你若不自暴自棄，能以時時刻刻都抖擻精神，勇猛精進，向前精進不退，這樣才能有所成就。你要是中間生出懈怠心，生出懶惰心，恐怕修八萬大劫也不會成佛。因為你站一站就兩里半，你在這兒停一停，對於佛道上就耽誤很多的路程。所以我們必須要有勇猛心，有堅固心，有一種誠心。可是勇猛心好發、容易發，但永久的志願不容易持久，不容易時時刻刻都發菩提心。既然不容易，我們要用種種的方法來克服這個困難，不可以任性，不可以想躲懶偷安，這才是修行人的本分。
到了萬佛城的人，當然是辛苦一點，可是你若不辛苦，怎麼能突破這種種的難關！怎麼能在這苦海裡跳出來！所以對每一個人，我都希望你們早成佛道，在我以前成佛，我在後邊給你們收拾善後。所以各位要特別努力來修行佛法。
我們今天慶祝觀世音菩薩成道，觀音菩薩在往昔也是個凡夫，和現前你、我、他是一樣的眾生。就因為他專心修四十二手眼，所以證得千手千眼這種大無畏的相，所以在這娑婆世界被稱為施無畏者，這無畏者就是觀世音菩薩。
觀世音菩薩他有七難、二求、十四無畏、十九說法、三十二應，無非以這種大威神力想要幫助一切的凡夫俗子，幫助一切在這五濁惡世裡邊的眾生，所以他的名字叫觀世音菩薩。他觀看這五濁惡世一切的音聲，他能尋聲救苦，隨心滿願。隨心滿願是什麼呢？就是你想要發願，想成就一個什麼願力，他 都會滿足你的願力。二求是什麼呢？二求就是求男、求女。你要求男，就會生聰明有智慧的男孩子；求女，就會生端莊有相之女，這是相好超過一般的人。
萬佛城從一九七六年成立，這麼多年以來，門還是開著，這都仰仗觀世音菩薩的感應道交。所以有的人到這兒求男孩子，想要得個兒子，一發了願，回去就都得兒子了；有的求女的，也得了女兒了。所以觀世音菩薩感應道交這種力量是不可思議的，不過這也要你具足信心，具足誠心。觀世音菩薩對你這麼寬厚，滿你的願，你應該好好地研究佛法，來報觀世音菩薩這種大無畏的恩澤。
所以我們在萬佛城，應該大家共同參加意見，出一本《萬佛城的感應》這一類的book（書本）。你們大家誰有什麼經驗，有什麼感應，有什麼靈感，都把它詳詳細細地寫出來。在這靈感裡頭，又分種種的靈感－有的是觀音菩薩示現來感應你；有的是觀音菩薩在夢寐之中，示現來感應道交；有的是觀音菩薩隨心滿願，滿足你們的願力，你們立了什麼願－譬如求男就得男，求女就得女。我相信這種事情在萬佛城是發生很多很多的，又有一些有病的人，生 cancer （癌症）的人，到了萬佛城後，不知不覺這 cancer 就沒有了。這些事實，我們都應該把它記錄起來。
在萬佛城所發生的事情，一般善男信女、檀越所得到的這種感應事實，都把它記錄起來，希望你們每一個人將個人的經驗趕快寫出來。寫出來後給我寄一份，給萬佛城寄一份，做出多幾份copy（拷貝）。我們萬佛城收集了這些資料，將來要編一本永遠的紀念冊，所以你們各位不要錯過這個機會。你寫出來，這一方面也是護持道場，做我們應該做的事情；一方面也是感謝觀音菩薩給我們的幫助。所以不要說旁的，就只說到萬佛城來求男得男、求女得女，這一些事情都是很多的。我們都不要緘默，要把這些事明明白白地寫出來，甚至於觀音菩薩對你怎麼樣有感應道交，你不明白寫出來，那你把觀音菩薩的功德都給埋沒了。 |
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If you don't abandon hope, and you can strike up your spirits all the time and diligently advance without retreat, then you will gain real accomplishment in cultivation. If you indulge in laxity or laziness half way along in your cultivation, then even if you work from eight thousand eons you will still get no attainment. Therefore, all of us must have courageous, persistent and sincere hearts. The courageous and vigorous resolve is easy to make, but to hang on to that attitude and make it long-lasting is not easy. Neither is it easy to keep a constant resolve for Bodhi. Since this is the case, we have to try our best to overcome these difficulties. You must avoid letting down your guard over time, and becoming lazy and indulgent. This is the duty of a cultivator.
People at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas must undergo a bit of toil; otherwise, without hardship, what can strengthen you to break through all these difficulties? How will you be able to leap out of the sea of suffering? I wish you will, each one of you, accomplish Buddhahood quickly, before I do, and I am willing to stay behind and take care of all the arrangements. So all of you must vigorously cultivate the Way.
Today we are celebrating Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva's Accomplishment of the Way. In the past, Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva was an ordinary person just like you and me. He diligently cultivated the Forty-two Hands and Eyes, and consequently attained a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, and a heroic appearance. In the Saha World, he is known as the "Giver of Courage."
Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva rescues living being from the Seven Kinds of Disasters, fulfills the Two Kinds of Wishes, and Bestows the Fourteen Kinds of Courage. He speaks Nineteen Kinds of Dharma, and manifests in Thirty-two Kinds of Response Bodies. With awesome spiritual power, he wants to help all the common people, and all the living beings in this world of Five Turbidities. That's why he is called the Bodhisattva Who Contemplates the Sounds of the World. He contemplates all the voices and sounds in this world of Five Turbidities. Hearing their voices, he rescues beings from suffering and fulfills their wishes. If you make a resolve to achieve something, he will help you to fulfill it. What are the two kinds of wishes that he fulfills? First, if you pray for a son, Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva will give you an intelligent and clever son. Second, if you pray for a daughter, he will give you an uncommonly pretty daughter with well-formed features.
The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas was founded in 1976, over ten years ago. But up to today, the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas has never closed its doors or gone bankrupt. And so in all these years, the doors have remained open. All of this is due to the response of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva. Those who have come here to pray for a son have gone back and received sons. Those who have prayed for daughters have gotten daughters. These are the inconceivable responses of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva. In order to receive such a response, you must first have faith and sincerity. After Gwan Yin Bodhisattva has generously granted your wish, you should seriously study the Buddha-dharma to repay his great courageous favor.
Everyone at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas should get together and compile a book of The Miraculous Events (Responses) at The City of 10,000 Buddhas. Anyone who has had a special experience should write it out in detail. There have been many kinds of responses. Some people have seen Gwan Shr Yin Bodhisattva manifest before them, and some have seen Gwan Yin Bodhisattva in a dream. Some have had their wishes fulfilled by Gwan Yin Bodhisattva. I believe that there are many cases in which those who came to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and prayed for sons and daughters had the prayers answered. There have been patients with terminal cancer, who regained their health after coming to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.
These are all factual events. We should make a record of all the experiences and responses which faithful men and women have had at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. I hope everyone will write down his or her personal experiences and send one copy to me and one to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas will compile all these materials and publish a book commemorating these incidents. Don't miss the opportunity to write out your experience. On the one hand, you are supporting the Way-Place by doing so and on the other hand, you are showing your appreciation for Gwan Yin Bodhisattva's aid. Many people have had their prayers for sons and daughters answered at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and we should record all these cases in complete detail. If you have had a response in the Way from Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, then you have to write it clearly; otherwise, you will cover up the merit of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva. |
