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泣血稽顙。哀告現前大眾。及當世淨信男女等。惟願慈悲。少加聽察。嘗聞入道要門。發心為首。修行急務。立願居先。願立則眾生可度。心發則佛道堪成。
雖然他是個愚下的凡夫僧，很愚癡，很下劣，也是一個薄地凡夫。可是他有一份誠心，有一份真心，要說真心話，誠心的話。真誠到什麼程度呢？就是「泣血稽顙」：泣血，哭得把眼睛都哭出血來了。你們各位想一想，若不到真誠，哭到極點，怎麼會把血哭出來了呢？不會的。這雖然是個形容詞，可是也就是他一個真心的表露；懇切至誠的一種心的表露。稽顯，就是叩頭；頭前邊額這個地方也叫顙，所以稽顙，就是把頭叩到地下。
「哀告現前大眾」：我泣不成聲的、很哀痛的，告訴現前大眾。這個大眾就包括出家人、在家人，和一切的眾生；不單人，乃至於其他的眾生都包括在內了。大就是廣大，眾就是眾生，這不是單單說的人了。「及當世淨信男女等」：和當時的，這可以說是就是現在的；這個「當世」也就是在當時的，也和「現前」是一樣的，不過文法是這麼樣說。淨就是清淨的；信就是善男信女，善男信女等等的，這就是包括一切在家人都在內了。
「惟願慈悲」：我現在願意你們每一個人都很慈悲的。「少加聽察」：你們拿出一點點的時間來，聽一聽我對你們所說的話。少加聽察，你也想一想；這個「察」就是想一想，對不對？英文叫 think over. You think it over. Is It right？
「嘗聞」：我常常聽見你這麼說；說什麼呢？說「入道要門」：你想要修道，這要緊的門徑是什麼呢？「發心為首」：你一定要先發菩提心；你先發菩提心，這才是最要緊的。「修行急務」：你修行，這最要緊的你應該懂得的，是什麼呢？「立願居先」：一定要發願。你若不發願你就不能修行；你修行，那都是假的。因為願你也不敢發，你還修什麼道？你所謂修道，那都是在騙人呢！你若真正想要修行，為什麼不敢發願呢？所以說立願居先，你要先立一個願。
「願立則眾生可度」：你有了願在那兒來支持著你；你若沒有願，你就是這麼樣子，說：「我修行，我修行。」到時候就忘了，到時候就不記得了，所以立願居先，願立則眾生可度。你若能自己有了願力，就像你有個船了，你才能度人；你若沒有船，你怎麼能度人？那個願就像一個船似的。「心發則佛道堪成」：你要發菩提心了，你才夠成佛的資格；你若不發菩提心，你就沒有機會成佛。所以這說得都非常地懇切，非常地要緊。
苟不發廣大心。立堅固願。則縱經塵劫。依然還在輪迴。雖有修行。總是徒勞辛苦。
「苟不發廣大心」：這「苟」是假如、假設；你如果不發大的心，就小小氣氣的，一點點虧也不能吃，也不能捨得。你不發廣大心「立堅固願」：立最堅固的這個願。這個願是：假如我說了，一定要這樣做，不能改變的，這叫堅固願。
「則縱經塵劫」：你就經過有塵剎那麼多的劫數，「依然還在輪迴」：你不能脫出輪迴。這個輪迴就是六道輪迴——天道、人道、阿修羅這三善道；地獄、餓鬼、畜生這三惡道，你還在這裏頭轉來轉去。你就是做什麼善事，或者升天，或者做人，享福報，這沒有什麼大意思的，依然還在輪迴。「雖有修行」：雖然說你也吃齋，也念經，也念佛。「總是徒勞辛苦」：你就是用多少功，都是自己在那兒徒勞無益，很辛苦的；你就修什麼法，也是不究竟的。
待續
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Text:
[This nfilial, dull, common Sanghan Shixian,] weeping blood and bowing to the ground, importunes the great assembly and the presentday men and women of pure faith: Please be compassionate and listen to my report.
We have heard that bringing forth the resolve is the foremost of the essential doors for entering the Way, and that making vows is first of the crucial matters in cultivation. By making vows, we can save living beings. By bringing forth the resolve, we can accomplish the Buddha's Way.
Commentary:
Although he is a common monk, very dull and lowly, an average person, he has a sincere wish to speak the honest truth. He wants to speak his heart. How sincere is he? He is sincere to the point of
weeping blood and bowing to the ground. He cries to the point that his eyes bleed. Think it over. If he were not sincere, if he were not crying his heart out, how could his eyes be bleeding? They wouldn't. Although this is a figure of speech, it also expresses his sincerity. It reveals his utmost earnestness. He bows his head to the ground.
Weeping silently and with deep grief, he
importunes the great assembly of the present, which includes monastics and laypeople, as well as all living beings. He is referring not only to people, but to the vast multitude of all living beings,
and the present-day good men and women of pure faith; this includes all laypeople.
Please be compassionate and listen to my report. He says, "May you all be compassionate and take a little bit of time to listen to what I have to say, and then think it over."
We have often heard that bringing forth the resolve is the foremost of the essential doors for entering the Way. If you wish to cultivate the Way, what is the critical path you must take? You must first bring forth the Bodhi resolve. That's the most important.
And we have heard that making vows is first of the crucial matters in cultivation. When you cultivate, what is the most important things you should understand? You must first make vows. If you don't, you won't be able to cultivate. Any cultivation you did would be false. If you don't even dare to make vows, what Way are you cultivating? What you call cultivation is just a sham! If you truly want to cultivate, why don't you dare to make vows? Therefore, making vows comes foremost. You must first make vows.
By making vows, we can save living beings. You are sustained by your vows. If you don't make vows, then you might say, "I cultivate, I cultivate," but when the time comes, you forget; you don't remember to cultivate. Therefore, making vows comes first; once vows are made, you can save living beings. If you have vows, it is like having a boat to ferry people across. If you don't have a boat, how can you ferry people? Vows are like a boat.
By bringing forth the resolve, we can accomplish the Buddha's Way. Once you make the resolve, you are qualified to realize Buddhahood. If you do not make the Bodhi resolve, you do not have the opportunity to become a Buddha. These words are spoken with great earnestness and are extremely important.
Text:
If we do not make the great resolve, and firm vows, we will remain on the turning wheel throughout as many eons as there are particles of dust. Any cultivation will be only bitter toil in vain.
Commentary:
If we do not make the vast, great resolve, if we are petty
minded and unable to take even the slightest loss or give up anything,
and suppose we do not make firm vows. "Firm vows" means we definitely follow through on our words and don't change our minds. If we do not make a great resolve and firm vows,
we will remain on the turning wheel throughout as many eons as there are particles of dust in worlds. We will pass through that many eons and still be unable to get out of the cycle of rebirth in the six paths. These six are the three good paths of gods, humans, and asuras, and the three evil paths of hell-beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. We will keep going around and around. Even if you do good deeds and get reborn in the heavens or human realm to enjoy blessings, it's not that great, because you are still subject to transmigration.
Any cultivation will be only bitter toil in vain. Although you follow a vegetarian diet, recite Sutras, and recite the Buddha's name, no matter how much effort you put in, you are just wearing yourself out without gaining any real benefit. It's a lot of toil, but no matter what Dharma you cultivate, your practice is not ultimate.
To be continued
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