..續本文上一頁l calculations, we are able to send rockets into space. That is the function of a beginning; it”s a kind of mathematical transformation. Then is there an end

　　 We don”t know when the end will come. The end corresponds to the stage of emptiness in the four stages—formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness. The kalpa (eon) of formation is a beginning. Formation lasts for twenty small kalpas. Then there is dwelling for twenty small kalpas, decay for twenty small kalpas, and emptiness for twenty small kalpas. One could say that this is a beginning and an end.

　　現在這個科學時代，由我們地球造的這個火箭，能打到太空去，入了太空軌道，在太空運行不息，在那兒流轉，這是 一個有始。由這個數目來推算，能把這個火箭送到太空去，這都是「有始」的作用，一個數學的變化。那麼有終沒有呢？現在還不知道什麼時候是個終。終的時候， 就是這個成住壞空它「空」的時候，它是終；成劫是一個開始，成二十個小劫，住二十個小劫，壞二十個小劫，空二十個小劫，這也可以說是一個開始，一個終了。

　　Where have all these living beings that have appeared since beginningless kalpas come from

　　 Take human beings, for example. Did man exist before woman, or woman before man

　　 If you say man appeared before woman, how could there be any men without a woman

　　 If you say woman appeared before man, how could there be any women without a man

　　 This is the “beginningless”—we don”t know where it started. Chickens are another example. Would you say the chicken came before the egg, or the egg before the chicken

　　 For countless ages in the past, there were no chickens. How did the first one come into being

　　 “It was born from an egg,” you may say. Well, if there were no chickens, how could there be eggs

　　 We cannot gain a clear understanding of this principle; it comes from the beginningless. People also came from the beginningless, from the O.

　　這一切衆生無始劫來，所有的衆生，你說從什麼地方來的？你來研究研究。就拿人類來說，你說，是先有男人？是先 有女人？你說「先有男人」，沒有女人，男人怎麼會有？你若說「先有女人」，那麼沒有男人，怎麼又會有女人？這個是一個「無始」，不知道從哪個地方開始。就 拿雞子來講，你說先有雞？是先有蛋？無始劫以來，沒有小雞子，那麼怎麼會有了？說：「由蛋有的。」這個蛋，如果沒有雞，又怎麼會有蛋？這也研究不明白這個 道理，這也就是由無始來的；人也就是由無始來的，由那個○字那兒來的。

　　This O is beginningless and endless; it has neither inside nor outside; it is neither big nor small. In its minutest aspect, the O is nothing but a dust mote. If we expand it, it becomes the Dharma Realm. To the ends of the empty space throughout the Dharma Realm, there is nothing beyond the O. If the empty space throughout the Dharma Realm were smashed into dust motes, not a single dust mote would be beyond the O. Therefore, the O is the source of the myriad births and transformations. It is the principle of true emptiness and wonderful existence, which is without beginning or end. When the O is expanded, it becomes empty space and the Dharma Realm. That is true emptiness. When it is shrunk, it becomes a dust mote. Despite its tiny size, that dust mote is wonderful existence. Therefore, beginningless kalpas have no beginning. The O is true emptiness, and it is wonderful existence. All of you, think about this! If you understand this principle, you understand the true Dharma. If you don”t understand this principle, you”re still a confused person with no real wisdom.

　　那麼由○字那兒來的，所以這是無始無終、無內無外、無大無小。這個○，你小，就是一粒微塵；你若把它擴大起 來，就是一個法界。盡虛空、遍法界，沒有超出這個○字去；盡虛空遍法界，碎爲微塵，那一粒微塵也沒有離開這個○字。所以這個○字，是生生化化之源，是無始 無終的一個真空妙有的道理。這個○字擴大起來，變成虛空，變成法界，這是一個真空。你把它縮小了，變成一粒微塵；雖然微塵是小，這可是妙有。所以這個無始 劫以來，就是沒有開始的時候。這個○字，就是真空，就是妙有。你們各位想一想，你若明白這個道理，你就是明白真法；你若不明白這個道理，你還是糊塗人，沒有真正智慧。

　　If you are enlightened, then the O is great bright wisdom. If you aren”t, then it is ignorance. Ignorance is the O, and great bright wisdom is also the O. It has no beginning or end, no inside or outside; it is neither big nor small. It”s so big there”s nothing outside of it, nothing bigger. When you draw a zero, you can make it as big or as small as you want. It can be so big that there”s nothing outside, or so small there”s nothing inside. Its bigness transforms into the pure and clean fundamental source—the wonderful true nature. Its smallness and hiddenness represent the initial thought of igno…

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