..續本文上一頁or obstructive; you won”t be greedy or angry and your recitation of the mantra will generate pervasive responses and massive benefits. But if your behavior doesn”t accord with the rules, the Dharma protecting good spirits will stay far away from you and when something happens to you they won”t pay any attention. Therefore, those who recite the Shurangama Mantra shouldn”t be cunning or behave in ways that continually create offenses. At all times they should be open and public-spirited; they should strive to benefit others, not themselves; they should cherish the ideals of Bodhisattvas; and cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas.

　　修楞嚴法是很靈感的，但也不是那麼容易，首先要沒有自私心，其次要沒有自利心，要存大公無私的心，要存至中不偏的心，要存舍己爲人的心，要存普度一切衆生的心。有以上所說這樣的心，便能很快成就。各位要很注意，你一定要守五戒，奉行十善，這是最低限度要遵守的規則。修這個法不守規矩是不行的，你不守戒律，或心裏盡打染汙的妄想，不單修法沒有感應，不能成就，而且會有奇禍。所以修楞嚴法的時候，要特別注意，要身、口、意叁業清淨，才可以相應。不可以隨隨便便講是講非，挑撥離間，或令大家在道場住得不安樂。你一定要舉動行爲管自己，行住坐臥不離家，不可以盡給旁人洗衣服，要自己好好把自己照顧一下，回光返照。

　　The Shurangama Mantra is extremely efficacious, but it is not that easy to master. First of all you cannot be selfish; next you cannot be out to get your own private gains. You have to be magnanimous and devoid of selfish thoughts. You have to be impartial and not prejudiced. You have to be willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. You have to have the resolve to universally save all living beings. If you can embody the above-listed qualities, then you will have swift success. Pay close attention: you must hold the five precepts and practice the ten good deeds. That”s the very least you should do.

　　It won”t work to practice this Dharma if you are not following the rules. If you cultivate this Dharma but you don”t behave yourself; if you don”t guard the precepts or if you are always having defiled thoughts, then not only will there be no response, not only will you have no success, you will in fact bring disaster down upon yourself. And so when you are cultivating the Shurangama Mantra you must be very attentive to maintain purity with your body, your mouth, and your mind. That”s the only way you”re going to get a response. You cannot say things that cause schisms or make people in the Way-place uneasy. You must pay attention to all aspects of your behavior, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. It”s not all right to always be "washing other peoples” clothes" as it were. Take care of yourself. Look into yourself.

　　〈楞嚴咒〉是靈文，每一句有每一句的效力，你不必想：「我持〈楞嚴咒〉怎麼沒有什麼效驗？」不管有沒有功效，你就去念，好像打功夫，天天去打拳，不管功夫如何，鍛煉就有功夫，不可說不鍛煉就有功夫。同理，受持法要天天不間斷，在任何情形下，在百忙中都要修法。不要時間久了就生懈怠，對〈楞嚴咒〉不再有興趣。這不是說你一念，就見到什麼功效，就見、不見什麼功效，你也要天天受持讀誦。這必須要日久功深，不是一朝一夕就能成就，就有感應的。好像讀書要讀十年、二十年、叁十年，才能真正有學問，修行亦複如是。持誦這個咒，你要念茲在茲的，時時刻刻都誦持這個咒，不要間斷，也就像穿衣、吃飯、睡覺那樣要緊，一天都不可以少的。不管它有沒有功效，你天天受持讀誦，時間久了就有基礎，自然就有它的功用。

　　The Shurangama Mantra is an efficacious language. Every line has its own particular efficacy. But you don”t need to think: Why don”t I get any responses from holding the Shurangama Mantra. Don”t pay any attention to whether there are responses or not, just keep reciting it. It”s like practicing martial arts, every day you have to practice your punches, regardless of what your skill is like. Skill comes through training. It”s impossible to have skill without training. By the same principle, you should cultivate your Dharmas every day, no matter what happens, no matter how busy you are. Don”t slack off after you”ve been at it for a while, losing interest in the Shurangama Mantra. It”s certainly not the case that you will have some efficacious response as soon as you begin reciting it. Regardless of whether you perceive any response, you should continue reciting it every day. You must deepen your skill day by day. Success doesn”t happen overnight. For instance you have to study for ten, twenty, or even thirty years before you gain real scholarship. It”s the same …

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