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1975年8月22日下午
我所講過的觀想唸佛、觀相唸佛、持名唸佛，沒有講這個實相唸佛。什麼叫實相唸佛呢？實相就是離相，不著相；離一切法，掃一切相，也就是參禪法門。真參禪的人就是真唸佛，真會唸佛的人也就是參禪；參禪和唸佛都是叫你沒有妄想，把你的私欲、雜念掃出去，現出本來的面目，所以叫實相唸佛。佛說所有的法門，就是對治眾生所有的毛病；眾生毛病要是沒有了，一切法門也都沒有用了，用不著了；眾生有毛病，所以法門才有用。八萬四千法門是佛說的，每一個法門都是第一，沒有第二的法門；八萬四千法門，就有八萬四千個第一。對你的機，相應的那個就是第一；不相應的，你不用的法門，也不是第二，也是第一，所以我說八萬四千法門，就有八萬四千個第一；我們現在修的是唸佛法門。
又有修的持咒法門。咒，也有種種的咒；佛，也有很多的佛，不過所有的佛，就是這阿彌陀佛和我們眾生最有緣，他和我們眾生就像那個磁石吸鐵似的。我們眾生譬如鐵，阿彌陀佛是一塊磁石，把我們眾生都吸到極樂世界去了。那麼其他的佛呢，也好像是磁石，但是沒有這麼大的吸力，沒有這麼大的力量，所以，我們眾生唸阿彌陀佛，修這個淨土法門。
我們這一次在美國有歷史以來，第一次在深山裡頭大家聚在一起來唸佛，相信這一次就是種了因，將來一定會開很大的花，結很大的果，這是我絕對相信的一件事。
我們打完了佛七，我再教你們唸一個秘密的咒。你們回到自己的家裡，願意念咒也可以，願意唸佛也可以，看誰先修行成功。有意見沒有？
學生：我們是不是還可以講講所發生的一些特別的事？昨天在一小時的打坐時，我覺得有很多電能，有一會我覺得自己很大，我的頭在雲裡，覺得空中好像有雨。後來我又覺得像是在雲裡，不過這次我是跟著一個實體走，我不願雨下下來。
上人：他這種境界是坐禪應該有的一種境界。我頭先說要教人一個咒，等著佛七完了再教，我覺得有一些個人有一種妄想，想要說一種道理，他們想要說，可以現在就說。他們想說「我明天就要走了，或者我就沒有機會學了。」有沒有人這麼想？
答：有。
上人：那我現在就教你們好不好？
答：好，謝謝！
上人：這個咒，是最妙的咒。我現在教你們，是有聲教你們。你們唸的時候要無聲唸，不要說出口來，因為這是秘密的咒，你要說出口來，就不秘密了。
你行、住、坐、臥要常常唸這個咒，這個咒的力量可就大了。你在山上唸，這所有山上的眾生，過五百年後都會成菩薩，就有這麼大的功德；你在水裡頭念，水頭所有的一切眾生，過五百年後都發菩提心，將來都成菩薩；你本人念，你本人身所有的虱子、蟣子、臭蟲所有在你身上的這些個細菌，在你身上的這些個眾生，也過五百年之後，都可以發菩提心，都可以成菩薩。你看這個力量大不大？
假如你自己不願意作菩薩，那麼你幫助其他的眾生成菩薩，這也是一件善事，所以你不可以不唸這個咒。You should hurry up and recite it！（你要快快念這個咒。）這個咒，我現在告訴你們各位，我傳給你們，你們各位要特別注意。你們已經知道了這個咒，不要說：「喔！我已經知道了。」就生一種輕慢的心；不知道的呢，更應該生一種尊重法的心。我現在來教你們這個咒，你們都注意一點！我只教三遍，你記不記得就隨你自己了。
什麼咒呢？就是「嗡嘛呢叭彌吽，嗡嘛呢叭彌吽，嗡嘛呢叭彌吽。」這個咒的力量是不可思議的，你們要很注意的來修持這個法。
（星期五下午，十七個人，包括念佛法會會主Brevoort夫婦及他們的兒子Joshua，皈依上人。皈依儀式完畢後，上人給新弟子們講了以下短短的開示。）
我再給你們講幾句話，可以坐下。你們要記得，你們是在佛根地皈依的，所以男孩子就叫果根，因為是佛根－－佛的根。
你們各位在這兒皈依，要作一個佛教裡頭領導的人，給所有世界上的人做一個好的榜樣，做一個好的佛教徒，令佛教發揚光大到整個世界，整個法界去。要是有人不信佛的，就是你們大家沒有盡到自己的責任，所以要發這種願，令所有的人都皈依三寶，這是你們最大的功德。
你看《校量功德經》上說，有三千大千世界這麼多的佛，就像稻麻竹葦那麼多的佛，你以四事來供養他；佛都滅度了，你又以種種的香花飲食來供養；你又造塔造廟，這功德當然是多了，但是你要是能令自己皈依三寶，又能令其他人來皈依三寶，這個功德比你用四事供養三千大千世界如稻麻竹葦那麼多的佛還大。
什麼叫四事呢？就是飲食、衣服、臥具、湯藥。飲食是吃的東西；衣服是穿的衣服；臥具是睡覺用的東西；湯藥就是有病，供養藥。供養這些東西，那麼佛圓寂了又造塔造廟、又用種種的香花供養，這種功德雖然多，不如你勸一個人皈依三寶，或者你自己皈依三寶，那個功德比你以前供養諸佛那種功德更大，所以皈依三寶的功德是不可思議的。
你們每一個人都要以佛教作為自己的責任；佛教就是我，我就是佛教，不要和佛教來分門。不但佛教是我，所有的宗教，我都要教化他們來信佛教，要發這種願，所以才說眾生無邊誓願度，煩惱無盡誓願斷，法門無量誓願學，佛道無上誓願成。你們各位都要發大願力，來弘揚佛法，可以不可以？（弟子：可以。）Okay，你們這裡邊，今天皈依的，有很多都是我很熟的人，所以也不必客氣了，好好去做，Okay？（弟子：Okay!）我們現在唸佛迴向。
待續
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Friday, August 22, 1975 (afternoon)
So far, I have explained three techniques of Buddha Recitation: "contemplation by thought," "contemplation of an image," and "holding the name." But I have not yet explained the fourth method, which is "Real Mark Buddha Recitation."
The Real Mark is apart from marks; it is not attached to any distinguishing characteristics. It has left all dharmas behind and swept away all marks. This is the Dharma door of investigating dhyana. Those who truly practice dhyana truly chant the Buddha's name as well. Those who can really recite the Buddha's name are, in fact, investigating dhyana. Dhyana practice and Buddha Recitation both help you to stop your idle thoughts and sweep away your personal desires and random thoughts, so that your original face appears. This is called Real Mark recitation.
The Buddha spoke all the Dharma doors to cure the illnesses of living beings. If living beings had no illnesses, then none of the methods would be of use. But, because we living beings have such problems, the methods are useful. Of the eighty-four thousand Dharma doors spoken by the Buddha, every Dharma door is number one. Not one of them is number two. Whichever method is appropriate to your situation is number one. If one is inappropriate and you can't use it, that doesn't mean that it is number two, because it may be number one for someone else. So I say that there are eighty-four thousand Dharma doors and eighty-four thousand of them are number one.
Now we are cultivating the method of Buddha recitation, and some also cultivate the technique of holding mantras. There are various mantras, and there are many different Buddhas, but of all the Buddhas, Amitabha Buddha has the closest affinity with us. We living beings may be likened to iron filings and Amitahba Buddha is like a magnet which draws us in to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. The other Buddhas are also like magnets, but their magnetism is not as strong. So living beings should recite the name of Amitabha Buddha and cultivate the Pure Land Dharma door. This is the first time in the history of America that we have gathered in the mountains to recite the Buddha's name. I believe that we are planting a cause which will in the future certainly produce a grand blossom and bear a great fruit. I absolutely believe that this will be the case.
After the session, I will teach you a secret mantra. When you return home, if you want to recite the mantra you may, or if you want to recite the Buddha's name, you may. We'll see who succeeds first in their cultivation. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Student: Could we still speak about special occurrences? Yesterday during the hour sit, I felt a lot of electrical energy and at one moment I felt very large. My head was in the clouds and a rainy feeling was in the air. Later, I was once more in the clouds only this time I was talking with an entity and I did not want the rain to fall.
The Master: This state may happen to those who cultivate dhyana. I just said that when the session was over I would teach you a mantra and I think now that some people are having a particular idle thought and there is something they want to say. If you want to speak, just go ahead. Someone is thinking, "I'm leaving tomorrow. I might not get a chance to learn it." Isn't that correct?
Student: Yes.
The Master: Well, if I taught it to you now, would that be okay?
Student: Yes, thank you!
The Master: This is the most wonderful of mantra. Now I will teach it to you audibly, but when you recite it you should do so silently. Don't speak it out loud, because it's a secret mantra, and if you speak it out loud it won't be a secret any longer. Walking, standing, sitting, and reclining, you should always recite this mantra. The mantra's power is very great. For example, if you recite it in the mountains, after five hundred years have passed all the living creatures on the mountain will become Bodhisattvas. Its merit and virtue are that great. If you recite it in the water, after five hundred years all the living creatures in the water will bring forth the Bodhi resolve and in the future will become Bodhisattvas. Just recite it, and five hundred years later all the fleas, nits, and bed-bugs, and all the germs in your own body will also bring forth the thought of enlightenment and become Bodhisattvas. Is this or is this not powerful? If you yourself do not wish to become a Bodhisattva, helping other living beings to become Bodhisattvas is a good thing to do. Therefore, you can't fail to recite this mantra. You should hurry up and recite it!
I will now transmit it to you and you should all pay special attention to it. If you already know the mantra, don't think, "Oh, I know it," and look on it lightly. Those who don't know it should be even more respectful of this dharma. Now I will teach it to you. Pay attention, because I'm only going to repeat it three times and whether or not you remember it is up to you:
Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum
The power of the mantra is inconceivable. Pay special attention in cultivating and upholding this dharma.
[On Friday afternoon, seventeen people took refuge with the Master, including Mr. and Mrs. Brevoort, hosts of the Buddha Recitation Session, and their son, Joshua. At the end of the ceremony, the Master delivered the following short talk to the new disciples:]
I have a few more words to say to you. Please sit down. You should all remember that you took refuge at Buddha Root Farm. I gave young Joshua the Dharma name "Fruit of the Root," (Guo Gen) because he is a Buddha root. All of you who have taken refuge here should be leaders of Buddhism. You must act as models for all peoples of the world. Be good Buddhist disciples and spread Buddhism throughout the entire world, throughout the Dharma Realm. If there is one person who does not believe in the Buddha, it will be because you have not fulfilled your responsibilities. You should vow to cause all people to take refuge with the Triple Jewel. That will result in the greatest merit and virtue. The Sutra of Comparative Merit and Virtue says, "If there were Buddhas in number like the seedlings of rice, stalks of hemp, stalks of bamboo and reeds in the great trichiliocosm, and if you presented those Buddhas with the four kinds of offerings, and then, when those Buddhas passed into Nirvana, you again made offerings of incense and flowers, food and drink, and built shrines and temples for them, the resulting merit and virtue would be great indeed. However, when you yourself take refuge with the Triple Jewel and exhort others to take refuge, the merit from this exceeds the former."
What are the four types of offerings? They are: food and drink, clothing, bedding, and medicine. Although the merit from offerings of flowers and incense and building shrines and temples is considerable, when you encourage one person to take refuge with the Triple Jewel and when you do so yourself, the merit from that action surpasses the merit obtained by making offerings to all those Buddhas. Thus, the result of taking refuge with the Triple Jewel is inconceivable.
Each of you should make Buddhism your own responsibility. Think, "Buddhism is just me; I am Buddhism." Don't set yourself apart from Buddhism. "Not only is Buddhism my religion, but I am going to convert those of other religions to Buddhism. This is my vow." You should make the Four Vast Vows:
I vow to save the boundless number of beings.
I vow to sever the endless afflictions.
I vow to study the unlimited Dharma doors.
I vow to realize the supreme Buddha Way.
You should make great vows to spread the Buddhadharma. Okay?
Refuge-takers: Okay!
Of those who took refuge today, many are familiar to me and need not stand on ceremony. Go ahead and do a good job, okay?
Refuge-takers: Okay!
To be continued
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