直心是道场，不论出家人在家人，在什么情形之下都应该老老实实的，不可以打妄语，不可以行险侥幸，不可以投机，或者拍马。在什么情形之下都要用真实的心，不用委屈求全的心。真实的心，就是要修行，要不妨碍其他的人，不障碍其他的人。我们人造的业都因为妨碍其他的人，障碍其他的人，伤害其他的人，所以就造成一种业。造了业就要受果报，等受果报的时候，还不知道忏悔，还是尽量去欺骗人，那将来是越造越深，这个业报是不容易了结的。

It is said, “A straight mind is a place for awakening.” In other words, we must be honest and truthful in any situation, whether you are a Sanghan or a lay person. Do not lie, do not be an opportunist and take great risks for self-benefit, do not cut corners, and do not engage in flattery. We must have a truthful mind in all circumstances, instead of a mind that makes great comprises in order to accommodate others. To have a truthful mind means to cultivate the Path of Bodhi, and to never harm or obstruct others. If we harm or obstruct others, we create causes for negative retribution. When our retribution is upon us, if we don’t repent and instead continue to deceive others as much as we can, we will be creating even more negative karma, which is difficult to eradicate.

好像这次（一九八二年）到亚洲去，在槟城遇到一个女孩子姓王，她在往昔中专门欢喜吃熊掌，吃猴头。把猴子的头打破，喝猴子的脑髓；把熊脚给割下来，用锅煎它，吃这个熊掌。这是往昔所造的恶业，所以今生堕落变成女身，变成女身，还不知道改过自新，还是继续造业，甚至于就堕胎杀了两个人──堕了两个小孩子。因为这两个小孩子──这两个小鬼，就把以前生生世世这些个业障鬼都给召来了，于是乎就生了cancer（癌）病。

This time (1982) when I went to Asia, I met a young woman named Miss Wang in Penang . In her past lives, she really liked to eat bear paws and monkey brains. She cracked open the heads of monkeys to drink their brain matters. She also cut off paws of bears, pan-fried them, and ate them. Because of these past karmic offenses, she is born as a woman in this life. However, instead of correcting her mistakes and starting anew, she continued to create negative karma. She even killed two human beings by having two abortions. These two little ghosts of her aborted fetuses summoned all the ghosts of living beings that she had ever harmed in her past lives. Therefore, she ended up with cancer.

在槟城的时候，她生大忏悔心，当时这cancer病就好了。好了，等到两个多礼拜，她又旧情复发，对她这个男朋友又是藕断丝连的，甚至于有一些不合法的行为，于是乎她这个cancer病又发作了。她这种病──这个业障，你若真痛改前非，在万分中有一分的希望可以好；你若不痛改前非，不能改过自新，根本就没有药可救的，也没有佛菩萨可以救得了的。“罪从心起将心忏”，心里若不忏悔，这个业障就又来了，所以她的cancer病又发作了。

During my visit in Penang , this young woman brought forth a great resolve for repentance and her cancer went into remission. Unfortunately, about two weeks later she reverted back to her old ways, renewed her relationship with her boyfriend, and even engaged in acts not in accord with the Dharma. Shortly after that, her cancer came back. Her illness was caused by her karmic offenses. If she truly repented of her past mistakes and reformed, she had a one in ten thousand chance of getting well. Otherwise, there is no medicine that can cure her, and even the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can’t save her. It is said, “Offenses arise from the mind; use the mind to repent.” If we don’t repent and reform with a truthful mind, our karmic obstacles would return. In Ms. Wang’s case, since she did not truly repent and reform, she had a relapse of her cancer.

发作了，她应该写信来告诉我，很坦白地说清楚了，那么即使她病又发作了，或者当时还可以想办法。可是她欺骗我，瞒着我，就说要来美国；本来我当时吩咐她，等病好了之后，她能有钱买飞机票，可以到美国来出家修道，这是要病好了。可是这个女孩子，她就病又发作了，才要来美国，要来死到万佛城。那么这样子是一种欺骗的手段，这个病更不能好了。因为她的病是不可救药了，医药无效了，于是乎她就上个月二十四号勉强坐飞机到了美国。这种行为完全是一种欺骗，不老实、不忠实、不坦白的一种行为，所以菩萨也没有办法救她。

She should have written to me when she had the relapse. If she had told me the truth, perhaps there was something that could be done then. Instead, she lied to me and told me she was coming to the U.S. Before I left Malaysia , I instructed her that after she got better and could afford a plane ticket, she can come to America and leave the home life to cultivate. In other words, she was supposed to come to American when she was cured. However, this young woman came to America only after her cancer came back; she came to die at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. It was only when her illness was beyond medical help that she got on a plane with great difficulty, and arrived in the U.S. on the 24th of last month. With this kind of trickery, her illness will be even more difficult to cure. Since her behavior is completely deceptive, dishonest and disingenuous, even the Buddhas and the Bodhisattvas won’t be able to help her.

现在这个人在医院里，这个人的生命只有万分中半分的希望。今天晚间大家可以诚心一点来给她回向，希望她病好。虽然她欺骗我，欺骗我们这个道场，也可以说是欺骗大家，但是我们大家都具有慈悲心，既然她这么远来了，希望还可以挽回她生命死亡的危险。如果能好呢，我们尽心了；不能好，我们也算是尽心了。我们拿起木鱼，念地藏菩萨的名号，大家众志成城，诚心为她超度业障。

She is in hospital now, and she has a 0.5 in ten thousand chance of survival. This evening, let’s sincerely transfer merit to her, hoping that she will recover. Even though she deceived me, deceived this place for awakening, and in a sense deceived everyone here, we all have compassion. She came from so far away, hoping that she could be saved from the threat of death. If she could be saved, we try our best; if she could not be saved, we still try our best. Our collective effort is powerful, as we sincerely help her to eradicate her karmic obstacles. Let’s follow the rhythm of the wooden fish, and recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name on her behalf. 

本来我们大家念，她这个业障应该消了；可是我们念，她的罪业随消随长，我们给她消的罪障是无穷无尽的，她的业障生出来也是无穷无尽的。我想我们如果想救这个人的话，那么从明天开始，诚心一点，大家帮她打一个地藏七，念地藏菩萨圣号，为她回向，希望她这病好。大家可以愿意参加的就参加，不愿意参加的就不参加，可是这要大家拿出诚心来，拿出真心来，愿意帮助人的人，佛菩萨也一定会帮助你的。……

When we recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name, her karmic obstacles should have been erased. However, as her past karmic offenses are being eradicated, her new karmic offenses are accumulating as fast. Indeed, we are helping her to eradicate endless karmic offenses that she was born with. I think if we want to save this person, we need to begin a seven-day Earth Store Bodhisattva session tomorrow. Let’s recite the Bodhisattva’s name sincerely and transfer the merit to her, in the hope that she will recover. Whether you want to participate in the session is entirely up to you. However, all of us should use our upmost sincerity. When we help others with a willing heart, the Boddhas and Bodhisattvas definitely will help us, too. ...

……今天大家共同发心为这个女孩子回向，那么是不是他们要求我们做这件事呢？没有的。虽然她家里所有的亲戚朋友没有人知道，但我们现在为她回向，希望她这个病好。我们佛教做事情，不一定要别人要求才做，我们觉得这个人可怜，就尽尽我们的心；仰仗观音菩萨的大威神力，仰仗地藏王菩萨的大威神力，帮助这个女孩子。她能恢复知觉当然好了，要是她的业障重，不能恢复，我们也尽到我们一点心了。所以就这一点，各位应该努力！

Today, we make a resolve together to transfer merit to this young woman. Did her relatives ask us to do so? No, they didn’t. However, even if they don’t know, we are still transferring merit to her. As Buddhists, we don’t need to be asked before we help others. We feel sorry for this young woman, so we try our best to help her. We are relying on the awesome power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Earth Store Bodhisattva. It would be great if she regains consciousness; if she doesn't, it’s because of her heavy karmic offenses. Either way, we try our best. With this goal in mind, all of us should work hard!

现在世界一天比一天灾难多，修道的人一天比一天少，犯戒的人一天比一天多。这是什么原因？从什么地方来的？为什么世界一天坏过一天？我们人应该研究这个根本问题。这根本的问题就是因为人不守五戒，第一就是不守淫戒，男女认为淫欲的行为是人生的一种快乐，所以就背觉合尘，认贼做子，以苦为乐，以黑为白，以是为非，颠颠倒倒，胡为乱作。男女青年不但不知保持自己的宝贵精神，而且天天都是去做伤自己精神的事；男人也不知道怎样做男人，女人也不知道怎么样做女人，只知道这么个邪淫。

Nowadays, there are more and more calamities in the world, while fewer and fewer people cultivate the Path of Bodhi. In addition, there are more and more individuals who break the precepts. Why is the world getting worse day-by-day? We should examine this fundamental question. The cause of this problem is that people are not upholding the five precepts, especially the precept against sexual misconduct. Men and women mistakenly think that satisfying their sexual desires is a type of pleasure. As it is said, they “turn their backs on enlightenment and combine with the dust,” and “mistake the thief for their son.” They treat suffering as pleasure, black as white, and truth as falsehood. They are so muddled that they act recklessly and improperly, as if they were up-side down instead of right-side up. In addition, instead of knowing how to protect their precious spirit and vitality, young men and women do things everyday that end up hurting themselves. Man doesn’t know how to behave like a proper man, and woman doesn’t know how to behave like a proper woman; all they know is how to satisfy their lust.

现在读书的学生，尤其最有名的大学里头，男女学生住在一起胡为乱作，那么这样就有问题啦，就会有小孩子了。有了小孩子，于是乎就有人发明避孕药；避孕，胡为乱干，违背天地造化的这种生理。避孕，说是这个就比有了小孩，有了问题好得多；其实这是一种造罪业。这个发明避孕药的人害了多少青年，害了多少生命！

In these days, male and female students, especially those in most famous universities, live together and engage in wanton acts. These actions often lead to unwanted pregnancies. To prevent unwanted pregnancies, contraceptives were invented. People think using contraceptives is better than dealing with problems associated with unwanted pregnancies. Actually, using contraceptives is improper because it goes against the biological function of sexual intercourse, and thus is a type of karmic offense. In addition, those who invented contraceptives end up hurting so many young men and women, because these youth are more likely to engage in sexual misconduct when they think they don’t have to worry about the possibility of pregnancy.

还有男女不守规矩，有这种淫乱的行为，有了小孩子就堕胎。这一堕胎啊，造的罪业更大，犯了杀业了！避孕药是无形中犯杀业，这个堕胎是有形中犯了杀业。犯了杀业，于是乎这个世界上就一天比一天冤气多，一天比一天杀气就盛；这个杀气盛就冤气增，于是乎就生出种种的怪病来了。你们各位研究研究，男女没有这么样疯狂不守规矩时，就没有这么多奇怪的病；因为现在人都不守规矩了，所以这怪病就发生了。怪病发生了，就陷入种种奇奇怪怪不可思议的不治之症了。

In addition to using contraceptives, men and women use abortion to deal with unwanted pregnancies that result from their lascivious acts. By having an abortion, they create a more serious offense – an offense of killing. Namely, while using contraceptives is an indirect form of killing, having an abortion is a direct act of killing. All these killings increase the amount of resentment and enmity in the world. This mounting negative energy, in turn, results in strange diseases. When you investigate further, you will find that if men and women are not breaking the code of moral conduct left and right, there wouldn’t be so many strange diseases with unusual and inexplicable symptoms that are incurable. 

现在所谓cancer不容易治，不单单是cancer病，还有其他种种不能治的病，都是因为这种问题生出来的──这是第一不守淫戒，第二犯了杀戒，犯了盗戒， 犯了打妄语的戒，犯了饮酒的戒。这五戒是人生最要紧的规律，人人都应该守五戒。在转轮圣王教化世人的时候，人人都守五戒，奉行十善，人人都吃斋。所以那个 时候什么灾难也没有，人类都有相当的福报，很多人都有神通，都开五眼了。那现在人一天比一天堕落，就搞得这世界一天不如一天，一天就坏过一天！

Now, in addition to cancer, there are various other illnesses that are hard or impossible to treat. All these problems stem from first breaking the precept against sexual misconduct, then the precept against killing. These improper acts are followed by breaking the precepts against stealing, lying and taking of intoxicants, respectively. These five precepts are the most important rules in our lives. Therefore, everyone should uphold the five precepts. When the Wheel-Turning Sagely King was still in the world teaching and transforming living beings, everyone upheld the five precepts, followed and practiced the Ten Wholesome Deeds, and ate vegetarian food. At that time, there were no natural disasters, and people enjoyed a lot of blessings. Many people had spiritual powers and opened their Five Eyes. In contrast, nowadays, the moral standard is deteriorating day-by-day. This deterioration in human character is causing the world to deteriorate, too.

你想知道cancer病人这么多，是什么样的来源？这些都是从杀业造成的！杀生哪，你看看，那个小生命还没有生出来，你就把他杀了，这种怨气该多厉害！所以，这世界一天坏过一天；人呢，也一天坏过一天。这些都是杀业造成！

Do you want know why there are so many people with cancer? This situation is created by the karma of killing. Think about it, by having abortions, you are terminating lives even before they have a chance to be born. Under these circumstances, wouldn’t the enmity of these unborn fetuses be incredibly great?! In summary, the world and its people are getting worse day-by-day. All this is due to the karma of killing. 

在万佛城的人，因为知道这种因果循环报应，我们要把这种业把它挽回来，令这个世界没有那么多的灾难，令人类的痛苦减少一点，人类的疾病也减少一点。所以藉着王姓女孩生cancer这个机会，我们大家诚心诚意念地藏王菩萨。念地藏菩萨，就能减少众生的罪业，令他们无量劫以来的冤亲债主，都往生到西方极乐世界去；令我们所有的人的冤亲债主，也都往生到西方极乐世界去。

At the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, everyone understands the cycle of cause and effect. Therefore, let’s reduce the negative karma in the world, so there will be fewer disasters, less suffering, and fewer diseases. Let’s take helping Miss Wang as an opportunity to recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name earnestly and sincerely. Recitation of Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name can reduce living beings’ negative karma, and let their enemies, relatives and creditors from limitless past lives be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This recitation will also let all of our enemies, relative and creditors be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. 

所以藉着这个机会，我们大家诚心诚意来念地藏菩萨，一方面是帮助其他有病、有痛苦的人，一方面也超度自己过去生生世世的父母祖先、冤亲债主，令他们都离苦得乐，了生脱死。

Let’s take this opportunity to recite Earth Bodhisattva’s name with earnestness and sincerity. While we are helping others who are sick or suffering, we are also crossing over our parents, ancestors, enemies, relatives, and creditor from our every past life, and allow them to leave suffering and attain bliss, and end birth and death.

有一分功就有一分果，你在这儿诚心诚意地念地藏王菩萨，地藏王菩萨感动、知道你这么诚心念他的名号，他就超度你的业障，令你修真有份，进道无魔，早消业障，早离痛苦，往生到极乐世界，这是我们打地藏七的一个主因。所以各位要拿出一个真心，拿出一点诚心来，超度我们过去生的父母祖先、冤亲债主，令他们都藉着这个机会离苦得乐，不要把光阴都空过去了！

With every ounce of effort, there is a corresponding amount of harvest. When you recite Earth Store Bodhisattva’s name with earnestness and sincerity, Earth Store Bodhisattva is touched. Knowing that you are reciting his name with such sincerity, Earth Store Bodhisattva will eradicate your karmic obstacles that are hindering your realization of Bodhi. He also will help you cultivate the Path of Bodhi, progress on this Path without demonic interference, quickly eradicate karmic obstacles, quickly leave suffering, and be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss . Realizing all these benefits is one of the main reasons for participating in the Earth Store Bodhisattva session. So, let everyone be true and sincere, and cross over our parents, ancestors, enemies, relatives, and creditors from our past lives. Let them use this opportunity to leave suffering and attain bliss. Don’t let time pass in vain!

【编案】
王姓女孩往昔虽造诸多恶业，但她在槟城的时候，生大惭愧心，在二千余位信众前，竭诚向佛菩萨及宣公上人发露罪愆，求哀忏悔，当时癌病就好了。可是，尔后又旧情复发，接着又以欺骗的手段来到万佛城。这样，她的业越造越深，业报就不容易了结；即使万佛城四众弟子专诚为她举行两次地藏七，并经群医抢救，数星期后，还是与世长辞了。此可谓是现身说法，警惕世人！

【Editor’s note】
Although Miss Wang created much unwholesome karma in the past, she brought forth a great revolve for repentance in Penang . In front of a Dharma Assembly consisted of more than two thousand people, she sincerely discussed her unwholesome deeds, and asked for the compassionate aid of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the Venerable Master as she resolved to repent and reform. At that time, her cancer went into remission. However, she reverted back to her old ways soon after her resolve, and used deceitful means to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Since she was committing more and more karmic offenses, it was difficult to eradicate her negative retributions. Accordingly, even though the Fourfold Assembly in the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas organized two Earth Store Bodhisattva sessions on her behalf and many doctors tried to save her, she passed away several weeks later. We can say that Ms. Wang was using her life’s story to speak the Dharma and let it be a warning to all of us!