师父继续给大家讲修心的要点。一个人想修心，那么要点是什么呢？就是自了自己的烦恼和习气。烦恼多不多呀？天天有。身上的习气多不多呀？多。什么是习气？一般指的就是坏习气：骂人、生气、讽刺人家、只想吃好的不想吃坏的、只想赚进不想拿出等等，这些都是属于坏习气。听得懂吗？所以要自了烦恼和习气，这就是修心的第一步。用白话讲叫烦恼少一点，修心的功夫就多一点，越修越有力量。烦恼越少的人，他的功力会大。整天烦恼的人是修不好心的。比如你们今天到这里来听师父讲课，是不是修心？如果你脑子里都是烦恼，你能听得进吗？你修得好吗？如果你今天来了脑子里都是烦恼：孩子的事、家里的事、单位里的……人虽然坐在这里而心不定，你说能修得好吗？我告诉你们，人坐在这里，脑子不在这里，就是烦恼障。什么叫烦恼障？烦恼障碍了你。所以习气要修，越修越有力量。要把习气越修越少，把烦恼越修越少。这里面有个道理，是什么道理呢？是回光返照。师父给大家讲什么叫回光返照？这个人生病一年了，忽然之间醒过来了，脑子很清楚，大家都以为他好了，但很快就走了，这就叫回光返照。你这个人一辈子糊涂，忽然之间脑子很清楚了，精神抖擞，这个就叫回光返照。一个人平时很可怜的，忽然之间他什么都想通了，开始笑人、笑天笑地了，这个人就是回光返照。在这里给大家讲什么是学佛当中的回光返照？当你学佛学了一段时间，你并不明白，并不真正的理解所学习佛法的道理。当你走过一段时间，你再回过头来看一看你过去走的路，你就明白了：“我学习佛法的那几句话原来是讲我过去的坏习气呀，我明白了。”就像你们过去抽烟一样，你现在学佛了之后还会抽烟吗？你们过去经常发脾气，动不动就讽刺人家，你们现在跟随师父学佛了之后，你们把这个光回过去再照一照你们的过去，现在知道自己做错了，这就是回光返照。用佛光照一照你们过去所做错的事情，照一照你们那些肮脏的灵魂。谁没有做错过？看见人家掉在地板上的钱会不会捡？会不会拿？这就是灵魂当中的肮脏。师父告诉你们，占人家便宜的人实际上损失是最大的；布施出去的人实际上占的便宜是最大的。师父用人间法来讲，师父今天布施出去做的是最多的，所以我受到了百万人拥戴。人家看见师父都那么尊敬师父，因为师父是布施。如果我今天说来一个人师父收一百元，你们想想看师父会是什么形象？人要有骨气呀，修心更要有骨气。师父给你们讲过东方台观音堂这里是一个干净的游泳池，是让你们沐浴佛的阳光的一个莲花池，如果这个人身上非常肮脏，身上长的都是疥疮，这个人到游泳池里来游一游，谁还会再来游呀？如果师父没有法力的话，全世界这么多的人一念经，为什么师父马上就到他们的家里去帮助他们？不是师父的法力无边，是佛菩萨的法力无边，是观世音菩萨的法力无边，是佛法无边，明白了吗？不要贪小便宜，贪小便宜的人一定会吃大亏的。过去的电影里面、过去的小说里面还少吗？拿了人家一点东西，接下来被人家牵着鼻子走，叫你干什么就干什么，最后东窗事发判刑枪毙。不要去占人家的便宜，学佛的人要懂得道理。明白了吗？
I will continue sharing the key points of cultivating the mind. What are the essentials for someone who wants to cultivate their mind? It begins with resolving one’s own afflictions and habits. Do you have many afflictions? Of course—every day brings new ones. And what about habits? Plenty. They’re typically bad habits: insulting others, getting angry, being sarcastic, being picky about food, wanting to gain without giving, and so on. These are all bad habits. Do you understand? Resolving afflictions and bad habits is the first step in cultivating the mind. Simply put, the fewer afflictions you have, the more skilful you become in cultivating your mind, and the more strength you’ll gain from your practice. A person with fewer afflictions develops greater spiritual strength. If you’re constantly consumed by afflictions, you can’t cultivate your mind effectively. For example, when you come here to listen to my Dharma Talk, isn’t that part of cultivating your mind? But if your mind is filled with afflictions, can you truly take in what you hear? Can you cultivate well? If your thoughts are occupied with worries about your children, family, or work, even though you’re physically here, your heart isn’t settled. Can you genuinely make progress in cultivation? Let me tell you: when your body is here, but your mind is elsewhere, this is called an “afflictive obstruction.” What does that mean? Your afflictions are blocking your progress. Bad habits must also be resolved—the more you work on them, the stronger you’ll become. Gradually reduce your bad habits and afflictions. Why is this important? There’s a principle behind it, called “turning the light inward to illuminate yourself.” What does this mean? Let me explain.
Sometimes, when someone has been ill for a year, they suddenly appear to recover, becoming clear-headed and full of energy. People might think they’ve recovered, but they pass away soon after. This is what we call “a final burst of clarity before death.” Similarly, someone who has been muddled their entire life may suddenly become clear-headed, cheerful, and even laugh at everything, including themselves and the world. This is also an example of “turning the light inward to illuminate themselves.” In Buddhist practice, what does “turning the light inward to illuminate” mean? Let me explain. Suppose you have been practising Buddhism for a while but still don’t fully understand the teachings. After some time, as you look back at your spiritual journey, you start to realise: “The Buddhist teachings I learned back then were actually addressing my bad habits at the time. Now I understand.” For example, let’s say you used to smoke. Now that you practise Buddhism, would you still smoke? Or perhaps you used to lose your temper frequently, making sarcastic remarks at the slightest provocation. After following me and practising Buddhism, you might reflect on your past and realise: “Those teachings were about correcting my bad habits. Now I understand I was wrong.” This is what it means to “turn the light inward and reflect.” Use the Buddha’s light to shine on your past mistakes, exposing the impurities within your soul. Who hasn’t made mistakes? For instance, if you saw money on the floor, would you pick it up? Would you take it? This reveals the impurities in the soul.
I often say that those who take advantage of others ultimately suffer the greatest losses, while those who give generously are the ones who truly gain the most. From a worldly perspective, I have given the most through my acts of generosity, and as a result, I am supported and admired by millions. When people see me, they show respect because of my selfless giving. Now imagine if I charged a fee, say $100, for each person who came to see me—what kind of impression would that create? A person must have integrity and principles, and cultivating the mind requires even more integrity and principles. Let me share an analogy: the Guan Yin Hall here in Sydney is like a clean swimming pool—a lotus pond where you can bathe in the light of the Buddha. If someone comes in covered in filth and sores, contaminating the pool, would anyone else want to swim there? If I didn’t have Dharma power, how could it be that so many people recite scriptures, and I am able to assist them in their homes almost instantly? It’s not my own Dharma power that is boundless; it’s the infinite power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the boundless power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and the Buddha-dharma itself. Do you understand? Don’t be petty and try to gain small advantages, as they will lead to bigger losses in the long run. Haven’t you seen enough examples of this in films and novels? Someone takes a small item from another, then ends up being controlled, forced to obey, and ultimately discovered, losing everything—including their life. Do not take advantage of others—Buddhist practitioners must understand these principles. Got it?
要克除自己心中的妄情。什么叫妄情？就是妄想的情感。妄念，不应该去想的就叫妄念。不应该做的而去做了，也是你的脑子里面先有不好的东西想出来的。明白了吗？不该想的事情你们去想了吗？不该做的事情你们去做了吗？你们谁敢说“我没有想过，我没有做过”？想一想，后悔呀，来不及了。师父希望你们永远要记住，要相信佛法无边，不能去做那些不应该做的事情。痴心的人才会妄想，所以叫痴心妄想。贪瞋痴的“痴”就是这个“痴”呀，愚痴呀。用现在的话讲就是傻掉了，脑子坏掉了。
You must also eliminate delusive emotions from your heart. What are delusive emotions? They are emotions born of delusions. Delusive thoughts refer to thoughts you shouldn’t entertain. Doing things you shouldn’t do often begins with such thoughts taking root in your mind. Reflect: have you ever entertained thoughts you shouldn’t have? Have you done things you knew you shouldn’t do? Can anyone here truly say, “I’ve never had such thoughts; I’ve never done such things”? Think about it, and you’ll feel regret for what you’ve done—but by then, it’s already too late. I hope you will always remember to believe in the boundless power of the Buddha-dharma. Never engage in actions you know you shouldn’t. Only the foolish harbour delusions—that’s why they are called “foolish delusions.” The “foolishness” here corresponds to the “ignorance” in the three poisons: greed, hatred, and ignorance. It’s a lack of wisdom—a state that clouds the mind or, to use a more modern term, makes it feel like your mind has shut down or stopped working properly.
不能住相修持。就是看见周围的这些境界你来修，你是修不好的。比如你今天孩子生不出来，住相了，“哎呀，今天没有孩子怎么办呢？”这个心就留在孩子生不出来的这个问题上，然后就拼命地求呀求。修心为了生孩子，孩子一旦生出来了，目的达到了，她就不好好修了。所以不能住相修持，明白了吗？如果这位老妈妈来，单纯的是为了长寿，一旦等她走了，功德就没有了。因为她所有的念经都用到她的长寿上面了，而等到她走的时候她的境界就上不去了。这叫丢了西瓜捡芝麻。老妈妈现在要修什么呢？要好好修，要把自己修得干干净净，要修到天上去，要把境界提高，这样修的话你的寿就会越修越长呀，用不着求寿你的寿就会长的，而且走了还有依靠。因为你修的全部都是到上面去的，而不是到下面去的。如果单单就求一个长寿的话，在人间也就这么一段时间，那么按照你的身体、体质来说，就算给你活一百岁，你还能再活下去吗？这个房子就算让你住一百年，你还能住下去吗？下雨了，漏水了，什么都不行了，这个房子要拆掉重新造了，你怎么能再住下去？人和房子一样呀，如果没有诚信的人就像一座没有脊梁的房子、没有地基的房子，一晃就会倒塌的。人家一说就不念了就是这个道理。房子要有脊梁，人也要有脊梁，这个脊梁就是相信——“我相信观世音菩萨一定能救我”。师父从来不让你们求财。师父让你们求什么？让你们求事业、前途，因为它都是连在一起的，但是这也是凡人俗子所求，如果真的修得好的人连这些都不要求。举个例子：做小生意的人辛苦得不得了，天天求生意好。如果生意好了，忙得个贼死，累得浑身酸痛。对不对？我不求生意好，我无所谓，如果好那是自然的事情，如果不好没关系，这一点钱也够用了。因为不是你求来的财，如果你硬去求，你要加倍的力量去偿还。也就是说你今天加班得到的钱，那你一定要比别人干得多，你干得多你就消耗得多，你的身体就损失的多。对不对？
When it comes to spiritual practice, one must not have attachments. If you focus solely on the circumstances around you, your cultivation will not succeed. For example, if you are struggling to conceive a child and your mind becomes fixated on this issue, thinking, “What will I do if I can’t have a baby?” then all your energy becomes tied to this one problem. You pray desperately, but if you cultivate your mind solely for the purpose of having a child, what happens once the child is born? You achieve your goal, and then you start slacking off in your cultivation. This is why you must not have attachments in your spiritual practice—do you understand?
Here’s another example: if an elderly woman practises solely to seek longevity, once she passes away, all the merit and virtue will be gone. The merit and virtue she accumulated from reciting sutras would have been entirely spent on extending her life, leaving her with nothing to rely on when she passes away. She would no longer be able to ascend to a higher spiritual state. This is like trading a watermelon for a sesame seed. So, what should she focus on instead? She should practise diligently to purify herself and elevate her spiritual level so she can ascend to the Heavens. When you elevate your spiritual state, your life naturally extends as a by-product—there’s no need to specifically pray for longevity. Not only will her life lengthen, but she will also have something to rely on, as all the results of her cultivation will lead upward, not downward. If you pray only for longevity, you remain confined to the Human Realm for a finite time. Based on your physical condition, even if you live to 100, can you go beyond that? A house, no matter how sturdy, might last a century, but eventually, it will leak, deteriorate, and need to be rebuilt. How could you continue living there? Humans are like houses—if a person lacks integrity, it’s like a house without a strong frame or foundation. Such a house will collapse at the slightest shake. Similarly, if you stop reciting scriptures because others persuade you to, you lack the foundational faith needed for cultivation. A house must have a solid framework, and people must have a backbone. This backbone is your belief: “I firmly believe Guan Yin Bodhisattva will save me.”
I never ask you to pray for wealth. What do I suggest you pray for? A meaningful career and a brighter future, as these are interconnected. However, even these pursuits are for ordinary people. Those who cultivate well don’t need to pray for such things. Let me give an example: small business owners work tirelessly, constantly praying for good business. When business improves, they find themselves overwhelmed, exhausted, and physically drained—right? On the other hand, someone who doesn’t fixate on success might say, “If business is good, that’s great; if it’s not, that’s fine—this income is enough.” If money isn’t meant to be yours and you persist in getting it, you’ll need to exert extra effort to repay it. For example, earning money through overtime means working more hours than others, which depletes your energy and harms your health. Isn’t that true?
接下来师父给大家讲，平时要随遇而安，遇到境界就要逢缘。今天别人对我忽然之间不好了，我就随缘；今天忽然出了什么事情了，我随缘；今天我摔了一跤，哎哟，我躲过了一关，我随缘，这叫逢境随缘。就是逢到境界的变化，我随这个缘分。你愿意跟我好，我们就好下去；你不愿意跟我好，我们就交个朋友，说不定有一天你是我的，是我的终究是我的。你们年轻人谈恋爱应该抱着这种思想，而不要选择“你把我甩掉了，我就天昏地暗，痛不欲生。”神经病呀？那是电影里的。现实当中不要去想那么多，是你的就是你的，不是你强求得来的，强求以后都会离婚。明白了吗？一定要懂道理。要学会克己不发。什么叫克己不发？克制自己的毛病，克制自己的习惯、脾气不要发出来。经常要想想自己的身心。身心是什么？身心都是幻妄。我今天心里想的事情，我今天身体所享受的一些东西都是幻觉。一会儿有，一会儿没有，这就叫幻觉。就像一个小孩子拿到一百块钱的时候开心得不得了，买了东西之后，找回来的只有几个硬币。这就是幻觉。因为钱你不能把它留住，这个命也不能把它留住–都是幻觉。所以需要实体实性。什么叫实体实性？就是实实在在的身体，实实在在的心灵。我今天是一就是一，是二就是二，我对得起自己的良心，对得起自己的身体。人很难没有自我。当你把自己忘记了，“我已经没有我了，我今天已经不是我自己了”，你哪里来的烦恼呢？你的主题思想没有了，你把自己的主人翁没有了，你说你哪里来的烦恼呢？就没有烦恼了。人家骂我，因为有个“我”字；人家打我，因为有个“我”字，所以你就把自己挡在外面了，你就增加了烦恼。举个不好听的例子：神经病的时候，就是不知道自己是谁，就算人家骂他，他也只是笑笑。你说他有烦恼吗？没有烦恼了。当然师父不是让你们做神经病，是要你们做人间一个忘我的人，忘我无私的人。没有私心的人，把自己都忘掉的人是一个大智若愚的人，才不会有烦恼。师父现在很开心：我没有我了，我是大家的，心底无私天地宽，想得很开。没有自我，哪里来的人生烦恼呢？无所谓了。你们就是因为有“我”才会发脾气，如果没有“我”了，你再怎么骂也无所谓。这就是要学的境界。明白了吗？
最后给大家讲，一定要看到自己是空的，这样才能对付烦恼。一定要看到自己今天都是空的，就没有烦恼了。很多人怎么对付烦恼呢？经常想“我有什么了不起的，我有什么？我什么都没有，我本来就一无所有。人家骂我，你骂好了，我无所谓的。”那你就空掉了。听得懂吗？时间关系今天就讲到这里。
Let me continue by discussing how to maintain peace of mind and adapt to circumstances. When faced with changes or challenges, learn to go with the flow. For instance, if someone treats me poorly today, I’ll accept it as part of life. If something unexpected happens, I’ll adapt. If I trip and fall, I’ll think, “Ah, I avoided a greater mishap,” and move on. This is called adapting to circumstances in accordance with conditions. When changes arise, follow the flow. If someone wants to be with me, we’ll continue the relationship. If they don’t, we can remain friends. Who knows? Someday, they might return. What’s meant to be yours will always be yours.Young people in relationships should adopt this mindset. Don’t dwell on thoughts like, “If you leave me, my world will collapse, and I won’t survive.” That kind of drama belongs in movies, not real life. In reality, don’t overthink it. If it’s meant to be, it will be. Forcing something will only lead to problems later, such as divorce. Understand this principle.
You also need to practise self-restraint. What does it mean to restrain yourself? It means holding back your bad habits and temper, preventing them from surfacing. Regularly reflect on your mind and body. What are they? Both are illusions. The thoughts you have today and the physical pleasures you enjoy are all fleeting. One moment they exist, the next they’re gone. This is the nature of illusion. It’s like a child receiving a hundred-dollar note and feeling overjoyed, only to end up with a few coins after spending it. Money cannot be kept forever, and neither can life—it’s all an illusion. What you need is true substance and true nature. What does this mean? It means being genuine in both body and mind. If I say “one,” it’s one; if I say “two,” it’s two. Be true to your conscience and take care of your physical well-being.
It’s difficult for people to let go of their ego. But when you forget about yourself and think, “There is no ‘I’; I no longer exist as a self,” where can your troubles come from? Without a central “self,” there’s no foundation for worry. If someone insults you, it bothers you because there’s an ‘I’ that feels offended. If someone hits you, it affects you because there’s an ‘I’ that feels harmed. It’s this notion of ‘self’ that creates a barrier and magnifies your troubles. Here’s an example that might not sound very polite: a person with a mental disorder doesn’t know who they are—they won’t be troubled even if others insult them. They might just laugh it off. Do they experience worry? No, they don’t. Of course, I’m not suggesting you act like someone with a mental disorder. Instead, aim to become selfless and altruistic—a person who lets go of their ego and has no selfish motives. A selfless person who forgets themselves is truly wise, appearing outwardly simple yet inwardly enlightened. Such a person is free from troubles. As for me, I’m very content. I have no ‘self” anymore; I belong to everyone. When your heart is selfless, the world feels vast, and your perspective broadens. Without a sense of self, where can life’s troubles come from? They simply don’t matter. You get angry because of your sense of ‘self.’ Without that, no matter how much someone scolds you, it wouldn’t bother you. This is the state you should aspire to. Do you understand? Finally, always perceive yourself as empty. This perspective will help you manage your troubles. If you see yourself as empty, troubles lose their hold on you. Many people cope with difficulties by thinking, “What’s so great about me? What do I truly possess? Nothing. I came into this world with nothing.” When someone insults you, think, “Go ahead, insult me. It doesn’t matter.” In this way, you empty yourself. Do you understand? Due to time constraints, we’ll stop here for today.