..续本文上一页 to Buddhism. Some well-known professors, scholars, and even left-home people blatantly claim that the Shurangama Sutra is false. Why are they so deluded

　　 Because they can”t stand to see themselves reflected in the “demon-spotting mirrors” of the Four Clear Instructions on Purity and the Fifty Skandha-demon States discussed in that Sutra. The Fifty Skandha-demon States exposes their demonic state. And they cannot abide by the rules specified in the Four Clear Instructions on Purity. For these reasons, they go against their conscience and utter this great lie, saying that the Sutra is false.

　　我们对《楞严经》与〈楞严咒〉要认识得非常清楚，没有任何咒比〈楞严咒〉更灵，没有其他经文比《楞严经》更真，能把天魔外道及一切众生的毛病，针针见血，阐明得如此详细。

　　We should clearly understand the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra. No mantra is more efficacious than the Shurangama Mantra, and no Sutra is more true than the Shurangama Sutra. No other Sutra pinpoints and describes the problems of the celestial demons, externalists, and living beings in such precise detail.

　　若没有〈楞严咒〉，佛法就没有了；没有《楞严经》，正法就消灭了。各位为了护持佛法，一定要把《楞严经》读得熟之又熟，随时随地都可背可讲，才不愧为真正的佛弟子，才不枉出家一场。

　　If the Shurangama Mantra disappeared, the Buddhadharma would also disappear; if the Shurangama Sutra vanished, the True Dharma would perish as well. In order to protect and uphold the Buddhadharma, all of you must study the Shurangama Sutra until you can recite it by heart and lecture on it at any time or place. Then you will be true disciples of the Buddha, and you will not have left home in vain.

　　因此，大家切勿被这些「名学者」、「名教授」、「大法师」所眩惑，以盲引盲，以为《楞严经》是假的。他们凭什么说《楞严经》是假的？根本他们是睁着眼睛说瞎话，贡高邪见，我慢猖狂，等到将来受果报时，是不堪设想的。

　　Beware of those famous scholars, renowned professors, and great Dharma Masters who are blind men leading the blind when they tell others that the Shurangama Sutra is false. On what evidence do they base their claim

　　 They are shameless liars, arrogant and disrespectful, confused by wrong views. In the future, their retribution will be terrible beyond scope.

　　还有以下的消息向诸位发表。不管其他道场的家风如何，在万佛圣城若想出家者，最低限度要有大学文凭。若从旁的大学已得到毕业文凭，还需要在本校接受僧伽训练班三年的严格训练，品学兼优，始有资格受具足戒，为比丘、比丘尼。

　　I have one more thing to tell everyone. I don”t know the policy in other monasteries, but the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas accepts only college graduates for admission into the Sangha. If you have a college degree, you must further undergo three years of rigorous training in the Sangha and Laity Training Programs, and you must show excellent character and scholarship, before you can qualify for ordination as a Bhikshu or Bhikshuni.

　　在这个时代，出家人必定要有出类拔萃、特别优良的教育背景，方成法器。若只字不识，终天只会拉拢攀缘，在佛教里混饭吃，做些不高尚、不清净的犯戒行为，有辱缁门，怎么可以为佛教增光？怎么令人对三宝生敬仰心？因此为提高缁门素质，从今以后，欲来万佛圣城出家者，不论男女老幼，先要考取大学文凭，并能背出《楞严经》、〈楞严咒〉，方被录取。此外出家众本来应熟读的沙弥戒、〈五十三小咒〉、《梵网经菩萨戒》、《四分律》比丘、比丘尼戒，也要能背得出来。

　　In the present age, Sangha members should be especially well-educated so that they can transmit the Dharma. There are illiterate and opportunistic monks and nuns who get their meals from Buddhism, but then disgrace the Sangha by breaking the precepts; how can they bring glory to Buddhism and inspire people to have faith in the Triple Jewel

　　 Therefore, in order to improve the qualifications of the Sangha, from this day forward, those who wish to leave the home-life at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, whether they are male or female, young or old, must first earn a college degree and be able to recite the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra by heart, before they will be accepted. In addition, left-home people are expected to seriously study and commit to memory: the Shramanera (novice) precepts, the Fifty-three Small Mantras, the Brahma Net Sutra Bodhisattva Precepts, and the Four Division Vinaya (the Bhikshu and Bhikshuni precepts).

　　从前，在此道场出家的要求，虽然没有现在这么严格，但我一向不随便收徒弟，要收也是极为谨慎，经长期审察来者的思想言行，才接受他剃度。但有鉴于末法盖世，邪魔炽然，不得不做此破釜沈舟的改革运动，积极提高出家人的品学水准。凡是跟我出家的弟子，都要顶天立地，允文允武，为法门大将，甚至于以世俗的角度观之，亦是超卓非凡的人材。已跟我出家的弟子们，也应该个个会背《楞严经》，随时随地能讲能说。这样才算得上实在进行弘扬正法的责任，续佛命脉，没有白出家一趟！

　　In the past, although the requirements for leaving the home-life at this Way-place were not quite as strict, I have never accepted disciples casually. I am always very cautious, and only after long-term observation of the disciples” thinking, speech, and conduct do I permit them to shave their heads. But now, when the Dharma-ending Age prevails in the world and demons are on the loose, I have no choice but to start this revolution to raise the ethical and educational standards of the Sangha. Every left-home disciple of mine must be an indomitable hero skilled in both martial and literary arts, a great general of the Dharma. His talents should be superlative, even from a worldly perspective. My left-home disciples should also memorize the Shurangama Sutra and be able to lecture on it whenever the occasion calls for it. If you can do that, you are genuinely propagating the True Dharma and are extending the lifespan of Buddhism, and you have not left the home-life in vain.

　　一九八三年四月十四日晚间开示

　　于万佛圣城

　　A talk given on the evening of April 14, 1983,

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

《佛教的骨髓：《楞严经》 The Marrow of Buddhism: The Shurangama Sutra》全文阅读结束。