紀念美國國慶做真正佛教徒

　　Celebrating American Independence Day: Being True Buddhists

　　真正佛教徒要問自己：「我在佛教中做了多少事？

　　有多少貢獻？是佛教護持我，還是我來護持佛教？」

　　True Buddhist disciples must ask themselves: How much work have we done for Buddhism

　　What contributions have we made

　　 Is Buddhism supporting me, or am I supporting Buddhism

　　今天是美國的國慶日，建國紀念日。國家有紀念日，個人也應該有個紀念日。什麼是個人的紀念日？我們現在要開始做個真正的佛教徒，紀念我在佛教中做了多少事？有多少貢獻？是佛教護持我，還是我來護持佛教？若是佛教護持我，我應如何去報答佛恩？如果我是護持佛教，就應該問問自己，我出了多少力量？我在心中是否還有渣滓？是否還有汙濁的思想？我應該用什麼力量來擁護佛教？把這些題目認清楚了，然後才算得上是一個真正的佛教徒，一個真正的擁護佛教者。

　　Today is the Independence Day of the United States of America, the day for commemorating the founding of the nation. The country has a day of commemoration; each person should also have a day of commemoration. What is each person”s day of commemoration

　　 Starting now, we want to become true Buddhist disciples, and we want to remember how much work we have done for Buddhism and what contributions we have made. Is Buddhism supporting me, or am I supporting Buddhism

　　 If Buddhism is supporting me, how am I going to repay the Buddha”s kindness

　　 If I am supporting Buddhism, how much strength have I put forth on its behalf

　　 Do I still have garbage in my mind

　　 Do I still have defiled thoughts

　　 What kind of effort should I be exerting to support and protect Buddhism

　　 When I have figured out the answers to these questions, I can be considered a true Buddhist, a true supporter of Buddhism.

　　萬佛聖城，是一個佛教在西方建立的最基本道場，是整個世界佛教的發源地，也是整個世界佛教的歸源地；不但如此，也是所有宗教的歸源地。無論哪一個宗教，願意到這裏研究佛學，一律歡迎。所以萬佛聖城是所有人的萬佛聖城，也是所有菩薩、賢聖僧、羅漢、辟支佛的萬佛聖城，也是所有善男信女的萬佛聖城。你若想做佛教的一份子，就必須擁護萬佛聖城，不可以破壞萬佛聖城。

　　The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is one of the fundamental Way-places of Buddhism in the West. It is the source of the world”s Buddhism and also the point of return for Buddhism throughout the world. Moreover, it is also the point of return for all religions. Followers of all religions are welcome to come study the Buddha”s doctrines here. The City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is everyone”s City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. It is also the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas of all Bodhisattvas, sages and worthies in the Sangha, Arhats, and Pratyekabuddhas. It is also the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas of all kind and faithful people. If you want to be a part of Buddhism, you should definitely support and protect the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and you may not harm the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas.

　　護法韋馱菩薩與伽藍聖衆菩薩，過去只是觀望著萬佛聖城，看著我這一個不會做事的人想建立道場，不知道是否能建立起來？現在我告訴你們：護法韋馱菩薩與伽藍菩薩！你們不可以再觀望了，你們應盡護法的責任來擁護萬佛聖城，有萬佛聖城就有佛教；若萬佛聖城沒有了，佛教也沒有了！

　　In the past, the Dharma-protectors Weituo (Vajrapani) Bodhisattva and Qielan (Sangharama) Bodhisattva merely observed the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas from afar, watching to see if such an incapable person as myself would be able to establish a Way-place as I wished to. Now I am telling you, Dharma-protectors Weituo Bodhisattva and Qielan Bodhisattva, you can no longer just watch from a distance. You ought to fulfill your duties as Dharma-protectors and come support the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. If the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas exists, Buddhism exists. If there were no City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, there would be no Buddhism either.

　　亞洲的佛教已經是生了癌症，不易治好，而在美國的佛教是新生的，所以一切一切都要主持正法。護法韋馱菩薩與伽藍聖衆菩薩，在這個正法出現于世的道場，再不盡心竭力地來擁護佛教，那就夠不上是護法韋馱了，也夠不上是伽藍了。這與你過去所發的願力，是大相違背的。所以我現在明明白白地告訴你們，我已經把萬佛聖城建立起來了，你們應該負擔起護持的責任。凡是天魔外道、妖魔鬼怪，不准他們到萬佛城來搗亂，他們來是可以，但不能興風作浪，不守萬佛聖城的規矩。

　　Buddhism in Asia has already contracted a cancer which is difficult to cure. In America, Buddhism is newborn, and so we must uphold the Proper Dharma in all respects. Dharma-protectors Weituo Bodhisattva and Qielan Bodhisattva, the Proper Dharma has appeared in the world, at this Way-place. If you don”t exhaust your efforts to support Buddhism, you don”t deserve to be called Dharma-protectors Weituo and Qielan. You will also be going against the vows you made in the past. I am telling you very clearly right now: I have already established the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and you should take up your responsibility of protecting and supporting it. You should not allow any celestial demon, unbeliever, ghost, or goblin, to come and stir up trouble at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. They may come if they want, but they may not cause an uproar or break the rules.

　　所有十法界：佛在這兒是住持道場，其他九法界的衆生，包括一切天魔外道，都要擁護萬佛聖城，以後絕對不允許在萬佛聖城中不守規矩，必須循規蹈矩，最低限度，你們天魔外道到這裏，不准殺生、不准偷盜、不准邪淫、不准打妄語、不准飲酒吸毒。這是我今天要對你們說的話，無論出家人或在家人，人、鬼、仙、畜生等，都要嚴守萬佛聖城的規矩，不准懈怠！

　　Of the ten Dharma Realms, the Buddhas are managing this Way-place. The living beings in the other nine Dharma Realms, including heavenly demons and unbelievers, must support the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. They absolutely may not break the rules of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. Instead, they must obediently follow the rules. At the very least, when you heavenly demons and unbelievers come here, you are not allowed to kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, tell lies, consume alcohol, or take drugs. This is what I want to say to you today. Whether you are a left-home person, a layperson, a ghost, an immortal, an animal, or any other being, you must follow the rules at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. No laxity is allowed!

　　一九八二年七月四日中午開示

　　于萬佛聖城

　　A talk given at noon on July 4, 1982

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

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