RULES OF THE CHAN HALL

　　禅堂的規矩

　　Protecting cultivators and practicing wholesome Dharma,

　　The Way will naturally be realized when merit and virtue are perfected.

　　擁護行人修善法 功德足時道自成

　　When cultivating, always practice together. It shouldn”t be the case that one person is practicing in this way and another person is practicing another way—each one being different from the others. This is inappropriate. If each person practices in a different way, they will not be able to become singleminded. You should practice the same way as everybody else. The hundreds of people in the Chan Hall do not bow to the Buddha, chant or read the sutras, or offer incense to the Buddha. They have even stopped doing their morning or evening ceremonies! Why is this

　　 To help them to be singleminded! Thus, you should not be reading sutras in the Chan Hall, nor should you talk or practice some other dharma door. Everyone should cultivate the same dharma door and walk on the same path to bodhi—until we reach enlightenment, which is our final objective!

　　修行的時候一起修行，不是這個人這樣，那一個人那樣，各個不同，不是這樣的！有不同的樣子就不能專一，你必須要和大家都一樣。禅堂裏幾百人也不拜佛，也不念經，也不看經，也不燒香，早晚課也停止，爲什麼要這樣子呢？就因爲要你專一用功。你不能在禅堂裏看經，或者自己說話，或者自己修其他法門。大家都修同一法門，向一條菩提道上走，走到覺悟的果位上，這是我們的最後目的！