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宣公上人一九九三年四月七日開示於長堤聖寺花園
在今天這個天朗氣清，風和日暖的時候，我們在外邊野餐，也是很自然的一種享受。所以，一邊曬著太陽，一邊吃東西，這是大自然的生活裡頭一部份。
我們每一個人，一切的事情都不要生執著，都能以通權達變，能以明辨是非，有擇法眼，這就是我們一種智慧。到處還覺得不自由、不自在，這是一種煩惱。我們在皈依那天就說「眾生無邊誓願度」，我們要問一問自己，有沒有度眾生？若沒有度，就要想法子度。
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■右：宣公上人。左：楊校尊
Right: Ven. Master Hsuan Hua
Left: Chancellor Richard Yang
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「煩惱無盡誓願斷」，問我們自己脾氣斷了沒有？這無明破了沒有？有沒有被這個境界所障礙？是不是一切一切的都看不破，放不下，生了煩惱。我們人最要緊的—是沒有煩惱。說是啊，「法師你說的錯了，有的經上告訴我說煩惱即菩提。」那是煩惱「即」菩提，不是煩惱「是」菩提。你若能改變沒有煩惱，就是菩提；你還是有那個煩惱，那還差得火候了，那不是菩提。所以說「煩惱無盡誓願斷」，我們一定要斷了它，一定要把煩惱斷了，無明破了，破一切的執著，掃一切法，離一切相，這就是菩提。我們不要向遠的地方找，那菩提並不是離我們遠了，就是反掌之易。這個煩惱和菩提就是反掌之易，你能反過來，就是菩提；反不過來，就是煩惱。「煩惱無盡誓願斷」，問問我們自己斷了沒有？我們若沒斷煩惱，就要想法子斷；若已經斷了，更要斷粗惑、細惑、塵沙惑，都把這個三惑斷了。無明、粗惑、細惑、塵沙惑都要斷了它，這才是修道人的本分。
「法門無量誓願學」，說佛法的門徑，有八萬四千種法門，所以說是無量。這無量，我們要誓願來學習佛法，才能斷惑證真，才能早證菩提。
「佛道無上誓願成」，佛道無上，我們成了沒成？法門，我們學了沒學？我們要是學了，就要更努力學習多一點；若沒學，那就要趕快學。要學習佛法，要勇猛精進、不懈怠。「佛道無上誓願成」，我們成了沒有成？沒成，就要想法子修行，要他成佛。
我們一皈依的時候，就發這「四弘誓願」。我們每一個人，若能本著這四弘誓願，這很快就會成佛了。你本著四弘誓願來修行，很快會成佛的。
所以各位啊，修道不要向高的地方求，不要向遠的地方求。就在你眼前，你能看得破，放得下，隨處都是自在的；你看不破，放不下，到什麼地方都不自在。（果相：師父！現在天上有一條龍，龍頭就在您身的後頭這邊。）
啊！Howard，你快去追龍去，哈！（果相：龍頭那兒有大珠。）
（編按：此日舊曆三月十六日，為上人的正壽。上人在寺外花園與大眾一起用齋。當上人講開示後，果相居士發現原本晴朗無雲的天空出現一條極長的巨龍，長龍直跨整片天空，龍尾在西北，龍頭朝東南，即上人法座的方向，龍頭很清楚，而且吐一彩色珠，十分鐘之後，開始漸漸散去。隨後又出現一隻飛翔的鳳，在西方，白色，較小。飛龍在天，有鳳來儀，在上人壽誕當日現此瑞相，十方弟子咸稱沾了師父的德光，方能逢此殊勝景象。）
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Ven. Master Hua's Talk on April 7, 1993 at Long Beach Sagely Monastery
Today, the weather is warm, clear, and breezy, and our picnic outdoors is a way to enjoy Nature. We can enjoy the sun's rays and eat our meal at the same time; this is all part of living in Nature.
Every one of us should take care not to get attached to anything. If we can expediently adapt to the situation at hand, clearly discriminate between right and wrong, and have Dharma-selecting Vision, then we have a kind of wisdom. If we just feel restricted and uncomfortable wherever we go, then we have afflictions. On the day that we took refuge, we said, "Living beings are limitless; I vow to cross them over." We should ask ourselves if we have crossed over any living beings. If not, then we should think of a way to cross them over.
"Afflictions are inexhaustible; I vow to cut them off." We should ask ourselves whether we have cut off our temper, and whether we have smashed through ignorance. Have we broken through the obstruction of states? Is it the case that we cannot see through anything, that we cannot put anything down, and that we get afflicted about everything? The most important thing for people is to not get afflicted. Someone says, "Dharma Master, you're wrong. The Sutras tell us that afflictions are just Bodhi." The meaning there is that in principle, afflictions are Bodhi, not that afflictions literally "are" Bodhi. If you can become so that you have no afflictions, then that's Bodhi. If you still have afflictions, then you have not reached the point where it becomes Bodhi. Therefore we say, "Afflictions are inexhaustible; I vow to cut them off." We definitely must cut off afflictions, smash through ignorance, break all attachments, sweep away all dharmas, and leave all appearances--just that is Bodhi. We need not search afar, for Bodhi is not far from us. It is as easy as turning your palm over. Turning afflictions into Bodhi is as easy as flipping your hand. If you can flip it, then it's Bodhi. If you cannot, then it's afflictions. We should ask ourselves if we have cut off afflictions. If not, then we have to think of a way to cut them off. If we have already cut them off, then we still have to cut off coarse delusion, subtle delusion, and delusion like dust and sand. We have to put an end to these three kinds of delusion. The cultivator's task is to cut off ignorance, coarse delusion, subtle delusion, and delusion like dust and sand.
"Dharma-doors are immeasurable; I vow to learn them." This is talking about the gates and paths into the Buddhadharma. There are eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors, so they are called immeasurable. Since they are immeasurable, we must vow to investigate the Buddhadharma--only then will we be able to put an end to delusion, attain the truth, and quickly realize Bodhi.
"The Buddha-path is unsurpassed; I vow to realize it." Have we realized the unsurpassed Buddha-path? Have we learned any Dharma-doors?
If we have, we should work harder and learn more. If we haven't learned any, we should hurry up and learn. If you want to study Buddhism, you have to be brave and vigorous, without laziness. "The Buddha-path is unsurpassed; I vow to realize it." Have we realized it? If not, we should find a way to cultivate so that we can realize Buddhahood.
When we take refuge, we have to make the Four Vast Vows. If we can all base ourselves on the Four Vast Vows, we will soon realize Buddhahood. If you cultivate according to the Four Vast Vows, you will quickly become a Buddha.
Therefore, when we cultivate the Tao, we should not seek in lofty or faraway places. If you can see through and put down what is right before your eyes, you will be free and at ease wherever you are. But if you cannot see through things and put them down, then you will not be free no matter where you go. (Gwo Syang: Shr Fu! There's a dragon in the sky. The dragon's head is right behind you.) Oh! Howard, hurry and go chase after the dragon! Ha! (Gwo Syang: There's a big pearl by the dragon's head.)
(Editor's Note: This was the 16th of the third lunar month, the birthday of the Venerable Master. The Venerable Master had lunch with the assembly in the garden of the monastery. After the Venerable Master had finished giving a talk, Upasika Gwo Syang discovered that in the originally cloudless sky, a gigantic dragon had appeared, stretching across the whole sky. The dragon's tail was in the northwest, and the head faced the southeast, in the direction of the Venerable Master's Dharma-seat. The dragon head was very clearly discernible, and there was also a colored pearl in front of its mouth. After ten minutes, it began to fade away. Then a slightly smaller, white flying phoenix appeared to the west. Seeing these auspicious omens of the flying dragon and phoenix appear in the sky on the Venerable Master's birthday, the disciples who had come from all directions received the benefit of the Master's virtue. )
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