人之所以下地狱，做饿鬼，转畜生，不外乎受六根──眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意的支配。人之所以成修罗、生天、或者做人，也不超出这六根的作用。乃至于人能成阿罗汉、辟支佛、菩萨、佛，都没有离开这六根。这六根为什么有这么大的力量，甚至于人升天堂、堕地狱也不离它呢？是不是这六根能支配人成佛或做鬼呢？
Due to the influence of the six sense faculties—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind—people are reborn in the hells or become hungry ghosts or animals. It's also due to the functioning of the six senses that people become asuras or are reborn in the heavens or as humans.
It is also because of the functioning of the six sense faculties that we can become Arhats, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Buddhas. Why are the six sense faculties so powerful that they even influence whether we are reborn in the heavens or fall into the hells? Do they determine whether people become Buddhas or ghosts?
其实，也不是这六根支配，而是我们不会运用它。每个人的自性，这个灵明觉性里，有个主人翁，这个主人翁也就是我们本具的佛性。当这个主人翁当家时，正念就现前，一切自在无碍；可是一旦被一念无明遮盖，痴暗妄动，六根便喧宾夺主，人就被眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六贼所谋害，打家劫舍，把我们宝贵的家珍，洗劫一空！所谓：
Actually, the six sense faculties aren't in control; it's just that we don't know how to use them. The master is within everyone's own nature, the bright nature of enlightenment. This master is also known as the inherent Buddha-nature. When it is in charge, proper thoughts manifest, and one is free and at ease, not obstructed by anything. But once this nature is covered up by even a single thought of ignorance, a dull darkness is erroneously stirred up; the six sense faculties then become the masters and take control. As a result, we are plundered by the six thieves—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. They rob our house and steal all our precious treasures. So it is said,
一念不生全体现，
六根忽动被云遮。
When not a single thought arises,
The entire substance manifests.
When the six sense faculties suddenly move,
There is a covering of clouds.
所以，本来应该向佛道前进，却往鬼道上跑了。这就譬如一个驾驶员，本来应该在大马路上行驶，如今反而往海里跑，于是连车带人，都被淹没了；或者这个驾驶员好高骛远，把车开到山上，从悬崖上掉下来，结果粉身碎骨了。这都是因为路线不熟，不懂驾驶，所以发生种种的意外。同样地，人身上的六根，就等于这部车子，你若懂得开动它，就可以顺利到达目的地；若不懂得运用它，则会发生意外，甚至招致性命的危险。
Because of this, people who are supposed to advance along the Buddha path go down the ghostly path instead. This is like a driver who should be driving his car along the highway, but instead drives it into the ocean, both drowning himself and sinking the car. It's also like somebody who aims high without doing the fundamental work, or someone who climbs a mountain and falls off a cliff, getting smashed to bits. When a person is not familiar with the road conditions and doesn't know how to drive, he's prone to accidents. The six sense faculties of our bodies can be compared to cars. If we know how to drive, we can reach our destination safely; if we don't, we risk losing our lives in an accident.
人本有的灵性是通天彻地，湛圆妙明，遍十方界的，它是万能的，什么都能做。可是一旦投胎，进了这个臭皮囊，就糊涂起来了，连东南西北、四维上下，也搞不清楚了，于是到处乱闯乱撞，本来想做佛、做菩萨，没想到稍一不慎，却做马、做牛去了！
Our inherent nature, which is clear, perfect, and wonderfully bright, pervades the ten directions and permeates heaven and earth. It is omnipotent, capable of doing anything. However, as in the analogy about driving, even though we may know how to drive, once we go into the womb and enter this “stinking skin bag,” we become muddled. After this we can't even distinguish between east, south, west, north, above, or below, and run around aimlessly. Original-ly we wanted to become Buddhas, but if we are the least bit careless, we may end up being reborn as horses, cows, or sheep.
最可怜的是，有些佛教徒，一心想脱离三恶道，但是因为不懂得运用这部车子，反被六根支配，任由魔王做主，被困在这个五蕴所成的幻有躯壳里头，而不能解脱，痛苦不堪，他们本有的灵性既被埋没了，智慧光明就不能现前。
Some Buddhists are most pitiful. They single-mindedly want to leave the three evil paths, but because they don't know how to drive the car of the six sense faculties, they are controlled by them instead, and so they let the demon king get a hold of them. Trapped in this illusory body of the five skandhas and incapable of freeing themselves, these people suffer unbearable pain. Their inherent natures have been buried, and the bright light of wisdom cannot manifest.
所以万事万物都在说法，你明白了，就是说的佛法、出世间法；你不明白，它总是在那儿说世间法、染污法。所以一切一切在于你的一念心，你有智慧，无论什么问题都能迎刃而解；你没有智慧，那处处都是障碍。
The myriad things are speaking dharmas. If you understand, they are speaking the Buddhadharma, the transcendental Dharma; if you do not understand, then they are speaking worldly dharma, defiling dharma. In this way everything is contained within a single thought of your mind. When you have wisdom, you'll be able to readily solve any kind of problem; when you don't have wisdom, there are obstacles everywhere.
我们人的身体，要靠饮食来维持生命，但这是一种粗的食粮。除了这个，人还要靠佛性、智慧光明来生存。譬如一辆车子，要靠汽油才能走动；人也要靠饮食，才有生机，才能活动。可是有些修道人，不须靠饮食，就能生存，为什么呢？就因为他吃的是智慧光明，那是他的营养品！
Our body depends on food to survive. However, this kind of food is coarse. In addition, we also rely on the Buddha-nature and the bright light of wisdom to survive. Just as a car needs gasoline to run, people need food and drink to generate energy in order to move. But some cultivators can survive without food or drink. How do they do this? They eat the bright light of wisdom—that is their nourishment.
粗的分上，身体要靠饮食；在细的分上，精神需要佛的灵性做为资粮。我们白天做工，无论行住坐卧，都要耗费很多精力，用很多汽油；到了晚上休息，毛细孔张开了，就和佛光接触，由佛的大光明藏注射光明智慧，来补充我们白天所丢掉的精神。所以晚上休息充足了，第二天精神又恢复如常。
On a coarse level, our body needs food and drink; on a finer level, our souls need the spiritual nourishment of the Buddha's nature. During the day, when we work, walk, stand, sit, and recline, we exhaust a lot of our energy, use a lot of gasoline. At night when we rest, our pores open up and come into contact with the Buddha light. The bright light of wisdom from the Buddha's radiant treasury enters our pores, replenishing the energy we lost during the day. After we get enough rest at night, our energy returns to its normal level the next day.
有些人听了这个道理，又起了贪心，心里想：“啊！原来我睡觉的时候，佛正在为我注射佛光，那么我尽管睡多一点，不就能更有智慧了吗？”其实每个人都需要一定的睡眠，但是如果睡得过多，反而会形成头脑昏昧，慧力减损，所谓“夜长梦多”，人作梦也是浪费精神的，睡眠过多反而会患头痛。所以凡事都要适可而止，不要走极端。
Hearing this principle, some people become greedy and think, “Oh, so the Buddha shines his light on me while I sleep. Then if I sleep more, will I be wiser?” In reality, we all need a certain amount of sleep. However, if we sleep too much, our brains will become muddled and dull, and our wisdom will be diminished. It's said, “The longer the night, the more you dream.” Dreaming also wastes energy. Sleeping too much gives you headaches. So in all things we must know where to stop, and not go to extremes.
一般人对这个道理不明白，以为人只要凭饮食就可以生存。但是修道人会用功的，对于精神上的食粮，也很注意，所以他们都欢喜打坐，参禅修定，这就是与佛光智慧多接触，更能补充精神，增长慧力。可是打坐也不能贪多，你执著静坐，那过多了，也会患禅病的。
Ordinary people don't understand this principle. They think people can survive on just food and drink. But skilled cultivators concentrate on food for the soul. They enjoy sitting in Chan meditation and developing samadhi. By being in touch with the Buddha's wisdom-light, they replenish their energy and increase their wisdom power. But you can't be greedy for meditation, either, or get attached to it. Too much meditation will give you Chan sickness.
所以我们学佛的人，不要东奔西跑，向外驰求，又求什么密法，找快捷方式，贪便宜，想要快点开悟。这只会使你耗费有限的汽油，把自己累得心疲力竭，智慧殒灭，而毫无所得。这是没有明白根本佛性的道理，却向心外求法的弊端。
We students of Buddhism should not run east and west, seeking outside for some secret dharma, looking for shortcuts, being greedy for bargains, wanting to get enlightened quickly. This will only waste the limited gasoline we have, exhaust us, and diminish our wisdom, and we'd gain nothing. This is the problem with not understanding the principles of fundamental Buddha-dharma and seeking outside for dharmas.
我今天所讲的不是“神”话，可以说是“神”理。这种理论，就算最先进的科学家也还没有研究出来，更不要说懂了。他们连作梦也想不到，有这么妙的道理，本来这只是很平常的道理，可惜人人都忽略了。
What I said today is not a myth. It can be called a spiritual principle. Even the most advanced scientists have not discovered this principle, let alone understood it. They can't even dream of this wonderful doctrine. Basically it's a very ordinary principle, but everyone has overlooked it.
一九八三年五月开示
于万佛圣城
A talk given in May 1983
at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas
