..续本文上一页." In harming others, you are actually harming yourself. "If you kill a person”s father, someone will kill your father. If you kill a person”s brother, someone will kill your brother." This is the law of cause and effect. We Buddhists should avoid planting evil causes, so that we won”t have to suffer an evil retribution in the future. So the first line says, By reciting, upholding, and silent chanting, diminish thoughts and words.

　　「示教利喜化大千」：示教利喜，指示众生佛教，令他们得到利益欢喜。我们在能利益人时，就要赶紧利益人，所谓：

　　Explain the teachings to bring benefit and joy, transforming the universe. The line of mantra this verse is explaining can also be translated as "explaining the teaching" and "benefit and joy." That is, one explains the Buddha”s teaching to beings, enabling them to obtain benefit and joy. This means that when we have the chance to help people, we should immediately make use of it. As it”s said,

　　栽培心上地，涵养性中天。

　　Cultivate the mind ground;

　　Nurture the sky of the nature.

　　能常利益其他人，久而久之，自己便有德行了。如果尽教人利益自己，自己不利益人，尽想找便宜，养成一种依赖性，这是最没有出息的。看看世界上专找便宜的人，结果都是失败的。你若不信，可以细细研究，无论哪一个失败者，都是贪而无餍，各处找便宜，结果都是一败涂地。你能利益人，令人欢喜，无论到什么地方，人人都会闻风而化。

　　If you frequently benefit others, you will eventually perfect your own virtuous conduct. You shouldn”t be constantly asking others to help you without ever helping them in return, because that way you”ll become dependent and won”t accomplish anything on your own. You”ll become a totally worthless person. In this world, those always on the lookout for advantages end up failing in their endeavors. If you don”t believe this, take a closer look: Whenever people fail in something, the failure occurred due to their insatiable greed for advantages. If you can benefit others and make them happy, then you”ll be able to exert a wholesome influence on people wherever you go.

　　孔子说：「言忠信，行笃敬，虽蛮貊之邦，行矣。」我们说出的话，一定要诚实有信用，不能瞪着眼睛尽打妄语，好像是说真话，其实尽欺骗人。我们的行为一定要很诚实，很笃厚，慈心下气，恭敬一切，凡事总要存谦恭和蔼之心，不要有贡高我慢的思想，觉得人人都不如我，我是老天爷，这是不可以的。

　　Confucius said, "If one”s words are trustworthy and one”s conduct is sincere and reverent, one can walk at ease even among barbarians." The words you speak must be truthful and honest. You shouldn”t tell lies with an innocent face, pretending to be truthful when in fact you”re lying through your teeth. Your actions must be sincere and reverent. Be modest, humble, and respectful towards everyone. Do everything with a humble, respectful, and courteous atti-tude. Don”t become arrogant and think, "No one is as good as me. I”m the Lord of Heaven."

　　一九八一年一月廿五日

　　A talk given on January 25, 1981

《持咒先要正心诚意 Recite Mantras with a Proper and Sincere Mind》全文阅读结束。