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我們出家人被這個財，累得入地獄去，轉餓鬼、轉畜生去，都因為錢財不分明，弄得很多錯因果的。
第二個就是「色」，這個「色」字力量真的大，人的情慾奔放的時候，所謂「賊膽如天」，像天那麼大，什麼他也不怕。所以出家人有很多死在「色」上，明的不去犯，自己偷偷摸摸的，沒人知道的時候，常常有犯戒的，就是這個淫慾念頭是不容易收拾得了。這兩樣佛說過，這「色」字，幸虧只有一個，如果有兩個和它同樣力量的東西，所有的人沒有一個會成佛的，可是它只有一個，你還可以把它擺脫。這個財色很多都是因果分不清，在這裡亂用錢。
「錢」是一個不乾淨的東西，所以這叫「不淨物」。這種東西上有很多病菌，很多的傳染病在這個錢上，這個 money 上。因為這個有不知道多少人用手數過、摸過，每個人手上，都有病菌，你不知道那一個人有什麼病菌，甚至於有這個愛死病的菌，有肺炎病的病菌，等你一摸到這個錢，也就會傳染到，這是無形無相，所以我們出家人若能持銀錢戒最好，你銀錢戒一持，沒有那麼多的妄想。有錢，就想我有多少多少錢，我這個錢幹什麼用呢？乃至於睡不著覺。
「色」也是那麼大的力量：「財」也是那樣，財、色再加上名、食、睡，這是地獄五條根。所以我們想清淨修行，就要持銀錢戒。在道場大眾有飯吃，我才吃；大眾沒飯吃，我也餓肚皮。這麼樣子道業很容易成就，不打那麼多妄想。
我們萬佛城這兒也尊重老人，誰已經老了，我們就要尊重誰。譬如小孩子說我已經變老了，我們也尊重他。為什麼呢？我們要敬老懷幼。小孩子我們也一定要重視他，所以要給他一個好的教育，教他怎麼做人，這是我們辦教育的宗旨。凡是出家人要持銀錢戒，生了病，就廟上負責給他治病，用多少錢都是廟上出，因為他持銀錢戒沒有錢了，一切一切都是由道場來供養，只要他安心能住得下，好好的用功辦道就可以了。
而不持銀錢戒的，有病的人，因為你自己有錢了，要自己出錢去治病，我們這樣子，來表示對守銀錢戒的人是特別的一種待遇，也不是優待，是我們要照顧這些持銀錢戒的人。
所以，無論那一位願意持銀錢戒，都要報名。持銀錢戒，手就不摸金銀財寶，不摸這種東西，你眼不見、嘴不饞、耳不聽、心不煩，你要不摸這個錢，也就不打胡思亂想的妄想，能靜慮修定力，這是修道的一個好榜樣。
我以前在東北的時候，也持過銀錢戒。我持銀錢戒持過幾年。為什麼我持銀錢戒？因為我那時候是沙彌，廟上方丈和尚請我當首座。為什麼請我這個沙彌當首座呢？那時我守孝，有個假名是白孝子，他也是個守孝的，他就重視這個孝道，所以雖然我是沙彌，他請我當首座。首座就是除了方丈，就是第二座的，其餘是第三、第四是這樣子，所以我做沙彌就受到這樣的寵待。
以後他覺得我當首座還不夠，又想要教我做當家的。做當家的一定要數錢，這個錢常常要在手裡過，由這個我就持銀錢戒。你沒法子教我再當家了，方丈和尚要我做當家的，如果我推辭說我不做，這又好像不尊重方丈和尚的意思。我持銀錢戒不能數錢，當然就不能當家。因為這個我持銀錢戒。持銀錢戒大約有兩三年吧！
每逢搭巴士，我也不拿錢，也不要有一個陪著我到那兒給我買票。我到巴士站往那一站，不用十分鐘的時間，一定就會有人給我買票。搭火車也是這樣，我到車站往那邊一坐，也不管，因為有很多人認識我，甚至於這些人多數我都是救過他們的命，他們有了問題，我救過他們。所以都感激得我坐在那兒，就搶著給我買票。搭火車是這樣子。那時沒搭過飛機，因為那時飛機也很少的，我所去的地方沒有那麼遠，所以飛機票還沒有人買過。去臺灣我試過有人給買機票，但是，不是持銀錢戒的時候。
我總想有一天，我還要持銀錢戒，手裡不摸錢，一定沒有傳染病，不會有病菌。可是到今天，因為我要護持這個道場，要養這一班人，所以還沒法子放下這一班人的生活，我暫時不要有自私心，我要為大家來服務，要來供養大家，飲食、衣服、臥具、湯藥，可是我又把話說明，不持銀錢戒的出家人，有病道場不管的。為什麼呢？道場沒有那麼多錢，持銀錢戒的，道場要負責任。
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we left-home people are burdened by wealth to the point that we fall into the hells, turn into hungry ghosts or become animals. This is simply because we are confused by riches and there by err in cause and effect.
The power of sexual desire is truly formidable. When peoples' desires are unleashed, it is like the saying, "The audacity of a thief is as great as the skies." There is nothing he fears. Many left-home people die from sexual desire. They may not violate this precept in public, but they will secretly break this precept in private for it is not easy to subdue the thoughts of sexual desire. The Buddha said that it is fortunate that there is only one thing like sexual desire. If there were another force as powerful as this, then no one would be able to realise Buddhahood. But since there is only one, you can get rid of it. Most people are unclear about the causes and effects behind wealth and sex. They spend money at random. Money is unclean. That is why it is called an "impure thing".
There are a lot of germs and contagious diseases on bills because they have been counted and handled by countless people, and there are germs on everyone's hands. You do not know what kind of germs each person has. There are even germs from AIDS, pneumonia, etc. and as soon as you touch this money, you will be contaminated by it. This happens invisibly. So it is best for left-home people to keep the precept against holding money.
When you hold the precept of not touching money, you will not have so many false thoughts. If there is money then you will think, "Oh, I have such-and-such an amount of money; what shall I do with it?" to the point that you cannot even fall asleep. Sexual desire also has such power. Wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep are the five roots to the hells. So, if we want to cultivate purity, we should keep the precept against holding money.
In a Wayplace, if everyone has food to eat, I will eat. If no one has food to eat, I will go hungry too. If you can be like this, it is very easy to accomplish the way and you will not strike up so much false thinking.
In the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, we also respect all people. We should respect the elderly. For instance, if a child says that he is already old, we should also respect him. Why? Because we want to respect the old and nourish the young. We should also treat children well: we want to provide them with a good education and teach them how to be a person. This is our goal in education.
Left-home people should keep the precept against holding money. When they are unwell, the monastery will be responsible for the cost of treating their illness. No matter how much it is, the Wayplace will pay for it. Everything will be provided by the Wayplace. One only needs to settle down, reside here and apply effort in cultivation.
If those not keeping his precept against holding money become ill, then since they have their own money, they should pay their own medical expenses. This is the special consideration we render to those who keep the precept against holding money. This is not to bestow some favored treatment, for we want to protect those who wish to keep the precept of not holding money. So, those who intend to keep the precept of not holding money should register their names. In upholding this precept, you should also refrain from handling gold, silver, precious gems and so on. You do not want to hold such things anymore.
When the eyes don't see, the mouth will not water. When the ears don't hear, the mind will not be moved. If you do not touch money, you will not strike up false thoughts. Your mind will be purified and you can develop samadhi. This is a fine situation for cultivation.
When I was in Manchuria, I kept the precept against holding money for several years. Why did I uphold this precept? During that period I was a novice. The abbot of the temple asked me to be the head of the assembly. Why did he ask me to be the head? Because I was practicing filiality and I had a false name Filial Son Pai. The abbot had also practiced filiality and honored this virtue. So, although I was a novice, he told me to head the assembly. The head of the assembly is the position next to the abbot's. Then there is the third seat, the fourth seat, etc. I received such favorable treatment when I was a novice.
So later, feeling that it was not enough to make me the head of the assembly, he wanted to appoint me as the manager too. But a manager has to count money; money often has to pass through one's hands. Because of this, I began observing the precept against holding money so that no one could make me a manager. If I had declined when the abbot asked me to be the manager, it would have been disrespectful. But, if I uphold the precept against holding money and thereby cannot count money, then I obviously will be unable to become the manager. Because of this, I upheld the precept against touching money, maintaining it for two or three years.
I did not bring any money with me when I needed to take the bus. I did not request anyone to accompany me to buy me a bus ticket either. I just went and stood at the bus stop. But, in less than two minutes, someone would always buy me a bus ticket. When I needed to get on a train, it was the same. I just went and sat at the train station without paying any attention to other things. However, many people knew me for I had aided them before. When they were in difficulty, I saved them. So, out of gratitude they would jostle with each other to buy a ticket for me. At that time, I did not ride airplanes because there were few planes, and the places I went were not too far. So, no one bought me plane tickets. When I went to Taiwan, someone did buy me an airticket, but this was not during the period when I was upholding the precept against touching money.
However, I hope that someday I will again uphold this precept of not touching money. When my hands do not touch money, I will certainly not be infected by contagious diseases and germs. But, up to now, I've had to maintain this Wayplace to support these people and I simply cannot ignore their subsistence.
Temporarily, I will be unselfish. I will serve the public. I will make offerings of food, clothing, bedding and medicine to everyone. But I need to specify that if those left-home people who are not keeping this precept against holding money fall sick, the Wayplace will not pay their bills. Why? Because this Wayplace is not very well-off. This Wayplace will be responsible only for the medical expenses incurred by those who uphold the precept against touching money.
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