妄想是开悟的绊脚石，参“念佛是谁？”就是一把金刚王宝剑，能斩断一切的妄想。释迦牟尼佛在菩提树下，初成正觉时，便说：“奇哉！奇哉！大地众生，无不具有如来智慧德相，但因妄想 执著，不能证得。”佛明明白白地告诉我们，为什么不能成佛？就因为妄想执著，所以要破妄想执著。如何破法呢？就用“谁”字，向下凿，凿到水落石出，便是成功时。

Idle thoughts are a stumbling block to getting enlightened. Investigating "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" is a Vajra-king jeweled sword which can cut through all idle thoughts. When Shakyamuni Buddha first accomplished Right Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, he said, "How strange, how strange! All living beings, without exception, possess the wisdom and virtuous characteristics of the Tathagata (the Buddha). It is because of their idle thoughts and attachments that they cannot certify to them." The Buddha clearly told us why we can't become Buddhas. It's simply because of our idle thoughts and attachments. So we must break through these idle thoughts and attachments. How do we break through them? We use the word "Who?" We drill down into it, drilling until the truth is brought to light. That's when we succeed.

参禅，就是参这个“念佛是谁？”时时刻刻在脑海中研究这个问题，不间断地研究。时间一长，自然有消息。所谓：

久坐有禅，久住有缘。

When we meditate, we are investigating the question, "Who is reciting the Buddha's name?" At all times, in the ocean of our consciousness, we look into this question without cease. After doing this for a long time, there will naturally be good news. It's said,

After we sit for a long time,
    Chan will appear.
After dwelling somewhere for a long time,
    we will have affinities.

坐的时间久了，自然有禅。居住的时间久了，东邻西舍自然有缘份，情感融洽，和平相处。参禅参到火候时，不但没有妄想，而且脾气小了，烦恼少了，人品高了，气度也大了。这时候，智慧现前，明白是非，辨别善恶，把贪瞋痴清理得干干净净，只有戒定慧大放光明，照见五蕴皆空。

After sitting for a long enough time, we will experience the states of Chan. And when we live somewhere long enough, we develop affinities with our neighbors. We will share a harmonious relation-ship and live peacefully together.

When we have investigated Chan to the point that our skill is close to perfection, not only will we be free of idle thoughts, but our temper will also be smaller, our afflictions will be fewer, our personality will be noble, and our mind capacity will also be great. At that time, wisdom will come forth. We will understand how to tell right from wrong. We will be able to clearly discriminate between good and evil. We will have washed clean our greed, hatred, and stupidity, so that only the light of precepts, concentration, and wisdom remains, revealing that the Five Aggregates are all empty.