VBS 523
我們為什麼念佛呢？我們在這兒念 一聲佛，極樂世界——我們的蓮花母 親——就生出一朵蓮花來；我們念佛念得越多，蓮花開的就越大；念佛念得越誠懇，蓮花長得越新鮮。我們人死後叫「中陰身」，就是第八識。第八識在沒有做人，也沒有做鬼、做神的時候叫「中陰身」。若誠心念佛， 等我們一死了，中陰身投到蓮花裏邊去，蓮花就開了，一開就現出一個人 來。極樂世界的小孩子是從蓮花生出來的，所以統統都是男人，沒有女人。
Why do we recite the Buddha’s name? Every time we recite the Buddha’s name here, a lotus flower is born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. That lotus is our lotus mother. The more we recite the Buddha’s name, the larger the lotus grows. The more sincerely we recite, the fresher and more radiant it becomes. After a person dies, there is what is called the intermediate body. This refers to the eighth consciousness. Before it has taken rebirth as a human being, a ghost, or a heavenly being, it is called the intermediate body. If we sincerely recite the Buddha’s name, then when we die, our intermediate body enters that lotus flower. The lotus blossoms, and a person appears within it. The children in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are all born from lotus flowers. Therefore, they are all manifested in male form; there are no women there.
談到蓮花化生，不是那麼容易的， 要修很多人所不能修的苦行。要有八種的因緣，才能得到蓮花化生。
But lotus birth is not something that comes easily. One must cultivate ascetic practices that most people cannot cultivate. There are eight causes and conditions that must be fulfilled before one can attain lotus birth.
第一種，至失命不說他過。不要說是小事情，甚至於把生命丟了，也不講他人的過錯。你們想一想，你們誰做得到？有人要你的生命，如果你不向他解釋一下，生命就沒有了；解釋一下，生命就可以有了。什麼樣的解釋？就說「哎！這個事情不怨我，那是他的罪過，他叫我這麼做的，他叫我這麼說的嘛！若不是他，我不會的！這不怪我！」 哦！那麼就沒有罪了。但是他也不講，甚至於 就把自己的生命沒有了，也不說他人的過失。 你們各位想一想，一天到晚講人家的是非，就不會到蓮花化生去了。
The first is: Even at the cost of your life, do not speak of others’ faults. Don’t think this applies only to trivial matters. Even if you had to give up your life, you still would not speak of another person’s faults. Think about it. Which one of you could actually do this? Suppose someone wanted to kill you. If you explained yourself, you could save your life. If you didn’t explain, you would lose it. What kind of explanation? You might say, “Hey, it wasn’t my fault. It was his fault. He told me to do it. He told me to say it. If it hadn’t been for him, I never would have done such a thing. Don’t blame me!” Well, by saying that, you might escape punishment. But a true cultivator still would not say it. Even if it meant losing his own life, he would not expose another person’s faults. Now think about yourselves. If you spend all day long gossiping and talking about other people’s rights and wrongs, you will never attain lotus birth.
第二種，化人令歸三寶。不單教人皈依三寶，而且教一切畜生都皈依三寶行菩薩道。
The second is: Transform beings by leading them to take refuge in the Three Jewels. Not only should you encourage people to take refuge in the Three Jewels, you should also teach all living beings—even animals—to take refuge in the Three Jewels and cultivate the Bodhisattva Path.
第三種，安置一切於菩提心。無論什麼，把 一切都安置到菩提心裏邊，幫助你發菩提心。 所謂一切，指一切的善事，都安放到菩提心裏邊。這是第三。
The third is: Establish everything in a Bodhi mind. Whatever wholesome deeds there are, place them all within a Bodhi mind. Let every good deed nourish and strengthen your resolve for enlightenment. This is the third cause and condition.
第四種，梵行不染。梵行，就是清淨行，不貪、不瞋、不癡。精修梵行，修得一點貪心也沒有了。你不要聽經的時候沒有貪心了，不聽經的時候貪心又出來了。或者甚至於聽經的時候，我一講說不要有貪心，你聽了就說：「講這個道理？我最歡喜貪心了，為什麼要沒有貪心？！」就發了脾氣。一發脾氣，以後就不聽經了，我睡覺都好過聽經。你看，精修梵行， 就是微細微細處都不要生貪心，不要見了人一供養，供養一堆garbage（垃圾），就在垃圾裏要找黃金了、找珠寶。不要這麼樣子！那麼樣太沒有價值。
The fourth is: Practice pure conduct, undefiled. Pure conduct means cultivating purity—free from greed, anger, and delusion. Cultivate until there is not the slightest bit of greed left. Don’t be free of greed only while you’re listening to the Dharma, and then let greed return as soon as the lecture is over. Some people even get angry when they hear that they shouldn’t be greedy. “What’s wrong with greed?” they say. “I like being greedy! Why shouldn’t I be?” Then they lose their temper. Once they’ve gotten angry, they stop listening to the Dharma altogether. They think sleeping is better than listening to lectures. To cultivate pure conduct means not giving rise to greed, even in the subtlest places. Suppose someone makes an offering of a pile of garbage. Don’t start digging through the garbage looking for gold or jewels. Don’t be like that! It’s simply not worth it.
第五種，造佛形像安蓮花座。你要造佛形像，把佛像安到蓮花座上，這也可以得到蓮花化生。
The fifth is: Make images of the Buddha and enshrine them upon lotus pedestals. Create images of the Buddha and place them respectfully upon lotus thrones. This, too, is a cause and condition for attaining lotus birth.
第六種，能除眾生憂惱。眾生憂愁的不得了，這件事情他不能解決問題，你想法子幫他解決，解決眾生的憂惱。但是你解決了，你不要說：「啊，你要謝謝我，我幫你解決這個問題了！」不要這樣。要幫人解決問題，還像沒有這麼一回事。
The sixth is: Relieve living beings of their worries and distress. When someone is troubled because he cannot solve a problem, help him find a solution. But after you’ve helped him, don’t say, “You should thank me. I solved your problem for you.” Don’t be like that. Help others as though you had done nothing at all.
第七種，於貢高人常自謙下。對於貢高的人，願意first、願意第一的人，你應該對他謙 下一點。你如果有貢高心，那不能蓮花化生。
The seventh is: Be humble toward those who are arrogant. Some people always want to be first. They are proud and self-important. Toward such people, you should be humble. If you yourself have an arrogant mind and always want to come out on top, you cannot attain lotus birth.
第八種，不惱他人。不令他人生煩惱，你不要做事情：「啊，你要做這個…，你要照這個…。」你不能以為：「哦！我是first，我要叫你做這個…。」不可以的！ 所以極樂世界的人沒有欲，都是由阿彌陀佛的願力而化生的。琉璃世界呢？都是藥師琉璃光如來他的願力所化成的世界，所以也沒有女人。
The eighth is: Do not trouble others. Do not cause people to become afflicted. Don’t go around ordering everyone about: “Do this!” “Do that!” Don’t think, “I’m number one. Everyone has to listen to me.” That is not the proper way. Therefore, the beings in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are free from sensual desire. They are all born through the power of the vows of Amitabha Buddha. The same is true of the Lapis Lazuli World, which came into being through the vows of Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathāgata. Therefore, there are no women there, either. ♦