末法时代是魔强法弱的时候；魔王的势力一天比一天扩大，佛的势力一天比一天缩小。佛本来是不讲势力，而是说威德。众生福报大时，是法强魔弱；众生福报小时，就魔强法弱：正好相反。

The Dharma-ending Age is a time when demons are strong and the Dharma is weak. The power of the demon kings grows day by day, while the power of the Buddhas decreases day by day. Actually, we don't speak of the Buddhas as having power; we say they have awesome virtue. When living beings have great blessings, the Dharma is strong and demons are weak. When living beings have few blessings, demons are strong and the Dharma is weak.

现在全世界人类的生命犹如累卵，如鸡蛋山一般。若是其中有一个鸡蛋碰碎了，那整个鸡蛋山都会崩倒塌碎，人的生命岌岌可危，也正是如此。现在世界上，到处充满魔子魔孙、魔王魔民。你若说真理，没有人听；要是讲邪说，则不知有多少人相信。好像讲经说法时，虽然有人来听，但是都还是有点勉强，并不是真正欢喜。可是要是唱戏、看电影、跳舞，人人都是争先恐后。由这点就可以看出，人心不古，道德沦亡，这也是魔王用魔势力与魔通来扰乱世界人类的一个表现。

The existence of the human race in the world is as precarious as a mountain of eggs. If one egg breaks, the whole mountain of eggs will topple and shatter; likewise, people's lives are in great peril. The world is filled with the offspring of demons, demon kings and demon subjects. Few people wish to listen to the truth, while countless people eagerly put their faith in false doctrines. People are reluctant to listen to Sutra lectures and show no enthusiasm for the Dharma. But if you ask them to go to a play, see a movie, or go dancing, they jump at the chance. People are not the way they used to be; their morals have degenerated. This is a sign that the demon kings are using their demonic powers to confuse people and wreak havoc in the world.

现在最大的妖怪就是计算机，这种东西发明之后，把人弄得有如废物一般，毫无用处，什么事都要求教于它。它把人“电”得麻木不仁，令人萎靡不振，醉生梦死，什么事都不懂：这不是怪物是什么？这种法术是魔的鬼智所想出来的。

The biggest monster nowadays is the computer. Its invention has made people worthless and useless, because they rely on it for everything. The computer has turned people into numb and dispirited morons who live as if drunk or dreaming and don't understand anything. If it's not a monster, what is it? It's a product of demonic intelligence.

还有一种妖怪出现于世，就是电视。这种产品把人迷惑得黑白不分、是非不辨、事理不明。在电视上教小孩子颠倒迷惑，如何杀人、放火、偷盗、强奸、吃毒药，这都是被电视所影响的：所以计算机、电视是两种大怪物。虽然是怪物，人还不认识明白，反而拿它当宝贝，花大笔金钱去买。

Another monster that has come to the world is the television. Television has deluded people to the point that they cannot tell black from white and right from wrong. They are no longer clear about facts and principles. The programs shown on television teach children to be deluded and confused. Those programs teach them to commit murder, arson, robbery, and rape, and to take drugs. These crimes are all due to the influence of television. The computer and the television are two big monsters, but people don't recognize this. Instead, they treat them as prized possessions, spending fortunes to acquire them.

还有另一种怪物，是火箭、卫星，它们可以打上太空。接着下来就是原子弹、氢气弹、死光等杀人武器。“死光”这名词太不好了，全“死光”了，早晚都会死光的。这都是魔王发明出来的戾气武器，想令人类死光灭绝，魔王又用种种方法来陪衬，做怪物的帮凶，放出种种毒气，染污所有动植物，令人像喝了迷魂汤似的，东西南北四维上下都分不清了，这都是魔的力量。

There is another class of monsters that includes rockets and satellites, which can be launched into space. Then there are atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, lasers, and other deadly weapons. In Chinese, the word “laser” (literally, “death beam”) is terrible, because it sounds like the expression “all are dead”; that is, sooner or later we will all be dead. These violent weapons were invented by demon kings who wish to annihilate the human race. The demons praise and act as accomplices to these monsters. They emit all sorts of toxic vapors that contaminate plants and animals and intoxicate people, making them disoriented as if they had taken drugs.

现在有一种魔是从天外天来的，他想毁灭世界，所以专门在消灭人的手段上下功夫。他们喷一种毒气在五谷上，人吃了就中毒；喷到一切畜生身上，人吃了肉类也中毒；又喷到一切鱼鳖及海里的生物，人吃海鲜就中毒，生癌症而死。他们还在人用的日用品上，都洒上慢性毒药。拿卫生纸来说，他在纸厂那地方洒上一种香水，就令人生直肠癌，百病丛生。看看以前人没有用香味卫生纸，这类的怪病就没有那么多。

Now there is a class of demons from the air that want to destroy the world. They are out to ruin mankind. They spray toxic vapors onto the crops, so that people who consume them become poisoned. They also spray toxins on poultry, livestock, fish, and other aquatic creatures, so that people who eat meat and seafood become poisoned, contract cancer, and die. In addition, they spray a slow-acting poison on the things we use every day. For example, the perfume used in the toilet paper causes serious diseases such as cancer of the rectum. In the past, when people didn't use perfumed toilet paper, they didn't contract such strange diseases.

现在最严重的毒，就是人人舍不了的纸币。魔在纸币上洒一种毒气，人一摸到就得了贪病。什么东西都要贪多，无论是吃、穿、住、行等等，尤其金钱更要贪多，总是想尽方法来找钱，在脑里患上贪钱的癌症，这种毒最不可救药！

The most serious source of poison nowadays is the “greenback” which people cannot bear to part with. The demons spray their poison onto the dollar bills, so that as soon as people touch them, they become avaricious. They are greedy for more of everything, whether it is food, clothes, housing, or activities. They are especially greedy for money, and they rack their brains trying to think of ways to get it. Their brains are poisoned with greed for money, and no medicine can save them.

在三千大千世界里，因为有万佛在万佛圣城，才可以使毒气远离。在这个地方学佛法的人，不贪、不争、不求、不自私、不自利，所以不会中钱毒。又不吃肉，所以肉类的毒也不能侵入。（编按：后来又加了不打妄语，成为六大宗旨。）

However, because of the ten thousand Buddhas at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, there is still a way to avoid these poisons in this universe. The people who study the Dharma at this place aren't greedy, don't fight, don't seek anything, aren't selfish and don't want personal gain. [Editor's note: Later “not lying” was also added, making the Six Guide-lines.] Thus, they won't be poisoned by money. They don't ingest the poisons in meat.

因为只吃斋，蔬菜是天然植物，本身有一种解毒的力量，所以无论妖魔鬼怪洒什么毒，等会儿就会自然解毒：所以吃蔬菜，是健康长寿最好的保证！

Since they eat only natural vegetarian food, they have natural antidotes in their bodies which can neutralize poisons. No matter what kind of poison the demons and monsters spray, it is soon neutralized in their system. Therefore, being vegetarian is the best way to ensure health and long life.

现在我对你们说过之后，诸位想想自己有没有这几种毛病？若有，就赶快改，不要再贪、争、求、自私、自利，你能把这五种毛病除去，就不会中毒。

Now that I have told you this, you should ask yourselves whether you have these faults. If you do, you should quickly change: Stop being greedy, stop fighting, stop seeking, stop being selfish and stop wanting personal gain. If you can eliminate these five faults, you can avoid being poisoned.

还有最要紧的，是把你自己的垃圾扫去，就是把恨、怨、恼、怒、烦扫尽。谁有这些，就还没有把垃圾收拾干净。你的自性若是干净的，就不恨人、不怨人、不恼人、不怒人、不烦人。

Another most important thing is to clean up your own garbage. Sweep away all of your resentment, hatred, vexation, anger, and afflictions. If you still have these, you haven't dumped your garbage yet. If your own nature is clean, you will not hate or resent people, be vexed by people or get angry with them, or trouble them.

所以凡是我的皈依弟子，无论出家弟子或在家弟子，真正对我有信心的人，就要改善自己的习气毛病，清干净自己的垃圾桶。这样子，在这个末法时代，就能借着你的光，支持世界多一个时期。这个世界早晚会毁坏的，但若有人真正修行，这世界就多添一股正气，减少一股邪气；多一股佛势力，少一股魔力。

Therefore, whether you are a left-home person or a layperson, if you have taken refuge with me and truly have faith in me, you must reform your bad habits and faults and empty out your garbage can. Then, in this Dharma-ending Age, the world can borrow your light and hold out a little longer. Sooner or later, this world will be destroyed. However, people who truly cultivate can increase the proper energy and decrease the deviant energy in the world. They can increase the Buddhas' power and decrease the demons' power.

你们不要把我的话当做耳边风，因为它是很重要的，切实关系到现在的问题。

Don't let my words pass by your ears like the wind, because they are very important. They have a real, direct connection with today's problems.

一九八二年九月三十日开示