问：学生最喜欢看师父的书，但有一个重要问题，想请教师父，师父提到〈楞严咒〉有两句话可以开智慧，不知道可不可以告诉我们是哪两句？谢谢师父慈悲开示，南无大慈大悲观世音菩萨！

Q: I'm a student, and I love to read the Venerable Master's books. I have an important question. The Master has mentioned that there are two lines in the Shurangama Mantra that can bring forth our wisdom. Could the Venerable Master tell us what those two lines are? Thank you for your compassionate instruction. Homage to Greatly Kind and Compassionate Guanshiyin Bodhisattva.

答：我听到了。这两句我可以告诉你们，信不信呢？我不能告诉你们。你们信不信我会告诉你们？你们会不会念？你要先向我说一说。我告诉你们，你们又把它忘了，也不念，过了一个时期，说：“告诉我那两句，到现在我也没开智慧。”为什么你没开智慧？你没有念，你怎么开智慧？所以你想要学，一定要念，念兹在兹的，甚至于你不吃饭可以，不念这个咒不可以；不穿衣服可以，不念这个咒不可以；不睡觉可以，不念这个咒不可以。你若有这样的决心，那一定开智慧的；你没有这个决心，想要投机取巧，叫我教你，你以为就得了宝了，结果是什么也没有。你们谁若相信，不妨就试一试，你若不念，那你没开智慧，不要怪我。

A: Yes, I can tell you, but will you recite them? First tell me that. Suppose I tell you, and you forget it and don't recite it. After a while, you complain, "You told us those two lines, but my wisdom still hasn't come forth." Why hasn't your wisdom come forth? Well, you didn't recite them, so how could your wisdom come forth? Therefore, if you want to learn them, you have to be mindful of them at all times. You have to think, "I can go without eating, I can go without wearing clothes, and I can go without sleeping, but I can't go without reciting this mantra." If you have that kind of resolve, your wisdom will certainly come forth. If you don't have that kind of resolve and are just looking for a quick "fix," thinking that you'll obtain a treasure if I tell you the mantra, then you'll end up with nothing. If you believe it, you can try it out. But if you don't recite it, don't blame me if your wisdom doesn't come forth.

问：这两句是什么意思？

Q: What do these two phrases mean?

答：你若想知道意思，就不会开智慧了！

A: If you want to know the meaning, you won't bring forth wisdom.

问：这也许是一个梵文，请上人告诉我们这是什么意思？

Q: These are Sanskrit words. Could the Venerable Master please tell us what they mean?

答：我可以把它来解释一下。这两句就是“要求诸佛菩萨令我开智慧，开真正的智慧，不是世间智，会认识一切的法、非法，有择法眼。”这个咒语是释迦牟尼佛无见顶相所说的，所以每一句都是灵文，都是真言妙语。

A: I can explain a bit. These two phrases request the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to bring forth our wisdom, that is, our true wisdom, not worldly wisdom. It refers to the Dharma-Selecting Vision that can distinguish true Dharma from false Dharma. These mantric syllables are spoken by the invisible transformation Buddha atop Shakyamuni Buddha's crown. Each of these mantric syllables are divine, true, wonderful words.

这个“咒”的意思，又叫“真言”，又叫“灵文”。怎么叫真言呢？这里一点假的也不掺杂。怎么叫灵文呢？这个咒是梵天的，是释迦牟尼佛用它来救阿难所说的咒，所以一般人都不会用。我再告诉你们一句，我从小到处降妖捉怪，能变化人形的妖魔鬼怪，我遇到很多，大略也有一百多，他们到处害人，我就用这个〈楞严咒〉来降伏它们。结果这个妖魔鬼怪都想和我决一死战，所以麻烦就来了，惹出很多麻烦来。因为这个，所以年纪老了，可能是老奸巨滑了，就再不和它们斗了。

This mantra is also called "true words" and "divine text." It is called "true words" because it does not contain the slightest trace of falseness. It is called "divine text" because it is from the Brahma Heaven and was spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha to rescue Ananda. But ordinary people do not know how to use it. I will tell you that since I was little, I went around defeating and catching monsters and goblins. I've encountered probably over a hundred demonic beings who can take on human form. They were harming a lot of people everywhere, so I used the Shurangama Mantra to subdue them. As a consequence, all the demons wanted to fight me to the death, and that was when the trouble came. Now, because I'm getting on in years—perhaps I'm getting to be an old rogue—I've quit fighting them.

因为“争是胜负心，与道相违背；便生四相心，由何得三昧？”三昧，就是正定、正受。你和人家去一争，就争胜负了，或者你胜我输，我胜你输，这争是胜负心。“与道相违背”，这和修道是相违背的。“便生四相心”，就有我相、人相、众生相、寿者相。有这四相一现前，你怎么会有定力？怎么会有正定正受？所以我们什么事情，不要用暴力来解决问题，要和平解决问题，不要上下交征利，要大家和气慈祥。这个国家若都和和气气的，这国家一定昌盛；你们大家一天到晚打架，你争我夺的，你打我骂的，这样子这是一个不祥的预兆，所以我希望各位聪明人，不要尽做一些个糊涂事。

Fighting involves the thought of victory and defeat,

And goes in opposition to the Way.

When the four marks arise in the mind,

How can we obtain samadhi?

Samadhi refers to proper concentration. As soon as you fight with others, there will be victory and defeat. Either you win and I lose, or I win and you lose. So fighting involves the thought of victory and defeat. That contradicts the cultivation of the Way. When the four marks (the mark of a self, the mark of others, the mark of living beings, and the mark of a life span) arise, how can you obtain samadhi? How can you have proper concentration? Therefore, we should not solve problems by force. We should use a peaceful method. We should not fight with each other for the sake of gain. Everyone should be kind and courteous. If the country is in harmony, it will certainly prosper. If people fight, rob and scold one another all the time, that is really an inauspicious sign. Therefore, I hope all the intelligent people will stop doing muddled things.

“国之将兴，必有祯祥；国之将亡，必有妖孽。现乎蓍龟，动乎四体；祸福必先知之，善必先知之，不善必先知之。”

There is a saying:

If the country is about to prosper,

There will be auspicious omens.

If the country is about to perish,

There will be evil portents.

The oracles will manifest signs,

And the people's actions will be affected.

Thus, calamities and blessings can be known in advance.

Good things can be known in advance;

Bad things can also be known advance.

那个商汤王他自己向上帝来告罪，说：“曰予小子履”，说我这个小子叫汤履，“敢用玄牡”，用一个黑牛，“敢昭告于皇皇后帝，……朕躬有罪，无以万方；万方有罪，罪在朕躬。”他说我一个人有罪，你不要给加到我老百姓身上；如果老百姓有罪，都是因为我没教化好他们，你把他们的罪业都加到我身上，我一个人承受。古圣明王都是这样来勇于改过，勇于认错，纳谏如流，这才是真正人民的一个榜样、领导者。

King Tang of the Shang Dynasty appealed to the Lord of Heaven, saying, "I, this little boy, Tang L?, offer up a black cow and address Lord Heaven and Lord Earth. If I have offenses, do not punish the people. If the people have offenses, it is because I have not taught them well, and you should punish me for their offenses. I alone should take the blame." The renowned sage-kings of ancient times courageously reformed themselves, confessed their mistakes, and accepted criticism with grace. They are truly good models and leaders.

那我们就这样了，See you next time（下次再见）。现在和你们各位问午安，Good afternoon！

That's it for today. See you next time. Good afternoon!

一九九三年一月十日

开示于台湾台北工业技术学院

A talk by the Venerable Master Hua on January 10,1993,

at the Taiwan Institute of Industrial Technology

【编按】摘自《宣化上人一九九三年访台开示》（中英双语版），刊载于“法界佛教总会中文网站”。