..續本文上一頁 Although we try to adorn the Buddhaland, excessive adornment becomes ornate extravagance. That”s why we try to be straightforward and honest, keeping everything plain and simple. We don”t go overboard with anything or waste anything. Two little tables for both sides will do. I have told you this several times, but you still haven”t made the changes. This does not accord with the Dharma.

　　Typically, there is only one Dharma Master at the podium when you”re lecturing elsewhere. There are no other seats on the side. Since I have to have a translator and want to train people to give Dharma talks, I have two seats next to me. The simpler these seats are, the better. You don”t need to waste any item, any money, or any space. There is a number of things wrong with having such a large setup. You take up so much space that it becomes inconvenient to walk even. This is also considered a waste. People who sit on the sides must get there early every day, regardless of whether the Dharma Master giving the main talk has arrived or not.

　　People who go up to give a Dharma talk must know how, and must be able to translate. Not everyone can come up. Those people who don”t know how to talk and don”t understand cultivation can”t come up on stage to talk gibberish. Everyone ought to have common sense. The women”s side must pay attention to this in particular. People who are insane and crazy cannot just run up on stage to chatter on about nonsense. That would be a violation of the rules. What kind of management do you women have that you”re so casual

　　 You should be sitting there waiting for the Dharma speaker, rather than to have the Dharma speaker sit there and wait for the rest of you. When you are off by an inch at the start, you miss wide of the mark at the end. People studying Buddhism must first learn this rule. If you don”t even understand the rules of propriety, you can”t possibly learn Buddhism.

《上人規矩集錦：講法的規矩 A Collection of the Venerable Masters Rules: On Giving Dharma Talks》全文閱讀結束。