peidefotang: 1月 2009

第一課玄關式呼吸

Breathing through the wisdom door

三寶修持有四堂課,第一堂課,我們講的是一個玄關式的呼吸,叫做玄關呼吸法。修道,要調適好氣"如孟子說的要『善養浩然之氣』。

There are four lessons in practicing the Three Treasures. In the first lesson, we’ll talk about a kind of breathing called “breathing through the wisdom door. ”

If we want to cultivate ourselves, we need to be able to adjust our own breath, as Mencius says, “We should be good at nourishing our vast ch'i."

氣定,則神閒啊! 我們一般人呢! 都是驚其神,所以常處於精神緊張,神不得閒。仙佛菩薩祂們的神是屬於很閒的,很安閒自在,為什麼呢？氣定! 氣定則神閒,所以孟子說要善養浩然之氣,問題是你浩然之氣如何養法呢？那我們就要了解我們身體的結構。以下我們會簡單的解釋我們身體的氣脈和呼吸,甚至和天地宇宙之間的關連。

If our breath is smooth or can be settled down, our minds will be very easy-going. As we common people do in our daily lives, we always excite our spirit or make ourselves excited, so we are often under the state of nervousness and therefore we cannot be carefree. But Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ minds are very calm and very carefree. Why? It’s because they can settle down their breath. Once our breath is smoothly settled down, our minds can be very carefree. So, Mencius says we need to be good at nourishing our vast ch'i."

The problem is : how can we cultivate and nourish our vast ch’i ? First, we should understand our body structure. In the following part, we will explain simply the pulse and breath in our body, and even the connection between them and the universe.

講到這個氣我們的身體就靠這氣活著,但這口氣呢! 有清有濁,我們一般人只知濁氣,不知清氣,那濁者後天,清者先天,

Talking about this ch’i, our body is alive by this ch’i, but this breath or ch’i can be divided into the pure one and the disturbed one. We ordinary people only know the disturbed ch’i. We don’t know what is called the pure ch’i. The disturbed ch’i belongs to the post-birth one, but the pure ch’i belongs to the pre-birth one.

先天,的意思是先於天地而生,也就是可以生天,生地、生萬物的能量。聖經所謂的「神之大能」後天氣,是後天地而生的大氣層。

The pre-birth ch’i means it was formed before the earth. It also means kind of energy that can bear the sky, the earth, and all creatures. This kind of energy is called the “almighty power” as God named in the Bible. On the other hand, post-birth ch’i is the layer of the atmosphere.

一般我們呼吸是吸取後天氣，就是這個空間裡面的空氣，我們把它吸進來，再吐出去。這個空氣對我們的身體的作用是，空氣裡面的氧進到我們的身體，這是屬於後天氣,

In everyday life, we breathe in the post-birth ch’i. It is the air existing in the universe. We inhale it and exhale it, too.

但是呢! 還有先天氣,這先天氣就不是空氣了,先天氣就是宇宙之間的光,孟子說的浩然之氣道家稱它為天光,佛家稱它佛光! 浩然之氣,充滿在宇宙之間,甚至外太空都充滿了,整個宇宙唯一的實相,這個浩然之氣至大至剛,塞乎天地之間,甚至呢! 天地之外,無所不在,所以呢! ,怎麼樣去攝取這個浩然之氣？攝取它的方法，這是很重要的。

However, there is another kind of ch’i called the pre-birth ch’i. This kind of ch’i is not air anymore. It is the light in the universe. As Mencius says it’s the vast ch’i, the Taoism called it the heavenly light, and Buddhism called it “ Buddha’s light.”

This vast ch’i is filled with the whole universe and even in outer space. It is the truth of the whole universe. This vast ch’i is very unyielding and very powerful. It exists everywhere, even beyond the world.

Therefore, how can we absorb or inhale it? The way to absorb this vast ch’i is very important.

我們光知道吸空氣，不曉得怎樣攝取浩然之氣，浩然之氣呢！就要靠我們的玄關去攝取，所以我們呼吸的時候，如果能專注在玄關，你要觀想吸氣的時候，不只光鼻孔吸氣，觀想從玄關呢！有一個磁場啊！玄關就是什麼？生生不息的一個門戶，叫做玄牝之門…..奇妙的宇宙萬物生育的門戶。

We just know how to inhale the air, but we don’t know how to absorb the vast ch’i. this vast ch’i needs to be absorbed through our wisdom door. We can start by concentrating on the wisdom door when breathing. Also, we can visualize we breathe in the air not only by nose but also through the wisdom door. There is a magnetic field around the wisdom door. The wisdom door is the door which leads to the origin of all life, as Lao-tzu said in Tao Te Ching “the gate of the mystic nature.” From this door, all living creatures can be born and brought up well.

黑洞和白洞 Black hole &White hole

宇宙之間呢！有黑洞，黑洞是毀滅之門，依據相對論，有黑洞就有白洞。物理學，學到這個相對論裡面講呢！只要有黑洞一定有白洞，科學理論上一定有白洞的存在，可是白洞不知道在哪裡？既然有毀滅星球的黑洞，就有創造星球的白洞，我要告訴大家，白洞是無形無相的，但是呢！我們的玄關就是通往白洞的通道，叫玄牝之門，牝就是生生不息，它不是毀滅之門，我們玄關就是通這個生生不息，神秘的白洞。

In the universe, there is the black hole. The black hole is the door to ruin. According to the Theory of Relativity, if there is a black hole, there must be a white hole.

In physical terms and in scientific theory, there must be the existence of the white hole. However, we don’t know where the white hole is. Since there is the black hole to ruin all the planets, there will be another white hole to create all the planets.

I want to tell everyone that the white hole is invisible and formless. And our wisdom door is the path to the white hole, called the gate of the mystic nature. It is called the secret door because from it everything can be born and everything can be brought up well. It’s not the door which leads to ruin.

事實上白洞在哪裡知不知道？告訴大家，黑洞有一個範圍，它就在宇宙間的某一處，很多處，到處都有黑洞，但是白洞是無所不在的，整個宇宙就是個大白洞，黑洞是躲在白洞裡面作怪的小東西，好像魔鬼、撒旦在耶和華的勢力範圍內搗亂，煽陰風點鬼火。

In fact, is there anyone who knows where the white hole is? I should tell you: there is a range about the black hole. It is somewhere in the universe; in many places we can find the black hole. But the white hole exists everywhere. The whole universe is the white hole and the black hole is hiding inside the white hole, just like Satan or some devils cause trouble and damage inside the range of God.

這個科學家講的白洞呢！能夠感應到就靠這個玄關，就靠玄關去感應它，在中國古代玄關叫做祖竅，所謂祖竅，即是成佛的穴道。

What about the white hole? If we want to realize where the white hole is, we should use our wisdom door to sense it. In ancient China , the wisdom door is called the original key. This original key is the key to achieve Buddhahood.

氣和息之間 Difference between Chi and shih

現再我們要從傳統中醫或中國武學的角度來談這個“氣air”與 “息”chi。

Now we’ll talk about air & chi from the aspect of traditional Chinese medicine or Chinese martial arts.

我們鼻孔吸氣，是吸入空氣、氧氣的，，鼻孔是吸氣，而我們每一個竅孔啊！都有脈，叫做氣脈，這個脈走的是什麼？走的是“息”，所以“鼻孔入氣，萬竅入息”，這個息呢！就是所謂的先天氣，一般人都是有氣而無息。

When we inhale, we are breathing the air or oxygen. Our noses inhale the air, but our apertures inhale the chi. Every aperture leads to the pulse all over our body, and chi is kind of energy working inside the pulse. Many people know how to inhale the air from noses, but only few know how to inhale the chi from these small apertures.

息(pure air)，就是先天氣，就是能量，很精純的能量，秘宗認為這是一種精純之氣，精微之氣，它和空氣是不同的，精微之氣在我們的脈裡面行走，這精微之氣就是所謂的先天氣。

Chi is pre-birth energy, very pure energy. In Tibetan Buddhism it is thought to be very pure and subtle chi, different from the air. This pure and subtle chi goes through your pulses and is called the pre-birth chi.

你的脈如果沒有這種先天氣、浩然之氣在脈中通行的話，就處於阻塞狀態，阻塞了以後這個脈成為陰脈，不是陽脈，這陰脈呢！就會造成你身體各種的不舒服，而影響到你的情緒、心情，影響到很多，影響到你的精力，所以精、氣、神啊！通通都受到影響。

Your pulses will be blocked if there is no such pre-birth, pure and righteous chi circulating in the pulse. Once the pulse is blocked, it will become the so-called yin（overcast）pulse and it is not the yang（congenital）pulse anymore.

This yin pulse will result in the uncomfortable state of your body. Also it may influence your emotions and minds. It influences a lot, such as your energy, chi and spirits.

所以這個脈呢！一定要暢通，從萬竅入息進脈，但是玄關竅一定要開，萬竅才能暢開。

Therefore, you should keep your chi flowing without obstructions in the pulses. But only under one condition : let the pure chi enter only through the wisdom door.

就像一個大工廠，如果電源總開關開啟，一瞬間，幾萬個開關都全面啟動。明師指點，就是開啟電源總開關。

Just like a big factory. If the power source is supplied, in a moment, all the power can be turned on. After the master directs our wisdom door in the ceremony of taking Tao, all the great power of our life can be switched on.

可是玄關之門求道時打開了，求道後我們又把它闔上，因為沒有在這裡邊下功夫，就闔上了，因為你六根如果開的話、六門大開的話，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六門大開的時候，這個玄關正門就會關閉，就會封閉。

However, we’ll close the wisdom door again if we ignore it. Once we pay more attention to our five senses, and are often distracted through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, our wisdom door will be closed.

所以修行就是，不要向外去攀緣，看啦！聽啦！摸啦！聞啦！吃啦！這些都暫停，然後專注在這種一呼一吸之間，這個時候呢！祖竅一開，萬竅齊開，萬竅就開始入息，宇宙之間的浩然之氣就從四面八方開始進來，這時候呢！你身體裡面的陰氣啊！累積了十幾年，二十幾年的陰氣啊！就隨著這個浩然之氣、陽氣、佛光的進入而滌淨。

So, if we want to cultivate ourselves, we just need to learn not to go after the outside world too much. If we can just stop the action of seeing, hearing, touching, smelling or eating, and then concentrate on the action of inhaling and exhaling, at this time our original key will be opened. Since this key is opened, all the other pulses will be opened, too. And the pure chi in the whole universe will go into the pulses gradually. This time, the yin chi inside your body even accumulated for ten or twenty years, will be purified through the entry of this vast chi or Buddha light.

佛光是可以透過每一個毛孔進入我們身體的，祇是你開不開門戶而已，就好像空氣可以透過鼻孔進入我們身體，但是你要把鼻孔捏住也沒辦法。它還是進不了，那麼你竅一開以後呢！它自然就進來了，這時候就會把你身體裡面的這些陰氣通通排除出去，因為有很多業障都累積在我們生命的每一個角落。

Buddha light can enter your body through each pulse. The question is only whether you open the wisdom door or not. Just like the air can enter our body through the nostril, but you want to pinch your nostril, the air cannot enter it anyway. After your original key is opened, the pure chi will come in naturally and you can exclude the yin chi inside your body. The yin chi comes from our bad karmas accumulated in lives.

所以，等一下我會給大家半個小時的時間實修，當然回去以後最好繼續進行，我們平常看電視，一看就是一兩個鐘頭，如果能夠把這個看電視的時間撥出半小時來，做一次玄關式的呼吸，很簡單的，誰都會做的，那麼自然就可以把你身體裡面的這個氣脈全部打通，全身都充滿了這種佛光，佛光不是光在外面照你而已，而是進入你生命的深層，把這個疾病和業障給清除出去。

Therefore, in the following part, I will give you half an hour to practice. Of course it’ll be better to continue doing this practice after class. We often watch TV for one or two hours. If we can take half an hour to practice breathing through the wisdom door, then naturally we can open up all the pulses in our body and make it filled with Buddha light. It’s very easy and everyone can do it.

Buddha light not only shines on you from outside. It can enter the depth of your life and purify your disease and bad karmas.

玄關式呼吸不只是吸空氣而已，當我們用玄關式呼吸，可以吸納天光，也就是吸納佛光，也是所謂浩然正氣。像樹葉行光合作用一樣

Breathing through the wisdom door is not only breathing the air. When we breathe in this way, we can inhale the heavenly light, Buddha light, or so-called the vast chi, just like the leave’s photosynthesis.

三千年前釋迦牟尼佛陀初開始度化眾生時，就是傳這種觀呼吸法，至今小乘行者依然非常重視觀呼吸。但他們只重視數息，以及觀想氣脈如何運行全身，而沒有將意念凝聚在玄關。

Three thousand years ago, when Sakyamuni Buddha started to preach the Tao to sentient beings, he preached this kind of breathing. Till now, Hinayana Buddhists still focus on this practice. However, they just emphasize breath counting and how chi can circulate the whole body. They don’t concentrate their thoughts on the wisdom door.

正確的玄關式呼吸應將意念凝聚在玄關，然後察覺自己的一呼一吸，現在是在吸氣還是吐氣？了了分明。

The correct way of doing this practice is to concentrate on the wisdom door and then be aware of each breath, whether we are inhaling or exhaling. We need to be conscious of every inhaling or exhaling from moment to moment.

有些修行者常處於這種胎息，可以不吃不睡像冬眠一樣。這就是完全依賴天光生存。我們不必達到那樣的境界只要學會這種玄關式呼吸。

Some religious practitioners are always in the state of fetus type of breathing. Like those animals in hibernation, they needn’t eat or sleep. This is to rely completely on the heavenly light. We don’t have to achieve this. All that we need is to learn to use this kind of breathing.

玄關式呼吸時，常有一種現象發生，就是痼疾發作。許多人平時有的一些病徵再這時會出現，但是只要繼續調息，繼續吸納天光，這些痼疾會被宇宙能量或仙佛加持治療。因為玄關是我們與仙佛之間的臍帶，也是我們人與宇宙間的門戶，如果在這裡下功夫，非但有助於我們的修行，也有助於我們的身體健康。

Some phenomena often happen when doing this practice. That is, the chronic disease may happen. People may have certain health problems and these problems always appear when they do the practice. But these symptoms will be healed or empowered by universal energy or Buddhas as long as we continue to breathe in the heavenly light. The wisdom door is the umbilical cord between us and Buddhas. It’s also the gate that connects people and the universe. If we make efforts in this part, it not only helps our practice but also helps our health.

眼鏡拿掉會比較好，有時眼鏡會阻礙玄關的感受。

We’d better take off the glasses because they may influence the practice.

好！在做這樣一個修行的時候，會有兩種狀況會發生，第一種呢！痼疾的症狀會出現，不是發病而是一種療癒的過程。所謂痼疾呢！就是說我們原本就有的治不好的毛病，比方說有的人本來會腰酸的，這時候就會發作，肩膀痛的會發作，心臟病會發作，腎臟病也會發作。

When we do this practice, certain symptoms of the chronic illness will appear. This does not mean falling ill again, but is a process of healing. The so-called chronic illness is, in fact, the disease we have been suffering for a long time. For example, some may have a sore waist, an aching shoulder or heart problems or even disease of kidneys.

這個痼疾發作，表示說它已經開始在打通那個因阻塞而生病的氣脈！為什麼會疾病？就是我們剛才講的，那個地方呢！這個脈！阻塞了，陽氣沒有進去，所以阻塞，佛光沒有透入，天光沒有透入，都是地氣。

The appearance of chronic illness means the blocked pulses are being cleared. Why is there disease? It’s because our pulses are blocked and the yang chi cannot enter. Neither Buddhas light nor heavenly light can enter. What enters the body is just earthly light.

（buddhas light cannot enter and heavenly light cannot enter）

要知道宇宙間有天光、地氣啊！天光是屬陽的，地氣是屬陰的，你不能只有地氣，開玄關就是要讓天光，不只是從玄關進入，而是全身每一個竅孔都進入，如果你還是六根慾望很猖狂(旺盛)的話，一直向外攀緣的話，這時候玄關就只有開一小縫而已，開個門縫而已，天光從玄關門縫絲絲透入！力量很有限。守玄如果欲望很重六根很強效果有限，如果欲望清淡效果就更大。

We should know there is not only earthly air but also heavenly light in the universe. Heaven light belongs to “yang” and earthly air belongs to “yin”. We cannot only have earthly air for existence. When we are initiated through the wisdom door, pure air or heavenly light can go into all the pulses or apertures in our body. If you have very strong physical desires or keep going after the outside world, the wisdom door will become very narrow. Thus the heavenly light enters in a narrow way. Also its power or energy will be very limited. So if we have strong desires when concentrating on the wisdom door, the effect of this practice will be very limited. On the other hand, light desires can lead to a more effective practice.

天光一進入我們身體以後呢！我們長年累積的這些陰氣，會慢慢被驅逐出去，那麼特別嚴重的地方，就是有痼疾的地方，就會有痠痛、疼痛等的症狀。

Once the heavenly light enters our body, the “yin chi” accumulated in our body will be gradually driven out. For the part that has chronic illness, certain symptoms of sore or pains may occur.

這時候不用驚慌，症狀出現是在把痼疾消除，當然也不是說你一堂課修完疾病就消除了，要長期修持，就像生了多年的病很難期望一帖藥吃下去並就完全好的。

At this moment, you needn’t feel panic. The appearance of these symptoms is to purify your chronic illness. Of course it doesn’t mean you can be healed after one period of practice. It takes long- term practice to be completely healed. You cannot expect to recover from the chronic illness by one pack of medicine.

但當然也有人藥到病除，一堂課就消除，像上回後學帶三寶修持的時候，有一位道親，他從小有氣喘的毛病，所以他一做玄關式呼吸的時候，好像氣就喘不過來，氣喘就有點發作，但並不是發病，而是呼吸很不順暢。他本來呼吸就是呼吸的很淺，因為氣管不好，這時候他沒有放棄，反而更認真用全身來呼吸，一般呼吸都是用肺在呼吸，而他用全身的力氣，在吸氣呼氣。最後，氣息就變得很順暢了。

Surely there are still some people that can be healed after one period of practice. Last time when we had a ceremony of using three treasures, a member almost couldn’t breathe when he did the practice of breathing through the wisdom door. It’s because he has had asthma since childhood.

However, he didn’t give up. He practiced even harder and used his whole body to breathe. Usually we breathe through our lungs, but he used his whole body. Finally, his breath became very smooth.

他一向中氣不足講話有氣無力，突然變得中氣十足，而且有一個現象發生，就是胸部像有電流通過一樣麻麻的。這很奇怪，我們一般都是手腳會麻，有沒有胸部麻的，這情形消失以後，他的氣突然通了，他氣喘的毛病就這麼好了，這是一個痼疾發作的例子。

Since then, his asthma was completely healed.

另一位道親，有癲癇症，修持玄關呼吸，癲癇就發作了，但不是說很嚴重的，昏倒，口吐白沫，而是輕微程度的發作，可是他參加過幾次三寶修持之後，現在癲癇就好了，所以修持過程中如有不舒服，是在清除你的痼疾。

Another member has been suffering from epilepsy. His illness occurred when he was breathing through the wisdom door. But this time he just had slight symptoms such as fainting or cramping. After several times of practice, his epilepsy never came back again. Therefore, the uncomfortable feelings in the process are to purify your chronic illness.

還有一種就是修持時業障現前。

Another problem is to have bad karma in practice.

有些人沒有痼疾，卻經常這裡痛，那裡痛，所謂的業障病，源自這一世或前世，曾造下重大的業，在修行時也會突然發作，舉例來說，有一位坤道，她在做玄關是呼吸的時候，她的右手痛得不得了，好痛好痛，但她自己知道是怎麼一回事，業障病，為什麼？因為她賣了很多年的牛肉麵，而且很賺錢，所以它用右手剁肉，剁牛肉，所以她修行時業障找上門，業障追討讓她的手很痛、劇痛、非常痛，但她還是忍著把它修完，慢慢那個劇痛就消失了。

Some people don’t have any chronic illnesses, but they always feel pains all over the body. The so-called disease resulting from bad karmas comes from present life or previous lives.

The person might have committed certain serious crimes. These crimes could cause their pains in practice. For example, a female member felt great pain on her right hand when breathing through the wisdom door.

She knew the pain came from her bad karma because she had sold beef noodles for many years. It made her earn lots of money. She used to chop beef with her right hand, so those bad karmas would try to harm her when she practiced.

The great pain didn’t stop her practice. She endured all the pain and finished the practice. Gradually the great pain never appear again.

她現在也清口茹素了，完全脫離那個殺業，不容易啊！一個賣牛肉麵的人，錢賺越多性命債就欠越多，性命債欠很多的人要斷肉、清口茹素是非常不容易的，但是她還是做到了，就是藉著一次又一次來佛堂參加三寶修持慢慢消除業障。

Now she becomes a vegetarian and departs from the bad karma of killing completely. This is not easy. For a person who earned money by selling beef noodles, more money means more lives killed. It’s very difficult for such a person to be a vegetarian, but she made it. She succeeded in purifying killing karmas by practicing three treasures continuously.

所以痼疾和業障可以藉修持消除，所以修行時身體如果有異狀不要t擔心，檢討自己有沒有痼疾和業障。

So, we don’t need to worry about our physical problems when practicing. The only thing we need to do is to consider whether we have chronic illness or bad karmas.

We don’t need to be panic, either. The appearance of these symptoms is to purify or get rid of the illness. Of course it doesn’t mean our illness can be completely healed after one period of practice. It’s just the same as we can’t wish to recover from chronic illness after taking the medicine once.

。

嬰兒式呼吸∣胎息法embryo-type of breathing

玄關式呼吸在道家修持中稱為胎息法（呂祖洞賓Lu Dongbin太乙金華宗旨The Secret of Golden Flower)，也就是一種嬰兒式的呼吸法。我們在嬰兒時期都會，長大後漸漸忘記，而改變為胸式呼吸。我們現在只是恢復我們這個本有的能力而已。

In Taoism, breathing through the wisdom door is called embryo-type of breathing（resulting from” The Secret of Golden Flower”）. This is also the breathing for babies. We all know how to breathe in this way when we were babies, but we gradually forget it when growing up. Through the practice, we just recover our instinct.

我們一般人的呼吸都是胸式呼吸，現在醫學發現胸式呼吸是不夠健康的，認為要用

丹田呼吸，叫做腹式呼吸，腹式呼吸已算是最健康的一種呼吸了，

Common people usually breathe through lungs. Now according to the medical report, this kind of breathing is not healthy enough. They believe another kind of breathing, called breathing through the abdomen is healthier.

但醫學家卻發現，真正健康的呼吸，叫「嬰兒式呼吸」，嬰兒式的呼吸是什麼？足式呼吸，就是嬰兒在呼吸的時候，他的手心、腳心會微張，都會微微的張開，他吸氣的時候會微張，吐氣的時候會微縮，手心和腳心都會有這種現象，微微張(伸展)，微微縮，微微張縮，這就表示氣行走到全身每一條脈的裡面去，這嬰兒式呼吸是最健康的呼吸，但我們從小就會，可是長大以後忘記了，怎麼恢復？醫學家也不曉得。

However, medical scientists discover that the really healthy type of breathing is embryo-type of breathing. What is it? It’s the fact that when a baby is breathing, his palms and arch will move. When he inhales, the palms and arches will stretch out a little bit. When he exhales, the palms and arches will shrink a little bit. Both his palms and arches have such phenomena. They will stretch out or shrink a little bit, but when he grows up, he forgets. Even the medical scientists don’t know how to recover this instinct.

這麼深這麼難，嬰兒為什麼做得到？因為嬰兒生下來的時候就在守玄，所有的嬰兒都鬥雞眼，因為他呼吸很專注，所以鬥雞眼，都是守在玄關，所以會產生這種所謂“上行至泥丸宮，崑崙山頂，下行至湧泉穴，安身立命”。

Why can a baby achieve in breathing in such a difficult way? That’s because every baby is able to concentrate on the wisdom door since birth. All the babies have cross-eyes because they focus on breathing. Since they use all their energy to focus on the wisdom door, their ch’i can flow very smoothly from head to toe. Therefore, their lives can be settled down.

氣息！可以往上行走到泥丸宮，叫崑崙山頂，往下一直走到湧泉穴，腳底的湧泉，腳心有一個穴道叫湧泉穴，海底湧泉，安身立命，所以高高山頂立，深深海底行，頂天立地，天、地、人三才呢！天光、地氣全部結合，

天光屬陽，地氣屬隂，人在其中。『一隂一陽之謂道』，陰陽調和即太極運轉。我們的玄關式呼吸，便是在我們的體內運轉太極。陰極以湧泉穴為中心、陽極以泥丸宮為中心。

The heavenly light belongs to yang, while the earthly chi belongs to yin. We human beings exist in between. “The harmony of yin and yang is called Tao.” Once yin and yang are combined harmoniously, the so-called Tai chi starts its function. Our breathing practice through the wisdom door is the best way to initiate the Tai chi.

玄關呼吸的方法 The method of breathing through the wisdom door

現在我們要開始使用這個我們不常使用的五官之一－玄關。

Now we will start to use the Wisdom Door, a sense which we seldom use in daily life.

我們將詳細的解說玄關式呼吸的方法，且從：眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六方面來說。

We’ll explain in detail how to breathe through the wisdom door from six aspects: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.

眼 About eyes

眼睛，可以半開半閉，好像窗簾這樣垂下來，叫做垂簾，因為我們把窗簾拉上的時候，還有光透進來，整個眼睛閉上就完全沒光。

While breathing, our eyes can be half-open or half-closed, just like the curtain is hanging down.

Because when we pull on the curtain, some light can get through; if we close our eyes completely, there will be no light at all.

一般完全閉上眼睛的話，容易有妄想，眼睛整個打開又會受環境影響，所以輕輕垂下來，不必在乎是閉兩分三分，大概是垂下來就好，垂下來有透點光，這時候是最不受內外影響的，整個閉上會受到內在影響，整該張開會受到外在影響，垂下來剛好，然後呢！就守在玄關，一入一出，了了分明，這樣就夠了，

Usually when we close the eyes completely, it’s easy for us to have distracting thoughts. However, if we open our eyes, it’s easy for us to be influenced by the environment. So, we take the middle way to hang down our eyelids gently. This way, we don’t need to worry how wide we should open the eyes. When our eyelids are hung down, some light will come in. At this time we will not be influenced by anything. If we close our eyes completely, we’ll be affected by illusory thoughts. If we keep our eyes wide open, we will be affected by the environment. So, keeping the eyelids half-closed is just right. Then we just need to concentrate on the wisdom door and be aware of our exhaling and inhaling.

佛法修持重視「眼觀鼻鼻觀心」這也是一個方法，很多人都聽過這句，眼觀鼻容易，鼻要如何觀心？我們將心繫念在玄關、繫念在呼吸，就是一種最好的「鼻觀心」。

In Buddhism, the practitioners pay much attention to the method called “use the eyes to watch the nose and use the nose to watch the heart.” Many people have heard of this. However, it’s easy to use the eyes to observe the nose, but how can we use the nose to observe the heart? When we tie our thoughts on the wisdom door and concentrate on our breathing, it will be the best way of “using the nose to observe the heart.”

有些人無法半開半閉，如果不習慣垂目，可以睜開眼，但不要東張西望，看東看西，眼看佛燈，意念專注在呼吸。

Some people can’t make their eyes half-open or half-closed. If you are not used to closing your eyes, you can open your eyes. But you’d better not look everywhere. Just use our eyes to watch the Buddha lamp and concentrate our thoughts on our breath.

若不習慣睜開也不喜歡半閉，完全閉上眼睛也無妨。但如果心中出現幻象或心念陷入思緒的漩渦，要趕快睜開眼，不要一直被捲進去。

If we are not used to staring or half-closed, it’s OK to close the eyes completely. But if some illusion appears or our mind is confused with many emotions, we should open our eyes immediately. Don’t follow the illusion or negative emotions.

一般來說閉眼，容易很快進入專注，但是也很容易在專注後出現幻像，或者開始昏沉瞌睡。所以禪坐多半主張垂目。

Generally speaking, closing eyes will make us concentrate more easily and deeply, but it’s also very easy for us to have illusion after concentration or we might start to dose off. So the practice of meditation prefers keeping eyes half-closed.

耳 About ears

耳朵要關閉似乎是不可能的，所以我們只能盡量找一個安靜的地方來進行修持。耳朵有時候很奇怪，平時沒聽到的，一靜下來什麼都聽到了。再怎麼安靜的地方都會有聲音，不管人聲車聲…只要心不隨聲音而去，聽到的聲音讓它穿過而不要滯留。

It seems impossible to close our ears, so we can only try to find a quiet place to do the practice. Our ears are very sensitive. Once we keep silent, they can hear anything that was not heard before. There are various kinds of sounds in every place, no matter how quiet it is—the sound of people or cars. As long as our mind don’t follow these sounds, we can let them go just like clouds will disappear very soon when they are floating in the sky.

有時心靜下來時，會出現音樂。不是真的身邊有音樂在播放，而是儲存在腦海中的一些音樂因為身體靜下來、思慮也停止、而出現。並不是耳朵聽見而是頭腦在播放音樂。

曾經有道親以為自己有幻聽聽到不存在的音樂。其實是一種心靜下來的現象，不要理會它，繼續修就會消失。

Sometimes when our minds rest, music might appear. It’s not because there is really some music playing beside, but it’s the music stored in our brain. The music appears because our body doesn’t move and our thoughts also stop. The truth is that our ears don’t really hear the music but it’s the brain that is playing the music.

Some Tao cultivators think they have auditory hallucination because they can hear the music that does not exist. Actually it’s the phenomenon that our minds are calm down. Don’t care about this too much. Just keep practicing, and the symptom will disappear.

鼻About nose

調息！觀想氣息從玄關進，充滿全身，再從玄關出。不必刻意去觀想氣息進入以後上行下走！只要能從玄關進，自然會往上走到泥完宮，往下走到湧泉穴，全身氣脈暢通無阻。

To adjust our breath, we can visualize our breath enters the wisdom door and fills the whole body. Then, it will go out from the wisdom door again. We don’t need to visualize the exact path of breath circulating around the body. As long as the breath enters from the wisdom door, it will naturally move upward to the top of our head and downward to the bottom of our feet. The breath itself will circulate in the body smoothly.

重點在於「一呼一吸了了分明」不要說我現在是在吐氣或吸氣都不曉得，起碼要知道我現在正在吸氣，我現在正在吐氣，

The point of this practice is to inhale and exhale in a very clear way. We cannot say we don’t know whether we are inhaling or exhaling. At least we should know we are inhaling or exhaling.

氣的長、短、粗、細啊！這倒沒有關係，慢慢調整，也不要想說它吸的深或是吸的淺，因為我們要吸的不是空氣，

We don’t need to pay much attention to the length or depth of our breath, for what we are breathing is not the air.

注意喔！不要想你吸的只是空氣，玄關一開，不論你察覺或是不察覺，先天氣會從每一個毛孔啊！進入你的每一個竅、每一條脈，我們體內有八萬四千條脈，每一條脈都會慢慢清乾淨，但這時候身體有一些異狀的話呢！這就表示在清除你的痼疾和業障，不要慌亂。

However, what we should pay attention to is to know the valuable function of this practice. What we breathe in is not just the air. Once the air enters the wisdom door, the pre-birth chi will enter each pulse and aperture. This pre-birth chi will purify our bad karmas as well as our pulses. If some symptoms occur at this moment, don’t worry. It’s because the pre-birth chi is purifying your illness or bad karmas.

透過這種調息，我們陰脈如果阻塞太久了，也許一時片刻沒辦法完全通暢，可是慢慢就會改善，只要經常做玄關呼吸，你自然就可以漸漸消除這些痼疾和業障，這是三寶修持中很重要的一個修持。

Through this breath adjustment, our bad karmas or blocked pulses can be purified gradually. Maybe it’s impossible to purify them in a short time. But if we often do this practice, we will eliminate these chronic illness and bad karmas. This is a very important practice in Three Treasures.

舌About the tongue

嘴巴閉上，舌頭抵上顎。舌下自然生津，對健康有幫助，也是修持的一部份。這叫做「真水上升」可以把「腎水」提升，轉化慾望成為悲願，同時達到道家所謂「煉精化氣」

When we close the mouth and keep our tongues attached to the upper palate, there will be saliva under our tongues. It’s very healthy and also a part of our practice. This saliva can not only make our kidneys healthier but also transform our desires into compassion. In the meantime, this practice is called “transformation from sperm to refined chi.”

身About the body

我們在做玄關式呼吸的時候，可以坐著，站著也可以，甚至走路都可以，行、住、坐、臥，睡覺的時候，都可以做，我們現在大家都坐在這裡，就用坐姿。

We can do this practice while sitting, standing, or even walking. In daily life, we can practice at any time, even when sleeping. Since all of us are sitting, let’s sit and practice.

坐的時候，不要彎腰駝背，因為身直則脈直，脈直則心直，我們坐的時候，不要太僵硬，要很輕鬆的、自然的坐直來，輕輕鬆鬆的坐直，

While we are sitting, don’t hunch, for once our bodies are straight, the chi can circulate in the pulses smoothly. Once the chi goes smoothly, our minds can be clear. Another point is to sit in a relaxing way. Don’t sit too stiffly. Just sit straightly in a natural and relaxing way.

手可以抱合同，手抱合同也不要抱的太緊，輕輕鬆鬆的抱著，可以造成陰陽的調和，陰氣和陽氣的調和，左陰右陽嘛！

Use Mudra（hand seal）, but don’t hold it too tightly. Just use mudra in a relaxing way. It can coordinate between yin and yang, yin chi and yang chi, for the left part of our bodies has yin feature while the right part has yang feature.

手要是覺得說抱合同不太習慣，不太順的話，也可以輕鬆的放在膝蓋上。以讓自己舒適放鬆為原則。

If you feel uncomfortable to use mudra（hand seal）, you can put your hands on the laps. The point is to sit and practice in a comfortable and relaxing way.

. 注意這不是打坐，我們心態上必須要有一個正確的認知，這不是參禪打坐，我們坐在這裡靜修是現在因為在佛堂開班，必須要用坐的。

Notice: this is not meditation. We should have a right understanding that this practice is different from meditation.

未來在生活中，不管你是站著、坐著，或是走路的時候，躺著的時候，都同樣可以做這一個呼吸法，

After this class, when you go home in everyday life, you can do this breathing practice no matter you are standing, sitting, walking or sleeping. You can even do it anytime and anywhere.

就像嬰兒多半時間都是躺著，一樣都在做玄關是呼吸，做的比我們任何人都做的好，所以要強調這不是打坐。

Take a baby for example. It cannot stand or sit to do the practice, but it can practice better than anyone of us when lying on the bed. Therefore, the breathing practice is different from meditation, which should be done only when sitting.

意About mind

將意念繫在玄關，注意，不要用力，不要皺著眉頭守玄。輕鬆的、不要用力太深，就像嬰兒一樣，很輕鬆的，把意念放在“這裡”（玄關），輕輕鬆鬆的放在“這裡”，不要刻意去把它緊抓在那裡，輕輕鬆鬆的放在“這裡”，

Focus your thoughts on the wisdom door. Pay attention not to focus too tightly. Don’t frown to concentrate on the wisdom door. Just concentrate in a relaxing way like a baby does. Focus all your thoughts here (on the wisdom door). Relax.

吸氣的時候，觀想呢！從玄關吸進去，吐氣的時候，觀想從玄關吐出來，但你不必非常刻意把注意力集中在想「氣吸進來，上升到頭頂，循環下行直到腳底…」只要意念繫在玄關，自然呼吸，氣就會上升至頭頂，下行至腳底，充滿全身每一個角落。

When you are inhaling, visualize your breath enters through the wisdom door. When you are exhaling, visualize your breath are going out through the wisdom door. But it’s not necessary to think the breath or chi is entering or pay attention that it is moving upward to the top of the head and circulating downward to the bottom of the feet. As long as we concentrate on the wisdom door and breathe naturally, chi will circulate in every corner of the body naturally.

就好像你吹汽球，你只要從入口吹進去，它自然氣會充滿整個汽球，不用去想我現在氣到左邊了，到右邊了，只要從入口吹進去就好了，然後呢！氣息呢！自然就好。

For example, when we are blowing a balloon, the air will fill it as long as we blow from its entry. We don’t need to think now the air moves to the left or right. Just blow the air from the entry.

專注在呼吸，一呼一吸了了分明，吸氣的時候，專心在吸氣，從玄關吸進去，吐氣的時候從玄關吐出來。

Concentrate on your breathing. Be aware of every inhaling and exhaling.

剛坐下來的時候，心會覺得很亂，靜不下來，沒有關係，如果你發現心實在靜不下來的話，你可以加上默念真經來調息，吸氣時念一次真經，吐氣時不唸，或吐氣時也念一次五字真經。因人而異，可隨自己氣息長短，調整到最舒適的情況。

Your mind may not be peaceful in the beginning, but it’s OK. If you find it’s very hard to calm down, you can adjust the breath by reciting the Five Word Sutra. You can recite only when inhaling or exhaling, or you can recite both when inhaling and exhaling. It depends. You can adjust the length of the breath to the most comfortable situation.

我們的心，不容易一下就靜下來。好像水的沉澱作用，濁的水無法在一瞬間就澄清的，只不搖動它，靜下來一陣子以後，砂石才開始慢慢沉澱，靜止時間越長就越清澈，所以不要著急。

It’s not easy for our mind to calm down immediately. Just like the sediment of water, the disturbed water cannot become clear at the moment. As long as we don’t stir it, after a while, the sand and mud will start to sink gradually. The longer it stays still, the clearer it will become. Therefore, we don’t need to hurry.

如果急著讓它靜下來的話，反而更不靜，所以慢慢靜下來，大概等個十幾二十分鐘以後呢！你就會發現心已經很清澈了，雜念不會這麼多了。注意這一點，不要著急，慢慢等待，也不要用太多的方法，很簡單，就是專注在呼吸就好。

If you are in haste to settle your mind, it will be more disturbed. So just calm down slowly. After ten or twenty minutes, you will find your mind has been very clear; also, your distractive thoughts will be reduced. The point is: don’t haste. Keep breathing, but don’t try to use too many methods. It’s very easy. Just concentrate on breathing.

起修Start to practice

那我們現在就開始進行半個小時的實修，不要急切，慢慢進入狀況，

Now, we will do the practice for half an hour. Don’t hurry. Just get into the meditation gradually.

好！我們把燈關上，只剩下三盞佛燈。開始進行玄關式的呼吸。關燈為了讓心沉靜下來，太亮時心念容易跳躍不停。如果在家修行，可選擇自己舒適的光線。

Now, we will turn off the lights and leave only three Buddha lamps here, and then start breathing through the wisdom door. Turning off the lights can make our minds serene. With too much light, we’ll become excited. If you do the practice at home, you can choose the most comfortable light for yourself.

注意我們的身體，坐的時候，不要靠椅背，那樣脈就不直了，但也不要坐得向軍人一樣僵硬。輕鬆，越輕鬆越好，放的很鬆，

Be aware of your sitting posture. Don’t lean against the chair because our pulses may become slanting. However, we don’t need to sit stiffly like a soldier, either. Relax. The more relaxed the better.

放鬆，然後先吸氣，用嘴巴吐氣，把濁氣吐掉，先吸個三口氣…….，然後吐三口濁氣……….，這時候才開始呢！正式的進行玄關式呼吸。

Relax, and then inhale first. Use your mouth to exhale and exhale all the turbid breath. Visualize you breathe in the fresh air three times, and then exhale the turbid air three times. Then start the practice for thirty minutes.

……………………………………………………………（半個小時過去了，結束！）

Half an hour later

道德經裡面，老子曰：「反者，道之動」，今天我們回觀反照，用三寶來修持，就是『反』。

一般我們的心都是向外的，從小受的教育，都是叫你動起來，不是叫你靜下來，那今天我們的課呢！是反其道而行，沒有叫你動起來。

In Tao Te Sutra, Lao-tze said:” Returning to the Middle Way is the key to the function of the Tao.”
Today we return to our original nature and use the Three Treasures to practice. This is called “returning to the middle way.” Usually our minds keep searching outward. Since childhood, we’ve learned to be active instead of being serene. Our lesson today is opposite to traditional education because we let go everything of the outer world.

平時我們辦道、講課，還是在動，辦道，講課、講道，聽道理，不是身在動就是心在動，去思考、去吸收、去記憶…但是呢！今天的修持，剛好是相反的，反者道之動也！

反的作用卻對動有莫大的助益。

In daily life, even when we are helping proceed Tao , lecturing, or listening to speeches, we are active either in body or in mind. Even when we are sitting and listening to speeches, we need to think, absorb, and memorize. However, today’s practice is very different. It’s totally contrary to our daily activities.

The practice of returning to original nature (Buddha nature) is a great help to us.

修持法補充說明

Amendment :

有道親問：「密宗修持有許多觀想方式，我們修三寶要不要觀想？」

Some Tao members may ask, “There are ways of visualization in the practice of Tibetan Buddhism. Do we need to visualize when practicing Three Treasures?”

如果有道親曾修過密宗，或有觀想的習慣，在這裡提供幾個修持玄關式呼吸的觀想方式：

If you have learned the Tibetan Buddhism , or you have the habit of visualizing, here we offer certain ways of visualization when breathing through the wisdom door.

吸進佛光 呼出負面情緒 Buddha light in, negative emotions out

修玄關式呼吸時可做一種觀想：「吸進佛光，呼出負面情緒」。

We can visualize in this way: to breathe in the Buddha light and breathe out our negative emotions.

觀想，當我們吸氣時所有諸佛菩薩的光芒、智慧，都隨著氣息的吸入，吸進玄關，呼氣時則觀想我們生命裡的負面情緒，憤怒、痛苦、哀傷、仇恨…隨著呼氣把他們全部呼出去。全面改造我們的生命，全面治療我們的身心疾病。

Please visualize: when we are inhaling, the light and wisdom of all Buddha and bodhisattvas enter our wisdom door; when we are inhaling, all our negative emotions in life such as anger, pain, sorrow or hatred are driven out. This visualization can rebuild our life and cure our physical and mental diseases totally.

在修持時想一想我們最大的痛苦是什麼？是身體疾病還是精神上的煩惱？在修玄關式呼吸時，做最簡單的觀想：

Think about what our greatest pain is. Is it physical illness or mental worries? Just do the simplest visualization when breathing through the wisdom door:

吸氣時，觀想從玄關吸進佛光到我們的全身。

While inhaling, visualize that Buddha light enters our body through the wisdom door.

吐氣時，觀想我們最大的煩惱（疾病、情緒、操憂…）從玄關吐出。

When exhaling, visualize that our greatest trouble (illnesses, emotions, or worries) goes out through the wisdom door.

這樣一呼一吸，反覆觀想，把生命中的煩惱痛苦都用佛光滌洗乾淨，生命就又煥然如新。

佛光的存在並不抽象，就像我們週遭充滿各種的電波、音波、光波…各種波。我們看不到、聽不到、摸不到，但卻實實在在的存在。我們打開手機、收音機、電視…就收到那些我們看不到，但卻存在的訊號。

Repeat the process in and out until our worries and pains are cleared by the Buddha light. Thus we will have a renewed life.

The existence of Buddha light is not abstract at all. It is like all kinds of waves (electric, sound, light, etc.) around us. We cannot see, hear, or touch them, but they really exist. Once we turn on the cell phone, radio, or TV, we will receive these waves.

同樣的，除了這些科技波以外，還有諸佛菩薩所發出的波－佛光。

Meanwhile, besides these technical waves, there is another kind of wave from Buddha and bodhisattvas called Buddha light.

諸佛菩薩的慈悲、光明、智慧、能力，所有無量無邊功德，都充滿在宇宙圍繞在我們週遭，我們只要打開玄關，就可以接收到這些訊號。

All Buddha and bodhisattvas’ compassion, brightness, wisdom, power and unlimited merits and virtues surround all of us in the universe. As long as we concentrate on the wisdom door, we are sure to receive their waves.

佛光訊號對我們有什麼意義？為什麼要接收？佛光可以洗滌我們生命中的污垢，補充能量增進能力，洗刷我們累世的業障。啟發我們的智慧，讓我們有慈悲歡樂。生命中正面力量都可透過玄關，從四面八方接收諸佛菩薩釋放出的訊息、力量。

What does the Buddha light mean to us? Why should we receive them? Buddha light can wash out the dirt of our life, supply energies, and promote capabilities. It can also purify our bad karmas and induce our wisdom. It gives us compassion and joy. We can regain all the positive power in life through our wisdom door. We can also receive the messages and power of Buddha and bodhisattvas from all directions.

諸佛菩薩為什麼要對我們發射這些慈、悲、喜、捨，的佛波？因為希望眾生解脫痛苦，走向成佛之道。

Why do Buddha and bodhisattvas want to send us the Buddha waves of kindness, compassion, joy and giving? It’s because they hope the sentient beings can escape from suffering and reach the enlightenment.

但是雖然諸佛有豐富的慈悲智慧，如果我們沒有接收器，很難傳達到我們的生命。好比這世界充滿豐富的色彩，但如果你沒有眼睛，還是無法看到。什麼是接收器？對其他宗教而言，如祈禱、靈修、念佛、打坐…效果如何我們不能妄自下斷言，但對道親而言，求道就像在我們的玄關加裝了一台接收器，如電視、收音機…讓我們可以接收到來自諸佛的訊息。

Even if Buddha and bodhisattvas are so compassionate and wise, their blessing cannot reach us if we don’t have the “antenna.” For example, we cannot see the colorful and beautiful world without eyes. What is the antenna for the Buddha light? In other religions, they might pray, chant, or meditate. We cannot judge whether they are effective or not. However, as for the Tao members, taking the Tao is like installing a antenna on the wisdom door. Then we are like TV or radio. With this antenna, we can get the message from Buddha and bodhisattvas.

修持，就是啟動接收功能。就像你有電視，也要打開開關，轉動頻道器，才能接收到節目訊息。

Practice is like pressing the “on” button and starting to receive Buddha waves. Just as we have to turn on the TV and use the remote control before watching TV programs.

如何才能知道我們究竟接收到佛波沒有？察看我們的生命有沒有脫胎換骨的轉變？比方說易悲、易怒、貪心、計較、自私、懶惰…常年困擾自己也讓他人厭惡討厭的特質，漸漸淡化消失。像髒衣服進入水中，污垢就漸漸淡化消失。

How can we know whether we have received the Buddha waves or not? Just be aware if our lives are renewed. For example, if we find our displeased characters, such as melancholy, anger, greed, mean, selfishness or laziness, etc, have gradually disappeared, we are going the right way. It’s like that our bad habits are cleaned by Buddha waves, just as dirty clothes will be cleaned by water.

自他交換法exchanging

　　另一種觀想是－自他交換。

Another visualization is exchanging

佛家的寂天菩薩曾提倡一種「自他交換」的觀想修持，有大慈悲心才能做這種修持。他說：「如果自己與他人想要快速得到救護，就必須行自他交換，這是非常秘密殊勝的法門，要是自己的快樂跟別人的痛苦，不如實做交換，就沒有辦法成佛，而且在輪迴的世間也沒有快樂。」

The Gi-tien bodhisattva has taught the practice called exchanging. Only a very compassionate practitioner can do it. He said, “If you want to take refuge quickly with others, you have to do this exchanging practice. This is a very secret and sacred Dharma. We cannot reach enlightenment unless we exchange our happiness with others’ suffering. Only through exchanging can we reach the enlightenment. Otherwise, we will stay in samsara, where there is no happiness at all.”

自他交換觀想方法： Methods of Exchanging

呼：exhaling

氣息呼時，觀想自己身心中的快樂以及樂因的善，如太陽升起般，光芒四射的進入眾生的身體。將眾生身上的罪障、痛苦全部去除。有如太陽出來後，大地的黑暗整個被清除般。這是呼氣的觀想。

When exhaling, visualize our own happiness and goodness rise like the sun and enter the bodies of all sentient beings. This way, we can help reduce the bad karmas and suffering of them. Just like the darkness will be cleared away after the sun rises. This is the visualization when exhaling.

吸：inhaling

當氣息吸入時，觀想其他眾生身心的痛苦，和苦因的惡業，全部化成一團烏黑進入自己心中，再化成空。

When inhaling, visualize others’ suffering and bad karmas are turned into dark clouds and enter our minds. Finally, these dark clouds became emptiness.

就這樣一呼一吸，反覆觀想自己的光明和眾生的黑暗不斷透過呼吸進行交換。

Repeat this process and visualize we are exchanging our brightness with the darkness of sentient beings.

不只佛教的菩薩及大修行者有如此的慈悲願力，我們師母和許多老前人們，雖然不修「自他交換」呼吸法，卻直接發「頂劫救世」的願，修持非但不求自己的快樂，甚至求承擔眾生的業障。

Not only the bodhisattvas in Buddhism have such compassionate vows, but also our Shi-mu Master Sun and many other great masters have the same vows in another way. They don’t often do the practice of Exchanging; instead, they make the vow of sacrificing their lives to save the world. They do the practice not for their own happiness but for reducing the bad karmas of all sentient beings.

老子也說：「受國之垢，可以為社稷主。」一個人可以承受國家民族的罪業，就可以成為社稷之神。尚書云：「萬方有罪，罪在朕躬。」萬民所犯的罪，罪責由我個人承擔。耶穌也用自己的寶血，為眾人贖罪。所以我們修持，不應只為求自己脫劫避難，反而要去承擔別人的劫難。

Lao-tze also said, “Anyone who can shoulder other people’s faults as his own faults can finally become the god of this country.” If a person can act this way, he can be a god after death.

An old Chinese sutra Shang Shu said, “As an emperor, I will take the sins of my fellowmen and be punished for the sins.” Many of the Chinese emperors died very young because they took all the sins of their fellowmen, just as Jesus Christ sacrificed for the world. Therefore, we should do the practice not only for pursuing our own happiness but also for shouldering other people’s suffering.

寂天菩薩的「自他交換」觀想法可能令許多人猶豫恐懼：「這樣觀想，是不是自己會因此而生病得癌症…？」

Gi-tien bodhisattva’s method of Exchanging may frighten many people. They may think, ”if I visualize this way, will I get cancer, too?”

我們不需要發這樣的大願，可以做另一種觀想修持：「讓自己成為佛力和眾生業力交換的管道。」

Anyway, we don’t need to make such great vows like them. We can do the practice by using another visualization; that is, make ourselves become a channel to exchange Buddha’s power and sentient beings’ bad karmas.

這個修持法可以提供給天下父母，當沒有其他方法可救助孩子於疾病、墮落、災厄…時，可以用這個修持。

For all parents, they can try this visualization when they have no other ways to save their children from illness, going astray, or disasters, and so on.

提供給天下子女，當有孝心卻力不足時，可修持以下這個玄關呼吸交換法，來幫助父母出離病苦、業障。

For all sons and daughters, they can try this Exchange to help their parents escape from illness and bad karmas.

範圍當然不僅止於父母子女，任何有心幫助別人，卻能力不足，或無法溝通，都可以用這個修持。。

This method is not limited to parents and their children. Anyone who is willing to help others can do this practice.

玄關式呼吸的自他交換法Exchanging practice through the wisdom door

吸：inhaling

吸氣時，觀想眾生的業障、疾病、痛苦…化作一團黑氣，經由我的玄觀吸入諸佛世界的功德大海。

When inhaling, visualize others’ bad karmas, illness, and suffering are turned into a dark cloud. It can be directed into the pure land of all Buddhas through my wisdom door. In the pure land, these sufferings can be purified and then disappear.

呼：exhaling

呼氣時，觀想諸佛菩薩的佛光，經由我的玄關射出無量光，灌注到眾生的體內，眾生就像燈泡通了電一樣，內外通明。

When exhaling, visualize the Buddha light of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas gives off unlimited brightness through my wisdom door and is poured into sentient beings. Then, sentient beings become pure and bright as the bulb has just been switched on.

我們因為有老母、彌勒祖師作後盾，所以我們還可以一邊持真經，讓彌勒祖師的佛力化掉這些病痛，

Because we have the heavenly mother and Matriya Buddha as our great supporters, we can recite the five-word sutra and breathe through the wisdom door at the same time. This way, Matriya Buddha will help reduce our pains.

比如父母親生病或子女生病時，可以在面對他們時一邊修持玄關式呼吸，一邊觀想他的病痛在我們吸氣時，被我們吸進來，但隨即被彌勒祖師的佛光化掉，彌勒祖師的佛光隨著我們吐氣時，灌注到他身上，將疾病的黑暗照亮，讓疾病消失。

If our parents or children get sick, we can use the same method to help them. When facing them, we can breathe through the wisdom door and visualize their illness is inhaled inside our body, but is cleared away by Matriya Buddha’s light immediately. On the other hand, Matriya Buddha’s light is poured into his body through our exhaling. Repeat the procedure for a while, and they will get well gradually.

就像一個髒的小池塘，藉著一條溝渠，讓髒水導流入清淨的大海，清水從大海灌入池塘。我們扮演的腳色就是那條溝渠。我們不是具有偉大的神力、佛力，而只是上天和眾生間的通道。

This process is just like cleaning a small dirty pond. It can be turned very clean by directing the dirty water into the broad sea through a ditch. With this exchange, the pure clean water can enter the pond from the sea. The role we play is like the ditch. We ourselves don’t have any great power. All that we can do is to be the channel between God and sentient beings.

當你真正關心，卻無能為力時，這是一種很好的方法，而且一定有實質幫助。只要有誠心，加上專注於玄觀呼吸，一定可以幫助對方。

When we really care about somebody but have no other method to take, this is a very good method. It really helps. As long as we are very sincere and be able to concentrate on this breathing, we are sure to help him.

養生的觀想法 Visualization of preserving health

最後提供大家一個養生的觀呼吸觀想，這是道親朱政自己體會實驗出來的，在此與大家分享。朱政自上校退役後，開始創造自己的事業第二春，雖然退役仍然維持著軍人特有的強健體魄，但最近因事業忙碌，突然發現開始有白頭髮，尤其兩鬢幾乎全白。五十六歲有白髮算正常，但對一向風流倜儻的他而言仍是難以接受。於是在他修玄關式呼吸時，觀想：氣，從玄關吸進，吐出時，從兩鬢出來。每天這樣修十幾分鐘，再長出來的頭髮，竟然又是黑的，現在他兩鬢又恢復黑髮。

Here is another visualization which can help preserve health. This method is experimented by a Tao member. Mr. Chu continued his second career after retiring. Although he retired, he maintained fit like a soldier. These days he was so busy that he started to have gray hair. This was a shock to him. Therefore, when he practiced breathing through the wisdom door, he visualized the Buddha light entered him through the wisdom door, and it also passed his hair before exhaled.

He practiced this way for about ten minutes every day. It was surprising that his newborn hair all became dark.

除了白髮以外，他中年後有一個毛病，眼睛會流淚，台灣人說「流目油」他也用同樣的方法：觀想氣從玄關吸進，從眼睛出來。每天這樣修玄關式呼吸，一邊收心、一邊治病，身病、心病都治好了，

Besides gray hair, he had another problem that his eyes would always keep wet. He used the same method to cure this. When inhaling, visualize the Buddha light entered through the wisdom door and went out through his eyes. He did this practice not only to cultivate himself but also to cure his illnesses. In this way, he recovered very soon physically and mentally.

許多道親紛紛求教於他，將這玄關式呼吸運用在治病養生上，哪一個器官生病，就觀想氣呼出時，由那裡呼出。

Many Tao members asked him for details to use the breathing practice on curing illnesses and preserving health. No matter which organ has the problem, they can visualize the Buddha light goes out through that organ.

後學的太太，她有嚴重的耳朵問題，嚴重時頭暈失去平衡，而且經常耳鳴，她都用指壓耳朵的方式減輕耳鳴的症狀，也有效。

Another Tao member followed this method and also succeeded. She had serious problem in ear, which sometimes caused dizziness and unbalance, and even ringing in the ear. In the past, she would massage her ear to reduce the symptom. It also worked.

最近有一次耳鳴非常嚴重而且比平時大聲，指壓也停不了，她是好靜的人，難以忍受耳朵持續的鳴叫，突然想起後學說的朱政的觀想法，試著玄關呼吸，氣從玄關進，從耳朵出。竟然反覆做二三次耳鳴就消失了。

Lesson two Walking with reciting

第三課　一步一字默念真經

（修前開示）Introduction

上一堂課玄關調息，是一種靜態的禪定，但是我們生活不可能經常處於靜止，所以還要學一種「動中禪定」。在動的時候依然能有「定」的工夫。

The previous breathing practice is a serene kind of meditation. In our life, however, it’s impossible for us to be always quiet and still. So we need to learn another kind of meditation that can be used in all movements. It means we can have a peaceful mind even in actions.

所以這一節修持我們要離開座位，在動作中修行，修什麼呢？複習「默念真經」，而且用走路的方式，一邊走一邊念∣走一步默念一字真經。

In this period, we have to leave our seats and do the practice in actions. What should we practice? It’s to practice reciting our Five Word Sutra while walking. In one step, we need to recite one word of the sutra in mind.

走路的時候，走一步念一個字∣南…無…彌…勒…佛…。（因不能寫出無字真經所以用南無彌勒佛五個字代替，實際修行時要念無字真經。）

腳板貼地的時候，同時念∣南…無…彌…勒…佛，貼地的時候，剛好用那個震動把你的雜念震掉，才可以念得純，你要是腳板抬起來的時候念…南…放下去念…無…，中間就有很多的妄念，所以要腳著地時念，用走路的振動把這心中的妄念給震掉，只剩下佛號.

Recite every word in mind when your foot is touching the floor. Step on the floor, and the movement can drive your abstracting thoughts away. Then you can recite in a very attentive way. If you recite the sutra when you move the foot up, you may have many thought in the process. Therefore, I suggest you recite every word when your food is touching the floor. In this way, the vibration of walking will drive all thoughts away.

這個修持將來可以帶到生活中，不只走路，時時刻刻都可以修。是一個很容易入手的修行。修起來輕鬆沒有壓力，很適合忙碌的現代人修。

This practice can be extended to our daily life at every moment, including walking and so on. It’s very easy, relaxing and suitable for modern people.

為什麼要默念真經？Why should we recite the Five Word Sutra?

默念真經。為什麼要念？

念佛，是中國千年來最普遍的一種修持，不分老少每個人念了都有效。什麼效？小至脫災避難，大至開悟見性、往生西方。

Reciting Buddha’s names is a very common practice in China for thousands of years. It is effective for everyone, old or young, not only in escaping from difficulties and disasters but also in reaching the enlightenment and returning to the pure land.

但因大多數人沒有念佛的習慣，所以古代禪門祖師教修行人一種念佛的方法，這個方法流傳到現在仍然是佛門的重要修持，叫做∣經行。我們今天作一樣的修持，但是念的是彌勒祖師傳給我們的密語。如果在佛堂有點佛燈，可以唸出聲或默念都可以，在佛堂以外的地方就必須默念，不可唸出聲。

Most common people don’t have the habit of reciting Buddha’s names, so the Zen masters often taught practitioners this way of reciting. Walking with reciting, up to now, is still a very important practice in Buddhism. Today we will do the same kind of practice. The only difference is to recite the secret sutra from Matriya Buddha. If the lamps are lighted on, we can either read it out or memorize it in mind. Outside the temple we should keep silent and only recite it in mind.

也聽過道中老前賢提過，早期在大陸入爐會時也有這項修行，有時在院子裡打轉，一走就是四五個小時，有時甚至七八小時。這樣走下來，心中所有的妄念、是非…都消失無蹤了。

Some senior Tao members mentioned that in the past, there was also this kind of walking practice in the retreat in Mainland China . They would walk around the yard and keep reciting for four or five hours, or even seven or eight hours. This way, all the distracting thoughts disappeared.

驚動仙佛？

就像陽光普照大地，如果我們門窗緊閉，處於黑暗，念佛就像開啟門窗讓光明射入一樣，本有的佛力和光明福德，也因為唸佛而照進我們的生命之中。

The effect of reciting Buddha’s names is like the sun shining all over the world. Our life is like a dark house with doors and windows closed. Reciting Buddha’s names is like opening the doors and windows, letting the sunshine get inside. Then, our natural power and bright merits will be able to enter our life through Buddha’s names.

大勢至菩薩念佛圓通章說：「十方如來憐憫憶念眾生就像母親時時刻刻思念子女一樣，可是如果子女逃逸無蹤，母親再怎麼思念也見不到子女，但是如果子女也開始思念母親，母子相憶必能相見。所以眾生念佛，眼前或未來，必定見佛。」

由此可知佛不是我們念祂，祂才念我們，而是無時無刻不在思念我們。我們一念祂，就立刻與祂相應。

One of the sutras said, “All Buddhas will keep sentient beings in mind just like a mother will always remember her children. However, if her children go very far away, she cannot see them no matter how much she misses them. On the other hand, if the children start to miss their mother, mother and children are sure to meet one another through their mutual recalling. Therefore, when sentient beings remember to recite Buddha’s names, they are sure to meet Buddha at present or in the future.”

According to this, Buddha always keeps us in mind and takes care of us all the time, not just because we recall Him. At the moment we recite his name, we are connected with Him right away.

真經，苦海中的救生圈The Five Word Sutra is a lifebelt in Samsara.

真經對我們最大的意義在於∣救苦。

The greatest meaning of the Five Word Sutra is to save us out of suffering.

我們人生像掉落在苦海中一樣，佛號就像仙佛菩薩向苦海拋下的救生圈，我們念佛，佛感應到了，就向我們拋下一個救生圈，我們抓住，就能從苦中出離。

Our life can be compared to falling in the bitter sea. Buddha’s names are like the lifebelts given to us by Buddha and bodhisattvas. When we recite their names and they hear, they will give us the lifebelt to grasp. If we can grasp it, we can escape from sufferings.

不必去理解不必去努力，就像你掉到海裡，這時要學游泳已經來不及，只有大聲喊「救命」，求在船上或陸地上有能力救我們的佛，大聲喊祂的名字，如果佛聽到了，就會拋給我們一條繩索，甚至救生圈。

This doesn’t need any understanding or any effort. Just as when you fall into the sea, there is no time for you to learn to swim. The only way to survive is to cry out loudly, “Help!” and ask all Buddhas, in land or on ship, to save us. We call His name loudly and if He hears, He will give us a rope or even a lifebelt.

無字真經是彌勒佛和我們之間的暗號、通關密碼，彌勒祖師承諾我們：只要我們有求道，默念這個密語，祂就會回應我們的需求，來搭救我們於苦難之中。

The Five Word Sutra is the secret code between Matriya Buddha and us. Matriya Buddha promises us: as long as we have taken the Tao, once we recite this Five Word Sutra silently, He will answer our requirements and save us from all sufferings.

經行的方法 The method of walking

我們先不多說理論，先進入修持方法。修持的體驗遠重要於理論。至於修持意義，修完可以慢慢看後面的解說。

默念無字真經的方法很簡單，只要專注在每一歩、每一個字，當你念第一個字、走第一歩的時候就專注在第一個字，不要想第二個字，也不要想上一歩、上一個字，更不要想昨天的事、明天的事、等一下的、下午的、晚上的…甚至好幾年以後的事。只專注再眼前當下這一步、這一個字，專注才有力量。

The method of reciting the Five Word Sutra is very easy. Just concentrate on every step and every word. When you recite the first word, focus on it at the first step. There is no need to think of the second word or the last step, or the last word. Not to mention thinking of yesterday, tomorrow, everything in the past or in the future. Just concentrate on the present step and the present word. Concentration will bring power.

修持重點：Some points in practicing

˙默念真經的時候，腳步踏下去，腳板貼地的同時才念南…無…彌…勒…佛（無字真經不能寫出來）

Not until our foot step on the floor or ground can we recite these Five Words.

˙眼睛不要東張西望，就看著前面，大概四十五度角向前垂視，

Our eyes should keep looking in front, looking down at about 45 degrees. We cannot look around.

˙意念就凝聚在眼前。

Focus our mind in front of the wisdom door.

˙順時鐘方向走，剛好是法輪轉動的方向，當然若不在佛堂或室內不必拘泥走的方向，重點是一邊唸真經。

Walk in a clockwise way, which is just the direction of Dharma Wheel rotating. Of course it’s not a fixed rule to walk this way if we are not inside the temple or house. The very point is to keep reciting the Five Word Sutra.

˙有人有持念珠的習慣，也可以一手抓念珠，走一歩，數一粒，念一字。

Some people are in the habit of holding beads in hand. They can hold beads when walking. When they walk one step, count the bead once and recite one word.

˙手可以抱合同或自然下垂擺動，一個人修時怎麼樣舒服就怎麼走，但若參加共修時，手儘量不要擺動太大，或有怪異動作干擾到別人。

Our hands can keep in mudra合同or move naturally. Walk in a comfortable way. But don’t move your hand in such an evident way that others will be disturbed when practicing together.

˙心念跑掉時，要提醒自己收回來，把真經再抓回來念。不要縱容自己一邊念真經一邊胡思亂想，否則就不叫修行而只是走路了。

Remind to concentrate on the sutra. If we are distracted, recite the Five Word Sutra attentively. Don’t spoil yourself to have wander thoughts when reciting; otherwise you are just walking, not practicing.

唸佛三昧

唸佛是最簡單的修行，但重點在∣專注。默念真經時，要集中意志力在腳下的這一步，好像全身的精力都集中在這一步，全神貫注在這一步，走這一步念到『彌』的時候，就光想到『彌』，下一步『勒』，就完全集中在這一步和這一個字上面，然後視線不要東張西望，就看著眼前就好了，

Reciting Buddha’s name is the simplest way to practice, but the point is concentration. While reciting the Five Word Sutra, we should focus our minds on the step we are walking. It seems that all our energy focuses on this step without distraction.

When we are reciting the first word of the sutra, we only pay attention to the word and the step. When the second word comes, we pay our whole attention to it and the next step. Also, we should keep our eyes from gazing around. All that we should do is concentrate on the present step and the word without distraction.

好！我們現在就開始試試看，只要你一起步就開始念，專心在眼前的這一步，不要分心，專心在眼前這一步。

Now let’s start. As long as you walk, you recite the sutra clearly. Just concentrate on the present step.

唸佛雖然簡單卻不是一個次等的修持，並不是如一般修行者所想的：上等根基好的人修禪定讀經典，下等根基的人修念佛。

Reciting Buddha’s name is easy, but it is not an inferior practice. It’s unlike what common practitioners think: higher-leveled practitioners achieve by meditation and researching many sutras, while lower-leveled practitioners can only achieve by reciting Buddha’s names.

就像電腦，簡易到三歲孩子都能使用一樣，仙佛把一切修持的精髓濃縮凝聚在一句佛號上，只要你去念，就可以和諸佛世界感應道交，得到諸佛的加持和無量功德。就像小孩上網，和每個大人一樣，可以進入無邊的智庫，得到最珍貴的資訊。最簡單反而是最上乘的，複雜不見得有實效、智慧。

This is like the computer, which is so easy that even a three-year-old kid knows how to use it. Buddha and all bodhisattvas condense the essence of all practice on the Five Word Sutra. As long as we recite it, we can get the empowerment and the unlimited merits of all Buddhas. We can also be connected with bodhisattvas in the pure land. Just as a kid goes on line, he can enter the whole data bank and apply it like an adult. In this way, he can get the most valuable information. Therefore, the simplest way is the best way. Any complicated method may not work so well.

我們時常聽到三昧，什麼是三昧？三昧就是禪定，佛法修持中最簡單的禪定就是「唸佛三昧」，就是念佛達到禪定。所以念佛是方法簡單，但內涵卻深不可測，而且一日千里的修行效果更是令人瞠目結舌。

We often hear about sanmadai (samaya). What is it? It is the outcome of meditation. In Buddhism, to achieve sanmadai by reciting Buddha’s name is one of the simplest ways of meditation. Therefore, this reciting is easy but effective.

Concentration on reciting will result in swift progress in practice.

默念真經同時也是一種守玄，常有道親對「守玄」很難體會契入，而念真經時心會自然回到玄關，不守而守，是最高境界的守玄。雖然守住玄關，卻沒有執著玄關。反而直接守玄有些人守出胡思亂想，陷入幻境，也有些人一守玄就昏昏欲睡，沒有達到守玄的效果。不如念真經自然守玄。

Reciting the Five Word Sutra in mind is also a kind of focusing on the wisdom door. Some Dao members may feel it difficult to concentrate on the wisdom door. However, when they recite the Five Word Sutra, their thoughts will naturally focus on the wisdom door.

If someone tries to focus on the wisdom door directly, first he might be troubled by many illusions or thoughts. Some people may also feel dizzy. This way, concentrating directly on the wisdom door may be less effective than reciting Buddha’s name for them.

好！那我們現在開始要進行這個經行的修持半個小時…

如果你是看書，看到這裡可以先停一下，闔上書本，在你所處的地方找一個可以沒有太多干擾的地方，客廳、花園，只要能邁開五歩以上。但不要原地打轉，久了會頭暈。樓梯也是很好的經行場所，一階一字，試著在腳步中持念真經。三寶光看書不夠，要實際去修去印證，用生命去印證體驗。

Ok, now we will start the walking practice for half an hour.

If you are reading this book, you can take a short break by closing the book and find a quiet place to walk—the living room or the garden is ok as long as you can walk five steps in a straight line. Pay attention not to walk in a small circle, which will make you dizzy. The stairs are good places to do the walking practice, too.

Recite one word when walking up or down one step. Try to recite in mind the Five Word Sutra while walking.

Actions speak louder than words. This is also true with our practice. After reading so many directions of using three treasures, please stand up and give it a try, and see what this practice will bring to our lives.

（半個小時過去了，休息

修後開示 teachings afterward

各位走了三十分鐘，希望也真的有念三十分鐘的真經。也許這三十分鐘已讓你進入狀況，也許還沒。沒關係，修行是長遠的，不在於立刻能証得什麼？在於能持之以恆的修下去。我常以砌磚來形容，我們默念一次真經，就像砌一塊磚，三十分鐘也許一面牆都還沒砌好，力量不足以保護我們，但繼續修下去，一天二天三天…終於砌成彌勒祖師法力城堡。我們就身在最安全的城堡中不怕狂風暴雨，甚至可以讓別人也在你所建築的城堡中得到庇護。

The thirty-minute walking practice may give you impressive awareness of peace. If not, it’s all right. Religious practice is a long term program. The point is not to expect to achieve something immediately. It’s to be able to practice continuously. I often compare the long term practice to building a construction. Once we recite the Five Word Sutra, its function is equal to putting on one brick. Thirty minutes is not enough to build a wall. However, day by day, year by year, our continuous practice will finally establish a strong castle of Maitriya Buddha . We can stay inside and be protected from any storms and can even offer the same shelter to many others.

最好的入手修持The best way to start practicing

觀察道親修持三寶，持念真經是一個最容易，效果也最明顯的部份。最適合起步修行的道親，很容易就可以有進步的感覺，而且隨時隨地都可以修，適合學生、上班族。

The reciting practice through walking, according to my observance, is the easiest and most effective one. A new Tao member will feel himself progress in a short time. It is also suitable for students or people at work, anytime and anywhere.

如果一入手就修守玄、看佛燈，有些人心靜不下來，修了沒體會，就放棄了。所以新道親可以從念真經開始修，當然這不是定法，每個人因緣根基不同，也有人對守玄特別契機。

If a new Tao member starts his practice by concentrating on the wisdom door, he may feel frustrated sometimes. However, reciting the Five Word Sutra may be easier. Of course, this is not the common rule. Everyone, because of his different affinities, should search the best practice for himself.

默念真經對我們生命有很大的幫助，我們今天只簡單從幾個角度來探討。

Reciting the Five Word Sutra is really helpful to our lives. Here we just explore its benefits from several aspects.

「一步一字默念真經」的修持意義：

The religious meanings of reciting the Five Word Sutra while walking

一、讓生命回歸正軌∣真經是生命的磁力線。

Make our lives back to the right track—the Five Word Sutra is a magnetic line of lives.

二、佛力加持∣真經有彌勒祖師的願力加持。

Receive Buddha’s empowerment—the Five Word Sutra contains Maitriya Buddha’s great vow.

三、以陽化隂∣彌勒的純陽可以化至陰。

Replace yin by yang—Maitriya Buddha’s name contains great power to purify the karmas or yin chi in our lives.

四、滌洗心靈∣用真經來洗滌心靈。

Purify our minds—the Five Word Sutra can be used to purify any other distracting thoughts.

生命回歸正軌 Make our lives back to the right track

這個修持，佛法稱之為『經行』，什麼是經行呢？易經乾卦曰：「日月經行於天」宇宙星球的運行都有一定的軌道，脫離軌道就會毀滅，成為流星、隕石。循著一定的軌道行走叫經行，所有日月星辰都有他一定的軌道，地球也有一定的軌道，如果偏離軌道的話，就會造成很大的災害。

The walking practice in Buddhism is called Jing Xing.

What is Jing Xing?

The rotation of all planets in the universe is very precise. Any trivial derailing will cause their ruin, making them meteors or aerolites.

The sun, the moon and all planets have their certain orbits, and so does our earth. Once they derail from the orbits, it will cause a great damage.

曾經恐龍統治地球長達一億數千萬年，卻在六千五百萬年前神秘地集體滅亡。因為一顆直徑約１０公里的小行星以９萬公里時速與地球相撞，撞擊點在今天墨西哥的猶加敦州。撞擊引起了小行星大爆炸，讓地球偏離軌道，但地球的引力磁場，讓地球很快的又回到原位。回到一定的軌道上才能正常運行，春夏秋冬生生不息。但是雖然地球回歸軌道，恐龍也已全部滅種了。所以我們要知道脫軌的毀滅性是很可怕的。

Dinosaurs had lived on earth for more than one hundred million years; however, they disappeared mysteriously sixty-five million years ago. Scientists say that it was caused by a minor planet colliding with the earth at a high speed of ninety thousand kilometers per hour. It collided with the earth in Mexico , and caused its own explosion. This made the whole earth derail from its track for a short time. But the magnetic field pulled the earth back again. Even though the earth had returned to its track, the dinosaurs had been extinct.

我們行走在世間也有一定的軌道，並不是有一條線或路，我們要照著走，而是行為有一定的軌則，如果脫軌也是會毀滅，什麼是行為的軌則？「正念」。如果我們做一切事時，都心存正念，就是一種經行，如日月一樣。

This is the same with our lives. We need to live in a certain track to follow or to behave. It is not a visible track or road for us to follow. It is the rule of our behaviors: righteous thoughts. If we keep righteous thoughts in mind when doing everything, it’s the same as planets’ rotation on their tracks.

我們人也有無形的軌道推動我們運轉，偏離軌道的話，生命裡面很多的這個智慧、能力、快樂、美德，都死光了，只要我們回歸正軌，慢慢的這個生機又恢復過來了，就像地球偏離時生物全部消滅，回歸正軌後又開始蘊育新的生命。

This invisible orbit pushes us to do everything smoothly and righteously. If we don’t follow this rule, all the wisdom, ability, happiness, and virtues will disappear. As long as we return to the right track, all the positive elements in life will recover. It’s just like the fact that all living beings were ruined when the earth derailed from its track but after it returned to its right track, the new creatures appear.

經行，能讓我們生命回歸正軌，現代人的生命狀態多半都是脫軌失序的，修行第一步要讓我們重回正軌。如何不脫軌？就是要守護正念。如何守護正念？用真經來取代我們的妄念。因為我們是聖凡兼修，無法像出家人一樣常打坐念佛，我們每天都有工作要做，所以我們一步一字念真經，是一種生活中工作中的修持法。

This walking practice can pull our lives back to the right track. Many modern people’s lives are full of disorder. The first step of practice is to lead us back to the right track. How can we achieve it? Just to preserve our righteous thoughts. How can we preserve the righteous thoughts? We can recite the Five Word Sutra to replace our illusory thoughts. Since we can’t do the practice for a long time like Buddhist monks or nuns, the simple practice for us is to recite the Five Word Sutra when walking, eating or even working. This is the best way for us to combine practice with work.

如果我們偏離正念的軌道，就像地球脫離軌道，一切都將滅亡。

我們生命中有許多美好的特質，如我們與生俱來的美德，美好的情緒，快樂的心情，智慧…在我們生命脫軌失序時，這些都會消失。但當我們重新回到正軌時，這些美好的特質又會重回我們的生命。但是如果我們常處脫軌的狀態中，就活不下去了。就像脫軌的行星終將毀滅一樣。並不是說我們會死亡，而是我們會漸漸失去光明，失去生機、活力甚至不斷的墮落沉淪。

There are many wonderful features in our lives, like good virtues, positive emotions, happiness and wisdom, etc. These inherent good features will disappear when we live a disorderly life. But they will return to us when we go back to our righteous thoughts or right track. However, we will live in a dangerous state if we are often under the state of derailing. Just like a derailing planet, it is sure to ruin. We will lose our brightness, energy, and all those wonderful features. Finally, it can lead to our falling from virtue.

澳洲，是文明度很高的國家，每年國民吃掉的憂鬱症藥物達到美金二十億。

歐盟對歐洲青少年做的調查，青少年第一願望是∣自殺。

Australia is a highly civilized country. Every year they have to offer two billion US dollars for healing melancholic patients. On the other hand, European Union has done a survey on teenagers and their first wish is to commit suicide.

為什麼有那麼多人憂鬱症、精神病甚至自殺？因為我們的靈魂受不了生命的脫軌失序而驚懼不安甚至想逃走。但靈魂黏附在肉體上無法逃走，於是開始逃避或自閉，發展成精神疾病，嚴重則走向自殘。即使我們用泯滅良心、麻木不仁來讓自己不會發瘋，也逃避不了來生可能連人身都保不住，墮入地獄、餓鬼、畜生道。所以我們修行要讓自己的本性不能脫軌。

Why are there so many people suffering from melancholy, mental diseases, or even trying to commit suicide? It’s because our souls will try to escape from body when encountering disorder, uneasiness, or panic. But our souls cannot leave the body; therefore, they start to escape or ground themselves and this results in mental diseases. What are worse, people may mistreat themselves or commit suicide. Even if we can protect ourselves from being mad by living an insensitive life, we still may go to hell or the realms of hungry spirits or animals in the next life. So, in order to protect our original nature from derailing, we need to practice continuously.

正念是軌道－

Righteous thoughts are our orbits

經行，讓我們脫軌失序的人生，藉著彌勒佛的願力，重新回到生生不息的正軌。

Walking with reciting can turn our disorderly life back into the creative orderly track. This can be achieved by the great vows of Maitriya Buddha.

所謂正軌不只是走路而已，你的行為，你的一舉一動，說話、做事、走路、工作…都是在動，在這些動作中都要有正念，不要起邪念、惡念，如果我們做一切事的時候，都有正念的話，這就是經行，就行走在正確的軌道上。

The right track in life does not only refer to walking. All your actions, including talking, doing things, walking or working can be performed with righteous thoughts. If we have righteous thoughts instead of evil thoughts when doing everything, it is Jing Xing. It means we are living in the right way.

就像星球，用一個磁力線，引導它的運行，我們用正念領導我們的行為。

磁力線有一個磁場中心，像地球，它是繞著太陽轉，以太陽為中心，這樣繞著轉，我們念力線呢！也有一個念力磁場的中心點，那是什麼？就是正念。

This is like a planet. It is led to rotate by a magnetic line. We can lead all our behaviors or actions with righteous thoughts.

Magnetic lines have its center. Like the earth surrounds the sun and rotate. It is centered by the sun. So do our minds. They also have a center: righteous thoughts.

我們要界定什麼是正念？範圍太廣大了，忠孝仁愛信義…都是正念，我們如何抓住這麼多信念？所以佛菩薩教我們最簡單的方法∣念佛。忠孝節義都是從佛出來的、從聖人出來的，所以我們常常念佛，常常存佛念，常存佛念，與佛心心相印，自然存正念，且萬德皆具足，因為佛是萬德具足的，所以念佛是最簡單的回歸正軌。

How can we define “righteous thoughts?” They contain numerous meanings, including loyalty, filial piety, kindheartedness, love, trustworthiness, and righteous behaviors, and so on. How can we preserve so many virtues? That’s why Buddha and bodhisattvas teach us the simplest way, reciting Buddha’s names. Buddha and sages possess and realize all these virtues. Therefore, it will be very natural for us to have the virtues like Buddha when we have the habit of reciting their names.

Reciting Buddha’s names connects us with Buddha and bodhisattvas. This makes our minds almost the same as Buddha’s minds. Therefore, we will naturally tend to help sentient beings like Buddha. And we will learn the great virtues of Buddha and bodhisattvas. So, reciting Buddha’s names is the easiest way to return to the right track.

我們要習慣在很多動作裡面，機械式的動作裡面，把這個念真經融化進去，其中最機械的動作就是走路。因此我們今天以一歩一字念真經的方式來修持經行。養成習慣以後，你所有的動作都會融化到這個真經裡面去，切菜、拖地、洗碗…的時候，規律動作裡面，都把真經融化進去，事情做起來得心應手，一點都不費力，好像地球如果走在磁力線上的話，那就不費力啦！我們同樣的，我們走在這個念力線上，正念佛力線上的時候，一點都不費力，覺得很輕鬆自在。

The point of walking practice is to get used to reciting Buddha’s names in many mechanical actions. Among them, walking is the most mechanical one.

Once we are used to practicing while walking, we will get used to practicing in all the other actions, such as chopping, mopping, or washing. If we can recite Buddha’s names while doing daily housework, it will save a lot of energy and every thing can go very smoothly. Just as the earth rotates in the magnetic line, it’s very natural and effortless. When we do everything with righteous thoughts, it will be effortless as well.

有一位坤道說：「真經，是最厲害的清潔劑，只要一邊念真經一邊刷鍋子，不銹鋼鍋好容易就刷得亮晶晶都不必用清潔劑。但不唸的時候，要好用力，還要加好多刷粉才刷得乾淨。」

One Tao member said, “The Five Word Sutra is the best cleaner. As long as I remember to recite it while washing the pot, it will turn out to be shining. However, if I forget to recite it, I should spend much more time and effort finishing the job.”

這個修持對坤道很有幫助，尤其是做家事的時候，特別要把真經融化進去，許多婦女在做家事的時候，心中想著太多是非、太多雜念，不滿、怨恨、忌妒…剁菜的時候，一邊剁，心中一邊罵：「剁給你死…」然後終日心中充滿情緒垃圾，久而久之成為怨婦、三姑六婆、夜叉…被過多的憤怒、不滿、怨懟…淹沒，而失去原本的純潔善良美麗。

This practice is especially helpful for females. When they are doing housework, it is very useful to recite Buddha’s names in the meanwhile. Doing housework is a tiring job. If a woman always carries negative emotions while doing housework, like complaints, jealousy, or hatred, she will be so unhappy that she is sure to become an ugly old witch or a gossip or a yaksha.

很多女孩結婚前像天使一樣純真、善良、美麗，結婚後卻變成巫婆，生氣、吵架、埋怨…。到年老時更糟，心中充滿深深的怨恨。因為在無聊繁亂的家事中，心陷入太多情緒、是非恩怨、妄想。一張受苦的臉也許還楚楚動人，有令人疼惜、憐愛的氣質，但一張怨恨不滿的臉，只叫人看了厭惡，想趕快遠離。

A girl is usually as pure, kind, and beautiful as an angel before marriage. After getting married, she probably becomes a very mean woman, easy to get angry, quarrel, or complain. When she gets to the old age, it becomes worse, for her heart is filled with hatred, illusion, or other negative emotions. Everyone will feel pity for a suffering woman, but no one will feel sorry for a woman with hatred or resentfulness.

對一個女人而言，沒有比失去天使的面孔更悲哀的事。如果沒有失去內心的純潔善良，即使老了，一樣老得很自然很美，如果沒有美麗的內心，花多少錢去整容，只整出一個老妖怪而已。所以坤道們要把握做家事的時間修行，不要任自己掉到負面情緒的沼澤而出不來。

For a lady, nothing is sadder than losing an angel face. If a lady keeps her purity and kindness, she will be very natural and beautiful even at the old age. If she does not have a good heart, no matter how much money she uses for the plastic surgery, she is sure to become an old witch. That’s why females should grab every minute to do religious practice while doing housework. It can prevent them from negative emotions.

自古以來大修行者，一定要經過廚房這一關，叫「廚房之道」，廚房裡面有道的，像五祖弘忍就說六祖：「這獦獠，根器大利啊！」他說這個人啊！雖然說是南方的野蠻人啊！但是根器大利，稱讚完，下一句是什麼你們知道嗎？「著槽廠去」，就是送到廚房去，送到廚房去鍛鍊去，因為在廚房裡面鍛鍊就是經行，就讓你走上正念的軌道，找到你的念力線出來。

In ancient time, many great masters had to work in the kitchen before they achieved Buddhahood. There is Tao in the kitchen. It’s because the mechanic work in the kitchen provides a good chance to recite Buddha’s names. For example, our Fifth Patriarch of Zen has said Sixth Patriarch is very talented in practicing. But he should be trained in the kitchen and then can achieve Buddhahood. Training in the kitchen is also kind of walking practice. It makes you get into the right track and thus be able to do everything with righteous thoughts.修正後

經行

就像任何的星球都要找到它的磁力線，我們要把我們的念力線找到，就是－無字真經。

Just as any planet has to follow its magnetic line, we also have to follow our righteous thoughts; that is, the Five Word Sutra.

無字真經就是我們和彌勒佛之間的磁力線，以彌勒佛為中心，彌勒佛再以老中為中心，所有的佛都以老中為中心，就好像太陽，它是恆星，但是太陽還是有繞著更大的磁場在轉

The Five Word Sutra is the magnetic line between us and Maitriya Buddha. It is centered by Maitriya Buddha and Maitriya Buddha is also centered by the heavenly mother. The heavenly mother is the center of all Buddha and bodhisattvas. Like the sun, it is a fixed star, but the sun itself also rotates within a bigger magnetic field.

我們以彌勒佛為中心，念無字真經，這時候我們的心就會完全的收束，收束在這個磁力場裡面，然後你就會覺得做什麼事情都得心應手，就從走路開始，養成持念真經的習慣。

When we are centered by Maitriya Buddha and reciting the Five Word Sutra, our mind is highly concentrated within His magnetic field. Then, you will feel everything goes very smoothly. That’s why we start to develop the habit of reciting the Five Word Sutra through walking.

佛力軌道

有沒有想過，推動地球自轉、公轉需要多少能量？人類要發射一艘太空船，要用非常多的燃料、能量，才能將太空船推進太空，但星球只要在軌道上運行，完全不需要燃料。可以想像如果我們用人造的燃料要推動一顆星球運轉，是多麼困難的事。

Have you ever thought of the question: how much energy will it take for the earth to rotate or revolve around the sun? Humans have to use a great amount of fuels or energy to launch a space ship into the space. However, a planet doesn’t need any fuel to rotate on the right orbit. Can you imagine how difficult it will be for us to push a planet into its right track with artificial fuels?

同樣的我們如果找到我們的正軌，行走在軌道上，生命就不再是沉重無法承擔的。而是一切輕鬆順利。

Likewise, if we can find our right track and go around it, our life will never be a burden or unbearable responsibility. On the contrary, it will go very relaxingly and smoothly.

我們不必，也不能自己去創造軌道，我們人類的正軌存在於仙佛、聖人所爲我們設定的律法。依循佛的戒律、神的律法，就是在正軌上。最簡單的回歸正軌就是∣持念佛號。

As human beings, we don’t need to, and we can’t create the right orbit by ourselves. Our right track exists in all the commandments which are set up by Buddha, or many saints. If we follow their regulations or God’s commandments, we are in the right track. The easiest to return to the right track is: recite Buddha’s names.

如果我們活在佛力的軌道上走在正軌上，我們的人生將進入勞而不倦、受苦不憂、病而不痛…的一種自然運行狀態，而不必奮力去和命運搏鬥，不會終日

事倍功半徒勞無功。而『佛號』就是我們的軌道。

Once we live in the right track led by Buddha, our lives will become so natural and easy that it seems we will work but not tired, suffer but not worried, and get ill but not painful. We don’t need to fight with the destiny, but we still won’t make efforts in vain. Buddha’s names are just our orbits.

星球的軌道在磁力線上，生命的軌道在佛力線上。佛力如何發動？專注有力的念佛。當佛力發動時，力量是不可思議的，和我們用自己的力量完全不同。

The orbit of the planets is on the magnetic line, and the orbit of our lives is in Buddha’s hand. How can we start this great power from Buddha? By reciting their names in a concentrative and powerful way, we are connected with Buddha. Once Buddha’s power enters, we will feel very incredible. This power is very different from ours.

我們平時遇到困難，會用自己的辦法解決，這些方法有的正確有的錯誤，有的有效有的無效，你可以自己做主決定用什麼方法，經常即使我們知道該如何處理是最恰當，卻不一定做得到，我們往往隨順自己的習性任性而為。比方夫妻間的衝突，明知道要冷靜不要說氣話，但最後卻往往還是惡言相向，完全悖離自己的理性。

In our daily lives, we tend to solve problems in our own way. Some of our methods work, but some of them don’t. You can decide which way to take. Even if we know the best solution, we may fail to follow it. We often follow our habits or wills instead of the right decision. For example, our reason tells us to control our temper when husband and wife quarrel, but our habit makes us argue. This usually results in serious or hysterias shouting. It is fully against man’s reason.

但是念佛就不同，念佛就像打電話報警一樣，一旦警方接手，就不是你能做主決定的，警察做主，專業處理，你不能再自由主張。

Reciting Buddha’s names is quite different. It is like calling the police. Once the police take over the case, we are not in charge of it. When the police govern, they’ll handle it in a professional way. You cannot do as you wish.

同樣的你唸彌勒佛，彌勒佛感應到我們的求助，會接手將你的問題做最專業的處理。結果未必是我們所希望的，但一定是最恰當、最適合我們的安排。彌勒祖師會將我們的生命推向最佳狀態，「能所雙忘、物我一如」。

Likewise, once we start to recite Maitriya Buddha’s name, He receives our pleas and will take over our problems in the most professional way. Its result may not be the same as our own wish, but it surely will be the best and most suitable arrangement for us. Matriya Buddha can push our lives into the best status --- no differentiation between subject and object (that is, to come together as one with Maitriya Buddha).

經行有佛力加持

Walking practice is blessed by Maitriya Buddha.

默念真經和念佛的不同在於經行有彌勒佛力加持。

The difference between reciting the Five Word Sutra in mind and reciting Buddha’s names out is: walking practice is blessed by Maitriya Buddha.

我們得到這個真經是在求道時無念的狀態下，所以念這個真經和念別的佛號不一樣，它可以印到你的本心。當我們能夠將真經融入我們的生活中，那時我們生命就進入一個經行的狀態，在一個恆久正常的軌道中運行，每一個行為中都有真經陪伴著你，每一個念頭都不失正念。每個動作中都有彌勒祖師的加持。

The time we received the Tao is under the state of no thoughts. This is the very difference between the Five Word Sutra and other Buddha’s names. It can be deeply carved into our original nature. Once we can use the Five Word Sutra into our daily lives, our lives will work in a very regular way, just like the planets rotating in a regular orbit. In every action, we are accompanied by the Five Word Sutra. Also, each of our thoughts will be righteous since it is blessed by Maitriya Buddha.

修持實例Real examples

有一位賣早餐的道親叫阿宗，每天早上煮豆漿時要攪動豆漿，如果那一天他每攪動一圈就念一次真經，那天每個客人都會不約而同的稱讚他的豆漿為什麼特別香醇？相反的如果那天沒有念真經，就沒人稱讚了。

There is a member selling breakfast in Taipei . He has to make soy bean milk every morning. If he remembers to recite the Five Word Sutra while cooking, every customer will be very satisfied with his soy bean milk because it is so delicious. On the contrary, if he forgets to do this practice, then his soy bean milk will be very common.

一樣的例子也發生在另一位道親身上，石岡一位坤道經常開班後煮一鍋麵給大家吃，每個人都覺得非常好吃，仔細看卻發現沒加什麼特別的材料。常有人問她秘訣是什麼：「究竟加什麼調味料，為什麼簡單的麵卻那麼好吃？」她說：「秘訣在念真經，如果邊煮邊念真經，煮的菜就很好吃。如果心情不好，又沒念真經，就很難吃。」主婦道親們可以試試看。

The same is true with another female member. In Shi-kang, she usually cooks noodles for everyone to eat after class. And everyone feels her noodles are so delicious. But actually there is no special spice inside. When people ask her the tips for cooking, she answers, “The secret is to recite the Five Word Sutra. Once we recite it while cooking, then the food will be very yummy. ”

除了煮菜時可以默念真經以外，走路，是念真經最好的時機。

Besides cooking, walking is also the best time to recite the Five Word Sutra.

後學的父親，快九十歲了，有關節炎、風濕痛、坐骨神經痛…，身體在迅速退化，很多老人雖然身體很健康，可是八九十歲就開始坐輪椅，包括保養得最好的，一百多歲的蔣宋美齡也一樣，衰退是生命無法抗拒的自然現象，

My father is almost ninety years old. He has some physical problems such as arthritis, rheumatic fever, sciatica. Although he is healthy, he still cannot resist the natural course of aging.

我父親發現自己的身體一直退化，這十幾年他每天經行，一開始走五分鐘就很累，走一步念一個字，漸漸他覺得很得力，覺得走路的時候，好像有一個力量在幫他抬起腳的感覺，因為他衰老有病，所以特別有那種覺受，他覺得走路輕鬆了不少，起先走五分鐘、十分鐘、十五分鐘，到現在每天一出去就要走八十分鐘以上，最少也要走八十分鐘，這麼大年紀走八十分鐘，速度還蠻快的，走起來，健步如飛。每天從石岡走到東勢再走回來，來回有八公里的路程，我都沒辦法。石岡鄉幾乎每個人都認識他，看到他都對他的健壯豎大拇指。而他自己的感覺是一邊走一邊唸真經有佛力加持。

When my father was aware that his body was getting old and feeble, he started to do the walking practice every day. In the beginning, he felt tired after walking for five minutes. But he kept walking and reciting. Gradually, he walked better and better. It seemed that there was a great power helping him lift his feet.

He felt he could walk in a relaxing way. From five minutes, ten or fifteen minutes to eighty minutes, now he can walk for eight kilometers for eighty minutes each time. Even a young man like me cannot make this. Our neighbors all praise him and he deeply feels his success comes from Buddha’s blessing.

我觀察他平時在家中步履蹣跚走路常失去平衡顛顛倒倒，但一念真經就變得健步如飛。不得不相信真的有佛力在加持他走路。（講這堂課時父親是八十九，出書時父親已九十一，經過一場大病，已不再每天早晚步行一個多小時。但仍然十分健康，每天甩手一個多小時，觀佛燈二十分鐘，觀佛燈還觀出一個奇蹟，就是原本幾近聾的耳朵，竟然聽力漸恢復。）

My father’s achievement is very different from the situation at home. He sometimes stumbles at home, but after reciting the Five Word Sutra, he often walks in a smooth and fast way. We cannot explain this fact but can only attribute it to Maitriya Buddha’s blessing.

我們修行有超自然現象，超自然現象是什麼？就是佛，就是佛力，佛力有不可思議的功能，而佛力就是從你的念力呼喚而來，念佛就有佛力，佛就會來支撐你。

In religious practice, there can be some supernatural phenomena. What are supernatural phenomena? It is Buddha’s or God’s power. This power is very incredible. It comes from our calling. Once we recite Buddha’s name, his power enters and he will come to support us.

啟動我們生命的電力switch on our life’s power

真經是佛號，佛號就是佛的名字？為什麼要唸佛號？

The Five Word Sutra is Maitriya Buddha’s name. Why should we recite it?

佛之於我們，就像電之於這個世界，如果我們不去使用電力，電依然存在不會改變，只是我們的生活少了豐富。

As electricity is to this world, so is Buddha to us. If we don’t use the electricity, it still exists and never changes. The only problem is that the electricity is not beneficial to our lives.

佛的力量，就像電力對於我們生活的影響，有無限可能，只要你去使用。唸佛號就是啟動我們和佛之間的電路通道，當我們陷入黑暗，可以唸佛號來啟動生命的明燈，當我們缺乏動力，可以唸佛號來啟動生命的馬達…我們的生命就不再只是單薄的自己，而是有無盡的後援電力。

Buddha’s power has great influence on us just like electricity. It has unlimited possibilities as long as we start to use it. Reciting Buddha’s name means to switch on the great power between Buddha and us. When we run into difficulties, we can recite Buddha’s name to have a bright and correct guidance. When we become depressed, we can recite Buddha’s name to light up our lives. We are not lonely at all. Instead, we have this unlimited great power in the universe.

所以，一旦走上這個所謂念力線以後，可以克服衰老、疾病。所以佛力不可思議，如基督徒相信：「在人，是不可能的，在神，是全能的。」

Therefore, once we practice, we can conquer many problems like aging or illness. Buddha’s power is so incredible that Christians believe that God is almighty.

同樣地不只是走路，人生的每一分鐘，都可以像經行一樣。大部分人總是覺得活的很疲憊，為什麼很疲憊呢？就像前面講的，星球沒有走在軌道上，當然是寸步難行，甚至在宇宙中亂飛亂撞，很危險。如果我們在正軌上，生命應是很輕鬆自在的。

Not only in walking, but also in every moment of our lives, we can live in a regular orbit by reciting. Most modern people live a tiring live. Why? It’s because they do not live in the right track. Their lives may be in a mess or often make wrong decisions, like a planet colliding in the universe. It’s very dangerous. If we live in a right track, life should be very easy and relaxing.

就從現在開始，走路的時候呢！很專注的….南..無..彌..勒..佛(這五字不是真經)，不是念『南無彌勒佛』是念無字真經，默念，慢慢的養成這個習慣以後，你所有的動作都會融化到這個真經裡面去，這時候真經會慢慢的形成一個所謂的免疫系統，不用刻意去念，它自然會出來，在日常生活中動作裡面，一旦養成習慣以後，你不念它的時候，它會「不念自念，不持而持。」雖不去唸卻自動念。達到唸佛最高境界。

Just from now on, let’s concentrate on reciting while walking. Gradually, once we have the habit of reciting, the sutra will accompany all our actions. And the Five Word Sutra can become the so-called immune system. It will naturally come to our mind in daily lives and actions. Even when we are not reciting, it may appear automatically in mind. This is the supreme result of reciting practice.

不持而持Let Buddha’s name form the immune system of our lives

持念佛號最高的境界是「不持而持」，不必去持念，自然就會持念，叫不持而持。佛號便在我們生命中形成一個免疫系統。我們身體裡面有免疫系統，當細菌入侵的時候，免疫系統會發動，然後把細菌撲滅，我們身體裡面有所謂的

吞噬細胞、殺手細胞，當我們生病或細菌入侵，白血球會大量增加，把細菌消滅以後，它又恢復到原狀。

Why did we mention that Buddha’s name can form the immune system of our lives? Physically speaking, our immune system will start when we are attacked by viruses.

At this moment, phagocytes like white blood cells will increase right away to extinguish them. After viruses are wiped out, the number of the white blood cells will return to it normal one.

真經也是一樣，真經一旦念成習慣以後，當有災難、有煩惱、疾病、業障，現前的時候，真經會自動跑出來，一直念，自然的你心中就充滿了真經，心中充滿了真經，就表示它已經成為了你的一個免疫系統，護持你的一個保護力量，一直念，業力就一直消除。

This is true with the Five Word Sutra. Once we have the habit of reciting, it will naturally come to our mind in emergency, such as disasters, worries, illnesses, or bad karmas, etc. the Five Word Sutra is just like the white blood cells, which help us reduce all those problems in our minds. When we keep reciting, it can become a protective force in life and help purify our bad karmas.

當災難業障過去，真經也自動消失。就像等到細菌都撲滅以後，白血球就恢復正常量，吞噬細胞就恢復，吞噬細胞就不見了。

When those disasters or bad karmas are gone, the Five Word Sutra may disappear automatically. Just as the white blood cells reduce after we recover, the sutra disappears after those disasters are gone.

當我們有災難，小的災難如煩惱、憂愁、哀傷、憤怒，情緒的問題，喜、怒、哀、樂，情緒不好的時候，真經會自動出來陪伴你，把你情緒調整好。

大的災難則如疾病、劫難。常念真經也可以一一化解。

No matter how small our problems may be, the Five Word Sutra is sure to accompany us and help us adjust our emotions. Small problems are like daily worries, sorrow, sadness, anger, etc. Big problems are like illnesses or disasters. The reciting practice can help solve all these problems.

石岡一位道親，有一次業障現前，開車時一個機車騎士喝醉酒從對面越過車道來撞他，他閃躲不及，這叫飛來橫禍，防不勝防，業障現前。機車騎士沒有戴安全帽，頭直接撞到汽車鋼板，那位道親開福斯進口休旅車，鋼板很硬的，機車扭曲糾結成一團，騎士撞到鋼板以後，彈起來，飛越過馬路，砰！掉在我家門口昏迷不醒。我聽到一聲巨響，趕快衝下去看，發現這道親一下車站在路邊用三寶，為什麼我知道他在用三寶呢，因為他手抱合同不放。這是他的直覺反射動作，他平常用三寶用習慣了。

Take a Tao member in Shih-kang for example. Once when she was driving past my house, a drunken motorcyclist suddenly bumped into her car on the head. He didn’t wear the helmet, and his bumping was so serious that her car was badly damaged. The motorcyclist flied across the road and fell down in front of my house and then lost consciousness. When I hurried out to have a look, I found out that Tao member kept using the Three Treasures on the road. When such a big disaster happened, using the Three Treasures is her intuition response. Because it is her daily habit to use the Three Treasures.

他說他看到機車撞過來的時候，第一件事情就是一直念無字真經，這位機車騎士，躺在地上完全失去知覺，救護車來的時候說：「完了！完了！你們賠不完了，他死了也就算了，活著一定植物人，你要養他一輩子。」我坐上救護車送他到醫院，一路上也不斷用三寶。

She said she couldn’t do anything except reciting the Five Word Sutra when it happened. The ambulance arrived and someone told us, “He has lost consciousness. This must be very serious. He may become a vegetable and you may have to take care of him for the rest of his life.” When we were on the way to the hospital, all of us kept using the Three Treasures.

照理說鋼板都撞凹進去了，可想像撞擊的力量有多大。到醫院後這騎士突然醒過來，做了所有的檢查，卻只有皮肉擦傷，第二天酒醒就出院了。酒精測濃度高達1.5！我第一次也是最後一次聽到有人酒測高達1.5，更稀奇的是竟然沒撞死。

When we look at the crashed car, we could easily imagine how hard it had been hit. But to our surprise, the motorcyclist came to his consciousness. All the check-up indicated that he only got some bruise. The second day, he recovered and went home. However, the degree of his alcohol concentration rose up to 1.5 the day before. This is the first and my last time to hear that someone with such a high degree could escape from death.

這個就是我們的念力場，正念發動的力量。如果我們時常經行，念無字真經。後面護持你的就是整個諸佛世界的力量，整個老中、彌勒祖師的救苦大系統，你就納入這個系統，當我們有苦難時，彌勒祖師會來解救我們。

This is the power of our righteous orbit and righteous thoughts. If we keep doing the walking practice and reciting the Sutra, what can protect and bless us is the great power from all Buddha world. This is the greatest system which can save us from all sufferings. It is originated from the heavenly mother and Maitriya Buddha. In this way, we can be fit into the heavenly system. Whenever there are disasters, Maitriya Buddha is sure to save us.

˙可以帶到生活中每一分鐘都可以修we can do the practice in every minute

經行，是我們學會在生活中念佛的方法，學會以後，不只是走路，隨時隨地都可以讓無字真經成為你生活中的一部份。工作也好、煮菜、運動…都可以一邊念真經。

The walking practice is the method for us to learn to recite Buddha’s name in life. After we are used to it, we can make the Five Word Sutra a part of our lives at any time and any place. No matter we are cooking, working, or exercising, etc., we can recite the Sutra at the same time and then do all these things better.

古來的修行者，都會被送到廚房、菜園、果園，或稻田…去做工，就是要學會經行的功夫，所以經行不是光走路，藉著走路，慢慢的這個真經融化進生活，譬如曾有一個打鐵匠，一邊打鐵一邊念佛，最後開悟成道。

Even many great ancient masters reached enlightenment with this method. They were sent to the kitchen, garden, fruit yard or farm to work for learning the reciting practice. Therefore, the walking practice can be fit into other aspects of life and make us reach the enlightenment. Once there was a blacksmith. He recited one word of Buddha’s name while striking the iron. Day after day, year after year, only by this simple practice, he reached the enlightenment.

後學道場的道親，從三歲到九十歲每個人都各有一套念真經的方法。有人數念珠念，有學生在校車上數經過的路燈，一支念一個字，有切菜切一下念一字的、有攪湯攪一圈念一字的，有數五個手指頭念…五花八門比我還會念。

The members of all ages in our Tao groups have their own way of reciting the Five Word Sutra. Some of them recite by counting the beads; some students recite by counting street lamps when on the school bus; some recite each word by chopping vegetables once. They even have other methods like counting five fingers or reciting while stirring soup. They have various ways to recite the Sutra in daily life.

這個習慣讓他們可以應付人生各種災難，不會活在一種恐懼災難隨時會來，而不知如何化解。

This habit enables them to handle all kinds of disasters in life. They no longer have the fear of any coming disasters. Instead, they have their way to solve those problems.

當你發現負面情緒出現，心中會自動念真經，這表示你免疫系統已經恢復了，你已經進入經行的一個入流了，這就表示已經入流了，入了聖流了，表示你修道已經入流了，這是很重要的，入流的方式就是什麼？很簡單，就是「默念真經，一直念到真經自動會起念」，不念而念、不持而持，自動起念，真經，自動會出現在腦海，這個時候你就可以放心了。

Once you find yourself reciting the Five Word Sutra automatically when negative emotions appear, it means your immune system of awareness has been working. You are now in the righteous orbit or Buddha’s pure land. This is quite important when doing the practice. The method is very simple as well: just keep reciting the Five Word Sutra until it comes to our mind automatically.

我們修行如何檢驗自己已經到上軌道的程度？如果真經會自動出現，隨時隨地在情緒起伏會自動冒出來，表示已上軌道。

How can we examine ourselves are fit into the true practice? If the Five Word Sutra can come to our mind itself when necessary, this will be the key.

淨土宗修持念佛，修到佛號會自動出現，這叫做「功夫成片」是很高很難的境界，可以去問佛教徒有幾個能有這種工夫？但我們道親連小孩都很容易做到。因為我們真經是求道時彌勒祖師藉點傳師傳給我們的，是有傳承的、是彌勒祖師親傳的，所以和一般人唸佛號不同。

“Pure Land School” also do the reciting practice, and they will continue the practice until Buddha’s names appear automatically. This is the highest and hardest result. You can go ask how many of the Buddhists can achieve this? But in our Tao group, even a child can easily accomplish it. It’s because the Five Word Sutra is inherited from Maitriya Buddha by masters when we are taking the Tao. It directly comes from Maitriya Buddha, so it’s quite different from other Buddha’s names.

今天我們請壇，有仙佛菩薩來護持我們，這是很難得的機會，我們不是自己孤孤單單在這裡修持，所有的仙佛菩薩都到壇來護持。

Today we hold a ceremony in which we invite all Buddhas and bodhisattvas. So, they will arrive here to protect and give us great blessings. This is a very unusual chance, for we are not doing the practice alone but are blessed and protected by all Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

所以我們要利用這個機會，好好的讓今天所有的修持，在你的生命裡生根，後學的經驗，只要在法會上認真用心修這一天，一定可以生根。

Therefore, we should make good use of this opportunity to make today’s practice deeply rooted in our lives. According to my experience, as long as we concentrate and make efforts in the ceremony, every practice will influence our whole life.

像上回林點傳師帶了四、五十位講師班的成員，在新店道場辦一次三寶實驗營。那幾十位回去以後都養成用三寶的習慣，後學上禮拜天到大香山去講課，顏講師來接我，他在路上就講說，他們參加以後，問起來，幾乎每一個都已經養成念真經的習慣了，不論走路的時候或是開車的時候，真經自己會出現，在腦海轉動。這就是請壇後修持力量的不同。

Last time Master Lin held a ceremony for about fifty Tao members to practice using three treasures. After that, lots of the members had been using three treasures. When I went back to their temple to give lectures, Mr. Yen told me that almost every one of those fifty members had had the habit of reciting the Five Word Sutra. No matter they are walking or driving, the Five Word Sutra will appear automatically. So, this is the great effect of doing practice in the ceremony.

人生要能夠有「道」在生命裡紮根才叫保險，比什麼都保險，像剛才講那位道親撞到人，如果沒有真經給他保險的話，不是很麻煩嗎？所以平常要養成這個習慣，才可以化災劫於無形之中。

Tao is more necessary and useful in life than other insurance. As for the female member who hit a man, she would surely get into trouble without the Five Word Sutra. Therefore, once we keep the habit of using three treasures, we can easily be protected from many disasters.

˙化劫於無形 Keeping away from calamities .

真經持念習慣以後，有種化解災劫於無形的效果。後學的經驗，以前有什麼禍事要發生的時候，內心就會驚惶，有種驚惶不安的感覺，這時候就開始不知如何是好，不久，果然禍事就發生了，後來修道開始用三寶，感覺到有禍事要發生，就趕快用三寶，用三寶禍事還是會發生，但發生時就沒有那麼嚴重，嚴重到成為災禍，但是知道它可以變成災禍那麼嚴重。

Once we are used to reciting the Five Word Sutra, it will have the effect that keeps us away from calamities. I had some experiences about this. In the past, whenever I felt uneasy or scared, there would be something bad happening but I knew nothing to do. After a while, the bad thing really happened. However, after I practice using three treasures, I will start using it when feeling uneasy. Then, something bad may still happen, but not so seriously. Only I myself know it can have been a serious one.

到現在，只要內心驚惶不安呢！三寶自動就會出來，然後出來以後，也沒有任何事發生，就已經化於無形之中了，內心有點不對勁，就表示有災禍會發生，三寶就自然不斷的在運轉，自動會運轉，這個應該我們生命的本能就是這樣，上天賜給我們的寶啊！這個寶有不可思議的妙用，它可以保命，可以保你性命雙全。

Now, three treasures always come out automatically when I feel scared or uneasy. But nothing happens at all. This means those calamities have disappeared. Our uneasy mind gives us a hint of disasters, but three treasures can help reduce their damage. This should be the instinct of our lives. This should be the gift from heaven. Three treasures have immeasurable effects. It can save our lives. It can also save our original nature.

不是只有後學個人有這種體驗，前面提到的撞到機車騎士的道親，他以前常出車禍，每次出車禍以前眼皮都會一直跳好幾天，那次也是事發以前眼皮就跳不停。但是這幾年修持來，還是會有眼皮跳的時候，但卻都沒有發生災禍，已經化劫於無形。

Besides me, many other members have the same experiences. The female member who hit a man also has experiences like this. Before the accident, her eyelids may have been trembling for several days. She had the same experience before that big accident. But these years, she may also have trembling eyelids; however, nothing serious happens. This means her practice has made many calamities away from her life.

以純陽化至隂transform yin into yang

另一個我們應該持念真經的原因是：可以化解陰氣。

Another reason for us to keep reciting the Five Word Sutra is that it can purify our yin chi.

這是個群魔亂舞的時代，人們很喜歡求神問卜，尤其在上位的人帶頭將一些術士奉為國師，凡事求教，大至政策小至辦公室風水，言聽計從，上行下效，民間也一樣事事求神問卜，幾乎每十個成年人，至少就有二三個找過神壇。

In this era, many incorrect ideas and evil actions prevail. So, many people like to ask fortunetellers or psycho-mediums for help. Even some leaders of the country or the society may seek these fortunetellers for advice on many things, such as their policy or even the Feng shuei of their offices. They follow these fortunetellers’ words, and so will the common people. It is very common for our society to seek supernatural psycho-mediums. Two or three out of ten adults may have this experience.

後學調查過道親，幾乎人人有份，每個人都有一個或數個算命、收驚、修法…的神壇老師或師父。道親尚且如此，遑論社會上一般人。

In our Tao group, almost everyone has the above experience. They may have at least one master in fortunetelling, pacifying the soul, or making fortune; not to mention the common people.

神壇、算命者…多屬陰界的勢力，當我們在那裡聽了信了，剎那間至隂的力量就鑽進我們的生命，潛伏在生命中黑暗角落。

This kind of psycho-mediums belongs to the world of darkness(ying). When we believe them and follow their words, the dark power will swiftly enter our lives, hiding on the corner.

這種陰氣讓我們生命中的陽氣衰竭，以民間常用的字眼就是「卡到隂的」，我們東方人因為喜歡求神問卜所以有一種特質∣「陰氣重」，幾乎每個人身上都有陰氣。西洋人因天主教、基督教的教誨，不可崇拜偶像，反而比較沒有陰氣，看起來比較陽剛。所謂陽剛，就是比較陽光沒有陰霾，光明一點、健康一點。

The dark power or yin chi can exhaust the yang chi in our lives. In China , it’s called “the person is harmed by the evil power.” Therefore, we oriental people are likely to be influenced by the evil power. Almost everyone carries a little yin chi. On the other hand, westerners believe in Christian or Catholics, and they are not allowed to worship idols. So, they are not easily influenced by the evil power. They always look brighter; that is, they are brighter and healthier in mind.

陰氣重的後果就是心病、身病叢生。嚴重的會被陰邪干擾，甚至控制。

The result of carrying yin chi is illnesses both mentally and physically. A more serious problem is that the person may be bothered or controlled by the evil spirits.

有什麼症狀？臉上看起來晦暗，倒楣，臉上有黑氣，常常處於不愉快、易怒、易憂鬱，大小疾病纏身、容易撞邪見鬼…我們東方靈異事件為什麼比西方多得多？就是我們多數人都陰氣重，就容易撞見陰靈。當然晚進西方也開始巫術重現，迷信算命。所以也漸歩向陰盛陽衰之路。

What are the symptoms of being controlled by evil spirits? The person will look darker and unluckier. He may often be in negative emotions like anger, melancholy, full of sicknesses, or he may even see ghosts. Why are there more events about ghosts in oriental than western world? That’s because most of us carry yin chi. However, nowadays, westerners start to believe in fortunetelling, psycho-mediums, or witchcrafts, so they are also following our society to be easily influenced by dark power. 修正後

第三課　守一不移concentrate on Buddha lamp

專注、禪定、王三眛

Concentration, meditation and Supreme meditation

我們現在開始進行第四堂課，這節課是「看佛燈」。

Now we will start our fourth course: concentrating on the Buddha lamp.

為什麼要看佛燈？佛燈有什麼好看？看了對修行有什麼幫助？

Why should we concentrate on the Buddha lamp? What’s so special about it? What’s the meaning of it?

看佛燈的目的很簡單－「練習專注」。

The purpose of this practice is easy: to practice concentration.

如何專注？從看佛燈開始。

How can we concentrate? Just start from looking at the Buddha lamp.

老師常叫學生：「專心！」卻不曾教學生如何專心。只把學生從恍神狀態喚回來幾分鐘，不久心又開始飄走，流浪遠方去。不只是學生，我們每一個人都經常魂不守舍，終日胡思亂想。很少有專心的時候。

At school, teachers often tell students to concentrate, but they seldom teach them how to concentrate. They can only pull them back for a few minutes, and then their minds will distract again. Not only students but also we ourselves have the problem of distracting. Our minds are often wandering, unable to concentrate.

而且在我們漫長的求學過程中只有被要求專心，卻沒有人教我們「如何專心？」。專心的程度與力量，也可以從一分到一百分不等。低度的專注無法持續，力量也不夠，高度的專注功夫才能有力量幫助我們突破人生的重重難關。

During the school days, we are only asked to concentrate, but there is no one teaching us how. Even when we concentrate, its degree and power can range from 1% to 100%. Concentration with lower degree only lasts for a short time. It is not so powerful. Only concentration with higher degree can help us overcome the difficulties in life.

今天我們要教大家一個學校老師沒有教我們的專注方法。而且是極致的，百分百的專注。

Here we will learn the method of concentration that school teachers have never taught. Also this method can make us reach 100% concentration.

如何專注？很簡單－守玄，是最高程度的專注。不僅是守在玄關一點，還可以將點延長為線守在玄關前面一直線。

How can we achieve it? It’s simple. Concentrate on your wisdom door. It is the highest level of concentration. We can concentrate on one point and also learn to concentrate on the straight line stretching from the wisdom door.

如何守玄？我們用「凝視佛燈」來訓練我們把散逸的心，收回來，定在玄關前面一條線。

How do we do it? We train our distracting minds by concentrating on the Buddha lamp to draw them back to the straight line in front of the wisdom door.

為什麼要藉著看佛燈的方法來守玄？因我們曾經在求道時專注凝視佛燈，在那專注的剎那蒙受明師一指。現在我們要再重回那專注的剎那，並且延續那份專注。

Why using such a method? It’s because when taking the Tao, we had concentrated on the Buddha lamp once. At that moment, we were initiated by Maitriya Buddha. Here we just want to return to that moment and enjoy the meditation again.

這個修持是一種禪定，不要以為禪定是吃飽太閒的人修的，禪定對我們每一個人，不分年齡都很重要。

This practice is kind of meditation. Some people may think that only idlers can meditate. But in fact, it is important to people of all ages.

不從修持的角度來看，即使從現實的角度來看，學生需要專注來應付沉重的課業；大人需要專注來完成工作；母親心神散亂，不專注危及孩子的安全；老人不專注慢慢退化成癡呆…從小到老，每個人都需要專注，「你專心一點好不好？」這句話是我們常掛在嘴邊的，但卻沒有人教我們如何專注？也沒有一門教專注的學問。專注的能力要從禪定的訓練而來。

Even from realistic aspects, everyone needs to concentrate. Students need it to handle with their studies. Adults need it to accomplish their jobs. Mothers need it to take care of their children. Elders need it to stay healthy. From youth to elder, everyone needs concentration. We often say, “Attention!” but no one teaches us how. No classes are concerning this. Actually, the ability of concentration comes from the training of meditation.

若沒有禪定的訓練，老師、父母用處罰來逼孩子專心，老闆用開除來逼迫員工專心，也許達到暫時的效果，但當沒有外在壓力、沒有必要專心時，如下班下課後，我們就放任自己妄念紛飛，要不就沉迷於網路、購物、打牌、講是非恩怨、打電動…要不就胡思亂想鑽牛角尖，罹患憂鬱症。

Without such training, parents or teachers will use punishment to force their kids to concentrate. Bosses will push their workers to concentrate. It may work for a while, but when there is no outward pressure or necessity, our minds will distract. Or we may get indulged in the Internet, shopping, playing cards or games, or gossiping. The bad result may be having too much wandering thoughts and having melancholy.

如果終其一生都沒有學會專注，任自己常處妄念紛飛，長期下來可能人生一事無成，甚至精神分裂或老年癡呆。所以這堂課對每個人的人生都很重要，學會專注不論聖業（修道）、凡業（讀書工作）都是一大進步。

If we don’t learn to concentrate for the whole life, we may accomplish nothing in our lives. Sometimes it can result in mental problems or Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, this course is important to everyone’s life. Once we learn to concentrate, we are sure to make a lot of progress in practice as well as in studying or working.

平心靜氣眼看佛燈 Concentrate on the Buddha lamp

傳道儀式中有這項看佛燈修行，我們一開始入道門的時候，就是從這裡入門的，回想我們求道的時候，點道以前，點傳師叮嚀：「平心靜氣，眼看佛燈，跪聽禮囑…」這段過程大部分道親都不記得，沒關係，重要的不是記得，而是曾經歷過，曾在生命中起過作用。

We have experienced this practice in the initiation ceremony. Actually, we start our practice by focusing on the Buddha lamp. In the ceremony, the master told us to “concentrate on the Buddha lamp with your peaceful mind and listen….” Most of us will forget the whole process; however, it doesn’t matter. The really important part is that we have experienced the initiation.

「平心靜氣眼看佛燈」為什麼叫你看佛燈？一方面，佛燈象徵佛世界的光明，另一方面讓你的心念凝聚在一點上，惟精惟一，專注在一點上。為什麼不專注在其他東西而要專注在佛燈？因為火焰最容易抓的住人的眼睛。

Why does the master tell us to concentrate on the Buddha lamp? On the one hand, Buddha lamp represents the brightness in Buddha world. On the other hand, it can focus our thoughts on a certain object until there is no differentiation between us and the object. It is the best to catch our eye. Why don’t we concentrate on other objects? It’s because the light of the Buddha lamp catches our eye most easily.

尤其看母燈，很多人都有看了不必眨眼，眼睛也不會疲憊的感覺。如果是從母燈引燃小蠟燭，即使是燭光也令人看不厭倦。

A lot of people, when looking at Buddha lamp, feel they will never be tired. They can stare at it without blinking for a long time. Even if we are looking at the candle which is lightened up from the Buddha lamp, there will be the same effect.

這世界上不是每個東西都耐看，有時想把眼光停留在一定點來達到專注，卻有看不下去的感覺。比方說燈光，就是無法凝視的。看久了頭昏眼花。除了佛燈以外，可能大自然是比較令人看不厭的，一座山、一棵樹、一片葉子…都可以凝視良久。

Not everything in this world is worth watching. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to try to focus on a certain object. Take the lightbulb for example. It’s impossible for us to stare at it for a very long time. We will feel dizzy afterwards. Besides the Buddha lamp, perhaps Nature is another suitable object for us to concentrate on. A mountain, a tree, or even a leaf, and so on, can always catch our eye.

取念於前－王三昧 The supreme meditation

在我們求道前，因經歷這個過程而進入生命中第一次禪定。而且是最高層次的禪定。佛法把禪定稱為「三昧」，而且有千百種不同的三昧。其中最高階的禪定稱為「王三昧」也就是三昧中的王者，最上等的禪定。

Every Tao member has experienced his first meditation in life in the initiation ceremony. It is also the highest-leveled meditation.

In Buddhism, they call meditation as sanmadai, which is a mental state of concentration and finally the practitioner can attain the truth through this practice.

三昧就是禪定，禪定的目的在於發起智慧，所謂「戒能生定，定能發慧」

就像教導一群小學生，要先戒律他們守規矩坐下來是「戒」；安靜下來是「定」；開始學習是「慧」。若沒有定靜下來如何開始上課？永遠吵鬧不休。所以智慧的產生在於心的定、靜。

Sanmadai is meditation. Its purpose is to initiate our wisdom. Buddhist precepts can lead to concentration. Concentration can lead to wisdom. It’s just as teaching many elementary school students. You must ask them to behave well and sit down. This is the precept. When they become quiet, they can concentrate. After they start learning, it is the representation of wisdom. If they don’t calm down, how can they start the class? Therefore, wisdom comes from the concentration of mind.

佛法中，有無量三昧，而釋迦牟尼佛在大般若經中特地傳授一種三昧，因為可以統攝千百三昧。好像國王可以駕馭文武百官一樣，所以稱之為王三昧，就是三昧之王的意思。

In Buddhist teachings, there are many kinds of sanmadai. Shakamuni Buddha taught us a kind of sanmadai which is the highest level. It is like a king who can rule all his government officials. This kind of sanmadai is the king of all meditation.

修持王三昧，不拘一定的姿勢，不講究時間地點身體狀況，可以隨時隨地行、住、坐、臥，應念得入。就像獅子王不需要狩獵技巧，只要發出吼聲，百獸自然懾服。

To practice the supreme sanmadai, we are not limited to keep a certain posture. There are no fixed time and place and physical conditions for us to follow. We can do this practice anytime and anywhere, including walking, sitting, or lying.

而修持王三昧的方法卻出乎意料的簡單，只有四個字「取念於前」也就是把念頭從四面八方收回眼前安住不動，當我們「平心靜氣眼看佛燈」就是在修持王三昧。

Its method is pretty simple. You just need to focus our minds in front of the wisdom door. When we concentrate on the Buddha lamp with a peaceful mind, we are doing the supreme meditation.

而且因為我們求道時，祖師已經拉我們一把，所以修起來非常容易。

This is especially easy for us because we have been taught in the initiation ceremony.

˙老中的眼睛 Heavenly mother’s eye

我們會一人分一個蠟燭，不是一般的蠟燭，而是母燈

慢慢的，養成一種習慣，妄念一入侵，馬上察覺，馬上離開，像察覺火勢蔓延，不等它擴散，立刻滅火。這就是金剛經所說的「無所住而生其心」。

Gradually, we may have the habit of awareness. When illusions enter, we aware and eliminate them right away. It is like putting out fires before the fire spreads. Don’t wait until the big fire happens. We deal with it at the very moment. This is the same situation when we deal with our illusory thoughts. It also reflects in the Diamond Sutra “One should use one's mind in such a way that it will be free from any attachment.”

「無所住而生其心」是禪門極高境界，許多高僧一輩子沒有嘗過個中滋味，一般修行者更是連意思都不懂。但我們只要有得道，試著修持，都可以達到這最高境界「無所住而生其心」。

“Using one’s mind in such a way that it will be free from any attachment.” is a very high-leveled practice in Zen school. A lot of monks never experience it for the whole life. Common practitioners can’t even understand its meaning. However, as long as we have been initiated and try to practice, we can have the chance to achieve it.

重點：Notes

˙記住一個口訣－「取念於前」把念頭抓在眼前。

Remember the tip: focus your thoughts on a certain point or on the line in front of your wisdom door.

˙調整眼睛與佛燈的距離在最舒適的位置。

Adjust the distance between your eyes and Buddha lamp. Make yourself feel comfortable.

˙佛燈模糊時要察覺，而且趕快把心收回來看清楚。

Be aware when the lamp turns vague. Concentrate your thoughts again as soon as possible.

˙佛燈的位置要在視線正前方，至於高低以眼睛舒適能持久為原則。

Arrange the lamp right in front of your sight. As for its height, as long as you can focus for a long time, it will be the most suitable.

˙昏沉想睡或散亂胡思亂想時，儘可能將心再專注回佛燈。

Try to focus on the lamp again when feeling sleepy or having a distracting mind.

˙若真的很睏，可以閉眼休息一下不要勉強睜眼模糊的看。

Try to take a short break by closing eyes for a while if you are really sleepy. Don’t make it too difficult.

˙若看佛燈時出現異象，眼睛看到些幻像或腦海出現幻覺，不要理會它。不要去

看，專注回佛燈，異相自然會漸消失。

Neglect any illusions or images. Don’t try to make the illusion more clearly or sensible. Just focus back on the lamp, and the illusions will disappear.

˙在家中若要進行這個修持要注意火的安全，將蠟燭點在安全的地方。

Pay attention to the safety of fire. Be sure to light the candle in the safe place.

好！那我們現在就開始半個小時，專注，專注在這盞佛燈上面，看清楚，沒有什麼方法，就是看清楚，模糊了再把它看清楚。

Now let’s start the concentration practice. Focus on the lamp and see it clearly. No other ways. Just look at it clearly.

三十分鐘結束

修後開示

半小時的凝視佛燈，只是點燃你生命中不滅的心燈的開始。回去以後，有機會不論在家中、在佛堂，都可以反覆練習。

純熟了以後，有一種身心都得到充電的感覺，而不會覺得它很枯燥、不會覺得越看越愛睏。

你會看得津津有味，然後不由自主的微笑，像石頭投進水裡面，這個水的漣漪慢慢散開，那個煩惱就這樣散掉了，這就表示你平心靜氣看佛燈的功夫，已經差不多純熟了，可以隨時隨地把念頭放在眼前，可以讓生命、情緒保持一種最佳狀態..

記住這是一盞佛燈，不是一支蠟燭，

在我們的中堂（玄關）把它點著了，從中燈引燃，所以當它點著的時候，老中的光芒照耀你的生命。

現在把燈熄滅，下課休息！

看佛燈的修持意義The meaning of concentrating on the Buddha lamp

活在當下"live in the moment!"

活在當下是一句流行語，似乎是現下禪修、生活哲學的最高境界。體會生命中的每一個「當下」。但如何活在當下？怎樣叫做活在當下？卻很少人說得清楚。

"To live in the moment!" is a common motto nowadays. It seems to be the highest level of meditation and philosophy of life. Try to sense every moment of our lives deeply. However, how can we live in the moment? What is it? Few people can explain it well.

「活在當下」Real Moments原作者安吉麗思(Barbara De Angelis)認為：用心體會眼前的每一個經歷，品嚐當下的每一分喜怒哀樂，生命的意義就在其中。

Barbara De Angelis, the author of the book “Real Moments” thinks : try to concentrate on every experience in the moment with your heart, and just experience its joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, and this is the meaning of life.

我們多數人的痛苦來自於「無法脫離過去心、現在心、未來心，」

Most people’s pain comes from the fact that they cannot escape their minds of the past, of the present, and of the future.

為什麼要活在當下？因為一般人的心都用在回想過去、擔憂未來，因此，我們看不見綻放在路旁美麗的花朵，聽不見耳邊流動的美好音樂；吃飯食不知味；睡覺夢境連連…無法享受生命的任何一分一秒。

Why should we live in the moment? It’s because we always use our minds to reflect upon the past and worry about the future. Therefore, we cannot see the beautiful flowers on the roadside. We cannot hear the wonderful music through our ears. We cannot enjoy delicious food or sound sleep and may even have nightmares. We will lose the joy of life.

金剛經說要掃除過去、現在、未來，三種心，一般人也許不了解三心有何不好？舉個例子，我童年時家境很艱困，三餐溫飽都成問題，還記得當時父親和母親就是二個極端，父親放眼未來，母親活在過去。但不論過去或未來都解脫不了當下的苦。

Diamond Sutra recommends us to let go our minds of the past, minds of the present, and minds of the future. Perhaps you cannot understand what’s wrong with these three minds. Take my parents for example. In the childhood, I lived a hard life. Our family sometimes had difficulty getting enough food to eat. I still remember my parents had different points of view about the situation. My father always looked forward to the future, while my mother lived in the past. No matter what they focused on, they couldn’t solve the problem at that time.

父親總是告訴我們吃得苦中苦，未來才能成為人上人。為了未來，要熬過現在的苦，但似乎苦沒有因而減少反而增加。

My father always told us to endure the harsh life and then we could succeed in the future. For the success of the future, we needed to overcome life’s hardship at the present.

母親剛好相反，她小時候家境很好，所以當生活陷入絕望的艱苦時，她總是在回憶兒時的甜美，至今我仍記得她說，她小時候家裡有很大的花園，水池裡的烏龜每天都排隊來吃她餵的飯，小鳥都飛來和她玩…回憶的表情如今我都還能記得，但過去的美好，只凸顯現況的無法忍受，尤其在受不了生活壓迫而分裂時，便遁逃到過去。不論父親的展望未來，母親的緬懷過去，他們臉上的苦絲毫未因憧憬或追憶而減少。

On the other hand, my mother always lived in her past. She grew in a good family. Our hard life made her reflect upon her sweet childhood all the time. Up to now, I still remember she kept telling me that she used to have a big garden in her house when she was young. The turtles in the pond would wait in line to be fed by her, and little birds would play with her every day. Such sweet memories made the present difficulties even more unbearable. Now I can still remember her sweet smile when telling me those good old days. No matter what perspective my parents have, past or future, they cannot reduce a bit of the hardship at the present.

我印象中童年的快樂卻都來自於忘記一切過去、未來，玩到瘋，玩到忘我、甚至忘了回家的時間，也忘了會被處罰的經驗。我想孩子才是真正懂得「活在當下」的。但當我們長大以後，就完全不再有那種不管昨天、不管明天，只活在當下的能力，就陷入無邊的痛苦，直到修道。

However, I was totally different from both of my parents. I was very happy then because I lived at the present and forgot anything about the past or the future. I just kept playing. Sometimes I even forgot the time to go home and the possible result of being punished. All my memories are those of playing and playing. Now I think perhaps children are those who really know how to “live in the moment.” It’s a pity that when we grow up, we lose the ability of this. We will focus either on the past or on the future and then suffer from a great pain until we start to practice.

為什麼我們小時候什麼都沒有，卻能夠快樂。長大後追逐一切自己所要的，卻不快樂？生命本身應是無限美好但我們卻享受不到。這種現象就如一個人泡在溫泉池裡，卻在池裡面放了幾條毒蛇，無法享受溫泉的美好感受，全神貫注在擔憂毒蛇的游動。過去、未來，所帶給我們的痛苦擔憂就像兩條毒蛇一樣，在我們生活的溫泉中遊來游去。

Why can we be so happy in childhood when there are not many entertainments? Why do we become unhappy when we make efforts to pursue what we want after growing up? Life should be unlimitedly wonderful, but we seldom enjoy it. This can be compared to the situation that a person is taking a hot spring bath in the pool, but there are several poisonous snakes inside. Therefore, he can’t enjoy the hot spring at all, but can only focus on worrying about those snakes. The pains and the worries brought by the past and the future are like two poisonous snakes. They prevent us from enjoying the wonders of life.

實相人生應該是，生命是甜美的、世界是奇妙的、生活是幸福的。即使貧窮如顏淵，只剩下一碗飯、一瓢水，一樣快樂無憂。

The reality of life should be sweet. The world is wonderful. Life is happiness. Even though we are as poor as the poorest student of Confucius, Yen Huei, and only have a little rice to eat, a cup of water to drink, we can be as happy as fairies.

為什麼要活在當下？就是把過去、未來二條毒蛇拋出我們生命，真正享受我們生命本自具足的美好。生命的每一刻，如果能專注的去體驗，是何等豐富深刻甜美，只要能在剎那間離開過去心和未來心二條毒蛇。

Why should we live at the present? It’s to take away the two poisonous snakes of the past and the future from our lives. Then, we can really enjoy the beauty and wonders of life itself. If we can concentrate on every moment, how rich, deep, and sweet will it be! The point is to keep our minds at the moment.

這也是禪師們叫我們：「吃飯時用心吃飯，睡覺時專心睡覺。」的道理。

This is why many Zen masters recommend us to “concentrate on eating when you eat and concentrate on sleeping when you sleep.”

但是這些道理知道容易做到談何容易？我們吃飯時想著工作、是非、睡覺時夢境連連，醒來還帶著黑眼圈，因為睡覺時還在思慮。

However, it’s easier to know than to do it. Very often we think of our work and worries when eating. Very often we have so many dreams when sleeping and wake up with dark circle. It’s because our minds are still working when we sleep.

究竟如何才能真正活在當下？不再被過去、未來；回憶、憂慮綑綁？

So, how can we really live in the moment and no longer be obstructed by the past, the future, or our memories and worries?

有一個很簡單的活在當下的方法：「取念於前」，將心念維繫在玄關前一直線。近則在眼前，遠可放到視線盡頭。不論做什麼事，心都在眼前當下，這是最好的一種「活在當下」，而不是空洞的一句話。

There is a simple method to live in the moment: to focus on a certain point before your eyes. Try to form a line stretching from your wisdom door and keep your mind in this line. We can focus on the line either near the wisdom door or at the end of the line. Whatever you are doing, you keep your minds before this line. This is the best kind of “Living in the moment.” It can prevent you from distraction. And “Living in the moment.” is no longer a meaningless slogan.

看佛燈就是一種訓練我們能夠活在當下的方法，經常做這個修持，久而久之就可以時時刻刻「取念於前」真正活在當下，享受眼前一杯茶、一口飯…享受人生的每一時每一刻，而不再總是掉回過去及憂慮前途。

Concentrating on the Buddha lamp is a method to train us to live in the moment. If we keep doing this practice, it will be possible for us to live in the moment. Then, we can have “real moments” to enjoy the tea we drink or the food we eat. We can enjoy every moment of our lives instead of always reflecting on the past and worrying about the future.

守一不移 Grasp the one

觀佛燈，在佛法的定位是祖師禪所謂“守一不移”的修持功夫，自古以來也是各宗各派修行的一個共法，共同的修持法門。

Concentrating on the Buddha lamp is an important practice “Grasp the one” in Zen school. It’s also a common religious practice among many Buddhist schools.

不僅佛家修持「守一」，儒家也有這種修持叫做「惟精惟一」，這個精，就是專注的意思，專注，透過專注、專注、再專注，最後讓自己的心進入一種“一”的狀態，純一的狀態，叫惟精惟一。(專注到和你專注的對象合一)

This practice exists not only in Buddhism but also in Confucianism. Confucianists call it, “Just concentrate, until you and the world are one.” It means to focus thoughts on a certain object until there is no differentiation between you and the object.

道家也有相同的修持，如老子說的：「聖人抱一為天下式。」

In Taoism, they also have this practice as Lao-tze said, “The sage grasps the one and becomes the model for all.”

「多言數窮，不如守中。」

“The sage prefers holding to the center to investigating everything with a lot of talk.”

「守一不移」是禪門的修持功夫，四祖道信禪師最重視「守一」。

“To grasp the one” is an important practice in Zen school. Our fourth patriarch master Tao-shin thinks it is the most valuable practice.

四祖道信禪師各位也許不是很熟，他也是我們的祖師之一，他將衣缽傳給五祖弘忍大師，五祖再傳六祖惠能，六祖惠能圓寂時預言：「道將分傳二脈，一脈出家，一脈在家。」我們一貫道就是從這在家一脈而來。所以道信禪師也是我們紅陽期的祖師之一。道信禪師一生只傳守一不移這個簡單的修持法門。

Maybe you don’t know much about master Tao-shin. He is one of our great masters in Tao lineage. He passed down the Tao to our fifth patriarch Hong-zen master, who also passed it down to our sixth patriarch Huei-neng master. Master Huei-neng predicted before his death, “The Tao lineage will divide into two schools. One is among monks and nuns of monastery, and the other is among common people.” I-Kuan Tao originates from the lineage of common people. Therefore, master Tao-shin was our master, too. He only transmitted this simple practice “holding to the center” all his life.

什麼是「一」？玄關是一。心回到玄關便是「守一」。但如何做到？

What is “the one”? Our wisdom door is the one. When we concentrate on it, that is to “grasp the one.” But how can we make it?

道信禪師傳守一不移的法門的時候，他告訴我們一個很明確的修行法，不是很抽象的守一不移，而是很具體的，怎麼修呢？

Master Tao-shin told us a very practical method to grasp the one. How should we do it?

他說：「守一不移者，以此空淨眼，注意看一物，無間晝夜時，專精常不動。」

He said, “One who can hold to the center will make it by using his own clear eyes and minds to focus on a certain object. He concentrates on the practice day and night, and keeps working on it diligently. ”

這也成為禪宗密宗修持的法門，任何東西拿來，就這麼專注看著，看佛相、看一朵花、看一個杯子、看手指頭…專注一直看，一直看，視線不要離開，慢慢的，你所看的東西和你的眼神，也就是玄關之間，就形成一條線，這條線很有力量，當你的心向外跑時，它自動被拉回來，這樣，心就不會像一般人一樣，四散飛馳，時常專注於這玄關前一直線，生命的磁場就慢慢形成。

This is also a good method for the Zen school and Tibetan Buddhists. They will focus on any object before them. No matter it’s a Buddha statue, a flower, a cup, or a finger, they just concentrate on it. They keep focusing on the object without distraction. And gradually, there will form a line between your eyesight (or the wisdom door) and the object you are focusing on. This invisible line is very powerful. When your minds go astray, they will be pulled back automatically. In this way, your minds will not distract very often like common people. Once you keep concentrating on the line extending from your wisdom door, there will be a magnetic field forming in your life.

道信大師，講到用功的方法，曾教導弟子一個方法：將視線凝聚在一個東西上。

Master Tao-shin once taught his disciple a method: to focus all your eyesight on a certain object.

他用一個譬喻說：「如繩繫鳥足，欲飛還掣取。」我們的心就像小鳥一樣到處亂飛，我們凝視一個點，在點與玄關之間就形成一條線，守玄就像用一根繩子把小鳥的腳繫住了一樣，鳥要飛走時就把他拉回佛燈來。

He used a comparison: “This line is like the rope that ties on the bird’s claw. When the bird tries to fly away, the rope will pull it back powerfully and swiftly.” Our minds are used to distracting like birds. When we focus on a certain point, there will form a line between it and the wisdom door. Concentrating on the wisdom door is like tying a rope on the bird’s claw. When the bird tries to fly away, this line can draw it back to the Buddha lamp.

我們的心很容易散亂，要收回來又不知道怎麼收？佛燈就是那條繫住鳥的繩子。鳥要飛，一拉就回來了，再飛，再一拉又回來，所以呢！我們眼觀佛燈的凝聚點，就成為繫住你心鳥的一條無形的繩子。

Our minds like to idol around, but when we want to focus back, we have no method. The Buddha lamp is the rope which ties on the bird’s claw. The bird can be drawn back right before flying away. It can be pulled back again and again. Therefore, the point of focus when we concentrate on the Buddha lamp is very important. It will become an invisible rope which is able to tie up your mind.

瞳神見性 our eye is the key to reaching the truth

我們點道辭上有講到：「二目瞳神來發現，灑灑沱沱大路坦。」

In the initiation of ceremony, the master will read: “With your clear eyes and minds, you can find a smooth broad way to the heaven.”

意思是指你一條解脫之路，什麼路？佛燈將路引到你眼前，這時我們的二目雙眼的瞳神來發現，瞳神的意思是嬰兒無心直視，沒有思想雜念的直視。邊界

It means he will point to you a way to relieve from Samsara. Which way is it? The Buddha lamp will lead the brightness before your eyes. Through our clear minds, we can focus on the lamp without any thoughts or ideas.

發現什麼？發現一條通天大路，瀟灑自在、光明無限的大陸，坦坦蕩蕩在眼前。西天雖然遙遠但立刻可以到，西方極樂世界就在眼前。生命和「無極理天」在這一剎那融合在一起。但是我們只有在點道的那一剎那，在佛力加持下達到這個境界。但是就憑這一剎那，彌勒祖師保證我們超生了死。

At this moment, a way to the heaven appears before us, it is a way full of brightness and carefree. It is a way to the heaven. The heaven seems far away, but we have arrived in it then. Our life is combined with Wu Ji (a state without boundary or differentiation; Eternity). However, we reach this state only at the moment of taking the Tao because of the empowerment of Buddha and bodhisattvas. It is by this precious moment that we are guaranteed to escape from Samsara by Maitriya Buddha.

求完道我們又從極樂世界掉回人間。這就是為什麼我們今天要做這個修持，再一次複習求道時的凝視佛燈，這一次我們自己下功夫修持，重回遙遠的西天極樂世界，也就是我們所謂的「理天」。

After the initiation ceremony, we may fall from heaven to the earth. That’s why we should do this concentration practice today. We want to review the concentration moment when taking the Tao. The difference only lies in the fact that this time, we make efforts to reach Eternity and return to the heaven, Wu Ji.

當我們凝視佛燈時，心靈處於這種最佳狀態，不即不離妙契。不離開世間，也不沾染世間，這是最巧妙契合真如法界的關鍵點。

When we concentrate on the Buddha lamp, our minds are in the best state: it is combined with Eternity, but it does not escape from the earth or is polluted by the earth. This is the key point to reach the heaven in everyday life. The good point of this practice is that we can enjoy the happiness of heaven at every moment of our lives-- just by concentrating.

重回靈山法會Return to the Dharma transmission ceremony

這就是為什麼釋迦牟尼佛在靈山法會上，要捻起金色的蓮花，而不是白色、紅色的蓮花。傳說金色的蓮花，顏色就像火焰一樣令人目不暫捨。現在已經沒有這種蓮花了，佛陀時代有這種蓮花，它會放出一種火焰的光芒，是黃金色的，火焰的光芒。

This is why Sakyamuni Buddha showed his disciples a golden lotus in the ceremony. It is not a white or red lotus but a golden one. According to the legend, a golden lotus will be as bright and splendid as fire. Now there are no such lotuses anymore. But in Sakyamuni Buddha’s time, they had this kind of golden lotus which can give off brilliant golden rays like fire.

有人問：「為什麼佛不點一盞佛燈示眾？」因為法會在戶外，人又多，你光點一盞蠟燭亮度不夠，蓮花比燭光大，所以佛陀點了一個像火把一樣大的金色蓮花，當下所有人的意念都被吸引，集中在這蓮花上。

Some may ask, “Why didn’t Sakyamuni Buddha light up a Buddha lamp to show them?” that’s because their ceremony was held outside, and also there were so many people. The light of a candle wouldn’t be bright enough for everyone to see. And the lotus was bigger than the candle light. Therefore, Buddha showed them a big golden lotus like a torch, and it caught everyone’s eye right away.

這個叫惟精惟一，這時釋迦牟尼佛傳的就是這個當下，守一不移，可是沒有人能夠體會，每個人都看到金色蓮花，可是沒辦法領悟啊！只有迦葉尊者領悟到了，破顏微笑，於是這樣一個守一不移的法門，捻花微笑就傳給他了。

This is called ”Holding to the one.” At the moment, Sakyamuni Buddha was transmitting Dharma, but no one can understand it except Kasyapa, one of his Ten great disciples. Everyone saw the lotus, but they couldn’t “grasp the one.” Only Kasyapa understood it and smiled. Therefore, the Dharma “Holding to the one” was transmitted to him.

我們點燃佛燈，就像釋迦牟尼佛捻起金色蓮花一樣，現在我們平心靜氣看佛燈，把這個場景拉回靈山法會，領悟這個千古之謎，體會一下當年迦葉尊者為什麼微笑？

When we light up the Buddha lamp, it’s just as Sakyamuni Buddha showed a golden lotus. Now, let’s calm down and focus on the Buddha lamp. Imagine we are at the ceremony and try to understand the meaning why Kasyapa smiled at that moment.

迦葉尊者微笑並不是在笑些什麼。一般人將迦葉尊者微笑都解讀為：「嗯！我懂了！」事實上他絕對不是悟到什麼道理，而是這個「專注凝視佛燈」讓他生命進入前所未有的愉悅。

Kasyapa smiled not because of certain reasons. Many people explain his smile as his understanding, “Um, I got it!” in fact, he didn’t realize any principle. It is focusing on the Buddha lamp that makes his life enter a tremendous joy he never experienced, so he started to smile.

一個人如果真的曾深刻契入觀佛燈的修持，就會發現當觀佛燈進入專一狀態時，唇邊會不由自主的漾起微笑，甚至全身都有愉悅的覺受。這才是迦葉尊者微笑的秘密。

Anyone who has done the concentration practice very well will fined himself smile like Kasyapa when he enters the absolute concentration on the Buddha lamp. What’s more, he will feel very joyful for the whole body. This is the secret why Kasyapa smiled.

快樂來自專一 Happiness comes from concentration

所以要把心念凝聚在佛燈和玄闗之間這條線，人生的快樂都來自於這裡，事實上專注、惟精惟一的功夫，每個人都會，每個人追求快樂的方法，都是惟精惟一。

This is why we need to concentrate all our thoughts on the line between the Buddha lamp and our wisdom doors. All the happiness in life comes from here. Actually, everyone has the ability of concentration or “Holding to the center.” When a person pursues happiness, he will concentrate all his thoughts on it.

現代人為什麼可以一動都不動猛打電動，一直打到死掉的都有。新聞常看到，有人就這樣死在網咖電玩前面。就這樣盯著電腦不放到死，為什麼？很簡單，電玩遊戲抓得住他眼睛。

Why can modern people keep playing computer games for a long time and some will even die of it? The news report often gives us examples of someone that plays computer games until he drops in the Internet Café.

打電動的快樂，不是快樂在那裡面有什麼好看的，打完電動，回頭想一想，覺得很無聊。可是當時它抓的住你的眼睛，就是那種完全的，全神灌注啊！那是真正所有生命快樂的來源，人只有在那種狀況之下最快樂。

The happiness of playing computer games is not its content. After finished playing, you may feel it very boring. But at that moment, it can catch your eye. That is the whole-hearted concentration. That is the source of the happiness for all human beings. People become the happiest only under such whole-hearted concentration.

不打電動的人看電視，看電影，好看的電視電影一樣可以完全抓得住你的心，讓你忘記其他的煩惱，這時候就會產生一種快樂的因素。

Besides playing computer games, watching TV or movies can catch your mind, too. It prevents you from many worries, and then the element of happiness appears.

還有談戀愛的時候，那種被抓住了，整個心都凝聚在一個點上的時候，全身的腺體都分泌一種快樂的激素，讓我們進入快樂的狀態。

When people fall in love, they will concentrate on each other and secrete a certain hormone. That will lead them to happiness.

這是快樂很重要的一個因素，但是大部分人抓住的短暫快樂，後來都變痛苦。為什麼？因為抓錯對象。

Concentration, therefore, is a very important factor of happiness. But the temporary happiness that most people pursue often turns out to be pain. Why is that? It’s because they focus on wrong objects.

賭鬼，為什麼賭，因為賭抓得住他的眼神，抓得住他的身心，讓他什麼都忘記了，只剩下賭，酒也一樣有這種效果，還有毒品也有這種效果，愛情有這種效果，那再來就是現在流行的搖頭丸、網咖…網路遊戲！那個世界也是一樣，很龐大，讓你完全的脫離現存的世界，進入那個世界，然後專注在一點上面，而得到快樂。

Why does a gambler enjoy gambling? Because gambling catches his eye, body and mind. This makes him forget everything but gambling. Alcohol and drugs have the same effect, too. So does love. In modern times, MDMA, Internet Café, and on-line games can also make you escape the present world and enter the virtual reality. When you concentrate on it, you will be happy temporarily.

可是那些都有後遺症的，那些都會造來很多的業障，後面都是一個深淵，每一個背後都是一個深淵，不管是賭、毒、酒…或者網路遊戲、愛情，後面都有魔的力量，而且都會變質的，最後歡樂都會變成悲哀，叫樂極生悲。

However, these will lead to side effects. They cause many bad karmas. No matter it is gambling, drugs, alcohol, or on-line games, love, there will be devil’s power behind. The extreme pleasure from them will be followed by sorrow.

修行人懂這個道理，不會將目光專注在這些感官刺激，像圓覺大帝的快樂來自於哪裡？後學聽這個林前人講，林前人以前就隨駕在圓覺大帝身邊的，圓覺大帝平常沒事的時候，他消遣的方式就是點一炷香，看著香，一直看到它燒完。

Practitioners know this, so they won’t focus on these sensational stimuli. Where does their happiness come from? I heard Master Lin mentioned a great master enjoyed watching the burning incense until it extinguishes. He had no other hobby except this.

這就是惟精惟一的禪悅，看著香，整個心情，身心都處於一種非常法喜愉悅的狀態，當你專注在一點久了以後，你的心呢！自然從四面八方收回來，人最大的快樂就是：心沒有分散，專注在一點。

This is the joy from “holding to the center.” When watching the incense, all your body, mind and mood are in the state of great Dharma joy. When you concentrate on a point for a long time, your thoughts return from all directions. This is the greatest happiness of human beings: no distracting mind, concentrating on a certain point.

問題是這個世界很少有東西可以抓的住你，讓你身心凝聚在一點上，很少有東西有這個力量的，但是我們今天傳道，我們玄關竅已經開了，你用你的玄關竅，對著任何一個東西，對焦！對焦，一開始模糊的，所謂對焦就像照相的時候，以前那種傳統照相機，要調焦距，從模糊一直調，調到清楚了，叫「對焦」。

The problem is that there are few things in this world that can catch your eye and focus your body and mind on a certain point. Few things have such power. However, after the initiation ceremony, you can use your wisdom door to learn to focus on any object. Just focus. In the beginning, the object may be very vague. But it will become very clear after a period of time.

今天你用你的玄關當作相機鏡頭，去對焦，一開始的時候也許有點模糊，一直調整到看的很清楚的時候，這叫「焦距準確」，這樣經常對焦，能夠持續修下去，功夫純熟以後，你就可以隨時隨地凝聚心念於任何一個點，看任何東西都能迅速入於禪定。

Today you use the wisdom door as a camera lens to focus. At first it is vague, but you keep focusing until the object becomes clear. If you can keep on this practice, after you can do it well, you can focus your thoughts on any object anytime and anywhere.

像圓覺大帝，後學聽童貴童點傳師說，他們到新加坡去開荒的時候，圓覺大帝有時坐在那個佛堂窗戶邊，看外面一根煙囪，一看幾個小時，看得不亦樂乎。

Like the great master mentioned above, he has achieved this. When they went to Singapore to transmit the Tao, the great master often sat beside the window and watched a chimney outside. He watched for hours and felt a great joy.

有時候甚至像達摩面壁，就看著牆壁，一樣身心安樂，愉悅法喜。那種安樂不會變質，不像沉溺於感官刺激。如如不動，處於一種不變的安樂狀態，

Sometimes even like Patriarch Dharma, who spent years just watching the wall, can also achieve such a great joy. This kind of joy or peace will never turn bad. It will be very stable and everlasting. Unlike the happiness coming from sensory stimuli, it will reveal to us and make us always be in the state of “Ultimate reality.”

酒啦！毒啦！那些都會變的，都是暫時的，暫時讓你凝聚在那點上，忘記憂愁，但是不久呢！你所凝聚的那些東西，開始產生質變，開始帶著你墮落，跳到魔鬼的懷抱裡面去。

However, happiness coming from alcohol or drugs will not remain and can only be temporary. It makes you focus on them and forget your worries for a while. But very soon, they lead to your deterioration. And finally, we betray God and embrace Satan.

所以今天呢！我們要修的這個「守一不移」，是從平心靜氣眼看佛燈，衍生出來的，是自古以來呢！祖師所傳的心法，方法很簡單，一人看著一盞佛燈，我為什麼說它是佛燈，不說它是蠟燭，因為是從中燈點過來的，一人看著一盞佛燈，然後看清楚它，就放在桌子前面，然後看著它。

To sum up, “Holding to the one” is the ultimate goal of the concentration practice. it is also the great Dharma many Patriarchs transmitted to us. The method is very simple: each one concentrates on a Buddha lamp. Why don’t we name it a candle? For it is lightened up from the Buddha lamp. Every one of us watched with our heart carefully and clearly. Just put it on the table and focus on it.

實例印證 Some good examples

˙以心印心Communication without spoken words

台北道場有一位坤道，先生沒求道，而且是大男人主義。她的經驗可以讓我們參考，她有一次坐她先生的車子，發現她先生不講話，在生氣，為什麼生氣不曉得，她就很緊張，但也生氣，因為她先生生氣時，有很多辦法折磨她。心情是又憤怒，又緊張，又害怕，很多種情緒夾雜一起，五味雜陳。

Here is a good example of a female Tao member in Taipei . Her husband hasn’t taken the Tao and is very male chauvinism. Once she took her husband’s car and found him very angry. She didn’t the reason and was very nervous. For her husband would torture her in many ways when angry. So, she had complicated emotions, including anger, nervousness, and fear.

這時候她就想到，在佛堂三寶共修時的「凝視佛燈」，但是沒有佛燈可以看，她就看這個她前面的平台，駕駛座旁邊那面平台。看著、看著、看看看看…看得很清楚，連紋路都看的很清楚，這時候心裡的煩惱突然不見了，擔憂也不見了。

At this very moment, she thought of the concentration practice she had learned in the temple. Since there was no Buddha lamp in the car, she started to watch a certain point in front of her. She kept watching for a while. Suddenly, all her worries and emotions disappeared.

過了一個小時以後，突然間，她先生跟她結婚二十幾年來第一次跟她道歉，親口跟她道歉，說：「對不起喔！我剛剛脾氣不好，其實我……。」跟她道歉解釋。以前從來沒有過的，她受寵若驚，以後她就知道怎麼跟她先生相處了，以心印心，用你的清靜心來相印別人的清靜心。

An hour later, her husband suddenly apologized to her for the first time. He said, “I’m very sorry. Just now I got a bad temper, in fact, I didn’t mean it….” He explained tenderly to her, which never happened before. She was so surprised and knew how to get along with her husband in the future. Just communicate with her mind instead of spoken words. Use your peaceful true nature to communicate with other people’s true nature.

我們人的軀殼雖然各有所屬，但本心卻是相通的，就像五支手指頭各自分開但手掌卻是相連的。所以當你見到自己的本心時就同時見到所有人的本心。同理可証，我們自己的清靜心、喜悅心可以牽動別人，當然痛苦心、忌妒心、怨恨心…也一樣具感染力。

Although we humans have different bodies, we have the same true nature. It’s just like our hand, which has five separate fingers, but they are linked by one palm. Therefore, when you see your own true nature, you see other people’s true nature at the same time. Just as our peace and joy can influence other people, so can our pain, jealousy, and hatred, etc. affect others.

心淨則土淨

當我們的心乾乾淨淨的時候，你就可以把別人的心打掃乾淨，心淨則土淨，人的心是相通的，當你的心混亂的時候，也會造成別人心境的混亂，當你的心憤怒的時候，也會造成別人怒氣填膺，你悲傷的時候也會影響到別人，同樣的你的心一旦寧靜下來以後，有不思議的力量，可以淨化身邊人的心境。

If our minds are purified, you can also purify other people’s minds. Once our minds are clean, we will feel the environment turns to be pure land. Human beings’ minds are connected. When you have a chaotic mind, it will cause the confusion in other people’s minds. When you become angry, it will also cause other people’s anger. Your sorrow will also influence those people around you. In the same way, if you calm down and have a peaceful mind, you will have the incredible power to purify other people’s minds.

另一個實例是後學的父親，父親在去年（二四）生病住院，每個醫生都判定他已患有嚴重的阿茲罕默症也就是所謂老年癡呆。變得健忘，以前讀的佛經都忘了，早晨黃昏也錯亂，才吃過藥，又再吃一次…頭腦顛倒錯亂，腦部掃描鈣化很嚴重，但從他開始每天作觀佛燈的修持二十分鐘，就漸漸恢復，到現在約有半年了，又回復以前記憶力很好頭腦很清楚。本來每天都複習他熟悉的經典，現在又開始讀新的經典，經常讀六祖壇經，讀到忘記睡覺。

Another example is my father. He got sick and had stayed in the hospital for two months in 2004. Every doctor said he had Alzheimer's disease and serious calcification in brain, so he became very forgetful. He even forgot many Buddhism sutras which he was quite familiar with. He sometimes took the medicine twice and mistook morning for evening. Many things were confused together. But he gradually recovered by doing twenty-minute concentration practice every day. Six months later, he recovered his good memory and clear mind. Now he can not only review all the sutras he learned but also start to learn many new sutras. Sometimes he even recites The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform Sutra so absorbed as to neglect sleep.

他耳朵重聽幾十年了，九十歲時已幾乎全聾，只有在耳朵邊大聲說，才勉強聽到一點，最近聽力漸漸恢復。原先醫生檢查結果是神經壞損性耳聾，不可能恢復，連助聽器也沒什麼幫助，但卻在修持中意外的好起來。

He has been hard of hearing for over ten years. He was almost deaf at the age of ninety. Only when people shout loud beside his ear can he hear a little bit. Now his hearing ability even becomes better. This is impossible in medical report. But all his problems are solved by practice.

思索為什麼？眼睛的修行卻是耳朵的好轉？可能玄關是我們六根的中心，所謂「鼻祖」通眼耳鼻舌，所以在玄關下功夫，眼耳鼻舌甚至全身，都同時受益。

Why can my father do the concentration practice but result in the recovery of his ears? Perhaps it’s because the wisdom door is the center of our six senses. Therefore, it can connect other senses including eyes, ears, nose and tongue. If we concentrate on it, our whole body will benefit at the same time.

堅持才有結果 Keep going, and you can benefit more.

看佛燈是讓你練習專注，我們平日生活中做的其他的事都無法幫助我們專注。有人專注時會不舒服，修行不是讓你輕鬆自然。追求輕鬆自在，修行不會成功，要抗拒不舒服克服逆境。沒有人舒舒服服可以學成一個技藝，包括學鋼琴、騎腳踏車…不舒服還堅持才能有成。所以來修行不要只想求舒服，要克服瞌睡、枯燥、不耐煩…

Concentrating on the Buddha lamp is to make us practice concentration. Many other things we do in daily life can never help us concentrate. Some people may feel uncomfortable when focusing. But practice doesn’t mean to make us relaxed. If we pursue to be always carefree and relaxed, we will never achieve enlightenment. We need to resist those uncomfortable feelings or hardships. Nobody can succeed without pain, including learning the piano, riding a bicycle, etc. Just keep going, and we can succeed. Therefore, we need to overcome dosing off, dullness, or impatience.

如果我們修行時不願意克服困難修下去，人生中一樣會遇難則退。讀書枯燥乏味就放棄而去打電動；婚姻一點不如意就要分手；事業不順利就辭職；事事不如意最後就自殺算了…永遠不會有幸福。

If we are unwilling to overcome difficulties to go on practicing, we may encounter other difficulties and give them up in life, too. Students give up boring lessons and start to play computer games. New couples give up marriage and want to break up. Employers give up their jobs when things don’t go smoothly. What if everything doesn’t go well, will you also give up your life? Then happiness will never come to you.

所以就從今天現在開始，尤其有仙佛在為我們加油，趁這個機會，練習我們的決心，堅持克服一切困難，三十分鐘而已，不要被習性惰性打敗，專注看完三十分鐘的佛燈，人生從此就會有所不同。因為打敗戰勝自己的怠惰習性。有一次的堅持，就有一份力量，下次再遇到一樣的困境時，你就會有力量有決心可以突破。

From now on, we should grasp such a chance tightly because Buddha and all bodhisattvas are cheering for us in the temple. Through this chance, let’s make up our minds to overcome all difficulties. Don’t let our laziness defeat us. Just concentrate on the Buddha lamp for thirty minutes, and we will have a different life. Every time we overcome our laziness or bad habits, we can have more power to break through the same hardships next time.

剛開始會出現昏沉或散亂，有人胡思亂想、有人昏昏欲睡這是正常現象，只要堅持修下去，這些現象會減輕或消失。有人一次二次、有人八次十次共修後會消失。從此即使在平時沒有做這個修持時也可以清醒精神奕奕。不似一般人頭腦常處於不清醒或混亂狀態。

When doing the practice, it is normal that some may feel sleepy or have a wandering mind in the beginning. Just keep on practicing, maybe once or twice, or even ten times later, these phenomena will reduce or disappear. From then on, you may also feel aware any time and any place even without doing the practice. It’s very different from the common people who always have unclear minds.

修行的過程會有美好的覺受，但如果我們有業障，多數時候是苦惱的，消除業障就像拆房子一樣，噪音、灰塵、斷壁殘垣…我們修持時，也是如此，困難艱苦不斷。但是這些是拆除的過程，如果沒有這個過程，生命中的業障，像違章建築般，永遠佔據在我們生命，讓我們無法受用功德。

In the process of doing practice, you may have wonderful feelings. But mostly you will feel troubled and worried due to our bad karmas. Purifying bad karmas is like tearing down an old house. There will be a lot of noise, dust, and many pieces of bricks. This is the same as our practice. There will be many hardships during the process but it is the process of pulling down all our bad karmas. Without it, the bad karmas in our lives, like those dangerous illegal buildings, will occupy our lives forever, preventing us from receiving any merits and virtues of Buddha.

苦惱、心神不寧，都是修持過程中必然出現的，不要認為是壞事。越苦惱要越堅持，越堅持就越有效。不要覺得昏沉、煩躁就放棄。當這些現象發生時要告訴自己：「現在自己的修持功夫和滿天仙佛，都在幫助我把業障的大山剷除，如果我停止或鬆懈下來，這些業障就永遠障礙我生生世世。」

The feelings of being upset or uneasy are sure to appear in the process. Don’t think of it as something bad. The more worries you have, the more perseverance you must show. Then, it will be more effective with your perseverance. Don’t give up whenever you feel sleepy or upset. On the other hand, you should tell yourself when they come, “Now it’s the best time for me to clear away all the bad karmas. Since Buddha and all bodhisattvas and my own practice are uniting together to help me, I should never quit or slack off; otherwise, these bad karmas will follow and block me forever.”

看佛燈很簡單，就是看清楚，模糊了，再把它看清楚，我們看電視節目，看的很清楚，每一個畫面都捨不得放棄，只要拿出那種精神出來，看佛燈，這個才是值得看的，因為佛燈看清楚就看到佛世界了，你跟佛世界就有一條金線相連。

To focus on the Buddha lamp is quite easy. Just watch it clearly. When it turns vague, watch it clearly again. When we watch TV programs, we pay much attention to every detail and won’t miss it. As long as we make the same efforts when concentrating on the Buddha lamp, we are sure to make it. Buddha lamp is the only thing worth watching in this world. Once we watch the Buddha lamp clearly, we can be connected with the Buddha land. Then, there will be a golden line between you and Buddha land.

看佛燈沒有什麼訣竅，就是看清楚，沒有人做不到，功夫純熟以後，你看杯子、看手指頭…都可以看清楚。像圓覺大帝看著煙囪，達摩祖師看牆壁，一樣馬上進入一種禪定法喜之中，這時候我們就可以，隨時讓自己的心定下來。

There is no tip for watching the Buddha lamp. Just watch it clearly. Everyone can make it. Once you do it very well, you can focus on anything clearly, such as a cup or your own fingers. Just like the great master mentioned above, who enjoyed watching a chimney, and master Dharma, who enjoyed watching the wall. They can enter a great joy of meditation right after concentration. If we can concentrate well, we can make our minds calm down anytime. And then we can also enjoy the great joy of Dharma like these great masters.

所以「知止而後有定，定而後能靜，靜而後能安，安而後能慮，慮而後能得。」，心隨時可以止得下來，心止下來以後，就可以發起智慧，無事不辦。

As Great Learning says, “When you know how to stop your thoughts, you have stability. When you have stability, you can be tranquil. When you are tranquil, you can be at ease. When you are at ease, you can deliberate. When you can deliberate, you can attain your aims.”

If our minds can settle down anytime, then they can develop wisdom to achieve everything.

結語 Conclusion

用三寶的三階段 Three stages of using three treasures

三堂課的三寶修持已經結束，希望大家有體會，這次法會只是幫你們畫一個起點，修持的路要靠你們自己走。我們今天能來求道修道，像是為我們的人生開闢另一條大路，不再走我們原本的宿命之路，可以脫離宿命開創新生。

Our three lessons of using three treasures have come to an end. This is just a beginning. You should go on practicing by yourself. Today, we can come here to take and practice the Tao. It’s like starting a brand new page for life. From now on, we can control our fate, not to take the way of destiny. Thus, we have started a new life.

道親常覺得用三寶不像想像中有立竿見影的效果，為什麼？因為用三寶的時機太遲。我們人生的煩惱災禍疾病…怎麼來的？不是突然發生的而是漸漸累積出來的。所謂「境由心生」，如何生？我們可以把它分為三階段：

Why do many Tao members think using three treasures may not be so effective? The problem is the timing. Usually our worries, illnesses, or disasters in life do not come up suddenly but appear gradually. They usually result from our minds.

We can divide them into three stages:

第一階段：妄念雜生the first stage : Illusory thoughts fill up our minds

第二階段：情緒失控 the second stage : Emotions are out of control.

第三階段：災患現前 the third stage : Disasters appear.

若以火災來譬喻：if we compare these stages to fire accidents:

第一階段：妄念雜生。星星小火。The first stage: Illusory thoughts are like sparks.

第二階段：情緒失控。火苗亂竄。The second stage: Uncontrolled emotions are like a tongue of flames.

第三階段：災患現前。大火蔓燒。The third stage: Disasters appear just as a big fire is damaging everything.

所以用三寶的時機也可以分成這三個階段。

Hence, we can divide the timing of using three treasures into three stages below.

守玄可以降伏妄念，如果已經情緒失控煩惱大作，就要持誦真經請彌勒祖師來救火，如果更進一歩由內而外，身心病苦、言行失控、傷害人際關係、甚至引來災難重重，那就要燒香叩首，懇求仙佛團隊來營救。

Concentrating on the wisdom door can stop illusory thoughts in time. If we don’t stop them immediately, our emotions will be out of control. At this moment, we should recite Five Word Sutra and ask Maitriya Buddha for help.

If we are not aware of our emotions in the very beginning or lose the chance to stop them, problems will become more serious. We may fail to control our words or behaviors, or we may even start to harm our relationships. Then, it will be too late to start using three treasures. Instead, we should worship and prostrate, asking Buddha and bodhisattvas for help.

以救火來喻之：Here let’s compare it to putting out fires.

第一階段：守玄－天乾物燥，小心火燭。（平時常守玄可預防妄念產生）

The first stage : concentrating on the wisdom door. It’s like being careful about using candles in daily life. Once we keep focusing on the wisdom door, illusory thoughts can hardly appear.

第二階段：默念真經－一念不察，導致失火，請人幫忙灌救。（當妄念一旦產生，

默念真經，可以向彌勒祖師求救）

The second stage: reciting Five Word Sutra. It’s like that carelessness causes a fire and we can only ask for help. When illusory thoughts form, we can recite the Five Word Sutra and ask Maitriya Buddha for help.

第三階段：叩首－大火蔓燒，需要專業救火，必須打一一九向消防隊求救。（妄

念已演變成貪嗔痴時，要趕快叩首，緊急求仙佛大水澆灌。）

The third stage: prostrating. It’s like that there is a big fire and we need to call professional firefighters to help. When illusory thoughts turn into three poisons of greed, hatred, and stupidity, we must prostrate immediately and asking bodhisattvas for rescue.

用三寶時要判斷自己處於哪一個階段？當守玄無效時趕快念真經，真經也無效時手抱合同對著玄關，還沒效，則跪下來叩首，唸彌勒救苦經。還不夠的話趕快回佛堂，向老母求救，到佛堂燒香叩首，這一定可以解決危機。若仍解決不了，表示代誌大條了（台語：事態嚴重）要請點傳師幫忙，懺悔、立愿、迴向…做種種補救工作。

When using three treasures, we should judge which stage we are in. when focusing on the wisdom door doesn’t work, we should recite the Five Word Sutra in time. When the Five Word Sutra doesn’t work, we should use mudra and focus on the wisdom door. If this still doesn’t work , let’s kneel down and prostrate and recite Maitriya Buddha’s sutra. If this is not enough, just hurry back to the temple to ask Heavenly Mother for help.

If you have done all of the above and still can’t solve the problem, it means the problem is very serious. Then, you should ask your master for help, to repent, to make vows, and to dedicate your merits to the sentient beings.

但最好是在星星之火出現時，就用三寶把火滅了，不要等到大火蔓延，燒到家毀人亡，再向彌勒祖師、濟公老師…求救。

Still the best timing is to put out the fire when single sparks appear. We should use the three treasures in the very beginning. Don’t wait until it becomes very serious and may harm or ruin your family. Then it will be too late to ask Maitriya Buddha or grand master Ji-kong for help.

舉例而言，當我們情緒低落時，如果立刻用三寶，就可以從惡劣情緒中走出來。但如果任自己情緒壞下去，到了要對別人發脾氣或者憂鬱症發作時，用三寶就有點來不及了，趕快叩首或回佛堂轉換磁場，讓佛光照一照，把生命的陰暗面照亮。如果在這階段沒有採取行動，已經擴大火苗和別人吵起來了，或者自己把自己封閉起來了，若這時用三寶已經來不及了，只能回佛堂向點傳師、仙佛求救，再不行動甚至自殺、殺人的悲劇都會產生。

For example, if we use three treasures in the beginning of the low mood, we can get rid of the negative emotions right away. If we just let it be and wait until others get mad or our melancholy starts, it will be too late to use three treasures. Then, we should prostrate or return to the temple immediately. Let Buddha light shine on us and drive out the dark side of lives. What’s worse, if we don’t handle with our bad moods and start to quarrel with others, or we have shut ourselves in a room, it is too late to use three treasures. Here we can only return to the temple and ask masters and all bodhisattvas for help. If we don’t take any action, tragedies like suicide or killing may happen anytime.

佛堂是我們人生苦海的救生艇，當察覺自己快要滅頂時，不要猶豫，趕快回到救生艇。

The temple is the lifeboat in Samsara. When we find ourselves almost drowning, don’t hesitate, just return to the lifeboat.

在我們人生中很多悲劇如果溯源到發生的開端，在開始點轉向，一切就會不同。我們常常後悔「如果一切可以從頭開始」但是如果我們不修行，即使給我們一百次從頭開始的機會，我們最後仍然會重蹈覆轍。

In life, many tragedies can be avoided if we make different choice in the beginning. We often regret, “what if we can start over again?” However, if we don’t do the practice, we may still recommit the same error even with a hundred times of chance.

所以修行才是扭轉命運的關鍵。而且不要等到苦果已結成，才想到修行。要時時刻刻提醒自己，最好保持隨時用三寶，讓業障不發作，若業障發動了，趕快在第一時間滅火，不要等火苗亂竄。大火焚燒救火已經來不及，能保住自己一條命就不錯了。

Hence, practice is the key to reversing our fate. We should remind ourselves at every moment. The best way is to use three treasures anytime and anywhere. This way, we can prevent our bad karmas from happening. If bad karmas happen, we have to put out fires in the very beginning. Don’t wait until there is a big fire, then it will be too late to rescue.

例如現在憂鬱症、自殺、購物狂、外遇…問題很多，如果當事人在最初心動的剎那，就用三寶把心收回來，把邪念滌除乾淨，就不會一步一步陷入業障陷阱，等到成為卡奴、精神崩潰、婚姻破裂、自殺…再用三寶，就為時已晚。

Nowadays, there are many problems like melancholy, suicide, affairs or crazy shoppers. If they can pull back their distracting thoughts in the beginning by using three treasures, their evil thoughts will be cleared away and they will not get into the traps of bad karmas. If they wait until bigger problems happen, like bankruptcy, breakdown, divorce, or suicide, it will be too late to use three treasures.

2007/08/17

所以三寶修持雖然很簡單，但也要下定決心，在關鍵時刻快刀斬亂麻，把自己從業障中拔出，回歸三寶。才能真正改變我們的生命，扭轉我們的命運。

Using three treasures is easy, but it needs our resolution to cut the bad karma at the critical moment. If we can return to three treasures in time, we can truly change our lives and destiny.

三寶修持到這裡告一段落，誦讀彌勒救苦經以前，大家有沒有問題？

Q＆A

問：如何讓三寶修持成為生活的一部份？

Q: How can we turn the Three Treasures practice into a part of our lives?

開法會最終目的是希望大家回去後能將三寶變成生活的一部份，在工作中、休息中…都能修行。將以在修持三寶的道親，用三寶的方式整理成以下幾點，提供大家生活中用三寶的參考：

A: The aim of this ceremony is that all of you can make three treasures become a part of your lives. At work or rest, you can do the practice anytime and anywhere. Here are some tips for everyone to take in daily life.

⒈早上醒來第一件事，做幾次玄關式呼吸再起床。

1. Before getting up, do several times of breathing practice.

⒉等車、乘車的空檔，可以默念真經或閉目守玄做玄關呼吸。

2. Recite the Five Word Sutra or doing breathing practice in all kinds of waiting.

⒊走路是經行念真經最好的時機。

3. Walking is the best timing for walking practice.

⒋開車、騎車時，一定要默念真經，讓彌勒祖師保護你的安全。

4. Be sure to recite the Five Word Sutra when driving or riding. Let Maitriya Buddha protect you.

⒌考試前叩求、考試時一邊守玄、默念真經。

5. Before the test, prostrate. During the test, recite the Five Word Sutra and focus on the wisdom door.

⒍情緒起伏時趕快用三寶，不要等到失控再用。

6. Use three treasures in time when negative emotions occur. Don’t wait until they are almost out of control.

⒎情緒失控、發怒或憂鬱時趕快叩首或回佛堂。

7. Prostrate immediately or return to the temple when you fail to control your temper or become blue.

問：如何在生活中落實三寶？

Q: How to use three treasures in daily life?

一、默念真經的方法

A: Ways to recite the Five Word Sutra

⒈.單純默念，字字清楚，了了分明。

1. Recite directly and silently. Make every word clear.

⒉走路，一步一字默念

2. Recite every word in every step while walking.

⒊數五個手指頭默念（剛好五個字）。

3. Recite every word silently by counting five fingers.

⒋炒菜、切菜，一個動作默念一個字。

4. Recite every word in every action of frying or chopping when in the kitchen.

⒌乘車時，數經過的電線桿或行道樹，甚至經過的車輛。路燈

5. Recite by counting every streetlamp or tree on the sidewalk when taking the bus.

⒍觀想玄關如口，玄關開口念真經。

6. Visualize the wisdom door as a mouth to recite the Five Word Sutra.

⒎運動時隨著動作念將⒈⒉⒊⒋ ⒉⒉⒊⒋…換成五字真經，運動即修行。

7. Recite every word in every movement of exercising.

⒏慢跑，一步默念一個字。

8. Recite every word in every step when jogging.

⒐數念珠，念一字數一顆。

9. Recite every word by counting a bead of a bracelet.

二、守玄的方法

Ways to concentrate on the wisdom door.

⒈.玄關式呼吸法。

1. Breath through the wisdom door.

⒉凝視佛燈。

2. Focus on the Buddha lamp.

⒊看香∣點一柱香，插在可以固定的地方，注意力凝聚在香燃燒的紅點。

3. Focus on the incense. Light incense and settle it in a fixed place. Watch it by focusing on its flame.

⒋意念凝聚玄關、或玄關向前一直線，視線平視的正前方。

4. Focus your thoughts on the wisdom door or the line stretching from it.

⒌手抱合同對玄關∣感受合同和玄關之間有一股磁力。

5. Put the mudra (hand seal) in front of wisdom door. Feel the magnetic power between them.

三、用合同的方法

Ways to use the hand seal.

⒈.動：叩首

1. Prostrate.

⒉.靜：手抱合同置於胸前或玄關前，可與觀呼吸或守玄一起同時進行。

2. Put the mudra (hand seal) before your chest or wisdom door. Hold the hand seal when doing breathing or concentration practice.

⒊獻心香：坐著，手抱合同置於玄關前，默念獻香禮。

3. Sit and put the mudra before the wisdom door and recite the worshiping procedure in mind.

中文 : 郭明義

英文翻譯 : Lily Zhang

培德道育班

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2009年1月28日星期三

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白水老人講道語錄