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各位善知識﹕
這一次宣化回到中華民國的土地上，令我有無窮的感慨。我希望這一次法會做過之後，中華民國上下一致，發政施仁，令國泰民安、五穀豐登、人民安樂；所謂「風調雨順」，一切的災難都沒有。雖然如此，還希望國家元首和老百姓共同努力，把國家治理得「堯天舜日」，有如「貞觀之治」。那麼這樣子，大家就應該各盡各的職責﹕元首盡元首的職責，老百姓盡老百姓的職責；互相讓而不爭、互相尊重。不要令這個國家，有一些個財產的損失、人命的損失；這是我所希望的！
還有，希望每一年，都做一次「護國息災這大悲觀音法會」，以觀音菩薩的不可思議大威神力，保衛國民。可是我們老百姓和國家，也要付出一分真心的代價；這真心是什麼呢？希望做這個法會的期間，全國能斷宰殺、能斷賭，能斷一切一切不合法的行為，這是要緊的。
因為大家都能「齋戒沐浴，則可以事上帝」。我們人人都和上帝通著的，不過我們把上帝這個道路忘了，所以就各走各的路，不知道體天立好生之德，就有一些個麻煩製造出來。希望這個國家一切的人民，無論哪一個階層，都不要示威；不要弄一些個暴力的行為，來自相殘殺、自相爭鬥，這是大錯而特錯的！
我們應該共同相安無事，來做禮讓的好國民；以暴力手段奪取一切利益，這都是不究竟的。你奪人的權，人家也要奪你的權；你殺人，人也殺你；你打人，人就打你﹕這個因果如是。你要是恭敬人，人也就恭敬你。所謂「敬人者人恆敬之，愛人者人恆愛之。」你殺人者人恆殺之，你打人者人就打你，這就是如是因，如是果。你種善因就結善果，種惡因就結惡果，種茄子不會生辣椒的。所以各位都要負起「護國息災這個觀音大悲法會」這種大悲心的責任。
悲，就能拔苦，觀音菩薩拔出我們的苦；慈呢？就能予樂；我們予樂拔苦，這是菩薩的行為。我們每一個人都要學觀音菩薩這樣的慈悲、這樣的喜捨、這樣的幫助其他的人。所謂「助人為快樂之本」，所謂「大家樂」，就要幫助其他的人。你不幫助其他的人，想自己得到利益，那不是樂，不是真正大公無私的樂；那是偶爾僥倖或者得到了，不久就會沒有了。
所以「來之不善，去之易」；來得容易，去得也很容易的。所以各位！這一點要知道。我們在哪一個階層裏── 士、農、工、商、官。士，是讀書的人，那就好好讀書；種田的人，就好好種田，把你那個田多收一點。工，是做工的人；給人家做工，要盡自己的責任。這做工，就是要為國家服務的一種責任；不要偷工減料、不要馬馬虎虎的。商，是做生意的；做生意也要將本圖利，不要投機取巧。所謂「童叟無欺」，你要貨真價實；你弄一些個假貨，來騙其他的人，你騙人，將來人也騙你。做官的，是要為老百姓做公僕，解決老百姓一切困難的問題。
所以我們各安其職、各守本位，不要錯了位！「素富貴，行不富貴；素貧賤，行不貧賤；素夷狄，行不夷狄；素患難，行不患難」。我們在哪一個崗位上，就要盡自己的責任，那才是做人的本份了！
你們都聽得懂我講的國語嗎？有一些人又想要問難一下，問我問題；我現在也不知道會不會答覆？如果我答覆得不對，請你們大家來幫助我解決這種困難的問題。
好，現在時間不多，只有十五分鐘，各位想要問什麼問題，快一點！
聽眾﹕我們皈依過，但是沒有正式跟師父見過面；我們在這邊已經拿到皈依證了，我見過面；我們在這邊已經拿到皈依證了，我們再皈依一次可不可以？
上人﹕問你自己，我不知道這麼多做生意的話。
聽眾﹕請師父：能不能住世，再延長三十年？
上人﹕我今天晚間就要死了！
聽眾﹕請問師父：《般若心經》裏面，這句「色即是空，空即是色」，弟子因為受這個影響，在這一方面不能看破。請師父開示如何破除「色即是空，空即是色」這一關？阿彌陀佛！
上人﹕你生於色、死於色，如此而已！你看不破，你就生在色裏頭，還死在色裏頭。
聽眾﹕我長久以來，有一個問題：就是在家，常碰到很多蟑螂、螞蟻之類，感到很困擾；學佛不能殺生，所以不能殺蟑螂殺螞蟻。那麼一般在家居士常常有這個困擾，請師父開示，如何處理？
上人﹕收拾乾淨一點，不邋蹋，牠就沒有了！
聽眾﹕請問：唸誦《楞嚴經》，一定要在寺廟嗎？在家可不可以？聽人說，婦女懷孕，用《楞嚴咒》會流產，可不可以信？
上人﹕胡說八道！
待續
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All Good Advisors:
In returning to the Republic of China this time, I’m extremely moved. I hope after this Dharma Assembly, the entire nation of the Republic of China will be issuing humane directives that will make this country prosperous, its people at peace, the harvests abundant, and the citizens happy, and that there shall be no disasters. As it is said: “May the wind and rain be favorable and timely.” I further hope that national leaders and the populace will work hard at the governance of this country, so that it will be “like the days of Yao and Shun” and “the time Tai Tsung ruled.” Everyone should fulfill his or her responsibilities: leaders should fulfill their responsibilities and citizens should fulfill their responsibilities. They should yield to each other and not fight; they should respect one another, and not destroy the lives or wealth of this country. This is my hope.
Furthermore, we hope to conduct an annual “Great Compassion Guanyin Dharma Assembly for Protecting the Country and Ending Disasters”, so that Guanyin Bodhisattva will guard this country and its populace with his inconceivable and mighty spiritual powers. However, we as ordinary citizens and as a nation must show our sincerity. What does it mean to have a sincere heart? We hope the entire country will stop all forms of killing, gambling and illicit behavior during this Dharma Assembly. This is critical.
Since everyone will, following the ancients, “observe a vegetarian diet and the precepts and bathe themselves, they may serve Heaven.” We are connected to Heaven, but we forget the path to Heaven. Each of us takes his or her individual path. Since we don’t realize that Heaven is interested in the preservation of life, we create problems. We hope that no group in this country gets involved in riots or protests. Don’t incite violence, which would cause people to fight among themselves. That would be a grave mistake.
We should coexist in peace as well-mannered citizens. Using violence to seize advantages is never an ultimate solution. You rob others of their rights and others will rob your rights. You kill others and others will kill you too. You hit others and others will hit you. This is just cause and effect. If you were to respect others, others would also respect you. As it is said, “Those who respect others are always respected; those who love others are always loved.” You kill others and they will always want you killed. You beat up others, and they will beat you. This is the way it goes with cause and effect. Plant good causes and you shall reap fruits of goodness; plant evil causes and you shall reap fruits of evil. Plant eggplants and you will not produce hot peppers. Each of you ought to shoulder the responsibility of being extremely compassionate for the sake of the “Great Compassion Guanyin Dharma Assembly to Protect the Nation and Quell Disasters”.
Compassion uproots suffering. Guanyin Bodhisattva uproots our suffering. Kindness bestows joy. Bestowing happiness and uprooting suffering are the acts of Bodhisattvas. Each of us should learn to be kind and compassionate, joyous and equanimical like Guanyin Bodhisattva and help others. “The root of happiness lies in helping others.” Help others so that everyone will be happy. It’s no happiness when you want personal gain without helping others. That would not be real, impartial and selfless joy. Even if you were to attain it by chance on occasion, it would disappear soon.
“That which did not come by proper means will leave easily.” Easy come, easy go. Everyone should know this regardless of the occupation we’re in – academia, agriculture, manual labor, business or government. Academicians should study well. Farmers should farm well and reap a larger harvest. Laborers must fulfill their responsibilities. It’s not just about working for others but being responsible in serving the country. Don’t try to cheat on labor or material. Don’t be sloppy. Business people ought to make some profit without being opportunistic. You should never cheat children and elders. Make sure your goods are real and your prices reasonable. Don’t get a lot of fake goods to deceive others. Cheat other people now and other people will cheat you in the future. Government officials must be public servants in resolving every difficult issue their citizens face.
Each of us must be content with our occupation and keep to our basic role. Don’t be mistaken about the role you play. “Being a member of the elite, one should conduct onself like an elite. Being poor, one should act according to one’s economic status. Being a foreigner, one should behave like a foreigner. Being a troubled victim, one should act accordingly.” We should live up to our position, whatever it might be; that is the basic duty of a human being.
Do you all understand my Mandarin? Some people want to ask me some difficult questions. I don’t know if I can answer your questions if you ask me now. If I answer incorrectly, please help me answer these hard questions.
Okay, there’s not much time left now, only fifteen minutes. Anyone who wants to ask questions, hurry.
Layperson: We took refuge before but never met the Master in person. We have already received our refuge certificates, but could we take refuge again?
Master: Ask yourself. I don’t know how to talk business.
Layperson: Could the Master please extend your stay in the world for another thirty years?
Master: I’m going to die tonight.
Layperson: I’d like to ask the Master about the line, “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form” in the
Prajna Heart Sutra. I had been affected by this and could not see through this. Will the Master please instruct me on how to break through this barrier of “form is emptiness and emptiness is form.” Amitofo!
Master: You were born by form and will die in form. That’s all. Without seeing through this, you will be born in form and die in form still.
Layperson: I have had a question for a long time, and that is I am really bothered by lots of cockroaches, ants etc. that I see at home. I can’t kill as a Buddhist, so I can’t exterminate the cockroaches and ants. The average layperson is frequently troubled by this. Will the Master instruct us on how to deal with this?
Master: Clean things up and don’t be sloppy; then they’ll disappear.
Layperson: Can we only recite the Shurangama Sutra in the temple? Could it be at home? I heard people say that pregnant women who recite the Shurangama Mantra will have miscarriages; is that credible?
Master: Nonsense!
To be continued
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