为什么要修道？为成佛。怎样能成佛？初步修“诸恶莫作，众善奉行。”进一步“勤修戒定慧，息灭贪瞋痴。”再进一步“发菩提心，行菩萨道。”所以在未成佛之前，要选择光明平坦的大道去行，不可以贪图方便，去走崎岖小路，那会迷失方向。谨之！慎之！

Why does a person want to cultivate the Way? Because he wants to become a Buddha. How does one become a Buddha? The first step is to "Avoid doing evil deeds, but respectfully practice all good deeds." The next step is to "Diligently cultivate precepts, concentration, and wisdom; put an end to greed, hatred, and stupidity." The next step is to make the great resolve for Bodhi, and cultivate the Bodhisattva Path. Thus, before one has realized Buddhahood, one must choose the broad, level, great road of light to travel on. We can't plan to get off cheaply by walking the treacherous, narrow bypaths, or else it's easy to lose our direction. Pay heed to this! Take care!

真正的修行人，依法修持，不怕苦、不怕难，勇猛前进，直达佛果。所谓：

铁杵磨绣针，
功到自然成。

Real cultivators rely on the Dharma in their cultivation. They fear no pain, and they fear no difficulty, but make courageous advance all the way to Buddhahood. A saying goes:

Grind the iron pillar down to
     sewing-needle size.
Your efforts will bear fruit when
     the work matures.

用功用到极点，自然成就佛果。不可标异现奇，不可自夸其德，有这种思想的人，是永远都不会成佛的。

Simply apply effort to the ultimate point and you'll naturally accomplish Buddhahood. Don't try to show yourself off as somebody special or unusual, and don't brag about your virtue. People who have such thoughts will never attain Buddhahood.

开五眼的境界，能见十方诸佛，在那里怎样用功修行，怎样成佛果；能见十方诸菩萨，在那里怎样用功修行，怎样成菩萨果；能见十方诸阿罗汉，在那里怎样用功修行，怎样成阿罗汉果。这些境界，皆一目了然。

If you realize a state in which you have use of the Five Spiritual Eyes, then you'll be able to see how all Buddhas throughout the ten directions cultivate to attain Buddhahood. You'll see how all Bodhisattvas of the ten directions cultivate to attain Bodhisattva-hood. And you'll see how all Arhats in the ten directions cultivate to attain Arhatship. States such as these will reveal themselves to you with a single glance.

开五眼的人，一念之间，能将佛所说的三藏十二部经典，通达明了，照了诸法实相。

Someone who has opened the Five Eyes can, in a single instant, thoroughly understand the ultimate reality of all dharmas and comprehend the entire Twelve Divisions and Three Treasuries of the Canon the Buddha spoke.

三皈依的文说：

自皈依佛，当愿众生，
体解大道，发无上心。

自皈依法，当愿众生，
深入经藏，智慧如海。

自皈依僧，当愿众生，
统理大众，一切无碍。

The verse for taking refuge with the Triple Jewel says:

To the Buddha I return and rely,
Vowing that all living beings
Understand the Great Way profoundly,
And bring forth the Bodhi-mind.

To the Dharma I return and rely,
Vowing that all living beings
Deeply enter the Sutra-treasury,
And have wisdom like the sea.

To the Sangha I return and rely,
Vowing that all living beings
Form together a great assembly,
One and all in harmony.

如能“深入经藏，智慧如海”，这时候，无所不通、无所不明、无所不知、无所不见，这才是大彻大悟。不可因小失大，为贪图小境界，而把本有的大圆镜智遮住了，那就不能深入经藏，不能智慧如海。

If one can "deeply enter the Sutra-treasury and have wisdom like the sea," there will be nothing he does not fathom, nothing he does not understand, nothing he does not know, and nothing he does not see; this is great and penetrating enlightenment. Don't miss out on the great because you cling to the small. Don't allow your greed for petty states to obscure the Great, All-encompassing, Mirror-like Wisdom that is inherently yours. If you do, you won't be able to deeply enter the Sutra-treasury and have wisdom like the sea.

开大智慧的人，绝对不贪小境界。凡是贪小境界的人，乃是不认识真假，把黄金当黄铜，或把黄铜当黄金，甚至于不要钻石而要玻璃。为什么？因为没有辨别真假的能力。

People who realize great wisdom definitely would not crave petty states. Someone who is greedy for petty states is someone who does not clearly distinguish truth from falsehood; he mistakes brass for gold and assumes that gold is brass. He would rather have a piece of crystal than a diamond. Why? Because he can't distinguish between true and false.

修道要有正知正见，不可颠倒是非，黑白要分清楚，不可鱼目混珠，不可滥竽充数。否则就是邪知邪见，永不成佛。

Cultivation of the Way requires proper knowledge and proper views. You must not confuse right and wrong. You have to distinguish black from white clearly. Avoid mistaking fish-eyes for pearls. Don't march in place just to kill time. Otherwise, you will acquire wrong knowledge and views and will never succeed in cultivation of Buddhahood.

什么是正知正见？浅言之，没有三毒心，身心就会清净，智慧就会现前，能照破无明的黑暗，能灭除烦恼的热病。到这种境界，便证得果位。希望大家向这个目标迈进。

What are proper knowledge and views? Simply put, if we can get rid of the three poisons in our thoughts, then our body and mind will be pure. Wisdom will appear before us, and we'll be able to illuminate right through the darkness of ignorance and put an end to the feverish illness of afflictions. Only at this stage can we attain the positions of sagehood. I hope that all of you will advance towards this goal!