我們出家修道，要時時刻刻攝持身心，不可隨便放逸。在道場中修行，一日不進步，就是退步，所謂：

When we leave the home-life to cultivate the Way, we should always keep the body and mind in a concentrated and alert state. We shouldn't carelessly let ourselves become lax. When we cultivate in a monastery, any day on which we fail to advance is considered a day of backsliding. It is said,

一日無過可改，
一日無功可進。

A day on which no faults were corrected
Is a day on which no merit was created.

出家人要嚴守行住坐臥四大威儀，所謂「行如風，坐如鐘，立如松，臥如弓。」行的時候，要像清風徐來，水波不興；不要像颶風那麼兇猛，把海浪颳得有幾十丈高。坐的時候，要好像大鐘一樣地安穩，不要像鐘擺那樣不穩定，東搖西擺不停止。立的時候，身挺直，頭端正，好像大松樹一樣，聳然獨立，誰也不依靠。臥的時候，要吉祥臥，右脅著席，好像弓一樣的姿勢。出家人對這四大威儀要特別注意。

Left-home people should carry themselves well whether they are walking, standing, sitting, or reclining. Walk like a breeze, sit like a bell, stand like a pine, and recline like a bow. When you walk, be like a gentle breeze that doesn't ripple the water. Don't be like a hurricane that stirs up huge tidal waves. When you sit, sit steadily like a great bell; don't sway back and forth like the bell's clapper. When you stand, stand straight and tall, like a pine tree, not leaning on anything. When you lie down, use the auspicious posture, lying on your right side with your body curved in the shape of a bow. Left-home people should pay close attention to these four modes of deportment.

出家人不能隨便亂講話，該講話的時候，要鄭重其事，侃侃而談，處處做人的榜樣，不可嘻嘻哈哈說些戲論的話，那是不遵守道場的規律。你有嘻嘻哈哈的行為，外人見了，就會批評萬佛聖城的出家人，不懂規矩，不守規矩，這樣怎能修道？怎麼會有成就？不要因為一兩個人不守規矩，而破壞萬佛聖城的名譽。萬佛聖城是世界佛教的明燈，所以在這裡的住眾一舉一動，一言一行，都要特別小心。

Left-home people should not speak recklessly. When it is time to speak, they should speak seriously and clearly, always setting a good example for others to follow. Don't laugh, giggle, or tell jokes, for that shows disrespect for the rules of the Way-place. If visitors see you laughing and giggling, they will criticize the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, saying that the left-home people here don't follow the rules. How can you cultivate if you act like that? How can you achieve anything? We shouldn't let one or two people who don't follow the rules ruin the reputation of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The City is a bright lamp for Buddhism throughout the world. Therefore, its residents should be especially careful in everything they say and do.

出家修道，要時刻自己管理自己，不可儘打妄想。無論是好的妄想或是壞的妄想，都要收拾乾淨，所謂「一念不生」，到了這種境界，便與道相應，就會有好消息了。如果儘打一些無益的妄想，身雖然在寂靜處，可是心在鬧市中，這樣怎能用功修道？怎能有所成就呢？這是混光陰，而不是修道；真正修行的人，絕對沒有妄想。妄想就是障礙，障礙你不能進步，令你容易生退道心。

After we leave the home-life, we should constantly be mindful of ourselves and not indulge in random thoughts. We should get rid of all random thoughts, whether they are good or bad. When you reach the state where not a single thought arises, you will mesh with the Way and good news will arrive! However, if you indulge in useless random thoughts, then even though you are in a quiet place, your mind is still in the noisy city. How can you succeed in your practice? You're only wasting time. True cultivators don't indulge in random thoughts, for such thoughts impede their practice and cause them to want to retreat.

無論是出家人或者在家人，沒有必要的事情，不可以互相串寮。你到我的寮房舂殼子，我到你的寮房講是非，這樣把大好的光陰都空過了。你自己不修行也罷，但是不能障礙他人修行，否則將來必定墮到無間地獄，永遠不能翻身。

既然發心修道，就要專一其心，對光陰要特別愛惜，所謂：

Whether you are left-home people or laypeople, you should not go into each other's rooms unless it is absolutely necessary. If you go into people's rooms to chat and gossip, you are wasting precious time. Even if you yourself don't want to cultivate, you shouldn't hinder other people in their cultivation. If you do, you will fall into the relentless hells forever. Since you have resolved to cultivate, you should concentrate and cherish your time.

一寸光陰一寸金，
寸金難買寸光陰。

An inch of time
Is worth an ounce of gold,
But an ounce of gold
Can hardly buy an inch of time.

又說：

失落寸金容易得，
光陰過去難再尋。

If you lose an ounce of gold,
You can easily replace it,
But once the time has passed,
It's difficult to get it back again.

各位！要愛惜光陰，尤其修道人，分秒必爭，不可浪費。因為不知在哪一秒鐘，就是我們開悟的時機。

Each of you should cherish your time well. Cultivators in particular should make good use of each moment and not let the time go to waste. You don't know in which second you will have the chance to become enlightened.

吃飯的時候不可以講話。我們天天在念供養的時候，說得明明白白：「散心雜話，信施難消。」既然這樣地念，為什麼不守這個規矩？所謂「無規矩不以成方圓」，不守規矩，怎能有智慧？怎麼會開悟呢？孔老夫子曾經說過：

When we are eating, we shouldn't talk. The meal offering chant we recite every day says very clearly, “A scattered mind and confused talk make the offerings of the faithful hard to digest.” Since you recite it, why don't you follow this rule? It is said, “Without a compass and a T-square, you can't make circles and squares.” If you don't follow the rules, how can you obtain wisdom? How can you become enlightened? Confucius said,

食不言，寢不語。

When it's time to eat,
 one shouldn't talk.
When it's time to sleep,
one shouldn't speak.

我們在齋堂用飯的時候，沒有喧嘩聲，只有吃飯聲。這樣，不但合乎規矩，而且也合乎衛生，因為細嚼慢嚥容易消化，對身心也都是有益處的。

When we are having our meal in the dining hall, there is no clamor of voices, but only the sounds of eating. This not only accords with the rules, but it also aids our digestion. If we chew our food well and swallow it slowly, it will be easy to digest and will be beneficial to both body and mind.