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上人、諸佛菩薩、各位善知識：阿彌陀佛！
「環保」，是目前世界的熱門話題，我就講講我所知道的外界環保與心靈環保。目前世界垃圾當中，挽救環保的妙方有「三R」：
1.Reduce（減量）：減少垃圾來源，少買束西，不買包裝紙太多的東西，用耐久的物件，不用紙杯盤等用完就丟的物件。
2.Reuse（重複使用）：也就是廢物利用。
3.Recycle（資源回收）：回收可用之物，再加工製造。
這使我回憶起沙彌尼時代我管理廚房時，因為「廟上的東西不可以隨便丟棄」，所以不知不覺就存放了一房間的大小瓶罐。一日，上人帶了一位比丘到廚房來，當時我正在整理這些「寶貝」，上人的突然出現，令我驚訝萬分。就在此時，上人說：「妳堆那麼多『垃圾』做什麼？該丟的就要丟掉！」但是看到我愣在那兒，上人接著又說：「我教妳怎樣放，小的罐子應該放入大的罐內，才不會浪費空間。」
上人邊說邊示範。
當時瑜伽鎮尚未聽到「環保」的名稱，但上人已教導我第一個「R」--Reduce（減量）瑜伽鎮政府在一九七一年才開始 Recycle program（資源回收）
上人的許多教導都是教世人如何節省能源，如日中一食可節用世間的糧食及減低電力、人力等的消耗，不吃的兩餐又可迴向給饑餓的人。一張擦臉紙，上人可用數日；寫黑板時選用最小的粉筆頭；用過的信封翻過來再使用，這都包含了 Reduce（減量）、Reuse（重複使用）、Recycle（資源回收）
上人給我寥寥數語的言教及身教，有舉一反三乃至更多的作用。以後凡是遇上橫逆境界，難以處理之事務，乃至面臨臭氣沖天，好壞摻雜，沒有分類的垃圾時，都能當機立斷，該丟則丟，不至於「應斷不斷，必遭其亂。」
記得那時一日上人問：「妳出家很久了，在聖城是做什麼呢？會講哪一部經了？」
「弟子慚愧，一部經也不會講：因為偏重於工作，忽略了研讀經典。」
「做什麼工作？」
「弟子喜歡清潔整理的工作。」
「這是不行的！妳只會把外面清理乾淨，裡面卻那麼邋遢，一點修行也沒有。妳打那麼多妄想幹什麼？」
上人的開示，令我明白一個真正會做環保的人，乃是從心地上做起。所謂「由外而內，由內而外；解行並用，心靈環保，心淨國土亦淨。」
那如何落實環保救地球呢？如何拯救墮落的世風人心？從誰先開始？世界？國家？政府？佛教團體？聖城住眾？各部門都不是。「處理垃圾，人人有責；救護世人，個個有份！」應由自己開始；我不做環保，誰做？應學地藏王菩薩救人救世的精神而付諸行動，所謂「若欲世界好，先從自己做起！」
上人當年所問「妳會講哪一部經？」慚愧！我現在還是那個答案：「弟子只會講資源回收的經。」資源回收者，可以迴小向大，迴劣向勝，迴穢向淨，迴虛向真；資源回收也即是勤修戒定慧，息滅貪瞋癡，去妄存真，斷欲去愛。
每一部經典都是教人如何勤修戒定慧三無漏學，息滅貪瞋癡，去欲斷愛；這我都未做到，至今仍然在做資源回收工作。然而往往在做資源回收時所得的一些體驗，竟然與晚間聽上人開示的錄音帶有契合之處。上人所講解的皆是真經真典，就在日常生活中即是佛法。
萬佛城每天的早晚課、誦《華嚴經》拜大悲懺，都是讓我們淨化身心，智慧回收
，尤其是周末的祈求世界和平法，目的是為消除世界上各種天災人禍、疾病、困苦，乃至目前新科技所產生新災害，皆可迴向，轉危為安。能夠每日參加上述的功課、法會，也是幫助全世界，幫助自己，這是一個最大的回收；回收全世界人心，由壞變善，故言善用回收者，亦是一種願力與迴向。心靈環保乃自利而利他，自度而度他。
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Venerable Master, All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, All Good Advisors: Amitabha Buddha!
"Recycling" is a hot topic of discussion in the world now. I would like to discuss what I know about recycling in the environment as well as the recycling of our inherent nature. In the world there are three R's— three methods to save the environment:
1. Reduce: Buy fewer things and cut down on garbage. Do not buy too many packaged goods. Use durable materials instead of paper cups, plates or other disposable items.
2. Reuse: Reuse items.
3. Recycle: Recycle materials that can be modified or made into other products.
I recall the time when I was a Shramanerika in charge of the kitchen. We are not supposed to simply throw away things in the temple. So without realizing it, I piled the room full of bottles and containers of various sizes. One day, the Venerable Master came by the kitchen with a Bhikshu. I was arranging these "treasures" at that time. The Venerable Master's sudden visit caught me by surprise. He asked me: "Why do you keep so much 'garbage'? You should throw away the things that need to be discarded." I was stunned. The Master said, "I'll teach you how to arrange things. Small bottles should go into bigger ones. That way, you won't waste any space." The Venerable Master demonstrated while explaining to me.
Although Ukiah began promoting recycling in 1971, it was the Venerable Master who taught me the first "R"- Reduce (to reduce in quantity).
Most of the teachings of the Venerable Master show us how to save our own resources. For example, having one meal a day (for the left-home people) can reduce the world's food consumption and cut down on electricity, manpower and the use of other resources. The two meals a day that we save can therefore be transferred to hungry and starving people. The Venerable Master reused envelopes; he would use one piece of tissue for a couple of days, and a tiny piece of chalk for writing on the blackboard. All these are covered in the 3R's— Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
The Venerable Master gave us innumerable teachings both verbally and by example, which we can apply to all situations. Thus, whenever we encounter adversities, difficult tasks, unfavorable situations, or a mixture of good and bad conditions, we can quickly distinguish and separate them, discarding those that need to be discarded. That way, we are not confused by states.
One day, the Venerable Master asked me a question, "You've left the home life for quite a long time. What do you do at the Sagely City? Which Sutra can you lecture?"
I said, "Your disciple is ashamed. I can't lecture any Sutra. Due to a heavy workload, I've neglected to investigate a Sutra."
The Venerable Master said, "What chores do you do here?"
"Your disciple likes to clean."
The Master said, "That is unacceptable! You only clean up the outside, but you are full of defilement inside. You have not cultivated at all. Why do you entertain so many idle thoughts?"
Thanks to the Venerable Master's instruction, I have come to understand that a person who truly knows how to recycle works from the inside out, and from the outside in, by understanding the principles and putting them into practice at the same time. By recycling our inherent nature, when the mind is pure, the world will be pure as well.
How can we protect and save the earth?
How can we keep people from losing their morals? Who should we begin with? Is it the world? The country? The government? The Buddhist organizations? The residents of the Sagely City? None of these. "Everybody is responsible for his own garbage. Everyone has a share in saving the world's people!" We should start with ourselves. Who will do it if we don't? We should practice and learn from Earth Store Bodhisattva how to save living beings and the world. There is a saying, "If one wishes the world to be good, we have to start with ourselves."
I am still ashamed of my response to the Venerable Master's question, "Which Sutra can you lecture?" My answer is still the same, "I only know how to talk about the Recycling Sutra." One who does recycling can progress from small to great, bad to good, defilement to purity, and falseness to truth. Recycling is also a vigorous way to practice precepts, samadhi and wisdom (the three non-outflow practices), eradicate greed, anger and delusion, cut off desires and sever emotional love. Every Sutra teaches us this. But I am still unable to achieve it. At this time, I am still working on recycling. Amazingly, each recycling experience corresponds to the Venerable Master's taped evening lecture. What the Venerable Master speaks is the true Sutra... the Dharma that can be found in our daily lives.
In the City of 10,000 Buddhas, morning and evening recitation, recitation of the
Avatamsaka Sutra and bowing to the Great Compassion Repentance are ways to help us purify our body and mind and to recollect our wisdom. Especially during the weekends, while praying for world peace, the main objective is to eradicate natural disasters and calamities such as illness, suffering, and catastrophes caused by new technologies. We can transfer the merit and virtue of our prayers and transform disasters into auspiciousness. By taking part in these Dharma assemblies, we help the whole world as well as ourselves. This is the biggest recycling project: to recycle the minds of the world's population and transform them from evil to goodness. Therefore, we must know how to recycle skillfully using the power of vows and transference. By recycling our inherent nature, we benefit and and liberate both ourselves and others.
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