光阴是过得非常快的，在不知不觉把暑假的时间就过去了。在中国孔子说过，这个人生就好像流水似的，川流不息，过去时光就不会再回来了。又有的人说：
The time passes by very quickly. Without our realizing it, the summer is already over. In China, Confucius compared life to a ceaselessly flowing stream. Time that has gone by can never return. Someone also said,
一寸光阴一寸金； 寸金难买寸光阴。
An inch of time is worth an inch of gold, But even if one has an inch of gold, One can hardly buy back an inch of time.
说这一寸的光阴，就好像一寸黄金那么样宝贵。可是这黄金，你若丢了，还可以想法子再把它找回来；这光阴过去了，就没有法子再把它找回来了。由这样看来，这光阴比黄金更贵重。所以，在佛教里说：一寸时光，就是一寸的命光。这个时光已经过去了，这个命光也就少一点。所以才说：“时光减处命光微。”时光减少了，命光也就少一点了。所以我们对这时间一定要看重了，不要把它随随便便地就放过去了。
An inch of time is as valuable as an inch of gold. If you lose gold, it's possible to recover it. Once time has gone by, however, there is no way to get it back. Therefore, time is even more valuable than gold. Thus, in Buddhism we say, "An inch of time is an inch of life." When time grows short, one's life is also shorter. We must certainly value our time and not casually let it go by in vain.
在我们这个暑假的时间，由早晨六点钟就开始，或者打坐，或者研究佛经。那么由早晨到晚间九点钟这段时间，每一个人都很认真地去用功修行。我相信在这个期间，比这个黄金更贵重，比钻石也更有价值，所以大家能以在一起闻熏闻修。在我们每个人生命里头，这段时间可以说是最宝贵、最有价值的一个时间；可惜这个时间不太长，那么转眼之间就过去了。过去了，可是我们每一个人所学的佛法，在每一个人的脑筋里头，在每一个人的八识田里边，都种下去一个宝贵的金刚种子。那么这个种子种下去了，等到将来一定会结金刚不坏的果。金刚不坏的果就是佛果，就是成佛。
During this summer, we have begun our days at six o'clock in the morning, either meditating or studying the Buddhist Sutras. From early in the morning until nine o'clock at night, every person applies himself diligently to cultivation. I believe that this period has been more precious than gold, more valuable than diamonds. Everyone has been together, being permeated and influenced by what we have heard and cultivated. This period of time could be considered a most precious and valuable time in each of our lives. It's a pity that this time is not that long; it has passed by in the twinkling of an eye. Although it is over, the Buddhadharma that each of us has learned has planted a precious vajra seed in our brain and in the field of our eight consciousness. This seed has been planted, and in the future it will certainly bear the indestructible fruit of vajra. The indestructible vajra fruit is also the Buddha-fruit; in other words, we will become Buddhas.
那么在什么时候成呢？这就看我们每一个人自己的耕耘灌溉。这个种子种下去了，但是好像种田似的，种到地里头，你必须要给它灌一点水，除一除草，把这个地耕得掀腾起来。那么你把这个地的草除去，就是怎么样呢？就我们每一个人要时时刻刻防微杜渐。怎么叫防微呢？防微就是防备、预防这个微细处，我们的心念不要打妄想，不要令它生很多杂念。不要有妄想，不要有杂念，这叫防微杜渐。防就是防备，防备着这个很微细的念头生起来；杜渐就是杜绝，杜绝这一切的妄想，这个妄想把它没有了。
When will we become Buddhas? It depends on our own efforts at tilling and irrigating the fields. The seed has been planted in the ground, but, just as in farming, you have to water it, pull the weeds, and turn the soil by tilling it, making it soft so that the seed can sprout. How do you pull the weeds out? What does it mean to weed the ground? It means that at all times, each one of us must "guard against what is subtle and stop what is gradually going to happen." That is, we must guard against the arising of very subtle thoughts. We must put a stop to all false thoughts, getting rid of them completely.
这是每一天这样地用功，每一天这样去修行，栽培灌溉。就好像种田，我灌一点水，我再把这个地收拾得没有草，那么一天一天的，你这个金刚种子种到地里去，就生这个菩提的芽。你菩提树生出来了，这就是菩提芽生出来了；菩提芽生出来，将来就结菩提果。可是你要保护这个菩提芽，保护这个菩提果，你不要不管它了，也不灌水，也不去栽培它，那么它就会枯槁了，会干了。
Every day we must apply effort in this way. Each day we must cultivate in this way, tending and irrigating the fields. It's just like farming. You give it some water and pull out all the weeds, day by day, and the vajra seed you have planted in the ground will produce a Bodhi sprout. After your Bodhi tree has produced shoots, that is, after your Bodhi sprout has come up, it will eventually bear the Bodhi fruit. But you have to protect that Bodhi sprout and Bodhi fruit. Don't neglect it. If you neglect to water it and tend to it, then it will wither away and dry up.
你能以灌溉──怎么叫灌溉呢？你就天天学习佛法，用佛法的法水来灌溉这个菩提芽，那么这样呢，久而久之，你这个金刚的果也就会成就了。如果你过去了这个时间，就不继续地理它，这个金刚的种子种下去是种下去了，它也不容易生出来的。你必须要好好地保护着你这个金刚的种子，不要再做以前所欢喜做的事情，就是要守规矩──循规蹈矩，不要再像以前那么样子不守规矩，做一些个不守规矩的事情。那么你守规矩，这就合佛法；不守规矩就不合佛法。所以我们做人一定要循规蹈矩，要依照规矩去做；不要太放逸了，不要太浪漫了，这是我对每一个人的期望都是这样子。
What is meant by watering? If you study the Buddhadharma every day and use the Dharma water of the Buddhadharma to irrigate your Bodhi sprout, then over the course of time, your vajra fruit will come to maturity. If you don't continue to care for this vajra seed after this period is over, then even though it was planted, it won't be easy for it to sprout. You must protect your vajra seed well. Don't go back to doing the things you used to like doing. Follow the rules and behave yourselves. Don't be as rowdy as you used to be. Don't do the heedless things that you used to do. If you follow the rules, then you are in accord with the Buddhadharma. If you don't follow the rules, then you are not in accord with the Buddhadharma. We should certainly be people who abide by the rules and work according to the regulations. Don't be too lax or overly emotional. Those are my expectations for each one of you.
在这个暑假的期间，讲这《楞严经》，这一定是所谓“一历耳根，永为道种”；经耳朵一听这个经典的道理，永远在你八识田里边，有这种菩提的种子。
During this summer session of lectures on the Shurangama Sutra, it has surely been the case that, "Once it enters your ears, it is forever a seed of the Way." As soon as the principles of this Sutra pass through your ears, they remain forever in the field of your eighth consciousness as seeds of Bodhi.
一九六八年九月于三籓市佛教讲堂
A talk given in September, 1968, at the Buddhist Lecture Hall, San Francisco, during the Shurangama Sutra lecture series
