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大家都希望明白這個佛教，想要明白「佛教」，先要明白「佛」。佛在過去生中，「三衹修福慧，百劫種相好。」經過漫長的時間，修種種的行門，所以成佛了。
這個「佛」字，是梵語Buddha，不是中國話，我們中國人願意省文，願意簡單，Buddha 就不說Buddha，就說「佛」。所以「佛」是半梵語。這個 Buddha 聽上來就是「不大」，佛並不是比人大，也不比人小，所以不大不小就是佛。不大，就沒有貢高我慢的思想；不小，就沒有自卑感，沒有自暴自棄的這種思想，沒有這種心理。不大，不比眾生怎麼樣高超；不小，不比眾生低賤。所以才成為佛。
佛的意義是什麼？你學佛、念佛、信佛，可是這個「佛」字還不懂，不知是什麼意義？這未免是很遺憾的。
這個「佛」的意思，具足自覺、覺他、覺行圓滿，這叫三覺圓。自覺，就是自己覺悟了；覺他，是自己覺悟後，又叫一般的眾生也都覺悟。自覺就是屬於二乘，覺他就是屬於行菩薩道。覺行圓滿就是自覺也圓滿了，覺他也圓滿了，所以就覺行圓滿謂之佛，萬德具備了。證得大圓鏡智（大圓鏡的智慧）、平等性智、妙觀察智、成所作智，這叫三覺圓、四智具足了。具足大智大慧，洞瞭世出世法，都明白了，這個叫佛。
佛成佛了之後，願意人人都成佛，所以他又說佛教。佛教有三藏十二部這麼多。三藏是「經、律、論。」十二部經是：「長行、重頌、授記、孤起、不問自說、因緣、譬喻、本事、本生、方廣、未曾有、論議。」這十二部經不是說分門別類的，而是每一部經裡面都包括著這十二部經。所以我們人想學佛，要學習經典。經典，就是一個道路，就是成佛之路。我們要想修成佛法，證得佛果，必須要從修行的道路上走，所以佛才說這個經叫佛教。
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We all want to understand the teachings of Buddhism. In order to do that, we must first understand the Buddha. In his past lives, the Buddha cultivated blessings and wisdom for three asamkhyeyas (an infinite number) of eons, and planted the causes for his hallmarks and features for a hundred eons. After a long, long time of cultivating various practices, he became a Buddha.
The word Buddha is Sanskrit, but in Chinese it sounds like the words "not big." So the Buddha isn't bigger than people. Nor is he smaller than people. Neither big or small, that's the Buddha. Not big means he doesn't have any arrogance. Not small means he doesn't have an inferiority complex. He doesn't give up on himself or think that he's not worth anything. He doesn't have that kind of attitude. He is neither loftier than living beings, nor is he lower than living beings. That's why he's called a Buddha.
What's the meaning of Buddha? We study the Buddha, believe in the Buddha, and recite the Buddha's name, but we don't know what the word Buddha means. Isn't this regrettable?
Buddha includes three meanings: one who is self-enlightened, one who enlightens others, and one who is perfect in enlightened conduct. He has completed these three kinds of enlightenment. He himself is enlightened, and he has taught living beings to become enlightened. When he has perfected his own enlightenment and the enlightenment of others, that's called the perfection of enlightened conduct. So he has realized Buddhahood. The Buddha is perfect in the three enlightenments, and replete with the myriad virtues. One who is self-enlightened belongs to the Two Vehicles, while one who enlightens others is walking the Bodhisattva Way. One who is perfect in enlightened conduct has perfected both self-enlightenment and the enlightenment of others, and is a Buddha replete with the myriad virtues. He certifies to the Wisdom of the Great Perfect Mirror, the Wisdom of Equal Nature, the Wisdom of Wonderful Contemplation, and the Wisdom of Accomplishment. The Buddha has perfected the three kinds of enlightenment, and also has the four kinds of wisdom. He has great wisdom, and completely understands all worldly and transcendental dharmas; thus he is called the Buddha.
After he became a Buddha, he wanted everyone to become a Buddha, so he spoke the teachings. The Buddha's teachings include the Three Treasuries and Twelve Divisions. The Three Treasuries are the Sutras, the Vinaya, and the Shastras. The Twelve Divisions are prose, verses, predictions, interjections, unrequested teachings, causes and conditions, analogies, past lives, lives of disciples, extensive teachings, previously inexistent teachings, and commentarial literature. The Twelve Divisions are not different sutras. Every sutra includes these Twelve Divisions. In studying Buddhism, we must study the Sutras. The Sutras are a path to Buddhahood. If we want to become Buddhas, we must follow the path of cultivation. So that's why the Buddha spoke the Sutras, which make up the Buddhist teachings.
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