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講法也就是學校，這個學校是訓練人來講法的。普通學校是老師在那兒給學生上課，學生來學習；我們這個學校呢，因為學佛很久了，就訓練人講演。最初我們是兩個男出家人，兩個女出家人，那麼講；只是練習講，不一定是對外的，是對內的。我們講好，也可以講；講不好，也可以講。我在香港就開始這種工作，每個禮拜六、禮拜天，一些個青年人輪流上臺來講，到美國這兒還是這樣子。因為要是都是出家人講，在家人就沒有機會講，所以我們改變，用這個方法。
現在每一次講，兩位出家人，一男一女，兩位在家人，也是一男一女；大家都平等平等，來練習說法。在家人也應該坐到上邊和出家人一起坐，不過坐在外邊。不需要有兩個（男或女）出家人，一個就好了，都要輪著的。至於翻譯的人，是另外的，所以講法是大家輪著講。這一次，這兩位；下一次，那兩位，不是指定常常是某人。翻譯的，坐上來講，我們這個既民主，又有一種規律。練習常了，每一個人都敢講了。
我們這是訓練說法的學校，因為這個，我們這兒誰願意說什麼都可以，你只要不罵人就可以。甚至於你罵人也可以，你來先罵我；罵我，這也是我的善知識。所以你們各位要聽見有人罵我的話，你不要反對他，你就替我向他叩三個頭，感謝他，說，「我師父業障很重啊，你這一罵他，他的業障就減輕了，罪業就沒有了，所以我要禮謝你，要給你頂禮叩頭。」
你們大家聽見沒有？切記不要對他發脾氣；你這一發脾氣，有火不要緊，火遇火無處躲，就變成一個「炎」字了。這個炎字，就是把你也燒壞了，把他也燒壞了，所以這一點各位要特別注意的。
我們對誰都是不起對待，不反對任何的事情。如果他不對，我們可以用理來說服他，而不用力量來征服他，這是我們的宗旨。所以對人是這樣子，在自己的地方也這樣子。我們第一要緊的條件，就是不爭、不貪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄語，這是我們最根本要學習的。我今天時間都被他們給佔去了，我沒多少時間了，等我九號再來還債。
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Speaking Dharma is like a school. This school is for training people to speak Dharma. In ordinary schools, teachers teach and students learn. In this school of ours, we train people to lecture after they have been studying Buddhism for some time. In the beginning we used to have two monks and two nuns give talks. We were just practicing and not necessarily speaking for the general public. We were just speaking to our own people. We could speak whether or not we were good at speaking. I began this kind of project when I was in Hong Kong. Every Saturday and Sunday, young people would take turns coming up to speak. I'm still doing this now that I'm in the United States. If only monks and nuns got to speak, the laypeople would never get a chance. That's why we changed our way of doing things.
Now at every lecture, we have two Sangha members, a monk and a nun, and two laypeople, a layman and a laywoman, so that everyone has an equal opportunity to practice speaking Dharma. The laypeople should sit up here together with the Sangha members, but they should sit on the outside. There's no need for two monks or two nuns to come up. One of each is enough, and we all take turns. The translator is counted separately. Everyone should take turns speaking Dharma: these two people this time; another pair next time. It should not be the same people speaking every time. The translator should also sit up here. We should do everything in a democratic and orderly way. After a bit of practice, everyone will have the courage to speak.
Ours is a school for training people to speak the Dharma. For that reason, you can say whatever you wish, as long as you don't scold people. You may even berate people, but you must first berate me. Those who rebuke me are my good teachers. If you hear people disparaging me, don't argue with them. Instead, please bow three times to them for me and thank them by saying, "My teacher's karmic obstructions are severe. Your castigation will lessen his obstructions and cause his offenses to vanish. That's why I want to bow to you in gratitude."
Do you hear? You absolutely must not get mad at them. Once you lose your temper, it will be fire meeting fire, and there will be no hiding from the blaze. [Note: Two fire 火 radicals makes the word "blaze" 炎 in Chinese]. This blaze will burn both sides up. Everyone ought to be very careful in this regard.
We shouldn't be opposed to any person or matter. If the other person is wrong, we should persuade him with reason instead of overpowering him by force. That is our objective. Not only should we treat others that way, we should also be that way in our own place. We shouldn't seek outside. Our most important guidelines are not to contend, not to be greedy, not to seek, not to be selfish, not to pursue personal advantage, and not to lie. These are the fundamental principles we must learn to follow. Today the others took up the time and I don't have much time left. I'll make up for it when I return on the ninth.
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