今天要跟大家讲很多规矩。学佛实际上有很多的规矩，没有规矩不成方圆。师父今天一个一个跟大家讲下来。首先，一个学佛的人自己还没有开悟(就是还不明白道理)就以为自己开悟了，这个人实际上就是自大。这个人自大之后就会转成傲慢，就是骄傲。明明自己不懂，明明自己佛法还没有学好，就以为自己什么都懂。这个毛病怎么来的？从回答听众来信上就可以知道。叫人家念多少张小房子，叫人家怎么样做……你自己懂了吗？你有什么资格来帮他超度呢？我们是借用观世音菩萨的法力来帮助别人超度。因为你的功德大？因为你的功力大？想想看，你们不懂，师父讲你们，你们还不开心。这个是不是贡高我慢？想想看，你们有几个人懂的？你们不都是大师姐、大师兄吗？不懂就是不懂，不懂不能装懂，装懂就是犯罪。误导人家实际上就有孽障。举个例子：你在马路上走，你根本不认识这条路。人家来问你，你怕难为情，给人家随便指了一条路。你说你有没有罪啊？误导罪。所以师父给你们讲，人如果不开悟，都会有罪过的。本来应该明白的道理但是他不明白，他就有罪。很简单。本来应该懂法律的，他不懂，犯罪了吧？有罪吧？你多了解一些法律知识，你就不会犯罪。对不对？因为你不了解法律所以去犯罪了，那你要不要被抓进去啊？那是不是犯罪啊？什么叫佛法？佛有佛的法啊，依教奉行，就是依照佛教的教理来走自己的路，走自己的法。所以我们在人间不能说自己开悟，只是某一个局部开悟。
Today, I want to talk to you about the importance of following rules. Practising Buddhism involves many rules, and they are crucial because, without them, nothing can function properly. Let me go through them one by one.
First, a Buddhist practitioner who hasn’t yet attained awakening (meaning they don’t fully understand the insights) but believes they have is simply being arrogant. This arrogance quickly turns into pride and conceit. Someone who doesn’t truly understand Buddhism, hasn’t studied it well, but acts as though they know everything is displaying a significant flaw. Where does this problem come from? You can see it in how some people respond to letters from Buddhist friends seeking advice. They might tell these Buddhist friends how many Little Houses to recite or give instructions on what to do—but do they genuinely understand? What qualifies them to help others perform rituals to assist spirits in transcending to higher spiritual realms? In reality, we rely on the power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva to assist others in achieving spiritual transcendence. Do you think it’s because your merit and virtue are so great? Or that you have exceptional spiritual power? Reflect on this. When I point out these issues, some of you feel upset. Isn’t that a display of arrogance? Reflect on how many of you truly understand. Many of you hold titles like “senior sister” or “senior brother,” but if you don’t understand something, then you simply don’t understand. Pretending to understand when you don’t is wrong—it’s a karmic offence. Misleading others creates karmic obstacles.
Here’s an example: imagine you’re walking down a street you’re unfamiliar with. Someone asks you for directions, and because you’re too embarrassed to admit you don’t know, you point them in a random direction. Have you committed a wrongdoing? Yes, you have—it’s misleading others. That’s why I tell you: lack of awakening can lead to wrongdoing. If it’s something you should know but don’t, it’s a fault. It’s that simple. For instance, if you’re supposed to know the law but don’t, and you break it, you’ve committed an offence, haven’t you? And you’ll be penalised, possibly even sent to jail. The more you understand the law, the less likely you are to break it. The same principle applies to Buddhism. What is Buddha-dharma? Buddhism has its own teachings and rules. To practise Buddhism means to follow those teachings and rules in your practice. Abide by the Buddha’s teachings in your own journey with the Dharma. Therefore, we must never claim to have achieved awakening—we may only have experienced partial awakening.
师父给大家讲“常见”和“断见”。断见是什么？ 果断，这是好的。实际上这个“断”是迷惑的断。自己以为自己是对的，断然地决定某些事情，我执我见–因为我执著，我见到的东西我就认为它是这样的。想想看，有多少人在生活当中明明自己做错了事情，因为他是男人、他是老公、他是孩子的爸爸，他就认为自己是对的。明明错了都不肯承认，这叫错上加错。所以不能有我执。“断见”是什么意思？很多人意念当中以为是对的，这就产生了自说佛理，产生偏见。以为我学的佛法是对的，然后讲出来一套一套的，最后呢，他自己偏了他还不知道。
Now, let me explain the concepts of the “view of eternalism” and the “view of annihilationism.” Let’s start with the view of annihilationism. In this context, annihilationism refers to a misguided sense of decisiveness—being stubbornly certain about things without real understanding. This arises from attachment to the ego and one’s own perspective, believing that what you see or think must be correct. Think about it: how many people, despite being clearly in the wrong, refuse to admit it? For instance, a man might justify his actions simply because he’s the husband or the father. Persisting in one’s mistakes without acknowledging them only compounds the error. This is why we should refrain from having attachment to the notion of “self.” The view of annihilationism also describes how people rigidly believe their own ideas are correct, leading them to construct their own Buddhist theories and create biases. They think their understanding of Buddhism is accurate and then build elaborate theories around it. The result? They deviate from the truth without even realising it.
现在很多人学佛学理总以为自己是对的。有多少人执著地学佛，他会说自己是错的吗？明明自己做错事情了，硬要说自己是对的。明明自己把佛法很多的句子断章取义来讲这个不好，来讲那个不好，他对吗？所以学佛人首先要学会克制。师父给大家讲，比如你自己认为佛法烧一柱香是可以的，烧三柱香也是可以的。每位菩萨我要烧一柱香，这么多菩萨我也烧一柱香，请了很多佛菩萨来到家里以为就可以保佑自己了。你懂吗？正因为以为是对的，所以有一个人才会请到两百多尊佛菩萨到他家里，还要问台长怎么办。师父告诉他，最好造一个大一点的庙全部供起来，你请回来了就得好好供。就像师父一样，招徒弟不慎重，师父自己不也是吃苦头啊。你们会问：“师父，你不是有天眼吗？你招徒弟为什么不慎重啊？”那你们说，耶稣手下有个徒弟犹大为什么最后会把耶稣害死啊？因为耶稣是圣人，他有慈悲心，他总是原谅人家，跟师父是一样的。每个人都自己好好想一想，不要总以为自己是对的。
Many people who practise Buddhism or study Buddhist theories often think they’re always right. Those who practise Buddhism with attachment—can you really expect them to admit they’re wrong? Some people clearly make mistakes but still insist they’re correct. They might even take parts of Buddhist teachings out of context to criticise or dismiss certain practices or individuals. Is that truly correct? The first thing a Buddhist practitioner must learn is self-restraint. Let me give you an example. You might believe it’s fine to burn one incense stick, and burning three is also acceptable. So you think, “I’ll burn one incense stick for each Bodhisattva I’ve prayed to at home.” If there are many Bodhisattva statues at home, you decide to offer just one incense stick for all of them. You might even believe that having so many Bodhisattvas at home ensures you will be blessed and protected. But do you really understand? One person, believing this approach was correct, ended up inviting over 200 statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into his home, then came to ask me what to do. I told him, “You’d best build a bigger temple to house them all properly. Since you’ve invited them, you must take it seriously and pray to them properly.” It’s similar to when I take disciples. If I’m not careful in choosing them, I suffer for it later. Some of you might wonder, “Master, don’t you have the supranormal power of the divine eye? Why aren’t you more selective with your disciples?” But let me ask you this—didn’t one of Jesus’ own disciples betray Him? Why? Because Jesus was a holy figure, and He had immense compassion and chose to forgive others, much like I strive to do as your Master. Take a moment to reflect. Don’t always assume you’re right.
师父认识一个人，在家里这边供基督，那边供观世音菩萨，再边上供穆罕默德，把所有的菩萨都供在家里，烧起香来就是一把。这叫什么？这叫什么都不懂还要装懂。那天师父给他讲了一句话，他比师父还会举例子呢。他说：“台长啊，到了领导岗位，跟每个领导都去打个招呼多好啊。”这就叫偏执。所以要明白：我们要正见，要明白正见与邪见。邪见就是你见到的东西都是不正的，正见就是你见到的所有东西都是正的。你怎么去了解呢？你怎样明白这是正的，那是邪的呢？只有开悟本性的人才能知道什么是正的什么是邪的。你们过去学这么多，你们知道什么叫正什么叫邪吗？很多人还拿佛法去攻击人家，以为自己讲得一套一套的。实际上你拿菩萨的理论去攻击人家，本身已经是偏邪了。佛教是不与人争斗的宗教。
I once met someone who had an altar at home with a statue of Christ on one side, Guan Yin Bodhisattva on another, and representations from various religious traditions, including many other Bodhisattvas. He burned a bunch of incense all at once, believing this covered everything. What does this show? It’s someone pretending to know but actually knowing nothing. When I pointed this out, he responded, “Master Lu, isn’t it polite to greet every leader when you’re in a leadership role?” This is a classic example of being stubbornly misguided. We must understand the concept of right view versus wrong view. Wrong view arises when your perceptions are flawed, while right view means your understanding is correct. But how do you discern the difference? Only those who have awakened to their inherent nature can clearly distinguish right from wrong. Many of you have studied Buddhist teachings extensively, but can you truly distinguish between right and wrong? Some people even use Buddhist teachings to attack others, believing their arguments are flawless. But using the teachings of Bodhisattvas to criticise others is, in itself, a deviation from the right path. Buddhism is a religion of peace; it does not engage in conflict.
师父给你们讲“常见”。就是经常见到，就是认为经常看到的事情。比如：钱能通天，有钱能使鬼推磨。为什么说这句话？因为鬼也需要钱，那就是冥府的钱。所以任何的常见就是当时你感觉认为它是实实在在存在的东西。而实际上它是虚无缥缈的。我们的感觉有时候认为它是真的东西，实际上它也是假的。举个例子：你的眼睛突然之间看见一样东西了，但是一眨眼又看不见了。你看到的难道是假的吗？这会儿你的眼睛看见师父给你们这么多人上课，一点钟之后这里有人吗？难道你们看到的都是假的？这叫有色世界和无色世界。看见的就是看见了，但是看见了，它又可以变成没有。而没有的东西，明天早上人又到了，又有了。就像我们人一样，从婴儿生出来后，一会儿生出来，一会儿死了，死掉之后它又投胎，又变成婴儿了。“常见”又可称为“无常”。
Now, I will delve into the concept of the “view of eternalism”—the belief that things we see frequently are permanent and real. For example, there’s a saying: “Money can do anything, even make ghosts work for you.” Why do people say this? It’s because even in the Underworld, ghosts are thought to need money—spirit money, that is. However, what we perceive as real in the moment is often fleeting and illusory. Sometimes, what we think is tangible turns out to be insubstantial. For instance, you might suddenly see something with your eyes, but with a blink, it’s gone. Was it real or not? Right now, you can see me giving a Dharma Talk in this room, attended by so many people. But in an hour, will anyone still be here? Does that make what you see now an illusion? This highlights the distinction between the Realm of Form and the Realm of Formless. While you can see what exists now, it can still vanish, and what doesn’t exist today might reappear tomorrow. Take life as an example. A baby is born, grows up, and eventually dies. Then the soul may be reborn as a baby once again. In this way, the “view of eternalism” reflects the concept of impermanence.
学佛要学它的理念，学它的境界。师父把它归纳为叫“散体物质”，这是菩萨告诉师父的。就是说我们所看见的东西是散的、是空的。这个体、这个物质实际上是由分子结构合和而成的。就像一个人一样，身上有百分之八十是水，当人死掉之后，他身上的基本机能像水一样全部蒸发掉，什么都没了，最后只有百分之二十的骨头。所以这个百分之八十到哪里去了呢？实际上就叫“散体物质”，散掉了，就没有了。脸上刚才还在出汗呢，你们不是看见脸上有汗吗？跑到空调间里呆一会儿，怎么脸上的水没了？刚刚洗完澡，头上全部是水， 拿个电吹风一吹还有吗？到哪去了？这就叫“散体物质”。所以我们看世界要用这种发展的眼光–今天似有，明天似无。就跟你们的婚姻一样，也跟你们的命一样。今天好像你们有命，过几天你们的命就没了。有位老先生就是那个拄个拐棍，经常周六来这里。现在还有吗？这么个人就没了。
When practising Buddhism, we must understand its philosophy and the higher states of awareness it promotes. I want to introduce the concept of “dispersing matter”, a term shared with me by the Bodhisattva. It refers to the idea that the things we see are inherently fragmented and empty in nature. All matter is composed of molecular structures that are neither solid nor permanent. For example, the human body is about 80% water. When a person passes away, the body’s essential functions evaporate, much like water, leaving only the remaining 20% as bones. Where does the other 80% go? It disperses—it becomes dispersing matter. Think about sweat on your face. Just moments ago, you could see it clearly, but after stepping into an air-conditioned room, it vanishes. When you wash your hair, it’s soaked with water, but after blow-drying, where does the water go? It disperses. This is the essence of dispersing matter. To truly understand the world, we need to adopt this dynamic perspective: what exists today may be gone tomorrow. This applies to your marriage, your life, and everything else. Today, you are alive; tomorrow, you may no longer be here. Do you remember the elderly gentleman who used to walk with a cane and came here often on Saturdays? Where is he now? He’s gone.
当人证悟之后，他明白了道理之后，心里明白学佛学法，他去劝人家，他去开导救人，就是正义的呼唤。实际上一个明白道理的人，他就是很有正义感的人。因为他学佛了，他才会正义地去呼唤人家。呼唤什么？就是去召唤人家：你要赶快去修心啊，他也要赶快修心。所以只有明心见性的人，才能以佛的智慧去看穿人间的一切。只有明心见性才能看到自己的本性，看到自己的良心，看到自己所不足的地方，看见自己真正的慈悲心。要明心见性的人，要真正开悟的人，他才能救度众生，他才能用菩萨的智慧在人间看破一切。你们看得破吗？看不破。人的毛病就是看不破这个世界，很可怜啊。孩子、房子、钱啊、命……什么都看不破。很多人在去世前还要讲一句话： “ 这个是我的， 我不想走啊。”他以为他不想走他就不走了？走的时候说我不想走啊，因为他看不破。他不知道这个命是哪里来的，看不破，这个人是苦的人啊，因为他没有佛菩萨的智慧。
When a person achieves “realisation-awakening” and understands the insights of Buddhism, they naturally develop a deep sense of justice. With this understanding, they feel compelled to guide and awaken others—a call to righteousness. A person who truly comprehends these teachings feels a responsibility to inspire others, encouraging them: “You should cultivate your mind soon; they should cultivate their minds soon.” Only those who have realised their minds and seen their true nature can use the Buddha’s wisdom to see through the illusions of the human world. They recognise their inherent nature, their conscience, and their shortcomings, as well as their true capacity for compassion. Only when someone has realised their mind and seen their true nature—achieving awakening—can they guide and awaken others, using the wisdom of the Bodhisattvas to see through and let go of all attachments in the Human Realm. Can you see through these attachments? Most people cannot. That’s the issue—it’s difficult to see through the illusions of this world, and that’s truly sad. People are attached to their children, their homes, their money, and even their lives. They cling to everything. Many, even on their deathbeds, hold tightly to their possessions, saying, “This is mine; I don’t want to leave.” Do they think refusing to leave will change anything? When the time comes, some cry out, “I don’t want to go!” Why? Because they can’t let go. They fail to understand where life comes from and cannot grasp the impermanence of their existence. Such people live in suffering because they lack the wisdom of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas.
很多人当爸爸或者妈妈要走的时候，孩子在边上：“妈妈，你不要走啊。”妈妈说：“孩子，你放心，我不会走的。”最后还是走了。你能保住自己不走吗？多想想要走的时候，可能会对很多人像敲响警钟一样。多想想自己的命不长，很多人就会多做善事。自古以来当一个人要死的时候，他一定会想到很多善良的事，所以有一句话：“人之将死，其言亦善。”到了快走的时候，才会说我对不起谁了，我不应该这样子。“老头子，我不应该对你这样的”。话没讲完，说不定两腿一蹬就走了。过去说“两腿一蹬”是什么意思啊？最后走的时候是腿走掉的，两腿一蹬的人都是往下去的。大家要明白这些道理。
When parents are nearing death, how often do their children cry out, “Mum, don’t go!”? And the mother replies, “Don’t worry, I won’t leave you.” Yet in the end, she still passes away. Can anyone prevent their departure when the time comes? Reflecting on the inevitability of death can serve as a powerful wake-up call. Contemplating the brevity of life often motivates people to do more good deeds. Throughout history, it’s been said that as a person nears death, their words become kind and remorseful. There’s an old saying: “A dying person speaks only of wholesome things.” At the end of their life, people often express regret: “I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I’m sorry for what I did.” Sometimes, they don’t even finish their sentences before passing away. In the past, death was sometimes described as “kicking one’s legs out.” What does this mean? It refers to those whose souls are being drawn downward at the moment of death. Those who “kick their legs” are often believed to be bound for the lower realms. Understanding these insights is vital for your cultivation.