禅七的规矩

　　The Rules of the Chan Session

　　时刻用自己应该用的功夫，时刻把功夫提起来。

　　Without wasting a single moment, I worked relentlessly at my investigation, constantly applying my efforts to it.

　　法界佛教总会，成立于一九五九年，该会的前身，就是中美佛教总会。自从成立之后，每一年都举行佛七和禅七数次；但是都在无声无息中过去了，很少人知道法界佛教总会所属的金山圣寺在打佛七或禅七。因为我们对外不宣传，不攀缘，而是老老实实在修行。假如有人知道我们打禅七，愿意来参加，我们是欢迎之至！但是我们绝对不到外边化缘，叫人帮助，对人家说：「我们金山圣寺在打禅七，有一些无心道人在那儿修行，你们应该来供养，那就功德无量了。」我们从来就没有做过这样的宣传。

　　The Dharma Realm Buddhist Association was established in 1959. Its predecessor was the Sino-American Buddhist Association. Every year since its founding we have conducted Buddha Recitation Sessions and Chan Meditation Sessions. The sessions, however, have passed by without notice, and without fanfare. Rarely do people pay attention to the recitation and meditation sessions going on at Gold Mountain Monastery. This is because we don”t advertise or exploit opportunities. We simply mind our own business and honestly cultivate. When someone finds out about the session and requests permission to join, he or she is certainly welcome! All the same, we resolutely do not beg, solicit offerings, or seek help. We don”t say, "Gold Mountain is holding a Chan session. Several piritual adepts who have tamed their minds” will be attending. If you come make offerings to them, there will be limitless merit and virtue." We have never done any publicity to promote ourselves in this way.

　　在中国打佛七的时候，善男信女所乐捐的功德香油钱，足够道场一年的开销，有时还有盈余。在打禅七时，有很多善士发心供养来结缘，所以这个法缘，源源而来，米、面、油、酱等等，收入很多。

　　In China, when a Chan session was held, the donations contributed by the faithful laity during the session were enough to cover the monastery”s operating expenses for an entire year. Sometimes the revenue exceeded a year”s proceeds. During the session, the participants would often take the initiative to make offerings and establish good affinities with the assembly by donating great quantities of rice, noodles, oil, miso, soy sauce, dried foods and so forth.

　　在美国，佛教刚开始，一切要往好的方向去做，要将过去的陋习铲除，所谓「好的开始，就是成功的一半。」我们不采取任何方法来化缘，所以这种缘就没有了。如果会用方法，也许会化得更多。

　　Now in America, where Buddhism has just begun, we want to reform the bad practices of the past. As the saying goes, "A good beginning is halfway to success." Because we refuse to employ any tricks to beg, we haven”t created those particular affinities. If we had any schemes for bringing in offerings, it”s likely we could improve on the situation in China and attract even more supplies and money than they did.

　　我们为什么不去化缘？因为我们要老老实实认真修行，听佛菩萨的安排。佛菩萨和天龙八部、护法善神，看我们用功修道，自然会有感应；如果我们不认真修行，就是有人来供养，也应该生大忏悔心。

　　所谓：

　　三心不了水难消，

　　五观若明金也化。

　　Why don”t we solicit offerings

　　 Because our first priority is to genuinely and honestly cultivate the Way and, in so doing, to simply accord with whatever the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have arranged for us. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the gods, dragons, and the eightfold pantheon of Dharma-protectors and good spirits see us working hard and walking the Way, they spontaneously respond to our efforts. If we fail to sincerely cultivate, however, and donors still come to make offerings, we should feel deeply ashamed. It”s said,

　　If you have not put the three thoughts to rest,

　　then plain water is hard to swallow.

　　Yet if you can understand the five contemplations,

　　then even gold will digest.

　　我们要是存有过去心、现在心、未来心，这三种心不能了，那么施主即使只供养一杯清水，也难消受。如果能把五观的道理明白了，就是吃金子(金，譬如珍贵的食物)，也能消受得起。什么是五观？

　　If we hang on to thoughts of the past, the present, and the future and don”t put them to rest, then if a donor offers us even a glass of plain water, we will find it difficult to drink. But if we can understand the principles underlying the five contemplations, then even gold (and this means the most delicious vegetarian delicacies) will be digested without problems. What are the five contemplations

　　(一)计功多少，量彼来处。

　　(二)忖己德行，全缺应供。

　　(三)防心离过，贪等为宗。

　　(…

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