Do Not Dismiss These Rules as Insignificant

别小看这些事

When everyone is sitting, if you fidget and make a lot of noise, disturbing others and distracting them from samadhi, or even getting up and running away, such behavior is against the rules. Once the period of silence has commenced, not only should we people not move, even Weituo Bodhisattva stands still and is not supposed to move. There is a saying, “I would rather move the waters in a thousand rivers than disturb the mind of a cultivator.” One can disturb the waters in a thousand rivers, but one should not attempt to disturb the mind of a cultivator. Thus, before the silence is broken, there should not be any noise. If it is unavoidable, you should walk gently and if you have to move any seats or cushions, take care not to make any noise. Do not dismiss any of these things as insignificant. If you are not mindful and disturb others and cause them not to get a response or prevent them from entering samadhi, that would be a very serious offense.

大家在打坐，你动动弹弹，摇摇晃晃的弄出很多声音，令人不能入定，甚至你起身跑了，这都是犯规矩的地方。「止静」后，不要说人不可以走，就是韦陀菩萨他都站在那儿不动，就是菩萨也是不可以动的，因为「宁动千江水」你可以摇动千江的水，「不动道人心」不可以令修道人的心摇动。在没开静的时候，不可以随便有声的，如果有不得已的事情，也要轻轻地走路，就是移动坐凳、垫子都要很小声。别小看这些事，如果你不检点自己，吵得别人功夫不相应、不能入定，这是有罪过的。