修行人要立冲天之志

A Cultivator Should Make a Roaring Resolve

上人对新戒比丘尼的期勉

一九九二年九月十一日

The Ven. Master's Talk to the Newly Ordained Bhikshunis

September 11, 1992.

 

恒实法师记录 Recorded by D.M. Sure

 

恭喜你们各位已现比丘尼相，这是无量劫最殊胜的因缘，由比丘尼向前迈进乃至成佛得不退转。现在是末法时代，什么叫末法时代？即是佛法快断绝。为什么佛法快断绝？因为没有真正要修行的人，所以佛教一天比一天式微，一天比一天衰弱下来，现在你们做了比丘尼，要立冲天志愿，为佛教增光，为佛教争一口气，做佛的好子女，做佛的好弟子。虽然说是末法，如果有人愿意修行的话，末法也会成正法，所以说「人能弘道，非道弘人。」虽然说是末法时代，你们要做个顶天立地的人。

 

在末法时代为佛教增光，你们不要从小方面看，要从大方面去看。既没有人修行，我们要往真修行。真修行就是：不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄语。如果你们能把这六大宗旨抱定，就是佛真正的弟子，如果不往这六条大路走，你恐怕对佛教没有什么利益，末法时代希望你们立下顶天立地的志愿，不要和一般修行人一样，不要同污流俗，染于污泥，做德中之贼，这是我对你们的期待，希望你们努力去做。

 

Congratulations to you new Bhikshunis. You have already manifested the appearance of Bhikshunis. You should recognize that your ability to leave the householder's life and become Sangha members results from causes and conditions planted down in limitless eons in the past. Now you should continue to advance and become Buddhas. Do not retreat.

 

This is said to be the time of the Dharma's Demise. What does this mean? They say the Buddhadharma is about to disappear. Why is that? It could disappear because there are no real cultivators to keep the Dharma alive. Thus the state of the Dharma falls lower and lower each day. Since you have become Bhikshunis, you should now make vows and be clear about your purpose. You have come to increase the light of the proper Dharma a bit, and to infuse this world with a bit more proper energy. You have come to serve the Buddha as filial children. If in the Proper Dharma Age, everyone refuses to cultivate, then that good era becomes the Dharma's Ending Age.

 

People propagate the Dharma, it's not the Dharma that propagates people!

 

Our job is to act as strong and courageous heroes, servants to the Buddha, people who boost the brightness of the light of the Dharma. Don't see only what's before your eyes and feel satisfied with that much. Look at the world from the standpoint of the Buddhadharma as a whole. Bring forth the great Bodhi-resolve, and know that the real cultivation is found in not fighting, not being greedy, not seeking, not being selfish, not benefitting the self, and not telling lies. If you can resolutely uphold these six guidelines, then you will be a true son or daughter of the Buddhas. If you go against these six roads of bright light, then you will not be able to help Buddhism.

 

After you receive the precepts, you should all make progress, and advance. Do not retreat. Don't just flow along with the common lot, and become "thieves among the virtuous." This is my wish for you today on this auspicious day. Work hard!