为什么打地藏七？因为现在世界灾难太多了，所以祈祷地藏菩萨本愿的力量，将一切灾难消灭。
Why are we holding a session to recite the name of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva? It's because there are too many disasters in the world now. We want to ask Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, based on the power of his past vows, to dispel all the calamities.
地藏菩萨所注重的就是孝道，因为他生生世世都是孝顺父母。可是这并不容易，都是在困苦艰难中锻炼出来的。他的父母不信三宝，然而他能顺承其意，用种种善巧方便法门来诱导他们生正信三宝之心。他到处所行的菩萨道是无相无着。无相是因他所行所作都不居功，不赞自己德行。就算救度众生，他也说是众生自度的，而不要众生来感谢他，叩头顶礼。
What Earth Treasury Bodhisattva values most is the practice of filiality, because he was filial and compliant to his parents in life after life. But it wasn't easy─he perfected this practice by undergoing many ordeals and hardships. When his parents did not believe in the Triple Jewel, he would respect and comply with their wishes, while using various skillful and expedient Dharma-doors to lead them to have faith in the Triple Jewel. Everywhere he goes, he practices the Bodhisattva path but never gets attached to appearances. That is, he doesn't get attached to the merit of his deeds. He doesn't praise his own virtuous conduct. Even when he saves living beings, he says that the living beings saved themselves; he doesn't want living beings to thank him or bow to him.
他在菩萨的行列里，没有觉得自己比其它的菩萨高明，或愿力大，或慈悲大，或神通广，他没有这样的想法。他的一举一动、一言一行都是行所无事，都认为是自己的本分，而不居功，所以感动一切众生称扬赞叹，甚至佛也赞叹他。佛是不随便赞叹人的，要有值得赞叹的资格与价值才去赞叹，因为地藏菩萨不居功、不宣传自己的功德，所以感应道交。这是一种自然的感应道交，并非用任何手段或方法而获得的感应，而是很自然的。所以我们人修道应学习地藏菩萨的精神与无边誓愿：
Among the ranks of Bodhisattvas, he doesn't feel that he is more eminent than the other Bodhisattvas. He doesn't entertain the idea that his vows are bigger, or that his kindness and compassion are vaster, or that his spiritual powers are greater. No matter what he says or does, he doesn't make a big deal out of it, because he feels he is just carrying out his duty. He doesn't dwell on his own merit. For that reason, all living beings are moved to praise him, and the Buddha himself lauds him. The Buddha does not casually praise a person; he only praises those who are worthy of it. Since Earth Treasury Bodhisattva does not dwell on or advertise his own merit and virtue, he can obtain a response in the Way. Such a response comes naturally; he doesn't use any special method to obtain it. In our own cultivation, we should imitate the spirit of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva and his boundless vow:
地狱不空，誓不成佛；
众生度尽，方证菩提。
As long as the hells are not empty,I vow not to become a Buddha.Only when all living beings have been saved will I accomplish Bodhi.
每年我们打七，这是为虚空世界消毒。现在世界空气染污，宇宙间酝酿着一种毒气，任何方法都无法消除，只有诚心请求诸佛菩萨放光消除这种毒气，把这种无影无形的戾气消灭。所以万佛圣城所行所作，关系全世界的安危。这个道场的人再不诚心，世界将更危险了！
Every year, we hold the session for the sake of dispelling the poisons in space and in the world. The atmosphere is now very polluted, and there is a poisonous energy brewing in the universe which can't be dispelled. We can only sincerely ask the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to shine their light and cause the invisible but lethal toxic energy to disappear. Therefore all the activities at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas have a direct impact on the state of peace or danger in the world. If the people in this Bodhimanda are not sincere, the world will be in even greater danger!
世界人类所造的罪业太多，人的力量无法将其免去。今天正逢地藏菩萨圣诞，大家异口同音诚念“地藏王菩萨”，期望能感动菩萨而生慈悲心，那么世界就得到平安。这种感应要看我们诚心与否？单单一人的力量是不够的，还须大众的力量。所以说众志成城、群策群力，共同来祈祷世界和平。
Mankind has committed too many offenses, and does not have the power to evade the retribution. Today, on the birthday of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, everyone is reciting the name of Earth Treasury Bodhisattva in unison, hoping the Bodhisattva will be compassionate and cause the world to be peaceful. The possibility of such a response depends on our sincerity. One person's strength is not enough; the entire assembly's strength is required. It is said, “The unity of purpose is like a strong fortress.” With united strength and wisdom, let us pray for world peace together.
现在的人默默中都有个感觉，都知这世界不和平，岌岌可危。所以现在所有的道场都说祈祷世界和平。最初是由佛教讲堂、金山圣寺提倡，以后跟着香港、台湾都学会了，这就证明世界就快面临大灾厄，所以要祈祷和平。可是真正祈祷世界和平的道场是万佛圣城，为什么？因为我们做什么法会，并没有希望大护法供养多少钱，每年都是无声无息地做，到时就做。不管有没有斋主，都照样举行，当成自己的本份事，而不存丝毫之企图。我们只希望得到佛光加被，将全世界的毒气消除；观音菩萨用甘露水来灌顶，令众生灾消痛除，罪灭福生；地藏菩萨愿力广大，希望他使众生离苦得乐，把灾难厄劫化为乌有。念观音菩萨、地藏菩萨是给世界消毒，不用杀虫水，而是用甘露和法水来消世界的毒气，消一分，世界就多得一分平安，全世界的毒气都消了，则众生受福，人类幸甚矣！
Nowadays, people all have the feeling that the world is not at peace, and is in fact in imminent peril. Therefore, all the temples are praying for world peace now. It was the Buddhist Lecture Hall and Gold Mountain Monastery that started it, and then the temples in Hong Kong and Taiwan followed suit. This confirms that the world is on the brink of disaster, and we must pray for peace. The Bodhimanda that is truly praying for world peace is the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. That's because whenever we hold any Dharma event, we don't hope that a great Dharma-protector will come and give us a large donation. Every year when the time comes, we just organize the Dharma event without making a lot of commotion. We conduct the affair as usual, whether or not there is a sponsor, because we see it as our obligation and don't expect any reward for doing it. Our only hope is that the Buddha's light will aid us and purge the world of poisonous energy. We hope Guanyin Bodhisattva will anoint our crowns with sweet dew, dispel the disasters and illnesses of living beings, and cancel their sins and increase their blessings. We also hope Earth Treasury Bodhisattva, with the great strength of his vows, will enable living beings to leave suffering and attain bliss, and eradicate all calamity and peril. Reciting the names of Guanyin Bodhisattva and Earth Treasury Bodhisattva is a way to disinfect the world without the use of pesticides or chemical sprays. Rather, sweet dew and Dharma-water are used to dispel the poisonous energy in the world. For each bit that is dispelled, the world obtains a bit of peace. When all the poisonous energy has been purged from the world, living beings will be blessed and mankind will be lucky indeed!
一九八二年地藏七 九月四日开示于万佛圣城
A talk given on September 4, 1982 during an Earth Treasury Recitation Session at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas
