續前期：August19，1975年8月19日星期二下午
那麼現在打佛七，唸南無阿彌陀佛這個法門，不是容易過著的。所謂「無上甚深微妙法」，你看著這唸佛是很容易的；但是能遇著這唸佛的法門，是很不容易的。你們各位想一想，就拿這美國來講，能有多少人明白這唸佛法門？都是說，佛教徒，想要信佛；信佛有的是參禪的，有的是學密宗的，以為這密宗眞是不得了的，學密去了。眞正明白唸佛法門的是很少的，所以現在我們這兒，是在美國從來沒有的法會。
我們現在是頭一次在這深山裡邊，講這個甚深的妙法。可以說是這個國家，有歷史以來是第一次。尤其我們這些個人，從四面八方來的；有從洛杉磯來的，又有從San Francisco（三藩市）來的，可見這些人都有誠懇的心；沒有誠懇的心，不會到這個地方來。他去看看電影，跳跳舞啊，或者喝喝酒啊，打打牌啊，或者去打高爾夫球啊，或者去打什麼football（足球）啊，種種的滑冰、滑雪，很多很好玩的事情，他不去。那麼這就證明這些人都有很多誠心。
「百千萬劫難遭遇」：不容易遇到的，現在遇到了。
「我今見聞得受持」：我現在見著這個佛法，懂得怎麼樣唸佛。
「願解如來眞實意」：願意明白這個淨土法門眞實的道理。
你們大家都很誠心的。我今天很高興，為什麼呢？就因為你們都感應得不下雨了。昨天晚間也沒有下雨；今天也沒有下雨，這兩天來，這證明你們唸佛有點誠心。明天如果又下雨，這證明你們又沒有誠心了；要是不下雨呢？那就三天，乃至於這一個禮拜，也要它不下雨，那就證明你們各位都有相當的誠心了，有相當的眞心來唸佛了。
那麼你沒有這種眞心呢？我也對你們說一說。我為你們的這種眞心，我這幾天和蚊蟲簽了一個合同。和這個蚊子簽了什么合同呢？我說，所有參加這個唸佛法門的，參加這個法會的這個人，我希望你們所有這個蚊蟲，都不要咬他們；如果你們想要咬的話，先來咬我，喝我一點血，沒有關係。我願意布施給牠們我自己的血，不要咬這個參加唸佛法門的這個人，不論是我的皈依弟子，或不是皈依弟子，都一律平等待遇，不可以給他們麻煩。所以你們以後哪一個要是被蚊子咬了的話，就告訴我一聲。被一個蚊子咬了，就告訴我一個蚊子咬你；兩個蚊子咬，就告訴我說有兩個蚊子咬你，因為我好和牠去算這個數目。因為我和牠簽的lease這個合同；牠不履行牠這個條約，這個我可以告訴court（法庭），sue him（告他）！有的人就說，蚊子咬我，我也不敢講；因為一講了，法師你又講我沒有眞心唸佛了。若是你不講，是你自己欺騙自己，不關我的事。
弟子（果眞）：師父正在講蚊子的時候，有一個蚊子就飛到我耳朶那裡，而且好像還在咬我。
上人：那你可以叫他成佛去。You can say, "I vow you will go to Buddhahood first."
待續
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Continued from last issue: Tuesday, August 19, 1975 (afternoon)
We are now conducting a Buddha Recitation Session. The Dharma-door of chanting "Na-mo A-mi-to-fo" is not easy to encounter. It is said:
Supreme, profound, wondrous Dharma
Is hard to meet in a million eons.
I see it, accept, hear, and uphold it,
And I vow to understand
the Tathagata's true principle.
Supreme, profound, wondrous Dharma. It may look to you like Buddha Recitation is very easy, yet this method is quite rare and hard to find. You should all think about it: In America alone, how many people understand the Dharma-door of Buddha Recitation? Many people will say, "Buddhists sit in Zen meditation." Others say, "Cultivate the Secret School. It's fantastic. It's a secret." Very few truly understand how to recite the Buddha's name. In America such a Dharma assembly has simply never been held before. This is the very first timethat the deep, deep, and wonderful Dharma has been explained in the countryside. You might say our Dharma assembly is unprecedented in the history of this country. And what is more, people have come from the four quarters to attend, including such distant places as Los Angeles and San Francisco. This demonstrates real sincerity. If they were not sincere, they would not have come all this way. They'd be at the movies instead, or out dancing, drinking, playing cards, shooting a few holes of golf, playing football, iceskating, skiing, or whatever. However, these people have abandoned such pleasant diversions to chant "Amitabha" in the mountains.
Is hard to encounter in a million eons. Although it is hard to meet, you have now encountered it.
I see it, accept, hear, and uphold it. Now you have met with the Buddhadharma and know how to recite the Buddha's name.
And vow to understand the Tathagata's true principle. Vow to understand the true principles of the Dharma-door of the Pure Land.
You are all sincere and today I am very happy. Why? Because you have evoked a response and stopped the rain. It didn't rain last night and it didn't rain today. That's two days. This proves that you are earnest in your recitation. If it rains tomorrow, you've retreated. But if it doesn't, then you will have created three dry days. If it doesn't rain for a whole week, that will be conclusive evidence of genuine effort on your part.
Since you are all so earnest, I will tell you what I've been doing. In the last few days I have negotiated and signed a contract with the mosquitoes. It says,
Mosquitoes are not allowed to bite participants in the recitation session. Should they feel compelled to bite someone, they shall bite me first. This applies equally to all those attending, regardless of whether or not they are my disciples. Mosquitoes are not allowed to make trouble for anyone.
So they will bite me first because it doesn't matter if the mosquitoes drink a little of my blood; I want to give it away. After this, if anyone is bitten by a mosquito, please report it to me. If bitten by one mosquito, tell me. If two bite you, announce, "I've been bitten twice!" and I'll take it up with them. After all, they did sign a contract and if they don't live up to it, I just might take them to court!
Someone is thinking, "If I do, Dharma Master, you will say I'm not reciting sincerely." Well, if you don't tell me, you'll just cheat yourself. It's none of my business. Do as you please!
Disciple: Master, just as the subject of mosquitoes came up, one flew by my ear and I believe it is still biting me.
The Master: Oh? Very well, you can take it to Buddhahood. Tell it, "I vow that you will become a Buddha first."
To be continued
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