..續本文上一頁." In harming others, you are actually harming yourself. "If you kill a person”s father, someone will kill your father. If you kill a person”s brother, someone will kill your brother." This is the law of cause and effect. We Buddhists should avoid planting evil causes, so that we won”t have to suffer an evil retribution in the future. So the first line says, By reciting, upholding, and silent chanting, diminish thoughts and words.

　　「示教利喜化大千」：示教利喜，指示衆生佛教，令他們得到利益歡喜。我們在能利益人時，就要趕緊利益人，所謂：

　　Explain the teachings to bring benefit and joy, transforming the universe. The line of mantra this verse is explaining can also be translated as "explaining the teaching" and "benefit and joy." That is, one explains the Buddha”s teaching to beings, enabling them to obtain benefit and joy. This means that when we have the chance to help people, we should immediately make use of it. As it”s said,

　　栽培心上地，涵養性中天。

　　Cultivate the mind ground;

　　Nurture the sky of the nature.

　　能常利益其他人，久而久之，自己便有德行了。如果盡教人利益自己，自己不利益人，盡想找便宜，養成一種依賴性，這是最沒有出息的。看看世界上專找便宜的人，結果都是失敗的。你若不信，可以細細研究，無論哪一個失敗者，都是貪而無餍，各處找便宜，結果都是一敗塗地。你能利益人，令人歡喜，無論到什麼地方，人人都會聞風而化。

　　If you frequently benefit others, you will eventually perfect your own virtuous conduct. You shouldn”t be constantly asking others to help you without ever helping them in return, because that way you”ll become dependent and won”t accomplish anything on your own. You”ll become a totally worthless person. In this world, those always on the lookout for advantages end up failing in their endeavors. If you don”t believe this, take a closer look: Whenever people fail in something, the failure occurred due to their insatiable greed for advantages. If you can benefit others and make them happy, then you”ll be able to exert a wholesome influence on people wherever you go.

　　孔子說：「言忠信，行笃敬，雖蠻貊之邦，行矣。」我們說出的話，一定要誠實有信用，不能瞪著眼睛盡打妄語，好像是說真話，其實盡欺騙人。我們的行爲一定要很誠實，很笃厚，慈心下氣，恭敬一切，凡事總要存謙恭和藹之心，不要有貢高我慢的思想，覺得人人都不如我，我是老天爺，這是不可以的。

　　Confucius said, "If one”s words are trustworthy and one”s conduct is sincere and reverent, one can walk at ease even among barbarians." The words you speak must be truthful and honest. You shouldn”t tell lies with an innocent face, pretending to be truthful when in fact you”re lying through your teeth. Your actions must be sincere and reverent. Be modest, humble, and respectful towards everyone. Do everything with a humble, respectful, and courteous atti-tude. Don”t become arrogant and think, "No one is as good as me. I”m the Lord of Heaven."

　　一九八一年一月廿五日

　　A talk given on January 25, 1981

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