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宣化上人一九九三年四月六日開示於長堤聖寺
南無薩怛他蘇伽多耶阿囉訶帝三藐三菩陀寫 （三稱）
我先問你們一個問題，假如有人罵長堤聖寺，你們應該如何對付這個人？你們說一說你們的意見我聽聽，快點！你們不要拖泥帶水的。（有人答：笑罵由他。）還有誰怎麼說的？（有人答：跟他說謝謝。）什麼？（有人答：跟他說我們再做好一點。）他說什麼？還有誰怎麼說？（有人答：不理他。）還有什麼？誰怎麼說？你們都是沒有勇氣的喔！（有人答：此即成吾善知識。）眞能這樣子嗎？（有人答：先懺悔，再送他一尊佛像，讓他與佛有緣，不再罵了。）他會聽你的嗎？（眾笑）這是大家研究問題的性質，所以誰都可以發言，誰有什麼見解，都可以把它說出來，大家來研究，看看哪一個是正確的？（恆月：可請他進來喝茶。）你請他進來，他若把你佛像給砸爛了呢？（眾笑）這是誰說的？這要報過名的，你們誰說什麼要報過名。（恆月：果桂。）果桂呀！你盡在月亮裡頭，怎麼能把他請進來？（眾笑）這個問題，我在各處講法說了多少次，他若罵長堤聖寺，你們給他叩三個頭；若罵你們的師父，你給他叩九個頭。（眾笑）這也真是我的徒弟，也是真正給他說法呢！所以我說你們沒有勇氣，不是要你們和人打架，和人罵架，勢不兩立，不是那個方法，是這個方法。現在我問你們的問題，你們還有誰怎麼答覆嗎？不，我已經說破了，就不問你們的答覆了，你們再有誰答覆，都不算了。因為這個天機一洩漏了，你再學的方法就不太靈了。
游正華：師父上人，如果有人來毀謗長堤聖寺，或是毀謗師父，師父認為我們應該給對方叩頭。這個事情，我有一點點想法，不知道對不對？要請師父指正。因為佛法，當然我們應該像師父所說的，他笑我們、罵我們，我們不管他，在內心的清淨上、在修行上，應該是要這樣子做，我認為絕對是有道理的。但是在世間法裡面，要推展佛法的工作，你如果能夠廣度眾生，讓他盡可能的，有因緣踏入佛門，我們要排除其他不必要的磨擦。所以，如果有人罵我，我就跟他做適當的溝通，讓他了解；若無辦法，佛法講緣，若無緣，則不強求。若經協調而令他回心轉意，他本因不了解才毀謗，若解釋明白，這個事可能馬上化除。化除後，對方對我們生好感，則長堤聖寺能減少一層障礙，在佛教工作的推展上，也能一帆風順。因人生無常，若你有大抱負，卻遇到有人作對時，要做適當排除，才能把度眾生的菩提心發起。若我們一直等待，也不講了，由它發展，他會覺得我們不回手、不解釋，那就是他說對了，旁人也會以為他對，而護持他，則無形中我們的障礙越來越大，所以如此惡性循環下，很困難推展佛教。師父是很慈悲，但在推廣佛法的角度上，我覺得還是積極一點好。（眾鼓掌）
上人：你的話我也贊成，不過事情有種種的因緣。我講的是不動刀兵，不動唇舌而息戰爭；是以柔制剛，以弱勝強。我們佛教裡頭就是以柔來制剛的。我方才說的道理，我知道我們這一班人一個也不能做到的！（眾笑）沒有一個可以聽人罵長堤聖寺，他會給磕三個頭的，你們信不信哪？不過這個方法是很不容易用的，但是你用上來，可真有效驗。因為我們不和人爭，他自己就會生大慚愧了，回去他一想，為什麼我罵人家道場，道場的人聽見，對我叩幾個頭，這是什麼意思？他會想一想。可是這種以柔克剛、以弱勝強的方法，很多人都不會用的。很多人都要以剛克剛，以強對強。這個問題就是真能小下來，才真能大起來；你真到至柔了，才能制服至剛的，所以我是間接是這樣子，但是說出這個法來，很多人都不肯用的，所以說了也等於沒有說一樣。
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Ven. Master Hua's Lectures at Long Beach Monastery on April 6. 1993
Na Mwo Sa Dan Two Su Chye Dwo Ye E La He Di San Myau San Pu Two Sye (3x)
First let me ask you all a question. If someone were to criticize Long Beach Sagely Monastery, how should you respond to him? Let me hear what your opinions are, quickly! Don't drag your heels. (Someone answers: He can laugh or scold as he pleases.) Ah, and what do other people say? (Someone answers: We can thank him.) What was that? (Someone answers: Tell him we will do better.) What did he say? Who else has an opinion? (Someone answers: Pay no attention to him.) What else? Who has an opinion? None of you have any courage! (Someone answers: He is my Good and Wise Teacher.) Ah, can you really see him that way? (Someone answers: First, repent. Then give him an image of the Buddha, so that he will have an affinity with the Buddha, and stop scolding.) Will he really listen to you? (Everyone laughs.) Now is the time for all of us to investigate this question, so anyone can speak out. Whoever has a viewpoint can express it, and everyone can evaluate it and decide which view is the proper one. (Heng Ywe: We could invite him in for tea.) What if you ask him to come in and he just destroys the Buddha images? (Everyone laughs.) Who suggested this? You have to announce your name. Anyone who speaks has to announce his name. (Heng Ywe: Gwo Gwei.) Oh, Gwo Gwei! Gwo Gwei, you are always on the moon, so how can you invite him in? (Everyone laughs. Her name "Ywe" means moon.) I have spoken about this question countless times in my lectures. If someone curses Long Beach Sagely Monastery, you all should bow to him three times. If he scolds your Master, you can bow to him nine times. (Everyone laughs.) Then you are a true disciple of mine, and you are really speaking the Dharma for him as well! That's why I said all of you have no courage. I don't want you to fight and argue with him, as if he were your worst enemy. That's not the way. This is the way. Does anyone still have an answer to the question I asked? No, I've already given it away, so I will not ask for your answers anymore. Any answers given now will not count, for the secret of Heaven has already been revealed. It's not very intelligent to answer now.
Jen-hwa You: Venerable Master, if a person slanders Long Beach Sagely Monastery or yourself, you feel we should bow to him. I have an opinion on this matter, and I don't know if it is correct. I would like the Master's guidance. Of course, according to the Buddhadharma, we should do as the Master said, and not care if that person laughs at us or curses us. This is what we should do if we want to cultivate and keep our minds pure. This definitely makes sense to me. However, if we want to propagate the Buddhadharma in the world and save living beings on a vast scale, giving them the maximum opportunity to learn about Buddhism, we should eliminate any unnecessary antagonism. Therefore, if someone scolds me, I will communicate with him in an appropriate way, so that he can understand. When there is no other way, the Buddhadharma relies on affinities. If there are no affinities, then the issue is not forced. By communicating we may get him to change his mind. The only reason he slanders is because he misunderstands, so if we can explain things to him, the conflict will immediately disappear. Then that person will be on good terms with us, and the obstacles that Long Beach Sagely Monastery confronts will be one fewer, and the propagation of the Buddhadharma will be smoothly carried out.
Life is impermanent, and if we have great ambitions and we meet someone who opposes us, we must resolve the matter in a felicitous way. That's the only way we can really bring forth the resolve to cross over living beings. If we do not say anything, and just let the matter develop, he will conclude from our failure to respond or explain ourselves that what he says is right. Other people will also think he is right, and will support him. And so invisibly, our obstructions become greater and greater, and if this unfortunate situation continues, it will be very difficult to propagate Buddhism. The Master is very compassionate, yet from the perspective of propagating the Buddhadharma, I think it's better to a little more positive. (Everyone applauds.)
Venerable Master: I agree with what you said. However, there are different kinds of circumstances and causes behind them. What I proposed can stop wars without mobilizing troops and without using speech. It uses gentleness to overcome obstinacy, weakness to overcome strength. I know that the principle I just mentioned is something we ordinary people cannot practice! (Laughter.) There is no one who can say that if he hears someone slander Long Beach Sagely Monastery, he will make three bows to him. Do you believe it? My method is not easy to practice, but if you can use it, it really works. That's because if we refuse to argue with a person, he will become repentant and go away to think it over. Why is it that when I scold other temples, the people in those temples hear about it and bow a few times to me? What's the significance of that? They will think it over. However, many people do not know how to use this method of overcoming hardness with softness and conquering strength with weakness. Many people want to combat hardness with hardness, and pit strength against strength. In this matter, if you can truly become small, then you can truly become great. Only with the utmost gentleness can you subdue the utmost obstinacy. This is how I am, indirectly, but when I speak about this Dharma, most people are not willing to apply it. That's why even though I have said it, it's the same as if I hadn't spoken about it.
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