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你們今天受了菩薩戒，顧名思義，你們應該行菩薩道。
什麼是菩薩道？菩薩道是要吃虧的。不要損人，要利人，損己利人。要利益一切眾生，不是單單人，一切眾生都在這個行菩薩行的道路上。想要行菩薩道就要布施一切，不但布施物，而且要布施自己的生命，為什麼這樣說呢？
各位要知道，我們為什麼要受菩薩戒？也就是要來學著行菩薩道。我們受菩薩戒就應該行菩薩道，菩薩道是外要財施、法施、無畏施：內財就是身心性命都要捨得，都能布施出來。
菩薩為了度一個眾生，那麼就跟著這個眾生，在無量那麼多的大劫中，想各種方便法，用權巧方便法來教化眾生。釋迦牟尼佛行菩薩道的時候，捨無量的生命來教化眾生，令眾生發菩提心。
我們現在既然受了菩薩戒，就要利他，不要利自己。凡事都要為眾生做著想，不要為自己做著想，要忘我有人，把我忘了。要實實在在地去做，不是求一個假名，弄一個好的名堂，說那個人是個善人，那個人是菩薩，行菩薩道的。你行菩薩道要埋頭苦幹，默默耕耘，不要各處去登報紙，不要各處去盡做一些假面具，那麼外邊有一個菩薩的名，內裡有妖魔鬼怪都在那兒坐殿當權。你要把內裡頭的這個妖魔鬼怪都化為菩薩，內裡頭也是菩薩，外邊也是菩薩，一舉一動都要發菩提心，要教化眾生。
釋迦牟尼佛在盡大地虛空處，沒有一粒微塵那麼多的地方，不是釋迦牟尼佛捨生命的地方。釋迦牟尼佛這樣修行，現在做我們娑婆世界的教主。我們應該效法十方諸佛的行為，發心去行菩薩道。
中，宣公上人。左，明哲法師。右，圓成法師。
今天時間也很久了，你們就記得做菩薩要利人，不要盡掛著利己。你盡掛著利己，那就是自私。你去利人，那就是不自私，就是大公無私了。還有這不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄語，這都是行菩薩道的一個開端，一個開始，所以你們要是想行菩薩道，就不要忘了不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄語，乃至於成就佛果，這是最後的目的，你們各位記得嗎？眾答：「記得！」
上人：「啊！記得，我就說那麽多話。」
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Center: Venerable Hsuan Hua. Left: Dharma Master Ming Je. Right: Dharma Master Ywan Cheng.
You have all received the Bodhisattva Precepts. As the name indicates, you should practice the Bodhi Path.
What is the Bodhi Path? It means to take loss, to not harm people, and to benefit others. It means to benefit all living beings, not just human beings. Living beings are all on this path of practicing Bodhisattva deeds. If a person wants to cultivate the path of Bodhi, he should give everything up – not only material things, but his life as well. Why is this? You should know why we have taken the Bodhisattva Precepts. It's because we want to learn how to practice them.
After we have taken the Bodhisattva Precepts, we should do as Bodhisattvas do. Externally, we may practice the giving of wealth, the giving of Dharma, and the giving of fearlessness. Internally, we should be able to put down our body, mind, and life, and give them away.
A Bodhisattva will follow a single living being for uncountable kalpas, trying all expedient ways to transform and take him across. When Shakyamuni Buddha was cultivating the Bodhi Path, he sacrificed countless lives to teach and transform living beings, and to guide them to bring forth the Bodhi mind.
Since we have taken the Bodhisattva Precepts, we should benefit others instead of ourselves. Think about the welfare of living beings. Never consider for your own sake. Forget about the self, and care for people. Keep no self in you. You have to really and truly practice this. Don't seek a false reputation or fantastic title, saying this person is a good man, and that one is a Bodhisattva cultivating the Bodhi path.
One who practices the Bodhi Path must work vigorously, cultivating the Way in secret, and not linger around trying to put out ads for oneself. Don't go everywhere not doing anything but wearing a mask. Then, although you have the name of a Bodhisattva outside, inside there are demonic spirits and monsters dwelling into the palace and taking control. You can transform these demonic spirits and monsters into Bodhisattvas. There are Bodhisattvas inside and Bodhisattvas outside. In each action and movement, remember to resolve to bring forth the Bodhi mind, and teach and transform living beings.
There is not as much as a mote of dust where Shakyamuni Buddha has not given up his life for living beings. It was through such cultivation that he became the fundamental teacher of the Saha world. We must follow these sagely deeds of the Buddhas in the ten directions, and put them into practice.
We have spent a long time today. Just remember that a Bodhisattva always benefits people, so don't think about self-benefit all the time. If you are always concerned about benefitting yourself, that's being selfish. If you go out and benefit others, that's unselfish and public-minded.
Also, the principles of no fighting, no greed, no seeking, no selfishness, no self-benefitting, and no lying are a starting point for cultivating the Bodhi Path. Therefore, if you want to practice the Bodhisattva conduct, you can't forget "no fighting, no greed, no seeking, no selfishness, no self-benefitting, and no lying." You must uphold these until you accomplish the ultimate goal of Buddhahood. Will you all remember? (The assembly answered, "Yes!") Okay then, that's all I want to say.
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