English
English version: If a person wishes to cross the great ocean of birth and death, they should wholeheartedly uphold the Five Precepts. Among these Five Precepts, four will become 'non-active precepts' (naturally observed without effort) in the next life, only the precept against sexual misconduct is difficult to sever and cannot be achieved as a non-active precept; because of this reason, the entanglement of lust is difficult to escape, one should be sincerely cautious and not be indulgent! If someone says: 'There are countless extremely serious offenses, why didn't the Buddhas of the past establish precepts against them, but instead established a precept against drinking alcohol?' Good man! Because of drinking alcohol, the sense of shame is destroyed, and one no longer fears the three evil realms (hell, hungry ghosts, animals), because of this reason, one cannot uphold the other four precepts, therefore the Buddhas and Tathagatas (如来) of the past established a precept prohibiting drinking alcohol. If someone says: 'The Tathagata has already spoken of the many faults of alcohol, why wasn't it mentioned at the beginning of the Five Precepts?' This statement is not correct! Why? Because the precept against alcohol is called a 'preventive precept' (preventing the commission of serious offenses), not a 'fundamental precept' (an offense in itself); the Tathagata first established the fundamental precepts, and then established the preventive precepts. Good man! The Tathagata previously spoke of three fasting days in each of the white month (waxing half of the lunar month) and black month (waning half of the lunar month), this was in accordance with the practices of external paths (religions other than Buddhism); those external paths often make offerings to the gods on these days, therefore the Tathagata spoke of three fasting days. Good man! Just as relying on the window of a tent, the ropes of the tent are tightened so it will not collapse, the function of the three fasting days is also like this. If sentient beings generate the intention to uphold the three fasting days, they will ultimately not fall into the three evil realms. Good man! If someone wishes to give alms, make offerings to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), meditate, cultivate good deeds, recite scriptures, or make offerings to their parents, they should first establish a rule, that if I do not do this, I will punish myself; such a person's merit and virtue will increase day and night, like the flow of the Ganges River. These Five Precepts have five kinds of results: first, the non-active result; second, the retribution result; third, the residual result; fourth, the active result; and fifth, the liberation result. If someone fully upholds the Five Precepts, know that this person can obtain these five results. If an Upasaka (在家男居士, lay male devotee) is often able to go to temples and monasteries, and upon arriving, draw near to the Bhikkhus (出家男众, monks), and after drawing near, inquire about the taste of the Dharma; after inquiring about the Dharma, they should listen sincerely; after listening, uphold it, remember it without forgetting, and be able to distinguish its meaning; after distinguishing the meaning, transform sentient beings, this is called an Upasaka benefiting both oneself and others. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
“若优婆塞不能习学如是所说，轻慢比丘，为求过失而往听法，无信敬心，奉事外道，见其功德，深信日、月、五星、诸宿，是优婆塞不名坚固如法住也。若优婆塞虽不自作五恶之业，教人作者，是优婆塞非如法住也。若优婆塞先取他物，许为了事，是优婆塞非如法住。若优婆塞典知官津，税卖估物，是优婆塞非如法住。若优婆塞计价治病，治已卖物，是优婆塞非如法住。若优婆塞违官私制，非如法住。若优婆塞自不作恶，不教他作，心不念恶，名如法住。若优婆塞因客烦恼所起之罪，作已不生惭愧悔心，非如法住。若优婆塞为身命故，作诸恶事，非如法住。若优婆塞虽得人身，行于非法，不名为人。若得信心，能作福德，善修正念，观一切法皆是无常、无我我所，于一切法心无取着，见一切法不得自在，生灭苦空无有寂静；人身难得，虽得人身，难具诸根；虽具诸根，难得正见；虽具正见，难得信心；虽得信心，难遇善友；虽遇善友，难闻正法；虽闻正法，难得受持；能如是观，是名人身。若人能观欲界无常，乃至非想非非想处皆悉无常，以是因缘，不求三恶乃至非想非非想处。如是观已，见三不坚，以不坚身易于坚身：礼拜供养，来迎去送，自手施与，亲执福事，是名以不坚身易于坚身。以不坚财易于坚财：能 现代汉语译本： ‘如果优婆塞（Upasaka，在家男信徒）不能学习和实践以上所说的内容，轻视比丘（Bhiksu，出家男僧侣），为了寻找过失而去听法，没有信心和恭敬心，供奉外道，看到他们的功德，深信日、月、五星、各种星宿，这样的优婆塞不能称为坚固地如法安住。如果优婆塞虽然自己不做五种恶业，却教唆别人去做，这样的优婆塞不是如法安住。如果优婆塞先拿取别人的东西，答应了却不办，这样的优婆塞不是如法安住。如果优婆塞掌管官府的关卡或渡口，征收税款，贩卖货物，这样的优婆塞不是如法安住。如果优婆塞计算价格来给人治病，病治好后又卖东西，这样的优婆塞不是如法安住。如果优婆塞违反官府或私人的规定，就不是如法安住。如果优婆塞自己不做恶事，也不教唆别人做恶事，心里不思念恶事，这才能称为如法安住。如果优婆塞因为客人烦恼所引起的罪过，做了之后不生惭愧和后悔之心，就不是如法安住。如果优婆塞为了保全自己的身命，去做各种恶事，就不是如法安住。如果优婆塞虽然得到了人身，却做不合法的事情，不能称为人。如果得到信心，能够行作福德，好好地修正念，观察一切法都是无常、无我、无我所，对于一切法心里没有执取，看到一切法都不能自在，都是生灭、苦、空，没有寂静；人身难以得到，即使得到人身，也难以具备诸根（感官）；即使具备诸根，也难以得到正见；即使具备正见，也难以得到信心；即使得到信心，也难以遇到善友；即使遇到善友，也难以听闻正法；即使听闻正法，也难以接受和奉持；能够这样观察，这才能称为人身。如果人能够观察欲界是无常的，乃至非想非非想处（最高禅定境界）都是无常的，因为这个缘故，不追求三恶道乃至非想非非想处。这样观察之后，看到三界都是不坚固的，用不坚固的身体换取坚固的身体：礼拜供养，迎来送往，亲自施舍，亲手操持福德之事，这叫做用不坚固的身体换取坚固的身体。用不坚固的财物换取坚固的财物：
English
English version: ‘If an Upasaka (lay male follower) cannot learn and practice what has been said, belittles a Bhiksu (ordained male monk), goes to listen to the Dharma seeking faults, has no faith or respect, serves external paths, sees their merits, deeply believes in the sun, moon, five planets, and various constellations, such an Upasaka cannot be called firmly abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka, although not personally committing the five evil deeds, instructs others to do them, such an Upasaka is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka takes another's property first, promising to do something but not fulfilling it, such an Upasaka is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka manages official checkpoints or ferries, collecting taxes and selling goods, such an Upasaka is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka calculates prices to treat illnesses, and after treating the illness, sells goods, such an Upasaka is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka violates official or private regulations, he is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka does not personally commit evil deeds, nor instructs others to do them, and does not think of evil thoughts in his mind, this is called abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka, due to the sins arising from a guest's afflictions, does not feel shame or remorse after committing them, he is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka, for the sake of his own life, commits various evil deeds, he is not abiding in the Dharma. If an Upasaka, although having obtained a human body, engages in unlawful actions, he cannot be called a human. If one obtains faith, is able to perform meritorious deeds, properly cultivates right mindfulness, observes that all dharmas are impermanent, without self, and without anything belonging to self, and has no attachment to any dharma in his mind, sees that all dharmas are not independent, are subject to arising and ceasing, suffering, and emptiness, without tranquility; the human body is difficult to obtain, and even if one obtains a human body, it is difficult to possess all the senses; even if one possesses all the senses, it is difficult to obtain right view; even if one possesses right view, it is difficult to obtain faith; even if one obtains faith, it is difficult to encounter good friends; even if one encounters good friends, it is difficult to hear the right Dharma; even if one hears the right Dharma, it is difficult to accept and uphold it; being able to observe in this way, this is called a human body. If a person can observe that the desire realm is impermanent, and even the realm of neither perception nor non-perception (the highest state of meditative absorption) is impermanent, for this reason, he does not seek the three evil paths or even the realm of neither perception nor non-perception. After observing in this way, seeing that the three realms are impermanent, using the impermanent body to exchange for a permanent body: paying homage and making offerings, welcoming and seeing off, personally giving, personally engaging in meritorious deeds, this is called using the impermanent body to exchange for a permanent body. Using impermanent wealth to exchange for permanent wealth: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
自食用亦以布施，供给病瘦行路之人，供养沙门、婆罗门等贫穷下贱，是名以不坚财易于坚财。以不坚命易于坚命：修于六念、慈悲喜舍，证四真谛，善能观察生老病死，明信善恶业之果报，定知恩爱当有别离，一切众生不得自在，未得圣道，生死力大，一切世乐常与苦俱，虽复受之，心不染着，犹如寒月求火自暖，虽复为之，终不作恶。修忍二施以润众生，深观苦乐其性平等。凡所发言，言则柔软，善化众生，令如法住，远离恶友，心无放逸，饮酒、博弈、射猎之事悉不为之，是名以不坚之命易于坚命。 “善男子！若得人身，多饶财物，兼得自在，先应供养父母、师长、和上、耆旧、持法之人，供给远至、初行之人，疾病所须。言则柔软，多有惭愧，不偏信敬有德一人，见有贤圣持戒、多闻，能以舍宅、饮食、卧具、衣服、病药而供养之，深言僧中多有功德，修集向道得须陀洹果，乃至能修向阿罗汉，得阿罗汉果，修金刚三昧、电光三昧。观如是已，平等奉施。如是施已，得无量福，是故我于《鹿子经》中告鹿子母曰：‘虽复请佛及五百阿罗汉，犹故不得名请僧福。若能僧中施一似像极恶比丘，犹得无量福德果报。何以故？如是比丘虽是恶人，无戒、多闻，不修善法，亦能演说三种菩提，有因有果，亦不诽 现代汉语译本 自己食用也用来布施，供给体弱多病和在路上行走的人，供养沙门（出家修道者）、婆罗门（祭司）等贫穷之人，这叫做用不坚固的财富换取坚固的财富。用不坚固的生命换取坚固的生命：修习六念（念佛、念法、念僧、念戒、念施、念天）、慈悲喜舍四无量心，证悟四真谛（苦、集、灭、道），善于观察生老病死，明确相信善恶业的果报，确定知道恩爱终将有别离，一切众生都不得自在，未证得圣道之前，生死的力量强大，一切世间的快乐常常与痛苦相伴，即使享受这些快乐，内心也不执着，就像寒冷时节寻求火来取暖一样，即使做了这些事，最终也不会作恶。修习忍辱和布施来滋润众生，深刻地观察痛苦和快乐，它们的本质是平等的。凡是所说的话，都柔和温顺，善于教化众生，使他们能够如法安住，远离恶友，内心没有放逸，饮酒、赌博、射猎的事情都不做，这叫做用不坚固的生命换取坚固的生命。 ‘善男子！如果得到人身，拥有很多财富，并且得到自在，首先应当供养父母、师长、和尚（亲教师）、年长者、持法之人，供给远道而来、刚开始修行的人，以及疾病所需。说话柔和，多有惭愧之心，不偏袒地尊敬有德之人，见到有贤圣之人持戒、多闻，能够用房舍、饮食、卧具、衣服、医药来供养他们，深刻地说僧众之中有很多功德，修习趋向圣道的行持，证得须陀洹果（预流果），乃至能够修习趋向阿罗汉的行持，证得阿罗汉果，修习金刚三昧、电光三昧。观察这些之后，平等地奉献布施。这样布施之后，得到无量的福报，所以我在《鹿子经》中告诉鹿子母说：‘即使请佛和五百阿罗汉，仍然不能称为请僧的福报。如果能在僧众中布施给一个外表看起来极其恶劣的比丘（出家男子），仍然能得到无量的福德果报。为什么呢？这样的比丘虽然是恶人，没有戒律、多闻，不修习善法，也能演说三种菩提（自觉、觉他、觉行圆满），有因有果，也不会诽谤’