RULES OF THE CHAN HALL

禅堂的规矩

Protecting cultivators and practicing wholesome Dharma,
The Way will naturally be realized when merit and virtue are perfected.

拥护行人修善法 功德足时道自成

When cultivating, always practice together. It shouldn’t be the case that one person is practicing in this way and another person is practicing another way—each one being different from the others. This is inappropriate. If each person practices in a different way, they will not be able to become singleminded. You should practice the same way as everybody else. The hundreds of people in the Chan Hall do not bow to the Buddha, chant or read the sutras, or offer incense to the Buddha. They have even stopped doing their morning or evening ceremonies! Why is this? To help them to be singleminded! Thus, you should not be reading sutras in the Chan Hall, nor should you talk or practice some other dharma door. Everyone should cultivate the same dharma door and walk on the same path to bodhi—until we reach enlightenment, which is our final objective!

修行的时候一起修行，不是这个人这样，那一个人那样，各个不同，不是这样的！有不同的样子就不能专一，你必须要和大家都一样。禅堂里几百人也不拜佛，也不念经，也不看经，也不烧香，早晚课也停止，为什么要这样子呢？就因为要你专一用功。你不能在禅堂里看经，或者自己说话，或者自己修其他法门。大家都修同一法门，向一条菩提道上走，走到觉悟的果位上，这是我们的最后目的！