意念散乱的人一定会有叹息观，这个人的意念越散乱越得不到好的东西。比如：“我买这个东西好吗？不行不行，我买那个吧。”就像一个人到衣服店里去挑衣服一样，试了好多件，看到最后，“唉！没有一件适合我的。”这个叹息观就来了，对不对呀？所以一个人的意念散乱就会形成他的叹息观。
A scattered mind inevitably develops a sighing mindset. The more scattered a person’s thoughts, the harder it becomes for them to achieve anything meaningful or find satisfaction. For example, imagine someone visiting a clothing store, trying on outfit after outfit, saying, “Should I buy this? No, no, maybe that one instead,” and finally sighing, “None of these suit me!” That’s the sighing mindset, isn’t it? When a person’s thoughts are scattered, this mindset takes hold.
因缘不好的人得愚痴。因为一个人的因缘不好了，一定会越来越傻。举一个简单的例子：一个女人谈恋爱总失败，年纪越来越大，到了后来就傻傻的，看见人就说：“唉，帮我介绍介绍，有没有好的？差一点也没关系，我都要。”傻了吧，愚痴了吧。因缘不好了，什么都要了，对不对呀？一个人的因缘不好就会得愚痴。因缘不只是代表着夫妻的因缘，还有孩子、老师、同学等等。你们学佛的人为什么有的人恨这个人，有的恨那个人呢？这些都是因缘所为。因缘不好了，开始增愚痴了。不开心了，吵架了，就是因缘不好了；东西被人家偷了，被人家罚款了，增愚痴了。有一个人就是经常被人家抄牌，他恨死抄牌的人了。有一天下雨，他看见那个人在抄牌。他戴个帽子、戴个大口罩冲到抄牌人的面前，把口罩往下一拉，朝人家脸上“呸”吐了一口痰，然后就快快逃跑了。愚痴了吧，你们说他傻不傻呀？因缘不好了总被人家抓住罚款，他不去怪自己不好，老怪人家的不是，要懂得因缘，瞋恨让人愚痴呀。
障碍多的人，其实是缺少念佛心。因为你的心没有念佛心，所以障碍会越来越多。在人间谁没有烦恼呢？应该在平时就预先提防。要知道人间谁没有烦恼，烦恼之前要预先提防，在还没有发现之前我就要当心了，不要等到事情发生了再懊恼、再痛苦、再抱怨“我怎么会发生这样的事情呢？”其实给了你很多信息而你不知道。就像一个人闻闻这个东西有一点臭了，看看边上的人吃不吃？看见人家吃了肚子马上痛了，你就不会吃了，这就叫预防感。自然遇到的境界就会逢缘。因为你预先提防了，遇到境界的时候就会逢缘了，明白了吗？比如我的身体不好，我事先把药都准备好，只要一发病我就吃药，立刻就会好了，就不用送医院了。所以要知道突发事件，就算是突发了，你马上就知道了这是灵性、业障的激活，你顿起觉照。什么叫觉照？就是你马上就会感觉到和照顾它，照顾它就是解决它、去帮助它，你就很快地消除了业障和灵性。
Those with poor karmic conditions often develop ignorance. When a person’s karmic conditions deteriorate, they become increasingly foolish. For example, consider a woman who repeatedly experiences failed relationships. As she grows older, her confidence diminishes, and she becomes desperate. She might start saying to anyone she meets, “Please introduce me to someone—anyone! It doesn’t matter if they’re not ideal; I’ll take them.” Isn’t that foolish? Isn’t that ignorance? Lacking proper karmic conditions, they become willing to settle for whatever comes their way. Thus, poor karmic conditions lead to ignorance. Karmic conditions don’t just refer to relationships between spouses—they also include relationships with children, teachers, classmates, and others. Why is it that some people practising Buddhism still harbour resentment towards certain individuals? It all stems from karmic conditions. When karmic conditions are poor, ignorance grows. Discontent arises, arguments occur—these are clear signs of poor karmic conditions. Experiencing losses, such as having something stolen or receiving a fine, can further intensify ignorance.
There was a man who was frequently fined for parking offences and grew to resent parking officers. One rainy day, he spotted a parking officer issuing tickets. Wearing a hat and a large mask, he ran up to the officer, pulled down his mask, spat on the officer’s face, and quickly fled. Isn’t that foolish? Don’t you think he acted stupidly? His poor karmic conditions led to repeated fines, but instead of reflecting on his own behaviour, he blamed others. It’s important to understand karmic conditions—anger and hatred only lead to greater ignorance. Those who face many obstacles in life often lack the intention to chant the Buddha’s name. Without a mind focused on chanting the Buddha’s name, obstacles will only increase. In the human world, who doesn’t face troubles? You should take precautions in advance. Understand that no one is free from difficulties, so you must prepare yourself before problems arise. Don’t wait until things happen to lament, suffer, or complain, saying, “How could this happen to me?” In reality, many signs were already there, but you failed to notice them.
Another analogy: if you notice something smells a bit off, you might wait to see if others try it first. If someone eats it and immediately gets a stomach ache, you’ll know not to eat it yourself. This is what we call being cautious or having foresight. By developing this awareness, you’ll find that you can navigate situations more smoothly. Do you see?
For example, if you know your health isn’t in great condition, you prepare medicine in advance. If you suddenly feel unwell, you can take the medicine immediately and recover quickly without needing to go to the hospital. Similarly, when unexpected events occur, even if they seem sudden, you should recognise them as the result of spiritual disturbances or the activation of karmic obstacles. At that moment, you become immediately aware of this. What does “awareness” mean? It means having the ability to sense and address the issue immediately. Addressing it involves resolving it and managing the situation effectively. By doing so, you will quickly diminish karmic obstacles and spiritual disturbances.
要去除你的五欲，即五种欲望，铲除你六尘的享受。“五欲”和“六尘”师父曾经给你们都已讲过，今天就不多讲了。人生在凡尘，这个享受就是人必须享受凡尘的境界，并且以为很开心。今天有东西吃了，明天有一点钱了，这就是凡尘的享受，要克制住自己。很多老伯伯看见小女孩一多马上就开心了，这个也叫凡尘。六尘境界必须克服。很多人看见吃的东西就馋得受不了了，那也要克制。这些在人间所有的东西都是六尘的东西，都必须要克制，明白了吗？六尘对六境，境界是根据你尘世间的欲望所产生的很多的境界。同样是在凡尘，如果你的境界很高，你就可以到菩萨的境界。不同的境界在不同的界，可以在阿修罗的境界，可以在凡人的境界。同样在人道当中，可以进入一个圣人的境界，也可以进入一个穷凶极恶的强盗的境界。对不对？
You must let go of material desires, specifically the five desires, and eliminate indulgence in the pleasures of the Six Sense Objects. I’ve explained the concepts of the “five desires” and “Six Sense Objects” to you before, so I won’t go into detail today. Living in the mundane world, people often immerse themselves in its worldly pleasures, mistaking them for true happiness. Today, you might enjoy a good meal; tomorrow, you might have a bit of extra money and think this is joy. But these are merely the superficial pleasures of the mundane world, and you must learn to restrain yourself. For instance, some older men light up with joy the moment they see a group of young women—that, too, is a mundane pleasure. The influence of the Six Sense Objects must be overcome. Many people cannot resist their cravings when they see food, but even this must be restrained. Everything in this world that appeals to the senses belongs to the realm of the Six Sense Objects and must be subdued. Do you understand?
The Six Sense Objects correspond to the objects of the six sense organs. Attachments to desires in this mundane world can give rise to various states of being. However, even while living in the mundane world, if your spiritual level is elevated, you can transcend to the realm of the Bodhisattvas. Different levels of spiritual states exist within different realms. You can dwell in the Asura realm or the human realm, depending on your state of mind. Similarly, within the human realm, one can embody the state of sagehood or descend into the mindset of a vicious and ruthless criminal. Isn’t that true?
动于欲，欲迷则昏。任乎气，气偏则戾。“动于欲”，就是一个人一动在于欲望，一个人的欲望促使着他在动。现在的人没有欲望是不会动的。因为我想去买东西了，我人才动起来。因为我想去谈恋爱了，我这个人才会动起来。因为我想去赚钱了，我才动起来等等。都是欲望，没有欲望他会动吗？你们现在来跟师父学佛法，都是动于欲，你们动是为了这个欲望而来的。你们是什么欲望呢？学佛后身体好了，工作好了等等。“欲迷则昏”，欲望让你迷惑了，让你昏昏沉沉的。很多皇帝周围都是女人，到了最后就昏昏沉沉的，不理朝政了。欲望多的人他就会迷惑，迷惑了之后则会昏，昏昏沉沉不知道自己在干什么。所以你们不要有多的欲望，欲望要少一点。“任乎气”，就是你随便的在乎一件事情和不在乎一件事情都有赖于你的气。你今天气顺了、开心了，这个事情就不当一回事了。就像你们看见师父开心了，你们就开心了。所有的事情都是在乎于你的气场。“气偏则戾”，如果气偏掉了就是想不通了，就会哭丧着脸。气不能偏，生气就是偏了。气要正，气正就是想得通呀。
“Those who are driven by desires, when their desires confuse them, lose their sensibility; those who give in to their emotions, when their emotional energy is misdirected, become violent and lose self-control.”
“Driven by desires” implies that a person’s actions are motivated by their desires. Nowadays, people often won’t take action unless prompted by some form of desire. They might go shopping because they want to buy something, pursue a romantic relationship due to emotional longing, or work hard to earn money—all driven by desire. Without desire, what motivation would they have? This principle also applies when you come to learn Buddhism with me; you are driven by the desire to improve your health, career, or overall life through these teachings.
“When desires confuse them, they lose their sensibility” describes how unchecked desires can lead to confusion and mental fog. Consider ancient emperors, who typically had many women around them. Often, this led to neglect of their duties and state affairs, resulting in lethargy and disorder. When desires overwhelm, they cause confusion, which clouds the mind and leaves one uncertain about their actions. This is why limiting desires is crucial—the fewer desires you have, the clearer and calmer your mind will be.
“Those who give in to their emotions” suggests that your perception of situations often depends on the flow of your qi (energy flow). When your qi flows smoothly and you feel happy, you are less likely to be bothered by external events. For instance, seeing me happy might make you feel happy too because everything is influenced by your energy field.
“When their emotional energy is misdirected, they become violent and lose self-control” highlights that imbalanced qi can lead to negative emotions. Disrupted qi may cause you to feel frustrated or appear gloomy. Our qi must not be misdirected. Anger also stems from imbalanced qi. It is crucial for your qi to remain steady and balanced, as it fosters clear thinking and emotional stability.
师父常说：常常原谅自己的人是得不到上天的原谅的。只有自己对自己很严格的要求，“我怎么又做错了，我是对不起观世音菩萨”，这样上天才会原谅你。就像你坐公共汽车一样，不小心踩了人家一脚。“对不起，对不起，我不是故意的。”人家就会原谅你。如果你踩了人家一脚之后，说：“不是我不当心，是车上这么多人挤，谁让你把脚放在我这里的？”你想想看，接下来会是什么结果？也许人家会一拳给你打过来。一个人动不动就原谅自己，是永远得不到菩萨的原谅。如果一个人不是从内心原谅别人，他的心就永远不会心安理得。要真的原谅人家，不然心不安理不得呀。不原谅人家自己的心里就会很难过，心就会不平安。
I often say, “Those who frequently forgive themselves will not receive forgiveness from the Heavens.” Only by holding yourself to high standards—reflecting on your mistakes and thinking, “How could I have done wrong again? I’ve let Guan Yin Bodhisattva down”—will the Heavens forgive you. For example, imagine you accidentally step on someone’s foot on the bus. If you immediately say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” the person will likely forgive you. However, if you respond, “It’s not my fault—it’s so crowded on this bus. Why did you put your foot there?” what do you think will happen? You might even get punched in return.
A person who is quick to forgive themselves will never earn the Bodhisattva’s forgiveness. Similarly, if someone cannot truly forgive others from the heart, they will never find inner peace. Genuine forgiveness is essential. Without it, your heart will remain unsettled, and you will struggle to find peace within yourself. Refusing to forgive others only leaves your heart burdened and restless.
其实平凡是生命真实的面貌。如果一个人说“我很平凡，我没有关系”，实际上这个人就是真正拥有生命的人。要明白一个道理：人要平凡。在一个岗位上要默默无闻地做事情，不要哗众取宠。做的事情平凡一点。生命无常，刹那生灭。明白了吗？一刹那生命就没有了，一刹那一个小生命出来了，不要被你所接触到的幻境幻影所蒙骗。多少人生病三个月就死掉了。进医院、出医院，进进出出，眼睛一晃三个月就走了，一个活活的大人就没有了。难道这还不是幻境吗？懂得制服自己的人就有自由，也是在做自己的主人。如果你能制服自己，克制住自己，你就是自己的主人。你嘴馋的时候，“我就想吃，我忍不住”，你就是不能制服自己，就做不了自己的主人。要咬咬牙克制自己。克制不住自己的人，这个人就是自己的奴隶，是肉体的奴隶；如果能克制住自己、能控制住自己就是自己的主人。
The essence of life is simplicity and ordinariness. If someone says, “I’m just an ordinary person, and that’s okay,” it shows they truly understand and embrace the essence of life. Remember this: life thrives in simplicity. In your role, quietly and diligently fulfil your responsibilities without seeking attention or admiration. Strive for humility and keep your actions grounded in simplicity. Life is impermanent—it arises and fades in an instant. Do you understand? In the blink of an eye, life can end, and in the next, a new life can begin. Do not be deceived by the illusions and fleeting images of the world. How many people fall ill and pass away within just three months? They go in and out of hospitals, and before you know it, three months have passed, and a living, breathing person is gone. Isn’t this the very nature of illusion?
A person who can master self-control attains true freedom—they become the master of their own life. However, if you cannot restrain yourself, you are merely a slave to your desires. For instance, when you crave food and say, “I can’t resist, I have to eat,” it means you cannot control yourself and are no longer in control of your actions. Learn to endure and exercise discipline. Those who fail to control themselves become slaves to their physical bodies, while those who can restrain their impulses and desires become the true masters of their own lives.
《金刚经》中说到：“过去心不可得，现在心不可得，未来心不可得。”三心不可得。把过去、现在、未来全部放下。心放下了你的瞋怒心就会离开你了，因为你的心放不下来，你的恨心就永远在你的心中；你把心放下了，“我不恨了”，恨心就没有了。一瞋怒有时会变成一场大祸。抛弃烦恼就是一个真正的修心人。这么多的烦恼放在脑子里干什么？脑子里的东西还不够多吗？一辈子装到现在，把脑子里的东西拿出来看看，全部都是剩汤烂谷子，全都是肮脏的东西。坏的东西全记住了，好的东西记不住。你们把一辈子不好的东西，恨呀，记人家的仇呀，全部装在脑子里，会是一个好人吗？明白了吗？做人真的要想得开、放得下，能放下就是一个学佛人。今天就讲到这里。
In the Diamond Sutra, it is said: “The present mind is unattainable, the future mind is unattainable, the past mind is unattainable.” These are the three unattainable minds. To truly let go, one must release all attachments to the past, present, and future. When your heart lets go, your anger and resentment will naturally leave you. However, if you hold onto these attachments, hatred will forever remain in your heart. Once you let go and say, “I will not hate anymore,” the hatred dissipates.
A single moment of anger can sometimes lead to disaster. To abandon your troubles is to be a true cultivator of the mind. Why hold on to so much worry? Isn’t your mind already cluttered enough? Over a lifetime, your mind becomes filled with useless baggage. Take a moment to examine it—all that remains are leftovers, rotten scraps, and defilements. You tend to remember the bad things while forgetting the good ones. If you carry a lifetime of resentment, grudges, and hatred in your mind, can you truly be a good person? Do you see? To live a meaningful life, you must learn to let go. Only those who can let go are true Buddhist practitioners. That’s all for today.