今天四面八方來的人，都到這兒祝賀觀音菩薩成道的紀念日。我們每一個參加這典禮的人，都應該迴光返照，問一問我自己什麼時候成道？什麼時候能具有和觀音菩薩一樣的大威神力？有感斯通，無求不應，能以滿一切眾生的願。如果我們有這種力量了，也不可以自滿，也不可以存一個驕傲的心，還是要和眾生一樣的，和光混俗，在世出世來教化眾生。不可以到處炫示自已有什麼功夫了，又有什麼境界了，又有什麼不可思議的神通智慧，變化無窮。這都是未證言證，未得谓得，可以說是打大妄語來欺騙眾生。這一點，修道的人切記切記不要犯這種錯誤，若犯了這種錯誤－打妄語，這是永遠要下地獄的，永遠沒有出頭露面的時候。
所以只因為逞一時口給之能事，連累無量劫沈淪到這三塗裡邊，沒有法子出離，你說這到底合算不合算？你出家是要真正修道，為什麼盡冒充善知識？所以我們每一位出家人對這個道理要猛醒！猛醒！要改過自新，去自己的習氣毛病，這對於佛道上才有所成就。如果不然，你盡冒充善知識，那將來一定是墮地獄的。我為什麼要這麼說呢？我看這一類的眾生是太可憐了，在那兒貢高我慢，嫉妒障礙，無所不有。因為這樣子，所以修到什麼時候，也不會成就道業的。
我們出家修道的人，無論對出家人，對在 家人，時時面上不要像包公那麼黑臉，要常帶微笑。這微笑也不是大笑，也不是狂笑，只是微微地有一種笑容，令人看了不會像見了鬼似地、見了妖怪似地退避三舍。不是繃起面孔，這才是修行。你常有會心之樂，而無望洋之嘆。什麼叫會心之樂？會心，就是我修行覺得越修行，這般若味越濃厚，比吃蜜糖還好吃，那麼一天到晚常有會心之樂。這會心之樂不是造作出來的，不是裝扮出來的，這是真正心安理得了，心裡真正地和平了，心裡真正地沒有煩惱了，常帶著一種微笑。而無望洋之嘆，沒有這種好像看見大海似的，想：「我什麼時候能到邊上啊？」你看見佛經那麼多，藏經那麼廣，就想：「我 得到什麼時候才能學通這三藏十二部呢？」常常愁悶，覺得沒有機會能把三藏十二部都
讀會了。
你可沒想到「鐵娘磨繡針，功到自然成」，你能以「朝於斯，夕於斯」，總是在經典上來摸索，來用功夫，念玆在玆，專一不雜 ，一心學習般若的智慧。你能常常把你的心放在經典上，或者念佛的法門，或者念觀音的法門，你能專一其心。專一也沒有旁的，就是不打其他妄想，沒有這些癡心妄想，狂心野性，這淫欲念頭愈來愈多，沒有這些雜念。你若沒有這些雜念，無論做什麼都容易成功的；你有這些雜念障著你，你用什麼功 ，也不會成功的。
所以就妙在這個地方，妙在這「勿忘」。 你不要忘了它：「勿助」，你也不要像宋國那個人，幫助他的苗長高。我們修道也是這樣子，你要「勿忘」，不要忘了修道；「勿助」，你也不要著急：「怎麼不成道呢？我想個什麼科學的方法來弄一弄，叫它長快一點，弄一個機器幫著這個修道，我好快點成道。」這是辦不到的，機器再妙，也沒有法子幫助你成道業。 |
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People have come from all directions today to celebrate the Anniversary of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva's Accomplishment of the Way. All of us who participate in this ceremony should "return the light" and introspect, asking ourselves "when will I attain the Way? When will I have the same great and awesome spiritual power as Gwan Yin Bodhisattva?" Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, with her great compassion, naturally understands each difficulty, and answers all requests for her help. Not a single wish will be left out. If we have the same ability as the Bodhisattva, we shouldn't be conceited nor arrogant. We must act like ordinary people, and mix with them harmoniously, to teach and transform the living beings both in the world and beyond the world. We must not show off our skill. We must not display our states or the inconceivable spiritual penetration of our wisdom with its limitless transformations. All these displays are nothing more than the so-called,
"Claiming to have realized what you have not realized;
Boasting that you have attained what you have not, in fact, attained. If you make these claims, you are telling a great lie and deceiving living beings. Every cultivator must always remember this point and not make such a mistake. If, however, you do violate the rule - if you create false speech - you will be earning yourself a one-way ticket to the Hells, and you will never get to return.
So would you say it is advantageous to let yourself indulge in a brief moment of skillful eloquence, and as a result fall into the Three Evil Paths for countless kalpas and never find a way out? After you leave home you must truly cultivate. Why do you pretend to be a Good and Wise Advisor? All you left home people must wake up to this principle right now! Make a new start and eradicate your bad habits so that you will have some accomplishment in the Buddha's Way. Or else, if you keep pretending to be a Good and Wise Advisor, you will surely fall into the Hells! Why do I say this? I see this kind of person and I think he is really pathetic! He is plagued with arrogance, a sense of superiority, jealousy, obstruction and all the other serious faults a cultivator can have. And because of all of these, no matter how long he cultivates, he will not obtain any achievement at all.
Sangha members must wear a smile on their face all the time, whether they are looking at left-home people or at lay people. We must not look like the upright official, Elder Bao, whose face always looked dark and fearsome. Your smile need not be broad, nor crazy-looking. Just keep a gentle smile, and that way you won't look like a ghost or a monster that makes people want to retreat as far as possible when they see you. When you cultivate, you need not pucker up your face. You always show the joy in your heart, and not your frustration. What do I mean by the joy in your heart? It means that in cultivation the more you cultivate, the stronger of the flavor of Prajna you'll receive. That sweetness is much better-tasting even than honey, so that you cherish the sugary delight all day long. This is not artificial or pretentious. You truly feel no troubles, you achieve a perfect peace of mind, and no afflictions remain inside. So you constantly wear a gentle smile, and keep not a trace of frustration. You don't look like you're facing the ocean and worrying about whether you will ever get to the other shore. Cultivators shouldn't look as if when they see so many Sutras collected in the Tripitaka, they feel distressed, thinking "When will I be able to understand the Three Baskets and the Twelve Divisions?"
Have you ever realized that
"Polishing an iron pillar down to the size of an embroidery needle, constant effort eventually yields spontaneous success. "
To understand the Dharma, you must put effort into pondering the meaning of the sutras morning and night. Always be mindful and focused on learning the wisdom of Prajna, without scattering. As you recite either the names of the Buddhas or of Gwan Yin Bodhisattva, you have to be single-minded. To be single-minded means you have no other polluted-thinking. It means you don't indulge in stupidity, or let your wild mind and nature, run free, and you curb your sexual desire. If you can get free of such confusion, then whatever you do, it will be easy to have some achievement. However, if these false thoughts obstruct you, no matter how much effort you use, you will not reach success.
So the wonderful part is right here: It is wonderful when you "neitherforget it, nor help it along. "
Don't be like the man of Sung who helped his sprouts to grow. Cultivation is the same. You have to "neither forget it nor help it along" As you cultivate you must not get anxious to accomplish the Way. "Why have I not yet accomplished the Way? I have to use a scientific method to make the cultivation go faster, or perhaps, there is some machine that can help me attain the Way more quickly." This won't work! No matter how superb the device is, there has never been any scientific gadget invented that can help you attain the Way. |
