我们生在这个末法时代，离佛远了，可是法还没有灭尽，大家还可以依照佛法来修行，还有希望开悟证果成佛。身为出家人必须要抱定一贯的宗旨，即使横逆交加，仍然百折不挠。不管谁来破坏我们的宗旨，都不被摇动，只要认识清楚自己的所行所作是一条光明正大之路，就勇猛迈步前进。
We live in the Dharma-ending Age, which is distant from the Buddha's time. Yet we still have a chance to become enlightened and realize Buddhahood, because the Buddha's teachings have not disappeared yet. As left-home people, we must adhere firmly to our principles no matter how tough it is. Nothing should deter us, and no one should be able to make us renounce our principles. Once we recognize the bright and true path, we should go forward with vigor!
在末法时代，一切天魔外道、魑魅魍魉、山妖水怪，所最怕的就是〈楞严咒〉。〈楞严咒〉是破邪显正的神咒，而《楞严经》就是为〈楞严咒〉所说的一部经，是佛教的骨髓。人若无骨髓，一定会死；佛教里若没有《楞严经》，也可以说就没有佛法了。所以在这个末法时代，护持正法的最好方法，就是把《楞严经》能背诵出，〈楞严咒〉更要能背得出，我们要能背诵、能读念，念得滚瓜烂熟，尽量发挥《楞严经》的妙旨，一一为人演说。
In the Dharma-ending Age, the heavenly demons, unbelievers, ghosts, spirits, and goblins fear nothing more than the Shurangama Mantra. This spiritual mantra destroys wrong and reveals the right. The Shurangama Sutra, which was spoken for the sake of this Mantra, is the very marrow of the Buddhadharma. A person without marrow would surely die; without the Shurangama Sutra, the Buddhadharma could not exist. Therefore, now in the Dharma-ending Age, the best way to protect and uphold the True Dharma is to memorize the Shurangama Sutra. It's even more important to commit the Shurangama Mantra to memory. We should be able to recite the Mantra by heart so that it just rolls off our tongue with perfect ease. We should also do our very best to apply the wonderful principles in the Shurangama Sutra and expound them for other people.
世界上如果没有〈楞严咒〉，妖魔鬼怪就会肆无忌惮、横行于世。世界上若有〈楞严咒〉，旁门左道、魑魅魍魉、山妖水怪就都还有所恐惧，不敢公然出现于世。若世界没有〈楞严咒〉，这就是一个妖魔鬼怪的世界了。你看现在人的思想行为都是古里古怪，不如禽兽，这是因为妖魔鬼怪炽盛于世，蛊惑世人，令人失去根本的智慧，变成麻木不仁，所以所行所作，连牛马都不如了。这也因为懂得诵《楞严经》，持〈楞严咒〉的人，愈来愈少，所以天魔外道才猖獗无忌。
If the Shurangama Mantra did not exist, the demons, externalists, ghosts, and goblins would wreak havoc in the world. Since it still exists, these beings dare not show themselves in the world. Without the Shurangama Mantra, the world would be filled with demons, ghosts, and goblins. Since these beings are already starting to run rampant and delude people, people think and act strangely and do not even measure up to animals sometimes. Having lost their inherent wisdom, they act worse than cows and horses. As the number of people who can recite the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra dwindles, the heavenly demons and unbelievers become wild and reckless.
但是万佛圣城是佛法的发源地，搜集世界上真修道人精华之所在，所以万佛圣城非妖魔鬼怪的地盘，他们住不下的。有些人在万佛圣城住不下，都是因为德行不够，思想有邪知邪见，所以久了就原形毕露，待不住了。
However, the Buddha's teachings are disseminated into the world from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and the most outstanding cultivators in the world are found here. And so demons, ghosts, and goblins cannot dwell here; this is not their territory. People who lack virtue and right views cannot stay long at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. When their true character and their wrong views are exposed, they can only leave the City.
以后在万佛圣城的出家、在家四众，都要把《楞严经》熟读能背得出，这样对佛法有莫大的帮助。因为有些著名的教授、学者，甚至有些出家人，居然公开说《楞严经》是假的。为什么他们这么颠倒？因为《楞严经》有〈四种清净明诲〉与〈五十阴魔〉，他们受不了这些照妖镜。与〈五十阴魔〉一比，这些妖魔都现形了；与〈四种清净明诲〉一比，他们更是无法守这些规矩。因为受不了，所以他们就昧着良心，打大妄语。
From now on, the members of the fourfold assembly of left-home and lay people at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas are required to study the Shurangama Sutra until they know it by heart. Then they will be of great help to Buddhism. Some well-known professors, scholars, and even left-home people blatantly claim that the Shurangama Sutra is false. Why are they so deluded? Because they can't stand to see themselves reflected in the “demon-spotting mirrors” of the Four Clear Instructions on Purity and the Fifty Skandha-demon States discussed in that Sutra. The Fifty Skandha-demon States exposes their demonic state. And they cannot abide by the rules specified in the Four Clear Instructions on Purity. For these reasons, they go against their conscience and utter this great lie, saying that the Sutra is false.
我们对《楞严经》与〈楞严咒〉要认识得非常清楚，没有任何咒比〈楞严咒〉更灵，没有其它经文比《楞严经》更真，能把天魔外道及一切众生的毛病，针针见血，阐明得如此详细。
We should clearly understand the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra. No mantra is more efficacious than the Shurangama Mantra, and no Sutra is more true than the Shurangama Sutra. No other Sutra pinpoints and describes the problems of the celestial demons, externalists, and living beings in such precise detail.
若没有〈楞严咒〉，佛法就没有了；没有《楞严经》，正法就消灭了。各位为了护持佛法，一定要把《楞严经》读得熟之又熟，随时随地都可背可讲，才不愧为真正的佛弟子，才不枉出家一场。
If the Shurangama Mantra disappeared, the Buddhadharma would also disappear; if the Shurangama Sutra vanished, the True Dharma would perish as well. In order to protect and uphold the Buddhadharma, all of you must study the Shurangama Sutra until you can recite it by heart and lecture on it at any time or place. Then you will be true disciples of the Buddha, and you will not have left home in vain.
因此，大家切勿被这些“名学者”、“名教授”、“大法师”所眩惑，以盲引盲，以为《楞严经》是假的。他们凭什么说《楞严经》是假的？根本他们是睁着眼睛说瞎话，贡高邪见，我慢猖狂，等到将来受果报时，是不堪设想的。
Beware of those famous scholars, renowned professors, and great Dharma Masters who are blind men leading the blind when they tell others that the Shurangama Sutra is false. On what evidence do they base their claim? They are shameless liars, arrogant and disrespectful, confused by wrong views. In the future, their retribution will be terrible beyond scope.
还有以下的消息向诸位发表。不管其它道场的家风如何，在万佛圣城若想出家者，最低限度要有大学文凭。若从旁的大学已得到毕业文凭，还需要在本校接受僧伽训练班三年的严格训练，品学兼优，始有资格受具足戒，为比丘、比丘尼。
I have one more thing to tell everyone. I don't know the policy in other monasteries, but the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas accepts only college graduates for admission into the Sangha. If you have a college degree, you must further undergo three years of rigorous training in the Sangha and Laity Training Programs, and you must show excellent character and scholarship, before you can qualify for ordination as a Bhikshu or Bhikshuni.
在这个时代，出家人必定要有出类拔萃、特别优良的教育背景，方成法器。若只字不识，终天只会拉拢攀缘，在佛教里混饭吃，做些不高尚、不清净的犯戒行为，有辱缁门，怎么可以为佛教增光？怎么令人对三宝生敬仰心？因此为提高缁门素质，从今以后，欲来万佛圣城出家者，不论男女老幼，先要考取大学文凭，并能背出《楞严经》、〈楞严咒〉，方被录取。此外出家众本来应熟读的沙弥戒、〈五十三小咒〉、《梵网经菩萨戒》、《四分律》比丘、比丘尼戒，也要能背得出来。
In the present age, Sangha members should be especially well-educated so that they can transmit the Dharma. There are illiterate and opportunistic monks and nuns who get their meals from Buddhism, but then disgrace the Sangha by breaking the precepts; how can they bring glory to Buddhism and inspire people to have faith in the Triple Jewel? Therefore, in order to improve the qualifications of the Sangha, from this day forward, those who wish to leave the home-life at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, whether they are male or female, young or old, must first earn a college degree and be able to recite the Shurangama Sutra and the Shurangama Mantra by heart, before they will be accepted. In addition, left-home people are expected to seriously study and commit to memory: the Shramanera (novice) precepts, the Fifty-three Small Mantras, the Brahma Net Sutra Bodhisattva Precepts, and the Four Division Vinaya (the Bhikshu and Bhikshuni precepts).
从前，在此道场出家的要求，虽然没有现在这么严格，但我一向不随便收徒弟，要收也是极为谨慎，经长期审察来者的思想言行，才接受他剃度。但有鉴于末法盖世，邪魔炽然，不得不做此破釜沈舟的改革运动，积极提高出家人的品学水平。凡是跟我出家的弟子，都要顶天立地，允文允武，为法门大将，甚至于以世俗的角度观之，亦是超卓非凡的人材。已跟我出家的弟子们，也应该个个会背《楞严经》，随时随地能讲能说。这样才算得上实在进行弘扬正法的责任，续佛命脉，没有白出家一趟！
In the past, although the requirements for leaving the home-life at this Way-place were not quite as strict, I have never accepted disciples casually. I am always very cautious, and only after long-term observation of the disciples' thinking, speech, and conduct do I permit them to shave their heads. But now, when the Dharma-ending Age prevails in the world and demons are on the loose, I have no choice but to start this revolution to raise the ethical and educational standards of the Sangha. Every left-home disciple of mine must be an indomitable hero skilled in both martial and literary arts, a great general of the Dharma. His talents should be superlative, even from a worldly perspective. My left-home disciples should also memorize the Shurangama Sutra and be able to lecture on it whenever the occasion calls for it. If you can do that, you are genuinely propagating the True Dharma and are extending the lifespan of Buddhism, and you have not left the home-life in vain.
一九八三年四月十四日晚间开示
于万佛圣城
A talk given on the evening of April 14, 1983,
at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas
