学佛法要拿出真心，一举一动，一言一行都要往真的做。不像世间人，半真半假，有时说点真话，有时说点假话。修道人时时要讲真话，做真事，不打妄语。每一念都要除我们自己的毛病，自己往昔无量劫习气都要改掉，无量劫以来的罪业都要忏悔。

In studying Buddhism, you must bring forth a true mind. In every move you make and every word you say, you should aim to be true. Don't be like worldly people, half true and half false, sometimes telling the truth and sometimes telling lies. Cultivators must always speak truthfully, do true deeds, and not tell lies. In every thought, we must get rid of our own faults. We must correct the bad habits we have formed since limitless eons in the past and repent of the offenses created in limitless eons.

为什么学佛法学得很久，却都没有相应呢？就因为保护着我们的过错，不肯拿出真心修行，所以把光阴都空过，也没有开真正智慧，也没得真正的定力。时间空过，自己道业也没成就，这是很可惜的一件事。

Why haven't we had any response after studying the Buddha-dharma for so long? It's because we have defended our own faults and have not brought forth a true resolve to cultivate. Therefore, we have wasted all this time and have not achieved any real wisdom or attained any real samadhi. The time has passed in vain, and we have not had any accomplishment in our cultivation. This is very lamentable.

在道场里，要节省一切物质，所谓：

爱惜常住物，
如护眼中珠。

In the monastery, we must be thrifty with all materials. It is said,

Cherish the things of the temple
As if they were the pupils in your own eyes.

“常住物”，譬如所吃的米、油、酱、醋，要爱惜，不要糟蹋，不要浪费。所用的甚至一根草，一块木头，一张纸都要爱惜保护；在这上面若不小心，不知惜福，就把功德都漏掉了。

The things of the temple include the rice, oil, sauce, and vinegar that we consume. We should cherish them and not let them spoil and go to waste. We should cherish and take care of even a blade of grass, a piece of wood, or a sheet of paper that we use. If we are not careful in this and do not cherish our blessings, all our merit and virtue will leak out. Then,

所修的，不如所造的；
所得的，不如所丢的。

Our offenses will exceed our blessings, and
Our losses will surpass our gains.

再者，一举一动，一言一行都不要伤害到其它的人，口上也要存德，不说绮语、妄语、恶口、两舌，口德特别要注意；身不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫；意念里不犯贪、瞋、痴，不要尽为这臭皮囊着想，心心念念要为它偷东西吃，心心念念想要把这臭皮囊装饰得好看一点，心心念念想叫这臭皮囊享受一点，快乐一点，这都是颠倒。我们若想出离三界，脱离六道轮回，都要把这习气改掉。情爱也要把它看空了，才能遂心满愿，成就你的菩提道果。

Moreover, in our every move and every word, we must not hurt anyone else. We should guard the virtue of our mouth, not speaking frivolous words, untruthful words, harsh words, or words which cause disharmony. We should pay special attention to the virtue of our mouth. With our body, we should not kill, steal, or be promiscuous. In our mind, we should not have greed, hatred, or stupidity. We shouldn't always be worrying about our stinking skinbag, finding good things to feed it in every thought, trying to make it more attractive in every thought. In thought after thought, you only want the stinking skinbag to enjoy more pleasure─that's upside down. If we want to escape the Triple Realm and leave the six paths of rebirth, we must get rid of all these bad habits. We must also see through love and emotion. Only then can we fulfill our vows and accomplish the fruition of Bodhi.

“修道不能享福”，要记得佛教的老祖宗──释迦牟尼佛当初修道时，贵为太子，富可敌国，他能毅然出家修道。以他的身分来说，虽然出家仍然可吃好的，穿好的，住一座好房子，可是他没有这样做，他跑到雪山那里，忍苦、忍饿、忍寒、忍热，在那儿修行了六年，在这六年之间没有吃过什么好的东西，也没有各处去叫人供养他，就是在那儿受苦。

In cultivation, we cannot enjoy our blessings. We must remember that when Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, started cultivating, he was a noble prince of tremendous wealth. Nevertheless, he resolutely left the home-life to cultivate the Way. Given his status, even after he left home he could have eaten well, dressed well, and lived in a fine house, but he didn't. He went to the Himalayas and cultivated for six years, enduring pain, hunger, cold and heat. During those six years, he never ate any good food or went around asking people to make offerings to him. He just endured the suffering.

以释迦牟尼佛那种富贵的身分，尚且自己愿意受苦来修行，我们又是什么身分呢？不过是很普通平凡的人，为什么要穿好、吃好、住好，贪图享受，受不了苦，怕受苦？想想，比起释迦牟尼佛，我们是不是要生大惭愧？

Even with his position of wealth and honor, Shakyamuni Buddha was willing to suffer and cultivate. What is our position? We are just ordinary, common people, yet why do we still want to dress well, eat well, live well, and enjoy ourselves? Why can't we take suffering? Why do we fear suffering? Think about it. When we compare ourselves to Shakyamuni Buddha, shouldn't we feel great remorse?