..續本文上一頁self-nature wants to leave, it cannot go freely. When it wants to return, it cannot return. If it goes out, it cannot come back; when it comes back, it cannot leave again. Is this what you call freedom

　　 Every person”s body is a jail, but you don”t understand this.

　　我們現在坐禅，一進禅堂，就不准出禅堂的門口。誰一出去，香板就往頭上、背上打下去，這就是打七。打觀音七也是一樣不准出禅堂，誰一出去，就要打，因爲誰叫你來的！有人說：「我是看到公告，所以才來。」可是公告上面，並沒有寫來了就可以走。走，可以的，但是要付大家的夥食費，才可以走；否則是不可以走的。爲什麼呢？因爲你一走，旁人看你走，也跟著走了。你也走，他也走，大家都走了，這叫做破壞道場。因爲免得你有破壞道場的罪，所以你需要負擔大家的夥食費。如果你付不起，那就最好不要走！

　　Therefore, during our Chan session, once you enter the Chan hall, you stay. You”re not allowed to go out of the door whenever you want. Anyone who wants to leave will be hit on the head, shoulders, and back by the proctor”s stick. This is during a Chan Meditation Session. When we hold a Guanyin Recitation Session, it”s also the same way: no one is allowed to leave the hall. Anyone who leaves is in line for a beating, because who told you to come in the first place

　　 You say, "I saw the announcement; that”s what brought me here." Well, the announcement didn”t say that you”re free to leave after you come. Actually, you may leave, but only on the condition that you pay everyone”s food bill for the entire session. Otherwise, you can”t go. Why not

　　 Because as soon as you go, other people will watch you leave and they”ll want to go, too. Once you leave, another person will leave, and then everybody will go. That”s called "destroying the Way-place." So in order to avoid creating the offense of destroying the Way-place, you should pay for everyone”s food. If you can”t afford it, then the best thing would be for you not to go!

　　你們各位都是有緣，才到金山聖寺來。要是沒有緣，連金山聖寺的門口也沒法子進來。既然是有緣，大家不妨做觀音法會上的朋友。大家手拉著手，一起向前開步走。到什麼地方呢？到每個人心中想要到的地方。我們每個人都要幫助其他人，爲什麼我要這樣說呢？因爲我怕你們走錯路。

　　All the people who”ve come to Gold Mountain Monastery for this session have deep affinities with one another. If you didn”t share these affinities, you wouldn”t have entered the door of Gold Mountain Monastery. Since we have these ties, why don”t we become friends within this Guanyin Dharma Session

　　 Let”s all join hands and go forward together. Where are we going

　　 We”re going wherever each of us wants to go. Each one of us should help the others out. Why am I saying this

　　 Because I don”t want you to go down the wrong path.

　　一九七六年觀音七叁月十五日開示

　　A talk given on March 15, 1976, during

　　a Guanyin Recitation Session

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