万佛圣城是修道的处所，天龙八部时刻在护持这个道场，如果有人发菩提心，他们一定护持，令你身心轻安，有大成就，有大感应。可是你不要存着这种希望，它才会自然现前；如果存着这种希望，那就是贪，也就是犯了圣城的六大宗旨。

The Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas is a place for cultivation. The gods, dragons, and the rest of the eightfold division of spirits constantly protect this Way-place. If you bring forth the resolve for Bodhi, they will surely protect you and cause your body and mind to be at ease. You will have great attainments and great responses. If you don’t harbor any hopes or expectations, these things will happen naturally. If you crave accomplishments or responses, however, you have violated the Six Guidelines of the Sagely City by being greedy.

万佛圣城的修道人，天天所行所做都不离这六种条件：

Cultivators at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas follow these Six Guidelines in their daily activities.

（一）不争。绝对不和任何人去争，也不争名，也不争利。凡是旁人所欢喜的，让给他，不必争，所谓“争之不足，让之有余。”

1. Not to fight. Never fight with anyone. Don’t contend over fame or benefits. If there’s something that other people desire, give it to them and don’t contend. It is said, “If people contend over things, there’s never enough to go around. If everyone yields, there’s always a surplus.”

（二）不贪，不是口说不贪，等到境界来了，照贪不误，这就错了。必须要言顾行，行顾言，不可自相矛盾。没有贪心，才能培养高尚的人格。

2. Not to be greedy. This doesn’t mean saying we’re not greedy, but then being as greedy as ever when states come up. That would be wrong. Our words should reflect our behavior, and vice versa; they shouldn’t contradict each other. Only when we do away with greed can we develop a noble character.

（三）不求，若有所求，便有苦恼。求之不得，当然有苦恼，所谓“到无求处便无忧。”这是至理名言。人到无求品自高。

3. Not to seek. If we seek something, we suffer and get afflicted. Of course if our desires are frustrated, we’ll also be afflicted. It’s said, “When we seek nothing, we’ll have no worries.” This statement is absolutely true. When we reach the state of seeking nothing, our character will naturally be lofty.

在八苦中，有求不得苦；求不得也苦，求得了也苦，这样患得患失，何苦来哉？这是自找苦吃。如果想得开，放得下，就没有苦恼了。

One of the Eight Sufferings is the “suffering of not obtaining what one seeks for.” If you can’t get what you want, you suffer. If you do get what you want, you still suffer. Worrying about obtaining something and then worrying about losing it－is it worth the trouble? You’re just making yourself suffer. If you can realize this and let go of things, you won’t suffer or get afflicted anymore.

（四）不自私，人人都有自私心，事事先为自己打算，为子孙去着想。所以修道人，就是要修“无我”的境界。无我还争个什么？贪个什么？求个什么？什么也不要了。我们应该学菩萨舍己为人的精神。世界为什么乌烟瘴气，没有清明的时候？就是因为人人自私自利。这是我的，那是我所有的，所以搞得天下大乱，世界不宁。

4. Not to be selfish. Everyone has selfish concerns. We always think of ourselves first, and of our own children and grandchildren. So as cultivators, we must cultivate until we reach the state of “no self.” Without a self, what would we contend for, be greedy for, or seek for? We wouldn’t want anything at all. We ought to learn the Bodhisattvas’ spirit of renouncing themselves for the sake of other people. Why is the world so badly polluted that it can never become clean and pure? Just because everyone is selfish and wants to benefit themselves－“this is mine; that belongs to me”－so the world is in chaos and there is no peace.

（五）不自利，人人不自利，时时能知足，随遇而安，自然和平相处。就好像鱼饵，令贪心人见利忘义，做出伤天害理的事。有多少人为利，身败名裂，倾家荡产，甚至国破家亡，流离失所。

5. Not to pursue personal advantage. If people don’t care to benefit themselves and are always content with whatever comes their way, they will naturally get along peacefully. Like fish who fall for the bait, greedy people forget justice when they see profit. Consequently, they do things that offend the heavens and go against principle. How many people have ruined their reputations and exhausted their family fortunes in pursuit of profit? Some have even destroyed their families and brought their country to ruin, so that they themselves end up homeless.

（六）不妄语，无论什么境界现前，绝对不打妄语，见则言见，闻则言闻，老老实实说真话，不可以说些没有根据的话。要晓得说无中生有的妄语，损人不利己的话，死后一定堕落到拔舌地狱，这是毫无疑问的，各位要谨之！慎之！

6. Not to lie. Under no circumstances should we ever lie. We should honestly report what we have seen and heard, speaking only the truth and not saying anything that is not based on the facts. We should know that if we fabricate lies or say things that hurt others and are of no benefit to ourselves, after death we are bound to fall into the Hell of Pulling Tongues. There is no doubt about this, so be careful!

今天我对你们所说的话，虽然很浅，但是你们能照这些道理去做，那就受用无穷。所谓“说得好！说得妙！不实行，不是道。”道是行的，不行哪有道；德是做的，不做哪有德？你们能遵守圣城六大宗旨去实行，你们的人格自然高尚。

What I’ve said to you today is very simple, but if you can apply these principles, you’ll derive inexhaustible benefit. As the saying goes,

It may be well spoken and wonderfully stated,
But if it’s not practiced, it’s not the Way.

The Way has to be practiced. If it’s not practiced, how can it be the Way? Virtue has to be done; if one does not do it, how can there be virtue? If you can actually apply the Six Guidelines of the Sagely City, you will naturally be lofty and noble in character.

最后再说一句话：“不要做掩耳盗铃的愚痴事，骗不了自己，也骗不了佛。”何必满肚子是鬼，一手想遮天，这岂不是自讨没趣吗！希望万佛圣城的人，都有优良的表现，堪为人之模范，令世人刮目相看！

I will say one last thing: Don’t do foolish things, such as plugging your ears and stealing a bell [thinking that no one can hear the bell ring just because you can’t]. You cannot fool yourself, nor can you fool the Buddha. What’s the point of filling your mind with cunning schemes, thinking you can hide from your conscience－isn’t this just inviting ridicule? I hope people at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas will maintain excellent moral conduct and be models whom the whole world will marvel at.

一九八四年九月廿五日开示