性定魔伏朝朝乐，
妄念不起处处安；
心止念绝真富贵，
私欲断尽真福田。

When one's nature is settled,
Demons are subdued,
And every day is happy.
If false thoughts do not arise,
Every place is peaceful.
When the mind stops and thoughts cease,
That is true wealth and honor.
Complete severance of selfish desires
Is truly the field of blessings.

我们为什么有魔障？就因为“性”没有定。如果性定，时时刻刻都是明明了了，清清楚楚。到了这种程度，内观其心，心无其心；外观其形，形无其形；这时身心皆空，远观其物，物也没有了，身心物这三种都没有了，这时只有空理，依空理而起中道。这个中道，没有喜，没有怒，没有哀，没有惧，没有爱，也没有恶，更没有欲，在喜、怒、哀、惧、爱、恶、欲七种感情上，没有波浪。那么在内没有妄想，在外也没有贪求，内外身心都清净，这种境界就是性定，性定就是中道的本体。

Why do we have demonic obstructions? They occur when our nature is not settled. If our nature were stable, it would be lucid and clear at all times. In that state, one inwardly observes the mind, yet there is no mind; one externally observes the physical body, yet there is no physical body. At that time body and mind are both empty. One observes external objects, and they are non-existent too. The body, the mind, and material objects, all three have vanished. There is only the principle of emptiness, and the Middle Way arising from it. In the Middle Way, there is no joy, no anger, no sorrow, no fear, no love, no disgust, and no desire. The seven emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, disgust and desire make no waves. At this point, internally there are no idle thoughts, and externally there is no greed. The body and mind are all clear and pure. This is the state of having a settled nature. A settled nature is the essence of the Middle Way.

性定，就不会被七情的境界所动摇，坚固如金刚山一样。若是见喜时，你知道喜；见怒时，你知道怒，这就证明你还没有性定。或者境界来了，你就生一种贪爱的执著，或生一种憎恶的执著，这就是没有性定。

When the nature is stable, it is as firm as a vajra mountain, not swayed by the states of the seven emotions. If you are delighted by pleasant states and upset by states of anger, your nature is not settled. If you experience greed or disgust when states appear, your nature is not settled.

七情好像海中的波浪，若是白浪滔天，可能将船打翻；若是风平浪静，船就能平安抵达彼岸。修道人首先要将七情认识清楚，但不是知道七情的道理，就没事了，还要控制七情的引诱，调伏七情的作怪，如果不被七情的境界所动摇，那就是性定。

The seven emotions are like waves on the ocean. Mighty tidal waves can wreck a ship, but if the wind is gentle and the waters calm, the ship can sail to the other shore safely. Cultivators need to really understand the seven emotions. It's not enough to know them in principle. We need to know how to control ourselves when these emotions arise. If we aren't influenced by them, then our nature will be settled.

性定了之后，魔就降伏了，他不能再兴风作浪，扰乱修道人的身心。降魔之后，顺境来了也快乐，逆境来了也快乐，无论喜的境界，恶的境界，统统快乐。这种快乐乃是真快乐，不是被外物所诱的快乐，而是内心得到其乐无穷的滋味，时时在快乐，天天在快乐，忧愁、烦恼统统没有了。

Once our nature is settled, the demons are subdued. They can't make waves to disturb cultivators' minds and bodies. With the demons subdued, we'll be happy, whether a good or a bad state manifests. Whether it's a joyful situation or an evil one, we'll be happy either way. This kind of happiness is true happiness, unlike the happiness brought about by external things. Our mind experiences boundless joy. We are happy all the time, and never feel any anxiety or affliction.

性定魔伏就时时快乐，妄念不生就处处得到平安，所谓：

When the nature is settled and demons are subdued, one is always happy. If idle thoughts do not arise, every place is peaceful. It is said,

念动百事有，
念止万事无。

When the mind moves, everything appears;
When the mind stops, all things disappear.

若能不起心动念，身心自然清净平安，所以说：“心止念绝真富贵，私欲断尽真福田。”这是修道的圭皋。不要认贼作子，他会将你的财宝偷光；不要听魔鬼的话，他会欺骗你上当，你中他的诡计便会吃大亏。不要和魔鬼的眷属做好朋友，他们只会陷害你，令你做些颠颠倒倒的糊涂事。

If our minds don't move and thoughts don't arise, our bodies and minds will naturally be pure and peaceful. That's why it's said, “When the mind stops and thoughts cease, that is true wealth and honor. Complete severance of selfish desires is truly the field of blessings.” This is the criterion of cultivation. Don't take a thief for your son. He will steal all your treasures and leave nothing behind. Don't listen to the devil for he will cheat you. If you fall for his schemes you will lose in a big way. Don't befriend the followers of demons, for they'll only ensnare you and cause you to do muddled things.

修道人要性定，才能反迷归觉，舍邪归正。时时刻刻正念现前，就没有任何的烦恼，事情来了，应付一下，不要存攀缘的心；事情去了，不留痕迹，心净如洗。要晓得“三心了不可得”的道理──过去心不可得，现在心不可得，未来心不可得。性定之后，才能破无明，显法性。我们一定要把无明破除，一定要把法性显现，这才达到学佛的目标。

Cultivators should make their natures settled so that they can return from delusion to enlightenment, renounce evil and return to propriety, and have a proper mind at all times. Then there won't be any afflictions. When a situation arises, deal with it, but don't try to exploit it. When the situation is gone, it leaves no trace, and the mind is as pure as if newly washed. Realize that the mind of the past is unattainable, the mind of the present is unattainable, and the mind of the future is unattainable. We should be determined to destroy ignorance and reveal the Dharma-nature. This is our goal in studying Buddhism; however, it can be done only if our nature is settled.

明白之后，依法实行，才算是真正懂佛法了。如果学而不行，无论学多少佛法，无明烦恼还是一大堆，那也是无有是处，这样就算学到尽未来际，也得不到相应处，你真正智慧也不会现前，就算有点智慧，也不过是在皮毛上打转转，不是真的。

Once we understand the Dharma, we should put it into practice, for only then can we be said to truly understand the Buddhadharma. If we study but don't practice, then no matter how much Buddhadharma we learn, it's all useless. We'll still have plenty of ignorance and afflictions, and we'll never obtain any response or be able to reveal our real wisdom. Even if we do gain a little wisdom, we're just skimming the surface.

凡是在万佛圣城修道的人，要爱惜光阴，不可以浪费宝贵的时间，所谓，“一寸时光，一寸命光。”我们在道场所学的佛法，要真真实实地躬行实践，不要敷衍了事混光阴，那就和道相违背了。学佛法最忌讳的就是有始无终，半途而废。我们若是中道自划，停止前进，就会前功尽弃，始终到不了宝所。切记！切记！无论做什么事，都要有始有终，不要被外境所动摇而退失自己的志愿。发愿立志要如同金石，不要被逆境和不如意所摇动，而忘失菩提心。如果失去菩提心，这才是最大的损失。真正明白佛法的人，无论在任何情形之下，都保持菩提心，不会退转菩提心。

People cultivating at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas should cherish this precious time and not waste it. It is said, “An inch of time equals an inch of life.” We should truly and actually practice the Buddhadharma that we learn in this Way-place. Don't dawdle and be perfunctory about things; that would be going against the Way.

If you want to study Buddhism, you should certainly not give up halfway and fail to finish what you started. If you draw a line halfway and stop advancing, all your previous efforts will come to nothing. You will never get to the treasure trove that way. Please remember this. Whatever you are doing, finish the job you have started. Don't be moved by external states and lose your resolve. Your resolve should be as firm as steel; don't be swayed by bad states and disappointments and lose your resolve for Bodhi. The loss of the resolve for Bodhi is the greatest loss. People who truly understand the Buddhadharma will hold on to the Bodhi resolve and not retreat under any circumstances.

如果不懂修行的方法，无论做什么事情，都是虎头蛇尾，有始无终，开始时很勇猛，终了时却很懈怠，那一切就不会圆满，为什么呢？因为“如是因，如是果”，因果是丝毫不爽的。学佛法，就要相信因果，不可错因果，更不可拨无因果，当知因果是万世不变的定律。

People who don't understand the proper way to cultivate will be vigorous in the beginning but lazy toward the end. As a result of their sloppy practice, the outcome of their cultivation will be far from perfect. The principle of cause and effect never fails. In learning Buddhism, one must believe in cause and effect. Don't make mistakes in cause and effect and, above all, don't dismiss it. You should be aware that cause and effect is an unchanging law for all time.

一九八三年七月十日开示
于万佛圣城