今天继续给大家讲，怎样让人在学佛中不迷。每一个人在学佛当中都会迷惑。有时候会觉得自己怎么会做出这样的事情？我是不是菩萨？我怎样能够见到佛性？我们到底是佛呢，还是魔？因为每一个人在学佛当中，心中都会产生两种不同的概念：一种就是自己正的经验、思维，称为“正思维”，那么他就觉得自己是佛；还有一种，就是魔性，因为每个人都有魔性的。举个简单例子：一个人好的时候，没有发脾气或发疯的时候，他是一个佛。一旦发了疯，就像电影里面一样：把她的孩子抢去了或者对她孩子怎么样了，这位母亲一下子像疯掉一样，拿起什么东西都会砍上去——失去理智了。实际上，犹如人的身上有好的细胞和坏的细胞一样，它们一直在和自己作斗争。每个人的身体上都有几种不同的细胞。就像以毒攻毒一样，他那些不好的细胞如果盖过了善良的细胞，那么这个事情就开始形成魔了；如果你这个细胞比方说是好的多，那么说明你已经盖过了你心中不好的细胞，等于你的正念占上风了，邪念全无，那么你就是佛了。
Today I will continue explaining how to avoid becoming confused while practising Buddhism. Everyone experiences confusion at some point in their practice. At times, we may look at ourselves and wonder: How could I have done such a thing? Am I really a Bodhisattva? How can I see my Buddha-nature? Am I truly a Buddha, or am I a demon? This is because, during the course of Buddhist practice, two opposing tendencies arise within everyone’s mind. One is our wholesome experience and way of thinking, known as right thinking. When this prevails, we feel that we are aligned with the Buddha. The other is our demonic nature, for everyone possesses a demonic side.
To give a simple example: when a person is at their best—when they haven’t lost their temper or gone crazy—they are like a Buddha. But once they lose control, it is just like a scene in a movie: if someone snatches a mother’s child or harms the family, she instantly goes frantic, grabbing whatever is nearby to strike back—completely losing all reason. In reality, it is just like the good cells and bad cells within the human body—they are constantly struggling against one another. Everyone’s body contains many different kinds of cells. Just as one poison may be used to counter another, if the bad cells overpower the good ones, the demonic begins to take shape. On the other hand, if the good cells prevail, they overcome the bad cells within you. In other words, your right thoughts gain the upper hand, your deviant thoughts disappear, and you become a Buddha.
佛菩萨对这个问题是这么阐述的：是佛，又是众生；众生就是佛，佛就是众生。大家听得懂吗？我们怎么样能够成为佛呢？我们本来就是佛，因为我们迷惑了，就成为众生。但众生就是佛，佛就是众生。如果我们人能够觉悟了，我们就是佛；如果这个人迷惑了，他就是众生。众生就是迷惑颠倒的人；佛是开悟的，是有悟性的人。因为我们修心开悟了，又成为佛。所以佛菩萨说：“迷了，你就是众生；悟了，你就是佛。”这很重要。你今天开悟了，你就是佛；你今天着迷了，为某一件事情发疯了、着迷了，那么你就是众生。如果你们对某一件事情过分了，那不是一点点的问题了。对某一件事情执著过头了，那就是魔了，众生就靠近魔一点了；如果你能够靠近佛一点，也是众生，但是这是开悟的众生。所以这个众生是很重要的。
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas explain this principle in the following way: ordinary beings are Buddhas, and Buddhas are ordinary beings. Do you understand what this means? How do we become a Buddha? In truth, we are Buddhas to begin with. It is because we become deluded that we become ordinary beings. Yet ordinary beings are Buddhas, and Buddhas are ordinary beings.
When we awaken, we are Buddhas. When we are deluded, we are ordinary beings. Ordinary beings are those who are confused and whose thinking is distorted. Buddhas are those who have awakened and possess spiritual insight. As we cultivate our minds and attain awakening, we once again become Buddhas. That is why the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas say, “When you are deluded, you are an ordinary being. When you awaken, you are a Buddha.” This is extremely important. If today you have awakened, then today you are a Buddha. But if today you become obsessed with something, lose yourself in it, or even behave irrationally because of it, then you are an ordinary being. If you take your obsession with something too far, it becomes more than just a minor issue. Once your attachment to something becomes excessive, you begin moving towards the demonic. Although you are still an ordinary being, you are drawing closer to a demon. Conversely, if you draw closer to the Buddha, you are still an ordinary being, but you are an awakened one. So, what we choose to be as ordinary beings matters greatly.
师父给大家讲，我们学佛的人，要用身口意来供养佛。什么叫供养啊？以为买点水果，做点功德啊？不是这个供养。身口意都要供养。就是说，你的身体如果做出来佛的事情，你就是在供养佛；你今天嘴巴里说出来的话，是像佛一样的，你就是在供养佛；今天你的意念想出来的事情，像佛一样，那你又是在供养佛。所以身口意要供养佛。比方说我们身体做一切佛事，我们做很多的佛事，我们磕头，我们换水果，我们换花等等一切，就是身体供养；那么开口就说菩萨好，说佛好，劝人好好念经，好好修心等等，那叫口供养，就是嘴巴在供养佛；那么意念上呢，要随时地忆佛，也就是说，在意念当中随时都想到佛菩萨，随时都想到我是一个菩萨，我是一个佛，那么你意念当中也是在供养佛。因为你在任何的意念当中，你没有忘记佛性，实际上你就是在意念地供养佛。所以，要身在做佛事，口在念佛，意念要集中不散失，你这样才念得好佛，才做得好菩萨。
Let me explain something else. As Buddhist practitioners, we should make offerings to the Buddha through our body, speech and mind. What does it mean to make offerings? Do you think it simply means buying some fruit or performing a few meritorious deeds? No—that is not the kind of offering I am talking about. We should make offerings with our body, speech and mind. In other words, when your physical actions accord with the Buddha’s teachings, you are making an offering to the Buddha. When the words you speak are like those of a Buddha, you are making an offering to the Buddha. When your thoughts are like those of a Buddha, you are also making an offering to the Buddha. Therefore, we should make offerings to the Buddha through our body, speech and mind. For example, when we use our bodies to carry out Buddhist activities—kneeling and bowing before the Buddha, replacing the fruit offerings, changing the flowers and so on—that is an offering through the body. When we speak in praise of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, or encourage others to recite sutras and cultivate their minds diligently, that is an offering through speech. And in terms of the mind, we should constantly keep the Buddha in our thoughts. That is, we should always think of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and continually remind ourselves, “I am a Bodhisattva. I am a Buddha.” In this way, we are making an offering to the Buddha through our thoughts. Whenever your mind never forgets your Buddha-nature, you are, in fact, making an offering to the Buddha with your mind. Therefore, let your body be engaged in Buddhist activities, let your mouth recite the Buddha’s name, and let your mind remain focused without becoming distracted. Only then will you recite the Buddha’s name well and truly act like a Bodhisattva.
身体要不断地做善事。举个例子：你们刚刚在观音堂做的所有事情，是不是在做善事？如果你们都是在做佛事的话，那么就对了。比方说刚刚在弄山水画，在搬凳子，那这些都是为了众生。又比方说要听师父讲课，那么你们的嘴巴呢，“哦，大家讲话轻一点啊”。大家念经啊，或者打电话跟人家解释，这些都是做佛事。如果脑子里正想着：“我要好好地修啊，我差得太远了。”那么这样的话，你的思维才会集中，才会不散失。所以身口意属于大供养。不要以为出了一点点钱，不要以为做了一点好事，不要以为今天我稍微做了些布施就是大供养。实际上，大供养是你自己真正能够用你的意念，用你的行为，用你的嘴巴讲出来的话让人家感受到你是佛，实际上你就是在供养佛。因为你出来的样子让人家看到了佛菩萨，让人家想到了佛菩萨，那你就是在供养佛了。
Our bodies should constantly perform wholesome deeds. For example, everything you were just doing in the Guan Yin Hall—weren’t those all wholesome deeds? If what you were doing was in service of the Buddha-dharma, then you are on the right track. For instance, just a moment ago, some of you were arranging the landscape paintings while others were moving chairs; all of this was done for the benefit of sentient beings. Similarly, when you listen to my Dharma talk, or remind everyone to speak more quietly, recite sutras, or patiently explain the Buddhist practice to someone over the phone—all of these are Buddhist activities. If you are thinking, “I must cultivate diligently. I still have a long way to go,” then your thoughts will naturally become focused and free from distraction. This is why making offerings through the body, speech and mind is the highest form of offering. Do not think that donating a little money, doing a few good deeds, or being generous constitutes a great offering. A true and supreme offering is when your thoughts, your actions and your words genuinely enable others to see the qualities of a Buddha in you. In doing so, you are making an offering to the Buddha. When people see you and are reminded of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then you are truly making an offering to the Buddha.
像这种身口意供养有什么好处呢？因为供养佛的人，他会得到佛菩萨的加持和感召。加持是什么？佛菩萨对一个人的加持，就是让他能够克服他的孽障，能够让他心明眼亮，能够让他不断地消除他身上的灵性。因为他只要跟菩萨感应越多，魔和鬼都不会上他身，就这么简单。所以反过来讲，为什么身口意的供养能够让魔不上身呢？很简单，因为你嘴巴里从来不讲鬼话，因为你脑子里从来不动鬼点子，因为你做出来的动作都是像人、像菩萨。你想想看，就这三个，你是不是得到供养了？想想看，只要你真正地在人间像菩萨一样地这么做，魔会来找你吗？举个简单例子：你身体上的素质非常不好，你有很多的病菌，那么平常体质不好的人在你面前打个喷嚏，你就感冒了；如果你的身体素质很好，人家再怎么弄也弄不到你的。所以我们平时像佛、像人，不做鬼事，我们就见不到鬼。经常做鬼事的人，他怕鬼；经常动鬼点子的人，他也是怕鬼的；经常不做人事的人，他也是会被鬼找上的。
What are the benefits of making offerings through our body, speech and mind? Those who make offerings to the Buddha receive the blessings and spiritual resonance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. What are these blessings? The blessings bestowed by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas enable us to overcome our karmic obstacles, bring clarity to our minds and wisdom to our understanding, and continually help us eliminate spirits from our body. The more we resonate with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the less influence demons and spirits can have over us. It is as simple as that. Looking at it from another angle, why do offerings made through our body, speech and mind prevent demons from taking hold of us? The answer is straightforward. It is because we never speak like demons, we never entertain evil thoughts, and our actions reflect the conduct of decent human beings and Bodhisattvas. Think about it: if you can achieve these three things, have you not already received the benefits of making such offerings? If you truly conduct yourself like a Bodhisattva in this human world, would demons ever come looking for you?
To give a simple analogy: if your physical health is very poor and you carry a lot of bacteria, you will catch a cold the moment someone near you sneezes. But if your body is healthy and your immune system is strong, no matter what others do, it will not affect you at all. Likewise, if we always conduct ourselves like a Buddha and an upright human being—never doing anything underhanded or deceptive—we will never cross paths with ghosts. People who constantly engage in underhanded dealings are afraid of ghosts; those who are always plotting malicious schemes are also afraid of ghosts; and those who constantly fail to act with human decency are the very ones ghosts will come looking for.
要真正明白，菩萨的加持和感召。菩萨的加持和感召是什么呢？就是感应的召唤。你这个人跟菩萨想的都一样，你就能得到菩萨的感应。你一念经，一召唤菩萨，菩萨就会来，这就叫感召。感召实际上是有力量的。举个简单例子：师父如果今天磕头求菩萨，为什么比你们灵啊？因为我有感召力。你们磕头求就没有感召，因为召不来啊，你们没有感动菩萨啊。你们自己的功力不够，功德不够啊，你怎么会有感召力而一求就灵呢？能够一求就灵的人有两种：一种是前世修得特别好，今世没有做坏事，他到庙里一求就灵；还有一种人，前世一般，今世狂修，没有做什么坏事，没有动什么坏脑筋，他也有他的感召力。
We must truly understand what is meant by the blessings and spiritual resonance of the Bodhisattvas. What does it mean? It is the response from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when you call upon them. When your thoughts align perfectly with the Bodhisattva’s, you will achieve this spiritual resonance. The moment you recite mantras and call upon the Bodhisattva, the Bodhisattva responds—this is what we call spiritual resonance. Such resonance carries genuine spiritual power. Let me give you a simple example. Why is it that when I kneel and bow before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, my prayers are often answered more readily than yours? It is because I possess this power of spiritual resonance. When you bow and pray, you may not experience the same response because you are not yet able to establish that connection. You have not yet moved the Bodhisattvas through the strength of your cultivation. Your spiritual practice and accumulated merits and virtues are still insufficient. Without that foundation, how could your prayers be answered as soon as you make them?
There are two kinds of people whose prayers are answered immediately. The first are those who cultivated exceptionally well in their previous lives and have not committed unwholesome deeds in this life. When they pray at a temple, their prayers are answered straight away. The second are those whose cultivation in previous lives may have been ordinary, but who in this life cultivate with great diligence, refrain from doing wrong, and guard themselves against unwholesome thoughts. They, too, develop this power of spiritual resonance.
修供养功德。你们知道，供养也有功德。比方说今天初一了，很多人献花。这是不是供养菩萨啊？有没有功德啊？今天初一了，讲好话。是不是有功德啊？今天初一了，上水果，度人，放生。是不是有功德啊？那么这个功德全部属于供养的功德。供养什么？供养佛了。我们今天在供养佛菩萨，供养也有功德。有人问，“我到底要做什么样的功德？”你不要去追、去想，你自己想一想就明白了。你所做的一切是对菩萨好的，你就有供养功德。因为有供养功德的人呢，他会得到一种叫“开悟状”。“开悟状”是什么呢？非常能够想得开，非常能够明白。经常处于这种状态，经常求佛的人，他不会离开佛太远。举个简单例子：你们经常跟师父在一起，师父经常管着你们，你们就不会做错很多事情，你们会明白道理。这就是使自己的理智处于开悟状态。反过来讲，如果你们今天不跟师父坐在一起，你们做错的事情就会很多。我们今天不跟菩萨多接触，不听菩萨多教育，不念经，不学佛，你们所做的事情就错的很多，就离佛越来越远了。所以要明白，因为你供养的功德得开悟状。“开悟状”是什么？就是经常有这个明白的状态。“我一直不会糊涂的，因为我经常在跟菩萨接触，所以我这个状态一直是学佛的状态，我不会做错很多事情。”
By making offerings, we also cultivate merit and virtue. As you know, making offerings itself generates merit and virtue. For example, today is the first day of the lunar month. Many people offer flowers. Isn’t that an offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? Doesn’t it generate merit and virtue? On the first day of the lunar month, speaking kindly—isn’t that also meritorious? Offering fruit, sharing the Dharma with people, and performing life liberation—don’t all these generate merit and virtue? They all form part of the merit and virtue gained through making offerings. Offerings to whom? Offerings to the Buddha. Whenever we make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we cultivate the merit and virtue of offering.
Some people ask, “What kind of meritorious deeds should I perform?” There is no need to keep searching for an answer. Just reflect on it yourself. If what you do benefits the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and accords with their teachings, then you are cultivating the merit and virtue of offering. Those who cultivate the merit and virtue of offering naturally enter a state of awakening. What is this state? It is a state in which your mind is open and clear, and you understand things more readily. Those who remain in this state and regularly pray to the Buddha never drift far from the Buddha.
Let me give you a simple example. If you spend a great deal of time with me and are constantly guided by me, you are far less likely to make mistakes because you come to understand the principles of the Dharma. This is what it means to keep your mind in a state of awakening. Conversely, if you are no longer learning from me, you are much more likely to make mistakes. Likewise, if we do not stay close to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, listen to their teachings, recite sutras, or practise Buddhism, we will make more and more mistakes and gradually drift further away from the Buddha. This is why the merit and virtue gained through making offerings help us remain in a state of awakening. What is this state of awakening? It is a state of constant clarity and understanding, where you tell yourself: I will not become confused because I am constantly connected with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I remain in the state of a Buddhist practitioner, so I am far less likely to do the wrong thing.
如果这个人是佛或者菩萨，他着迷了，他迷惑了，他就成为众生了。你们不要以为菩萨不会迷啊，菩萨也会着迷的。到了人间，迷了就回不去了。很多人说“迷途知返”，迷途返不了。因为到了人间被一些诱惑所缠绕，他就迷惑了，他就不能成为菩萨了。所以，佛离开众生他即是众生。佛不能离开众生的。佛一离开众生，他就是众生。佛的使命就是来救众生的。举个简单例子：如果佛是鱼，鱼不能离开水。鱼离开水了，鱼就不成为鱼了。正因为佛菩萨他们在无始劫以来，一直是替众生受罪、受难，他们才能成为佛菩萨的。你说说看，如果不替众生受罪，他怎么能够成为菩萨？也就是说，这个人是个好人，好人一定是帮助人家。整天帮助人家的人，他才是个好人；如果这个人开始不帮助人家了，他能成为一个好人吗？佛菩萨是永远帮助人家的。不帮助人家的人，他就不能成为菩萨。菩萨是下来救人的。他今天能救人，他是菩萨；如果他说，我不救了，到人间来沉迷于各种人间的贪瞋痴，他就不成为菩萨，他就成为众生。
If a Buddha or a Bodhisattva becomes deluded, then they become an ordinary being. Do not assume that Bodhisattvas can never become deluded. They can. Once they come into the human world, if they lose their way, they may not be able to return. People often say, “Once you’ve lost your way, you can always find your way back.” But that is not necessarily so. When people become entangled in the temptations of the human world, they fall into delusion and can no longer remain Bodhisattvas. That is why a Buddha cannot be separated from sentient beings. The moment a Buddha turns away from sentient beings, he becomes no different from an ordinary being. A Buddha’s mission is to save and awaken sentient beings. Take a simple example. If a Buddha were like a fish, then sentient beings would be like water. A fish cannot live apart from water. Once it leaves the water, it can no longer survive as a fish.
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have become who they are because, throughout beginningless kalpas, they have continually borne suffering on behalf of sentient beings. Think about it. If they had never endured suffering for the sake of others, how could they have become Bodhisattvas? The same principle applies in everyday life. A good person is someone who helps others. Only those who consistently help others can truly be called good people. If someone stops helping others altogether, can they still be considered a good person? The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are always helping others. Anyone who no longer helps others cannot truly be a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas descend into this world to save and awaken people. As long as they continue guiding and awakening others, they are Bodhisattvas. But if they say, “I no longer wish to save anyone,” and instead become immersed in the greed, anger, and ignorance of the human world, then they cease to be Bodhisattvas and become ordinary beings once again.