《金刚经》里菩萨讲了一句话：“乃至一念生净信者，须菩提，如来悉知悉见。”就是说一个人只要生出一个很干净的念头，如来佛菩萨悉知悉见。就是所有的佛菩萨都能看见的，所有的佛菩萨都能知道。请问你们做坏事菩萨能不知道吗？如来代表什么？并不是完全代表一个如来佛，是代表所有的佛菩萨。我们平时法施、财施、无畏施，哪个施最重要？法施最重要。法施就是把观世音菩萨这么好的心灵法门去告诉人家，去救度众生，这叫法施。但法施必须要有智慧的善业。什么叫智慧的善业？就是做任何事情要有智慧，而不是说单单去救人。如果你忙了半天而没有智慧，你就救不了人，你这个人就是没有智慧，就不能代表法施。听得懂吗？比如你不问青红皂白，不管是谁，跑过去就给人家讲法，讲到最后人家嘴巴里还造口业，这种救人的方法叫没有智慧。没有救度到一个人，他就是没有智慧的善业。也就是说你去做一件事情，你没有智慧，没有做成功，你就是没有智慧的善业。
In the Diamond Sutra, the Bodhisattva speaks these words: “Subhuti, whoever gives rise to even a single thought of pure faith is completely known and completely seen by the Tathagata.”
This means that as long as a person gives rise to even one pure and undefiled thought, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will know it and see it clearly. So do you think that when people do wrong, the Bodhisattvas are unaware? What does “the Tathagata” represent? It does not refer to just one Buddha; it represents all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
In our daily practice, we speak of giving of Dharma, giving of materials and giving of fearlessness. Which of these is the most important? Dharma giving is the most important. Dharma giving includes sharing such a precious Dharma door of Guan Yin Bodhisattva—Guan Yin Citta—with others, guiding and liberating sentient beings. This is Dharma giving. However, Dharma giving must be grounded in the wholesome deed of wisdom. What does that mean? It means that whatever you do, you must act with wisdom, not merely with blind effort. If you are busy all day trying to help people but lack wisdom, you will not truly save anyone. Without wisdom, your actions cannot genuinely represent Dharma giving. Do you understand? For example, if you rush to share the Dharma without considering the circumstances or the other person’s readiness, and as a result they mock the Dharma and create verbal karma, then that attempt lacked wisdom. Because you failed to truly help them, it cannot be called a wholesome deed of wisdom. In other words, if you undertake an action without wisdom and it does not succeed, it is not a wholesome deed of wisdom.
所以要用法的智慧来布施。什么意思？法施就是要用法的智慧。什么叫法的智慧？比方说我们弘法，我们去法施，我们把佛菩萨的东西告诉人家，我们把佛和菩萨的思维方法称为“法”，我们法施就是要用佛和菩萨的这种智慧来告诉人家，来布施。举个简单的例子，你去推销一样产品，你告诉人家我吃了这种产品之后我的精神很好。但你自己精神都不好，你怎么能说服人家呢？也就是说你学佛已经法喜充满了，你有智慧了，你再去给人家讲的时候，那你讲出来的都是佛菩萨的智慧，人家才会相信。如果你自己都讲不清楚佛菩萨的智慧，你怎么样让人家相信佛菩萨有智慧呢？所以，说法者必须具有法的智慧。举个简单例子，如果你要救人，就必须要有救人的条件。如果你想要财布施，你就必须要有钱财，你才能财布施。如果你钱都没有，你怎么布施呢？你连这个条件都没有，你怎么去救度众生呢？人家掉在苦海里，你怎么样用一种方法把人家从苦海里救出来？你连游泳都不会，你怎样下水救人呢？
Dharma giving therefore requires the wisdom of the Dharma. What is the wisdom of the Dharma? The teachings and ways of thinking of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are what we call “the Dharma”. When we engage in Dharma giving, we must use the wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to share the Dharma with people. Think of it like selling a health product: if you say it gives you great energy, yet you yourself look exhausted and unwell, who would believe you? In the same way, only when you are filled with Dharma joy and have gained wisdom through genuine practice will others believe what you say. Then what you speak naturally carries the wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you cannot clearly express that wisdom yourself, how can others believe in it? Therefore, those who speak the Dharma must possess the wisdom of the Dharma. To save someone, you must have the appropriate conditions to do so. Without the necessary conditions, how can you guide and awaken sentient beings? It is just as you need to have money or resources to practice the giving of materials. If you are trying to save someone drowning in a sea of suffering, you must first know how to swim. If you cannot swim yourself, how can you jump in to rescue them?”
所以这里就讲到“一相法门”。什么叫“一相法门”？一相就是无相，一相就等于无相，一相就等于离相。无相就是离开这个相。举个简单的例子告诉你们，就是你们离开自己的本相就是离相的布施。离相的布施是什么？我做好事情，我帮助人家，我不留名，我帮助人家不求回报。如果做好事情帮助人家求回报，接下来就是烦恼来了。比如你做布施印刷书籍，看到书之后，“我做布施了，怎么没有我的名字呢？”烦恼来了吧？所以离相的布施就是无相布施。什么叫无相布施？就是智慧法施离相，要用智慧去帮助人家，让自己、让人家来离相布施。离相布施就是不执着。你们知道布施到后来很容易会烦恼的，会出毛病的，会不开心的。师父等一会儿讲给你们听。布施必须要离相，如果布施不离相的话，就落入到了布施的执着当中。听得懂吗？布施的执着就是你布施完之后就等着回报，如果没有回报，你就着相了，你就难过了，你就不开心了。比如今天我给观世音菩萨供了水果了，我今天丢了一点钱到功德箱了，我怎么没有回报呢？开始执着了。执着在里面了吧？所以布施一定要离相。比方说我捐款印了什么《图腾世界》书了，但我不要自己的名字在书里面，那个时候你很舒服。那个时候你不会觉得，“哎呀，我今天布施了”。
This brings us to the One-Form Dharma Door. What does “One-Form” mean? One form is actually no form. One form is the same as no form, and no form is the same as detachment from form—from all appearances. To be “no-form” or “formless” means to be free from attachment to appearances. Let me give you a simple example. When you let go of attachment to your own “self”, that is giving with detachment from form. What does giving with detachment from form mean? It means that when I do good deeds and help others, I do not leave my name behind and I do not seek any return. I simply help others without asking for anything in return. If you do good while expecting a reward, afflictions will inevitably follow. For instance, if you donate money to print Buddhist books and later think, “I made a donation—why isn’t my name printed here?”, afflictions have already arisen, haven’t they? That is why giving with detachment from form is also called formless giving. What is formless giving? It is Dharma giving with wisdom, free from attachment to form—using wisdom to help others while allowing both yourself and the recipient to remain unattached. Giving with detachment from form means not clinging. You should know that if giving is not practised correctly, it can easily lead to affliction, discomfort, and unhappiness—I will explain this further shortly.
Giving must be free from attachment to form. If giving is not detached from form, it becomes attachment to the act of giving itself. Do you understand? Attachment to giving means that after you have given, you start waiting for a return. When no return appears, you become attached, distressed and unhappy. For example, you may think, “Today I offered fruit to Guan Yin Bodhisattva,” or “Today I put some money into the merit box—why haven’t I received any response yet?” At that moment, attachment has already arisen. That is why giving must be detached from form. For instance, if you donate money to print a book such as Totem World and do not want your name printed in it, you will feel relaxed and at ease. You will not even have the lingering thought, “Oh, I did a great act of giving today.”
现在很多人是有相布施。有相布施是什么？就是说，“哎呀，我印了书了，我家里怎么还没有转好呢？”开始烦恼来了。“我今天已经帮了这么多人了，我念了这么多经了，明明念了经之后功德就是法布施，那我念了经了怎么还不好呢？”因为你着相了，所以你没有好。就像很多人请人家吃饭了，然后嘴巴叽叽嘎嘎讲了一大堆，最后人家一点都不领他的情，还觉得他很讨厌。这就叫“着相”。
Nowadays, many people practise giving with attachment to form. What does that look like? They think, “I’ve printed Buddhist books—why hasn’t my family’s situation improved yet?” And just like that, afflictions arise. Or they think, “I’ve helped so many people and recited so many sutras. Reciting sutras is Dharma giving and should generate merit and virtue—so why am I still not getting better?” It is precisely because of attachment to form that improvement does not occur. It is like someone who invites others to dinner and then talks endlessly about it—so much so that the guests feel no gratitude at all and instead find the host irritating. This is what is meant by attachment to form.
有句话叫闷声大发财。你不出声给人家做好事情，人家感恩你，恨不得把头给你磕破。这种感恩是人家发自内心的愿意感恩你。所以你们说无相好还是有相好？如果布施不离相就落入到了布施的执着当中，这就叫“执着布施相”。什么叫“执着布施相”？因为布施了一点钱了，老在心里想：“我听菩萨讲过的，‘你从这个手给进来，我从那个手给你’。我怎么没有发财啊？我今天念了经怎么没有好呀？”执着了吧？开始不舒服了吧？听说供苹果可以加快好的程度，“哎呀，观世音菩萨我选的是最好的苹果来供你了，为什么我的孩子还不好呀？”执着了、难过了吧？
There is a saying: “Great fortunes are made in silence.” When you quietly do good for others, their gratitude arises naturally and sincerely. So tell me—what is better: giving with attachment to form, or formless giving? If giving is not detached from form, it falls into attachment to giving. This is called attachment to the form of giving. What does that mean? After giving a little money, you keep thinking, “The Bodhisattva said, ‘what goes out from one hand returns to the other.’ Why haven’t I become wealthy? Why hasn’t my condition improved after reciting sutras?” Attachment has arisen, hasn’t it? You start to feel uncomfortable. You hear that offering apples can help prayers be fulfilled more quickly, so you say, “Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I chose the very best apples for you—why isn’t my child better yet?” See, you’ve become attached and now you feel unhappy, don’t you?
如果你要去救人家，你所做的一切的一切事实上是不能取的。也就是说我今天布施出去的东西，我帮助人家了，我不要回报，我不要索取。我什么东西都不想索取，我就对人家好，这叫不索取。然后不能舍。舍是什么？听不懂了吧？“哎呀，我要舍呀”。不是指我们平时要舍的“舍”。这个“舍”就是说做某一件事情，我不能舍我要的信念和学佛的决心，坚定地走下去，叫我不移、不偏不倚走我这条路，我不舍去我所做的无相这条路。听得懂吗？叫不能舍，不能取。我今天做了这个事情，我非要做下去，而且我不索取，我不要任何回报。举个简单例子，在东方商场有一个人一直帮助洪先生送水。洪先生说：“哎呀，你帮我运送东西了，来来来，我给你拿点礼物吧。”“我不要。”这就叫我不取，我不取他人任何东西。不舍是什么？我不舍去帮助别人的理念。不是因为我没有拿到什么东西，洪先生也没有对我怎么好，我明天开始就不帮助送水了。人家不舍，坚持送；人家不取，不索取任何的回报。洪先生你告诉大家你感恩不感恩这个人。如果人家不索取，但是跑到洪先生面前说：“洪先生不是我说，要不是我呀，这水没人给你免费送呀。你看看我这么远的路，汽油费都不止啊，我帮你怎么怎么的。”讲完之后，洪先生只会说：“好好好，谢谢，谢谢你。”最后笑一笑。等他走了之后就不会感恩他了。而现在洪先生是从心里感激人家。因为人家是无相的。
If you wish to help others, then everything you do must be done without grasping. In other words, when I give something today, when I help someone, I do not seek repayment and I do not demand anything in return. I give without wanting anything back—this is called not grasping. At the same time, you must also not abandon. You may find this confusing. This “not abandoning” does not mean the ordinary idea of giving something up. Here, “not abandoning” means that once you choose to do something, you do not abandon your faith or your determination to practise Buddhism. You remain firm and continue steadily on your path, without wavering or deviating. You do not abandon the path of no-form practice that you have chosen. Do you understand? This is what it means to be not grasping and not abandoning. I do something, I persist in doing it, I seek no reward, and I expect nothing in return.
Let me give you a simple example. At the Oriental Shop, there is a person who has consistently helped Mr Hong deliver water. Mr Hong once said, “You’ve helped me transport things—come, let me give you a small gift.” The person replied, “No, thank you.” This is called not grasping—taking nothing from others. What is not abandoning? It means he does not abandon the intention to help others. He does not think, “Since I didn’t receive anything and Mr Hong didn’t do anything special for me, I won’t help deliver water anymore.” Instead, he continues to help. He does not take, and he does not seek any return.
Mr Hong, tell everyone—are you grateful to this person or not? Now imagine if that person, while claiming not to take anything, went to Mr Hong and said, “Mr Hong, not that I want to say anything, but if it weren’t for me, no one would be delivering this water for free. Look how far I travel—just the petrol alone costs money. I’ve helped you so much…” After hearing this, Mr Hong would only say, “Alright, alright, thank you,” smile politely, and that would be it. Once the person left, Mr Hong would no longer feel genuine gratitude. But now, Mr Hong is truly grateful from the bottom of his heart—because this person practises formless giving.
就像师父对你们一样，我没有什么要求，我拼命地在救全世界的人，这就是为什么大家都对师父这么好，这么尊敬师父。师父在广播里面是多么的严格，但是没有人骂师父的，因为他们都知道台长是为他们好，人家懂道理啊。如果作为一个徒弟连师父为你们好这一点道理都不懂，我就叫你们离开。一个父母亲看见孩子做错事情着急了，如果因为父母亲着急，态度严厉点，你就认为这个父母亲不是个好人，那你们就不是一个好人。你们听得懂吗？师父举这些例子就是要告诉你们一定要离相，也就是说我不取不舍。我布施了，我就没有思想，就算我今天布施了感情，布施了所有的东西，但是我不取不舍。我没有取舍，就有功德。
This is just like how I treat all of you. I make no demands. I devote myself wholeheartedly to guiding and awakening people all over the world. That is why everyone treats me so well and shows me such respect. As you know from listening to my radio program, I am very strict with disciples and Buddhist followers when they call in, yet no one criticises me, because they understand that Master Lu is doing this for their benefit. They understand the reason why. If a disciple cannot even understand that I am acting for their own good, then I would ask them to leave. When parents see their child doing something wrong, they become anxious, and they may be strict. If you then think such parents are bad people simply because they are stern, then you yourself are not a good person. Do you understand? I give you these examples to tell you one thing: you must practise detachment from form—that is, not grasping and not abandoning. I give, and I let go completely. Even if I give my heart and soul, or everything I have, I remain not grasping and not abandoning. When there is no grasping and no abandoning, there is merit and virtue.
财布施、法布施、无畏布施，不论是什么布施都不能着相。今天我布施了一点钱了，不得了了。“哎呀，你知道吗？我今天布施了很多钱。”“哎呀，那个人摔倒了，要不是我去扶她，这个老人家肯定要死掉了。”“这个人要不是我去救他，给他看台长的博客的话，这个人到现在还想不通要自杀。”你这么一讲就没有功德了。如果一个人着相布施，这个人实际上布施的功德很少。师父对你们要求高，做了好事要不留名，要离相。人家做了好事留名也好，做了好事不留名更高尚。师父今天接到一个电话，师父说：“你什么都不要给我讲。如果你觉得今天是为台长做的，你把什么不开心的事情都讲给我听。如果今天你是为观世音菩萨做的或是为你自己在弘法利生的话，你什么事情都不要给我讲，我不要听人间的任何事情。”讲什么？有什么好讲的？谁没有委屈呀？谁没有做错事情呀？所以不论做任何事情都不能着相。众生有一个毛病就是喜欢取相。就是做了一点事情了马上就要出名，登报纸、上电视，人就是要名要利。“哎呀，这件事没有我的名字是不行的。”多少争吵的事情、多少的矛盾都是产生在名利之中，就是因为执着。这就是为什么你已经做好事了还会吵架的原因之一。
Whether it is material giving, Dharma giving, or fearlessness giving—you must not cling to form. Some people give a little money and act as though it is a huge accomplishment: “Did you know I donated a lot today?” Or: “That old lady fell over, and if I hadn’t helped her, she surely would have died!” Or: “If I hadn’t saved him by showing him the Master’s blog, he’d still be stuck in his head and might have committed suicide.” The moment you speak like this, your merit and virtue are gone. When a person gives with attachment to form, the merit and virtue from that giving is actually very small. I set high standards for you: when you do good deeds, do not leave your name behind; practise detachment from form. Doing good and leaving a name is fine, but doing good anonymously is far more noble.
I received a phone call today, and I said, “Don’t tell me anything. If you feel you are doing this for the Master, then tell me all your grievances. But if you are doing this for Guan Yin Bodhisattva, or for the sake of propagating the Dharma to benefit sentient beings, then don’t tell me anything. I don’t want to hear about any worldly matters.” What is there to say? Everyone has grievances. Everyone makes mistakes. Therefore, no matter what you do, you must not attach to form. Sentient beings have a common flaw: they love to cling to form. The moment they do a little something, they want to be famous—get in the paper, or be on TV. People crave fame and fortune: “This won’t do if my name isn’t on it.” So many arguments and conflicts arise from fame and wealth, all because of attachment. This is one of the reasons people can end up arguing even after doing good deeds.
当一个人布施的时候，他就想到：“哎呀，我怎么没有回报呀？”当一个人在做法施的时候，就想：“这么长时间了我怎么还不好呀？”这么一想，功德没有，白做了，瞋心也来了。比如你刚刚去劝说这个人，而这个人嘴巴讲这个法门怎么怎么的不好。这么一讲，你的心里想：“哎呀，这个人怎么这样？”你瞋心了吧？劝老公劝不醒，劝老婆劝不醒时，你们有没有产生瞋心出来？你烦不烦呢？你障碍不障碍？两个人一起修心多好。所以要无相布施，不要着相布施，一定要切记！
When a person gives, they think, “Why haven’t I received any reward?” When someone engages in Dharma giving, they think, “It’s been so long—why haven’t things improved for me yet?” With such thoughts, there is no merit and virtue. The effort is wasted, and anger arises. For example, you try to share Dharma with someone, but they start saying bad things about this Dharma Door. You immediately think, “Why is this person like this?” and resentment takes hold. When you try to talk sense into your husband or wife but they refuse to accept it, do you feel resentment? Do you feel irritated? Does it create obstacles? How wonderful it would be if both could cultivate the mind together. Therefore, you must practise formless giving, not giving with attachment to form. You must remember this well.