Ji Gong, the Living Buddha and Gracious Teacher

Spirit-writing teachings by Ji Gong (濟公活佛), the Living Buddha and Gracious Teacher, received at various Yiguandao temples. Volume Three of a seven-volume collection of Ji Gong's compassionate instructions to his disciples.

Ji Gong — the Crazy Monk, the Living Buddha of the Southern Screen — is Yiguandao's most beloved celestial patron. In life he was the Song dynasty Chan Buddhist monk Dàojì (道濟, 1130–1209), known for his ragged robes, his drunken wandering, and his miracles performed for the poor. In Yiguandao theology he is one of the three great bodhisattvas of the White Sun period, descending regularly through spirit-writing to teach, scold, and comfort his disciples.

This volume collects Ji Gong's teachings organized by theme — good thoughts, mindfulness, true cultivation, self-reflection, setting the heart, not repeating mistakes, and the recording device of the universe. His voice is unmistakable: colloquial, warm, teasing, urgent. He addresses his students as a father addresses children he loves fiercely and fears for. He speaks of the cosmos and then asks if you ate breakfast. He is the cosmic Buddha worried about your phone bill.

Translated from Chinese by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Gospel register — plain, direct, warm. First English translation. Translation in progress — this file represents the first session of a multi-life project.

Good Thoughts

Have you ever thought about how to form good connections with all beings? You say: Teacher, the money I earn is limited, and the charity I can give is limited too — how am I supposed to form good connections? Have you thought about it?

For example, while you are at home, you can send blessings: may all beings be safe, healthy, and at ease in their hearts — may they have the chance to hear good teachings. Is that not forming good connections? Do not step outside, see all those people, and feel annoyed and restless.

For example, when you are stuck in traffic, send blessings: may everyone on the road right now be calm and at peace, may they be happy, may their families be well. When you give all your blessings to them, you are forming good connections with all beings. Do you see?

When we constantly send out good thoughts, the universe acts as a great mirror — one day those thoughts will return to us.

If what we send out is all malice, all curses, then when the time comes, those curses will manifest and come back upon us.

So do not curse others — do not wish them a fall, do not wish them to step in filth. These are all unwholesome thoughts. Do you understand? When a person has good thoughts, Heaven follows them. When we set good intentions, naturally our good affinities will come to us.

When a person has evil thoughts, Heaven follows those too — because everything follows wherever your mind goes. So since that is the case, why would we not generate good thoughts? Let go of the unwholesome ones.

We may not become rich by earning a great deal of money. But we can become rich in our hearts through the good thoughts we give away.

Heart-Thoughts

Today, if you generate a single good thought, a Buddha will help you — give you a push, let you advance more surely. When the heart-thought is good, it attracts a good resonance. If the heart-thought is not good, karmic force immediately follows, and evil spirits and demons will walk beside you.

Good or bad — everything turns on a single shift of thought. Do not blame everything on Heaven's testing. If the heart is upright, everything proceeds rightly. Know this: one upright thought can suppress a hundred evils. One correct thought, and a hundred evils cannot invade. But one thought gone astray, and ten thousand demons rush in.

Heart-thoughts are endlessly transforming. They can make you a Buddha. They can make you a demon — send you to the hells, send you into the four kinds of rebirth and the six realms.

Heart-thoughts are fearsome. This is why the Sixth Patriarch spoke of "no-thought." But this "no-thought" does not mean extinguishing all thoughts. It means: not clinging, not attaching, not being stained. That is what "no-thought" means.

Right now, the Asura King too has received his mission from Heaven. The "I" in your heart — that is the Asura. If you cling to being right, if everything must be your way, if only what you do is correct — that is the Asura.

Heaven is not built somewhere above, or somewhere you can only go after a hundred years. It is whether you can shift your thoughts right now. If you think of all beings at every moment, if you give yourself away for all beings at every moment, forgetting yourself entirely — then Heaven appears.

When your heart clings to one fixed point, that is what we call attachment, that is what we call entanglement. If you can shift your thoughts in this moment, then affliction is already enlightenment.

Do not think that Heaven does not see your every move. As the saying goes: "One thought is one bolt of lightning" — it is sent out. So be cautious with your heart-thoughts. You must not let them move recklessly!

Sometimes you see a person and feel they seem to have something weighing on them. That is their original spirit quietly telling you they need help. So if you treat someone badly today, though you may deceive them for a time, your original spirit will transmit the truth to them, and they will understand.

The moment a thought stirs, do not imagine that others will not know. When we generate an unwholesome thought, Heaven and Earth will transmit the message to the very person it concerns. So do not deceive yourself, and do not deceive your own conscience. "Nothing is more visible than what is hidden; nothing is more manifest than what is subtle." When the heart moves, the vital energy must follow.

We are constantly in the battle between Buddha and demon, between principle and desire. Within a single day, a thicket of worries springs up. Thoughts arise without ceasing — this is what "calamity" means. But if you can "guard the heart's objects in their subtlest stirrings, and arrest evil intent at its very motive" — then you need not fear. That is how you pass through calamity.

The times are different now. Whatever path you wish to walk, the immortals and Buddhas will let you walk it. Be careful — it may not be the right one. Where your heart-thoughts walk, the results later differ vastly. Some become Buddhas. Some descend to the hells. Why the hells? Because the heart-thoughts were different.

Whether you become a Buddha or a demon-lord depends only on your own choice, only on a single thought, only on what the heart clings to. You must not be careless. In this final age, everyone who has come has a mission. Some come to serve the Dao and save the world — that too is a mission. Some come to test the Dao and create turmoil — that too is a mission. My students, you must not be careless!

True Cultivation

Cultivating the Dao is a kind of transformation — changing the unwholesome in your heart and your thoughts, so that through the heart's turning, you may find the peace and freedom you deserve. So, my students, you must truly cultivate to truly gain. Do not let the truth remain at the stage of hearing. It is time to practice, to feel, to change. Only through cultivation will you discover where your blind spots are. You must be polished in human affairs to know the degree of your refinement. If you flee from reality, if you retreat, that is no solution — that is only what we call an escapist practice.

This physical body exists so that we may "use the false to cultivate the true" — not to play games in the human world. You must understand: each person cultivates for themselves, each person settles their own karma. Cultivation is not for someone else's sake. Your own karmic debts, you repay yourself. Your own vows, you fulfill yourself. Do not forget the aspiration you carried when you descended on your vow. Other people are only the conditions that help you along the way.

How to adjust your stride is very important. If the first step goes astray and you only think of correcting it at the end, it will be too late — like a tree whose branch has already grown crooked, and only then do you scramble to straighten it with wire. Is that not exhausting? Therefore, watch the initial thought carefully. Always be clear about where your thoughts are heading. The moment a thought deviates, correct it right there. Do not wait until the deviation has grown large and the time has grown long — by then it may be too late.

You must have the wisdom to choose the good and follow it, in order to walk a path of light. From this perspective, rules, faults, correction, and discernment are crucial attitudes in life. My students, use the right methods to help yourselves. When the heart is upright, action is upright. From uprightness, wisdom flows without end. Were not the sages and bodhisattvas themselves always correcting and acting rightly, step by step leaving behind the model of cultivation?

No one is a sage who has never erred. But to err and not forgive — to sin and not admit it — to make a mistake and not dare to change — to redirect your anger is to add fault upon fault — to cling to delusion is to add error upon error. A person who truly humbles their heart can accept the honest words and counsel of others. And so we know: a true cultivator shows no trace of arrogance, no vulgar speech, no self-serving action, no evil thought. What you see in them is only harmonious conduct, the virtue of patience, a vast and righteous spirit, and a heart that reflects.

Self-Reflection

The character for reflection — 省 — has "less" on top and "eye" on the bottom. What do "less" and "eye" together mean? See less. Look with one eye. When it comes to other people's faults, cover one eye — do not stare at them with both.

And this character 省 can be read another way: "small" above "self." What does that mean? Make yourself smaller. Lower yourself.

This is the Year of the Ox. Learn the ox's spirit of enduring hardship, bearing burdens, and ploughing in silence. Is the ox not one who keeps to its duty and quietly does its own work? That is what you must do from now on. And the ox's stubbornness? The stubbornness your teacher speaks of is choosing the good and holding to it stubbornly.

A stubborn nature is willing to accept challenges. But do not learn the ox's bad temper or its habit of drilling into dead ends. Learn the good parts; do not learn the bad — you must be able to tell the difference. Are your spirits well? "Setting out again" means being free and easy — wave goodbye to everything in the past and welcome the new future. Plough the field of the heart and turn Heaven and Earth.

Setting the Heart

When you cultivate and serve the Dao, your ancestors of nine generations above and seven below, and your karmic creditors, all follow you to class.

The most important thing for my students is to set the heart. Cultivate well, serve the Dao well. First study what the principles are. When you understand the principles, you will have no doubts. When doubt is removed, faith arises. Do you understand?

If you seize the opportunity well — like learning to plant a tree — first sow the seed, then water it, fertilize it, pull the weeds, and never give up until you reach the goal. Whether it is a sacred endeavour or an ordinary one, you can cultivate the Dao as a monastic or as a householder. The most important thing is to preserve the original heart — the heart of compassion.

A person must hold to the principle of guarding themselves. Do not let crooked paths disturb you. Set principles for yourself. Set an aspiration. Set the right aspiration.

You came here by yourselves, did you not? (Not just us — our ancestors came too!) Your ancestors of nine generations above and seven below all followed you here to listen. And it is not only them — who else is here? (Ghosts!) And what is their relationship to you? (Karmic creditors!) The karmic debts and obstacles followed you here. Be careful!

Pay attention. Why does your teacher tell you all this? So that you will listen attentively and be moved — and then your ancestors will share in the blessing. This is not idle talk.

You have not seen something with your own eyes and you call it false? Your teacher can say with certainty — (your teacher can see it!) You silly students, you are saying "your teacher" too now! You should say "the Teacher" can see it. Your teacher has these adorable, silly students, and my heart is full. Every one of you is connected to countless ancestors and spirits you cannot see — and even the people beside you, your loved ones, are also connected. Do not only care about yourself.

If I want to listen, I listen. If I do not want to listen, I do not listen. It has nothing to do with anyone else, right? Right! But you must accumulate merit and virtue so that your loved ones can share in it, and then you must guide them to the Dao. Do you understand?

I hope you think carefully in your hearts. You are connected to millions of people around you. So cherish yourselves, protect yourselves, accomplish yourselves — do not harm yourselves. Be honest. Be sincere. Be down-to-earth in everything you do.

You have already climbed ashore — and now you want to stick your foot back in the water? You are wasting the effort of those who rescued you! Do you understand? Both feet are on solid ground — do not step off again!

There is a great deal of wind and rain outside! This teaching is good, that teaching is good — but what does "good" mean? You must recognize it for yourself! The path you have walked is absolutely right. Your teacher guarantees you will forever and ever be walking the right way. Do you know that?

If someone asks you to go to some other place, will you go? (No!) Really? You will not? (No!) Good — do not. Remember this with all your heart: this Dao is the one that truly brings you home to Heaven.

The Dao is principle. Principle is the Dao. Once you have set foot on this path, walk it from beginning to end.

Wipe away your tears. When you meet setbacks, you must stand up again. Do you hear me?

Men — your teacher is not worried about you. It is the women I worry about. Women feel setbacks more deeply, and they are less able to withstand testing. Men — you need to rein in your temper. Rein it in.

If you are going to cultivate, do it while this body still works. Do not wait until the three inches of breath are spent and then wish you could cultivate, wish you could walk, wish you could serve — by then it will be too late.

Your teacher urges you: if you will cultivate, cultivate early. If you will serve, serve early. Do not rely on the fact that right now there are people propping you up, seniors pushing you from behind. If one day they are no longer at your side — will you still walk? Will you still cultivate? Will you still serve? Cultivation is not something you rely on others to do. It is for yourself. Cultivating by yourself — that is the best cultivation.

Why are sentient beings sentient beings? Because they are deluded and they cling. If you cling to good and evil, you generate a heart of good and evil. If you cling to self and other, you generate a heart of self and other. If you cling to gain and loss, you generate a heart of gain and loss. If you cling to arising and ceasing, you generate a heart of arising and ceasing. Therefore, let go of all clinging. Because whatever kind of heart you generate, you will cling to that kind of heart.

Even if you generate a good heart, you will cling to your goodness. Deliberate goodness is not true goodness. If you bring goodness forth from daily life, without clinging and without attachment — that is the manifestation of the bodhi-heart. That is true goodness.

If you cling to merit, to suffering and joy — those are all your own clinging, generating all kinds of hearts. Is that not so? This is what we call obstinacy!

Whether a person suffers or rejoices — is it not the heart that creates it? So the heart can build Heaven, and the heart can build Hell. However your thoughts turn and shift, that is what kind of realm emerges. Once you arrive at a realm, you must break through it.

Not Repeating Mistakes

When a person's thought has stirred but they have not yet acted, it can still be stopped, still be controlled, still be changed. This is what "not repeating mistakes" means.

The heart is false, and everything is false. The heart is true, and everything is true. When the heart is sincere, all things transform into light. When the heart is not still, unwholesome energy gathers. So you must let this righteous energy burst forth and let others feel it.

With a beautiful heart, you see all things and all people as beautiful, as good. With a purely good heart, you see no flaw in any person, event, or thing. When you see no flaw, the heart grows wider still.

When you truly understand yourself, the one who will never deceive you is yourself — and the immortals and Buddhas are always beside you. If the heart has realized this, you should be able to feel it: a force that is always supporting you. That is the hidden power of your own original nature expressing itself. That is a genuine communion with Heaven.

Cast off the human heart and learn the heart of Heaven. When you need something and can give it — that is the heart of Heaven and Earth. True awakening is true Chan. True Chan is wondrous Chan. But wondrous Chan too must arise from your own heart. What kind of heart do you possess? A heart of great love, or a heart of selfish love? That depends on your own cultivation. Your teacher hopes that your aspirations all come from the heart — without conditions, without demands, freely and willingly. Only when it comes from the heart's genuine willingness does it have power.

As long as you are utterly sincere, you can move Heaven, you can have spirit. A heart of utmost sincerity makes no distinctions — naturally that is the Dao, naturally the spirit is present, naturally it produces a unified heart: one whole heart of impartiality, one of truth, one of sincerity, one of constancy. Do not let appearances mislead the upright heart. Do not use the human heart to cultivate the heart of the Dao — use the heart of the Dao to cultivate the human heart. Do not have the immortals and Buddhas in your heart while having no regard for people before your eyes.

The Recording Device

You should know that this universe is one great memory. Every single stirring of your heart and thought is recorded into it — and it is you yourself who records it. Is that not so?

Whether your deeds are good or evil, they are all recorded. And once stored? They become a seed. They become a karmic seed — and karmic seeds are the raw materials of birth and death! So which will you plant — good karma or evil karma?

All of your actions are recorded by you yourself, stored by you yourself. Good deeds, bad deeds, wrong deeds — all stored away.

If you can cultivate in clarity and stillness, making your heart undisturbed, letting your heart "transcend vital energy and enter principle" — then you are slowly learning to let go.

When you let go of clinging, let go of your attachments to love, let go of your craving for fame and gain, let go of your resentment toward others — when you were once full of hatred, looking for a chance to take revenge, and you let it go — then the shadow recorded in your mind automatically vanishes because of your release. This is "the Buddha's undisturbed heart of clarity and non-action."

When the time comes for you to return, there will be no karmic force appearing before you. Why? Because by the end of your cultivation, at the moment of your final breath, you will have attained the same state as the Buddha — unstained by a single mote of dust. Your thoughts and desires will never cling to you again. When you return to the state of effortless suchness, naturally your light illuminates all things, and there is no more recording device. Do you understand?

Even when you return to the reality of the human world and face everything again, the recording device will no longer appear — because your body and mind are already at ease.
If your heart still holds all kinds of imbalance, and the seven emotions and six desires keep growing, your thoughts will keep knotting — and the recording device will record without ceasing. Then when you return, it will play a very long film for you to watch, all by yourself, at great length!

The Three Non-Departures

In cultivation it is very important to follow the "Three Non-Departures." The human heart is too easily drawn outward, so it needs an environment to restrain it. "Do not depart from the temple" — this means using your return to the temple to gather the heart back. Come back to the temple and draw the scattered mind home. Ask yourself: right now, what is truly most important?

Because on the path of cultivation there is truly so much confusion. Sometimes in society, sometimes in the family, there are always whispers and rumors — and when you hear them, you cannot untangle them alone. So you need the former worthies to guide you. "Do not depart from the former worthies" — your guide and guarantor is also one of your former worthies. Stay close to the former worthies at every moment, and many of your confusions will unravel.

In the process of cultivation you must "not depart from the scriptures" — because the scriptures are the crystallized wisdom of the saints who came before. The path the former saints walked — they left their wisdom behind. When you read them and truly receive them, that wisdom becomes yours. Whenever you meet difficulty or confusion, on the path of cultivation or in the journey of life, open the scriptures of the former saints and compare them against your own situation.

You can untangle many knotted confusions, set down many doubts, release many complaints. When you feel your situation is very bad — when you look at the former saints and see that they too had hardship, even harder than yours — aren't you already grateful? And then look further: when the ancient sages met that situation, how did they face it? Draw the wisdom of the former saints into yourself to accomplish yourself. "Do not depart from the scriptures" — this too is very important.

Vow and Practice

Take the Buddha's vow as your own vow. Take the Teacher's vow as the disciple's vow. Make vows and fulfill them — fulfill them with your whole heart. Only by fulfilling vows can you release suffering. Only by releasing suffering can you release sin.

Do not make vows with the mouth while thinking them small. A vow made with the mouth is still a vow. If you make a vow and do not fulfill it, it does not work. Make vows and fulfill them — fulfill them with your whole heart.

Think about how much you have risen these years. Even if your outward merit has been small, let your inner virtue be cultivated well. You can give quietly in silence — but have you truly made vows and truly fulfilled them? Do you still remember the vows you made yourself? How much have you actually carried out? Think about it every day. Is everything you do in service of your vows?

What does it mean to give your whole heart? Is the heart on all beings? Can the heart be harmonized with the Dao? How much of your heart have you given to the Dao? Is guiding others, teaching, doing the work — is that giving your whole heart?

First, you must have confidence. Second, you must truly put your heart into it. Think: in daily life, have you truly put your heart into the Dao? Only by putting your heart in can you truly fulfill your vows! As long as you hold to the Ten Great Vows made at initiation and carry them out with care — committed from beginning to end — I believe you will certainly return to Heaven, and you will certainly transcend birth and death.

Do what is humanly possible and listen to Heaven's will. Do not fence yourself in — how will the power of your vows ever unfold? Cultivate the Dao, cultivate the heart; serve the Dao, give your whole heart. Fulfill vows to release suffering. Release suffering to release sin. The road of life is long and swift — but what of the road of cultivation? It too has its rough and rocky passages. If you know this principle, then when the temple is swept by a little wind and rain, why would it ever fail to hold?

Why do you retreat and refuse to advance at the smallest setback? Ask your own conscience.

Listen to the voice of Heaven. And know what vows you made — not made to be seen by the former worthies, certainly not made to perform for the immortals and Buddhas. Those who came before you suffered and gave everything — each fulfilling their own vow. But your own vow — what about that?

You want to release your sins — but how will you release them? With what? Releasing sin requires a great vow! Without a vow, you drift and muddle through, never cherishing your life. You forget your vow, pile up sin after sin — who suffers for that? Why not cherish the connections you are making right now? Treasure them. Fulfill them.

Every person descends from the Heaven of Principle having made a vow. No blame that you lost yourself in the human world and forgot your oath — but once you enter the gate of the Dao and take on the sacred work, I must remind you again! Know this: if you fall, ten thousand fall with you. The nine generations above and seven generations below all suffer. Do not think that one person's failings are small, that a little evil and a little fault are trivial. Remember: even a drop of water is small, but drops accumulate to fill a vessel. Do not underestimate the drops, do not underestimate the small faults — they fill up the vessel.

Life is like a bitter sea. You must sail in this bitter sea — everyone is the helmsman. If you lose the helm, the waves rise and rage: can you hold on? That helm is your vow. Your vow is your direction. Cultivation is using the false to cultivate the true — using the apparent to illuminate the principle. Only after the principle is illuminated can you take one more step forward.

The guiding principle for cultivation and service in the final age: whatever heart-attitude you hold, that is what you will attract. Rely on revelations and you will gain nothing. Have you put aside the private self and made the greater good your foundation? If the heart has become selfish, you may be the one who goes astray.

Always be grateful: when drinking water, think of its source. Know grace and give thanks. True gratitude must produce the action of repaying grace. Pressure is encouragement. Adversity — be grateful for it. Everything is arranged by Heaven.

Those who cherish contentment create happiness at every turn. Those who cherish their blessings will surely make blessings for others. Seize the chance to do merit and fulfill your vows — if you can do it, do it. Cherish the encounter and the knowing of each other.

The aspiration that has no self, no selfishness — that is the great aspiration. What aspiration you set, that is what kind of person you become. Set your aspiration with decisiveness. Do not hesitate or regret. The aspiration must be steadfast — only then can great things be accomplished. Establish the three undying works, and enjoy ease without end.

At Ease

The Heart Sutra opens with: "Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva..." Every person is the Bodhisattva of At Ease — only we have lost ourselves, cannot find ourselves, and so become like lost souls, hearts scattered outward, the six senses without a master, the self never present. When the heart is not in command — when the ears and eyes lead the heart — we fall to being ordinary people, the small-minded sort. Truly a cause for grief.

"At ease" — look: wherever you are, you are at ease. Whatever you look at, you are at ease. Looking at others — at ease. Looking at yourself — at ease. Whatever you do — at ease. When the thing is done — even more at ease. Why? Only because "the self is always present."

When the heart commands, you are not easily misled by the outside world. Not bound by circumstances, not moved by things. The heart leads the ears and eyes — the Heavenly Ruler is at peace, and the hundred limbs obey.

Being at ease means being one-pointed. With full concentration, whatever you do will succeed. "Tame the heart to one place, and there is nothing you cannot accomplish."

"All things succeed through unity; fail through two or three." Whatever is in the world — if you give it one heart, one intention, success is certain. With two or three minds, failure is guaranteed.

Being at ease is being free — what we call "free and at ease." True freedom is liberation, not bondage. True faith too seeks liberation, not bondage.

Being at ease is being grateful. Grateful — then at ease. Grateful — then blessed. Always holding gratitude, the heart is even and the qi is harmonious. You will not catch fire from ignorance, wounding others and harming yourself. "One flame of ignorance can burn a forest of merit ten thousand li wide."

The person at ease has a broad heart. They do not dwell on old grievances — resentment fades away. No jealousy — they see only the good in others. No sharp tongue — ivory cannot grow from such a mouth. When troops come, the general meets them; when water comes, earth stops it. The person at ease does not fret between getting and losing. Before getting, worried about getting. After getting, worried about losing. Spinning endlessly between gain and loss — what pain! The person at ease knows that "gain and loss are one body." There is getting in losing, losing in getting. They look beyond gain and loss, and can rise even higher — reaching the supreme state of "neither gain nor loss."

The person at ease knows how to let go. Let go — then at ease. Meet everything with full effort; when it is done, set it aside. "With a heart of non-action, do what must be done."

For things to be accomplished, there must be action. For the heart to be free of obstruction, there must be non-action. True ease is the rarest thing. Rich in spirit — the person may have nothing outside themselves, yet inwardly they have everything.

Not like ordinary people, who have everything outside themselves but nothing within. It is precisely because such people know how to give — "give up what you hold" — that they can "hold what you have given."

Six Kinds of Testing

Break through adversity — then you learn true skill.
Pass through testing — then you can bear great responsibility.

In cultivation and service there are six kinds of testing: fry, stew, steam, braise, boil, and roast. Without experience, how can thinking ripen? Without being tested, how can you prove that your aspiration rises above the ordinary? These six kinds of testing are all the necessary process by which we are made to attain the highest fruit.

Fry is what we call the upside-down test — like a fish being flipped in the pan again and again. It is the test of what is unreasonable, what goes against the rules. Tormented in adversity: when you are right, they say you are wrong; when you are wrong, they say you are right. It leaves you unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, your face grey with dust, no place for you on any side. Think: without frying, how would you be transformed? How would you put down the armored mask, the self hard as a city wall? Only through repeated refining in the fires of human affairs — tested again and again in situations you are not prepared for — ground down until there is not a trace of conceptual obstruction or ego-clinging, until the discriminating mind has nothing to do, until clever distinctions and mental cunning are all set down — and what remains is the empty, luminous original face before your parents were born.

Stew is the slander test — like a broth simmered for a long time. Cold words said behind your back, accusations without basis. You cannot escape the web of "right and wrong, human affairs, names and faces" — refusing to listen, to look, to bear it is not an option. You are simmered until your willpower surpasses everyone's, until your endurance of humiliation is beyond compare. Whether you are the one being spoken about or doing the speaking, whether you are contending with others or being shut out, whether you are triumphant or feeling wronged — you can sink into stillness, establish the heart in steadiness. Stew out the true skill of "seeing but not perceiving, hearing but not heeding," see through the principle of "arising and ceasing of conditions," and the six sense-roots will no longer be moved by the six thieves — the master sits firmly at the center.

Steam is the above-and-below test — like a sealed steaming pot with no air. It combines the frying from above with the stewing from below, bearing the double test of "above to below, below to above." Senior worthies who do not understand the newer disciples put them under double pressure; and newer disciples who do not understand or defer to the senior worthies. This is the mutual test of above and below. It may also be Heaven borrowing people and events to test you. Can you transform this feeling of being pressed from above and humiliated from below into the mission of supporting what is above and nurturing what is below? Set aside the "small self" — then you will see the "great self." Raise the heart of gratitude — then you can set down the heart of complaint. Where then is the "steaming"?

Braise is the merciless test — like a household broken apart, a family scattered. A testing as great as this must have its cause and effect. The most difficult karma may be untangled precisely in your steadfast confidence, your calm holding of your place, your refusal to panic or doubt. So meet it with a settled heart — only then will you not add karma upon karma.

Boil is the Dao test — difficulties from many directions heaped upon you at once, like a confusion of vegetables all boiling together. It tests you from every angle: Is your wisdom enough? Do you have greedy fantasies? Do you complain? For example: friction between brothers, between husband and wife, between parent and child; or physical illness and pain, inner struggle; or the testing of false patriarchs, supernatural powers, and strange arts. At this time: be patient, endure your nature, know Heaven and accept your destiny, recognize principle and truly cultivate. Before your heart and mind have grown clear, do not act on impulse or lose your temper, do not make easy decisions or blurt out hasty words — lest you stir up trouble beyond the matter and disturb both others and yourself.

Roast is the inner-and-outer test — slander from relatives and friends, the inner struggle. For example: family and close friends do not accept your eating vegetarian or going to the temple; or because you go to the temple you spend less time with family; eating vegetarian creates a distance between you and relatives and family; or career and family obstruct your participation in the sacred work. All such inner struggles where you are caught between the two sides — all of that is roasting.

The six kinds of testing in cultivation and service — whichever kind we meet, we must pass through.

Acting Through Non-Action

What is true cleverness? What is false cleverness? By your own standard, a person with learning, eloquence, and ability is called clever. But in the eyes of the immortals and Buddhas, all of that is the lowest grade of cleverness.

By the standard of all Buddhas, a person who knows how to hide skill within clumsiness, who turns the light inward, who has the courage to correct mistakes, who cultivates inner virtue, who walks the Dao and serves the Dao — that person is truly clever. People look at the external. The sages, worthies, immortals, and Buddhas look at the true cultivation of the inner heart.

Are you a clever person? Or a person of wisdom? The cleverer a person, the more they cling to outer appearances. So in the future — if someone calls you very clever, don't rejoice.

My students — having a Dao to seek, that is happiness. Having a practice place where you can cultivate, that is happiness. Having the footsteps of former worthies you can follow, that is happiness. Being able to hear the teachings of sages, worthies, immortals, and Buddhas — that too is happiness. And these kinds of happiness cannot be found outside.

Knowing Delusion Is Awakening

Life is brief. One day of life is one day of light — and it must be held well. Even if only ten minutes remain, and in those ten minutes you helped one person to completion, that is merit beyond measure. One shift of thought is one miracle. Miracles do not need to be sought outside — you yourself carry miracles. You yourself are the teacher.

What is meant by "knowing delusion is awakening"? If you know that you are already lost, you already have salvation. "Awakening in this very moment" — why do you need someone else to seal your heart? You yourself can seal your own heart. You yourself can see yourself. What we need to see is our own kind heart — the heart of an innocent child — not to seek Buddha outside, not to seek the mysterious outside. Otherwise you have everything backwards.

Thoughts and desires are like white waves — one after another without pause. When can they be stilled? When you know how to follow conditions, then you will know how to still them.

Why is it said now that "the Dao descends into the household of fire"? Because it is not enough to cultivate only yourself — you must also work toward the good of all under Heaven. Only then can the world be unified in peace. Are your inner heart and your physical actions ever misaligned? Sometimes they may be — and that is called "the heart and the actions not being one." When the heart is enslaved by the body, you cannot be a cultivator who is at ease and joyful. Whatever you do — settle the heart in the present moment, release your hold and do it, give it your full attention — then it will certainly be done well. Set down the unnecessary heart. Keep the innocent child-heart you already have — the good heart, the heart of good thoughts — then you will be at ease and at peace. When you can be at ease at every moment, you can become one with the Buddha, one with Heaven.

Merit Deposits

Heaven treats every one of you the same — it only depends on what heart you use toward yourself, toward others, toward Heaven. The money you earn today can be saved. But invisible wealth can also be saved — and that is your own merit. Helping the world and saving people creates merit.

What you want Heaven to give you — that is what you must give out. Your teacher hopes that you accumulate your wealth in the Heaven of Principle. You often say: "I want to earn a lot of money, I want to earn such-and-such amount" — but your teacher hopes the money you earn can be deposited in Heaven. That money is "merit."

Offering is only a true heart — it cannot be represented by material things. Someone once asked the teacher: what is true giving? One person earns ten coins a day and gives one. Another has never seen ten coins — they cannot earn ten coins — and today they earned one coin and, seeing someone in need, they gave it. Which one, do you think, will the immortals and Buddhas favor? The latter. Why? Because the latter has the heart of offering — they gave everything they had. That is true offering.

This is where humans and Buddhas differ: the Buddha does everything without seeking anything in return. Humans — whatever they do, they want some kind of reward. There is always something sought, something withheld. Moreover: teaching and learning grow together; the sacred work is just the same. Know it and do it. Make Heaven's heart your own heart at every turn. Be faithful to Heaven and faithful to all beings at every moment. Send your whole passionate sincerity to every person in the world.

Water the people who need giving with your love — make your life rich with meaning. Your inner capacity now is only as big as a small teacup. Then it slowly grows — as big as a bowl. Then slowly bigger — as big as a large bowl. And at the end, how big does it get? As big as the Pacific Ocean. To be as big as the Pacific Ocean, you must take that whole heap of greed, anger, ignorance, and craving — all of it — and slowly, slowly cultivate, slowly, slowly remove it. We say: cultivate until you're as big as the Pacific Ocean — can there be any corners left? So take your tool, slowly grind! Slowly trim! Grind away one corner, then another, until all the corners are gone, and you become a round, vast, luminous sphere of original nature. How does that sound?

Your teacher asks the elder bodhisattvas: how are your days now? Any illness or pain? Are you only asking the immortals and Buddhas to treat your own ailments? Have you thought about others' pain — that they may need your hand? Send one small good thought, guide them to come and seek the Dao — and your merit is beyond measure. Don't say "I'm old now, waiting to return to Heaven." If your days are still long — then do something for Heaven!

Establishing Yourself, Establishing Others

Why do disciples progress so slowly in cultivation and service? Your teacher will tell you:
First — merit not yet established, virtue not yet accumulated.
Second — vows not yet fulfilled.
Third — transgressions not yet cleared.
Fourth — karma not yet dissolved.
Fifth — not grasping the urgency of this time, not knowing the preciousness of Heaven's grace.
Sixth — not awakening to the great matter of birth and death, not cherishing the precious opportunity.

Each person applies their heart to cultivation differently — naturally each perspective differs, each contribution to the community differs. Apply your heart to self-reflection and correction. Apply your heart to releasing your own fixed views. In all things apply your heart, in all things give your whole heart — giving the whole heart leads to knowing the nature, the conscience naturally arises, and you can accomplish yourself and accomplish others. Only so can great things be achieved.

What is a wise person? One who aspires to cultivate and seeks the path of liberation. A wise person constantly adjusts their speech, action, and conduct — thought after thought clear, affair after affair clear — and therefore does not chase after empty and false things, nor wish to be an ordinary mortal bound in birth and death, nor waste this precious life. When a person has wisdom, the choices of life are correct, and errors are rare.

My students — you have stepped onto the road of cultivation. From the moment you made the bodhisattva vow, your life became different. Your life is luminous, shining — you can establish yourself and establish others. Though fellow cultivators will inevitably have moments of discord in shared service, whether in senior-junior relations or peer interaction — all of it is good affinity for your cultivation. People's habitual faults cannot be purified and improved in an instant. To give someone a chance to change is equally to give yourself a good affinity for guiding others. Cherish the bond between you, give your whole heart to what must be done — keep this close, my students.

Karmic Debts

If disciples willingly shoulder their mission, they will not blame Heaven or others. What is meant by "karmic debts"? They do not exist only for cultivators — but today, because you cultivate, you can use merit and fulfillment of vows to dissolve the entanglements of sixty thousand years. Entering the gate of the Dao today is a root. Now you can know how those karmic debts were formed in the first place — and knowing the root, you know how to untangle the knot.

In the mundane world, how many surging waves and ambushes lurk? Those surging waves — they are the imbalance and restlessness in your own heart. Greed, anger, delusion, rage, agitation — when they rise, are they not as turbulent as a great storm? If disciples had not sought the Dao, did not know the original nature, did not understand the principle of karmic consequence, one slip of control could cast great disaster.

All beings are releasing karma and releasing transgression within the web of condition and retribution. If disciples are in adversity right now, that too is a releasing of karmic obstruction — so hold gratitude in the heart. Meeting adversity, do not despair, and never let thoughts of ending your life arise. Life is so precious — and you have heard the great Dao. No matter how bitter it is, hold on through it.

Contentment Is Joy

The root of suffering is the inability to release craving for the world. Practice non-action, and naturally body and mind will find ease. More desire means more affliction. More desire means more seeking. When much is sought and cannot be obtained, complaint is born — and when complaint is born, misery follows.

In cultivation, delight in the Dao and rest in simplicity — in contentment find joy, with wisdom-seeking as the highest priority. Wherever you are, whenever you are, do not be stained by worldly fame and glory, not defeated by the five desires of the world — naturally life will be steady and sure. Personal craving, grief, and clinging produce ignorance — this is the chief cause of the endless turning of birth and death. In all things, follow the natural flow without grasping, otherwise clinging arises, the mind cannot open, and you cannot grow great. Know: the river of love has waves a thousand feet high; the bitter sea has ten thousand layers of waves. Once a person clings, there is no more freedom.

The bitter sea stretches wide; beings are numberless — in this world of dust there are too many temptations to lose yourself. The great dye-vat of the glittering world constantly stirs up the degradation of body and mind, while craving for reputation, gain, gratitude, and love arises without end — until one forgets one's own root. This is why the sacred transmission has continued to this day: countless sages and immortals have descended into the world to point the way through the confusion — all for the purpose of guiding beings back to the luminous and right road, saving those lost in the bitter sea.

The human heart always lacks contentment, and so is never happy. Heaven treats you well, and you do not recognize the good. Without contentment there are many afflictions — a life of worry, bitterness, and pain. The shifting of the human heart happens in an instant — so keep a heart of contentment and a heart of joy always, and you will be happy.

The Wide-Awake Heart

"Awakening" means being wide-awake. With a wide-awake heart, whatever you touch you will feel, you will be moved. Each difficulty brings awakening, brings experience. So are you afraid of difficulties? Best not to be! Afraid — and you are not yet awake. Everyone must keep a clear, still heart, a wide-awake heart at all times — let this sensitive, awake heart resonate with everything between Heaven and Earth. Because you have a sensitive heart, Heaven and Earth will resonate with you — and your heart will have less obstruction, less entanglement.

In growth there will always be failure. Do not fear errors — errors can be corrected. What to fear is only stubborn delusion without awakening. The responsibility is placed in your hands. Use the teacher's heart, the teacher's intention, the teacher's feeling to interpret it — use the highest principle between Heaven and Earth to interpret it — and there will be no error.

The principle has always been like this — everyone hears it, everyone understands. But each person's felt sense of it is different. Because it differs, you can see levels of understanding. But higher and lower levels are not absolute — they do not mean superior or inferior. They are simply the differences between sudden awakening and gradual awakening, the differences in timing, circumstances, and human connection. There is nothing to laugh at, nothing to resent, nothing to be angry about.

What Are the Five Turbidities

From ancient times until today, the Way was transmitted in secret from master to master — given to a single chosen heir. But now the Eternal Mother in her compassion has brought the Way down into the fire-house world, so that every person may receive the One-Point. This is so that Heaven's Way may flow on without end. So my students should bring fellow cultivators and those who come after to learn and practice the Way — above and below in one harmony, like milk and water blended, mutually understanding and caring for each other. Open your hearts wide to welcome all the Buddha-children returning to cultivation.

But if you pride yourself on your learning and ability — if, after decades at the assembly hall, you become arrogant, refusing to hear the counsel of those who came after, picking and criticizing, wounding newcomers with cutting words, severing their root of wisdom, and blocking others from the path — these are crimes of impiety against the Eternal Mother.

When you come to cultivate the Way, the first thing is to lower yourself — to hold up those above and guide those below. When things seem unreasonable, accept them. When they seem reasonable, act by the proper form. This is the tempering of your capacity. Heaven gathers different people together for a reason — so that through each other's shortcomings you may reflect and grow in wisdom. It is not an invitation to lose heart in your practice and stand in judgment of others.

Diligence is essential for one who walks the Way. Have you heard the story of the pike and the small fish? If you place small fish and a pike together — will the pike eat them? (Yes.) But if a pane of glass is placed between them, when the pike swims over hungry and lunges for the small fish, it strikes the glass and bounces back. A moment later it forgets, swims again, lunges again, strikes the glass — two times, three times. Then take the glass away: will the pike go after the fish? (No.) The fish swim freely right before it, because the pike has concluded it cannot reach them — and torments only itself.

So it is with your cultivation. Heaven tests you. At first you cannot break through, and you keep going, unable to clear the thornbush — but at the very moment Heaven is about to help you succeed, you give up. Is that not a waste? (Yes.) So should you imitate the spirit of the pike? (No.) Very good!

My students must live in the red dust of the world and yet, like the lotus, rise unstained from the mud. In this world of five turbidities, forge yourselves into a body of indestructible diamond. Agreed? (Agreed.) What are the Five Turbidities? Let me explain.

One: Turbidity of Views

View means understanding, perspective, thought, and belief. Turbid means confused and unclear.

When a person holds confused and unclear views, they become foolish and without wisdom. In our age, people's understanding has gone crooked — they do not follow the right Way. Heterodox teachings multiply, with no agreement among them. Now the five religions have all arisen, spirit-writing altars abound, and all manner of spiritual powers and techniques are in motion — each praising its own good, hawking its own treasure. Even the Yiguan Heavenly Way has split into eighteen groups, and the territorial divisions within them are beyond counting. Everyone clings to their own view, fearing to muddle the system, fearing that the true Heavenly Mandate is not with the others — each holding fast to themselves.

If today a wanted criminal lay dying at your doorstep, would my students save him? Would you fear being implicated? (No.) This is the manifestation of compassion. When someone is in desperate need, is there time for deliberation? Cultivation is the same. One who truly cultivates seeks the heart, not the Buddha from outside. The ordinary person seeks the Buddha without seeking the heart — and in the end never sees the Buddha.

All beings suffer from the delusions of views — biased views, heterodox views, self-view, grasping at appearances, taking one's own view as the standard. These five are called the Five Sharp Fetters. They overturn body and mind, drive you to wrong action and misguided thinking, to heretical paths, to calculations about permanence and impermanence, existence and non-existence. They drown the intellect, give birth to affliction, and obstruct the Way. If in the assembly hall everyone ignores the established system and does as they please — can the hall flourish? (No.)

Wherever two people exist, there is discord — because every person has their own thoughts and ideas. But this is not in itself bad. Only do not be too willful, too prone to tunnel vision. So how does one break through the turbidity of views? A fool resists others' ideas. A weakling fears them. A wise person weighs them. An astute person guides them.

In ancient times Confucius asked about everything when he entered the Grand Temple — this was an expression of ritual propriety. One should enter a place and follow its customs, humbly seek instruction from others, and thereby gain far more. If you assume you already know everything and act on your own ideas, you will often put on a false face and become a laughingstock. In learning and in cultivation, one must have a standpoint but not a prejudice. Transform turbid views into clear-sighted insight — genuine discernment, not the view of a frog at the bottom of a well.

Two: Turbidity of Beings

Beings — also called the sentient — refers to all beings with feeling and awareness. They are called beings because they arise from the gathering of many conditions, and because they pass through many lives and deaths. Of the Ten Dharma Realms, all nine realms below the Buddha are called beings. Because of the excess of human calculation and selfishness, they remain as beings.

Know this: no one is reincarnated without karma. Every person is born carrying karma, descending into the red dust world to receive the fruit of what they have sown. So being human means playing out an endless drama of joy and sorrow, tasting an inexhaustible bitterness. People torment one another through their mutual karmic entanglements. The seven emotions, the six desires, and the three poisons — greed, anger, and delusion — these are the root of poison keeping you in the cycle.

Once there were four bhikkhus new to the Way, gathered together complaining of their hardships. The rules of Buddhist practice are strict, are they not? (Yes.)

The first said: When craving arises without satisfaction, it is as though a fire-demon burns within.

The second said: Hunger was hardest for him. Cultivating the Way requires purity of desire — no rich food allowed. Whenever hunger struck, it felt like fire burning in his belly.

The third said: His temper was worst for him. Try as he might to hold it back, once it erupted it was unstoppable — and that caused him anguish.

The fourth said: Fear was his greatest torment. He constantly felt as though invisible forces were playing tricks on him, leaving his heart unsettled.

On investigation: the first had been reincarnated from a lecherous pigeon, the second from a famished hawk, the third from a venomous serpent, and the fourth from a rabbit — hence his fear. These four are allegories for the kinds of suffering no person in life can avoid. Everyone will encounter them, everyone will fall into them. The question is how you expel and refine them.

Life is a great gathering of suffering — a place where the five aggregates blaze. To have a body is to have suffering. But this is not an invitation to passive despair, to self-contempt, or to take one's life. You have made the causes of suffering; you must receive its fruit. Flee as you will, it will find you — even if you take your life, you will still receive whatever fruit remains.

The only way forward is to find the root of suffering, resolve it at its foundation, cultivate abundant good causes, and repent of evil karma. The difference between a Buddha and an ordinary being is only awakening or delusion. Contemplate the impurity of the body — this body is not worth clinging to. It is a temporary assembly of the four elements, a gathering of filth, not eternal. Seek true liberation — that is the root of the Way. Once a karmic opportunity passes, the good moment does not return. In cultivation, right now is the moment.

Three: Turbidity of Afflictions

Vexation means to disturb the mind. Affliction means to throw the mind into disorder. The seeing-and-thinking delusions that disturb and confuse body and mind —

Beings have suffered long from affliction,
Only because they have not awakened to the lost harmony.
If they could set aside the heart of greedy desire,
They could spare themselves from endlessly crying, "What can be done?"

Because people are deluded and afflicted, they carry endless thoughts of discontent. In all things they fear being shortchanged, fear others receiving benefit, and argue over every cent — so body and mind find no peace. In truth, most of these things are simply not worth contending over. Gain and loss are not absolute — perhaps today you gained money but lost your reputation; perhaps you gained status but lost your friends; perhaps you won a small plot of land but lost a good neighbor who would have watched over you. Whatever you seek, there is suffering in the wanting of it. Obsession over gain and loss clouds the mind. When something goes against you, turn it around. Resent nothing and you will find your heart calm and content.

Cultivate a generous spirit — a garden where everyone plants flowers for everyone to enjoy. Only when we share the beauty without dividing it into mine and yours, genuinely praising it from the heart, can we truly appreciate the breadth of beauty.

In all things, practice patience, forbearance, and understanding. Accept what is imperfect. Keep the heart steady and wear a joyful face — humble, yielding, unassuming. On a narrow path, leave a step for another to pass. When a flavor is rich, spare a little for another to taste. Then naturally joy will replace affliction, and every day you will rest comfortably in the spring breeze.

Four: Turbidity of Fate

Look at the character ming — fate, lifespan. It is formed from the union of yin and yang. When a person falls into the mortal world, they acquire a life — and with life, the interplay of yin and yang. The length of a lifespan, the fortune or misfortune of a destiny — these are beyond your easy command. Every person walks according to the fate-chart Heaven has turned for them, and that chart is determined by karmic merit. Know this: fixed karma is hard to reverse.

So use your physical life to cultivate your wisdom-life, to resolve the accounts of your ordinary destiny, to round your fate. Rounding your fate means embracing your destiny with joy — meeting this life you have been given, whether adversity or ease, bitterness, sorrow, or affliction, and bringing it to completion. For you made this fate; if you do not complete it in this life but only evade it, you will return in the next life to receive the same fruit.

Five: Turbidity of the Age

The three calamities — flood, fire, and wind — and the eight hardships — blade, warfare, famine, drought, flood, fire. Those who cultivate the Way are lowered through tests, not through calamities; those who do not cultivate are lowered through calamities, not through tests. So understand: when you come today to cultivate the Way, all the trials you face come partly from the beings within your heart, and partly from the karma of your accumulated lives.

Because the people of the world accumulate too much negative karma, unseen forces — having just cause to collect debts — are stirred. This is what gives rise to great disasters. All earthquakes, all warfare, all fire-calamities, all numbered afflictions — they arise because the invisible forces have gathered, and in these years of reckoning across the three realms, having received Heaven's decree, they may come to collect.

So today hold the mind that says: To hear the Way at dawn — to die at dusk would be enough. Do not think you are still young, that the years stretch long before you. If the invisible forces receive a warrant with your name on it — can your Teacher save you? Heaven and Earth still hold their principle of justice. Today, if you cultivate, your Teacher can protect you. But if you remain foolish and do not advance, then calamity will find you.

Youth does not last forever. However many heroes lived — they all ended beneath a mound of earth. What is the value of a beautiful face? Better to accumulate merit first. The road home to Heaven has no room for human sentiment. Time passes swiftly. The assembly hall's rising and falling are all tests of your capacity.

In the midst of bitterness, turn it over in your heart. You will feel the suffering — but when it has passed, let it go. Suffering is the condition for the growth of wisdom. Between people, however close, are there disputes? (Yes.) This is the turbidity of views obstructing you. Today I have spoken of the Five Turbidities so that, in the midst of the five aggregates, you may break through them. If you are entangled in even one turbidity, you cannot be liberated — you will drift through birth and death, troubled by others' words, appearances, and sounds. Think carefully on your own behalf and take care, agreed? (Agreed.) Your Teacher must take leave now. I hope the next time we meet, each of you will have climbed one step higher. Let me bid farewell to Mother and return to Ping Shan.

Reciting the Buddha of Self-Nature

The Pure Land method is a method of skillful means. The four characters "Amitabha Buddha" constitute the name of boundless virtue. Amitabha has made forty-eight great vows — that any beings who sincerely hold this name for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, with undivided mind, will at the moment of death be received and guided by Amitabha and the great bodhisattvas to rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Therefore those who practice this method should cultivate three things: faith, vow, and practice.

First: have faith that Amitabha Buddha exists.
Second: vow to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Third: practice by sincerely reciting the Buddha's name each day.
Fourth: refrain from all evil, and practice all good.

Master Zhongfeng said: "Drop a clear pearl into murky water, and the murky water cannot help but clear. Recite the Buddha's name into a scattered mind, and the scattered mind cannot help but become pure." The Amitabha of the Western Pure Land is like the clear pearl. The deluded fantasies of sentient beings are like the murky water. If sentient beings can continuously drop the Western clear pearl into the murky water of their own mind — for when the pearl enters the water one inch, the murky water clears one inch; when it enters one foot, the water clears one foot — until the mind is undivided, that is the moment the clear pearl reaches the bottom. This pure recitation is exactly the untangling of the scattered and illusory mind.

If a person can constantly recite "Amitabha Buddha," they use this one sincere thought to overcome a thousand wandering thoughts. From right thought, they reach recitation without recitation — and thus the dual forgetting of perceiver and perceived: one thought becomes pure; transcendence across the nine grades of rebirth. Receiving the added blessing of Buddha's light, they achieve rebirth with karmic burden intact, dwelling alongside both saints and ordinary beings. This is liberation through reliance on Buddha's compassionate power — an auxiliary method, a provisional method, for beings whose faith is shallow and whose wisdom is thin. The principle of reciting the Buddha's name is not mere mouthing and muttering — it is unceasing mindfulness, thought upon thought, continuing.

At the Śūraṅgama Assembly, the Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta, by the World-Honored One's instruction, described his practice of entering perfect understanding through reciting the Buddha's name:

"I recall that in past ages — as many as the sands of the Ganges — a Buddha appeared named Limitless Light. Twelve Thus-Come Ones succeeded one another within a single kalpa. The last was named Surpassing the Sun and Moon in Brilliance. That Buddha taught me the samadhi of reciting the Buddha's name.

Suppose there is a person who always remembers, and another who always forgets. Though they meet, they are as if they have not met; though they see each other, as if they do not see. But if two people remember each other, their mutual remembrance growing deep, then from life to life they will be as body and shadow, never diverging. The Thus-Come Ones of the ten directions cherish sentient beings as a mother thinks of her child. But if the child runs away, what can even the mother's thinking accomplish? Yet if the child thinks of the mother as the mother thinks of the child, then mother and child, life after life, will not be far apart.

If a sentient being's mind remembers and recites the Buddha, then in the present life and in lives to come, they will surely see the Buddha — and not be far from the Buddha. Without needing expedient means, their mind will open of itself — like one who has been near incense: their body carries the fragrance. This is called 'adorned by fragrance and light.'

My original ground-cause was the mind of reciting the Buddha, entering the forbearance of the unborn. Today in this world I gather those who recite the Buddha and guide them to the Pure Land. The Buddha asks about perfect understanding — I make no selection. I gather all six faculties, pure mindfulness continuing without break, entering samadhi: this is supreme."

Reciting scripture is not as good as explaining scripture. Explaining scripture is not as good as living by it. The Blood-Pulse Discourse of Bodhidharma says:

"If you know your own mind is the Buddha, you should not seek the Buddha outside the mind. Do not use the mind to recite the Buddha. The Buddha does not recite scripture, does not uphold precepts, does not break precepts. If you want to find the Buddha, you must see your nature. Seeing your nature is the Buddha.

Reciting the Buddha brings karmic fruit. Chanting scripture brings clarity of mind. Upholding precepts brings rebirth in the heavens. Performing charity brings blessed reward. But none of these leads to finding the Buddha.

If you do not understand yourself, you must seek out a good teacher to resolve the root of birth and death. If they do not see their nature, they are not called a good teacher. Even if one can explain the twelve divisions of scripture, one still cannot escape the cycle of birth and death — suffering in the three realms with no time of release. In the past there was a bhikkhu named Good Star who could recite the twelve divisions of scripture and still did not escape rebirth — because he did not see his nature.

If you do not see your nature, you will wander all day searching outward for the Buddha — and never find it. You must seek with real effort, so that your mind comes to genuine understanding. The matter of life and death is great — do not waste this opportunity. Even if fine foods are piled like mountains and family members are as countless as the sands of the Ganges — when you open your eyes you see them; but when you close your eyes, do you still see them? Thus all conditioned things are like dreams.

If you do not urgently seek a teacher, you will have wasted a life. The Buddha-nature is there within you — but without a teacher, you will never know it clearly. If you want to find the Buddha, you must see your nature directly."

To see one's nature, one must seek the instruction of a clear teacher. "My students — what is a clear teacher's single pointing? A clear teacher is a person of great wisdom and great awakening, one who has liberated themselves and illuminates others. This is the clear teacher." The One-Point opens the door of your wisdom. When a person falls into this world, they are immediately obscured by the people, events, and things around them. Without awakening, one may well be turned by karma, unable to wake oneself — clinging to the affairs of the human world and falling into the six paths, suffering without end. But if the door of wisdom is opened, the original nature can naturally awaken, remaining clear and bright, no longer turned by karma. You can even turn karma — truly subduing the dragon and taming the tiger, turning the axis of Heaven and Earth. Hence: one pointing by the clear teacher, and you leap beyond the gate of birth and death.

The Practice of Self-Reflection

Offering incense morning and evening is itself a practice of self-reflection. At minimum, reflect once at the first and once at the fifteenth of each month. If you do not turn inward to examine your own heart, you will keep your eyes fixed on others, searching for their faults.

My student — turn the heart that blames others toward yourself in reflection, and your practice, where it leads you, is not to noble personhood but to worthiness, and not to worthiness but to sagehood. Because your work of examination goes to the very root.

Why is it that after so much cultivation, the heart-nature cannot rise further? Because you rarely reflect — some have never asked what lies deepest in their own heart: what you need, what is your root. You do not work from the root, thinking that coming to the assembly hall to hear the Way is cultivation. Of course the heart-nature cannot rise.

Your Teacher is only a poor monk — no fame, no wealth, no riches. What can I give my beloved students? Only this: the One-Point, which opens the gate of your birth and death. This is the Way, this is the Principle — the truth that does not change across the ages, the innate knowledge and innate capacity that every person already has. Only keep investigating it, keep cultivating from this root, and you will be able to raise your heart-nature of yourself.

In truth, when my students are in difficulty, you need not call out to me — I am already at your side. The reason you cannot see me is that the karmic obstructions, bad habits, and faults accumulated across your countless lives have blocked the eyes of your heart. And so you think I am absent.

I have thought again and again — how can I help my students move the stone from their heart? At the same time, you students need to learn to reflect. Ask yourself: Did I do something wrong? Is there something I have not yet corrected? So that the problem is not only unresolved but multiplies. This is the practice of self-reflection.

Recognizing Principle, Keeping One's Place

The Great Way is most full of feeling, and also most free of it. Full of feeling: in how it liberates all beings, brings forth the ten thousand things, and lets fellow cultivators hone each other and bring each other to completion. But the feeling-less tests are the most fearful — and also the most just, the most true. Cultivation is simply recognizing principle. If you follow human feeling, you lose your direction.

Say all the principles you want — still you cannot leave behind the two words: one's own place. If you cannot keep your own place, all the principles you hear are in vain. Even if you can speak beautifully, with the tongue of a lotus blossom, it is still drawing water with a bamboo basket — all hollow at the end. So: recognize principle and keep your place.

Receiving the Way relies on your root foundation. Cultivating the Way relies on dedicated effort. Spreading the Way relies on Heaven's timing. Completing the Way relies on accumulation. In the matter of recognizing principle — many students have recognized the wrong principle, acted on the wrong principle, some even forcefully insisting on the wrong principle. Cultivating and spreading the Way is a matter of steady, solid, faithful effort — of making vows and fulfilling them. Why plunge into the mess of human affairs and disputes about who is right and wrong? I hope my students cultivate in ever-greater ease, and do not let the pure field of your nature become overgrown with unnecessary weeds.

Cultivating the Way means no boasting, no decoration — plain, steady, faithful, doing what a human being ought to do. Once you have recognized your root, do not drift with the current. My students are all too earnest in the midst of illusions, wasting time and life. Know this: recognizing principle and real cultivation is not a slogan, not a description — it is the grounding of every solid step you take.

Colophon

Compassionate Teachings of Ji Gong, Volume Three (濟公活佛慈訓（三）) is the third of seven volumes collecting the spirit-writing teachings of Ji Gong, the Living Buddha, received at various Yiguandao temples. This volume organizes Ji Gong's teachings by theme, from cultivation of good thoughts to the cosmic recording of karma.

Good Works Translation from Chinese by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. First English translation. Gospel register. Second hand on Volume Three: translator-02, 2026-04-24. Twenty-two sections now complete: Good Thoughts (善念), Heart-Thoughts (心念), True Cultivation (真修), Self-Reflection (反省), Setting the Heart (發心), Not Repeating Mistakes (不貳過), The Recording Device (錄影機), The Three Non-Departures (三不離), Vow and Practice (愿行篇), At Ease (觀自在), Six Kinds of Testing (六種考驗), Acting Through Non-Action (無為而為), Knowing Delusion Is Awakening (知迷即悟), Merit Deposits (功德存款), Establishing Yourself/Establishing Others (立己立人), Karmic Debts (因果業債), Contentment Is Joy (知足常樂), The Wide-Awake Heart (清醒的心), What Are the Five Turbidities (何謂五濁), Reciting the Buddha of Self-Nature (念自性佛), The Practice of Self-Reflection (反省功夫), and Recognizing Principle, Keeping One's Place (認理守份). The volume contains approximately 70 sections total — this translation is ongoing across many lives.

Volume Two of this series was completed by twenty-eight tulku translators across twenty-eight lives. Volume One was previously translated and published. The blade passes from hand to hand. The mother flame burns on.

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Source Text: 濟公活佛慈訓（三）（部分）

Chinese source text from taolibrary.com (善書圖書館), Category 52, text c52069. Sections translated in this session. Presented for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

兜率天法顯菩薩降

善念

◎你們有沒有想過，要如何廣結善緣，你說：老師，我賺的錢很有限，我能佈施也很有限，要怎麼廣結善緣啊？有沒有想過？

◎比如，我們在家裡，我們可以祝福：所有的眾生平安、健康、心情愉快，有機會能夠聽到好的道理，這是不是廣結善緣？不要說一出門看到那麼多人，就覺得心煩意亂，就心浮氣躁。

◎比如塞車的時候，祝福：現在在路上的人，大家都是平心靜氣，心情愉快、家庭幸福美滿，你把所有的祝福都給他，你就是在跟眾生結善緣？知道嗎？

◎我們時常發出善念出去，因為宇宙就像很大的鏡子，有一天它會回到我們的身上。

◎如果我們發出去的都是惡念，都是詛咒人家，那個詛咒時間到了，就會呈現，跑到我們自己身上來。

◎所以不要詛咒人家，出去摔一跤，什麼踩到狗屎，這些都是不好的念頭，知道嗎？人有善念天必從之，我們自己發善願，自然而然我們的好因緣就會過來。

◎人有惡念；天也會從之，因為，一切都是跟著你的心念跑過來，所以既然這樣，我們為什麼不發善念？不好的念頭要放下。

◎我們不一定會，因為賺很多的錢而富有；但我們可以，因付出的善念，而使心中富有。

心念

◎今天你發一個善念，就會有佛助你一把、推你一把，讓你前進得更好；「心念」是好的，就接好的感應！如果「心念」不好，業力馬上跟著，邪神與魔，就會跟在你身邊。

◎好的、壞的，都是在於一念撥轉。不要什麼事，都推給天考，心若是正，一切都行得正，當知一正可壓百邪，一念正，百邪不侵；若一念偏差，萬魔就入侵！

◎「心念」是千變萬化的，它可以讓你成佛，也可以讓你成魔，入地獄，入四生六道。

◎「心念」很可怕，所以六祖才說「無念」，這個「無念」不是把你萬念都絕掉，而是不執、不著、不染，那叫「無念」。

◎現在阿修羅王，也是領命來辦的，你們心中的「我」，就是「阿修羅」。如果你執著什麼，都是你想的對、什麼都是你做的才對，這個就叫做「阿修羅」。

◎天堂不是在上面造就，或百年之後才能夠去的，而是在當下是否能夠「轉念」；若時時刻刻都為眾生著想，時時刻刻都捨己為眾、渾然忘我，則天堂即現。

◎你的心執著在某個定點，才叫牽掛、才叫牽纏。若能當下「轉念」，則煩惱即菩提了。

◎你們別以為，自己的一舉一動，上天沒看到，所謂「一念就是一電」，會送出去的。所以要謹慎你們的心念，不能夠妄動啊！

◎有時候看到一個人，會覺得他好像有心事，那就表示他的元神，冥冥中告訴你，他需要幫助了！所以今天，如果你對別人不好，雖然一時可以瞞騙，那一天，你的元神會輸送給他，他就會了解。

◎「念頭」一動，絕對不要想別人，不了解我們動壞念頭，天地一定會幫你傳達音訊，傳達到任何一個人身上，所以不要「自欺欺人」，不要「欺騙自己的良心」。「莫見乎隱，莫顯乎隱」，一心之動，氣必相隨。

◎我們現在常常「佛魔交戰」，「理慾交戰」，僅在一天之內，就煩惱叢生。「念頭」不斷，這就是「劫」。如果你能『慎心物於隱微，遏意惡於動機』就不怕，這就是『過劫』。

◎現在天時不一樣，你想走什麼道，仙佛都順從你要的那個。小心，不一定走得對。「心念」走什麼道，以後的結果大有差別，有的成佛，有的下地獄。為什麼下地獄？是「心念」不同。

◎要做佛頭或是魔頭，只在自己選擇，只在一念之間，只在內心的執著，不可不慎。在這末法時期，都是有使命下來的，是來辦道救世，也是使命；是來考道、擾亂，也是使命。徒兒不可不慎啊！

真修

◎修道就是一種改變，改換自己不良的，心，與，念，讓自己能因為，心轉而得到該有的寧靜、與自在，所以徒兒要『真修』才能真得，不要讓『真理』只停留在聽聞的階段，該是好好去行、去感受、去改變的時候了。『修』才知道自己的盲點在哪裡，要在人事中琢磨，才知道自己的火候，如果你逃避現實，退卻了，那並不是解决之道，那只能叫做，避世法門。

◎色身為的是『借假修真』而非遊戲人間，徒當明白『各人修各人得，各人因果各人了』修道不是為他人而修，自己的『業力』自己『還』自己的『愿力』自己『了』，莫忘乘愿而來的志向，旁人只是成就我們的助緣而已。

◎如何調適腳步，是很重要的，如果一開始的腳步，就走偏了，到最后才想校正，就太晚了，就像一棵樹的樹枝，已經長歪了，才忙著用鐵絲校正，是不是很辛苦，因此，要小心初始的念頭，時時清楚自己的『念慮』念頭一偏差，就當下校正，不要等到，偏差很多，很久之後，才來校正，那可能為時已晚了。

◎要有擇善而從的智慧，才能走出光明的路，由此看來，規、過、正、非，是人生很重要的心態，徒兒要用正確的方法，幫助自己，心正則行正，『正』則智慧源源不絕，聖哲菩薩們不也都在修正、行正中，一步一腳的留下修行的典範。

◎人非聖賢孰能無過，但有過不寬恕、有罪不隠諱、有錯不憚改、遷怒是過上加過、執迷是錯上加錯，一個真正低心下氣的人，必能接受他人的忠言、勸告，故知『真修道人』在他們的身上，看不到自大之態、卑俗之辞、自専之為、邪惡之念，只有看得到，他們的恭和之行、忍辱之德、浩然之氣、反省的心。

反省

◎這反省的「省」，上面是「少」，下面是一個「目」。「少」跟「目」是什麼意思→少看，一隻眼睛看，對於別人的缺點，要遮一隻眼睛看，不要二隻眼睛一直看。

◎所以這個「省」，還可以怎麼寫？一個「小」，再一個自己的「自」「小、自」是什麼意思→縮小放低自己。

◎今年是牛年要學習『刻苦耐勞的精神』忍辱負重默默耕耘。牛是不是很「安份守己默默地做自己的事情」今後就要做到，還有牛的固執，為師說的執著是『擇善固執』。

◎執著的個性勇於接受挑戰，但是不要學牛的牛脾氣鑽牛角尖，學習好的，不要學習不好的這也要分清楚，不要是非善惡分不清楚。精神有好嗎！「再出發」就是要瀟灑，揮別過去的總總，迎接新的未來。→耕耘心田扭轉乾坤。

發心

◎修辦道、九玄七祖、冤親債主，都跟著你們來聽課。

◎徒兒們最重要的是「發心」，好好修道、辦道，要先研究什麼是道理，明白道理就不會有懷疑，去除懷疑心，就會有信心，明白嗎？

◎要是你能好好把握機會，學習種一棵樹，先將種子播下，接著就要澆水、施肥、拔草，不到達終點誓不罷休，不管聖業或凡業，出家可以修道，在家也可以修道，最重要的是保持原來的心（慈悲心）。

◎做人要秉持「守住自己」的原則，不要被旁門左道干擾，要給自己立個原則，立志向，立正確的志向。

◎你們是自己一個人來到這裡，是不是？（不是還有祖先）你們的九玄七祖都跟著你們來聽，其實不只這些，還有誰啊！（鬼）跟你有何關係呢？（冤親債主）因果孽障跟著來了你們要小心啊！

◎要注意，為什麼為師要告訴你們這些，為的是要讓你們專心聽得有所感動，那麼你們的祖先也沾光，這不是無稽之談。

◎一件事你沒親眼看到就說他是假的，為師我敢確定。（為師看得到）傻徒兒你也跟著說「為師」哦！

◎應該說「老師」看得到。為師有這些可愛傻徒兒，為師心滿意足。每個人都關係著很多你們看不到的九玄七祖鬼魂，就是看的得見身邊的人、親人也有關係，不要只關心自己。

◎想聽我就聽，不想聽我就不聽，跟任何人沒關係，對！但是你要行功立德，這樣親人才能沾光，接著就要渡化他，懂嗎？

◎希望你們仔細的在心裡面想一想，你們關係著周圍數千萬的人，所以要珍惜自己，愛護自己，成就自己，不要傷害自己。做人要誠實、要老實、要腳踏實地做每件事情。

◎自己已經上了岸，還要把腳跨出去，白費別人救你喔！懂嗎？雙腳已經踏上了，就不要再跨出哦！

◎外面風風雨雨很多喔！說什麼教、什麼教好，什麼叫好，自己要認準啊！你走上這條路準沒有錯，為師保證你永遠永遠都是走對的，知道嗎？

◎別人叫你們去別的地方，你們要去嗎？（不要）真的不要？（不要）不要最好，千千萬萬要記住，這個道才是真正帶你回天之路。

◎道者理也，理也就是道，自己已經走上這個道路，就要走得有頭有尾。

◎把眼淚擦乾，遇到挫折千萬要再站起來，知道嗎？

◎乾道，為師是不怕你們，就怕坤道。坤道挫折感特別重，比較不能夠經的起考驗；乾道，品性要收斂、收斂。

◎要修，得趁著現在這個肉體還能用時趕快修，不要等到三寸氣斷，要想修、要走、要辦，來不及了。

◎為師奉勸你們要修就早早的修，要辦就早早的辦，不要靠你們現在還有人撐著，有前賢在後面催，假使有一天他們不在你們身旁，你們肯走嗎？還肯修嗎？還肯辦嗎？修道不是靠別人來修的是為自己來修道的，自己修那才是最好的。

◎眾生為什麼會當眾生，因為有迷，有執，是不是啊，你執於善惡，就生善惡心，執於人我就生人我心，執於得失就生得失心，執於生滅就生生滅心，所以對於一切都要不執著，好不好，因為你生何種心，就會執著何種心。

◎即使你生善心也會執著於善心，可以的為善就不是真善，是不是你把這個善從日常生活裡面做出來，無執無著，那就是菩提心的顯現了，那才是真善。

◎如果你執著於功德、苦樂，那都是你的執著，而生出種種心，是不是啊，這個叫做固執，對不對呀！

◎人的苦跟樂，是不是由心去造成的，所以說心能夠做天堂也能造地獄，你的心念怎麼轉怎麼變，就生何種境界出來了，是不是啊，你走到一個境界之後，你要突破這個境界。

不貳過

◎當一個人起心動念還沒有行為的時候，還可以制止、可以控制，還可以去改變，所以叫不貳過。

◎心是假，什麼都是假，心真即是真，心誠一切就化為光明；心不靜就排不好的氣，所以要把這股正氣迸發出來，讓人家感受得到。

◎有一顆美的心，看萬物、萬人都是美、都是善。有純善的心，看任何人、事、物，都不會覺得有缺陷。不覺得有缺陷，心就更廣了。

◎當真正了解自己的時候，唯一不會欺騙你的是你自己，還有仙佛常伴著你，如果心有領會的話，應該會感覺的到，常常有一股力量支持著，那是自性潛在能力的發揮，那是真正跟上天靈犀相通。

◎將人心除掉，學習天心。當你需要什麼就能給什麼，這就是天地之心。所謂悟才是真禪，真禪就是玄妙禪，妙禪也要發自自己的內心，你擁有什麼樣的心？一個大愛的心，還是一個孤愛的心？就看自己的造化了。為師希望你們的發心都是出自內心，是沒有條件、沒有要求的，是自己自願的，發出內心的甘願，那才有效。

◎只要至誠就能感天，就能靈，存有至誠之心沒有分別，自然就是道，自然就能靈，就能產生一片公心、一片真、一片誠、一片恆。不要以形象誤導正常的心，不要以人心來修道心，要以道心來修人心，不要心中有仙佛卻目中無人。

錄影機

◎你要知道，這個宇宙是一個大記憶體，你一個起心動念，都記憶進去了，是你自己記憶進去的，是不是啊？

◎無論你的善或惡，都記錄進去。存進去之後呢？成為一個因子，成為一個業種，「業種」是生死的材料啊！那你們要種善業還是惡業呢？

◎所有的作為，都是你自己把自己錄起來、存起來的！好事、壞事、不對的事全都存起來。

◎如果你能清靜地修行，讓自己一心不亂，讓自己的心「超氣入理」的話，那你就是慢慢的在學習放下了。

◎你放下了執著、放下了你的情愛、放下你的名利心、放下你對別人的嗔恨心，本來很討厭這個人，但是你放下了，你能夠把曾經恨他，要找機會報仇的記錄全都擦掉，這個在你腦海裡所記錄的影子，因為你的放下，而自動消失了，這就是「佛的一心清靜無為」。

◎等到你回去的時候，就沒有業力的現前，為什麼？因為你修道到最後臨命終時，能夠跟佛陀的境界一樣，一塵不染，你的「心思、慾望，永遠都不會執著在你的身上」，回到了自在如如的境界時，自然就光明遍照一切，也就沒有什麼錄影機了，明白嗎？

◎就算回到現實的人間面對一切，也不會再有錄影機的出現了，你的身心都很自在了。

三不離

◎修道能夠遵循著「三不離」是很重要的，人的心太容易外放了，所以需要一個環境來約束你，修道「不離佛堂」就是要讓你藉著回來佛堂收心，回佛堂把雜亂的心收回來。想想看你當下最重要的事是什麼。

◎因為修道的路，實在有太多的疑惑了，有時候在社會在家庭裡，總是有許多的風言風語，聽到了自己一時之間解不開，所以需要前賢來引導你，所以修道不離前賢，引保師也是你的前賢呀，時時刻刻「不離前賢」就能夠解開許多的迷惑。

◎在修道過程中要「不離經典」因為經典是往聖的智慧結晶「往聖走過的路祂留下的智慧」你今天把它閱讀領會「智慧就是你的了」當你修道過程或人生旅途也好，你遇到困難迷惑的時候，翻開往聖的經典，來跟自己的現況比照比照。

◎你就可以解開很多的迷團，可以放下很多的疑惑，也可以放下很多的埋怨，當你覺得你環境很糟的時候，當你比照到往聖祂們的路，也有困厄的時候，甚至比自己還糟，你是不是就已經很感恩了，然後還要再看看，當古聖先賢遇到那個狀況的時候，祂是怎樣面對的呀，吸取往聖的智慧來成就自己，所以修道不離經典，這也很重要。

愿行篇

◎以佛愿為己愿，以師愿為徒愿。立愿了愿，盡心了愿。了愿才能了苦，了苦就能了罪。

◎不要口頭立愿，以為事小。口頭立愿一樣是愿，你立愿不了，還是不行的。立愿了愿，盡心了愿。

◎想自已這些年來進昇了多少？外功縱然做得少，也要讓內德培養得好：可以默默地付出，是不是真的立愿了愿了呢？自已立的愿，還記得嗎？實行了多少？每天都要去想想。你所做的每件事，都是在了愿嗎？

◎何謂盡心？心是否在眾生身上？心能和道契合嗎？你們對道盡了幾分心。渡人、講課、辦事就是盡心嗎？

◎第一、要有信心，第二、要真正用心。想想，平時對道是否真的用心了？用心才能真正了愿！只要守住求道時所立下的十條大愿去謹慎奉行，自始至終地矢志完成它，相信一定能回得了天，也一定能超生了死的。

◎要盡人事、聽天命，不要劃地自限，愿力又怎麼伸展。修道修心、辦道盡心，了愿才能了苦。了苦就能了罪。人生路途長且速，可是修道的路途呢？難免也是坎坎坷坷的。既然知道這一點理，那麼道場受了些風風雨雨又怎麼會支持不住呢？

◎為什麼稍遇到挫折就退縮不前進了呢？問問你的良心吧？

◎聽聽老天的聲音，且該曉得你立了何愿，不是立給前賢看，更不是做給仙佛看，你們前人苦，犧牲奉獻，都是在各了各愿，但是，你們自己的愿呢？

◎你想了罪，要如何了呢？用什麼了呢？了罪得要有大愿哪！你沒有愿，就會馬馬虎虎，得過且過，不會珍惜你的人生。你忘了你的愿，造罪累累，苦的是誰？為何不珍惜你現在所結下的緣，好好的惜緣，圓你這個緣呢？

◎每個人從理天下來皆是立愿而來的，不怪你來到人世間迷失了自已，忘記了誓愿，可是一但你進入道門，擔了神聖的職任，就不得不再提醒你們！要知道，你一人墜、萬人墜，九玄七祖皆遭殃？且不要以為你一個人事小，只不過是造了小惡、小過，要知道滴水雖微，漸盈大器，不要小看一滴一滴的水源，一點一點的小過：漸盈大器。

◎人生似苦海，你要在這苦海中撐舟，各個都是舵手，凡若是把舵不住，起了波濤洶湧：你撐得住嗎？這個舵就是你的愿，你的方向。修道就是借假修真，藉相明理，明理之後才能向前一步。

◎末後修辦方針：你有何心態，就招感什麼魔；依賴感應，了不可得。您放開了私我，以大體為前提了嗎？心偏私了，左道旁門可能就是你。

◎永遠都要感恩：飲水思源，知恩感恩；真正的感恩，要產生報恩的行為；壓力是激勵，逆境要感恩，一切都是上天安排。

◎珍惜知足的人，經常製造快樂；惜福的人，必能造福。把握行功了愿機緣，能做就做；珍惜彼此的相遇、相知。

◎無我無私的志向，才是大志向。立何志，成何人。立志要果決，切勿猶豫後悔。志要恆，才能成大事。立三不朽業，享萬八逍遙。

觀自在

◎《心經》開宗明義就說：「觀自在菩薩…。」人人都是觀自在菩薩，只因迷失了自己，找不回自己，亦成失魂落魄、魂不守舍，心往外放、六神無主，己永遠不在；心不作主，耳目導心，淪為凡夫，小人之流，良堪浩歎！

◎「觀自在」…觀那裡在自在，看甚麼都自在；看別人也自在，看自己也自在；做甚麼都自在，做完事更自在。為什麼？只因為「自己永遠在」！

◎心作主，就不易被外界所迷惑，不受境絆，不為物遷，心導耳目，天君泰然，百體從令。

◎自在就專心，全神貫注，事必有成，「制心一處，無事不辦」。

◎「凡事成於一，敗於二三」。天下事一心一意一定成功，三心兩意註定失敗。

◎自在就自由，所謂自由自在。真正的自由是解脫，不是束縛；真正的信仰也是為求解脫，不求束縛。

◎自在就感恩，感恩才自在，感恩就有福。常懷感恩，心平氣和，不致無明火上身，傷了別人，也損了自己。「一把無明火，能燒萬里功德林」。

◎自在的人心胸開闊。不念舊惡，怨是用希（怨恨就漸漸消除）；不會嫉妒，見人都好；不會嘴尖，長不出象牙；兵來將擋，水來土掩。自在的人不會患得患失。未得患得，既得患失，一直在得失之間打轉，痛何如哉！自在的人曉得「得失一體」，有得有失，有失有得；失中有得，得中有失，看淡得失，甚至更提升自己，達到「無得無失」之至境。

◎自在的人懂得放下。放下才自在，遇事全力以赴，事成擺在一邊，「以無為之心做有為之事」。

◎事要有為才有成，心要無為方無礎。自在的最難得，富在心靈，身外可能一無所有，心中必然無所不有。

◎不似常人身外無所不有，心中卻一無所有。就因為他們捨得，「捨其所擁」，方能「擁有所捨」。

六種考驗

◎衝得過逆境，才能學到本領；
經得起考驗，才能擔當大任。

◎修道有六種的考驗，就是煎、熬、燜、燉、煮、烤。沒有經歷，哪能得來思想的成熟？不受考驗，怎麼證實你是志向超俗的人！因此，修辦道的六種考驗，都是在造就我們證得無上果位的必經過程。

一、煎：就是所謂的顛倒考，像煎魚般的翻來覆去，也就是不合情理、不按牌理出牌的考。在逆境當中煎熬，對也說你不對，不對也說你對，讓你是非莫辨、灰頭土臉、裡外不是人。想想看，不煎怎麼脫胎換骨？怎麼放下盔甲般的面具、堅若城牆的自我？只有一而再，再而三的透過人事淬煉，讓你在毫無防備的情況下反覆鍛鍊，磨到一點理障、我執都不見，識心作用都沒有，識智辨聰都放下，剩下一個空空愰愰，父母未生前的本來面目。

二、熬：就是毀謗考，像熬很久的湯，也就是背後的冷言冷語、莫須有的罪名。讓你在「是非、人事、名相」當中逃也逃不掉，不想聽、不想看、不想承擔都不行，熬得你毅志力超人一等，忍辱功夫無人能比！不管是被說或說人，不管是與人爭或被排擠，不管是得意或委屈，都能沉得住氣、定得下心，熬出「視而弗見，聽而弗聞」的真工夫，識透「緣生緣滅」的道理，六根再也不為六賊所動，主人穩穩當中坐。

三、燜：就是上下考，像不透氣的燜燒鍋，也就是上煎加下熬，承受「上對下、下對上」的雙重考驗。諸如身為前賢的不瞭解後學，讓後學倍感壓力，身為後學的又不體諒前賢，不服前賢，這是上下互相的考，也可能是上天借人借事在考你，而你是否能將這種上凌下辱的感受轉為承上啟下的使命呢？拋開「小我」，就看得到「大我」；提起感恩的心，才放得下抱怨的心，這時哪來的「燜」？

四、燉：就是無情考，像家破人亡、妻離子散的考驗。這樣大的考驗勢必有其因果存在，最難解的業力或許就在你的堅定信心、安守本份、不慌不疑中解開，所以要平下心去應對，才不會業上加業。

五、煮：就是道考，也就是多方面的困難加諸在你身上的考驗，就像將雜菜匯在一起煮，考得你七葷八素，看看你的智慧夠不夠？有否貪心妄想？是否抱怨？諸如兄弟、夫妻、父子之間磨來磨去，或身體上的病痛、內心的掙扎，或假祖師、神通異術的考驗。此時要耐心忍性、知天認命、認理實修，在心意未澄淨之前切勿衝動動怒、輕易抉擇或脫口言論，以免節外生枝擾人擾己。

六、烤：就是內外考，親戚朋友之間的毀謗、內心的掙扎。譬如說，家人及親友不認同你吃素或跑佛堂，或因跑佛堂而減少與家人相聚的時間，因吃素而造成與親友、家人之間的隔閡，或因事業與家庭而阻礙聖業的參與……等等，種種左右為難的內心掙扎，都叫做烤。

◎修辦道的六種考驗，不管我們遇到哪一種，都要過關。

無為而為

◎什麼叫真聰明？什麼叫假聰明？以你們的標準來看，有學識、有口才、有能力的人叫聰明人，可是在仙佛眼裡，這些都是下下等聰明。

◎以諸佛的標準來看，一個懂得藏巧於拙、迴光返照、勇於改過、涵養內德、行道辦道的人，就是聰明人。人看的是外在的，聖賢仙佛看的，是內心真正涵養的功夫。

◎徒兒是聰明的人？還是有智慧的人？愈是聰明的人，愈是執著外相，所以，以後有人說你很聰明，別高興。

◎徒兒，有道可求，是幸福。有道場可修，是幸福。有前賢的腳步可追求，是幸福。能聆聽聖賢仙佛的法語，也是幸福。而這些幸福是外面找不到的。

知迷即悟

◎生命雖然短暫，有一天的生命，就有一天的光明，就得好好的去把握，即使現在只剩下十分鐘，你成全了一個人，那就功德無量。一個轉念就是一個奇蹟，奇蹟不要外求，自己身上就有奇蹟，自己就是老師。

◎所謂『知迷即悟』，知道自己已經在迷失，你就有救了。『即刻開悟』，何必去印心呢？自己就可以自己印心了，自己就可以看自己了，咱們要看的是自己一顆善良的心，赤子之心，而不是向外求佛求玄，否則就本末倒置了。

◎思想、慾念就跟白浪一樣，一波接一波，什麼時候能夠安放它呢？當你知道隨緣的時候，就懂得安放它了。

◎現在為什麼『道降火宅』呢？因為不但要你們獨善其身，還要兼善天下，如此才能夠世界大同。自己的內心跟肉體有沒有不同？有時候可能沒有，這個叫做『心跟行不合一』，心為形役，就不能做個自在快樂的修道人。做什麼事情都要當下安心，放手去做、專心去做，那一定做的好。放下不必要的心，保持現在原有的一顆赤子心、好的心、善念的心，那就能夠自在、安心，所以無時無刻都能自在，就能與佛、與天合而為一。

功德存款

◎上天對待你們每一個人都是一樣的，但看你們用什麼心對自己、對別人、對上天。今日所賺的錢可以積，但無形之財也是可以積，那就是自己的功德，濟世救人就有功德。

◎你想要上天給你多少，你就要付出多少。為師希望你們積財在理天，常常說我要賺大錢，我要賺多少錢，但是為師希望你們賺的那個錢能夠寄在天上，那個錢就是「功德」。

◎奉獻只是一顆真心，而不是物質所能代表的。有人問老師，什麼才是真正的佈施？有的人說平常賺十塊錢，就佈施一塊錢，有的人從來就沒有看到過十塊錢，根本賺不到十塊錢，他今天賺到一塊錢，他看到有人有難了，他就奉獻這一塊錢。你看仙佛會喜歡哪一個？「後者」為什麼？「後者有奉獻的心」，他把所有的奉獻出去，這才是真正的奉獻。

◎人與佛不同之處就在這裡：「佛」做任何事都無所求，「人」做了什麼，就想得到什麼代價，都有所求，吝惜付出，況且教學可以相長，聖業亦復如是，要知而行之，時常體天之心為己心，時時刻刻忠於老天，忠於眾生，將你的滿腔熱誠，送給世間所有的人。

◎以你的愛心灌溉一些需要施給的人，將你的人生給予最豐富的內涵。本來你們的涵養只有如那個小茶杯大，然後現在慢慢的增加，像碗那樣大，然後再慢慢像大碗那麼大，大到最後像什麼？太平洋那麼大。要像太平洋那麼大，就應該把你貪、瞋、癡、愛無所不有的一大堆，慢慢的修，慢慢的去除，我們說要修得像太平洋那麼大，能不能有「角」的存在？所以你們要拿著機器，慢慢地磨！慢慢地削！這邊削掉了，就從那邊削掉，角通通削掉了，就變成一個又圓又大又光亮的圓陀自性，好不好？

◎師問老菩薩，現在日子過得如何，有沒有病痛？是不是只求仙佛治一治自己的病痛？有沒有想過別人的病痛，需要自己一臂來助？發一個小小的善念，渡他來求道，那你就功德無量，不要說人老了，等著回去天堂，該你的日子若還長咧！你就為天做點事吧！

Source Colophon

Source text: 濟公活佛慈訓（三）. Published by the Morality Books Library (善書圖書館, taolibrary.com), Category 52 (一貫道經典二), text code c52069. Accessed April 2026.

The Morality Books Library states on every page: 歡迎轉載，上傳，翻印，流通 — "Welcome to reprint, upload, reproduce, and circulate." Source text is UTF-16LE encoded, converted to UTF-8 for archival.

This volume contains approximately 70 thematic sections across 94,577 Chinese characters. Twenty-two sections are now complete; the remaining sections await future translators.

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立己立人

◎為何徒兒在修辦中進步得很緩慢？為師告訴你們：
第一、功未立，德未積。第二、愿未了。
第三、罪未除。第四、業未消。
第五、不明天時緊急，不知天恩寶貴。
第六、不悟生死大事，不惜佳期良辰。

◎每個人修道的用心不同，觀點自然有異，對道親、道場的付出自有所別。用心的自我反省改過，用心的放下自我成見。你凡事用心，凡事盡心，盡心便能知性，良心自然發用，可以成己成物，如此才可成就大事。

◎怎樣才是有智慧的人？發心修行，求解脫之道的人便是！一個有智慧的人，他會隨時調整自己的言行舉止，念念清明，事事清明，所以他不會去追求虛妄不實的事物，也不願意做一個生死的凡夫，不會白白浪費寶貴的生命。因此，當一個人有了智慧，人生的選擇才會正確，不容易犯過錯。

◎徒兒啊！既已踏上修道路，從徒兒立下菩薩愿的那一刻起，徒兒的生命就不一樣了，徒兒的生命是發光發亮，可以立己立人的。雖然同修在共辦中難免有無法契合的地方，但不論是上下關係，或是同儕互動上，都是你們修道的「善」因緣啊！人嘛！習性毛病不是一時片刻可以淨化改善的，給人一個改變的機會，也等同給自己一個渡化的良緣，珍惜彼此的緣，盡心做該做的事，徒兒要謹記在心。

因果業債

◎徒兒若是心甘情願擔當使命，就不會怨天尤人！所謂的『因果業債』，不是只有修道才有的，今天是因為你修道，才能藉著『行功了愿』，來化解你六萬年來的牽扯。今天修道進了佛門，就是一個根本，你才知道當初是怎麼結下因果業債的，你若知道根源的話，就知道怎樣去化解這個心結。

◎紅塵俗事，瀰漫多少驚濤與埋伏？這驚濤駭浪，是你心中的不平不靜，貪、嗔、癡、怒、煩，一旦起時，是不是像驚濤駭浪那麼洶湧？如果徒兒們沒有求道，不知本來自性，因果報應之理，你稍不控制，就鑄下大禍。

◎眾生都是在因緣業報中『了業、了罪』，徒兒如果也正處在逆境中，那也是在了你們的業障，所以也要心存感恩。遇逆境莫要氣餒，更不可以有尋短見的念頭，生命何其寶貴，更何況又聞得大道，因此無論再苦，都要熬過！

知足常樂

◎苦的根源就是對世間貪欲不捨，若無為自然就會得到身與心的自在。欲多則煩惱多，欲多則求多，當求多而不可得的時候，則埋怨就衍生出來了，而埋怨衍生時，苦惱也跟著就來。

◎修道當樂道安貧，知足常樂，以追求智慧為要務。無論身處何地，身在何時，不染世俗名耀，不被世間五欲所打敗，自然生活活得平穩了。個人的愛愁與執著產生無明，是生死輪轉不止的主因，凡事隨心不要攀緣，否則產生執著，則心智無法啟發，不能成大器。須知愛河千尺浪，苦海萬重波。人一旦產生執著就無法自在了。

◎苦海蒼蒼，眾生芸芸，在這凡塵俗世之中，迷惘自我的誘因太多了。花花世界的大染缸，常會挑起我們身心欲念的墮落，而貪戀名、利、恩、愛之心，層出不窮，最後忘了自己的根本。所以聖道傳承至今，不少聖賢仙佛，倒裝下凡，指點迷津，無非都是要引導眾生歸向光明正道，救度這迷失在苦海的眾生啊。

◎人心總是不知足，所以才不快樂，上天對你好，你不知好，不知足就有很多煩惱，憂苦煩惱痛苦一生，人心的變化只在於一瞬之間，所以時常保持知足的心，快樂的心，那麽這樣就快樂。

清醒的心

◎「覺」是清醒的意思，你有一顆清醒的心，你接觸什麼樣的東西你都會有感覺，都會有所感動。每一個困難都會有所覺醒，都會有一種經驗，所以你們怕不怕困難啊？最好不要怕！怕了，你們就不夠「覺」，每一個人都要時時保持一種清靜的心、清醒的心，讓自己這一顆敏覺的心，去感應天地的一切，因為你有一顆敏感的心，天地才跟你同樣契合，這樣你的心就會少罣礙、少牽絆。

◎成長當中一定會有失敗的時候，不要怕錯，錯可以改，怕的只是執迷不悟，擔子交給你們，用老師的心、老師的意、老師的情，去解釋，用天地之間的至理去解釋就沒有錯。

◎本來道理就是如此，每個人聽，每個人都懂，但是每個人的意會卻又不一樣，就是因為不一樣，才可以看的出層次，但層次的高低並不代表絕對，也不代表上下，那只是個人的頓悟與漸悟的不同，亦即機緣、天時、地利、人和，有所差異而已，沒有什麼好恥笑，沒有什麼好不平，也沒有什麼好憤怒的。

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何謂五濁

◎自古即今，由以前師師密付本心、單傳獨授，至現今　皇母慈悲道降火宅，人人皆可得受一指，為的是讓天道能夠綿遠流傳，所以徒兒應當攜同修與後進來學道修道，上下一團和氣、水乳交融、互諒關愛，親睦瞭解，並以寬大慈愛的胸襟去迎接更多回來修道的佛子。

◎反之，若你自恃學識高、能力強，在道場修了幾十年的道就自傲自大，不能採納後學的意見、勸諫，而東挑西揀，無意間用苛言薄語，考倒後學，斷了他人的慧根，絕了他人的修道路，這些都是不孝　皇母之罪。

◎今日你來修道，第一就是要低心下氣，承上啟下，不合理你要接受，合理你要按規矩來行，這就是磨練你的火候，上天會將不同之人聚在一起，有它的道理，藉著對方的缺處，讓你反省，增智慧，而不是叫你因此生退道心，覺得為何修道人是如此的心性，觀人之過。

◎精進是修道人所必備的。有聽過梭魚與小魚的故事嗎？小魚是梭魚的餌，如果把小魚與梭魚放在一個地方，那小魚會不會被吃掉？（會）如果中間用個玻璃隔著，當梭魚一游肚子餓了，想要吃小魚的時候，牠會往前去抓小魚，但卻會碰到玻璃而彈回，然後等一下又忘記了，再游一游，又想到要吃小魚，又撞上去，吃不到又彈回來，繼續兩、三次後，把玻璃拿起來，梭魚看到小魚會不會再吃？（不會）小魚就很安全的在牠前面游來游去，因為牠認為吃不到了，只有自己苦煩惱而已。

◎就好比你們修道，上天給你們考驗，剛開始你不能突破，而你一直做，沒辦法去越過這個荊棘，可是當上天要助你成功的前一刻，你卻放棄了，是不是很可惜？（是）所以要不要傚法梭魚的精神？（不要）好！

◎徒兒要在紅塵之中，出污泥而不染，在五濁世中煉就一付金剛不壞之體，好嗎？（好）何謂五濁？為師解釋一下：

一、見濁

「見」意謂見解、看法，思想、觀念。「濁」是指混亂不清的。

顧名思義，人若有混亂不清的見解，即會愚癡無智，當今世人知見不正，不奉正道、異說紛紜，莫衷一是，而現今五教齊興，鸞堂林立，諸類神通，術流動靜，都誇自個兒的好，賣自個兒的寶，就連一貫天道亦瓜分為十八組，而底下設區分限的更是難以言盡。大家拗執己見，不互往來，怕亂了系統、怕追隨的不是真天命，而各執己見。

今日若有個通緝犯已奄奄一息倒在你家門囗，徒兒會救他嗎？會不會怕受到他的牽連？（不會）這就是慈悲的顯現，當救一個人已經很危急了，那容你再三考慮？修道亦是如此，真心修道者唯求心不求佛，而凡夫是唯求佛不求心，終究亦不得見佛。

眾生因有見惑——即偏見、邪見、我見、見境取見、見取見，這五種稱為五利使，使則令汝身心顛倒，妄行非念、起諸邪道、計斷計長、計有計無、泯沒理智、生發煩惱，妨害修道。再說到道場若每個人都不照一貫制度，而依己觀念我行我素，那道場會興盛嗎？（不會）

只要有兩人存在的地方就有紛爭，因每個人有自己的思想觀念，但這並不是不好，只是不要太自專自是，太鑽牛角尖即可。那如何破除見濁呢？愚者抗拒他人的意見，弱者害怕他人的意見、智者研判他人的意見、巧者誘導他人的意見。

昔時孔子入太廟每事問，這是禮的表現，要入境隨俗，低心向人請益，所獲方能更多，若你自以為什麼都懂，隨己觀念而做，往往會打腫臉充胖子，而貽笑大方，所以為學修道不可無主見，不能有偏見，要將濁見改為「灼見」，真知灼見而不是井蛙之見，太短小、膚淺了。

二、眾生濁

眾生又名有情，即一切有情有識的動物，歷眾緣所生名為眾生，又歷眾多生死名為眾生。十法界中除佛之外，九界有情皆名眾生，就因有太多的人心、私心，所以才會當眾生。

當知無業不轉人，每個人皆是帶業往投，來紅塵輪迴受報的，所以當人有演不完的悲喜劇，嚐不完的苦滋味。每個人藉著相互的業報來折磨，讓你痛苦萬分，心灰意冷，而七情六慾與三毒貪瞋癡是讓你們輪迴紅塵的毒根。

從前有四個剛學道的比丘，他們在一個地方喊苦，佛家的修行是不是很嚴格？（是）戒律也很嚴謹。

甲就說：如果一起貪念，沒有辦法得到，心中好像火魔在燒一樣。

乙就說：他對飢餓最難受，因為修道要清心寡慾，不能有大魚大肉豐富的來吃，所以他一飢餓肚中就好似火在燒。

丙就說：他脾氣氣稟最難受，每每想要忍受，但卻一發不可收拾，而覺得痛苦。

丁就說：恐懼對他來講是痛苦萬分的，常覺得好似有無形在捉弄他，讓他心靈不安。

而推究之：甲是淫鴿來轉世的，乙是飢鷹來轉世的，丙是毒蛇來轉世的，丁是隻兔子來轉世的，所以他會恐懼。這四種是暗喻人生在世都免不了有這四種的苦，每個人都會遇到，也會犯到，那是看你怎麼樣去摒除它，修煉它，故人生是一個大苦聚，為苦的總聚，為五蘊熾盛苦的所在，有肉身就有痛苦，但並非叫你做消極的想法，厭苦毀身或去自殺，因你造了苦因，就要受苦果，想躲也躲不了，就算你自殺後，亦要受你未受盡的苦報。

現今唯有你要找出苦的根源，解決苦的根本方法，而廣修善因，懺除惡業，佛與眾生迷悟之間只差毫釐，所以往後要觀身不淨，這肉身沒有什麼好留戀的，四大假合乃污穢之物齊聚而成，不是永恆，要求真解脫，方是根本之道，緣份一錯過，好機不再來，修道要當下即是，對心中的眾生要當斷則斷，若有所執著牽絆，會反受其亂，大家要有志於化娑婆為蓮花邦，願每個眾生達至佛之境界好嗎？（好）

三、煩惱濁

煩是擾意，惱是亂意，能擾亂眾生身心，使心煩意亂的見思惑，眾生由來苦惱多，只因不悟失調和，若能摒卻貪心慾，可免時時喚奈何。

人人因迷惑煩惱，而有種種不知足之想，凡事唯恐自己吃虧，深怕他人受利，一分一毫也要計較，常使得身心難安，其實有很多事情是根本不需要計較的。得失沒有絕對，或許今日讓你得到金錢，而你已失去名譽，或許讓你得到地位，你已失去朋友，或許讓你爭得一個小小土地，你已失去守望相助的好鄰居。

故有所求，必有所失落的苦，患得患失，會讓心智難以清明，當你遇到不如意之事時，要反過來想，不怨憎一切，自可心平氣和而感到快樂。要存著大家種花大家欣賞的胸襟，唯有把一切的美不分你我，一律由衷的讚美，才能真正欣賞到廣遠的美。

凡事要多包容，多忍耐，多體諒他人的心，接受一切不完美，常保心平氣和，呈愉悅之色，謙沖為懷，路經窄處，留一步與人行；滋味濃的，減三分讓人嚐，自然快樂會代替煩惱的位置，讓你每日安適於春風之中。

四、命濁

看「命」字，是由一陰一陽和合而成的。人落後天，有了生命，即有了陰陽對待，如壽命的長短，命運的好壞，皆是你難以掌握的，每個人皆是照著上天所轉的命盤而走，這命盤亦是依你們的因果業力來定奪，當知「定業難轉」。

所以要以生命來修慧命，了卻俗命，大家要圓命，就是你要樂天知命，去迎接你這一生，不管是逆境、順境，苦、憂、煩惱，你要去圓滿它，因為這是你所造的，如果你今生沒有去圓，只是去躲避，你下生還是會來承受這個苦果。

五、劫濁

三災（水、火、風）八難（刀、兵，飢、饉、旱、澇，水、火），修道人是降考不降劫，而外面不修道者是降劫不降考，所以你們要明白，今日你們來修道，所有的考驗，一方面是來自於你心中的眾生，一面來自於累世的業報。

而因為世人不修道，造業太多，引發無形不服來討報，方會有大災大難，所有地震或者是刀兵、火劫，一切的劫數，皆是因無形的一股力量凝聚，在這三曹討報之年，得到上天令旨，可以來討報。

所以今日你們要存著「朝聞道，夕死可矣」的心，不要想你還年輕，歲月還很長，無形若是討得索命令牌，為師救得了你們嗎？天地還是有天理公正在，今日你修道，為師能保你，若你愚癡不進前，則要遭劫、遭難。

青春難永見，多少的英雄至終還是荒塚掩，容顏何值錢，還是功德先，回天之路是沒有人情言，歲月匆匆，道場的起起伏伏都是試驗你們的火候，有所起就有所伏，有高就有低，這是對待，若沒有如此，一切的好壞真假是摸不透的，希望徒兒修道要細中去體會。

在苦中去回味，你會覺得苦，過了就算了，可是受苦是你增長智慧的增上緣，人與人之間，你們的關係再好，有沒有爭執？（有）這就是人的見濁障礙你，今日為師來講五濁，就是要你在五蘊之中破除五濁，若有牽纏一濁，你即無法超脫，會流浪生死，在別人的言語，聲色中難安、生氣、煩惱，所以要好好的自己想想，好自為之好嗎？（好）為師也要告辭了，希望下次看到你們要更上一層樓，為師即來辭　母駕，回屏山。

念自性佛

◎淨土法門為「方便法門」，「阿彌陀佛」四句，是萬德洪名，況且「阿彌陀佛」有發四十八大願，只要眾生恭持名號，若一日，若二日，若三日，若四日，若五日，若六日，若七日，一心不亂，其人臨終之時，阿彌陀佛當與諸菩薩等，現在其前，接引往生西方極樂國土，因此，修此法門者，當修「信、願、行」。

◎一、當信有「阿彌陀佛」。二、當願生「西方極樂世界」。三、當行日日誠實唸佛。四、諸惡莫作，眾善奉行。

◎中峰國師云：「清珠投於濁水之中，濁水不得不清；念佛投入亂心，亂心不得不淨。」西方極樂「阿彌陀佛」，比若「清珠」。眾生煩惱妄想，比若「濁水」。只要眾生能夠時時將西方「清珠」投入自心「濁水」，因為「清珠」入水一寸，濁水自清一寸，入水一尺，濁水自清一尺，直至一心不亂之時，則是「清珠」投入水底之時，此唸佛之淨念，就是排解雜亂之妄心也。

◎人若能常念「阿彌陀佛」，則用此至誠一念，克服千般妄念，再由正念，念達「唸無所念」，如此達到「能所雙忘」，則，「一念清淨；九品超生」，因此得佛光加被，「帶業往生，凡聖同居土」。此屬仰仗佛恩加持而度脫，在眾生淺根簿智，無法領悟禪宗自參自度的「究竟涅槃」情況下之補助法、權宜法念佛的原理與要訣不是嘴說口念，而是憶念不忘、念念相繼。

◎楞嚴會上，大勢至菩薩奉世尊之命，敘述他的修行念佛圓通法門：『我憶往昔恆河沙劫，有佛出世，名無量光。十二如來，相繼一劫。其最後佛，名超日月光。彼佛教我念佛三昧：譬如有人，一專為憶，一人專忘。如是二人，若逢不逢，或見非見。二人相憶，二憶念深，如是乃至從生至生，同為形影，不相乖異。十方如來，憐念眾生，如母憶子；若子逃逝，雖憶何為？子若憶母，如母憶時，母子歷生、不相違遠。若眾生心，憶佛念佛，現前當來、必定見佛，去佛不遠；不假方便，自得心開。如染香人，身有香氣；此則名曰香光莊嚴。我本因地、以念佛心、入無生忍；今於此界、攝念佛人歸於淨土。佛問圓通，我無選擇；都攝六根，淨念相繼，入三摩地，斯為第一。』

◎誦經不如講經　講經不如依經行《達摩血脈論》云：「若知自心是佛。不應心外覓佛。不得將心念佛。佛不誦經、佛不持戒、佛不犯戒，若欲覓佛。須是見性，見性即是佛，若不見性，念佛誦經、持齋、持戒亦無益處。

◎念佛得因果　誦經得聰明　持戒得生天　布施得福報　覓佛終不得也。若自己不明了，須參善知識，了却生死根本。若不見性，即不名善知識。若不如此縱說得十二部經，亦不免生死輪迴，三界受苦，無出期時。昔有善星比丘，誦得十二部經，猶自不免輪迴，緣為不見性。善星既如此，今時人講得三五本經論以為佛法者，愚人也。若不識得自心，誦得閑文書，都無用處。若要覓佛，直須見性。性即是佛，佛即是自在人，無事無作人。

◎若不見性，終日茫茫，向外馳求，覓佛原來不得。雖無一物可得，若求會亦須參善知識，切須苦求，令心會解。生死事大，不得空過，自誑無益。縱有珍饈如山，眷屬如恒河沙開眼即見，合眼還見麼？故知有為之法，如夢幻等。

◎若不急尋師，空過一生。然即佛性自有，若不因師，終不明了。不因師悟者，萬中希有。若自己以緣會合，得聖人意，即不用參善知識。此即是生而知之，勝學也。若未悟解，須勤苦參學，因教方得悟。不識本心，學法無益；若要覓佛，直須見性。

◎見性須參明師指點「徒兒呀，何謂明師一指點，明師乃是大智大覺之人。能夠解脫自己，照亮別人，此為明師」一指點是點開徒兒智慧之門，徒兒不知，這人一落世，就受周遭人事物矇蔽了，不醒悟，有可能受業所轉，無法自醒，便會執著與常執人世事，而墜入六道輪迴之中，受其煎熬，如果能打開智慧之門，賢徒佛性自然能夠覺悟，而常清常明，就不會受業所轉，而且還能轉業，正所謂降龍伏虎，運轉乾坤，此謂佛法無邊佛性的潛能是無邊，只怕受迷而不怕艱苦，這佛性受迷跟業力與定力都有關係，所以要經明人指點，智慧就會開，明人就是明白了悟之人，可以開你智慧與佛性的所在地，稱為明師，故明師一指，跳出生死關，謂之如此。

反省功夫

◎每天早晚獻香也是一種反省的功夫，最起碼一個月要反省兩次，初一跟十五。如果你不往自己的內心去察看，就會把眼睛盯在別人身上，找別人的缺點。

◎徒啊！將指責別人的心，用來反省自己，那徒兒的修行境地，不是君子就是賢人，不是賢人就是聖人，因為你的省察功夫做得徹底。

◎為什麼修到最後，心性沒有辦法再提昇呢？因為你很少去反省，甚至從來不去問問自己的內心深處，你的需求，你的根本。你不從根本上去下功夫，以為來佛堂聽聽道理就是修道，心性當然無法提昇。

◎為師我只是一個窮和尚，說名利沒有名利，說富貴沒有富貴，拿什麼給我愛徒？就憑著這一指點，點開你的生死竅門，這就是道，就是理，是亙古不變的真理，也是人人固有的良知良能，只要你時時參悟，從這根本上去悟去修，自能提昇心性。

◎其實徒兒有困難的時候，不須呼喚為師，為師就在你們身旁了；徒兒之所以看不到為師，是因為你累世累劫的業障、脾氣毛病礙著了你的心眼，讓你看不到為師，所以徒兒以為師不在。

◎為師我再三思量，到底該如何幫助徒兒把心裡的石頭搬開？在這個同時，徒兒就要懂得反省。你要想想是不是自己做錯了？是不是那裡沒有改進？以致事情不但沒有解決，反而越來越多。這便是反省的功夫。

認理守份

◎大道最有情，也是最無情。有情，在於普度眾生，造化萬物，使同修之間互相切磋，互相成就；而無情的考驗最可怕，卻也最公平、最真情。修道就是「認理」而已，若是認人情，就會失去方向，道理再講，還是離不開「本份」兩個字，如果本份做不好，聽再多的道理也是枉然，縱使道理講得再好，講得舌燦蓮花，依舊是竹籃打水一場空。所以說，要認理守份。

◎得道要靠根基，修道是靠用功，辦道是靠天時，成道是靠累積，就像認理，就有很多徒認錯理，行錯理，甚至有的還強詞奪理。修辦道就是要踏踏實實，本本份份，立愿了愿，何苦去深陷在煩雜的人事問題裡，爭辯那些所謂的對錯？為師希望徒兒們，是愈修愈自在，不要讓清淨的性田，種滿不必要的雜草！

◎修道就是不浮誇，不裝飾，平實、安份的做好為人的份內事，認準了根本，就不要隨波逐流。徒兒們都喜好在幻景中認真，浪費時間與生命，要知道，認理實修不是一句口號，也不是形容詞，而是踏穩紮紮實實的每一步。

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