如果整天把佛菩萨挂在嘴边，而没有认真地去了解和实践，他的功德几乎是没有的。所以一定要去了解和实践。实践是什么？就是修行。了解是什么？就是修心。如果一个人对法门不能深透地去了解它，对于最根本的基础的佛法没有去了解、去实践，这个人就是没有功德。比如一个人要摔倒了，如果你是凭着人性一刹那（没有学过佛）、你没有带着一种慈悲心去感受到这个老人要摔倒了，而是一个反射动作把他搀扶起来，你只不过做了一件善事。如果你是感觉到：“哎呀，这个老人家摔倒了之后会怎么样，我应该怎么样把他扶起来。他很可怜，他像我的父母亲一样。他是过去佛或未来佛。”如果你有这种想法，当你的境界提高的时候，去做任何事情，你就达到了高层次的境界。如果你用心来做，得到的就是心灵的回报：如果你只是做外表的事情，你得到的也只是外表的回报。大家都知道，天下没有不劳而获的事情，不劳动就想得到，那是不可能的。徒弟小于现在被大家称为老师，因为他回答了那么多的问题。他怎么会知道这么多东西的呢？因为他天天跟着师父问。他从师父这里学来的东西实际上就是他的东西。你们今天听进去了就是你们的东西，而你们把学的东西放在肚子里没有拿出来，就是没有实践。你们现在从师父这里学来的东西就是你们自己的东西。你们要抢着做功德呀，你们平时要多做功德，多帮助人家，多讲解。如果你不去讲，不救人家，你们知道这是修的小乘佛法。因为在末法时期小乘佛法是救不了人的，也救不了自己本人。师父给你们讲一句很清楚的话：如果你们把师父教授你们的东西能够用在实践中，实际上就是你自己的东西。我希望你们每一个人都能像师父一样救度众生。你们每一个人都能够讲出很多的生活道理。师父要你们在师父的这条航空母舰上来救人，来救度众生。不然你们在自己的这条小船上看见那么多人在水里，每个人都说：“哎呀，这么可怜呀，请观世音菩萨你救救他们吧”，而自己却不动。师父是让你们自己要伸手去拉呀。如果天天坐在那里念经，什么道理都不懂，什么事情都不做，只知道给自己念经，而且不用心去念，你一定得不到菩萨的救度。要懂自度度人。所以念经一定要用心去念。
If you frequently speak about the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas but fail to truly understand and apply their teachings in your life, your merit and virtue will be nearly non-existent. This is why both understanding and practice are essential. What is practice? It is cultivation. And what is understanding? It is cultivating your mind. If someone does not deeply comprehend the Dharma Door they are practising and neglects the foundational principles of Buddhism—neither understanding nor practising them—they will not accumulate any merit or virtue.
For example, imagine someone is about to fall. Suppose you haven’t learned Buddhism before, and you instinctively help them up as a reflex, without any thought of compassion. In that case, you’ve simply performed a kind deed. However, if you feel genuine compassion and think, “Oh no, this elderly person might get hurt. I should help them. They are like my own parents, or perhaps they are a past or future Buddha,” then your mindset reflects a higher level of spiritual understanding. When your state of mind is elevated, your actions align with a higher spiritual realm. If you act with genuine sincerity, the reward is a profound sense of fulfilment. Conversely, if your actions lack sincerity and come from a shallow place, the reward will also be superficial.
We all know that nothing in this world comes without effort. Hoping for rewards without putting in the work is simply impossible. Take the example of my disciple, Yu, who is now regarded as a teacher because of the many questions he has answered. How did he gain so much knowledge? It’s because he spent every day asking me questions and learning. What he learned from me has become his own understanding. The knowledge you absorb today from my Dharma Talk becomes your own, but if you keep it to yourself, you are not truly putting it into practice. What you learn from me today is meant to be applied.
You should seize every opportunity to perform meritorious deeds. In your daily life, strive to accumulate merit and virtue, help others often, and share your understanding of the Dharma. If you don’t teach or assist others, you are not truly practising Mahayana Buddhism. During this Age of Dharma Decline, a Buddhist practice that focuses solely on personal cultivation cannot save others—nor can it save yourself.
Let me make this very clear: if you can put what I’ve taught you into practice, it truly becomes your own. I hope that each of you, like me, will work to guide and awaken sentient beings. I want every one of you to be able to share profound life wisdom with others. Join me on this great aircraft carrier, rescuing and guiding sentient beings. Otherwise, if you stay on your own small boat, you’ll see so many people struggling in the water and simply say, “Oh, how pitiful! Guan Yin Bodhisattva, please save them,” while doing nothing yourself. My goal is for you to extend your hand and pull them up yourself. If you spend your days reciting scriptures solely for yourself, without understanding their meaning or acting on them—and worse, if your recitation lacks sincerity—you will not receive the Bodhisattva’s blessings. You must understand how to awaken yourself before you can awaken others. This is why you must recite with sincerity.
当业力显前的时候，当一个人身上有业障的时候，首先必须先消除那些业障。消灭业障之后你才能修好心，否则业力给你捣乱，让你的心定不下来。业力在身上的时候是乱窜的。师父给你们举一个例子你们就会明白了：当一个人很烦恼的时候、心定不下来的时候，心里想“我要念经，我要念经”。虽然嘴巴在念，但是心里难过又烦恼。那个时候心就根本定不下来，就想站起来做点什么别的事情，那个时候自己克制不住自己的心呀。这就叫乱窜。就像有些人家里有一点什么事情了，人坐在这里，“我要念经，我要念经”，而脑子里全想的是家里的事。这就是人的业力乱窜。然后你用什么样的心去修心，就得什么样的回报（果报）。如果你用很慈悲的心去修心，你得到的就是很慈悲的回报；如果你用这种烦躁不安的心去修心，你修来的心也是烦躁不安的。能明白吗？人怎么样才能定下来呢？能让人定下来的最好的方法就是做人要想到知足常乐，但这是对人间来讲的；对学佛人的一句话就是戒贪瞋痴三毒。当你想到“在人间我什么都满足了，虽然这个事情让我很烦恼，但是对我来讲已经很好了。”你的心就会平静下来了。从心里面挖，那就是戒贪瞋痴。因为当你不贪的时候，你就没有这个烦恼了；当你不恨人家的时候，你心里也没有烦恼了；当你不愚痴的时候，不想得到某些自己得不到的东西时，你的心也就平静了。如果你的心静不下来，你只能随着毛病，随着你的烦恼，堕落到六道轮回当中。举个简单例子：一个女人嫁三次，为什么会嫁三次？她自己难道没有毛病吗？身上肯定是有毛病的，第一次这样，第二次还这样，第三次结婚了又离婚了，所以她就是在轮回呀。她吃过的苦头又吃了，她找过的麻烦又找了，她不接受教训，对不对呀？人最怕的是没有悟性。
When karmic obstacles surface, the first step is to eliminate them. Only after clearing these obstacles can you cultivate your mind effectively. Otherwise, karmic forces will disrupt you, making it impossible to achieve inner peace. When karmic forces are active, they run wild. Let me give you an example: when someone feels restless and troubled, they might think, “I need to recite scriptures.” While their mouth recites, their heart remains heavy and agitated. They struggle to focus and feel the urge to stand up and do something else. This inability to control the mind is what I call karmic forces running wild. Similarly, someone might sit down to recite scriptures but be consumed with thoughts about family matters. They might think, “I want to recite sutras, I want to recite sutras,” but their mind is entirely preoccupied. This is another example of karmic forces running wild. The mindset you bring to cultivating your mind determines the results you receive. If you cultivate with a compassionate heart, you will experience compassionate outcomes. If you cultivate with a restless, anxious mind, the results of your efforts will mirror that restlessness. Do you understand?
How can a person find peace within? The best way is to cultivate contentment and embrace the joy of simplicity. This is effective for ordinary people. However, for Buddhist practitioners, we should follow the teaching: “eliminate the three poisons—greed, anger, and ignorance.” When you reflect and think, “I already have everything I need in life. Although this issue troubles me, I’m still very fortunate,” your mind will begin to settle. Eradicating greed, anger, and ignorance from your mind also involves avoiding these three poisons. When you let go of greed, you free yourself from the desires that cause suffering. When you stop harbouring resentment toward others, your heart becomes free of turmoil. When you overcome ignorance and release the yearning for things you cannot have, you achieve inner peace. Conversely, if you cannot quiet your mind, you will end up being driven by habitual behaviours—especially bad habits—and fall into the endless cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence. Take, for example, a woman who marries three times. Why does this happen? Could it be that she has no flaws of her own? Of course, she must have unresolved issues. The first marriage fails, the second ends the same way, and after her third marriage, she divorces again. She’s trapped in a cycle of repetition, isn’t she? She keeps making the same mistakes, refusing to learn from them—don’t you think? The greatest danger lies in a lack of self-awareness.
一个人不修心，犹如一个老人上坡时手想拉旁边一个杆子，因为两个脚支撑不住自己，就想拉一个扶栏杆。但是他抓不到东西的时候，会产生恐惧感。犹如我们在人生行走一样，我们没有这根栏杆，我们就会跌跌撞撞，也有可能会翻下山崖；我们只有拉住这根栏杆， 而这根栏杆就是你们要好好学佛。试想一下，当一个人往下掉的时候他的双手最好是能够抓住什么东西，这就是人间在碰到灾难的时候，家里在出现困难的时候，自己被宣布生了癌症的时候，你的两个手就想抓一点东西，你抓不住就往山下滚呀、翻呀。而想抓住的这个东西是怎么来的？是靠你平时天天要抓得住的。所以一定要学佛法。不学佛法，双手一空你的心就找不到人生的方向。你们虽然没有从山崖上翻下去过，但是我想很多人都做过这样的梦，从很高的山上摔下去时怕得不得了。明白了吗？真的很可怜。所以一定要学佛，坚决不能三心二意，心一定要专一，选一个目标学佛。
If a person doesn’t cultivate their mind, it’s like an elderly person climbing a hill, trying to grab onto a railing because their legs can’t support them. When they can’t grasp anything, fear sets in. Life is much the same. Without a railing for support, we stumble and fall, sometimes even plunging off a cliff. That railing, the source of stability and strength, is what learning and practising Buddhism provides. Imagine someone falling from a height. In such a moment, their best chance is to grab onto something to stop the fall. When disasters strike, when your family faces difficulties, or when you’re diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer, your instinct is to hold onto something for support. If there’s nothing there, you’ll continue to tumble down. But what you’re reaching for in those moments isn’t built overnight—it’s cultivated over time. That’s why it’s so essential to study the Buddha-dharma consistently. Without it, your hands will be empty, and your heart will feel lost, with no direction in life. While you may not have physically fallen off a cliff, many of you have likely had dreams of falling from a great height, experiencing overwhelming fear. Isn’t it terrifying? That’s why it’s so important to learn Buddhism. You must remain resolute and unwavering in your commitment. Your heart must be focused. Choose a goal and dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to practising Buddhism.
人的一辈子最后什么都带不走，是无所得的。想一想我们什么都得不到。举个简单例子：我们把人间分成三段–少年、青年、老年。少年时你把红领巾、奖状全部得到了，当年得到的时候你是多么的兴奋，就像你们大学毕业戴个帽子一样开心得不得了。那么当时的感觉你们现在还有多少呢？等到你上大学的时候，你还能在乎中学得到的那些奖状吗？等到你快要死的时候，你还会在乎你的小学、中学、大学的事情吗？你在乎的你的家人，你不想走也得离开他们。你喜欢的所有的钱财， 你只能放开手。你所拥有的一切都是暂时的，因为你必须离开他们，你不想离开也要离开。人活得是多么的无奈，而且一旦离开了肉体之后，你究竟往哪里去？很可怜。所以一定要该舍的就要舍，该抛开的就要抛开。从心中去关心他们，而不是从行为上的关心。你爱一个人可以用心去爱他，你不一定要天天跟他在一起。你们很多人到师父这里来学佛学法，坐在这里，实际上你们在庇荫你们的家人。难道不是吗？你们做了师父的徒弟， 家家平安无事，难道不是叫修为吗？难道不是叫修行吗？难道你们认为坐在这里是浪费时间，应该跟家里人在一起吗？然而因为你们学了佛了，学了法了，念了经了，你们家里人自然就受到庇护了，难道不是关心他们吗？人想在世界上活得长一点，不要浪费时间，要念经修心，要帮助人家，你才活得有意义。你天天往外面跑就是在做没有意义的事情，你去做什么？你们想想看， 同样是做一件事情，你们跟着师父出去，那叫弘扬佛法，是有功德的。如果自己去旅游那是叫浪费时间。你自己能旅游到天上吗？师父在天上看见的那些美景是你们一辈子都没有见到过的，那种漂亮的仙境就像电影里的一样，境界完全可以超脱。你们想想看，旅游的话到一个国家坐十几个小时的飞机去看看，然后再坐十几个小时的飞机回来，你们说累不累呀？如果你们是灵体生活的话，等你们走掉以后，知道在天上看见的是什么？ 只要读过《阿弥陀经》的人都知道七宝池、八功德水、黄金为地。你想想看在天上到处都是黄金，你还会捡一块黄金藏起来吗？就像马路上到处都是石子，你还会捡一个石子藏在家里吗？以为人间好得不得了，全是假的、空的。人间给你带来了什么？没有给你带来幸福， 只给你带来了忧伤、烦恼、痛苦，给你带来的是生、老、病、死，而且给你带来最大的难以接受的现实，那就是你必须要死。当你想到要死的时候，这个不舍得、那个也不舍得的时候，当你躺在床上的时候，那是什么感觉呀？不要再浪费时间了，要抓紧时间好好修。师父给你们一个高的要求：你们在做每一件事情时，脑子里都要想：“我有功德吗？这是在学佛吗？我这个事情做的对不对？”师父就是这样，在做任何事情时都在想： “我这个是不是在学佛，做的对不对？”师父让你们在吃饭时要想到“我多吃一顿素菜，就可以少吃一顿荤菜。”如果做每一件事情都这样想一想，菩萨就会感应一下–你是一个好孩子，是一个有修为的孩子。希望你们保持师父这个传家宝，要学会做任何事情都要先想到人家，后想到自己。师父就是这样的。任何东西都要想得开。你只要对什么名利、孩子等还有留恋、眷恋，你就无法自在，你就无法超脱。将来你的灵魂往哪里跑那就不知道了。明白了吗？真的要想得开，真的要超脱了。如果一个人脑子里老是眷恋那些过去的事情，自己就永远得不到安宁。要学会忘记。师父曾经在白话佛法里讲过，人要有一个坏记性。有一个坏记性实际上也是一个好事情。比如当一件很痛苦的事情在脑子里转，摆脱不了时，最好的办法就是忘记。今天就给大家讲到这里。
At the end of life, we leave everything behind. We take nothing with us and gain nothing in the end. Think about it: we can’t truly possess anything. Let me give you a simple example. Life can be divided into three stages: childhood, youth, and old age. In childhood, you might win awards, earn certificates, or receive recognition at school. At the time, you felt so proud and excited, much like the joy of graduating from university. But how much of that excitement do you still feel now? When you started university, did those high school achievements still matter? And as you near the end of your life, will the events of primary school, high school, or even university truly hold any significance? At the end of life, the things you care about most are your family, yet even then, you must leave them behind. You cannot hold onto the money you’ve worked so hard for—you’ll have to let it go. Everything you have is temporary because, eventually, you must part with it all, whether you want to or not. Life is full of such helplessness. Once you leave your body, where will you go? It’s truly pitiful. That’s why you must learn to let go when the time comes. Release attachments when necessary. Show care for those you love from your heart, not just through outward actions. You can love someone deeply without needing to be with them every day.
Many of you come here to learn Buddhism and the Buddha-dharma from me. By sitting here, you’re also bringing blessings and shelter to your families. Isn’t that true? By becoming my disciples, your homes gain peace and harmony. Isn’t that a form of cultivation? Isn’t that what spiritual practice is all about? Do you think sitting here is a waste of time—that you should instead be with your family? On the contrary, because you’re studying Buddhism, practising the Dharma, and reciting Buddhist scriptures, your family naturally receives blessings and protection. Isn’t that a meaningful way of caring for them?
If you want to live a meaningful life and extend your time in this world, don’t waste it. Spend your time reciting scriptures, cultivating your mind, and helping others—that’s how to make life truly worthwhile. Running around aimlessly every day is simply wasting time. What are you trying to achieve? Think about it: if you’re engaging in an activity with me or under my guidance, such as travelling overseas for Dharma events, its purpose is to spread the Buddha-dharma, helping you accumulate merit and virtue. On the other hand, if you’re travelling purely for leisure, it’s simply a way of wasting time. Can you travel to the Heavens? The beautiful scenes I’ve seen in the heavenly realms are far beyond anything you could ever see in your lifetime. These breathtakingly serene and ethereal landscapes resemble scenes from a movie—completely transcendent. Now think about it: when you travel, you spend hours on a plane to visit another country, only to endure another long flight back. Isn’t that exhausting?
When you leave this world and exist as a spiritual being, do you know what you’ll see in the Heavens? Those who have read the Amitabha Sutra know of the Seven-Treasure Pools, the Eight Meritorious Waters, and the golden ground. Imagine a place where everything is made of gold. Would you still pick up a piece of gold to hoard it, any more than you’d bother picking up a pebble on the road? People think the human world is so wonderful, but it’s all illusory and empty. What has the human world truly given you? Has it brought you lasting happiness? No—it only brings sorrow, worry, suffering, and pain. It burdens you with the harsh realities of life: birth, old age, sickness, and death. The hardest truth to accept is that you must die. When you lie in bed, unable to let go of this or that, how do you think that will feel? Stop wasting your time and make the most of it by diligently practising.
Let me set a high standard for you: whenever you do something, ask yourself, “Does this create merit and virtue? Am I practising Buddhism through this? Is what I’m doing correct?” That’s what I do. In everything I undertake, I think, “Am I practising Buddhism? Is this the right thing to do?” Even when you eat, reflect, “By choosing one more vegetarian meal, I’m reducing the harm of eating meat.” When you approach every action with such mindfulness, the Bodhisattvas will notice and think, “This is a good child, a child with spiritual cultivation.”
I hope you cherish this principle I’ve taught you: always think of others first and yourself second. That’s how I live my life. Learn to let go of everything. As long as you remain attached to things like fame, fortune, or even your children, you won’t achieve freedom or transcendence. And nobody knows where your spirit will go when your time comes. Understand? You must truly awaken to this and learn to transcend. If your mind is always attached to the past, you will never find peace. Learn to forget. I’ve said before in Buddhism in Plain Terms that having a poor memory can actually be a blessing. For example, when a painful memory keeps haunting you, the best solution is to let it go and forget it. That’s all for today.