各位小朋友！把身挺直直的，靜心坐在禪凳上，我今天要對你們說幾句話。你們好像小樹，一天比一天長高，將來可作棟樑之材。你們將來是國家的棟樑，要做一番轟轟烈烈的大事業，為世界求和平，為人類謀幸福。你們生在這個國家（美國），就應該把這個國家治理得好好的，使這個國家沒有戰爭，永遠平安，乃至使全世界所有的國家，都得到平安，這是你們的責任。

Young friends, sit upright on your meditation cushions and calm your minds. I want to say a few words to you today. You are just like young trees growing taller day by day, and in the future you will become pillars of support. You are the future supporting pillars of your country. You should do great things and work for world peace and the welfare of humankind. Since you are born in this country, you should help manage and govern this country so that there will be no wars and life will always be secure and peaceful. Then you should extend your effort so that all the countries of this world will also have peace. That is your duty.

現在就要把救國救民的基礎打堅固，首先要學做好人，即是向好人學習，不要學壞人。什麼是好人？就是在家中孝順父母，在學校恭敬師長，在社會為人群服務，在政府為民謀幸福，這是好人的標準。什麼是壞人？就是自私自利、見利忘義的人。好人治理國家，使國家能富強而無戰爭；壞人治理國家，能令國家滅亡。

Now is the time to build a solid foundation in order to save the country and the people. First of all you must learn to be a good person. This means learning from good people, not from bad ones. Who is a good person? A person who is filial to his parents at home, respects his teachers at school, serves the people in society, and works for the welfare of the people when serving in the government. Those are the standards of a good person. Who is a bad person? A person who is selfish and self-benefiting, and who forgets justice when he sees a chance to benefit himself. Under the government of good people a nation will become affluent, strong and peaceful. But if managed by bad people, the nation will collapse.

你們是這個國家的先覺者，因為你們知道盡孝道，知道為人服務，將來要將國家治理的平平安安，把殺人的武器，統統消滅，所謂「馬放南山，刀鎗入庫。」你們的責任，是要化解這世界戰爭的戾氣，使人人都能安居樂業，豐衣足食，這樣世界就能成為大同世界。

In this country, you are more conscious than others, since you know about filiality and know how to work for and serve the people. In the future, you can manage this country so that it is safe and peaceful. Destroy all lethal weapons. It is said, "The horses are set free on the south mountain, and weapons are stored in the warehouse." Your responsibility is to dissolve the violent energy of wars in the world, and to allow the people to live securely and happily, well-fed and well-clothed. Then the world will be one of great harmony.

一九八三年八月二十日開示於萬佛聖城