🍁 今天農曆六月十九日
是觀世音菩薩成道日
🍁 Today, the 19th day of 6th Lunar month, is Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day
上宣下化老和尚開示
Lectures by the Ven. Master Hsuan Hua
學觀世音菩薩的悲心，利益眾生，時時刻刻存心為他人著想，這才是真正紀念觀世音菩薩。
To truly commemorate Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day, we should learn from the Bodhisattva’s great compassion, dedicate ourselves to benefiting all living beings, and at every moment keep the welfare of others in mind.
今天慶祝觀音菩薩成道紀念日，觀世音菩薩他在過去是行無緣大慈同體大悲；因為行無緣大慈，所以人人和他有緣。他看見一切眾生的痛苦等於自己的痛苦一樣，所以有同體大悲；他有同體大悲，無緣大慈，故種下這種無盡無邊的緣和悲心。他和我們每一個眾生都有不可分的精神，也可以說觀世音菩薩，處處為人著想，沒有自私心、自利心，沒有絲毫只管自己的心，他是為利益一切眾生而修行，因此一切眾生和觀世音菩薩特別有緣。在一年之中，農曆二月十九、六月十九、九月十九，這三個紀念日一般人來朝拜觀世音菩薩最多。在這烈火炎炎之天氣，很多人還在百忙之中來朝拜觀世音菩薩，這種誠心都是由於觀世音菩薩的慈悲願力所攝引。
既然我們深信觀世音菩薩，則應以觀世音菩薩作每人的榜樣、模範。我們也要學觀世音菩薩的悲心，利益眾生，時時刻刻存心為他人著想，這才是真正紀念觀世音菩薩的典禮。觀世音菩薩觀看世界一切的痛苦，尋聲救苦，我們見到世界有困苦艱難的眾生能幫助他，這是真正信觀世音菩薩，拜觀世音菩薩，紀念觀世音菩薩。
我再說明白一點，我們每人都要學同體大悲無緣大慈，具足慈悲心，而代表觀世音菩薩救度受苦受難的眾生，這是真正紀念觀世音菩薩，是真正朝拜觀世音菩薩。不是說我到這兒朝拜觀世音菩薩，回家後就發脾氣，看這不好，那不對。真正紀念觀世音菩薩是要利益人，自己不發脾氣、不生煩惱、沒有貪瞋癡，這才是真正紀念觀世音菩薩。你們不要忘記，觀世音菩薩對誰都不發脾氣。你拜了菩薩回到家去，依舊發脾氣，觀世音菩薩也就替你擔心了，說：「你這臭脾氣不改，到什麼時候才能明白佛法呢？」希望大家不要令觀世音菩薩擔心、不安樂。
Today we celebrate Guanyin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day. In the past, Guanyin Bodhisattva cultivated great kindness without conditions (great kindness that extends to all, whether or not they have any prior affinity) and great compassion based on the oneness of all beings. Because of this great kindness without conditions, everyone has an affinity with Guanyin Bodhisattva. Guanyin Bodhisattva regards the suffering of every living being as His own suffering. Therefore, He embodies the great compassion that comes from realizing that all beings are one in substance. By cultivating this boundless kindness and compassion, He formed limitless affinities with all living beings.
Guanyin Bodhisattva is inseparable from every one of us. He is always thinking of others and never of Himself. He has no selfishness, no thought of self-benefit, and not the slightest intention of seeking only His own advantage. He cultivated solely for the benefit of all living beings. For this reason, all beings have a particularly deep affinity with Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Every year, on the nineteenth day of the second, sixth, and ninth lunar months, people come in especially great numbers to bow to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Even in the blazing summer heat, many people take time out of their busy schedules to come and pay their respects. Such sincerity is inspired and sustained by the compassionate vows and the awesome spiritual power of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Since we sincerely believe in Guanyin Bodhisattva, we should take the Bodhisattva as our example and model. We should learn from His compassionate heart, benefit living beings, and always think of others before ourselves. That is the true way to commemorate Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Guanyin Bodhisattva contemplates the suffering of the world and responds to every cry for help. When we see living beings who are suffering or in difficulty and do our best to help them, that is genuine faith in Guanyin Bodhisattva. That is truly bowing to Guanyin Bodhisattva and truly commemorating Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Let me put it even more clearly. Every one of us should learn to cultivate great compassion based on the oneness of all beings and great kindness without conditions. We should develop a heart full of kindness and compassion, and act on behalf of Guanyin Bodhisattva to rescue and relieve living beings who are suffering. That is the real way to commemorate Guanyin Bodhisattva. That is the real way to bow to Guanyin Bodhisattva.
It is not enough to come here, bow to Guanyin Bodhisattva, and then go home only to lose your temper, complain that this is wrong and that is not right. Truly commemorating Guanyin Bodhisattva means benefiting others. It means not losing your temper, not giving rise to afflictions, and being free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Only then are you truly commemorating Guanyin Bodhisattva.
Do not forget that Guanyin Bodhisattva never loses His temper with anyone. If you bow to the Bodhisattva and then return home and lose your temper just the same, Guanyin Bodhisattva will be worried about you and say,
“If you don’t change that bad temper of yours, when will you ever come to understand the Buddhadharma?”
I hope none of us will cause Guanyin Bodhisattva to worry or to feel distressed. Instead, let us cultivate compassion, transform our tempers, and bring peace and joy to all living beings.
(** English by ChatGPT)
【出處 / Source：
人生要義～學佛要旨
The Essentials of Life】
