..续本文上一页，更为欢迎。出家人一律要背诵〈楞严咒〉和《楞严经》，以及《梵网经》和《四分律》等，以研究《华严经》和《法华经》为主课，时时精进，没有懈怠，这是万佛圣城的家风。

　　In order to raise the standards of the Sangha, I will permit people to enter the monastic life only after they have graduated from college or from the three-year Sangha Training Program at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. People who have earned Master”s or doctoral degrees are even more welcome. After leaving home, they should memorize the Shurangama Mantra, the Shurangama Sutra, the Brahma Net Sutra [Bodhisattva precepts], and the Four Division Vinaya [Bhikshu and Bhikshuni precepts]. They should devote themselves to studying the Avatamsaka Sutra and Lotus Sutra, and accord with the City”s tradition of vigorous cultivation.

　　现在佛教在西方初露曙光，我们不要把它变成末法时代，一定要令正法常住于世，续佛慧命。如何能令正法常住？就要充实佛教的学问，理解经典的义理。所以在万佛圣城一举一动、一言一行都是学习，研究自己的学问，培养自己的品德，修持自己的戒律。

　　Buddhism is just beginning in the West. Let”s not turn this age into the Dharma-ending Age. We must perpetuate the Proper Dharma and the Buddha”s wisdom. How can we do this

　　 We must learn more about Buddhism and understand the principles in the Sutras better. Therefore, at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, in everything we say and do, we are learning. We are getting to know ourselves better, developing our characters, and cultivating our precepts.

　　出家乃是大丈夫的事，没有勇猛果断的力量，是办不到的。所以出家之后，就要认真修行，严守戒律，不可懈怠，因循放逸。如果觉得出家的生活太苦，随时可以还俗。我不是鼓励你们还俗，而是佛教里根本不需要这种似是而非的人。不要因为一个不守规矩的人，而破坏万佛圣城的名誉，这是我的规矩。我是遵守佛制而行事，不是别出心裁，故意标新立异。

　　Only heroic people can enter the monastic life. It takes courage and determination to leave home. After doing so, you must cultivate and uphold the precepts seriously. Don”t become lax and mindlessly follow the routine. If you feel that the monastic life is too bitter, you can return to lay life any time. I”m not trying to encourage you to do that, but Buddhism doesn”t need people who pretend to be what they”re not. I don”t want the reputation of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to be ruined on account of one person. These are my rules. I”m not trying to be different, I”m just following the regulations passed down by the Buddha.

　　一九八三年十月廿一日开示

　　A talk given on October 21, 1983

《为了生死而出家 We Leave the Home-life in Order to End Birth and Death》全文阅读结束。