你若能把〈楞严咒〉读会了，能背得出，就像由你自己心里流出来的，〈楞严咒〉也就是你一个心，你的心也就是〈楞严咒〉，得到持咒三昧，诵得犹如流水似的，源源不断。这样子，你最低限度也可以七生都像美国煤油大王那么有钱，七世都做员外，做有钱的人。说：“这么好，我赶快学〈楞严咒〉，好做七世员外。”你要是境界这么小，那就不要学〈楞严咒〉了，七世员外也是一眨眼的期间。那么念会〈楞严咒〉要希望什么呢？要希望究竟作佛，得到无上正等正觉。不要境界那么小，实际上学〈楞严咒〉，就是佛的化身；不但是佛的化身，还是佛的顶上化佛，化佛中的化佛，所以〈楞严咒〉的妙处是不可思议的。有人真能持〈楞严咒〉，在这个地方，虚空里头就有一个大白伞盖。你的功夫若大、若高，你一念这个伞盖，甚至于几千里地以内，都无灾无难了；你功夫若小，那么这个伞盖在你自己的头上，也保护着你。你要是有道德，是一个大德高僧，你这一念，甚至于整个国家都得到好处了，都没有什么灾难了。就有灾难，大的灾难也就化小了，小的灾难就化没有了。

If you can learn the Shurangama Mantra until you have memorized it fluently--so that you become one with the mantra--then you attain the mantra's samadhi and your recitation will be like flowing water, welling up uninterrupted. If you can do that, then at the very least for seven lives to come you will be as wealthy as America's richest oil magnates. And you say, "That's great! I'm going to learn the mantra right away! I wouldn't mind being a magnate of some kind!" Well, if you are that selfish, then don't even bother learning the mantra. Seven lives pass in the blink of an eye anyway. What should those who learn the Shurangama Mantra be hoping for? You should hope for ultimate Buddhahood; hope to attain the Unsurpassed Proper and Equal Right Enlightenment. Don't be so petty! Actually those who are really dedicated in reciting the Shurangama Mantra are transformation bodies of Buddhas. Not just any transformation bodies, but those atop the Buddha's crown--transformation bodies of that transformation body! And so you see that the wonderful aspects of the Shurangama Mantra are difficult to express, difficult to conceptualize. Wherever someone is seriously reciting the Shurangama Mantra, a great white canopy will be there in the space above him. If your skill in reciting the mantra is high-level and far-reaching, then when you recite, the canopy will extend for thousands of miles, preventing any disasters or difficulties. If you only have a little skill, then the canopy will be right above your own head protecting you. If you have virtue in the Way, if you are a High Sanghan, then when you recite, the entire nation will be benefitted and no calamities will occur. Or if disasters are unavoidable, big ones will turn into little ones, and the little ones won't even happen.

无论哪一个国家饥荒、瘟疫传染病，或者有打仗、贼难，所有一切的灾难。你若能写楞严神咒，放到城的四门上，或者有炮台、堡垒那个看岗的地方，使令这个国家所有的众生都迎接这个〈楞严咒〉，叩头顶礼恭敬，一心供养这个〈楞严咒〉，就像供养佛那么样恭敬。使令这个国家的人民，每个人身上都佩带一卷〈楞严咒〉，或者每个人把它放到自己所住的宅子里边。这样，这些灾难的事情都消灭了。如果有〈楞严咒〉在这个地方，天龙就都欢喜，也没有狂风暴雨这种灾害了，所有的五谷也都丰收，一般老百姓都很平安的。所以〈楞严咒〉这个功德是不可思议的，你想也想不到，思也思不到的，它妙的地方也在这个地方。

It doesn't matter if it's a nationwide famine, plague, war, or plunder, all those kinds of disasters will be alleviated. Suppose you were to write out the Shurangama spiritual mantra and place it at the main entrances to the city, or in its watchtowers or other lookout places; suppose you could inspire the nation's inhabitants to show interest in the Shurangama Mantra, so that they bow to and revere it and single-mindedly make offerings to it as if they were offering to the Buddhas themselves; suppose you could get every single citizen to wear the mantra on their person or to keep it in their place of residence; well, if you could do that, all disasters would disappear. Whenever the Shurangama Mantra can be found in a place, the gods and dragons are delighted, and so that place will be free from devastating storms; the crops will produce in abundance; and the populace will be peaceful and happy. That is why I say that the merit and virtue of the Shurangama Mantra is inexpressible; it can't be reckoned in the mind; it can't be cognized in our thoughts. That's the wonder of it!（待续 To be continued）