..续本文上一页ings.” This is the criterion of cultivation. Don”t take a thief for your son. He will steal all your treasures and leave nothing behind. Don”t listen to the devil for he will cheat you. If you fall for his schemes you will lose in a big way. Don”t befriend the followers of demons, for they”ll only ensnare you and cause you to do muddled things.

　　修道人要性定，才能反迷归觉，舍邪归正。时时刻刻正念现前，就没有任何的烦恼，事情来了，应付一下，不要存攀缘的心；事情去了，不留痕迹，心净如洗。要晓得「三心了不可得」的道理──过去心不可得，现在心不可得，未来心不可得。性定之后，才能破无明，显法性。我们一定要把无明破除，一定要把法性显现，这才达到学佛的目标。

　　Cultivators should make their natures settled so that they can return from delusion to enlightenment, renounce evil and return to propriety, and have a proper mind at all times. Then there won”t be any afflictions. When a situation arises, deal with it, but don”t try to exploit it. When the situation is gone, it leaves no trace, and the mind is as pure as if newly washed. Realize that the mind of the past is unattainable, the mind of the present is unattainable, and the mind of the future is unattainable. We should be determined to destroy ignorance and reveal the Dharma-nature. This is our goal in studying Buddhism; however, it can be done only if our nature is settled.

　　明白之后，依法实行，才算是真正懂佛法了。如果学而不行，无论学多少佛法，无明烦恼还是一大堆，那也是无有是处，这样就算学到尽未来际，也得不到相应处，你真正智慧也不会现前，就算有点智慧，也不过是在皮毛上打转转，不是真的。

　　Once we understand the Dharma, we should put it into practice, for only then can we be said to truly understand the Buddhadharma. If we study but don”t practice, then no matter how much Buddhadharma we learn, it”s all useless. We”ll still have plenty of ignorance and afflictions, and we”ll never obtain any response or be able to reveal our real wisdom. Even if we do gain a little wisdom, we”re just skimming the surface.

　　凡是在万佛圣城修道的人，要爱惜光阴，不可以浪费宝贵的时间，所谓，「一寸时光，一寸命光。」我们在道场所学的佛法，要真真实实地躬行实践，不要敷衍了事混光阴，那就和道相违背了。学佛法最忌讳的就是有始无终，半途而废。我们若是中道自划，停止前进，就会前功尽弃，始终到不了宝所。切记！切记！无论做什么事，都要有始有终，不要被外境所动摇而退失自己的志愿。发愿立志要如同金石，不要被逆境和不如意所摇动，而忘失菩提心。如果失去菩提心，这才是最大的损失。真正明白佛法的人，无论在任何情形之下，都保持菩提心，不会退转菩提心。

　　People cultivating at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas should cherish this precious time and not waste it. It is said, “An inch of time equals an inch of life.” We should truly and actually practice the Buddhadharma that we learn in this Way-place. Don”t dawdle and be perfunctory about things; that would be going against the Way.

　　If you want to study Buddhism, you should certainly not give up halfway and fail to finish what you started. If you draw a line halfway and stop advancing, all your previous efforts will come to nothing. You will never get to the treasure trove that way. Please remember this. Whatever you are doing, finish the job you have started. Don”t be moved by external states and lose your resolve. Your resolve should be as firm as steel; don”t be swayed by bad states and disappointments and lose your resolve for Bodhi. The loss of the resolve for Bodhi is the greatest loss. People who truly understand the Buddhadharma will hold on to the Bodhi resolve and not retreat under any circumstances.

　　如果不懂修行的方法，无论做什么事情，都是虎头蛇尾，有始无终，开始时很勇猛，终了时却很懈怠，那一切就不会圆满，为什么呢？因为「如是因，如是果」，因果是丝毫不爽的。学佛法，就要相信因果，不可错因果，更不可拨无因果，当知因果是万世不变的定律。

　　People who don”t understand the proper way to cultivate will be vigorous in the beginning but lazy toward the end. As a result of their sloppy practice, the outcome of their cultivation will be far from perfect. The principle of cause and effect never fails. In learning Buddhism, one must believe in cause and effect. Don”t make mistakes in cause and effect and, above all, don”t dismiss it. You should be aware that cause and effect is an unchanging law for all time.

　　一九八三年七月十日开示

　　于万佛圣城

　　A talk given on July 10, 1983,

　　at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

《什么是性定？ What Is Samadhi

　　》全文阅读结束。