静下心来看念头。也就是说对世界上的任何事情，自己不好的念头也好，好的念头也好，必须静下心来检查自己的意念到底对否？当一个人心静下来的时候，他就会看到自己的念头了；当一个人心静不下来的时候，就看不到自己自身的念头了。这是什么道理呢？很简单，告诉你们，也就是说当一个人念头很杂的时候，如果他能冷静、冷静，他就能想到我到底在想些什么？我这个念头到底是在想什么？我做得对不对？所以你冷静下来了，你才能看见自己的念头。我们修到最后要让心死神活，是真自由。你的心是人间之心，要把它死掉，心中不想什么事情了，放下来了；而我的精神是活的。精神是什么？精神就是灵魂。灵魂活着的人他是真的活着；而肉体活着的人，那就是行尸走肉。大家听得懂吗？所以学佛人必须要心死神活。神就是精神。比如周先生的事情，如果他觉得他这个病没救了，他就是心死了，神也死了。明白吗？现在他心想明白了，不去想了，心没有了，但是他的神是活的，因为他的精神不死，而且他活得很自在。因为他用精神、灵魂来控制着他的病情，来控制着他的肉体。所以师父把这句“心死神活”的话改成第二句话叫“心空神活”，那才是真正的自由。心里再难过，但是精神很愉快，那是真正的自由。
You must calm your mind in order to observe your thoughts. Whether it concerns worldly matters or your own thoughts — whether good or bad — you must settle your mind and examine whether your intentions are correct. When a person’s mind is still, they can see their own thoughts; when the mind is restless, one becomes blind to them. What is the logic behind this? It is quite simple. When a person’s mind is cluttered, if they are able to calm down and become still, they will begin to reflect: What exactly am I thinking about? What is the nature of this thought? Am I doing the right thing? Only by becoming calm can you truly see your thoughts.
In cultivation, we ultimately strive for a state where “the mind is dead, but the spirit is alive” — this is true freedom. Here, the “mind” refers to the worldly, human mind. It must be allowed to “die”, meaning that it no longer clings to worldly attachments or dwells on them. Meanwhile, the spirit must remain alive. What is the spirit? The spirit is the soul. A person whose soul is alive is truly living; a person who is only physically alive is merely one of the “walking dead.” Do you understand? Therefore, a Buddhist practitioner must cultivate to the point where the mind is dead and the spirit is alive. Take Mr Zhou’s situation as an example. If he believed that his illness was hopeless, then his mind would be dead — and his spirit would be dead as well. Do you understand? But now, he has understood the truth and no longer dwells on it. That worldly mind has emptied out, yet his spirit is alive. His spirit has not died, and he lives with ease and freedom. He uses his spirit and soul to regulate his illness and govern his physical body. That is why I refined the phrase “the mind is dead, but the spirit is alive” into “the mind is empty, but the spirit is alive.” That is true freedom. Even if the heart feels sorrow, when the spirit remains joyful, that is genuine liberation.
现在的人实际上丧失了自己很多的生活的目标，成为别人的奴隶。现在众生为钱所迷，为钱活着。因为你生活没有目标，你就是混日子，你就不知道怎么活在这个世界上。你天天在混日子，你就成为物欲的奴隶。因为你今天打工就是为了买一个名牌包，所以就拼命地打工赚钱。想一想，你今天赚钱到底是为了什么？千万不要成为物欲的奴隶，也不要成为别人的奴隶。你为人家活着就是人家的奴隶。我为了他活着，我为了自己的孩子而活着，这不就是人家的奴隶吗？孩子前世是你的谁谁谁你不知道，但是你这辈子是不停地在还债，你知道不知道？这就叫道理。你还了一辈子孩子的债，你还完了吗？一辈子也还不完，又造新业。这种业债是累世积累的，并不是靠一世能还完的。实际上师父都看见了，都是你过去欠的，你们看不到。现在的很多亲人都是冤家来的。哪有什么对错，都是因果。就是跟随师父学佛的那些弟子也好，那些信众也好，你知道有多少是在天上跟着师父学过的？师父是他们的老师，你们知道吗？这次在欧洲有很多，而且他们做梦都做到了。都是前世的缘分，多不容易呀。师父在末法时期，能够让这么多的人开悟，能够救度这么多的众生，你们想象一下，这是一辈子的吗？是一天一时的吗？是不知道修了多少世得来的，大家要好生珍惜。
Nowadays, people have largely lost their life goals and have become slaves to others. Sentient beings are now deluded by money and live for money alone. When you have no goal in life, you merely drift through your days and lose sight of the meaning of existence. When you drift like this, you become a slave to material desire. If you work every day simply to buy a designer handbag, exhausting yourself just to earn that money, then think carefully — what are you really earning money for?
You must never become a slave to material desire, nor should you become a slave to others. If you live entirely for someone else, then you are their slave. If you say, “I live only for him,” or “I live only for my children,” isn’t that being a slave? You do not know who your child was to you in a past life, but in this life you are constantly repaying a karmic debt to them — do you realise that? This is the truth. You may spend your entire life repaying the debt you owe your children, but will it ever be finished? It cannot be fully repaid in one lifetime, and in the process, new karma is created. Such karmic debts accumulate over many lifetimes; they cannot be cleared in a single life. In truth, I can see all of this — these are debts you owed in the past, even though you yourselves cannot see them. Many of the people closest to you today were, in fact, your karmic creditors in the past. There is no right or wrong here, only cause and effect.
Even among the disciples and followers who practise Buddhism with me now, do you know how many once studied under me in the heavens? I was their teacher — did you know that? During this trip to Europe, I found there were many such people, and some even saw it in their dreams. These are all affinities from past lives. How rare and precious this is! In this Age of Dharma Decline, for me to be able to guide and awaken so many sentient beings — do you think this is the result of just one lifetime? Or of a single day or moment? It is the fruit of cultivation over countless lifetimes. You must cherish this opportunity deeply.
另外，给大家讲提升心性。把自己的心和本性都要提升上来。就是说良心要好，心中要想好事情，多方面做善事，叫提升心性。要铲除心垢，铲除心垢就是铲除你心中的污垢、污泥浊水、肮脏的东西。什么事情是肮脏的？恨人家、嫉妒人家、挑拨离间，动不好的念头等等，这些都是肮脏的东西，全部都要把它铲除掉。铲除心垢之后你们才能得到清净心，叫圆佛陀缘，你们就圆了佛陀缘。大家要明白，圆佛陀缘分要有清净心，要铲除心垢，要提升心性，才能达到佛所要求众生做的修为。
Let us now move on to the topic of elevating one’s spiritual nature. You must elevate both your mind and your inherent nature. This means having a good conscience, cultivating wholesome thoughts, and performing good deeds in all aspects of life — this is what it means to elevate your spiritual nature. You must uproot mental impurities. This means clearing away the filth within your heart — the muddy water, the grime, and all unclean things. What counts as “unclean”? Hatred towards others, jealousy, sowing discord, and harbouring unwholesome thoughts — all of these are impurities that must be completely uprooted. Only after removing these impurities can you attain a pure mind, thereby fulfilling your affinity with the Buddha. You must understand that to fulfil this affinity, you need a pure mind, the removal of mental impurities, and the elevation of your spiritual nature. Only then can you reach the level of cultivation that the Buddha requires of all sentient beings.
我们做人不要丧失自己生活的目标，我们不要成为别人的奴隶。要经常地反省自身所设定的人生目标。要经常想一想，我的人生目标是什么？我愿意弘法利生，我不愿意再浪费时间，我要将自己有限的生命投入到无限的弘法当中去，把自己有限的生命每天要运作起来，有时间就做功德，有时间就多付出。你们看看伟娜现在多开心。跟随师父这次出去弘法，回来后将近两年没有装好的机器，现在装好了，否则她损失还要大。这不就是弘法利生、自利利他吗？帮助了别人，也等于帮助了自己。她的孩子现在多好，也锻炼出来了，能独立工作了。家庭和睦了，机器装好了，你又去弘了法，看看你现在多开心啊，多圆满啊，你不就是圆了佛陀缘了吗？以后要好好修呀。你们差得远了。你们真的是福气啊，末法时期能得闻佛法，不知道是哪一辈子修到的这个缘分？如果能被师父讲就是帮你消业障呀。所以要经常反省人生的目标，我到底活得对不对啊？我是不是在浪费时间啊？我是不是在浪费生命啊？我要让自己活得有方向、有理想，活在人间有尊严、有目标。
As human beings, we must not lose sight of our life goals, nor should we become slaves to others. We must constantly reflect on the goals we have set for ourselves. Frequently ask yourself: What is my goal in life? I am willing to propagate the Dharma and benefit sentient beings; I am unwilling to waste any more time. I want to dedicate my limited lifespan to the boundless work of spreading the Dharma, making full use of each day. Whenever there is time, perform meritorious deeds; whenever there is time, give more of yourself.
Look at how happy Weina is now. She followed me abroad to propagate the Dharma, and upon her return, the machinery that had not been properly installed for nearly two years was finally fixed — otherwise, her losses would have continued to grow. Is this not an example of propagating the Dharma to benefit sentient beings and benefiting others while benefiting oneself? By helping others, you are in fact helping yourself. Look at her child now — having gained valuable experience, the child is doing very well and is able to work independently. The family is harmonious, the business is back on track, and she has helped spread the Dharma. See how happy and fulfilled she is now. Has she not fulfilled her affinity with the Buddha?
From now on, you must cultivate diligently; you still have a long way to go. You are truly fortunate to be able to hear the Buddha-Dharma in this Age of Dharma Decline. Who knows in which past life you cultivated to deserve such an affinity? When I point out your shortcomings, I am actually helping you to eliminate karmic obstacles. Therefore, you must constantly reflect on your life goals: Am I living correctly? Am I wasting my time? Am I wasting my life? You must live in this world with direction, dignity, and a clear purpose. When you help sentient beings, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will help you. Do you understand?
你们救度了众生，佛菩萨就会救度你们。你们能听懂吗？要修身养性，修自己的身体，好好地调养自己的本性。如果学佛不修心，就等于不学佛。说我天天磕头呀，我学佛了，但不修心，你就等于不学佛，没有用的。一定要修自己的心。师父告诉你们一句话，叫“众生皆必朽”。也就是说只要你是人身，是人，你很快就会腐朽了，就像一块木头一样会烂掉的。你今天看见她很漂亮，看见她很好，你明天看见她很难过又不开心了；等到她成老太婆的时候，你看见她就是骷髅头一个。这位周妈妈年轻时的照片你们看过没有呀？也是一个很漂亮的女人。而现在呢？这就是“众生皆必朽”。总归一天，再好的木头到后来也会腐朽的，再好的钢铁，你们有时候买的什么不锈钢的东西在家里用的时间长了不也就朽了？对不对？所以生命是短暂的。生命实在是太短暂了。想通了，不就明白了。如果不是观世音菩萨救周先生，周太太现在可能就是一个人了。明年的这个时候周太太也不知道在不在了？就这么简单。生活是磨练，学佛是心念。心念正，因果正；心念不正，报应速至。修心就是修念。有了正确的心念，才能用心学佛，正确的修炼，达到佛菩萨的境界。
You must refine your character and nurture your nature — refine your conduct and carefully tend to your inherent nature. If you say you practise Buddhism but do not cultivate the mind, then in truth, you are not practising at all. You may say, “I kneel and bow every day; I practise Buddhism,” but if you do not cultivate the mind, it is of no use. You must cultivate the mind.
Let me share this phrase with you: “All sentient beings are destined to decay.” This means that as long as you possess a human body, you will inevitably decay, just as a piece of wood eventually rots away. Today you may see someone as beautiful and admirable; tomorrow you may see them sorrowful and unhappy; and when they grow old, what you see is little more than a skeleton. Have you seen photos of Ms Zhou when she was young? She was also a very beautiful woman. And now? This is the reality that all sentient beings must decay. In the end, no matter how fine the timber, it will rot; no matter how strong the steel — even the stainless steel cookware used in your home — does it not also corrode after long use? So life is fleeting — truly far too short. Once you think this through, you will understand. If Guan Yin Bodhisattva had not saved Mr Zhou, Mrs Zhou might now be all alone. And by this time next year, who knows whether Mrs Zhou herself would still be here? It is as simple as that.
Life is a process of tempering; practising Buddhism is a matter of mental orientation. When your thoughts are wholesome, cause and effect are wholesome; when thoughts are unwholesome, karmic retribution comes swiftly. Cultivating the mind is the cultivation of one’s thoughts. Only with the correct mindset can one sincerely practise Buddhism, cultivate properly, and ultimately reach the realm of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.