..续本文上一页bjects, and you can turn your attention inwards, that”s true obedience. As it is said,

　　The eyes see forms, but inside there is nothing.

　　The ears hear sounds, but the mind does not know.

　　要常常回光返照，不向外驰求，总是抓住自己的根本法门：「念佛是谁？」抓住根本，就是「但得本，莫愁末」，对于枝末的问题，也不用再忧愁了，这样一点一点慢慢都会明白的。

　　You constantly reflect within instead of seeking outside, and you always stick to your basic Dharma-door: "Who is mindful of the Buddha

　　" Holding to what is basic, you "only attain the root, and don”t worry about the branchtips." There”s no need to worry about unimportant matters; bit by bit, everything will become clear to you.

　　你修参禅法门，不要连坐都还未练好，也不能结双跏趺坐，连单跏趺坐都结不起来，就想学怎样参，又如何如何？你的基础都未打好呢！参禅要先打地基。

　　In cultivating the Dharma-door of investigating Chan, you shouldn”t try to learn the details of how to investigate when you haven”t learned how to sit in full lotus, or even half lotus. You haven”t finished laying the foundation yet! To investigate Chan, you must first lay the foundation.

　　第一个礼拜，就是在整地。造房子先要整一整地，等到地差不多平了。

　　During the first week, you can clear the land. When you want to build a house, you must first make the land level.

　　第二个礼拜就可打桩。打桩须费一番功夫，就是修忍，忍痛、忍饿、忍饥、忍寒，什么都要忍，这是很费力的，虽然费力，但这是必经之路。必须把地基打好，立好桩，否则造出的房子必不坚固，风一吹就倒，雨一冲也就散了，这都是因为桩未打好，基础没建立好的缘故。

　　In the second week, you can drive in the stakes. Driving in the stakes requires some effort--this is where you must cultivate patience and endure the pain, hunger, and cold. You must endure everything, and it takes a lot of strength. It”s arduous, but you must travel this path. You have to lay a good foundation and drive in good stakes. Otherwise, your house will not be sturdy; the wind will blow it down and the rain will wash it away. That”s the consequence of not driving in the stakes well and not setting a good foundation.

　　第三个礼拜才把梁、栋、柱脚石等都安好，把所有的柱子都竖建起来。

　　In the third week, you can put up the beams, rafters, column bases, and columns.

　　第四个礼拜就可以造墙、装门、安窗户、盖上屋脊。所以是一点一点地造起来，不是「一锹就挖个井」，不是一下子就可以成功的。

　　During the fourth week, you can erect the walls, install doors and windows, and put up the ridgepole. That”s how a house is constructed, step by step. You can”t "dig a well with one thrust of the shovel"; there”s no instant accomplishment.

　　参禅如此，念佛是如此，学教、修密、习律也是如此，都要念兹在兹的，把心弄老实，不教它好高骛远，不要听人说密宗好啊！就跑到密宗。我们人不要迷得死不开窍，食古不化。明明眼前都摆着事实，还迷头迷脑地密密密，密来密去也不知怎么就死了，这真是密！这不是「密」，是「迷」－－糊里胡涂！

　　This is true not only of investigating Chan, but also of reciting the Buddha”s name, studying the teachings, cultivating the Secret School, and practicing the Vinaya－ in any of these, you must devote your full attention to the task at hand. Make your mind honest, and don”t yearn for what is lofty and distant. Don”t run over to join the Secret School just because you hear someone talk about how wonderful it is. We shouldn”t get so deluded that we obstinately refuse to see the truth and rigidly hold onto old ways. The facts are right in front of us, but with addled brains, we still chase after what”s "secret, secret, secret" until we die for no apparent reason. That”s truly secret! Actually, it”s not secret, it”s confusion; it”s totally muddled.

　　各位信佛的人，要研究真理，不要盲从。要「亲近有德，远避凶人」，凶人就是专门欺骗人；有德之人就是不欺骗人。无德的人专用奸诈手段，所以德存不住；唯独不欺骗人的人，才能日积月累地修功立德，故其德行存在。所以你们观察人就是从这儿着眼。不是单单在表面上看，说：「我看这人有德，是善知识。」根本没有确实的标尺。你必须要设身处地，真正了解那人才算。末法时代，人都犯了一种通病，就是好高骛远，以耳代目，听人家说什么好，就往那儿跑。跑到那儿，好不好也不知道，甚至被人骗了还不醒觉。学这种迷信财色，迷信风水，是非常可怜的。

　　Buddhists should study true principles. Don”t blindly follow others. You should draw near virtuous people and stay away from bad people. Bad people are those who do nothing but cheat others. Virtuous people do not cheat others. People without virtue use all sorts of fraudulent means－that”s why they can”t preserve their virtue. Only those who don”t cheat people can store up the merit and virtue they cultivate over the days and months. That”s why their virtue endures.…

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