现在这个世界上的灾难越来越多。如果我们大家一起好好修心念经，好好求菩萨的话，可能这些灾难就会大事化小、小事化无了。你们大家一定要好好学佛、修心、念经，这真的是法宝啊！当一个人在痛苦时还不懂得好好修心念经的话，实际上这个人很容易成为一个废人。在末法时期大家一定要懂得这个道理。
The world is facing more and more disasters these days. If we all focus on cultivating our minds, reciting sutras, and sincerely praying to the Bodhisattva, then major disasters may be reduced to minor ones, and minor ones may disappear altogether. You must dedicate yourselves to practising Buddhism, cultivating your minds, and reciting sutras—these are truly our Dharma treasures! When someone is in pain but still doesn’t understand the importance of cultivating the mind and recitation, they risk becoming completely lost. In this Age of Dharma Decline, everyone must grasp this truth.
末法时期，天时转得很快，实际上人变得也快，地府变得也快——天地人都转换得很快。想想看，过去年纪大的人就没有现在人脑筋动得这么多。你们这些年纪大的人在工厂做了一辈子，从来没有换过工作。看看现在的年轻人，今天换这个工作，明天换那个工作。你们过去在国内，可能一辈子就住在一个地方，从来没有搬过家；而你们到这里来搬过多少次家了？这就叫世事无常。因为人心散乱，稳不住了，所以到处都是灾难。人的心一散乱之后呢，天也散乱。很多人会问：“天不好，和人有什么关系呀？”首先，那我问你们：天气影响不影响你们的情绪啊？天下雨了，造成了水灾，是不是天影响了地了？影响了地是不是影响了人了？人的感觉就不好了。
In this era, time moves faster than ever. In reality, humans are changing rapidly, and even the Underworld is changing—heaven, earth, and humanity are all in a state of rapid transition. Think about it: the older generation didn’t have so many thoughts racing through their minds. Many of you seniors worked in factories your entire lives without ever changing jobs. But now look at the younger generation—they change jobs constantly, moving from one to another. In some countries, people might have lived in the same place their entire life; but after migrating here, how many times have you moved house? This is exactly what we mean by impermanence. Because people’s minds have become restless and unstable, disasters are everywhere. When the human mind becomes scattered, even the heavens become unstable. Some people may ask, “What does the state of the heavens have to do with human beings?” Well then, let me ask you: doesn’t the weather affect your mood? If it rains and causes flooding, isn’t that the heavens affecting the earth? And if the earth is affected, won’t people be impacted too? It makes everyone feel uneasy.
有的人烧小房子这么多，为什么不灵？因为功德不够啊！只有精进修行，靠别人是靠不住的，只有靠自己才能“保家”——保大家，保小家。上次龙卷风死了300多人，这次又是100多人，你们想想看，这些人难道都该死吗？难道他们都没有信仰吗？想想，要用心啊，要对得起自己的良心。能够有时间就多做点功德吧。功德是多做多得，少做少得，不做不得——功德都是做出来的。举个简单例子：当你功力很大，别人想碰你的时候，你手随便一碰，人家就受伤了。道理都是一样的。师父是只管耕耘，不管收获，这就是菩萨。菩萨是只管耕耘不问收获。也就是你要心里没有收获。因为你耕耘的时候，对人家好的时候，从来没有想到要人家对你有什么回报，你就一定会有回报的。如果你心里想着：“我今天对你好，是为了要你的回报。”那你就错了，你可能什么都得不到。在这个世界上人心都是肉做的，但是人的灵魂是从天上下来的，也有从灵界来的。为什么经过累世的轮回，我们人会变得这么不一样呢？为什么有的女人这么自私，而有的女人就不自私呢？为什么有的男人这么小气，而有的男人就不小气呢？为什么有的人善良，而有的人就邪恶呢？这都是累世的积累。
Some people recite so many Little Houses, yet they wonder why they aren’t seeing results. It’s because their merit and virtue aren’t enough! You must be diligent in your Buddhist practice. You cannot rely on others; you can only rely on yourself to protect your home—whether it’s your larger community or your own family. Recently, a tornado killed over 300 people, then another killed over a hundred. Think about it—were all those people meant to die? Did none of them have faith? You must apply your heart to this; be true to your own conscience. Do as many meritorious deeds as you can whenever you have the time. When it comes to merit and virtue, if you do a lot, you gain a lot; if you do a little, you gain a little; if you do nothing, you get nothing. Merit and virtue are something you must actively create.
Think of it like this: when your spiritual power is strong, if someone tries to strike you, a mere flick of your hand is enough to defend yourself. The principle is the same. I only focus on the effort, not the harvest—that is the way of a Bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas put in the work without seeking anything in return. This means your mind should be free of expectations. When you are “sowing” by being good to others, if you never think about what you’ll get in return, the rewards will naturally follow. But if you think, “I’m being good to you today just so you’ll pay me back later,” then you are mistaken—you might end up with nothing at all. In this world, the human heart is made of flesh, but the soul comes from the heavens or the spirit realm. Why do we become so different after countless cycles of rebirth? Why are some women selfish while others are not? Why are some men stingy while others are generous? Why are some people kind while others are wicked? It is all the accumulation of many lifetimes.
师父给你们说：等到有灾难到你们头上来的时候，那个时候你们才会觉得来不及了。就算你们叫师父，叫观世音菩萨，也是真的来不及了。为什么我要招收弟子？实际上只要拜了师父的人都能得到师父加持和庇荫。也就是说师父借着观世音菩萨的力量来给每一个弟子套上像“金刚罩”一样的东西，这个东西给大家套在身上，等有灾难来的时候就能得到庇荫。犹如每个人拿着师父开过光的观世音菩萨的护身符，他们就能避难，而且灵得不得了。观音堂的观世音菩萨像，只要供在家里，没有一个不灵的。
I am telling you: by the time disaster is already upon you, it will be too late. Even if you call out for me or Guan Yin Bodhisattva, it truly will be too late. Why do I accept disciples? In reality, anyone who takes me as their Master receives my blessings and protection. Through the power of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I place a spiritual “gold shield” over every disciple. This shield stays with you, so when calamity strikes, you are protected. It is just like those who carry a protective pendant of Guan Yin Bodhisattva that I have personally blessed; they are able to avoid harm, and the results are incredibly powerful. Likewise, the images of Guan Yin Bodhisattva from our Guan Yin Hall—provided that you pray to them at home—are all incredibly efficacious.
人必须要有境界。境界完全是靠自己自律，而且是自发的。人的心在哪里就会做哪里的事情。如果你们的心在小家，你们当然会天天在家里；等小家出事了，再跑过来求大家，因为师父是大家的。你们平时不知道大家，就等于你们平时从来不关心这个“工会”一样；等到家里有事情了，就要工会帮你出面解决。一个连会费都不交的人，到时候工会会出面吗？我讲的是这个道理。你平时不懂得做功德，天天顾着小家，从来不顾大家，大家能对你好吗？你付出的这么少，能得到多少呢？在观音堂帮助做事的人，他的功德就大。我可以告诉你们，只要用心做事情都能延寿。如果你不用心，你身在这里，而你脑子里想着其他事情，你这个人就得不到菩萨的庇荫。同样，心在东方台并不代表你人一定要在这里。如果你的心挂着观音堂，你人就会常来观音堂。反过来讲，如果你连命都快要没有了，你还工作什么？等到你们身上有重病的时候再来找师父，那时就晚了。没有人能够保证说自己不会生重病。我现在收了这些海外弟子之后，他们都能得到庇荫，但是并不代表他们没有灾难。
A person must have a high spiritual state. This state is built entirely through self-discipline and your own initiative. Wherever your heart is, that is where your actions will be. If your heart is only with your small family, then naturally you spend all your time focused there. But when trouble arises in that small family, you then come running to seek help from the greater community. I belong to the greater community, not just to individual households. If you ignore the community in your daily life, it’s like never caring about your “union”; then, when you have a problem at home, you expect the union to step in and fix it for you. If someone hasn’t even paid their membership fees, will the union step in? I am using this analogy to make a point. If you don’t do meritorious deeds and only care about your private life, how can the greater community support you? You give so little, so how much can you expect to receive?
Those who help out at the Guan Yin Hall gain immense merit and virtue. I can tell you that as long as you do things with your heart, your life can be extended. But if your heart isn’t in it—if you are here physically but your mind is elsewhere—you won’t receive the Bodhisattva’s protection. By the same token, having your heart with the Guan Yin Citta practice centre doesn’t mean you have to be here in person. If you truly care for the Guan Yin Hall, you will naturally come here often. Think about it: if you are about to lose your life, what is the point of working? If you wait until you are gravely ill to find me, it will be too late. No one can guarantee they won’t fall seriously ill. While my overseas disciples receive protection, it doesn’t mean they are immune to all disasters.
“放下屠刀，立地成佛”，并不是说放下屠刀一定能成佛。因为你的根，你的因，你的果都在里面。如果你们努力做功德就能得到庇荫；如果不努力做功德就得不到师父的庇荫，照样会出事情。就看你们自己怎么做了。如果不努力的人我不会去多管的。到现在还不开悟的人，我就慢慢放了。就像孩子一样，爸爸妈妈爱这个孩子，牵挂他，因为他懂事，一直很听话，他一直在念经修行。不懂事不听话的孩子，他爱怎么样就怎么样，结果吃亏的还是孩子。因为我今后管的是那些听话的孩子，管那些懂事情弘法的孩子，而且我一下子增加了一千多个弟子，我不会为某一个人再花精力和他讲了。要救就得救好人，要救就是救开悟的人。弟子是怎么开悟的？要有师父在不断的提醒、引导，弟子才会精进；另外，本人也要努力才能开悟。你们因为还有小家要顾及，你们抛不开，甩不掉，没有办法，所以更应努力学佛。其实一个人碰到人间烦恼真的甩也就甩掉了。当真的事情来的时候，你不甩也得甩。尤其到了晚年的时候，你不放下也得把这个家放下。因为早点晚点你都要死的，你还不如早点开悟呢，早点开悟早点得到解脱。你们知道有多少事情不就是被家里牵扯，不就是被孩子牵扯的吗？要你们解脱并不是要你们不管家里，而是要你们用心去管他们，而事实上要少管他们。除非是很小的孩子，已经这么大的孩子了，还不放心，他们就永远长不大，你就永远得不到解脱。
The saying “Put down the butcher’s blade and become a Buddha on the spot” doesn’t mean that simply stopping bad deeds makes you a Buddha instantly. Your roots, your causes, and your effects are all still there. If you work hard to do meritorious deeds, you will be protected; if you don’t, you won’t receive my protection and things will still go wrong. It all depends on your own actions. I won’t spend my energy on those who don’t make an effort. For those who still haven’t awakened, I will gradually let them go. It’s like a child—parents love and worry for a child who is sensible, willing to take advice, and diligent in their recitation and spiritual practice. But for a child who is stubborn and refuses to listen, they can do as they please, but they are the ones who will suffer in the end. From now on, I will focus on those who are willing to listen, those who are sensible, and those who help propagate the Dharma. Now that I have over a thousand new disciples, I won’t waste time and energy on individual disciples who refuse to awaken. I am here to save good people and those who have awakened.
How does a disciple awaken? It takes the Master’s constant reminders and guidance to keep them diligent; but it also requires the disciple’s own effort. Because you still have your “little homes” to care for, you feel you can’t walk away or shake off those burdens. I understand that, which is why you must work even harder at your Buddhist practice. In truth, if you really wanted to shake off worldly troubles, you could. When a real crisis hits, you’ll have no choice but to let go. Especially in your later years, you will have to leave your home behind whether you want to or not. Since death comes to us all sooner or later, wouldn’t it be better to awaken now? The sooner you awaken, the sooner you find liberation. Think of how many things hold you back—is it not your home? Is it not your children? Seeking liberation doesn’t mean you stop caring for your family; it means caring for them with your heart while actually interfering less in their lives. Unless the children are very young, why are you still worrying? If they are grown and you still can’t let go, they will never grow up, and you will never find liberation.
师父经常给你们举一个例子：在工厂里，大家都去学“模范工人”。但也有人会说：你是模范工人嘛，你奖金比人家拿得多，你当然应该多干了。实际上你不救人，你不学菩萨，你就得不到庇荫，得不到境界的提升。模范工人得到的是组织上各方面的照应。我现在讲的是白话。如果一个模范工人碰到事情，哪怕是碰到他做错的事情，公安局要把他抓进去，组织上都会出面把他保出来，说这个人很好。如果做同样的一件事情，为什么有的人会被判刑，而有的人却没有被判刑呢？——是组织上保了他。为什么保他？因为他是模范，他做过贡献，等于学佛人有功德一样，不就这个道理吗？我不用你们天天来，我要你们心挂在这里。你们现在很多人心不挂在这里。墨尔本现在在进步，今天这个要视频，明天布里斯本要视频。海外共修组他们要开座谈会，师父都给他们录音。心灵法门现在到处都在开花结果。我告诉你们，如果你们不好好地做，你们会无功无德。你们不要每个人心里有怨气，不要想不通。要学习师父本身什么都不在乎。用心做功德就能吉祥、如意、延寿。没有其它办法，功德都是自己做出来的。
I often give this example: In a workplace, everyone tries to be a “star employee.” But some people will say, “You’re the top performer and you get a bigger bonus than the rest of us, so of course you should work harder.” In reality, if you don’t help awaken others and don’t emulate the Bodhisattva, you won’t receive protection, nor will your spiritual state improve. A top performer is well looked after by the company in every regard. I am speaking in plain terms here: If a star employee gets into trouble—even if they’ve made a genuine mistake and the police are involved—the management will step in to vouch for them, saying, “This is a good person.” Why is it that for the exact same mistake, one person is sentenced while another is released? It’s because the company protected them. And why? Because they are a “top performer”—they have made a significant contribution. Isn’t this exactly the same principle as a Buddhist practitioner having merit and virtue?
I don’t need you to be here physically every day; I need your heart to be here. Yet many of you don’t have your hearts anchored here. Followers in Melbourne are making great progress; today they want me to give a talk to them via video link, and tomorrow followers in Brisbane also ask for one. Overseas practice groups are holding seminars, and I will make a recorded talk for them. Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is blossoming and bearing fruit everywhere. I am telling you: if you don’t genuinely put in the effort, you will end up with no merit and no virtue. Don’t harbour resentment or get stuck in your own thoughts. Learn from me—learn to simply not care about personal slights. As long as you do meritorious deeds with your heart, you will naturally receive auspiciousness, fulfilment, and a longer life. There is no other way—merit and virtue can only be created through your own actions.
师父今天给大家讲“淡定自我”，就是要把自我慢慢忘掉。人就是因为有自我才会生气，才会不开心，才会难过。师父每次讲你们的时候，可能有的女士在想：我也做得很多呀。老先生也在想：我也做得很多呀，不公平呀。师父讲你了吗？师父讲人家好就是讲你不好了？就是因为你心中有个“我”字，很多人就会把自己往里面套。这就是没学好。什么叫淡定？就是把自己想得淡一点，让自己的心定一点，把自己想得没有一点，要无我。如果把自我想得小一点的话，你就会看开一点，就能看破、放下，你就会有一个平等心。当你碰到事情的时候，你就会换位思考：人家吃了那么多的苦，我能做得到吗？人家都是做出来的。我跟你们说，学菩萨做事情，做功德，是不会生恶病的，只会延寿。如果你整天忙自己的小家，你天天就想到自己，你就会越做越傻。因为你在人我欲海中翻腾出不来，你天天难过啊。天天在这个小家里，为女儿、为儿子，做到哪一天才能结束啊？你们想想看，你整天都在胡思乱想，哪天才会是个结果呀？如果你死掉了，孩子不是还照样活着？你管得了吗？你想不放下，行不行？不学佛，没有开悟啊。该舍的时候不舍就什么也得不到。与其总有一天要放下，还不如早点放下。在死的时候能平平安安，没有牵挂，你就不痛苦。你们试想一下，如果你们现在要死的时候，多难受啊，因为你什么都放不下：家、房子、钱、孩子……结果还是照样要走。与其总有一天要放下，还不如早点把身上的包袱放下，让心活得踏实一点，活得开心一点呢。比如夫妻分居两地了，光想有什么用啊？你想了还是这样，想了就能过来了吗？想了就更加的愁，愁更愁。如果不想的话，还能活得稍微心里舒服一些。孩子不好，就当没有这个孩子；老公不好，就权当没有这个老公；老婆不好，就权当我没有这个老婆。这样才能开心，这样才能放下，心里才会平衡。否则怎么叫平衡呢？
Today, I want to talk to you about “calming the self.” You must slowly learn to forget the “self.” People only get angry, unhappy, or miserable because they have an ego. Every time I speak critically, some ladies in the audience might think, “But I’ve done so much work!” or some gentlemen might think, “I’ve worked hard too; this is unfair!” But was I talking about you specifically? If I praise one person, does that automatically mean I’m criticising you? It’s only because you have the word “I” in your heart that you immediately take things personally. This shows you haven’t practised Buddhism well yet.
What does it mean to be “calm and settled”? It means to think of yourself less and let your heart become steady. Think of yourself as nothing; reach a state of “non-self.” If you diminish your ego, you will gain a broader perspective; you will be able to see through the illusion and let go, which leads to equanimity. When you encounter challenges, you will be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes: “They’ve endured so much suffering; could I have done what they did?” I am telling you, if you emulate the Bodhisattvas and perform meritorious deeds, you won’t fall gravely ill; it will only extend your life. On the other hand, if you spend all day fussing over your “little home” and thinking only of yourself, you will only become more foolish despite working tirelessly. That’s because you remain stuck in the “sea of desire,” unable to escape, feeling miserable every day. Working for your daughter or your son in that little house—when will it ever end? If you spend your whole life lost in these wandering thoughts, when will you ever see a result? If you were to pass away, wouldn’t your children keep living anyway? Can you control them then? Whether you want to let go or not, you’ll have to. Without practising Buddhism, there is no awakening. When it is time to let go and you refuse to do so, you gain nothing. Since you must let go one day anyway, why not do it sooner?
If you can be at peace when you die, with no attachments, you won’t suffer. Just imagine if you had to die right now—how painful would that be? You can’t let go of anything: the house, the money, the kids… yet you still have to go. Rather than carrying those heavy burdens until the end, wouldn’t it be better to put them down now and live a life that is grounded and joyful? For example, if a couple is living apart, what’s the use in just thinking of each other? Thinking won’t change the situation or bring them closer; it only deepens the sorrow. If you stop dwelling on it, you can live with a bit more comfort in your heart. If a child is difficult, treat it as if you don’t have that child; if a husband or wife is difficult, treat it as if they aren’t there. Only then can you be happy, only then can you let go, and only then will your heart find balance. Otherwise, how can you ever achieve equanimity?