病后始知身是苦，
死后方知错用心。

Only after being sick do you realize
the body is suffering.
Only after dying do you realize
you applied your effort wrongly.

这是众生的通病，在没有病时，满以为在世间非常快乐和满足，到有病的时候，不能动，也不能吃，一切都不自由了，再加上种种难以忍受的痛苦，才觉得原来这个身体是令我们苦的，可是呢？已经太迟了。所谓：

临崖勒马收缰晚，
船到江心补漏迟。

Living beings all have this problem. When you are not sick, you think the world is a happy and satisfying place. But when you get sick, you cannot move around, eat, or have the freedom to do what you want, and you endure all kinds of unbearable pain and misery. That's when you discover that this body actually causes us a lot of suffering, but it's already too late. As it is said,

When the horse is on the edge of the cliff,
it's too late to draw in the the reins.
When the boat is in the middle of the river,
it's too late to patch the leaks.

谁叫你自己在没病的时候，任作胡为，不好好地珍惜自己。病是这样，生死大事也是这样。

Who told you to act so recklessly and brashly when you were free of sickness, instead of cherishing and taking care of yourself? This is true not only with sickness, but also with the great matter of birth and death.

“死后方知错用心”，平时不加检点，等到见了阎王时，才知自己生前所行所事及存心都不正当。生前看见别人念佛，自己反而去讥谤他，说他迷信，笑他愚痴，但现在后悔已晚了！刀山油镬之苦，都是自己招来的。就像刚才所说“临崖勒马收缰晚，船到江心补漏迟”，谁叫自己事前没有准备？

“Only after dying do you realize you applied your effort wrongly.” During ordinary times, you failed to examine and rectify yourself. But when you see King Yama, you realize that everything you have done in your life, and all your intentions, were improper. When you saw people reciting the Buddha's name, you slandered them, called them superstitious, and laughed at them for being fools. But now it's too late for regrets. You have brought the suffering of the Mountain of Knives and the Cauldron of Oil upon yourself. As it was said above, “When the horse is on the edge of the cliff, it's too late to draw in the the reins. When the boat is in the middle of the river, it's too late to patch the leaks.” Who told you not to prepare ahead of time?

所以朱子说：“宜未雨而绸缪，毋临渴而掘井。”我们在未下雨时，早就应该顾虑到下雨时可能发生的事。譬如北方的窗户，都是用纸糊的，所以在未下雨时，就应把窗纸糊好，省得雨水溅湿了屋内的东西；若是等到下雨时才赶忙去糊窗，那未免太迟了一点。又好像在穷乡僻壤的地方，没有自来水管的设备，所以你在盖房子时，就要考虑水源的问题；若是到了渴时，才记得去掘井，那不是太晚了吗？

So Zhuzi said, “Make preparations before it rains. Don't wait until you're thirsty to dig a well.” Long before it starts to rain, we should consider the problems that might occur when it rains. For example, in northern China we use paper windows. Before it rains, we have to make sure the paper windows are pasted up well, so the rain will not wet the things inside the house. If we wait until it rains and then rush to paste up the windows, it's a bit too late. Also, in poor villages where there is no running water, you have to consider the water source when you build a house. If you wait until you're thirsty to dig a well, isn't it too late?

我们学佛的人，都明白一切无常，不免一死。可是！为什么不为自己的“死”先下一番工夫呢？所谓：

若要人不死，
先下死工夫。

When we study Buddhism, we understand that all things are impermanent and death is inevitable. So why don't we first spend some time to look into the problem of our own death? It's said,

If you don't want to die,
You must first work “dead hard.”

死工夫，就是譬如今天的打七念菩萨名号。我们打七，第一，是为求世界和平；第二，是为自己的身后打算，这就是“未雨而绸缪”了。我们打七要年年参加，不可中断，这样才能与阿弥陀佛、观世音菩萨结大因缘。我们必须念到好像阿弥陀佛是我们的师父，观世音菩萨好像是我们的朋友一样亲切，既然能做佛的弟子，做菩萨的朋友，而且能年年月月日日都是如此，自然会成为老友了。这样，佛、菩萨一定会在我们临命终时，接引我们到西方净土去的，这点大家切莫怀疑。所谓：

修道之人心莫疑，
疑心一起便途迷。

Working “dead hard” is just like joining this session to recite the Bodhisattva's name. We are holding this session first of all to pray for world peace, and secondly, to prepare for our future after this life. This is just to “Make preparations before it rains.” We should participate in this session every year. Don't skip a year. Then we will have great affinities with Amitabha Buddha and Guanyin Bodhisattva. We should recite until we see Amitabha Buddha as our teacher and Guanyin Bodhisattva as our close friend. If we can be the Buddha's disciple and the Bodhisattva's friend year after year, month after month, and day after day, we will naturally become old pals. Then when our life is about to end, the Buddha and Bodhisattva will surely come to lead us to the Pure Land in the West. No one should have doubts about it. It is said,

Cultivators should be careful not to doubt.
Once they doubt, they will be lost.

我们听善知识的话，不应该存有半点疑心。譬如善知识说：“修行要下苦功。”你就应该相信。若是你能信得彻底，那么你一定可以明心见性，返本还原。所以我们要常听善知识的开导，他教你“念佛”，你就应该依教来念佛；善知识他叫你“不要任性”，你就不要任性。这就是修道的要诀。

When we listen to a Good and Wise Advisor, we should not be the least bit skeptical. For example, if the Good and Wise Advisor says that cultivation requires arduous effort, you should truly believe it. If you believe completely, you will surely be able to understand the mind and see the nature, return to the origin and go back to the source. Therefore, we should always listen to the instructions of a Good and Wise Advisor. If he tells you to recite the Buddha's name, you should follow the instruction and recite. If he tells you not to be stubborn, then don't be stubborn. This is the essential secret of cultivation.

方才说：“病后始知身是苦”，可是呢？人若是不经过一番的病苦，是绝不肯发心修行的；因为在没病时，他不知痛苦。

Earlier we said, “Only after being sick do you realize the body is suffering.” If people don't go through some pain and suffering, they will not want to cultivate, because they don't know what pain is if they have never been sick.

又有一句话说：“富贵学道难”，若是一个人很富有，那么他样样如意，你叫他如何会想修道呢？所以，贫病都是我们修道的助缘。病来了，也不必忧；贫来了，也不用愁。有一首偈颂这样说：

我见他人死，
我心热如火；
不是热他人，
看看轮到我。

It's also said, “It's hard for the rich and honorable to cultivate.” If a person is wealthy, he can have everything the way he wants, so why should he want to cultivate? So poverty and illnesses are all aiding conditions to our cultivation. When we get sick, there's no need to be depressed. If we're poor, there's no reason to be worried. There's a verse which goes,

When I see someone die,
My heart burns like fire.
It's not burning because of him,
But because I know it will soon be my turn.

自己贫、病，固然应增长修道的心，就是看见别人贫病老死，也要引以为惕。人生有如“长江后浪推前浪”，若能及时发愿往生，则事前有个准备，不至临时手足无措，手忙脚乱了。好像国家若不经过一番变乱，人民都会耽娱爱乐，不晓得爱国卫土。现在的佛教也是如此，现在的人都不谋复兴佛教，所以佛教便显得萎靡。

If we are poor or sick ourselves, of course we should quickly resolve to cultivate. If we see others who are poor, sick, aging and dying, we should also take it as a warning. Life is like a succession of waves. If we can make a vow to be reborn, then we will be prepared in advance. We won't be in a frantic scramble when it comes time to die. It is just like if a country hasn't passed through times of disorder, the people will indulge in pleasures, and not know that they should be patriotic and defend their country. That's the situation Buddhism is in right now. Currently no one is working to make Buddhism prosper, so Buddhism seems rather low in spirit.

要知道提倡佛教，责任不单单在比丘或比丘尼身上，而是在每一个佛教徒的身上，若是我们每个人都这样引咎自责，那么，还愁佛教不发展吗？现在有些佛教徒以为佛教不及外教时髦，所以不敢对人说自己是个佛教徒，甚至于还附和别人说佛教是迷信的，你说，这样可悲不可悲？譬如九龙的道风山上有一个外道的团体，专门收容那些佛教的比丘及比丘尼，经过他们一番“改造”之后，那些忘本的人竟然毁谤佛教。

We should realize that it is not only the Bhikshus and Bhikshunis who are responsible for promoting Buddhism. It is the responsi-bility of every Buddhist. If each and every one of us can take up the responsibility, how can we worry that Buddhism will not thrive?

But now, there are some Buddhists who think Buddhism is not as fashionable as other religions, so they don't dare to tell anyone they are Buddhist. In fact, they even agree with others that Buddhism is mere superstition. Isn't that pathetic? For example, there's a non-Buddhist group at Daofeng Shan in Jiulung (Hong Kong) which specializes in accepting Buddhist monks and nuns. After they are brainwashed, they forget their roots and actually slander Buddhism.

所以真心信佛的人，应宁死不变，提起勇气来，不可因为别人的讥笑或利诱而变志。如果每个人都不忘记自己是个佛教徒，那么佛教复兴是必然的。

People who truly believe in Buddhism would rather die than change their faith. We should pluck up our courage, and not let our resolve waver even if others make fun of us or tempt us. If every Buddhist remembers that he is a Buddhist, Buddhism will naturally prosper again.

一般的外道虽然目前盛极一时，可是天道循环，物极必反，大家切不可被外表的兴衰而动摇自己的心志啊！真理是不灭的，佛教的复兴全凭大家的努力！

Although other religions may experience temporary prosperity, the way of Heaven is a cycle, and when one extreme is reached, things turn around. No one should let their resolve be influenced by superficial signs of prosperity or decline. The truth is never extinguished. The flourishing of Buddhism depends on everyone's hard work!

一九五八年六月十七日上午开示