復有無量慳貪有情。積集資財。於其自身。尚不受用。何況能與父母妻子。奴婢作使。及來乞者。彼諸有情。從此命終。生餓鬼界。或傍生趣。由昔人間。曾得暫聞藥師琉璃光如來名故。今在惡趣。暫得憶念。彼如來名。即於念時。從彼處沒。還生人中。得宿命念。畏惡趣苦。不樂欲樂。好行惠施。讚歎施者。一切所有。悉無貪惜。漸次尚能以頭目手足。血肉身分。施来求者。況餘財物。
「復有無量慳貪有情」：又有無量無邊那么多慳貪的眾生，捨不得、孤寒鬼、刻薄、慳吝。「積集資財」：聚集這個資財。資就是物質，財就是財產；積聚這物質和財產。「於其自身」：就是給他自己這個身，尚不受用」：他自己也捨不得用。什么東西都收藏起來，自己捨不得用，也不給其他的人用。「何況能與父母妻子」：他自己都捨不得用，他怎麼能又會令父母、妻子來享用呢？他更也捨不得！
「奴婢作使」：那麼或者給他奴婢，或者他這個傭人，「及來乞者」：或者來和他要飯的這些人。
「彼諸有情」：這一類刻薄、慳貪、孤寒的眾生，「從此命終」：一旦他死了，「生餓鬼界」：死了怎么樣啊？因為他這麼慳貪，總是不捨得，所以就作了一個窮鬼，作了一個餓鬼，作了一個守財鬼；「或傍生趣」：或者做了畜生，也不一定的。
「由昔人間」：因為他以前在人間，曾得暫聞藥師琉璃光如來名故」：他偶爾在一個場合裏頭，聽見人念藥師琉璃光如來的名號，今在惡趣」：現在在這個三惡道裏頭，「暫得憶念，彼如來名」：偶爾就想起來這藥師琉璃光如來的名號了。「即於念時」：就在他這個念的時候，「從彼處沒」：就從那個或者是餓鬼道，或者傍生，牠就從那兒沒有了，「還生人中」：又回來生在人世間來了。「得宿命念」：他常常知道自己前生是做什麼，是怎麼樣的，得宿命通。「畏惡趣苦」：很怕這個三惡道的苦果，「不樂欲樂」：不再歡喜這個欲樂、吃喝玩樂了。「好行惠施」：那麼就歡喜做一些個布施，布施給一切眾生。「讚歎施者」：他也讚歎布施的這一類人。「一切所有，悉無貪惜」：他一切所有的，也都不那麼孤寒了，不那么慳貪了。「漸次尚能以頭目手足，血肉身分」：那麼慢慢的——漸次就是慢慢的，一步一步來；尚能，他能勉強布施頭，布施目，布施手足，或者布施血肉之身。「施來求者」：布施給向他來求的這一類眾生；「況餘財物」：況且其餘的身外之物，那他更不會不捨得了，一定都能捨得了。
布施是修福的一個法門，我們看一看世界上，為什麼有窮的人？為什麼有富的人？那個窮的人，就是捨不得的那個人；那個富的人，就是捨得的那個人。所謂「要捨才能得，你不捨就不得。」因為這個，我們人要把因果認清楚了，不要錯因果。你一錯因果啊，差之毫釐，就謬之千里。尤其我們到寺院裏頭來拜佛的人，到這兒都應該利益其他人，布施給其他人；不應該跑到廟裏頭來想找便宜，總怕自己吃了虧。甚至於到廟上來偷，偷這個飲食，偷財物，偷一切的一切，這將來一定會墮落三惡道的。所以你們每一個人回到家裏，告訴你們自己的親戚朋友，無論到哪一個廟上去，不要跑到廟上去找便宜，甚至於偷東西；這是最造罪業的一個行為了。假如你不告訴他，他造了罪業，你都也有份的，所以無論親戚朋友，要明白告訴他這個因果循環的道理，不要昧因果，不要錯因果。
你看佛經上，都是教人布施，不是教人盡布施給自己，自己不布施給旁人。我們學佛的人，要倒過來；倒過來，就是要利益其他人，這才是夠上一個學佛的人。不然的時候，在佛教裏頭，做一個德中之賊，盡破壞佛教；甚至各處去拉護法，想辦法去攀緣，這都是造罪業的地方。
在旁的地方我見不著。我就算想要幫他，他也聽不見我對他講這個話；你們各位，聽見我對你們說這種的話，你們切記切記啊！要趕快覺悟，趕快迴光返照、猛醒，快點覺悟過來。有過錯的，就趕快把它改了；沒有，那更要勉勵，更要好好地做一個佛教徒，不要做一個似是而非的，在佛教裏頭盡混水摸魚，在那兒想找種種的利益。甚至於在佛教裏做生意，這更是將來一定會墮地獄的。以前有個人，在金輪聖寺就賣珠寶，到這兒來賣首飾，這將來的果報都是不得了的！所以各位一定要很小心的！不然墮落的時候，我也沒有辦法救你的。
待續
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Sutra:
"There are other innumerable avaricious and miserly living beings who hoard money and necessities that they don't use even for themselves, how much less for their parents, wives, or servants, or for beggars! At the end of their lives, such beings will be reborn among the hungry ghosts or animals. If they had heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their former human existence, and they recall that Tathagata's name for the briefest moment while they are in the evil destinies, they will immediately be reborn in the human realm. Moreover, they will remember their past life and will dread the sufferings of the evil destinies. They will not delight in worldly pleasures, but will rejoice in giving and praise others who give. They will not begrudge giving whatever they have. Gradually, to those who come to beg, they will be able to give away their own head, eyes, hands, feet, and even their entire body, to say nothing of their money and property!"
Commentary:
There are other innumerable avaricious and miserly living beings who hoard money and necessities that they don't use even for themselves, how much less for their parents, wives, or servants, or for beggars! There are countlessly many "stingy ghosts" who amass riches and store them away, not allowing anyone to use them. They cannot even bear to use these things themselves, so how could they possibly let their parents or wives enjoy them? How much less would they share their wealth with servants or beggars!
At the end of their lives, such beings will be reborn among the hungry ghosts or animals. Such misers may turn into poor ghosts, hungry ghosts, moneyguarding ghosts, or animals.
If they had heard the name of that Buddha, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, in their former human existence, and they recall that Tathagata's name for the briefest moment while they are in the evil destinies, they will immediately be reborn in the human realm. As humans, they might have heard someone reciting the name of Medicine Master Buddha. If they remember that Buddha's name while they are in the three evil paths, they will be reborn in the human realm. Moreover, they will remember their past life. Having the knowledge of past lives, they will dread the sufferings of the evil destinies. They will not delight in worldly pleasures, but will rejoice in giving and praise others who give. They will no longer indulge in eating, drinking, and making merry, but will instead delight in giving to all living beings and will praise those who practice charity.
No longer misers, they will not begrudge giving whatever they have. Gradually, to those who come to beg, they will be able to give away their own head, eyes, hands, feet, and even their entire body to anyone who seeks for them, to say nothing of their money and property! How much more will they be able to renounce other possessions!
By giving, one reaps blessings. Those who were stingy in past lives are poor now, while those who were generous are now rich. It is said, "You must first give in order to get something in return. If you don't give, you won't get anything." We must be clear about cause and effect. If you make even a tiny mistake in cause and effect, the consequences may be terrible. When we come to the temple to bow to the Buddhas, we should try to benefit others, not try to gain something for ourselves. We should be willing to take a loss. People who come to the temple to steal food, money, or other things will certainly fall into the three evil paths.
Be sure to tell your relatives and friends that no matter what temple they go to, they shouldn't go there hoping to obtain responses or bargains, or to steal things. If they do, they are creating great offenses. If you fail to tell them, then you have a share in their offenses. You should clearly explain the law of cause and effect to them, so they won't make mistakes.
The Sutras tell us to give to others, not to constantly be seeking offerings from others. Buddhists should benefit others. Otherwise, we will only be "thieves among the virtuous." If we constantly exploit situations and pull strings with the Dharma-protectors, we are simply creating offenses and trying to destroy Buddhism.
Hearing my advice, I hope you will wake up and quickly take stock of yourself! If you have faults, change them right away; and if you don't, then try even harder to be a good Buddhist. Don't be a phony Buddhist who tries to take advantage of Buddhism. Don't be tempted to do business within Buddhism, for it will surely lead you to the hells! The woman who came to our temple and tried to sell jewelry didn't realize that she was asking for a terrible retribution. Be extremely careful. If you fall, I won't be able to save you.
To be continued
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