宣化老和尚开示(中英文双语)：启发内在的智慧

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宣化老和尚开示(中英文双语)：启发内在的智慧

　　启发内在的智慧

　　宣化上人在VedantaRetreat(吠陀教修行中心)之开示

　　Activating Inherent Wisdom

　　时间：一九九二年五月二十五日

　　地点：旧金山北边之印度吠陀教修行中心

　　记录：译经委员会

　　Venarable Master's talk at the Vedanta Society's Retreat 5/25/92

　　Translated by Buddhist Text Translation Society

　　Buddhist Monks and Vedanta Swamis meet at the retreat

　　佛教与吠陀教共聚一堂

　　各位善知识、各位大德、各位善男信女、各位年纪老的及年纪壮、年纪轻的朋友们：

　　宣化是一个不会说话的人，我所说出的话，是一般人所不愿意听，故不愿意讲话；尤其不愿在人前走、坐；或在人前讲话。这是我不敢冒昧的事情。可是既然大家同意我讲几句话，我讲得好不好，我不希望大家原谅，可是我希望不愿意听的，把耳朵塞住，不要听；愿意听的，听一听。(大众笑)

　　我不是讲笑话，这是实实在在对大家所说的。为什么说大家不愿意听呢？因为我讲的话，或者不是人话；甚至蚂蚁也不愿意听我说。我愿意比作蚊虫，可是蚊虫是嗡嗡叫的，说什么，没人知道，所以我讲话，只可以像只蚊虫。

　　今天的题目，我一看就很不明白，甚么叫做「启发内在的智慧」？根本智慧我知道它是无穷无尽的，无量无边的，叫我说是说不出来，叫我做更做不到，为甚么呢？因为宣化是一个没有智慧的人，没有智慧，而来讲智慧，这岂不是莫名其妙？虽然是这样，也不敢辜负大家的希望、期待，所以勉勉强强的在不知道甚么是智慧，也学着讲一讲智慧。我所说出来的，都不是我的智慧；我的智慧，根本就没有，我只有一个愚痴。可是智慧也是从愚痴而来的，我虽然愚痴，我愿意跟大家学着有智慧，也学着怎样来做人，所以这是我不够智慧的智慧，不能称得上是智慧的智慧。不愿意听的请你把耳朵先堵上。(众笑)

　　我这个愚痴的人，做事都是不离愚痴两个字。可是离了愚痴也没有智慧，离了智慧也没有愚痴，智慧和愚痴是一而不二，它本来是一个的，可是我们人都愿意要智慧，不愿意要愚痴。我这个人想要往高处比，比不了，所以一切一切，大家不要的，我都把它捡起来，人家要的我就送给人，所以，这是愚痴人的行为，也是最愚痴的表现。行为是行之于身的，表现于事，所以我觉得愚痴比智慧实用一点。这个智慧，虽然说是好，但是应该让给旁人，我自己从来没有智慧，若有智慧，愿意布施给所有的人。所以我没有智慧，因为我有智慧都布施给人。我不管我说得对不对，你愿意不愿意听，可是我这个「愚痴」就是这么「愚痴」，你听了愚痴人说的愚痴话，也很好听的，唉！就听一听，如果觉得没有甚么意思，那么就不要听，这是由自己来选择。这是民主国家，我不能强迫任何人去做他所不愿意做的事情。

　　我想起头一次和于枢机(于斌)见面的时候，他是天主教，我是佛教，我想度一度他。他是一位天主教枢机，怎样度呢？我教他信佛教！我说：「于枢机，你做这么多年的天主教徒，也应该做够了吧！我教你做一个『天主教的佛教徒』。」说完这话，他瞪着大眼睛来望着我，因为我说的话很奇怪，怎么教他改变宗教呢？我说：「你不要奇怪，你做天主教的佛教徒，我做一个佛教的天主教徒，咱们两个人思想一沟通，彼此一交换，世界就没有战争了，你信不信。」他想一想，一拍大腿说：「对，我们就这么样干！」所以，以后他见着佛他拜佛了，不认为拜佛是偶像、是迷信了。

　　以我这么一个愚痴的人，想教化于枢机这样有智慧的一个人，这是人所不敢想象的，然而我对他说明白后，他就很同意了。虽然他往上竞选就是教皇了，而他也不怕做不着教皇，对我刚才和他所说的这个思想，他也愿意沟通的。为甚么这么说呢？因为世界战争是由各宗教人士不负责任才有战争，宗教人士应该用智慧来做事情，不应该用无明来做事。宗教不应该争你长我短、你好我坏、你大我小，这么互争长短的，无形中就是造成战争的开端，造成战争的后果了。所以宗教和宗教彼此要是合成一个，打成一片，大家共同向一个目标，教人为善，教人改恶向善，教人改过自新，能向一个目标来走；不相是非，不相毁谤，就是战争平息了，为什么呢？「争是胜负心，与道相违背，便生四相心，由何得三昧？」你这就一争，就是愚痴了，你不争就是智慧。你一争，就是好事也会坏的，你不争，坏事也会好的。所以坏事会好了，大家相安无事，也不论你强我胜、你好我不好，不彼此找毛病，这个毛病不是教人家给我找的，是我自己要找自己的毛病。自己去习气去毛病，去种种自己身上所带来的无形的刺，把人都扎得受不了，所以争心先要把它停止，所以说这是争胜负心，这是争胜负的一个心，「与道相违背」这个心和道不相应的，你一争就离道远了，离道远了，所以就与道相违背。「便生四相心」在这个时候争了，我相也生出来，人相也生出来，众生相，寿者相，接接连连都来了，所以说「便生四相心」，「由何得三昧？」这怎能得真正的正定、正受，你怎么能得到真正的 Wisdom，真正的波罗蜜智慧？

　　宗教的本质都是一个的，圣人立教都是「因人施教，应病下药」，对治人的一切习气毛病。各有各的不同，虽然不同，可是它的功用都是一个，好像甚么呢？好像五味，人吃东西要调味，有的人喜欢吃酸的，有的人愿意吃甜的，有的人愿意吃辣的，有的人愿意吃咸的。吃辣的不能说，我喜欢吃辣的，为甚么你要吃咸的？他有他口味；他的口味就是这个。有的人又愿意吃苦的，吃甜的人说：「苦的难吃，你为甚么要吃它？」可是吃苦的人，吃苦，苦深深的到了肚子里很自在，那个吃辣的到了肚子里他觉得很舒服，吃甜的亦复如是。所以宗教等于五味一样，谁愿意吃那一味，这是对个人的这种习气而设的。因此在万佛圣城里边，要把佛教本身的大小乘合而为—，不互相是非的。不但和佛教不彼此生一种争执，就是其他所有的宗教，都一样欢迎，也像欢迎佛教这样子。以前佛教只知道自己是佛教，对其他的宗教都不闻不问，也不加毁谤，可是它们都有距离。我看这样子对宗教是很不利的，所以我就在万佛圣城主张，天主教也可以来做弥撒，耶苏教也可以来做礼拜，犹太教也可以举行猷太教仪式。到万佛圣城的人，大家都相安无事，这是愚痴人的行为，但是学也要学习有智慧，慢慢的和大家都合而为一。所以万佛圣城不但和各宗教的人士合成一体，就是和所有的众生，飞、潜、动、植等，都合而为一，皆一视同仁，都是大家和平共处，有同样的宗旨。所以万佛圣城里，什么众生都有，人当然没有例外，其他什么的众生，它来了，我都欢迎。现在，于万佛圣城中，我们都埋头苦干，默默耕耘。目前，各国的人土都有，不分种族，也不分国籍，也不分人、我；这一些问题都把它取消了。不过，万佛圣城虽然已经成立十多年了，仍然有很多人不知道。

　　我相信我自己这个愚痴的人，仍然可以学所有宗教的智慧，所以我先从小蚂蚁、小蚊虫开始，这是对大家讲的真话、实话。所谓：「真语、实语、不妄语、不异语。」佛说的这一些话，也是我们人人都能明白的。为什么佛这样说呢？佛言：「一切众生皆有佛性，皆堪作佛。」他没有说，我这个众生可以成佛，你那个众生不能成佛，没有这个。「一切众生皆有佛性，皆堪作佛。」由此，可证明大家都是同路而来，还要同路而归。所以不和任何人分彼此，这是我这个愚痴人的想法，虽然我知道有很多人不愿意听这话，我仍然要说出来。他们认为没有什么意思，但是我还要说。有没有人睡觉？(众笑)

　　(法师翻译并用英语问，是不是你们都不愿意听？回答是：不)

　　上人：我再借用几分钟，因为我真正的意思还没有说完呢！我们想要学有智慧，先要认识愚痴；你要认识了甚么叫愚痴？也就是认识这个智慧了。这种智慧不从外来，是从你的自性上来的，你的自性是什么？就是佛性，你的自性就是你的本来面目，你的自性是谁也替不着你的。这个我简单的说，因为没有时间，只有五分钟。

　　你不着到色上，你知道色，是对修行有障碍，你要能断了色尘，这就是智慧。

　　声尘，你愿意听声音，这也是愚痴，你要是把声尘看作是「有若无，实若虚，有而不有，无而不无」能像这样走马观花似的，不着住到这个声尘上，这也就是真正智慧了。你有真正的智慧才不执着这些色、声、香、味、触、法，你能把它完全都看得穿放得下了，再把财、色、名、食、睡也能看穿了，认识了，不为财欲所摇动，不为色欲所摇动，不为食欲所摇动，不为睡欲所摇动，也不为名誉的欲所摇动，能不为这个六尘和五欲所迷惑，这就是有真正智慧的人，这就是真正想要成佛的人，所以要加上不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄语。我们人为什么要打妄语？就因为自私，为什么要自私？就因为有自利，因为想要自利，所以贪心就生出了。你有了贪心，那么争心也跟着跑出来。所以不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄语，这就是成佛的一条光明大道。你选一条，每一天都要在这六条路上走，你要时时刻刻都能按照不争、不贪、不求、不自私、不自利、不打妄语，这六条光明的道路向前迈进，这一定证大佛果，一定成佛有余的。我是一个愚痴的人，旁人都说自己有智慧，我知自己丝毫的智慧也没有，不过大家既然叫我讲，我就把我愚痴的见解告诉大家，大家愿意听，我也这么讲，不愿意听，也这么讲。你们也不要谢谢我，我也不要谢谢你们。接着来是问题的节目。我老实告诉你们，你们都比我有智慧，谁有什么问题，要是觉得令我很为难的，我没有这个程度来答复你们的问题，你们就另外找有智慧的人去问好了，我是一个不学无术的人，所以希望大家明白我的立场，我是很愚痴的答复你们的问题，或者都不会满意，虽然说不会满意，可是我也勉为其难。

　　All Good & Wise Advisors, Venerable Swamis, all good men and women, especially the elders present, and especially those in the prime of life, especially all young friends, good morning!

　　I, Hsuan Hua, am a very inarticulate person. Talking does not come easy to me. I am especially unwilling to walk or sit in front of anyone else, or to come and speak before anyone else. I don't assume to put myself in those places, I don't dare to make that assumption. But you are all so sincere and have invited me to say a few words. This being the case, I don't hope that you will forgive me, but I will say that those of you who don't want to hear what I have to say, please shut your ears. Those who are willing to hear what I have to say, feel free to listen on. (Laughter.)

　　Now what I said is not a joke, it's absolutely the bald truth. This is a genuine expression of my heart, so why, if this is the case, might some of you be unwilling to listen? Why might some of you not want to hear what I have to say? Well, perhaps it's because the things I have to say are not ordinary human talk, or normal human discourse. I assume it's the case that the ants wouldn't want to say the things that I have to say. People who know me, know that I often refer to myself as being like a mosquito, but the problem with being like a mosquito is they can only buzz, so nobody understands what mosquitoes say. So I don't want to compare the things I say to a mosquito talk. But all the same, I will say there is a place where we are the same, which is the things I have to say to you are like a mosquito in that I always want to take blood from those who hear me buzz, the way a mosquito does.

　　The topic today, as soon as I saw it on the program, I thought, "Gee, I don't understand that! The topic is called activating inner wisdom. Well, wisdom, as far as I know, is limitless and boundless, which is to say there is no way one can completely express it in words." So, here I am in a situation being unable to express the topic - - you can't say it! You people want me to talk about it and I can't talk about it. If you want an example of how to put it into practice, I can do that even less. I myself have no wisdom. So, if you ask me to come before you all and talk about wisdom, then it's really a quandary. All the same I don't want to disappoint your expectations, since all of you have been so sincere in requesting. So I thought that I will force it, (Translator: In Chinese this phrase is eloquent, and in English it takes about three sentences to say.) I'll try to explain to you in a way that learns as I speak.

　　What I say to you is not my wisdom, I am not the source of my own wisdom. In fact, I have no wisdom to speak of. What I do have, is a stupidity. This is not so strange because you could say wisdom emanates from stupidity. But I want to learn the wisdom that I hope to attain from all of you. Especially, in the matters of how to become a good person. So, I can't say that what I offer is the wisdom of wisdom, it is simply the wisdom of stupidity.

　　Now the stupidity that I am talking about does not depart from wisdom. In fact, stupidity is the source of wisdom. If you don't have stupidity, there will be no wisdom. And yet, if you are looking for wisdom you will not find it apart from stupidity. Wisdom and stupidity (Translator: stupidity can also be translated as ignorance) are two things that are non-dual; they are one and the same. All the same, we people much prefer wisdom, we always aspire upwards towards wisdom. Nobody would openly admit that they prefer stupidity or ignorance. I myself, in ignorance, I am this way I don't dare compare myself to wisdom that ascends. This is the way I see it, whatever other people don't want, that's what I go and pick up for myself. And anything that others want, I will give to them.

　　This is my stupid behavior, and it's also my dumb appearance; the way I show myself externally. Now, behavior, that's something that you yourself are aware of, that's in the person. The outer manifestation is what others perceive, that's what the world witnesses. So, all in all, I would say that stupidity is much more practical than wisdom. It's much more applicable to life.

　　Wisdom, although it receives the praise of the world, is not something one needs to aspire to. This should be something that one is willing to give to others. So my principle is that I want to give as much wisdom as I can, and not keep it for myself. If I had any, I wouldn't be in the process of giving it to others. So, I don't know whether you want to listen to this, but that's just how ignorant my wisdom is. You have freedom of choice. If you listen to this stupid person talking about stupidity and say, "Hey! that's pretty good, that's interesting!" then I invite you to listen. If you listen to it and the more you hear the less you like it, well it's up to you, you're free to choose. This is a democracy, and I cannot compel any of you to do what you are not willing to do.

　　I recall the first time I met the late Paul, Cardinal Yu-bin, who was the Catholic Cardinal of China. I am a Buddhist, I was interested in taking him across and making him a Buddhist as well. I thought, well, how am I going to do this? So, the first time I met the Cardinal I said, "Cardinal Yu-bin, you have been a Catholic for so long, I bet you're tired of it." So he stared at me. I said, "I have a proposal, why don't you be a Catholic-Buddhist? Why don't you be the Buddhist among the Catholics?"

　　He opened his eyes even wider at that, and he stared. He thought that was pretty strange. Why would I be asking him to change his religion? How incredible! So I said "Cardinal Yu-bin, you need not see this as strange, You should go ahead and be the Buddhist among the Catholics. Then I will be the Catholic among the Buddhists. That way, when our thinking merges, we can exchange our beliefs in this way, and it will put an end to all the wars in the world. So what do you say?' He stared at me a little longer, about two minutes,and he slapped his thigh and said "Right! Let's do it!"

　　After that, since he's a man of his word, he went into the Buddha Hall at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and bowed to the Buddha images. After that he didn't think bowing was such a superstitious act, or like worshiping graven idols. He didn't think that way any longer.

　　So, that you could say, was my dumb intent, to try and take across a Catholic Cardinal. Especially a person as wise as Cardinal Yu-bin. I believe nobody dared do such a thing in the past. When I explained the principle behind it, not only did he not stand behind his seat as a Cardinal, he completely agreed with the principle and the truths inside. He didn't fear over-stepping the boundaries of his Cardinal's authority. In fact, he stepped out of that role in order to meet the truth of unity and harmony among religions. His intent was to connect at the level of thought; to put the hearts together.

　　Now, as we look at the wars in the world we can know that a large part of the responsibility for them should be placed squarely on the shoulders of religious leaders who are not upholding their proper duty, their proper responsibility, in guiding people away from warfare. We need to use wisdom to do the things we do; we don't want to use ignorance and stupidity to do those things.

　　What does that mean? Well, stupidity would mean constantly finding fault, constantly criticizing; finding out where my religion is long, and your religion is short, mine is good and yours is bad. In this way, we are constantly knit-picking and harping on each other. When we allow ourselves to fall into this habit, then invisibly the seeds of warfare have been planted. The conflict that follows is simply the natural progression of those seeds.

　　If religious people can unite, we can then go forward together and teach people how to change their faults, how to go towards the good, how to end ignorant behavior, and how to bring into being all wise behavior. Since we have the same goal, we should instruct those who follow our religions not to gossip, not talk about what is right and what is wrong among religions. Most of all they should be taught to avoid slander, mutual vilification. When we can be this way then wars will naturally end because the seeds that foment them will not be in the ground.

　　There is a verse that says

　　Fighting is the attitude of victory and defeat;

　　It stands in opposition the the Way, (the Tao)

　　Further it brings into being the Four Mark mind,

　　ow can you possibly attain samadhi?

　　That's to say once we begin fighting for any reason then we have let our stupidity loose. Once we refuse to fight then we have allowed our wisdom to flourish. If we refuse to fight, then a bad situation can turn good. Likewise, if we are in a good situation and decide to fight, it will become a bad situation. So peace depends on what we do. Nobody in this world tells us to contend, or to mutually find faults. In fact, the problem of correcting faults is something that we, as religious believers, should make our first order of business. We should rid our character of faults; find the invisible thorns in our nature, and change the parts of our personality that prick others when they draw near us. Those are the thorns in our nature.

　　We should thoroughly banish a mind of contention, because once we have this thought, then there is a winner and a looser, which allows disharmony and discord. Once we fight, then we are far away from the Path, the Tao, we cannot approach it anymore. When we fight we create the Four Mark mind, the mind of four characteristics. Those four characteristics are self, others, living beings, and creatures with lifespans. All of those are perceived one by one, they all roll right out when we allow a thought of contention to arise in our minds.

　　Venerable Master Speaking Dharma for the Vedanta Assembly 上人说法

　　Once we have a thought of self and others, that are separated from me, and living creatures with life span, then comes forth the Four Mark mind, and then how will we approach samadhi? How will we attain a state of meditative peace where we have proper concentration, and proper reception? How will there be any wisdom? How can we approach Prajna wisdom once we allow a thought of contention to arise in our minds?

　　The basic substance of all the different religions is one and the same. It is said that

　　"religions all emanate from people's needs, the way medicines all appear for illnesses."

　　If we want to cure the illnesses in people we should use a different medicine, because the illnesses are not all the same. This is true, nonetheless the function of medicine is simply one, to cure illness; and so it is with religion. Everyone is different. I will give as an analogy, the five flavors of food.

　　Many people know that Chinese cuisine is divided into five flavors, which are the spices on our food. Religions are this way, too, like the seasoning in people, as it were. Which is to say some people prefer sour, other people prefer sweet, others prefer hot/spicy food, others like salty, still there are others who like bland or bitter food. Now, if one person prefers sweet, hot, bitter or sour, you can't correct him and say he's wrong. Someone may argue, and say "Hot, spicy food is the best, how can you like salty food? You're wrong!" You can't righteously say that, because verybody has a different palate, a flavor they prefer. It's simply a matter of taste.

　　Religions are the same way. The people who like sweet flavors have no basis in criticizing those who like bitter flavors. Simply because when the person who likes it bitter swallows his food, he feels comfortable with that flavor. The person who likes the sweet flavor, feels hers is the best, and enjoys the feeling when she swallows it. There's no basis for criticism. Religions are the same way, whoever prefers, according to their taste, has a right to believe and to follow as he pleases. It's a question of habits.

　　Now, at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, following the same analogy, we have established our monastery to accord. The first thing we did was to heal the artificial division between the so-called Mahayana and Theravada (The Great Vehicle and The Small Vehicle), we put them together so that the two Vehicles no longer mutually engage in criticism or set up an adversarial relationship. This never existed at the City of Teri Thousand Buddhas. The many Vehicles are one at that Buddhist community. We welcome all religions there. In the past, I know it was the case, that Buddhists stayed in their Buddhist circles that was all that they knew. There was little contact with other religious groups; and this is not the way it should be. While there was no open hostility, there was still a division, you knew where you belonged and you didn't join other groups. I always felt that this attitude was disadvantageous to world peace.

　　So the policy at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas has been that we welcome Catholics to perform the mass in our Buddha hall, and in fact, this has occurred on a regular basis. We also welcome Protestants to give their services in our worship halls. We also welcome Jewish Rabbis to chant their Holy ceremonies in their worship halls; we don't want to say ours because they are theirs equally. We want the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas to be the home of all religious people. It won't be any different than if the Buddhists were there, it is the same. So, at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas we want to create harmony among all peoples. That is how this stupid person has set up his monastery.

　　I call myself a stupid person because my wish is to learn the ways of wisdom. I can't say that I have any wisdom of my own, but I am, all the same, willing to unify with all of you, and become one. Not only am I willing to do this with all religious people, but, at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas our credo, our principle, is that we want to unite with all living beings completely; that is to say we want the view all the world as a single family and live in harmony, the way a family should.

　　This is our principle: We treat all living beings alike. It should be this way among all people and how much the more so should it be with all living beings. So, I welcome all of you to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. At our City, in Talmage, near Ukiah, we keep a very low profile, we do our daily rounds in silence, we don't advertise, or blow our own horn. As a result, even our next-door neighbors, know little about us. But, our central goal is to lose the discriminations that set people and religions apart.

　　I don't know whether you believe the things I've said. I acknowledged at the start they my comments were coming from a stupid person. Some of you may have taken my advice and stopped listening, but if you plugged your ears then you did not hear what I said. My goal, nonetheless, is to learn the wisdom of all religions and to learn the wisdom of all living beings. Where do I start? I start with ants and with mosquitoes. Now, some of you may laugh, but it's true, it's straight talk.

　　There will be people here who do understand what I say. The Buddha's first teaching was that all living beings have the Buddha nature, and that all can become Buddhas. This is not to say that there are certain living beings who cannot become Buddhas. That is not the case; all living beings have the Buddha nature, and all can become Buddhas.

　　We all come here by the same road, and will return on the same road. Since we are all travellers on this road, there is no need to differentiate between ourselves and other living beings. Although we aspire to live this way, and walk this way, I know there are people who would prefer not to hear what I have said. They don't want to listen. Is that the case with all of you? Is anybody sleeping? We're going to request another three minutes because I haven't gotten to the real point of what I want to say! (Laughter.)

　　So, if we want to have real wisdom, the first job is to learn to recognize stupidity. What is stupidity, after all? If we really see it clearly, then we will know what wisdom is. Wisdom is not something that arrives from outside. Recognition of it is not done from outside. We recognize wisdom from our own self nature, this is the Buddha nature; this is our original face, our fundamental identity. Nobody can take it from us, or stand in for us and use it in our place. I only have five minutes so I will tell you in brief. If you don't attach to forms, that is to say, (Translator: the literal Chinese is the "dust of visual sense objects", it's called the " dust of things seen"); if we attach to objects with form, things that we see, then we should know that this attachment to beautiful forms will impede our cultivation, this will create an impediment to our spiritual cultivation. If we can cut off this attachment to beautiful sights, just this is wisdom. It's the same way with the dust of sounds, with the things we hear. If we attach to those sounds, then our cultivation will turn towards stupidity and turn away from wisdom. Cultivators should look at sights and listen to sounds as if they were not there; we should treat them as if they were illusory. We can regard them like a person who "rides by on a horse to look at the flowers" (Literal translation), like a tourist. If that's the way we see the sights and hear the sounds of the real world then there can be real wisdom. If we can see through and put down sights, sounds, smells, flavors, and sensations of touch, those five things, then we can approach wisdom.

　　Furthermore, we should recognize the pursuit of wealth, sex, fame, food and sleep as as being part of stupidity Once we have seen through and put down the senses, then we must further identify these Five Desires. If we can be unmoved by the pursuit of wealth, see through the desire for property and money; if we can stop the relentless pursuit of sexual pleasure, as well as the desire for food, the craving for more and newer sensations of flavor, and if we can abandon the pursuit of sleep or comfort, if we can see through fame, and not be moved by any of these desires, then we are on the road to wisdom.

　　The Six Objects of the Senses: sights, sounds, smells, taste, objects of touch, and dharmas (the sense objects of the mind) are things we desire. Furthermore, the Five Desires are wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. If we can see these things as ordinary, if they don't hook us, seduce us, or tempt us, and we are not attached to them, then we can have real wisdom. If we can bring forth this wisdom then we are on the road to Buddha hood.

　　Further, there are six more important things to mention: the Six Guiding Principles of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas. The first of these is not fighting, not fighting in our thoughts. The second is not being greedy; the third is not seeking anything; the fourth is not being selfish; the fifth is not pursuing self-benefit; the sixth is not lying. These problems all arise from selfishness, so we begin to investigate them there. When we cant be unselfish, then we are no longer greedy. But if we are selfish, and hang on to that thought of self, then greed will come forth. What follows is contention and fighting.

　　So we begin with the question of selfishness. Further, cultivators don't seek anything, and are content at all times. Then, we want to not tell lies, but to be honest and have integrity. If we can keep these six principles in front of us at all times, then we are at all times on the broad, bright road to the wisdom of Buddhahood.

　　I think everyone understands these Six Guidelines, and we know that they are right, but how many of us walk this road? How many of us set our feet on this road in the morning and never leave it during the day? Well, if we can, then we are at all times on the road to Buddha hood. Well, if we can, then we are on the bright road of wisdom. Even though we may not want to arrive, we will quickly reach the end of the road, the fruition of Great Wisdom.

　　When I was introduced to Swami Prabuddhananda, he said you all hoped to learn wisdom from me. I said, "Sorry, I am a stupid person. All I can do is bring forth my ignorant point of view." If there are those people who like to hear what I have to say, then I just spoke my piece. The people who don't like to hear it, also heard me have my say, anyway. So, this being the case, I hope you won't thank me, and I won't thank you, and we'll wind up right where we started.

　　Now is the time for questions, and I will tell you frankly, before we begin, that I think all of you have much more wisdom than I have. If you want to stick me with tough questions about wisdom, then I hope after you hear my answers you will feel free to seek a higher authority. I am inept, I am just an amateur here. I'm afraid many of you will feel unsatisfied by the answers that I give. If that's the case, you've been warned, and I won't say I'm sorry.

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