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光陰過得非常快，在不知不覺中把暑假的時間就過去了。在中國，孔子說過人生就好像流水似地，川流不息，時光過去就不會再回來了。又有人說：「一寸光陰一寸金，寸金難買寸光陰。」說這一寸的光陰就好像一寸黃金那麼樣寶貴。可是這黃金，你若丟了還可以想法子再把它找回來；這光陰過去了，就沒有法子再把它找回來了。由這樣看來，這光陰比黃金更貴重，所以在佛教裏說「一寸時光就是一寸的命光」。時光過去了，命光也就少一點，所以才說時光減處命光微；時光減少了，命光也就少一點了，所以我們對時間一定要看重了，不要把它隨隨便便地就放過去了。
我們這個暑假，由早晨六點鐘就開始，或者打坐，或者研究佛經。由早晨到晚間九點鐘這段時間，每一個人都很認真地去用功修行。我相信這個期間比黃金更貴重，比鑽石也更有價值，所以大家能以在一起熏修，在我們每個人生命裏頭，這段時間可以說是最寶貴，最有價值的一段時間。可惜這個時間不太長，轉眼之間就過去了；雖然過去了，可是我們每一個人所學的佛法，在每一個人的腦筋裏頭，在每一個人的八識田裏邊，都種下去一個寶貴的金剛種子。這個種子種下去了，等到將來一定會結金剛不壞的果；金剛不壞的果就是佛果，就是成佛。
那麼在什麼時候成呢？這就看我們每一個人自己的耕耘灌溉。這個種子種下去了，好像種田似地種到地裏頭，你必須要，譬如給它灌一點水，除一除草，把這個地耕得掀騰起來。怎麼樣叫除草呢？就是我們每一個人要時時刻刻防微杜漸。怎麼叫防微呢？防微就是防備，預防這個微細處，我們的心念不要打妄想，不要令它生很多雜念；杜漸就是杜絕，杜絕這一切的妄想，要把它沒有了。
每一天這樣地用功，每一天這樣去修行、栽培灌溉，就好像種田，我灌一點水，再把地收拾得沒有草。一天一天地，你這個金剛種子種到地裏去就生菩提的芽，菩提芽生出來將來就結菩提果。可是你要保護這個菩提芽，保護這個菩提果；你不要不管它了，也不灌水，也不去栽培它，那麼它就會枯槁，會乾了。
你能以灌溉；怎麼叫灌溉呢？你就天天學習佛法，用佛法的法水來灌溉這個菩提芽，久而久之你這個金剛的果也就會成就了。如果你過去了這個時間，不繼續地理它，這個金剛的種子種下去了是種下去了，它也不容易生出來的。你必須要好好地保護著你這個金剛的種子，不要再做以前所歡喜做的事情。就是要守規矩，循規蹈矩，不要再像以前那麼樣做一些個不守規矩的事情。你守規矩，這就合佛法；不守規矩就不合佛法。所以我們做人一定要循規蹈矩，依照規矩去做去，不要太放逸了，不要太浪漫了。我對每一個人的期望都是這樣子。
在這個暑假的期間，講這部《楞嚴經》，這一定是所謂「一歷耳根，永為道種。」經耳朵一聽，這個經典的道理就永遠在你八識田裏邊，有這種菩提的種子。
在這個暑假圓滿後，佛教講堂休息兩個禮拜。可是這兩個禮拜也會很快地就過去了，等到下個月六號，又是禮拜天，也正是中國的八月十五；八月十五這一天這月光是最圓的，所以在那一天，又開始《觀世音菩薩普門品》的講座，繼續向各位來講。在這個暑假以前，已經就講這《觀世音菩薩普門品》講了三個月。這三個月，這題目也沒有講完，這一次我相信由八月十五，就是下個月的六號開始，可以很快講到正式的經文裏邊去了。
觀世音菩薩在佛教裏頭佔很重要的地位。這觀世音菩薩，有的人說他是中國人，有的人又說他是外國人；有的人又說他是男人，有的人又說他是女人。現在我告訴各位，這觀世音菩薩他也不是中國人，也不是外國人。他是哪會兒的人呢？他是盡虛空遍法界，哪個地方都是他，哪個地方也都不是他。他是隨類應現，應該以什麼身得度的，他就現什麼身而為眾生說法，所以他沒有一定的。
這觀世音菩薩他也現佛身來度一切應該成佛的眾生；他也現菩薩身來度一切應該成菩薩的眾生；他也現天上的天王身來度一切眾生。總而言之，這個眾生應該以什麼身得度的，觀世音菩薩就是現什麼身，來給這一類的眾生說法。
在佛教裏頭，觀世音菩薩各處去教化眾生，要度一切眾生發菩提心。他先看這個眾生歡喜什麼，他先就投其所好；他一投其所好，這個人就歡喜了，所以他說什麼法，這個人也都歡喜聽，於是乎就把這個眾生度了。所以說觀世音菩薩，他也不一定是男身，也不一定是女身；他也是男身，也是女身，不過都是變化的。那麼觀世音菩薩的本體呢？他是如如不動的，和佛是一樣的，並且觀世音菩薩在很久以前，已經成佛了。他的名字叫正法明如來，所以現在他化菩薩身來教化眾生。
在佛教裏他現菩薩身；在外道裏邊，他也現外道的身。所以往往有一個穿著白衣服的，在耶穌教裏就說他是聖母。其實這個聖母是誰？也就是觀世音菩薩去教化那一類的眾生，他去現那麼一個穿白衣服的人的樣子。一般的耶穌教就說這是聖母，其實也就是觀世音菩薩，去顯現令這個眾生來發心，無論早晚都會令他明白佛法；明白佛法之後，就發菩提心。這是觀世音菩薩他這種妙用無窮的一種不可思議的境界。
待續
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The time passes by very quickly. Without our realizing it, the summer is already over. In China, Confucius compared life to a ceaselessly flowing stream. Time that has gone by can never return. Someone also said, "An inch of time is worth an inch of gold, but even if one has an inch of gold, one can hardly buy back an inch of time." An inch of time is as valuable as an inch of gold. If you lose gold, it's possible to recover it. Once time has gone by, however, there is no way to get it back. Therefore, time is even more valuable than gold. Thus, in Buddhism we say, "An inch of time is an inch of life." When time grows short, one's life is also shorter. We must value our time and not casually let it go by in vain.
During this summer, we have begun our days at six o'clock in the morning, either meditating or studying Buddhist Sutras. From early in the morning until nine o'clock at night, every person applies himself diligently to cultivation. I believe that this period has been more precious than gold, more valuable than diamonds. Everyone has been together, being permeated and influenced by what we have heard and cultivated. This period of time could be considered a most precious and valuable time in each of our lives. It's a pity that this time is not that long; it has passed by in the twinkling of an eye. Although it is over, the Buddhadharma that each of us has learned has planted a precious Vajra seed in our brain and in the field of our eighth consciousness. This seed has been planted, and in the future it will certainly bear the indestructible fruit of Vajra. The indestructible Vajra fruit is also the Buddha-fruit—we will become Buddhas.
When will we become Buddhas? It depends on our own efforts at tilling and irrigating the fields. The seed has been planted in the ground, but, just as in farming, you have to water it, pull the weeds, and turn the soil by tilling it, making it soft so that the seed can sprout. How do you pull the weeds out? What does it mean to weed the ground? It means that at all times, each one of us must guard against what is subtle and stop what is gradually going to happen. That is, we must guard against the arising of very subtle thoughts. We must put a stop to all false thoughts, get rid of false thoughts. Every day we must apply effort in this way. Each day we must cultivate in this way, tending and irrigating the fields. It's just like farming. You give it some water and pull out all the weeds, day by day, and the Vajra seed you have planted in the ground will produce a Bodhi sprout. After your Bodhi tree has produced shoots, that is, after your Bodhi sprout has come up, it will eventually bear the Bodhi fruit. But you have to protect that Bodhi sprout and Bodhi fruit. Don't neglect it. If you neglect to water it and tend to it, then it will wither away and dry up.
What is meant by watering? If you study the Buddhadharma every day and use the Dharma water of the Buddhadharma to irrigate your Bodhi sprout, then over the course of time, your Vajra fruit will come to maturity. If you don't continue to care for this Vajra seed after this period is over, then even though it was planted, it won't be easy for it to sprout. You must protect your Vajra seed well. Don't go back to doing the things you used to enjoy. Follow the rules and behave. Don't be as rowdy as you used to be. Don't do the heedless things that you used to do. If you follow the rules, then you are in accord with the Buddhadharma. If you don't follow the rules, then you are not in accord with the Buddhadharma. We should certainly be people who abide by the rules and work according to the regulations. Don't be too lax or too romantic. This is my hope for each one of you.
During this summer session of lectures on the
Shurangama Sutra, it has surely been the case that, "Once it enters your ears, it is forever a seed of the Way." As soon as the principles of this Sutra pass through your ears, they remain forever in the field of your eight consciousness as seeds of Bodhi. When the summer is over, the Buddhist Lecture Hall will take a two-week break, but those two weeks will go by very quickly. The sixth of next month, which is a Sunday, also happens to be the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month on the Chinese calendar. Since fifteenth of the eighth month is the day on which the moon is at its fullest, I will begin lecturing on "Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's Universal Door Chapter" again on that day. Before this summer, I had already been lecturing on "Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's Universal Door Chapter" for three months. During those three months, I didn't even finish explaining the title, but this time when we begin on the fifteenth of the eighth lunar month, which is the sixth of the next month, I believe we will very quickly get to the text proper in the lecture.
Guanshiyin Bodhisattva holds a very important position in Buddhism. Some people say Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is Chinese, while others say he is another nationality. Some people say this Bodhisattva is a man, while others say the Bodhisattva is a woman. Now I will tell all of you: Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is neither Chinese nor any other nationality. Where is he from then? Exhausting empty space and pervading the Dharma Realm, he can be found everywhere, and yet there is no place where he is. He manifests in response to different kinds of beings, appearing in whatever form is most appropriate to speak Dharma for living beings. Therefore, his appearance is not fixed. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva appears in the body of a Buddha to cross over all the living beings who are meant to become Buddhas. He also appears in the body of a Bodhisattva in order to cross over all the living beings who are meant to become Bodhisattvas. He also manifests the body of a heavenly king to cross over all living beings. In general, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva appears in whatever form a living being needs to see in order to be crossed over, and comes to speak Dharma for that kind of living being.
In Buddhism, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva goes everywhere to teach and transform living beings. He wants to cross over all living beings and cause them to bring forth the resolve for Bodhi. He first contemplates to see what a living being likes and then caters to his likings. When he caters to that person's likings, the person feels happy and is glad to listen to whatever Dharma he speaks. Thus he successfully crosses over that living being. So I said Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is not necessarily male or female; he is both male and female, but that's just his transformation. In his fundamental identity, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is thus and unmoving, just like the Buddhas. What is more, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva became a Buddha a long time ago by the name of Light of Proper Dharma Tathagata. Now he is manifesting as a Bodhisattva to come teach and transform living beings.
He appears as a Bodhisattva in Buddhism, but he also appears in other religions as personages of those religions. There is a white-robed figure known in Christianity as Saint Mary. Who was the Saint Mary in fact? She was just Guanshiyin Bodhisattva coming to teach and transform that class of living beings. He appeared as a person in white robes and the Christians all said that was the Holy Mother, but in fact it was Guanshiyin Bodhisattva appearing to inspire those living beings to bring forth resolves. Sooner and later, they would come to understand the Buddhadharma, and after they understood the Buddhadharma, they would bring forth the Bodhi resolve. That's the inconceivable state of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's inexhaustible, wonderful functioning.
To be continued
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