..续本文上一页l calculations, we are able to send rockets into space. That is the function of a beginning; it”s a kind of mathematical transformation. Then is there an end

　　 We don”t know when the end will come. The end corresponds to the stage of emptiness in the four stages—formation, dwelling, decay, and emptiness. The kalpa (eon) of formation is a beginning. Formation lasts for twenty small kalpas. Then there is dwelling for twenty small kalpas, decay for twenty small kalpas, and emptiness for twenty small kalpas. One could say that this is a beginning and an end.

　　现在这个科学时代，由我们地球造的这个火箭，能打到太空去，入了太空轨道，在太空运行不息，在那儿流转，这是 一个有始。由这个数目来推算，能把这个火箭送到太空去，这都是「有始」的作用，一个数学的变化。那么有终没有呢？现在还不知道什么时候是个终。终的时候， 就是这个成住坏空它「空」的时候，它是终；成劫是一个开始，成二十个小劫，住二十个小劫，坏二十个小劫，空二十个小劫，这也可以说是一个开始，一个终了。

　　Where have all these living beings that have appeared since beginningless kalpas come from

　　 Take human beings, for example. Did man exist before woman, or woman before man

　　 If you say man appeared before woman, how could there be any men without a woman

　　 If you say woman appeared before man, how could there be any women without a man

　　 This is the “beginningless”—we don”t know where it started. Chickens are another example. Would you say the chicken came before the egg, or the egg before the chicken

　　 For countless ages in the past, there were no chickens. How did the first one come into being

　　 “It was born from an egg,” you may say. Well, if there were no chickens, how could there be eggs

　　 We cannot gain a clear understanding of this principle; it comes from the beginningless. People also came from the beginningless, from the O.

　　这一切众生无始劫来，所有的众生，你说从什么地方来的？你来研究研究。就拿人类来说，你说，是先有男人？是先 有女人？你说「先有男人」，没有女人，男人怎么会有？你若说「先有女人」，那么没有男人，怎么又会有女人？这个是一个「无始」，不知道从哪个地方开始。就 拿鸡子来讲，你说先有鸡？是先有蛋？无始劫以来，没有小鸡子，那么怎么会有了？说：「由蛋有的。」这个蛋，如果没有鸡，又怎么会有蛋？这也研究不明白这个 道理，这也就是由无始来的；人也就是由无始来的，由那个○字那儿来的。

　　This O is beginningless and endless; it has neither inside nor outside; it is neither big nor small. In its minutest aspect, the O is nothing but a dust mote. If we expand it, it becomes the Dharma Realm. To the ends of the empty space throughout the Dharma Realm, there is nothing beyond the O. If the empty space throughout the Dharma Realm were smashed into dust motes, not a single dust mote would be beyond the O. Therefore, the O is the source of the myriad births and transformations. It is the principle of true emptiness and wonderful existence, which is without beginning or end. When the O is expanded, it becomes empty space and the Dharma Realm. That is true emptiness. When it is shrunk, it becomes a dust mote. Despite its tiny size, that dust mote is wonderful existence. Therefore, beginningless kalpas have no beginning. The O is true emptiness, and it is wonderful existence. All of you, think about this! If you understand this principle, you understand the true Dharma. If you don”t understand this principle, you”re still a confused person with no real wisdom.

　　那么由○字那儿来的，所以这是无始无终、无内无外、无大无小。这个○，你小，就是一粒微尘；你若把它扩大起 来，就是一个法界。尽虚空、遍法界，没有超出这个○字去；尽虚空遍法界，碎为微尘，那一粒微尘也没有离开这个○字。所以这个○字，是生生化化之源，是无始 无终的一个真空妙有的道理。这个○字扩大起来，变成虚空，变成法界，这是一个真空。你把它缩小了，变成一粒微尘；虽然微尘是小，这可是妙有。所以这个无始 劫以来，就是没有开始的时候。这个○字，就是真空，就是妙有。你们各位想一想，你若明白这个道理，你就是明白真法；你若不明白这个道理，你还是糊涂人，没有真正智慧。

　　If you are enlightened, then the O is great bright wisdom. If you aren”t, then it is ignorance. Ignorance is the O, and great bright wisdom is also the O. It has no beginning or end, no inside or outside; it is neither big nor small. It”s so big there”s nothing outside of it, nothing bigger. When you draw a zero, you can make it as big or as small as you want. It can be so big that there”s nothing outside, or so small there”s nothing inside. Its bigness transforms into the pure and clean fundamental source—the wonderful true nature. Its smallness and hiddenness represent the initial thought of igno…

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