〈楞严咒〉每一句都有无量意义，每一义都有无量功能。要明白〈楞严咒〉是天地间的灵文，灵文中之灵文，秘中之秘，无上法宝，是一切众生救命之宝。它包罗万有，上自十方诸佛，下至阿鼻地狱，四圣六凡都要遵从〈楞严咒〉的法，十法界中，无论哪一个法界都没有超出这个范围；所有一切鬼种类、神种类、一切护法诸天的种类、声闻、缘觉、佛乘都在〈楞严咒〉内。〈楞严咒〉所说的都是鬼神王的名字，一念这鬼神王的名字，其余鬼眷属和神眷属就都服服贴贴，循规蹈矩，不敢放肆了。天天念〈楞严咒〉，能令世上的妖魔鬼怪都老实一点，不敢出来害人。〈楞严咒〉是全体大用的，可以说是包括佛教所有的教义，若能明白〈楞严咒〉，就能将佛教秘密精华都明白。天地间的奥妙、天地间不可思议的事情，也是在〈楞严咒〉内。若会〈楞严咒〉，则不必学密宗，白教、黑教、黄教、红教，什么教也不需要学。这是根本的三昧法，最究竟的密法。不过这种密法没有人懂得，也没有人认识。一般人都是学而不化，只知道念，却不知它的意义。本来咒不必知道意义，只要知道它是不可思议的灵文就够了。

Every line of the Shurangama Mantra contains infinite meanings as well as infinite functions. You should realize that the Shurangama Mantra is the most efficacious language in the world--the efficacious within the efficacious, the esoteric within the esoteric! It is an unsurpassed Dharma Treasure--the gem that can save living beings' lives. It embraces all that exists. From the Buddhas of the ten directions to the Avichi Hell, all the four kinds of sages and six sorts of common realms pay homage to the Shurangama Mantra. None of the ten Dharma realms transcends its scope. All categories of ghosts, spirits, Dharma-protecting deities, Hearers, Condition-enlightened Ones, up to the Buddha Vehicle are contained within the Shurangama Mantra. The Shurangama Mantra contains the names of ghost and spirit kings. When the names of those leaders are recited, all the ghosts and spirits in their retinues become very obedient and behave themselves. They don't dare to make trouble. Reciting the Shurangama Mantra every day can cause demonic beings and weird ghosts throughout the world to settle down and stop harming people. The substance and function of the Shurangama Mantra are all-encompassing. It can be said that within the mantra can be found the entirety of Buddhism's teachings and meanings. If you can understand the Shurangama Mantra, then you have understood the essence of Buddhism's esoteric teachings. All the inconceivable wonders and esoteric phenomena in the universe are contained in the Shurangama Mantra. If you master the Shurangama Mantra, then you don't need to study the esoteric school's white teaching, black teaching, yellow teaching, red teaching or any other teaching. This is the ultimate method of samadhi and the most esoteric Dharma. Unfortunately no one really understands this esoteric Dharma; no one even recognizes it. Most people study it but cannot absorb it; they can only recite it but don't know its meanings. Basically it's not necessary to know the meanings of mantras, you need only realize that they are an ineffable efficacious language.

能念〈楞严咒〉就是利益众生，不能念就不能利益众生。各位赶快把〈楞严咒〉学会，背得出，再研究明白了，才是佛教徒所应有的行为。想学〈楞严咒〉，持诵〈楞严咒〉的人最好能发大心，为全世界诵持，把所有的功德回向给全世界。在佛教里再没有比〈楞严咒〉更重要了，〈楞严咒〉是正法的代表，有〈楞严咒〉就有正法，没有〈楞严咒〉就没有正法，不会背〈楞严咒〉不配做佛教徒。〈楞严咒〉叫愣半年，天天念，要念半年才会背。我们能诵〈楞严咒〉的人，都是在无量劫以来培植大善根的人，才能把〈楞严咒〉读得熟，背出来，永远也不忘，这就是善根的表现。若你没有善根，不但不能念，就连〈楞严咒〉的名字也遇不着；就算遇着了也不懂，不会念。所以我们现在能念能背，都是有大善根。

Being able to recite the Shurangama Mantra is a benefit to all beings. Not being able to recite it, you cannot offer that benefit to beings. Quickly learn it, memorize it, investigate and understand it! Then you will be doing what Buddhist disciples should do. The very best is for those who want to recite the Shurangama Mantra to do it for the sake of the entire world; transfer all the merit to the whole world. There isn't anything more important in Buddhism than the Shurangama Mantra. The Shurangama Mantra is a sure sign of the Proper Dharma. The existence of the Shurangama Mantra ensures the existence of the Proper Dharma. When the Shurangama Mantra is gone, the Proper Dharma is gone. Those who cannot recite this mantra are not worthy of being Buddhist disciples. The Shurangama Mantra is nicknamed "six months' stupor" because for most people it takes a half year of diligent recitation to get it memorized. Those of us who can recite the Shurangama Mantra have been planting and nurturing good roots for countless eons. Being able to memorize it perfectly and never forget it is evidence of those good roots. Without good roots, not only will you not be able to recite it, you will never even hear of the existence of the Shurangama Mantra; or if you hear of it you won't understand it and won't be able to recite it. Truly, then, those who can recite it by heart do have great good roots!（待续 To be continued）