你們各位知道嗎？到萬佛城就是到道場，這個道場就是萬佛城。萬佛城就是你們每一個人的道場，你們切記不要放棄你們自己的這個大道場。這個大道場為什麼是你們的呢？我一個人也用不了這麼大的地方嘛！所以這是全世界所有佛教徒的，不是單單我的，不過我在這兒給你們大家看門口。你們都很忙的，都想要去作皇帝，或各作總統，到每一個角落去活動你們自己的工作，或者要作Boss（老板），或者要作總經理，或者要在家裏作Boss。你們各有各人的職務，只有我這一個失業的人，沒有什麼職業，在這兒給你們作個工人，看看門口。
所以等你們若作了皇帝，作了總統，那時候你們更要發大心來護持萬佛城。說：「喔！師父，你盡和人講笑話。」你怎麼知道將來你不作總統，不作作皇帝呢？你來生作皇帝發願說：「我作皇帝的時候，一定要擁護萬佛城，我把我的金鑾殿修到這個萬佛城，佛殿那兒變成金鑾殿，用金子造的。」你看！這都不知道的，在未可料之中啊！
所以我這個皇帝徒弟，現在他不願意回到皇宮裏去了。我今天問他三宮六院怎麼辦？他說：「那不管了，叫她們到萬佛城來。」叫她們到萬佛城來，那就變成是一個修道的地方了。所以這是很重要的。
「建茲法會」：所以我們明年，陽曆多少號我不知道，從舊曆七月二十一號晚間我們要灑淨，二十二號正式打地藏七，念地藏菩薩，或者念「唵嘛呢叭彌吽」。我們以前試過打一個「唵嘛呢叭彌吽」的七，晝夜六時 ，三班換著。一班念八個鐘頭，換那一班；那一班又念八個鐘頭，又換那一班，那麼輪流換著，我們七天這個聲音總是不斷地來念。所以打完了這個七，我看他們美國這些個小孩子都很好玩，很有誠心的，我就寫了一首《宇宙白》的詞，紀念那個法會。
明年我們大家研究研究，你們願意念「唵嘛呢叭彌吽」也可以，你願意念「地藏王菩薩」也可以，我們以七天，晝夜六時來念佛。他們上次，不知道是每一班八個鐘頭啊，是十二個鐘頭，我也不管，他們自己念，我也不參加。你們不要以為在這兒每一個佛事我就要參加。好像有人說：「啊！我們打坐也沒看師父你來呀？」我天天在這兒，你也看不見的，那又怪誰呢？你沒有眼睛你怎麼看得見我？我來了，你也不知道。因為我走路也沒有聲音。我在你身邊過去，你也不知道的。不是講神話，的確的！他以為沒有見著我；沒有見著我，那你到這兒來，你見著誰？
那麼二十二號開始打地藏七，二十二、二十三、二十四、二十五、二十六、二十七；二十七圓滿了，二十八、二十九、三十這幾天都有普佛，還有念佛。我們這個是大約十天的法會，有十天十一天的樣子。你們誰若歡喜來，自己來也好，是團體來也好，不過來的時候，你一定要首先通知我們，我們好準備地方，安排給你們到這兒來用功辦道，這是要緊的。不要突然間來；突然間來，那令我們沒有時間來安排。等打上七的時候，那我們更是也不能去接人，也不能去送人了。
所以我們萬佛城裏，以後無論誰來我們也不接也不送，都當你自己到這兒來；我們若接你送你，那我們這兒用功修道的人都浪費很多時間，這你也沒有功德了。所以我為了成就你們的功德，我們彼此大家要相安無事，都是自己人，不必客氣的。這一點希望你們各位特別特別注意。
待續 |
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Did you know that the Way-place refers to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas? The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is the Way-place we're talking about.The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is everyone's Way-place. You should not give up this great Way-place you have. Why is this Way-place yours? I could not use such a big place all by myself! Therefore, it belongs to every Buddhist in the whole world, not just to myself. I'm just watching the door for everyone. All of you are very busy thinking of ways to become an emperor or a president. You are going off to every comer of the world to realize your ambitions. Perhaps you hope to become a boss, or a manager in a company, or the boss in your household. Each of you has your own role and occupation. I alone am unemployed and without a job, so I can be your worker and watch the door for you.
When you succeed in becoming an emperor or a president, you should make a great resolve to protect and support the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
"Teacher, you must be joking with us," you say.
How do you know you won't be the president one day? Who knows, you might be an emperor in your next life. If you are, you should vow, "When I'm the emperor, I must protect the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. I will build an imperial palace of gold there." You never know! It could happen when you least expect it.
This emperor's disciple is unwilling to return to the palace. I asked him what he would do with his harem, and he said, "It doesn't matter. Tell them to come to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas." If he does that, then his palace will become a place for spiritual practice. This is very important.
And establish Dharma assemblies. And so next year, I don't know what the Western calendar date is, but on the evening of the 21st of the seventh lunar month, we will purify the boundaries, and on the 22nd we will begin an Earth Store Session to recite Earth Store Bodhisattva's name, or recite Om Mani Padme Hum.
We've held an "Om Mani Padme Hum" session before, where we had three groups reciting in shifts to keep the recitation going twenty-four hours a day. One group would recite for eight hours, then the second group would recite for eight hours, and then the third group would take a turn. During those seven days, the sound of recitation was uninterrupted. After that session, I felt that these Americans "kids" were a lot of fun and very sincere, so I wrote the poem "White Universe" to commemorate the session.
For next year's session, we can look into whether we want to recite "Om Mani Padme Hum" or "Earth Store King Bodhisattva." Either way is fine, and we can recite around the clock. Last time, did each group recite for eight hours or twelve hours at a time? I didn't concern myself with that. They recited on their own, and I didn't take part. You shouldn't think that I will participate in every Buddhist even here. For example, someone remarked, "We never see you when we sit in meditation." I'm here every day, but you don't see me. Who's fault is that? If you don't have eyes, how can you see me? You don't even realize it when I come, because I walk without making any noise. I walk right by you, and you don't know it. This isn't a fairytale, it's for real! You thought I wasn't here. Well, who did you see when you were here?
The Earth Store Session will start on the 22nd, and continue through the 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th, finishing on the 27th. On the 28th, 29th, and 30th, we will perform the Universal Bowing and also recite the Buddha's name. This will be a ten or eleven-day Dharma session. Anyone who wants to come is welcome to come either by yourself or in a group. However, you should first inform us in advance so we can prepare rooms and make arrangements for you to practice here. This is important. Don't come unannounced. If you make a sudden appearance, we have no time to prepare. Once the session begins, we won't be able to pick people up or send people off.
In the future, no matter who comes to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, we will neither pick them up nor send them off. You are expected to come on your own. If we have to pick you up and send you off, it means the cultivators here have to waste a lot of time, and you certainly don't gain any merit being the cause of that. For the sake of your achieving merit and virtue, we should all get along and treat one another as family. There's no need for formalities. I hope everyone will pay special attention to this point.
To be continued |
