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前期經文提示：
如來自在出世間。教化一切諸群生。普示法門令悟入。悉使當成無上智。
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佛出現於世，為著你我他一切眾生。所以你接受佛的教化，我也接受佛的教化，他也接受佛的教化。所以我依教奉行，依佛教而修，可以離苦得樂，了生脫死。不依教奉行，譬如叫你去貪心，你不但不去，反而多一倍；叫你去瞋心，你雙倍你的瞋心；叫你去癡心，你來一個加倍。所以你一份發二份，你不會了生脫死，返迷歸覺，離苦得樂。佛出現於世，令眾生離苦得樂，返迷歸覺，得到無上的智慧來出現於世。
佛令眾生開悟，「普示法門令悟入」：眾生像鐵，佛像一塊吸鐵石，把眾生吸到佛那兒去，所以攝受一切眾生。以方便法門，普示法門，只是告訴告訴你，給你說一說，給你開悟，叫你得到這個本有的智慧，開悟。所以普示這個法門，對眾生機的這個法門，哪一類的眾生，聽哪一類的法，眾生各有各的本性，各有各的應度的因緣，所以〈普門品〉（《法華經》）上說，觀世音菩薩以十四無畏、三十二應身，救八難、解三毒、應二求。觀世音菩薩說這種法，對這種機，令眾生明白而修行，開悟而有所成就。這裡也說開示悟入佛的知見。
「悉使當成無上智」：悉，就是完全，所有的眾生有佛的緣，使所有的眾生開悟成佛，所以悉使令所有的眾生當成無上智，這是未來式。現在還是眾生，還沒有成。使，就是佛使眾生將來成就無上智、無上佛果，這是令一切眾生皆共成佛道。
（編按：在此段英譯完畢，電力就恢復了，以下的講說以錄在錄音帶上。）
神通無量等眾生。隨其所樂示諸相。
見者皆蒙出離苦。此現光神解脫力。
「神通無量等眾生」：神通，佛有佛的神通，普薩有普薩的神通，阿羅漢有阿羅漢的神通，天有天的神通，鬼有鬼的神通，人有人的神通，雖然都叫神通，有的是究竟通，有的是不究竟通。佛有無量無邊究竟的大神通，為什麼要有這一種大神通呢？就因為要救一切眾生。有多少眾生，佛就有多少神通，因為佛如果沒有這麼多的神通，就會有眾生不能得度。所以佛的神通無量，眾生也是無量。以無量的神通來教化無量的眾生，所以說「神通無量等眾生」，就等於眾生那麼多。你多一個眾生，佛就多一個神通。
我再給你們舉一個例子來講，這個例子也是很淺的一個例子，但是你若明白這個淺的，那個深的也就懂了。現在你們都懂得這個雷達，有個飛機來了，啊！這個雷達就現出飛機來；有個潛艇來了，啊！雷達也現一個潛艇的樣子；有個人來了，這個雷達也現出這個人。譬如在軍隊裡也有這種的東西，在五十米以外，有什麼它都知道了。這就是神通，這是普通的、科學發達的神通。
所以我前面不是說人有人的神通嗎？這就是人的神通––人造成的神通。那麼佛的神通也有和這個一樣的，也有多少不一樣的。因為我們人要用力量去造才能知道，而佛這種神通是天然的、自然的、本有的，不需要按那個電鈕才知道，自然就有了。所以說「神通無量等眾生」，等於眾生那麼多的神通。你說眾生有多少，佛的神通就有多少。佛的神通就是預備救度眾生的。若不是這樣子，為什麼說「一切眾生若干種心，如來悉知悉見」呢？這也就是因為佛和眾生互相都有雷達，有電通著的，那個電就是神通的一個作用。
「隨其所樂示諸相」：你看看世界上的俗諦，社會所有的表現，這都是十方三世佛在這兒給眾生說法的。應眾生所歡喜，他就示現這一種相，示現這一種相就叫人明白一切相，所以我常對你們說「見事省事出世界」，你見到什麼事就覺悟什麼事，啊！原來如此！如是！如是！啊！就是這樣，就是這樣！你明白了什麼問題都沒有了。Everything's okay!（一切沒有問題！）
見事省事出世界，
見世迷事墮沉淪。
你見到什麼事被這個境界轉了，你不能人轉境，盡被這個境轉人。這個境界把你這個人的定力給轉了。你的這個定力不能轉這個境界而被這個境界所轉，這就要墮落了。
眼觀聲色內無有，
耳聽塵事心不知。
你的心裡一時清淨，就一時在靈山。你時時清淨，時時都在靈山。釋迦牟尼佛在靈山那個法會，儼然未散，這是智者大師見到的。你若能以見事省事，你也能有這種的感應：釋迦牟尼佛仍然在靈山會上那兒說法呢，啊！這個法會還沒有散。所以說「隨其所樂示諸相」：示一切相。示一切相就是一切法。你明白一切相，就是一切法。
「見者皆蒙出離苦」：你若見到佛，聞到法，開了智慧，就是離苦得樂了；你愚癡就是在黑暗地獄裡頭。就好像頭先沒有燈一樣（編按：現在電力已恢復了，在前一段因為停電，大家必須點上蠟燭），你點上一根蠟燭，這個蠟燭就是小小的般若光。這小小的般若光，令你能看見字。你應該把你的心光開開，心光若開開，不需要這個蠟燭，不需要這個電燈，還是光明的。那就是得到前邊所講的無上智了。你得到無上智，心光開了，就是在黑暗的世界裡頭，你依然有大光明藏。所以「見者皆蒙」，蒙，就是得到了。皆能得到什麼呢？出離苦，就是離苦得樂。「此現光神解脫力」：這一個解脫門，這一個境界，是普現光明那一位主方神，他所明瞭得到的這一種解脫門的境界。
→待續
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A reminder of the sutra text:
The Tathagata, with comfortable ease, appears in the world.
To teach and transform the multitudes of beings,
Everywhere revealing Dharma-doors for beings to enlighten to and enter,s
So they all will accomplish unsurpassed wisdom.
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The Buddha came into the world for the sake of you and me and others--all living beings, which is why you are being taught and transformed, and so am I and other beings. If we practice in accord with the teachings and rely upon the Buddha's teachings to cultivate, we can leave suffering, attain bliss, and escape the cycle of birth and death. However, if you do not practice in accord with the teaching--for example, if when told to eliminate greed you not only don't eliminate it, but increase it; or when instructed not to get angry you get twice as angry; or when admonished not to be stupid you augment your stupidity by one hundred percent so that the amount of these keeps doubling--then you will not be able to end birth and death, turn back from confusion and return to enlightenment, leave suffering and attain bliss. The Buddha appears in the world so beings can leave suffering and attain bliss, turn back from confusion and return to enlightenment, and achieve unsurpassed wisdom.
The Buddha brings living beings to enlightenment, everywhere revealing Dharma-doors for beings to enlighten to and enter. Like a magnet, everywhere he draws in living beings, who are like iron filings, attracting them all. And so he gathers in all living beings, gathering them in and revealing expedient Dharma-doors for them. "Everywhere revealing Dharma-doors" means telling beings about them, so beings can wake up, enlighten to them and attain to inherent wisdom--become enlightened. That is why he universally shows beings the Dharma-doors. These approaches to Dharma are suited to the living beings' potentials. Each individual being hears the Dharma-door suited to that being's fundamental disposition and the causes and conditions for crossing that being over. Therefore the "Universal Door Chapter" (of the Dharma Flower Sutra) describes how Guanshiyin Bodhisattva bestows fourteen kinds of fearlessness, has thirty-two types of transformation bodies, saves beings from the eight types of difficulties, neutralizes the three kinds of poisons, and responds to the two types of seeking. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva speaks the type of Dharma suited to each individual's potential, enabling beings to understand, then go on to cultivate, become enlightened and have accomplishment. This section of the Flower Adornment Sutra also speaks of opening up, revealing, and causing beings to enlighten to and enter the knowledge and vision of a Buddha.
So they all will accomplish unsurpassed wisdom. "All" means entirely, indicating that all beings whatsoever have conditions for becoming Buddhas, and that all living beings will become enlightened and achieve Buddhahood. Hence the text says, "so they all," meaning all living beings, "will accomplish unsurpassed wisdom." This is in the future tense. Right now they are still living beings and have not yet done this, but he makes it happen that they will accomplish the very highest wisdom and fruition, which is that of the Buddha. This means causing all living beings to accomplish the Buddha Way together.
[Editor's note: Right after this section was translated into English, the electricity came on again, and the rest of the lecture was recorded on tape.]
With limitless spiritual penetrations, as many as living beings,
According to what beings like, he reveals all characteristics.
Those who see him are enabled to escape from suffering.
Such is the Spirit Manifesting Light's power of liberation.
With limitless spiritual penetrations, as many as living beings. As to spiritual penetrations, Buddhas have the spiritual penetrations of Buddhas; Bodhisattvas have the spiritual penetrations appropriate to Bodhisattvas; Arhats possess Arhat-style spiritual penetrations; gods have god-like spiritual penetrations; ghosts are endowed with ghostly spiritual penetrations; and people have human spiritual penetrations. Even though they are all called spiritual penetrations, some are ultimate, whereas others are non-ultimate. The Buddha has limitless and boundlessly many great spiritual penetrations which are ultimate. Why does he have such great spiritual penetrations? It's because he wishes to rescue all living beings. For as many living beings as there are, the Buddha has that many spiritual penetrations. If the Buddha didn't have that many spiritual penetrations, some living beings could not be rescued. Therefore the Buddha's spiritual penetrations are infinitely many, and there are also infinitely many living beings. The Buddha uses those infinitely many spiritual penetrations to teach and transform those infinitely many beings. For that reason the text says: "With limitless spiritual penetrations, as many as living beings." There are as many of them as there are living beings. For each additional living being the Buddha has an additional spiritual penetration.
I'll give you an example. It's a very simple example; but if you understand on the shallow level, you can go on to more profound understanding. Right now all of you know how radar works, and how if there is a plane approaching, the plane shows up on the radar screen. If a submarine is coming, the radar screen reflects the outline of a submarine. In the case of a person's approach, the image of the person appears on the radar equipment. Suppose, for instance, that the military had this equipment, and so could know all the things that existed within a fifty-mile radius. That is an example of spiritual penetrations, albeit ordinary ones which are scientifically developed.
Didn't I say before that people have human spiritual penetrations? Those are man-made, human spiritual penetrations. The spiritual penetrations of a Buddha are somewhat like that, yet somewhat different. The difference is that people must use strength and make such equipment in order to have that kind of knowledge, whereas the spiritual penetrations of a Buddha occur naturally. The Buddha has them inherently. He doesn't have to press any buttons to know things. The knowledge is naturally his. Hence the text says: "With limitless spiritual penetrations, as many as living beings." The Buddha has as many spiritual penetrations as the total number of living beings. The Buddha's spiritual penetrations are intended to be used to save living beings. Otherwise, how could it be said that as many thoughts as there are in the minds of living beings are completely known and completely seen by the Tathagata? There is a radar connection between the Buddha and living beings--a telegraphic hook-up--and the electrical circuits are a function of spiritual penetrations.
According to what beings like, he reveals all characteristics. Take a look at the mundane level of truth in the world, with all its indications in society. All of that is Dharma being spoken for living beings by the Buddhas of the ten directions and three periods of time. They display appearances that are adapted to what living beings like, and by so doing they encourage people to understand all appearances. That is why I always tell you that if when you see things you can recognize them, then you can transcend the world. That means that whenever you encounter a situation, you can understand that situation and realize, "Oh! That's the way it was all along. So it is, so it is! That's the way it is! It's that way! Oh!" If you have clarity of understanding, then nothing is a problem. Everything's okay!
If when you see things, you can recognize them,
then you transcend the world
But if when you see things, you are confused by them,
you will sink and fall.
Perhaps whenever you encounter a situation, you are turned around by the situation. In that case, rather than the person being able to turn the state around, the state turns the person around. The state turns your samadhi power around. Instead of the strength of your concentration succeeding in altering the state, it is altered by the state--in that case you will fall.
The eyes see forms outside, but inside there is nothing.
The ears hear defiling matters, but the mind does not know.
Every instant of purity in your mind is an instant on Vulture Peak. If at all times you are pure, then you are at all times on Vulture Peak. Shakyamuni Buddha's Dharma assembly on Vulture Peak has never dispersed--that is what Great Master Zhi Zhe ("Wise One") saw. If you, upon seeing things, can recognize them, then you can have that kind of experience. Shakyamuni Buddha is still speaking Dharma in the assembly on Vulture Peak, and that Dharma assembly has never disbanded. Therefore, "according to what they like, he reveals all characteristics." He displays all appearances, and the displaying of all appearances itself is all dharmas. If you understand all appearances, just that is all dharmas.
Those who see him are enabled to escape from suffering. If you see the Buddha and hear the Dharma, and open wisdom, then you leave suffering and attain bliss. But if you are stupid, you are in a dark hell, the way we had no lights just now. [Editor's note: The electricity had gone out for the first part of the lecture, but had just come back on for the lecturing of this section. People had used candles up to then.] If you light a candle, the candle is a tiny amount of Prajna wisdom. That minute quantity of wisdom of Prajna enables you to see words. You should turn on the light in your mind. With your mind's light turned on, you won't need candles or electricity for there to be light. You will have attained the unsurpassed wisdom discussed before. When you attain unsurpassed wisdom and your mind's light is turned on, then even in the dark world you still have the great treasury of brightness. Hence, those who see him are enabled to achieve escape from suffering. They leave suffering and attain bliss; such is the Spirit Manifesting Light's power of liberation. The Direction-Ruling Spirit named Universally Manifesting Light understands this kind of state and door to liberation.
→To be continued
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