Some people cultivate their minds well. They are very sincere with a good conscience, paying respect to Bodhisattvas in whichever temples they visit. However, if they cannot find a good teacher and realise the goal of cultivation, they are merely believers.
有些人修心,心很诚,良心非常好,到哪个庙都拜菩萨。如果今世找不到一位好的师父,找不到目标,也只能是一个信佛人。
For example, a person may pray to Guan Yin Bodhisattva every day but fail to properly understand the Bodhisattva. They also will not know how to learn from Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s wisdom. The result is that they find themselves suffering terribly every day, and yet never comprehend why.
譬如:天天拜观世音菩萨,但对观世音菩萨没有正确的认识,不知道怎样学观世音菩萨的智慧,接观世音菩萨的气场来修炼自己,而自己天天在人世间受苦受难,却永远不明白这是为什么。
Many people do not even know the benefits of praying to the Buddha until disaster strikes. If you cannot find a good teacher, and therefore identify the correct goal of cultivation, how will you solve your problems in this life?
还有许多人灾祸来了才知道拜佛,临时抱佛脚。如果找不到一位好的师父找不到一个正确的目标,怎么样能解决自己今世所面临的问题呢?
Cultivation is about cultivating both your blessings and your wisdom.
修,就要福慧双修。
To cultivate your blessings, you must perform good deeds. On the other hand, wisdom is not something that can be acquired by an ordinary person. This is the most important issue. Wisdom, once acquired, helps you to solve whatever problems you face.
做善事是修福,慧就是智慧,智慧不是一般人能修成的,这是最重要的问题,有了智慧什么问题都能解决。
The only way to gain wisdom is by reciting Buddhist scriptures and performing meritorious deeds.
想开智慧只有念经做功德。
Only by observing the precepts can one attain concentration; and only by attaining concentration can one attain wisdom. We must maintain a tranquil body and mind. In other words, from the precepts comes concentration; and what arises from concentration is wisdom.
只有戒才能得定,定了才能开智慧,一定要身心安定。
All Buddhists are required to observe the Five Precepts, namely: refraining from killing, refraining from stealing, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from lying and refraining from intoxication.
所以说:因戒得定,因定开慧。佛教有五戒:不杀生,不偷盗,不邪淫,不妄语,不饮酒。
Do not assume that only Buddhists undertake the Five Precepts, as they also apply to ordinary people. Every normal person should refrain from committing unwholesome deeds including killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and the like.
不要以为学佛的人才受五戒,作为一个正常人也不能随便乱杀生,乱邪淫,去偷盗等。
I hope that you come to truly understand the reasoning behind these principles.
希望你们能明白体悟其中的道理。
Why are the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas against drinking alcohol? Because drinking alcohol causes a great deal of harm to people as it robs their minds of clarity and makes them feel demoralised.
为什么佛菩萨不主张饮酒?因为饮酒过多会给人造成很大的伤害,会让人失去理智头脑不清,会让人的意志消沉。
This is why many government departments put up notices cautioning people that drink-driving is an offence. This demonstrates that Buddha’s teachings are, indeed, Right Dharma.
许多政府部门都有张贴:喝酒闯祸是犯罪。这说明佛法就是正法。
This also explains why Buddhism is comprehensible and has taken root in many people’s hearts. Only things in accordance with propriety are able to receive the endorsement and adoration of all people.
佛法为什么能深入人心,能够让人理解,因为正的东西才能受到大众的拥护和爱戴。
One must break through confusion to become enlightened. What does confusion mean in this instance? It includes obsession with fame, gain, alcohol, lust, wealth, anger, greed, hatred and ignorance. Upon death, a person with insatiable greed will ultimately descend into the realm of hungry ghosts.
破迷开悟:什么是迷?名,利,酒,色,财,气,贪,瞋,痴。如果一个人贪,他的欲望永远没有满足,贪到最后就是下饿鬼道。
Greed and craving is the root of all evil. When a greedy person cannot get what they want, their anger arises and they become afflicted, with a descent into Hell being the end result.
贪爱是一切罪恶的根源。贪不到就会生瞋恚心,起烦恼,最后就会堕入地狱。
A foolish and ignorant person knows only how to amass wealth or cause harm, with no intention to help others. In the future, such a person will be re-born as an animal.
如果一个很愚痴的人只知道赚钱或害人,不知道帮助别人,将来就会投畜生。
And as animals are attached to their own forms, they will then continue to undergo rebirth in the animal realm. To be foolish and ignorant is to be devoid of wisdom.
畜生执著于本相,一直在畜生道轮回。愚痴就是没有智慧。
What I have told you is about the Right Dharma, Right Path, Right Faith, Right Mindfulness and Right Time. The purpose is to help you break through confusion so that you may become enlightened, and to help you learn how to alleviate your suffering and discover your true happiness.
我给你们讲的都是正法、正道、正信、正念和正时,让你们破迷开悟,学会离开自己的苦难,找到自己真正的快乐。
所以真正的无上正等正觉,也就是究竟圆满的智慧,就是让你们怎么样找到一条真正的路。