诵持〈楞严咒〉比买卖黄金更赚得多，诵〈楞严咒〉一遍，就等于几万万盎斯的黄金那么有价值，不过不能用贪心来诵持。若能持戒律，无嫉妒障碍，无贪瞋痴，那么诵持〈楞严咒〉就有大感应、大利益；若你有不守规矩的行为，修这个法便没有大的感应力量。并不是咒没有灵验，而是因为你不守规矩，护法善神离得你远远的，有什么事情他也不管。所以凡是读诵〈楞严咒〉的人，不要有一种诡谲的心，不要有一种尽造罪业的行为。任何时候都要正大光明，只知利他，不知利己，存菩萨心肠，行菩萨行门。

Reciting the Shurangama Mantra is more valuable than any amount of gold. Reciting the mantra once is equivalent to tons of gold! But your recitation shouldn't be motivated by greed! If you hold the precepts, then you won't be jealous or obstructive; you won't be greedy or angry and your recitation of the mantra will generate pervasive responses and massive benefits. But if your behavior doesn't accord with the rules, the Dharma protecting good spirits will stay far away from you and when something happens to you they won't pay any attention. Therefore, those who recite the Shurangama Mantra shouldn't be cunning or behave in ways that continually create offenses. At all times they should be open and public-spirited; they should strive to benefit others, not themselves; they should cherish the ideals of Bodhisattvas; and cultivate the practices of Bodhisattvas.

修楞严法是很灵感的，但也不是那么容易，首先要没有自私心，其次要没有自利心，要存大公无私的心，要存至中不偏的心，要存舍己为人的心，要存普度一切众生的心。有以上所说这样的心，便能很快成就。各位要很注意，你一定要守五戒，奉行十善，这是最低限度要遵守的规则。修这个法不守规矩是不行的，你不守戒律，或心里尽打染污的妄想，不单修法没有感应，不能成就，而且会有奇祸。所以修楞严法的时候，要特别注意，要身、口、意三业清净，才可以相应。不可以随随便便讲是讲非，挑拨离间，或令大家在道场住得不安乐。你一定要举动行为管自己，行住坐卧不离家，不可以尽给旁人洗衣服，要自己好好把自己照顾一下，回光返照。

The Shurangama Mantra is extremely efficacious, but it is not that easy to master. First of all you cannot be selfish; next you cannot be out to get your own private gains. You have to be magnanimous and devoid of selfish thoughts. You have to be impartial and not prejudiced. You have to be willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others. You have to have the resolve to universally save all living beings. If you can embody the above-listed qualities, then you will have swift success. Pay close attention: you must hold the five precepts and practice the ten good deeds. That's the very least you should do.

It won't work to practice this Dharma if you are not following the rules. If you cultivate this Dharma but you don't behave yourself; if you don't guard the precepts or if you are always having defiled thoughts, then not only will there be no response, not only will you have no success, you will in fact bring disaster down upon yourself. And so when you are cultivating the Shurangama Mantra you must be very attentive to maintain purity with your body, your mouth, and your mind. That's the only way you're going to get a response. You cannot say things that cause schisms or make people in the Way-place uneasy. You must pay attention to all aspects of your behavior, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. It's not all right to always be "washing other peoples' clothes" as it were. Take care of yourself. Look into yourself.

〈楞严咒〉是灵文，每一句有每一句的效力，你不必想：“我持〈楞严咒〉怎么没有什么效验？”不管有没有功效，你就去念，好像打功夫，天天去打拳，不管功夫如何，锻炼就有功夫，不可说不锻炼就有功夫。同理，受持法要天天不间断，在任何情形下，在百忙中都要修法。不要时间久了就生懈怠，对〈楞严咒〉不再有兴趣。这不是说你一念，就见到什么功效，就见、不见什么功效，你也要天天受持读诵。这必须要日久功深，不是一朝一夕就能成就，就有感应的。好像读书要读十年、二十年、三十年，才能真正有学问，修行亦复如是。持诵这个咒，你要念兹在兹的，时时刻刻都诵持这个咒，不要间断，也就像穿衣、吃饭、睡觉那样要紧，一天都不可以少的。不管它有没有功效，你天天受持读诵，时间久了就有基础，自然就有它的功用。

The Shurangama Mantra is an efficacious language. Every line has its own particular efficacy. But you don't need to think: Why don't I get any responses from holding the Shurangama Mantra. Don't pay any attention to whether there are responses or not, just keep reciting it. It's like practicing martial arts, every day you have to practice your punches, regardless of what your skill is like. Skill comes through training. It's impossible to have skill without training. By the same principle, you should cultivate your Dharmas every day, no matter what happens, no matter how busy you are. Don't slack off after you've been at it for a while, losing interest in the Shurangama Mantra. It's certainly not the case that you will have some efficacious response as soon as you begin reciting it. Regardless of whether you perceive any response, you should continue reciting it every day. You must deepen your skill day by day. Success doesn't happen overnight. For instance you have to study for ten, twenty, or even thirty years before you gain real scholarship. It's the same with cultivation. You must keep your mind on your recitation of the mantra, continuing your recitation without ever letting it get cut off. It should be just as important as putting on clothes, eating food, and going to sleep; you shouldn't be able to be without it for a single day. It doesn't matter whether there's any response, because by reciting every day you will gradually have a foundation and quite naturally the mantra will function.（待续 To be continued）