在佛教里，在家人对出家人要恭敬，不可目空一切，瞧不起出家人，批评出家人，要供养出家人，要赞叹出家人，这样才不会有“慢”业。否则就是贡高我慢，不但得不到功德，反而造罪业。从因果上来讲，这一定会堕落三恶道的。但是话又说回来，我们出家人接受在家人的供养，令他们种福田，也要回光返照想一想，自己是否天天认真修行？所谓：

In Buddhism, the laypeople should respect the left-home people. Laypeople should not be arrogant, look down on left-home people, or criticize them. Laypeople should make offerings to and praise left-home people, and thus avoid creating the karma of contempt. If laypeople have a haughty or contemptuous attitude, not only will they not have any merit and virtue, but they'll also be creating offense karma. Due to cause and effect, such people will definitely fall into the three evil paths. On the other hand, when receiving laypeople's offerings and thus acting as a field of blessings for them, we left-home people should reflect within and contemplate whether we have been cultivating earnestly every day. It is said,

施主一粒米，
重如须弥山；

A single grain of rice offered
Is as heavy as Mount Sumeru.

吃了不修道，
披毛戴角还。

If one accepts the offering
 and doesn't cultivate,
Then one has to repay the debt
 by wearing fur and horns.

我们既然受人的恭敬，自己要反省一下，自己值不值得受人恭敬？自己穿上出家人的衣服，是不是还和在家人一样？是不是天天打无益的妄想？是不是一天到晚发脾气？一天到晚妒忌障碍，或妨碍他人修道？若是有这样的情形，就不堪受人家的恭敬和供养，纵使勉强接受，还是有愧于心的。

Since people respect us, we must reflect within: are we worthy of people's respect? Though dressed like left-home people, are we the same as laypeople? Do we have useless idle thoughts every day? Do we lose our temper all the time? Are we jealous and obstructive? Do we hinder other people's cultivation? If this is the case, then we don't deserve laypeople's offerings or their respect. If we still accept these, then we should feel indebted inside.

我们修道人，要时刻注意，不可糊里糊涂在道场中混光阴，这样接受在家人的供养，实在是大错而特错的事。

We cultivators should heed this at all times, so that we don't muddleheadedly dawdle in the Way-place. It would be a huge mistake to accept laypeople's offerings in such a way.

为什么在家人要供养出家人，护出家人的法？因为出家人专心修道，没有世俗人那么多的妄想，那样多的烦恼、妒忌。如果能这样，对于在家人的恭敬和供养，才能受之无愧。如果不认真修行，甚至不如在家人的虔诚，那就没有受人恭敬和供养的资格。这一点要深深觉悟，不可鱼目混珠，在佛教里面混饭吃。

Why should the laypeople make offerings to and support left-home people? Because left-home people concentrate on cultivation. They don't have as much idle thinking, affliction, and jealousy as laypeople do. If you can be this way, then you'll be worthy of respect and offerings from laypeople. If you don't diligently cultivate, and aren't even as sincere as the laypeople, then you don't deserve their respect or offerings. You should understand this well. Don't “pass fish eyes off as pearls,” eating your meals but being idle within Buddhism.

在家人供养出家人的时候，也不可以有分别心、选择心：“这位法师有修行，我要供养他；那位法师没有道行，我不供养他。”不要有这种不正当的心理。无论在什么地方，都应该供养三宝，不要挑三宝的错，吹毛求疵。若是专找三宝的毛病，那是贡高我慢作怪，根本谈不上护持三宝。

When making offerings to left-home people, laypeople shouldn't pick and choose. “This Dharma Master cultivates, so I like to make offerings to him, that Dharma Master doesn't cultivate, so I won't make offerings to him.” We should not have this kind of improper attitude. No matter where we are, we should always make offerings to the Triple Jewel, and not carp and pick on the Triple Jewel. If we always look at the Triple Jewel's faults, we are being arrogant and failing to protect the Triple Jewel.

我们在道场中不要造罪业，要多做功德，才能将以前的罪业抵消。首先应该忏悔，所谓“弥天大罪，一忏便消。”要如何忏悔呢？要在四众面前，将罪业全盘托出，一五一十说个清楚，并发誓从今以后绝不再犯，这样佛菩萨一定会宽恕你，替你了业。因为以前你是无心的，但是今后如果再犯，就是有意的，所谓“明知故犯”。若是这样，你就算忏悔，也是没有用的，这就成为定业，将来必定要受果报的。我们人不可以存着一种心理，想：“我白天造罪，晚上祈祷，那就无罪了。”这样周而复始地造业，而继续祈祷，成为例行公事，那将来的罪业，积得犹如须弥山那么高，焉能不堕地狱呢？

We shouldn't create offenses in the Way-place; rather, we should create more merit and virtue to offset the offenses that we committed before. First of all, we should repent. It is said, “Once repented of, great offenses will be eradicated.” How do we repent? We should make a clean breast of all our offenses in front of the fourfold assembly and vow not to repeat those offenses. Then the Buddhas and Bod-hisattvas will forgive us and help us eradicate our karma, since the offenses were not committed intentionally.

However, if we deliberately commit the same offense again, repentance won't help. Our act will become fixed karma and in the future we will definitely receive the retribution. We shouldn't think that if we create offenses during the day, we can simply pray at night to eradicate these offenses, and so keep on creating more offenses while continuously praying, turning it into a routine. In the future, the offenses accumulated will be as high as Mount Sumeru, so how could one avoid falling into hell this way?

在我们的道场中，有十方诸佛的化身，有十方诸菩萨的化身，也有辟支佛、阿罗汉等诸圣人的化身，又有天龙八部在护法。我们在道场中，若尽找人家的麻烦，尽找人家的不对，这就等于找十方诸佛、菩萨、辟支佛、阿罗汉诸圣人的不对一样。

In our Way-place, there are transformation bodies of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and transformation bodies of Pratyekabuddhas, Arhats, and other sages. There are also gods and dragons of the eightfold division. They are all here to protect the Dharma. If we constantly find fault with other people in the Way-place, that's equal to finding fault with all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and sages.

在道场中一边修行，一边造业，修的没有造的多，这就等于在银行透支一样，补不上差额，将来终会信用破产的。所谓：

If we cultivate in the Way-place on the one hand, and create karma on the other, and our cultivation is less than the offenses we create, this is just like overdrawing a bank account. If we cannot make up the deficit, we'll go bankrupt. It's said,

善恶两条道，
修的修，造的造。

Good and evil are two diverging roads.
You can either cultivate the good,
Or commit offenses.

不要在道场中，只知道造恶的业，不知造善的业。要常找自己的不是，不要找人家的不对。如果专找人家的麻烦，障碍人家修道，不但对自己没有好处，将来还要受果报，这后果不言可知。

Don't just create evil karma and neglect creating good karma in this Way-place. We should always examine our own faults and not denounce others. If we just harass others and obstruct them in their cultivation, then not only will there be no benefit for us, but in the future we will also receive the retribution. The consequences go without saying.