The wonderful functions of the Buddha-dharma are the effective methods, concepts and actions taken by Buddhas and Bodhisattva to spiritually awaken sentient beings. To awaken people, you need to have methods – and wonderful methods are even more appreciated. For example, I make use of modern-day technologies like radio broadcasts and the internet to promote Buddhism. Those who are exposed to these platforms can start learning about Buddhism and reciting Buddhist scriptures. Once they get started, they experience their prayer being answered.
佛性的妙用。佛性的妙用就是佛菩萨真正来救度众生的一些方法，一些理念，一些行为。师父现在的妙法是观世音菩萨传授的，是为了救度众生，现在师父就是用这个妙法在救人；利用广播，利用电脑网络传播应用妙法，使能听到、看到的人一接触就开始学了，就开始念经了，一念经就灵了。救人要有方法，更要有妙法。
Let me share a story with you. Once, there was a son who was very disrespectful towards his mother. Whenever the mother saw her son, she quivered with fear. But this son believed in Buddhism. One day, he prayed to the Bodhisattvas and wished for them to bless him and show their divine presence. To his surprise, Guan Yin Bodhisattvas answered his prayer and said: “In fact, Guan Yin Bodhisattva is already in your house. It is the person who wears their clothes inside out and their shoes on the wrong feet. Just pray to that person.” He hurried back to his house to check. When he reached the front door, he shouted and knocked impatiently on the door. Upon hearing his voice, his mum was so frightened that she accidentally put her clothes on inside out and her shoes on the wrong feet before rushing to open the door. When the door opened, her son was stunned but quickly realised what had happened. He understood the message of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva wanted him to show greater care and respect towards his mother before praying to the Bodhisattvas. At that moment, given what he had done, the son lacked even the basic qualifications for praying to the Bodhisattvas. That’s why it’s so important to understand the moral of the story.
师父给你们讲一故事，有一个儿子非常不孝自己的母亲，母亲只要看见儿子就会害怕发抖。但这个儿子信佛，有一天去求菩萨保佑显灵，结果观世音菩萨真的显灵了，菩萨说：其实观世音菩萨就在你家里，是反穿鞋子反穿衣的，你只要求他就可以了。他就急忙赶回家去看，到家门口，就大声呼喊，狠命敲门，妈妈一听到儿子这声音，吓得一紧张把衣服和鞋都穿反了，赶快去开门，门一开儿子吓呆了，知道了，也明白了是观世音菩萨在点化他，要他先把自己的母亲孝顺好再来拜菩萨，你现在连拜菩萨的资格都没有。所以你们要明白其中的道理啊。
Merit and virtue requires constantly seeing your inherent nature, letting your inherent nature dwell permanently, and realising the wonderful functions of the Buddha-nature. Remember, applying the Buddha-nature in everyday life is merit and virtue. Also remember: for any good deeds to become merit and virtue, you must do them with your Buddha-nature.
常见本性，本性常住，佛性妙用加起来才等于功德。将佛性用在日常生活中，就是功德，如果把你的佛性用在生活中绝对是有功德的，要记住，做任何好事善事要加一个佛性才有功德。
Another way to understand merit and virtue is through the Buddha of inherent nature. Indeed, our inherent nature is Buddha. To witness the Buddha means to see and confirm that it is the Buddha. To visualise the Buddha means to constantly think of the Buddha, and then you are the Buddha. To apply the Buddha means to thoroughly apply the philosophy of Buddha to do everything in your daily life. Then, it is merit and virtue.
功德的另一种理解，本性佛，自己本性是佛。见证佛，看到证实是佛，是菩萨。观想佛，你脑子里经常想到佛，你就是佛，看到的都是佛。应用佛，你所做的事情应用在生活当中，完全应用佛的理念去做任何事情，就是功德。
During the Dharma Talk or Buddhist conference, every benevolent deed is meritorious. For example, if you help people to the extent that you forget about yourself, people will see you as a Bodhisattva – as will you. At this moment, your merit and virtue are boundless.
如果在开法会时，所做的好事善事都是功德，比如：你一直坚持帮助别人，把自己忘记了，这时人家看你就是菩萨，你自己看自己也是菩萨，这时才是功德无量。
“Understand the mind and awaken”. If a person says, “I’ve awakened”, then they have in fact not truly awakened. People who have truly awakened will never claim that they have. People who truly understand will not say that they understand. “Understanding the mind and awakening” isn’t true awakening – their “awakening” is merely theoretical. Conceptually, they understand the truth of everything in the universe. However, without any practical use for this idea, they remain unawakened. Even if you understand that this world is illusory and empty by nature, and you understand the concept of awakening, have you truly applied the concept in your daily life? If you are to help more people become free from suffering by grasping the concept, and you tell people about what you have awakened to as fast as you can, then you are a Bodhisattva. But if you understand, but you’re still not willing to tell others about it nor help to spiritually awaken others, can you say that you truly understand? Can you call this awakening? True awakening is about practical action and application. That’s known as “understanding the mind and seeing one’s nature”.
明心开悟，你只要讲“我开悟了”，其实就是没开悟，因为真正开悟的人是不会说自己开悟的，真正明白的人就不说自己明白。明心开悟不是真开悟，因为这仅是在道理上的开悟，明白了这个道理了，在理上的开悟，明白了宇宙万物的真相，如果没有实际应用，你就是不开悟，你们明白这个世界都是假的，都是空的，知道之后在理上开悟，真正应用在实践当中了吗？你若能通过这些道理知道要让更多的人离苦，要把自己明白开悟的真相尽快告诉大家，那你就是菩萨了，如果自己明白了，不去告诉人家，又不去救度人家，这能叫明白吗？能叫开悟吗？真正的开悟要用在实践当中，要实际应用，才能称为明心见性。
The application of awakening must be done with equality. What I mentioned earlier was about the equality of understanding. Now, I am telling you that one must apply awakening. If you believe that the idea of learning Buddhism is not equitable, then you won’t apply it well. For example, if someone has money but you don’t, you will feel that you are not equal. But with this sense of inequality, you can’t practise and apply equality effectively.
开悟要应用平等。刚刚给你们讲的是要认识平等，而现在给你们讲开悟要应用，如果认为学佛的理念是不平等的，你就不能很好地应用。比如：人家有钱，而你没钱，你就会觉得不平等了，你有了这个不平等就是不能很好地应用平等。
On the outside, practising etiquette and politeness, and speaking in a refined and cultivated manner, is virtue. On the inside, it’s about being understandable and humble. From the inside to out, your inner humility, your outer courtesy, and your decent behaviour based on your understanding constitute merit and virtue.
贤于外，也就是正常的礼仪。你把自己修行的言行告诉人家，就是德。从内心的理解，卑下平等到外表的礼仪，明白道理后做出的好的行为加起来就是你的功德。
Bodhisattva said: “Your own nature establishing innumerable dharmas is merit.” Indeed, your inherent nature is built upon the foundation of innumerable dharmas. All of your behaviour, your actions and your speech in the Human Realm are called “innumerable dharmas”. In other words, if your inherent nature is found in all of your behaviour, action and speech, then you have merit. All dharmas stem from the manifestation of the inherent nature. In particular, all Buddhist practices, and also all behaviours, such as walking, standing, sitting, lying down, or thinking – all the good as well as all of the bad – are manifestations of your inherent nature. But why do they end up being no good? It’s because they have been contaminated by defilements after experiencing countless rebirths over a long period of time, which happened gradually and unconsciously. That’s why there are karmic obstacles.
菩萨讲自性建立万法是功，自己的本性是建立在万法的基础上，你在人间所有的行为，所有的动作，所有的语言称为万法，也就是说你自己的本性如果是在所有的语言，所有的动作行为中你就有功。一切万法是由自性流露出来的，也就是说所有的法门，所有的在人间的行、住、坐、卧、思维，所有的好的东西，所有的不好的东西都是你自己本性的流露，但是为什么流露到最后不好了呢？因为常年累月转世沾上了不好的东西，而且是在不知不觉中慢慢沾染上去的，所以才会有业障。
Everything in the world is the manifestation of the Buddha-nature. Specifically, everything in the world, including all physical and mental phenomenon, is the evolvement of the Buddha-nature. If you can perceive everything in this world as the Buddha-nature, then you have become Buddha. For example, right now as you sit here, you show gratitude towards Heaven and earth for giving you a chair. You are listening to the Master’s lecture, and you show gratitude towards Guan Yin Bodhisattva for giving you a Master to guide you in your practice of Buddhism. When you return home and unite with your family and become in harmony with one another, you show gratitude towards Guan Yin Bodhisattva for blessing you with such a great family. You perceive everything to be a manifestation of the Buddha-nature, and everything is bestowed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Be grateful. If you can view everything in the world as possessing the Buddha-nature or being a manifestation of the Buddha-nature, then you are a Buddha or Bodhisattva.
世界上的一切事物均是佛性的显现，即世界上所有的一切物质思维全都是佛性的演变，你把世界上所有的东西都认为是佛性，那你就成佛了。比如：今天能坐在这里，感谢天地万物给我这把椅子。今天坐在这里听师父讲课，感谢观世音菩萨给了我师父，引导我修学佛法。回到家能与家人团聚和睦相处，感谢观世音菩萨赐给我这么好的家庭。所有一切你都把它想成具有佛性，都是佛菩萨赐给的，要有感恩心。你若把世界上一切事物都看成具有佛性，而且是佛性的显现，那么你就是佛菩萨了。
发表于 2022-10-30 13:33:31
