师父给大家继续讲，我们做人何时能知事？就是什么时候你能感觉到你做得是对的，叫何时能知事。师父把这些话讲给你们听，是让你们好好想想，你们一辈子什么时候做对过？你们这些徒弟也好，弟子也好，你们想想看，你们一辈子哪几点做得是对的？都是在虚幻的名利当中，学会了追求名利；在虚幻的物质当中，学会了追求物质和享受。这些你又做对了些什么？乔布斯在没有死之前他觉得他是很伟大的，他有46亿的身价。他在将要死的时候，他才会真正的理解，这些钱对他来说是没有意义的。他才真正地知道，他是多么的微弱。他辛苦了一辈子，难道连活下来的权力都没有吗？为什么人家能活，而我活不下来呢？这就是他不懂、他不明白的地方。而现在有些人仍在拼命的追求名利，到了最后要死的时候，他也是想不通。聪明的人是到最后，似乎想通了，但他的一生已经结束了。
I’ll continue my Dharma talk. When will we ever truly “know” things? By that, I mean when will you finally be able to discern whether what you are doing is right? I’m telling you this so you can reflect deeply: in your entire life, when have you actually been “right”? Whether you are my students or disciples, think about it—how many things in your life have actually been done right? Most of you have simply learned to chase fame and fortune within a mirage; you’ve learned to pursue material possessions and indulgence within a hollow reality. What part of that is “right”? Before Steve Jobs passed away, he likely felt he was great, with a net worth of billions. It was only when he was facing death that he truly understood those billions were meaningless to him. Only then did he realise how fragile and powerless he really was. He worked himself to the bone his entire life, yet in the end, did he not even have the right to survive? He might have wondered, “Why can others live while I cannot?” This is what he didn’t understand. Even now, some people are still desperately chasing fame and wealth, and they will still be lost in confusion when their time comes. The “clever” ones might seem to figure it out at the very last moment, but by then, their life is already over.
要少欲，少烦恼。师父给大家讲的都是白话佛法。欲望要少，烦恼才会少呀。今天想这个，明天想那个，越想越生气，想到后来难过的是你自己。少追求，少嫉恨。不要去追求，不要去恨人家，自己尽自己的力而为之就可以了。我有多少能力，我做多少事情，做不到的事情，我不去追求，不就是没有事情了？比如她前几天有一件事情一定要问师父，如果问不到心里就难过，最后没有问你不是也过了吗？但是当时感觉，如果不问就不行，难过得不得了，我也要问；知道师父要说我，我也要问；不管别人，我也要问……因为你有这个欲望，你烦恼就出来了。所以要尽力而为，要对得起自己。我今天能够这样就可以，我对得起自己。很多人拼命的管教孩子、管老公、管老婆，实际上你管他的时候，你有一种占有欲，你很开心。就像《红楼梦》里的老祖宗一样，她觉得她是祖宗，谁都要讲，谁都要说，谁都要管。实际上人家痛苦不痛苦？千万不要把自己的幸福建立在别人的痛苦之上。很多人不自觉的会这么做，这就是人常犯过错之因。因为人经常这么做了，所以就犯了错误，这就是人之所以为人的原因。为什么我们会在人间吃这么多的苦？为什么我们会沉迷在欲望之中？为什么我们会迷惑颠倒？为什么这么多的为什么？因为你是人，所以你才会做这些事情，你才会迷惑颠倒，你才不懂啊。这就是师父给你们说的人之所以为人的原因，就是因为你们有这些不好的东西，所以你们才成为人。你们迷惑颠倒，你们在人间乱撞乱碰，迷失方向。
You should reduce your desires so that your worries will also decrease. What I am sharing with you is the Buddha-dharma explained in plain terms. If your desires are few, your troubles will be few. If you are constantly dwelling on one thing today and another tomorrow, you only become more agitated; in the end, you are the only one suffering. Chase less, and resent less. Don’t go through life chasing things or hating people; just do your best and let that be enough. If I do what is within my capacity and stop chasing what is beyond my reach, wouldn’t life be peaceful? For instance, a disciple recently felt she had to ask me a question; if she couldn’t, she felt miserable. Yet, in the end, she didn’t ask, and life went on regardless, didn’t it? But at the time, she felt she couldn’t help herself—she was desperate to ask, even knowing I might scold her. Regardless of what other people might think of her, she just wanted to ask. Because of that desire, her suffering emerged. So, do your best and be able to answer to your own conscience. Be able to say, “I’ve done what I could today; that’s enough.”
Many people are obsessed with “managing” their children, their husbands, or their wives. In reality, when you try to control them, you are just satisfying a desire for possession—it makes you feel powerful. Like the matriarch in Dream of the Red Chamber, who believes she is the authority of the family—she must comment on everything, judge everyone, and manage everything. But does that make others happy? Never build your own happiness on the pain of others. Many people do this unconsciously, and this is exactly why people constantly make mistakes. That is simply part of human nature. Why do you suffer so much in this world? Why are you addicted to desire? Why are you so confused and lost? Why are there so many “whys”? Because you are human—that’s why you do these things, why you get confused, and why you don’t understand. This is why I say that these flaws are precisely what make you remain in the human realm, wandering aimlessly and losing your way.
要学会无力而为。什么叫无力而为？我今天没有这个能力，但是我尽自己的能力，就叫无力而为。我没有力量，但是我尽自己的心去做这件事情。这是很重要的。另外，时间实际上并不是为任何所有的人所拥有。时间能洗掉你心灵的创伤，它能让你活得短寿，时间又能让你活得痛苦，时间又能让你过得快乐。你不要以为你拥有时间，时间并不是为你所拥有。很多人玩一次时间就没有了，实际上他就靠近他生命的终点近一分，一分一秒的近了。所以我们要明白，要善用时间，等于善用佛法。懂得节省时间的人，实际上就是懂得学佛学法的人。今天你能够珍惜生命、珍惜时间，实际上你就是珍惜佛、珍惜法——佛和法时刻都聚集在心中。举个简单例子：我们在坐火车、坐飞机时，我们只要珍惜争取每一分一秒去念经、去修心，你就得到了每一分一秒的功德。而这些功德，当大灾难来的时候，或当一个灾难来到你家，或来到这个世界的时候，实际上人家为什么躲不过而你能躲过？这就是靠你平时的功德积累。犹如有的人赚钱把钱慢慢地节省下来，而有些人赚了钱就用了。
Learn to “give your all despite your limitations.” What does this mean? It means even if I don’t feel I have the strength or the capacity today, I still put my whole heart into doing what I can. This is very important. Furthermore, remember that time does not belong to anyone. Time can heal the wounds in your soul, but it can also shorten your life; it can bring you pain, or it can bring you joy. Do not think you possess time; time does not belong to you. Many people play around and then their time’s gone. In reality, every second they waste brings them one step closer to the end of their life. We must understand that using time wisely is the same as using the Buddha-dharma wisely. Those who know how to save time are those who truly understand how to practise the Buddha’s teachings. If you cherish your life and your time, you are cherishing the Buddha and the Dharma—and the Buddha and the Dharma will always reside in your heart. For example: when we are on a train or a plane, if we just make the effort to use every spare minute to recite sutras and cultivate our minds, we gain the merit and virtue of every single second. When a major disaster strikes—whether it hits your family or the whole world—why is it that others can’t escape while you can? It depends on the merit and virtue you have accumulated in your daily life. It is just like someone who earns money and slowly saves it up, while others spend everything they earn as soon as they get it.
我们要用心来体会佛法，要有正确的己见。什么叫用心来体会？做什么事情要用心，你就做得好；做什么事情不用心，你就做不好。所以做任何一件事情要用心来体会它：我今天做得对不对呀？我今天念经念得对不对呀？我今天做这件事情是不是违反佛理了？我是不是太厉害了，不应该骂他？……要把自己的己见用正确的思维来考虑。你自己的见解并不代表是正确的，要靠正确的思维来验证和体验你的己见。“己见”就是你自己认为的所见到的东西。一个人想了脱生死的话，他必须要有正确的己见。还有知见，“知见”就是知道的所有见到的东西。知见和己见都是一样的。你自己认为很多东西是对的，并不是对的；你知道的很多事情，也不是你所认为的对的事情。师父告诉你们，对佛菩萨的慈悲要认真真切地理解。佛菩萨的慈悲很多人并不是真切地理解，而是把佛菩萨当成一根救命稻草。一碰到事情了，“菩萨你救救我”，磕头啊，烧香啊；没有碰到事情的时候，从来没有感受到菩萨对他的一种慈悲，从来没有想到多拜拜佛菩萨、多念念经。这就是我们人间常说的“临时抱佛脚”。人家做了多少功德，人家能避开灾难。而你做了多少呢？你能不能避开这些灾难呢？
We must experience the Buddha-dharma with our hearts and maintain right views. What does it mean to experience things with the heart? It means that whatever you do, if you put your heart into it, you will do it well; if you don’t, you won’t. So, in everything you do, use your heart to reflect: “Am I doing the right thing today? Am I reciting my sutras correctly? Does this action violate Buddhist principles? Was I too harsh just then—should I really have scolded him?” You must use right views to evaluate your personal views. Your own perspective is not necessarily the truth; you must rely on correct thinking to verify and experience your views. Your personal view is simply what you think you see. If a person wishes to transcend the cycle of life and death, they must possess right views. There is also what is called “knowledge and views.” Ultimately, these are the same: just because you believe something is right doesn’t mean it is; and just because you “know” something doesn’t mean it is the ultimate truth.
Let me tell you: you must truly and deeply understand the compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Many people don’t; instead, they treat the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas like a last resort. The moment trouble hits, they cry out, “Bodhisattva, save me!” and start bowing and burning incense. But when things are going well, they never feel the Bodhisattva’s compassion, nor do they think to pray or recite sutras more often. This is what we call “turning to the Buddha only in times of crisis.” There are people who have accumulated so much merit and virtue that they can avoid disasters. But how much have you done? Can you expect to avoid them?
要无为而为，广度众生。经常想：我在学佛当中，虽然没有很大的作用，但是我要去做，叫无为而为。我要广度众生，我要明心见性，我的心一定要明白，要看到自己的本性是很善良的；要了脱生死，要断除烦恼。了脱生死就是我不怕死了，因为我知道人不会死的，我修好了，我到另外一个世界去一样活着，这叫了脱生死。就像你们离开自己家乡的时候，有很多的亲戚朋友请你们吃饭，如果你们离开之后不想回去了，一辈子不回去的话，离开了家乡，到另外一个世界去生活，这就像了脱生死一样。举个简单的例子：你离开家乡后，那么多的亲戚朋友这辈子不一定再见得到了，所以离开家乡时，请大家吃饭，一起喝酒，哭呀，难过呀。但到了新城市，时间长了，慢慢就忘记了。我们人死的时候也是这样。等我们上到天上之后，我们会把我们在澳洲临走之前的亲戚朋友慢慢忘记，当时也是不舍得。你们想想看你们每一次聚会后，和好朋友离开时，会舍得对方走吗？离不开的。但是你们没有办法，你们离开了。离开之后到了澳洲，时间长了之后还会想起这些人吗？会，但是越来越淡忘。这就跟我们人一样，了脱不了生死的。因为你走的时候还在眷念着那些你的亲人——那些临时在这辈子与你有缘的人，而这些缘分也就是几十年的功夫。你们听到过狗哭吗？一对狗养在家里，当另外一只狗死的时候，这只狗就不吃饭、不睡觉，在边上一直在哭。哭的声音是往里收的，就像一个小孩子在闷头大哭一样。一只狗也就八年到十二年的寿，你们想想它也难过，何况是人呢？人也一样，如果你想不通，认为你这辈子真正离开他了，你就错了。真正懂得了脱生死的人，是一个能够看透世界的人，也就是看开和看悟，就是你把这个悟性全部都看出来的人。这个悟性是知道我死了之后，我能上天；我死了之后，我还能和家里人见面；我死了之后，我能够知道慢慢时间长了，和他们的缘分会慢慢断掉的。所以对任何事情都不执著，知道这些人间的眷念都是假的，才能活得快乐自在。
We should act without any attachment to the notion of action, and help awaken sentient beings extensively. Often reflect on this: although I may not have a leading role in our Buddhist practice, I will still do my part. This is what it means to act without the notion of taking action. I want to help awaken sentient beings extensively, to understand my own mind and see my true nature—I must be clear-headed and realise that my original nature is inherently kind. I want to transcend life and death and cut off all my worries.
“Transcending life and death” means I no longer fear dying because I know that a person does not truly “die.” If I cultivate myself well, I will simply continue living in another world. Think of it like leaving your hometown. When you’re about to move away, your friends and family throw you farewell dinners. If you leave and don’t intend to return—living your life in a completely different world—that is like transcending life and death. You might never see those friends again. At the farewell, everyone drinks, cries, and feels heartbroken. But once you reach your new city, as time passes, you slowly move on. Death is the same. Once we ascend to the Heavenly Realms, we will slowly move on from the friends and relatives we left behind here in Australia, even though it was hard to leave at the time. Think about any time you’ve had a gathering with good friends in your hometown—did you want to say goodbye? No, you felt you couldn’t bear to leave them. But you had no choice; you left anyway. Now that you’re here in Australia, do you still think of them? Yes, but the memories fade over time.
This is where people get stuck in the cycle of life and death—because when you leave, you are still pining for your loved ones, people whose affinity with you in this life is only meant to last a few decades. Have you ever heard a dog cry? When one dog in a pair passes away, the survivor might stop eating and sleeping, crying by its partner’s side. The sound is muffled, like a child sobbing into a pillow. A dog only lives eight to twelve years, and even they feel that grief—so imagine how it is for humans.
If you can’t see past this and believe you have “truly” lost them forever, you are mistaken. Someone who truly understands how to transcend life and death is someone who can see through the illusions of this world—someone who has gained full awakening. This awakening is the knowledge that after I die, I can ascend to Heaven; after I die, I can meet my family again; and after I die, I know that as time passes, these karmic ties with them will gradually fade. When you stop clinging to these worldly attachments and realise they are transient, you can finally live with true happiness and freedom.
师父给大家讲，烦恼要断掉，唯有佛菩萨的永恒是常住的。烦恼必须要断掉，因为只有佛菩萨是永住人间的，因为佛和菩萨永远不会走掉的。那么谁都想：最好我不会走。你们是不是菩萨？你们学的是什么？不就是学菩萨？学了菩萨你的境界才会在人间不会走掉，永远会常住在这个人间的，肉身就算没了，但境界永住。否则你们能常住得了吗？
I’m telling you all now: worries must be cut off. Only the eternity of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is permanent. You must eliminate your afflictions because the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are the only ones who truly dwell in this world forever—they never leave us. Now, everyone thinks: “I’d prefer it if I didn’t have to leave, either.” But are you a Bodhisattva? What are you practising? Isn’t it to become like a Bodhisattva? Only when you attain the state of a Bodhisattva will your essence remain in this human world; even when the physical body is gone, that spiritual state lives on. Otherwise, how could you ever hope to remain?
另外，师父告诉你们，因为你们人人有佛性，相互是不妨碍的。很多人不懂，以为佛菩萨是你的，不是他的。这就是你们认为师父一样。你们都是师父的徒弟、弟子，每一个人都说师父是我的，不是你的，这样可以吗？菩萨是属于众生的。你们爱菩萨，实际上你们是相互拥有的，没有妨碍的，而且相互拥有更增强了你们的佛缘。要明白这个道理。师父告诉你们，要见证自己的佛性。因为你们知道人人有佛性，相互不妨碍，而且这样能够见证自己的佛性。你心中有一尊佛，他心中也有一尊佛，那多好啊。不要认为你家里有电灯，就不让人家家里装电灯了。每家都亮多好啊。不能因为你家里有汽车，就不让别人有汽车了。要让佛性照亮每一个人的心房，让佛菩萨在每一个人心中闪亮发光，那就是见证了你自己的佛性。
Furthermore, I want to tell you that because every one of us possesses a Buddha-nature, we do not obstruct one another. Many people don’t understand this; they think the Bodhisattvas belong only to them and not to others. It’s the same way some of you view me. You are all my students and disciples, but if every single person says, “The Master is mine, not yours,” is that right? The Bodhisattvas belong to all sentient beings. Your love for the Bodhisattvas is something you share; there is no conflict. In fact, sharing this love only strengthens your own affinity with the Buddha. You must understand this logic. I’m telling you to bear witness to your own Buddha-nature. Because everyone has Buddha-nature, there is no obstruction between people. It is a beautiful thing to know that there is a Buddha in your heart, and a Buddha in theirs as well. Just because you have lights in your house doesn’t mean you should stop your neighbour from installing them. Isn’t it better when every house is bright? You can’t stop others from having a car just because you have one. Let the Buddha-nature light up every person’s heart. When you let the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas shine within everyone, you are bearing witness to your own Buddha-nature.
要看透、看穿、看破、看淡。看透是什么？看透就是把这个事情看透了。看淡，什么事情都看得淡一点，无所谓的。犹如我已经这个年纪了，他爱怎么样就怎么。看破是把这个事情看到破。比如今天我要做这个局长，局长也就是两年一换，我看破了。我就是这块料拼命想做局长，能不能在两年之后继续做呢？我有没有自己的身体支撑？有没有自己的能力？想明白了，就看破了。看淡就是我拼命地对孩子好，但是等到孩子养大了，他会成家立业，他会对他的媳妇好，对他自己的孩子好，不会像过去那样对我好了——这叫看淡。还有看穿，把事情要看得穿一点。“穿”是什么意思？就是已经穿过这个你认为不可以逾越的事情。比方说，我今天突然之间想赚这笔钱了，如果有了这笔钱，我一辈子就可以不要工作了。很多人就是为了这个目的活着，实际上他没有看穿。如果把它看穿的话，这些钱你能够用到底吗？这个钱当中还有没有变化呢？你被人家骗了呢？被人家偷了呢？被人家抢了呢？或突然意外死了呢？所有这一切它都不会变化的吗？要这么看，你就看穿了，就无所谓了。比如我看透了，我无所谓，你爱骂就骂好了，反正我嫁给你，我这么大年纪了，我也不会再嫁了，你要对我好就对我好，你要骂就骂吧，反正我就跟着你，等到你哪一天把我扔掉的话，我也是这样，我照样自己活得很好，我无所谓，我看破了，我看透了，我看穿了。如果这样的话，你就把自己的心掏空了。师父当然不是让你们吃亏，是让你们把心掏空。你们知道什么叫把心掏空吗？人常说没心没肺的人不会生病。什么事情嘻嘻哈哈无所谓了，一会儿就忘记了。实际上记性不好的人真的活得长呀。你刚才骂我了，我一会儿笑嘻嘻忘记了，实际上这种性格的人就能活得长。
You must learn to see through, see past, see the end, and take it lightly. What does it mean to see through something? It means understanding its true nature. Taking things lightly means not being overly attached—treating matters with a lighter heart—being a bit more “whatever” about it. For example, you might think: ‘I’m already at this age; he can do whatever he likes—it doesn’t worry me anymore.’ To see to the end is to see the ultimate conclusion of a matter. Suppose you’re desperate to become a department head. But you might only hold that position for two years before someone else replaces you. If I “see to the end,” I ask myself: “Even if I kill myself to get the job, can I remain in the position after two years? Do I have the health and ability to sustain it?” Once you think it through, you have seen to the end of it. To take things lightly is to realise: “I’m doing everything for my child, but when they grow up, they’ll start their own family. They’ll be devoted to their spouse and their own kids; they won’t treat me the way they used to.” That is taking things lightly.
Then there is seeing past things. This means moving beyond the things you once thought were insurmountable. For instance, someone might suddenly think, “If I can just make this one pile of money, I’ll never have to work again.” Many people live solely for that goal, but they haven’t seen past it. If you saw past it, you’d ask: “Will that money actually last until the day I die? Could things change? Could I be scammed, robbed, or mugged? What if I die unexpectedly?” Nothing is set in stone. When you look at it that way, you’ve seen past it, and it no longer matters. Another example: if you’ve truly seen through it all, you just don’t care anymore—’Go ahead and scold me if you want. I’m married to you, I’m at this age, and I’m not going anywhere. If you’re good to me, fine; if you yell, that’s fine too. I’m staying with you, but if the day comes that you throw me out, I’ll still be alright. I’ll just keep living my life. It doesn’t bother me. I’ve seen past it; I’ve seen through it all.’ If you can do this, you effectively empty your heart. I’m not telling you to let yourself be a doormat; I’m telling you to empty your heart of attachments. Do you know what that means? People often say that those who are “heartless and mindless” never get sick. They laugh everything off, they don’t take things to heart, and they forget troubles quickly. Truly, people with a “bad memory” for grudges live the longest! You scold me just now, and a moment later I’m smiling because I’ve forgotten it. That kind of character leads to a long life.
所以师父经常讲一句名言叫“性格决定人的命运”。一个人的性格好，他的命就好。一个人的性格整天嫉妒人家、恨人家，整天难过，他的命就不会好，他就活的不自在、不舒服。你想想看，人家好坏跟你有什么关系呢？你没心没肺多好呀。但是没心没肺不等于没有智慧。很多人都是没心没肺没智慧，最后被人家骂，说傻子、笨蛋，他就知道笑，因为没有智慧。没心没肺一定要有智慧，这就叫大智若愚。真正做到我都明白，我就喜欢吃亏，我给人家占了便宜我开心，因为你占我的便宜我就很开心。为什么？我又布施了。有一个老和尚就是这样，有个人去让老和尚赞助，老和尚就给他赞助了。等他出去之后，旁边的居士跑过来说：“师父，你为什么又给他赞助呢？你知道他是骗你呀。”老和尚说：“是呀，我知道他是骗我的。”居士：“你知道他是骗你，你还给他骗呀？”老和尚笑嘻嘻说：“他要骗就让他骗了。”想想看这是什么样的境界？知道人家骗你还让人家骗，这是修养啊，能涵得住啊。他骗你，他有道理；你被人家骗，骗的是钱财，但是你的智慧没有被人家骗，你的心没有被人家骗去，而境界提升、消除自己的孽障。所以说钱财没有骗走，却帮你把烦心给掏空了。
This is why I often say: “Character determines destiny.” If someone has a good character, they have a good life. But if someone is constantly jealous, resentful, and miserable, their life will not be pleasant. They will always feel uncomfortable and unsettled. Think about it—what does someone else’s business have to do with you? Being “heartless and mindless” is a wonderful thing. But don’t mistake that for being foolish. Many people are heartless and mindless but lack wisdom—they get scolded, called idiots or fools, and they just laugh because they don’t know any better. To be “heartless and mindless” must be paired with wisdom; this is what we call “great wisdom appearing as folly.” It means I understand exactly what’s going on, but I’m happy to take the loss. If someone takes advantage of me, I’m happy because I’ve just practiced “giving.”
There was an old monk like this. Someone came to him asking for a donation, and the monk gave it to him. After the man left, a lay devotee rushed over and said, “Master, why did you give him money? You know he’s a scammer!” The old monk smiled and said, “Yes, I know he’s a scammer.” The devotee asked, “You knew, and you still let him trick you?” The monk replied, “If he wants to scam me, let him.” Think about that level of spiritual state. Knowing someone is lying and letting them do it anyway—that shows deep cultivation and tolerance. He has his reasons for scamming; you may have lost some money, but your wisdom wasn’t stolen, and your heart wasn’t taken. Instead, your spiritual state was elevated, and your karmic obstacles were diminished. So, the money wasn’t really “scammed” away—it just helped you empty your heart of worldly worries.