the Weiyang Sect, transmitted the Dharma to the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, making him the ninth patriarch.] Observing the conditions, I saw that it was time to bring the Mind Dharma to the West.

不論出家人也好，在家人也好，誰能終生為佛教而努力，獻身於佛教，務求佛教發揚光大；有這種志願的人，從今天起限期七天，每個人可以寫一首偈頌，寫出所學的心得，我看看有沒有見性的人。如果有見性的，就是接法人。但不要學神秀大師，急得坐立不安，連飯也吃不下，覺也睡不著了！

Whether you are a left-home person or a layperson, if you can resolve to devote your life to the propagation of Buddhism, you may write a verse expressing your understanding within the next seven days. I want to see if any one of you has seen your own nature. If so, then you will be my successor. But don't be like Great Master Shenxiu, who was so nervous [when the Fifth Patriarch gave a similar test to his disciples] that he couldn't sit still, eat, or sleep.