各位小朋友！把身挺直直的，静心坐在禅凳上，我今天要对你们说几句话。你们好像小树，一天比一天长高，将来可作栋梁之材。你们将来是国家的栋梁，要做一番轰轰烈烈的大事业，为世界求和平，为人类谋幸福。你们生在这个国家（美国），就应该把这个国家治理得好好的，使这个国家没有战争，永远平安，乃至使全世界所有的国家，都得到平安，这是你们的责任。

Young friends, sit upright on your meditation cushions and calm your minds. I want to say a few words to you today. You are just like young trees growing taller day by day, and in the future you will become pillars of support. You are the future supporting pillars of your country. You should do great things and work for world peace and the welfare of humankind. Since you are born in this country, you should help manage and govern this country so that there will be no wars and life will always be secure and peaceful. Then you should extend your effort so that all the countries of this world will also have peace. That is your duty.

现在就要把救国救民的基础打坚固，首先要学做好人，即是向好人学习，不要学坏人。什么是好人？就是在家中孝顺父母，在学校恭敬师长，在社会为人群服务，在政府为民谋幸福，这是好人的标准。什么是坏人？就是自私自利、见利忘义的人。好人治理国家，使国家能富强而无战争；坏人治理国家，能令国家灭亡。

Now is the time to build a solid foundation in order to save the country and the people. First of all you must learn to be a good person. This means learning from good people, not from bad ones. Who is a good person? A person who is filial to his parents at home, respects his teachers at school, serves the people in society, and works for the welfare of the people when serving in the government. Those are the standards of a good person. Who is a bad person? A person who is selfish and self-benefiting, and who forgets justice when he sees a chance to benefit himself. Under the government of good people a nation will become affluent, strong and peaceful. But if managed by bad people, the nation will collapse.

你们是这个国家的先觉者，因为你们知道尽孝道，知道为人服务，将来要将国家治理的平平安安，把杀人的武器，统统消灭，所谓“马放南山，刀枪入库。”你们的责任，是要化解这世界战争的戾气，使人人都能安居乐业，丰衣足食，这样世界就能成为大同世界。

In this country, you are more conscious than others, since you know about filiality and know how to work for and serve the people. In the future, you can manage this country so that it is safe and peaceful. Destroy all lethal weapons. It is said, "The horses are set free on the south mountain, and weapons are stored in the warehouse." Your responsibility is to dissolve the violent energy of wars in the world, and to allow the people to live securely and happily, well-fed and well-clothed. Then the world will be one of great harmony.

一九八三年八月二十日开示于万佛圣城