Failing the Test

　　受不了考驗

　　Last year, during the Chan session, there were those who practiced a watch session and kept glancing at their watch. They looked at their watches so often that within an hour they glanced at it a hundred times. What do you think they were meditating on

　　 That is why I said that during next year”s Chan session, all participants should leave their watches at home. Whoever wears a watch will not be allowed to participate. I did not look during the Chan session this year to see if there were people who looked at their watches everyday. However, I believe nobody looked at their watch this year. This is really not easy. We always say that we cultivate, but when we put ourselves to the test, we fail. All of you should try to remember my words, “Everything”s a test to see what you will do. If you mistake what”s before your face, you”ll have to start anew.” Although there are not that many participants in this year”s Chan session, all of you are very hardworking and watch over yourselves well. You are not as lazy or talkative as before.

　　去年有的人打禅七，有的人就打「表」七，坐在那兒老看表，左看一次表，右看一次表；坐一個鍾頭，他會看一百次表。你想他打什麼坐？所以我說：「明年打七，誰也不准戴表，誰戴表就不能參加。」我們今年打七我也沒看，誰願意看表就天天看，我也不管，但是我相信今年沒有人看表了。這是不容易的，你看平常說修行修行，真要是考驗一下，就受不了了。所以我有幾句話，你們應該時時刻刻都不要忘了「一切是考驗，看爾怎麼辦；對境若不識，須再從頭煉。」今年禅七人雖然不太多，但是都很精進，每一個人都知道自己管著自己，沒有像以前那麼懈怠、那麼懶惰，講那麼多話了。