学佛法贵在实行

The Most Important Thing in Learning Buddhism Is Practice

依法修行，脚踏实地去做，才有受用。

We have to practice the Dharma in a down-to-earth manner in order to benefit from it.

我们天天在一起研究佛法，虽然每个人各有心得，可是如果不去实行，那也是没有用的。应当研究之后，依法修行，脚踏实地去做，才有受用；若是不去做，单单会说，这就好像石头人一样，对佛法没有多大的帮助。

We study Buddhism together every day, and every one of us has his or her own understanding. However, if we don't actually practice, our understanding is useless. Having studied the Dharma, we should practice it in a down-to-earth manner in order to benefit from it. If we merely talk about it without practicing, we are like “stone men” who aren't of much help to Buddhism.

若想对佛法有所帮助，就要真正弘扬佛法，以身作则，注意四大威仪，持守五大戒律，用慈悲喜舍四无量心来度众生；用不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不妄语，这六大宗旨为律己的准绳。用这样的法则去推行佛法，那无论在什么时候，都是正法，不会有末法出现，所有一切邪魔外道都会恐怖毛竖，望影而逃，并不是你的神通妙用令他惧怕，而是你的德行所致。

If we want to benefit Buddhism, we should propagate the Dharma by setting an example with our own conduct, by observing the four great deportments; upholding the five precepts; and using the Four Unlimited Minds of kindness, compassion, joy and giving to rescue living beings. We should discipline ourselves by means of the Six Guiding Principles of not fighting, not being greedy, not seeking, not being selfish, not pursuing self-benefit, and not lying. If we use these guidelines to propagate the Buddhadharma, we can sustain the Proper Dharma Age and keep the Dharma-ending Age at bay. Demons and externalists will be so terrified that their hair will stand on end, and they'll run off as soon as they catch sight of us. It's our virtuous conduct, not the use of spiritual powers, that scares them so.

「知行合一」的修行，一定会有成就，妖魔鬼怪都会望风投降，为什么呢？因为你有真正的智慧，认识真假的事理，什么应该做，什么不应该做，都认识得清清楚楚，不会做颠倒事，没有一切的烦恼麻烦，可以说到了如如不动，了了常明的境界。若能这样子，十方诸佛都会欢喜无量，鼓掌称赞你；若是不能这样，反而自甘堕落，不求上进，诸佛也会落泪地说：「啊！我费了多大的精神，连一个众生也度不了，实在太难啦！」

If we can combine understanding with practice, we will surely succeed in our cultivation. Demons and evil spirits will surrender right away, because we will have true wisdom; we'll be able to distinguish true from false, and we'll know what should and should not be done. Having this clear understanding, we won't do muddled things, nor will we have any troubles or afflictions. We'll have reached the state of continual clarity and unmoving brightness. If we can be like that, the Buddhas of the ten directions will joyfully applaud and praise us. But if we demean ourselves and don't seek to advance, the Buddhas will tearfully sigh, “We spent so much energy, but not a single living being has been liberated. This is really too difficult!”

所以我们要知道一点，就去行一点，积少成多，聚沙成塔，久而久之，功到自然成。我们在这里修学，有得天独厚的环境，所以不要辜负大好的时光，不要辜负师长的期待，要勇猛精进来修行无上道，早成佛果。

We should practice every little bit that we learn; in this way we can gradually accumulate learning, just as one gathers sand to build a pagoda. When our skill matures, we'll naturally succeed. We are extremely fortunate to be able to cultivate here, so we shouldn't waste precious time and fall short of our teachers' expectations. We must advance vigorously in our cultivation and attain Buddhahood soon.