光阴是过得非常快的，在不知不觉把暑假的时间就过去了。在中国孔子说过，这个人生就好像流水似的，川流不息，过去时光就不会再回来了。又有的人说：

The time passes by very quickly. Without our realizing it, the summer is already over. In China, Confucius compared life to a ceaselessly flowing stream. Time that has gone by can never return. Someone also said,

一寸光阴一寸金； 寸金难买寸光阴。

An inch of time is worth an inch of gold,   But even if one has an inch of gold,   One can hardly buy back an inch of time.

说这一寸的光阴，就好像一寸黄金那么样宝贵。可是这黄金，你若丢了，还可以想法子再把它找回来；这光阴过去了，就没有法子再把它找回来了。由这样看来，这光阴比黄金更贵重。所以，在佛教里说：一寸时光，就是一寸的命光。这个时光已经过去了，这个命光也就少一点。所以才说：“时光减处命光微。”时光减少了，命光也就少一点了。所以我们对这时间一定要看重了，不要把它随随便便地就放过去了。

An inch of time is as valuable as an inch of gold. If you lose gold, it's possible to recover it. Once time has gone by, however, there is no way to get it back. Therefore, time is even more valuable than gold. Thus, in Buddhism we say, "An inch of time is an inch of life." When time grows short, one's life is also shorter. We must certainly value our time and not casually let it go by in vain.

在我们这个暑假的时间，由早晨六点钟就开始，或者打坐，或者研究佛经。那么由早晨到晚间九点钟这段时间，每一个人都很认真地去用功修行。我相信在这个期间，比这个黄金更贵重，比钻石也更有价值，所以大家能以在一起闻熏闻修。在我们每个人生命里头，这段时间可以说是最宝贵、最有价值的一个时间；可惜这个时间不太长，那么转眼之间就过去了。过去了，可是我们每一个人所学的佛法，在每一个人的脑筋里头，在每一个人的八识田里边，都种下去一个宝贵的金刚种子。那么这个种子种下去了，等到将来一定会结金刚不坏的果。金刚不坏的果就是佛果，就是成佛。

During this summer, we have begun our days at six o'clock in the morning, either meditating or studying the Buddhist Sutras. From early in the morning until nine o'clock at night, every person applies himself diligently to cultivation. I believe that this period has been more precious than gold, more valuable than diamonds. Everyone has been together, being permeated and influenced by what we have heard and cultivated. This period of time could be considered a most precious and valuable time in each of our lives. It's a pity that this time is not that long; it has passed by in the twinkling of an eye. Although it is over, the Buddhadharma that each of us has learned has planted a precious vajra seed in our brain and in the field of our eight consciousness. This seed has been planted, and in the future it will certainly bear the indestructible fruit of vajra. The indestructible vajra fruit is also the Buddha-fruit; in other words, we will become Buddhas.

那么在什么时候成呢？这就看我们每一个人自己的耕耘灌溉。这个种子种下去了，但是好像种田似的，种到地里头，你必须要给它灌一点水，除一除草，把这个地耕得掀腾起来。那么你把这个地的草除去，就是怎么样呢？就我们每一个人要时时刻刻防微杜渐。怎么叫防微呢？防微就是防备、预防这个微细处，我们的心念不要打妄想，不要令它生很多杂念。不要有妄想，不要有杂念，这叫防微杜渐。防就是防备，防备着这个很微细的念头生起来；杜渐就是杜绝，杜绝这一切的妄想，这个妄想把它没有了。

When will we become Buddhas? It depends on our own efforts at tilling and irrigating the fields. The seed has been planted in the ground, but, just as in farming, you have to water it, pull the weeds, and turn the soil by tilling it, making it soft so that the seed can sprout. How do you pull the weeds out? What does it mean to weed the ground? It means that at all times, each one of us must "guard against what is subtle and stop what is gradually going to happen." That is, we must guard against the arising of very subtle thoughts. We must put a stop to all false thoughts, getting rid of them completely.