佛光普照，佛的智慧光明，普照一切众生心，把众生的心照亮了，把贪瞋痴消灭除尽，把黑暗照成光明，息灭众生八万四千种的习气毛病。我们学佛法，就是要灭除贪瞋痴，不要执着。
The Buddha's light shines everywhere. The light of the Buddha's wisdom illumines all living beings' minds, purging them of greed, hatred, and delusion. That light dispels the darkness and eradicates 84,000 bad habits and faults. We are studying Buddhism because we want to get rid of greed, hatred, and delusion, and cast off our attachments.
你说：“我怎么没看见佛呢？”
"Why haven't I seen the Buddha's light?" you ask.
研究佛法，开了智慧，这岂不是佛光吗？若越研究越糊涂，不懂真正佛法的道理，是因为自己没有灭除习气毛病，不能说佛光不普照。自己不开智慧，贪瞋痴还是老样子，一点也没有改，那佛光普照，也非所照。不是有照，也不是无照，是照而不照，无照而照。这就是说，自己的智慧光明现出来，就是佛光普照；自己的智慧光明不现出来，就是佛光不普照。
Isn't studying the Buddha's teachings and uncovering our wisdom seeing the Buddha's light? If you don't understand the teachings and studying them only makes you more confused, it's because you haven't renounced your bad habits and faults. You can't say that the Buddha's light doesn't shine everywhere. If you don't develop your wisdom and hang on to your greed, hatred, and delusion, then even though the Buddha's light shines everywhere, it can't shine on you. It neither shines nor doesn't shine; it shines without shining. When the light of your wisdom appears, just that is the Buddha's light shining everywhere. Before your own wisdom light has come forth, for you the Buddha's light doesn't shine everywhere.
佛光譬如电力公司，在我们所住的房子里，将电线、电灯的开关等等，都已装妥，接通电力了。但是如果不去按开关，这电灯始终不会明亮，这屋内也永远是黑暗的。为什么？因为电不通，不起作用。若按开关，立刻灯光明亮，照破黑暗。我们众生的心，就是开关，把心的开关打开，佛光就亮了。若心的开关不开，就是有佛光，也照不到。这个譬喻虽浅，但有相同之理。各位！快把心的开关打开，接受佛的智慧光来引证，这样就得到佛光普照。
The Buddha's light is like the electricity from the power company. The cables and switches may be installed in the house, but if we don't switch on the lights, the house will remain dark. Why? Because the power isn't connected. As soon as we flip on the switch, the lights go on and the darkness is gone. Our mind can be compared to a light switch. If we turn on the switch in our mind, the Buddha's light will shine forth. If we can't flip the switch, then even though the Buddha's light is there, it can't connect. This is a simple analogy, but it conveys the principle. Everyone should quickly turn on the switch in his or her mind and receive the guidance of the Buddha's wisdom light. That's what it means to be illumined by the Buddha's universal light.
一九八Ｏ年七月四日开示
A talk given on July 4, 1980
