只要对众生有利益，我虽死不辞。

If there is something that I can do to benefit living beings, I want to do it, even if I have to die.

你们大家都听得懂我的话吗？（大众：懂。）有没有外国人不懂得华文，要听英文的？（大众：没有。）那么我先对你们各位讲一点你们不愿意听的事情。什么事呢？就是我和旁人的思想不一样，行为不一样，处事不一样。

Do you all understand what I say? [Everyone: "Yes."] Are there any people who understand only English and not Chinese? [Everyone: "No."] Now I will tell you something that you may not like to hear. That is, I am different from other people in my thinking, conduct, and way of doing things.

思想怎么样不一样？旁人的思想，都是愿意得到利益、好处；我的思想呢，我自己的事情，不愿意得到什么利益，只要对众生有利益，我虽死不辞，这是思想不一样！

How is my thinking different? Other people all wish to benefit themselves. I don't wish to benefit myself. If there is something that I can do to benefit living beings, I want to do it, even if I have to die. That is how my thinking differs from that of others.

行为，我所做的事情，一般人不一定认识，我也不愿意叫人认识我的行为，这是行为。处事呢，无论遇到什么事，我所要做的，旁人都不愿意做。譬如，我出家了，做沙弥的时候，专门做什么呢？专门收拾厕所、倒痰罐子、扫地，这是一般人不愿意做的事情，那么我自己来做。

As for my conduct, most people do not understand my actions, nor do I explain myself to them. As for my way of doing things, I do the things that no one else wants to do. For example, when I left the home-life and became a Shramanera (novice monk), I cleaned out the pit toilets and spittoons and swept the floors. I did all of the chores that other people didn't like to do.

所以你们各位要知道，我这个思想、行为和处事的方法，和一般聪明有智慧的人，不一样的；和愚痴的人来比较，也没有再比我更愚痴的。

All of you should know that I am different from intelligent and wise people in my thinking, conduct, and way of doing things. Compared to fools, there is no one more stupid than I am.

今天对你们大家说话，做这个法会，这么多人，也是我不愿意做的事情。可是有人要求我，我不愿意做，也要做一点，也要勉为其难。尤其这一次到台湾来，第一件事是给你们善男信女送福来了；可是我这个送福的方法，或者没有人认识，或者没有人了解。是不是有人认识，是不是有人了解，我不管；我是但问耕耘，不问收获。我抱着这种观念来到台湾，台湾人了解不了解，我也在所不计，不过我要对大家先声明一下。

Coming here to speak at a Dharma assembly with so many people is also something I dislike. People have asked me to do it, so even though it's something I'm not willing to do, I'll try my best to do a little bit. The main reason I have come toTaiwan this time is to bring blessings to all of you good men and good women. However, people may not recognize or understand my way of bringing blessings. Whether people recognize or understand it is not my concern. I only ask myself if I have done the work. I don't ask whether I will gain anything in return. This is my attitude in coming to Taiwan. Whether the people in Taiwan understand or not is not my concern. I am just telling everyone.

第二，我这次回来是抱病而来，这身有老的疾病缠绵不脱。在美国我都很少讲经说法，现在很少有什么法会，是我来带着做的。为什么呢？因为这个病体，医生告诉我要多休息，不能劳累。我本来不怕劳累，我就愿意劳累。可是医生这么说，我也敷衍敷衍医生，我就少做一点。这次来可以说是冒着危险来的，这不是惊世骇俗；有护法善神指示叫我不要来，可是又因为答应这边善男信女的要求，我不能顾虑我自己的安危，这个存亡，我不顾虑的，我答应的事情一定要做的。

Secondly, I have come with an illness that has afflicted me for years. In the United States, I rarely lecture on the Sutras or lead Dharma assemblies now. Why? With my sick body, the doctors have told me to get a lot of rest and and not work too hard. Actually, I am not afraid of toil and I like to work hard, but since that's what the doctor said, I don't want to disobey him. So I said I would do a little less. This time, in fact I am taking a risk to my health in coming here. I'm not trying to scare you. The Dharma-protecting spirits kept telling me not to come. However, since I promised these good men and faithful women I would come, I could not worry about my own well-being. I will not worry about whether I live or die. If I have promised to do something, I will certainly do it.

很奇怪的，我从美国一来，病就比较重。到了台湾呢，就受了感冒，你们大家都听见我的声音，现在喉咙好像有什么东西似的，声音不太清朗。可是虽然这个样子，我还来参加这个法会。我不会自己躲懒偷安，教这些青年人多辛苦一点。有护法不主张我来，说你有病，到那边恐怕就生命有危险，我说：“我看死和活，这都是一样的，没有什么分别。我能为法忘躯，这是佛弟子的本份。”所以这样就来台湾了。

Strangely enough, when I left the United States, my illness became more serious, and when I arrived in Taiwan, I caught the flu. You can all hear from my voice that my throat is blocked up, so my voice isn't very clear. In spite of this, I have come to the Dharma Assembly. I cannot be lazy and take a break, making the young people work harder. Some Dharma-protectors did not approve of my coming, saying I was endangering my life by coming here when I am sick. I said that I see life and death as being the same, with little difference. I said that forgetting the body for the sake of the Dharma is the basic duty of a disciple of the Buddha. So I have come to Taiwan to hold this Dharma Assembly.

做这个法会，我预备每一天专心致志，给这个法会来加持，来默默中祝福。谁能参加这个法会，我不能告诉你们能得到什么好处。如果我说，这回你们参加这个法会，能得到什么什么样的利益，得到什么什么样的好处。我告诉你，天机不可泄露，说破了，就不灵了。所以我不能说：“我主持这个法会，对于每一个人有什么利益，有什么好处，有什么功德。”

Each day I shall concentrate single-mindedly in order to aid and silently bless the assembly. I cannot tell you what advantages you will obtain. I cannot say, "If you take part in this Dharma Assembly, you will obtain such and such benefits and advantages," because "The secrets of Heaven cannot be divulged. Once divulged, they are no longer efficacious." So I cannot say that anyone who participates in this Dharma Assembly that I am hosting will obtain any kind of benefit or merit.

我老实告诉你一句，你抱着有利益、有好处、有功德的心来，这根本就不是参加法会的人所应该有的。你若是有真心，不必有所求，自然地也就感应道交了；你若没有真心，你有所求，都是镜花水月，那恐怕是可望不可见，可望不可摸的。有心是妄想，无心是感应。

To tell you the truth, participants in the Dharma Assembly should not have the attitude of hoping for benefit, advantage, or merit. If you have a sincere mind, then without needing to seek anything you will obtain a response in the Way. Your mind has to be truly sincere. If you seek things, then I'm afraid you will not obtain them. The things you seek will be like "reflections of flowers in a mirror or of the moon in water"--you can see them but you can't grasp them. If you have thoughts, that's just false thinking. Without thoughts, you will have a response.

宣化从十二岁就给天地君亲师天天叩头顶礼两次，以后加上天下大贤人、大圣人、大孝子、大英雄、大豪杰，我都给他们叩头顶礼。因为他们能影响我，诸恶不作，众善奉行；他们能影响我怎么样做一个无愧于天地的正人君子，所以我要感谢他们，向他们叩头顶礼。那么每一天就增加这个叩头的数量，最后大恶人我也给他叩头，我做什么事情都好大喜功，愿意找那个大的。那么给这个大恶人叩头，希望他改恶向善，发菩提心，也共成佛道。

When I was twelve, I started bowing twice a day to Heaven and Earth, to the Emperor, to my parents, and to my teachers. Later, I also bowed to all the great worthies, great sages, great filial sons, and great heroes in the world. Because they can influence me to avoid doing any evil and to practice all good deeds, and to be an upright and good person with a clear conscience, I wanted to bow to them in gratitude. In this way, I increased the number of bows I made every day. Later on, I also bowed to the most evil people as well. Whatever I do, I do it on a grand scale. I bowed to bad people, hoping that they would mend their ways and become good, bring forth the resolve for Bodhi, and attain the Buddha Way.

那么大善人、大贤人、大孝子、大圣人、大英雄、大豪杰，我都给他们叩头。然后又打了妄想了，我说大善人、大圣人、大贤人，我给他们叩头，感谢他们；那么我又想起来这不善的人、大恶人、大坏人、大无赖、大流氓，这一些个人怎么办呢？于是乎我又向他们叩头。人家是给佛叩头，给菩萨叩头，给大菩萨、大佛来叩头。我那时候就很愚笨的，就想起大恶人、大坏人，在世界上，他们这些人很可怜的，他们在六道轮回里，愈轮愈转，离佛道愈远，所以我希望给他们回向，他们都改过自新，改恶向善。

I had been bowing in gratitude to the people of great goodness, the great worthies, the great filial sons, the great sages, and the great heroes, but then I had a false thought, "What about the big evil-doers, the big bad guys, and the big outcasts? What about them?" And so I began bowing to them as well. Other people bow to the great Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas, but I very foolishly thought of the big evil-doers and the bad guys. These people are very pitiful, because the longer they turn on the wheel of the six paths of rebirth, the farther they get from the Buddha Way. So I wished to transfer merit to them, hoping they would reform and renew themselves and become good.

以后我又想，这一般普通的人，我对他们也应该要来恭敬。于是乎我向天下所有众生来叩头顶礼，乃至一切的蚊虫、蚂蚁，最微细的那个生物，我都向他们来叩头顶礼。我觉得我和这些最微细的众生都是一样的，所以我应该来引导度脱它们，早成佛道。这是我叩头的原因。

Later, I thought I should also show respect to ordinary people, so as a result I began bowing to all living beings in the world, including mosquitoes, ants, and the tiniest creatures. I identified with the smallest beings and felt that I ought to guide them to quickly accomplish the Buddha Way. Those were the reasons I bowed.

那么这以后，我想每天早晨叩头要两个多钟头，叩八百三十几个头，晚间又要两个钟头，叩八百三十几个头，一天两次。这样一想，这叩头四个钟头，应该把它减少一点，做一些个旁的事情。那么八百三十几个头，我缩成五个头，把它浓缩起来。方才我所念的，就是皈依尽虚空、遍法界，十方三世无尽无尽常住三宝，这是〈楞严咒〉的第一句，就是顶礼十方三世一切诸佛。十方，有东西南北，这是四方；又有四隅－－东南方、西南方、西北方、东北方，再加上下，这叫十方。所以我浓缩了，顶礼五个头。

Every morning, I made more than eight hundred and thirty bows, which took me two hours. Every evening, I also made more than eight hundred and thirty bows, which took about two hours. I was bowing four hours a day. I wanted to cut back on bowing and do some other things, so I condensed the eight hundred thirty-some bows to five bows. Just now, we recited the first verse of the Shurangama Mantra, which means, "Homage to the eternally dwelling Triple Jewel throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time, which pervades empty space and the Dharma Realm." This is worshipping all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three periods of time. The ten directions are the four cardinal directions of east, west, south, and north; the four intermediate directions of southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast; and above and below. I condensed my bowing to five bows.

第一个是顶礼尽虚空、遍法界十方三世一切佛法僧三宝；第二个头也是给佛法僧三宝来顶礼；第三个头还是给佛法僧三宝顶礼。

First, I bow to the eternally dwelling Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha throughout the ten directions and the three periods of time, which pervade empty space and the Dharma Realm. My second bow is also to the Triple Jewel of the Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha. My third bow is again to the Triple Jewel of the Buddhas, Dharma, and Sangha.

第四个头是给谁顶礼呢？就是给大圣人、大贤人、大孝子、大善人、大英雄、大豪杰、大伟人、大德士，甚至这些个大恶人、大坏人，统统的，尽虚空、遍法界十方三世一切众生，都包括在内。那么包括蚊虫是我的好朋友，我也给它们顶礼；蚂蚁也是我的好朋友，我也给它们顶礼。因为我过去生中，不知杀了多少蚊虫、蚂蚁，我实在对不起它们；包括一切其他的众生在内，无量劫以前，我不知道伤害过多少众生的生命，所以现在都要向它们来叩头赎罪，希望它们不怪我。

Whom do I bow to on the fourth bow? I bow to great sages, great worthies, great filial sons, people of great goodness, great heroes, great people, great virtuous ones, big evil-doers, big bad guys, and all parents throughout empty space and the Dharma Realm. This includes my good friends the mosquitoes and my good friends the ants. I also bow to them. Who knows how many mosquitoes and ants I killed throughout countless eons in the past? Now I feel truly sorry towards them and towards all living beings, for I do not know how many lives I have taken in my past lives. Now I feel I should make these bows to them to compensate for my offenses, and I hope that they will not hold a grudge against me.

所以我常对人讲笑话，我说你们现在虽然给我叩头，实际上，我在有生以来已经给你们各位叩头了，不过你们不知道，但是你们心里知道。所以谁向我叩头，现在都是还我的头呢！所以我也不能受，也不能拒，这是第四。

I often joke with people and say, "You are bowing to me now, but actually I've bowed to each of you in the past. It's just that you don't know, but perhaps in your heart you know." Therefore, anyone who bows to me now is probably just returning my bows. That's why I can neither accept nor refuse their bows. That's the fourth bow.

第五个头呢，我是顶礼尽虚空、遍法界十方三世一切诸佛所说的波罗提木叉、所说的戒律。因为有佛的戒律，我才能依照这个道路，往佛道上走。这个戒律对我的恩德是无量无边的。

On the fifth bow, I bow to the Pratimoksha--the precepts-- spoken by all Buddhas in the ten directions and the three periods of time throughout empty space and the Dharma Realm. It is because of the Buddhas' precepts that I can follow this path, the Buddha Way. The kindness and benefit shown to me by the precepts is boundless and limitless.

所以我每逢叩头的时候，都是这样子做。我相信世界上没有一个愚痴的人，像我这么愚痴。人人都比我有智慧，所以他们都不屑于像我这种的思想、行为和做法，都觉得我太可怜了，觉得我是很可怜的。

This is how I bow every time. I don't think there is another person in the world as stupid as I am. Everyone is smarter than I am, and they don't think much of my way of thinking and acting. They think I am very pitiful.

为什么要对你们各位说出我这个叩头的方法、这种愚痴的行为？因为你们大家要听我来讲，不要听人家讲，说：“宣化有什么神通，有什么感应，又有什么了不起。”没有的，这都是一般人不知为什么，他就给我造出这种的不虞之誉，求全之毁来。

Why have I told you about the way I bow--about this stupid behavior? It's because you should listen to me and not to the people who say, "Hsuan Hua has such and such spiritual penetrations and responses. He's really extraordinary." That is nonsense. I don't know why people spread this kind of rumor, setting me up as all-perfect.

我因为这样的行为，所以不要说你们在家人，就连出家人都是看不起我的，都是抵制我的。你们谁若信我，你们要深深地了解，可能是上了一个大当，可能不是大当，因为你慈心下气，能对一切众生都来结缘，这是好的。

My conduct has caused not only the laypeople, but even the left-home people, to boycott me. If any of you believe in me, you should deeply understand that you may have taken a big loss. Perhaps it's not a big loss, because if you are compassionate and humble, you can create affinities with all living beings, and that's a good thing.

说完了这个话之后，我再向你们说一说我近来的状况、近来的病情。你们各位如果愿意把它记录下来，我可以慢慢念，你们把它写下来，然后做一个研究。什么呢？这有八句，你不要拿它当诗来念，也不用拿它当偈颂来念，就拿它当一个白话的俚句就好了。

Now I want to share with you something I composed about the recent circumstances of my illness. If you would like to take notes, I will recite it slowly. You can write it down and study it later. What is it? There are eight lines, but they cannot be considered formal poetry. You can regard them as casual verses in plain language.

第一句是“苟延残喘度余生”，苟延残喘哪，这一口气出去，那一口气能不能回来，这都不一定的。“老疾缠绵痛苦中”，这不是叫你们来可怜我：“啊！我这老了！你们大家要可怜可怜我啊！这么一个愚痴的人。”这叫老疾缠绵痛苦中。这个老疾不是一朝一夕来的，这是从有生以来日积月累造成的，所以腿也不灵敏了，胳臂酸，背也痛，眼睛也花，耳朵也聋了，牙也掉了。这样子一来呀！这是很痛苦，很不自由的，啊！老疾缠绵痛苦中。

The first line says: I linger on, breathing with difficulty as I live out the remainder of my life. When this breath goes out, it's not for sure the next breath will come in. Embroiled in the sufferings of old age and disease. I am not asking you to pity me. I am not saying, I'm so old now, you all should feel sorry for me--this stupid person. The symptoms of old age and disease didn't arrive overnight. They have been developing gradually ever since the time of my birth. Now my legs are not agile, my arms are sore, my back aches, my eyes are blurred, my ears are going deaf, and my teeth have fallen out. Being this way is very painful and inconvenient.

“日进饮食如服毒”，我白天吃东西呀，很不愿意吃。无论什么珍馐美味，什么好吃的东西，我一吃啊！就觉得不愿意吃，就像服毒那么困难，日进饮食如服毒。

Every day I take my meals as if they were poison. When it is time to eat, I don't feel like eating. No matter what fine delicacies and savory food are served, as soon as I taste them I lose my appetite. It's as difficult as taking poison.

“夜宿病榻赛僵虫”，你们听听这个意思好不好笑？晚间在这个病榻上啊！就像一条僵虫似的。那死的虫子，已经僵了、硬了，和那个差不多。

At night, I lie on the sickbed just like a stiff worm. When you hear this, doesn't it make you want to laugh? Lying on the sickbed, I'm just like a dead worm that has gone stiff. I'm pretty much like that.

“梦中屡逢无常鬼”，你们大家都知道有无常鬼啊！在梦里头常常和他们见面，可是他们还没有抓我去，因为他们要抓我，就来个菩萨，说：“还没到时候，你不应该抓他，他是为众生来服务的，事情还没有完呢！”这么一给讲和呀！他们也不抓我了。在梦里他本来想要抓我，所以说“梦中屡逢”，很多次，不只一次。不过见到佛，见到菩萨的时候也不少。所以这无常鬼见到佛菩萨都这么样爱护我、拥护我，他们也就望望，叩一个头就走了。这我也不明白他们为什么给我叩头。

In my dreams, I often encounter the ghosts of impermanence. Do you all know who the ghosts of impermanence are? I often meet them in my dreams, but they haven't caught me yet. Whenever they want to take me, a Bodhisattva comes and tells them, "It's not time yet. You shouldn't take him; he is serving living beings, and his work isn't done yet." As soon as they hear that, they let me go. They only come in my dreams to catch me, and I have seen them many times, not just once. But I have also seen Buddhas and Bodhisattvas come quite a few times. When the ghosts of impermanence see the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas protecting me, they look around, make a bow, and then leave. I don't know why they bow to me.

“醒来难觅救护神”，醒来啊！不容易找到一个救护我的神仙。谁能救护我呢？还要自己勉为其难，带病和这个魔王来作战。

Upon awakening, I cannot find a god who can save me. When I wake up, it's difficult to find a spirit or immortal who can save me. Who can rescue me? I still have to struggle on my own and battle with the demon kings in my sick condition.

我现在到台湾，我老实告诉你们，这个魔王都在这儿等着我呢，都要和我挑战。我若是没有胆量，也不敢到台湾来，这么多魔王在那儿，所有的魔王想要把我弄得不到台湾来。我今天老实告诉你们，你们愿意听，我也要说；不愿意听，我也要说。我现在到台湾来呀，既来之，则安之，我不怕任何人来和我挑战。

I'll tell you honestly, this time that I have come to Taiwan, the demon kings are all waiting for me, ready to challenge me. If I didn't have any fortitude, I wouldn't have dared to come to Taiwan. There are so many demon kings here. All the demon kings were trying to stop me from coming to Taiwan! I will say this whether or not you care to listen; since I have already come to Taiwan, I might as well go along with the situation. I am not afraid of anyone who challenges me.

什么叫魔子魔孙呢？就是末法佛教本身的佛教徒。以前我到台湾哪！有人就给我造谣言，说我是共产党。所以我到台湾来，没有一个和尚敢去接飞机，也没有什么大护法、大居士去接飞机，只有一个大约还知道清楚的人－－周宣德老居士去接飞机，送飞机。还有一个董正之居士，也接飞机，送飞机。以后黄大任啊，还有其他的，我记不起来了。 

Who are the demon descendants? They are the Buddhist disciples themselves in the Dharma-ending Age. In the past when I came to Taiwan, someone spread the rumor that I was a Communist. So when I arrived in Taiwan, no monk dared to go meet me at the airport. None of the well-known Dharma-protecting laypeople went to meet my plane, either. Only the elder Upasaka Zhou Xuanzhe knew and came to meet my plane. Another layman, Dong Zhengzhi, also met me and saw me off. Later, there was also Huang Daren and some other people whom I cannot remember.

那么以后有一次，我记得我派了五个美国人到台湾受戒。他们都是美国人，那时台湾虽然说怕共产党，但是不怕这个美利坚，所以一时很轰动的。结束就有人问他们五个人，互相盘问。谁在这么盘问呢？我现在也不记得，就说：「这五个人哪，以前都是嬉皮，没有一个好东西。因为这个度轮法师，在美国到这公园去游乐。游乐呀，在公园里头到这个音乐亭那儿就坐下了，所以这些个嬉皮就都四面八方围聚来了。那么这个度轮就给他们讲说佛法，这些个嬉皮虽然不太懂中国话，有的懂的就给翻译，他们觉得有点道理。度轮就把他们拉到他所在的那个佛堂。然后又给他们一讲，有人给他们翻译，他们就都出家了。所以呀！他有美国徒弟。」这是一个讲法。

Later on, I sent five American disciples to Taiwan to receive the precepts. Although the people of Taiwan were wary of the Communist Party, they were not afraid of the United States. So my disciples caused quite an uproar, and afterwards the five of them were subjected to interrogation. Who was interrogating them? I don't remember now,was it Hui Feng? He said, "These five all used to be hippies. None of them are up to any good. In America, Dharma Master To Lun would go to the park for recreation. He would sit down in the amphiheater, and hippies from every direction would gather around him. Then To Lun would explain the Buddhadharma to them. The hippies didn't quite understand Chinese, but after someone translated for them, they felt the Dharma had some principle to it. Then he would lure them to his temple, where he would give lectures, which someone translated for them. Then they all left the home-life. That's how he came to have American disciples." That was one of their explanations.

还有说：“那个嬉皮都是吸毒、贩毒的。想不到这个度轮哪！他也是吸毒的。虽然他没贩毒，他吸毒。那个毒药啊！美国人吃一粒，就现原形了，就觉得好像不得了了，啊！很自在，自自在在，好像到了极乐世界似的；这个度轮吃十几粒也没有关系。”这么样子告诉大家。

Another thing they'd say was, "Those hippies take drugs and sell drugs. And guess what? To Lun himself also takes drugs, even though he doesn't deal drugs. When Americans take one pill of the drug, they show their true selves and feel on top of the world, very free and easy, as if they've gone to the Land of Ultimate Bliss. To Lun himself can take more than ten pills without any effect." That's what they tell people.

为什么他们这么说呢？因为就怕台湾人相信这个度轮。度轮一天吃一餐的，他们受不了，他们干不起；度轮所教出来的人，都天天搭衣，天天衣不离体，这是怪里怪气的。“他们天天来到这儿，觉得很方便的，吃饭也不要钱，住宿也不要钱，就这么样子把这一些个吸毒的嬉皮，就都招来了。现在他们虽然出家，那个恶性还都不改。”

Why do they say these things? Because they're afraid that people in Taiwan will believe in To Lun. To Lun takes one meal a day, and they can't stand it. They aren't able to do that. To Lun teaches his disciples to wear the sash every day, to never be apart from their sash, and they think that's really weird. They say, "The hippies go to his place and find everything very convenient: The food is free and so is the lodging. That's how he lured these drug-addicted hippies there. Now they've decided to leave the home-life, but they haven't changed their bad character."

时间到了，我不说了。我不说是不说，说起来没完，你们愿意听嘛，将来有机会；不愿意听呢，那么我可以少讲一点。

The time is up, and I will not say any more. When I'm not giving a talk, I rarely say a word. Once I start giving a talk, I might never finish! If you want to hear more, you will have an opportunity in the future. If you don't want to listen, then I can say a little less.

一九九三年一月十一日上午
开示于台湾板桥台北县立体育馆

A talk by the Venerable Master Hua
 in the morning of January 11, 1993,
at the Taipei County Stadium in Banqiao, Taiwan