所谓“家家都有一本难念的经”，这本经什么时候能念完？什么时候能不难念？谁也不知道。

我们修道的人，可以说把这本难念的经，已经念完了。现在念的经，是容易念的经。

It is said, “Every family has a Sutra that’s hard to read.” [Every family has a skeleton in the closet.] When can we finish reading this Sutra? Or when will this Sutra not be so hard to read? No one knows. We cultivators can say that we have finished reading this difficult Sutra. Now we are reading the easy Sutras.

我今天对大家说这个因缘，提醒大家要认识“生老病死”的问题。遇到这种境界，要想得开，放得下，不要被境界所缠缚。最好对境无心，视为平常。人能不动心，就是如如不动，了了常明。

Today I tell you of these causes and conditions, reminding you to recognize the question of birth, old age, sickness, and death. When we encounter these states, we should be able to put them down and not be bound by them. It is best if you can face a state with no mind, regarding it as something ordinary. If you can remain unmoved in your mind, then you are in a state of unmoving thusness and clear and constant understanding.

世间的人，都被境界所转，而不能转境界。所以漫无目标，拿不定宗旨， 糊糊涂涂一辈子，生来糊涂，死去糊涂。所以上一回当，不知觉悟，又上一回当，在六道中流转，好像赌钱一样，赌输了还想下注。

People in this world are often influenced by situations, instead of being the ones who influence situations. That’s why they are aimless and cannot hold on to their principles. People are born muddled, live their whole lives muddled, and die muddled. We are cheated once, don’t learn anything from it, and come back to be cheated again; in that way we revolve in the six paths. It’s like gambling-you’ve already lost but you still want to make bets.

所谓“省吃俭用下大注。”凡夫总想孤注一掷，将所输的钱，一下子赢回来，可是越赌越输，越输越赌，乃至陷在淤泥中，拔不出腿来。结果倾家荡产，把本有的家珍、自性的法宝，统统丢掉了，还不知返本还原，也不知回光返照，反迷归觉；更不知背尘合觉。在人世间，生了又死，死了又生，在生死苦海中挣扎。努力向上爬，刚刚爬出头，又掉下去。如此周而复始，永无了期。

There’s a saying, “Live frugally so you can place a big bet.” Trying to win back their lost money, ordinary people always want to stake everything on one bet. But the more you gamble the more you lose, and the more you lose the more you want to gamble, until you find yourself sinking in quicksand, unable to pull yourself out. In the end you lose everything, including your family heirlooms and the Dharma treasures of your own nature. All is lost, and still you fail to return to the source and go back to the origin. You don’t reflect within and return from delusion to enlightenment; you don’t unite with enlightenment and go against the dust. Being born and dying in this world again and again, you struggle in the bitter sea of birth and death. You strive to climb out, but just as you get your head above the waves, you’re submerged again. Thus the cycle goes on, never coming to an end.

出家人就要努力修行，否则，逃不出六道轮回。若能急流勇退，知道赌钱不是好事，所谓“浪子回头金不换”，这时，晓得“谁赌博谁输钱，不赌博就赢钱”的真理。好像下棋，总有输赢，下棋的人，永远不是输，永远不是赢。这种哲理，令我们对境明心，因事悟道。

各位善知识！要痛念生死，发菩提心，不要再在苦海中浮沉。凡是不愿离开苦海的人，便是愚痴人。若贪恋红尘，以为乐事，那么这本难念的经，就永远也念不完。我们已经出了家，不要再念这本念不完的经。

Those of you who have entered the monastic life must cultivate diligently, otherwise you won’t be able to escape rebirth in the six paths. If you can quickly withdraw, and know that gambling is no good, then as the saying goes, “The return of a prodigal son is something that even gold can’t buy.” At that time you will know the truth of the saying, “Whoever gambles, loses money; whoever doesn’t gamble, wins money.” Just as in chess, there are always winners and losers. A chess player won’t always lose, nor will he always win. With that principle, we can understand our mind and awaken to the Way as we face situations. Good advisors: Take birth and death seriously, develop the Bodhi mind, and stop bobbing up and down in the sea of suffering. People who aren’t willing to leave the sea of suffering are fools. If we crave worldly pleasures, we’ll never finish reading this difficult Sutra. We have already left the home life, so we shouldn’t waste time reading this difficult Sutra that can never be finished.