Disclaimer: My translations are not official nor endorsed by 2OR, so please just treat it as a ‘fan-based’ translation based on my understanding of his teachings. The Buddha-Dharma is profound. No matter how you convey it, it won’t be completely perfect. Because the Buddha-Dharma is an experience, it’s an awakening 【佛法深奥无比，怎么写，都不会是究竟圆满。佛法是一种悟】. I am not an enlightened being like Master Lu, but I will treat his teachings with my utmost respect and do my best to convey and translate it to the best of my (limited) abilities for my friends and people who can’t read Chinese. Please enjoy, and I hope it serves as a good filler until the official English version comes out.
我们为什么要苦修行，因为苦修行能提升你的境界，让你的境界越来越提升。你们嘴巴里讲提升境界，那么境界是怎样提升呢？什么叫境界？境界是看不见，摸不着的，就像有些刚刚到澳洲来的人，没有境界，到公共厕所里拿人家的手纸回家，加了汽油不付钱就走了，随地吐痰等，这就叫没有境界。在澳洲呆的时间长了，境界自然跟着提升了，现在还会拿人家的手纸吗？ 加油不付钱吗？还会随地吐痰吗？这就叫看不见的境界，因为他知道爱护环境卫生是人人有责，所以他的境界随着环境的变化自然就提高了，这么干净的地方没有人乱吐痰，你自然就不会随地吐痰了，这就叫境界。因为你们知道，现在有很多人在吃苦，我们必须要救度他们，当你的这个境界提高了，你才会有菩萨的境界，道理很简单。但是必须先提升自己的境界，不要在乎任何物质上的享受。今天开了好车了，还想要更好的。今天有吃的了，还想有更多的。今天睡了，还想在多睡一会，很多人在爬不起来的时候，想能再多躺一会多好。这些都是属于贪欲。
Why must we practise asceticism? It’s because asceticism can alleviate your level of spirituality and cause it to increase. You keep saying that you are increasing your level of spirituality, then how does one increase their level of spirituality? What is the level of spirituality? One’s level of spirituality can’t be seen and is intangible. Some people had just arrived in Australia; they don’t have any level of spirituality. When they go to public toilets, they take with them other people’s tissues back home. When they add fuel, they don’t pay and drive away. They casually spit on the streets, all of this behaviour indicates a lack of spirituality. After living in Australia for some time, one’s level of spirituality will naturally ascend. Would one still take other people’s tissues? Would one still drive away without paying for fuel? Would one still casually spit on the streets? That is known as the implicit level of spirituality, it’s because the person has learnt that everybody bears responsibility for the protection of the environment and hygiene, that’s why their level of spirituality will acclimatise with the environment (external conditions) and naturally ascend. It’s because a clean place will not have anybody casually spitting in public space, that’s why the person will also learn to refrain from doing it, that is ‘level of spirituality’. It’s because you know that many people are suffering right now, that’s why we must save and spiritually awaken them. When your level of spirituality increases, you’ll possess the same level of spirituality as the Bodhisattvas’, the principle is simple to understand. But one must first increase their level of spirituality, and not concerned with the indulgence in material goods. “Today, I’m already driving a high-quality car; I want to drive something even better.” Or, “Today, I already have something to eat, but I want to eat more,” or, “Today, I have slept already, but I want to sleep a bit more.” Many people who can’t get up, would think to themselves, “Wouldn’t it be great if I can lie for a bit more.” These are all classified as desires.
愉快的时光过的快，苦的时间过的慢，这就是为什么在地府的时间过得慢，而在天上的时间过得快。其实人间就有天堂和地狱，关在监狱里的人，天天度日如年。而天天在开心，吃喝玩乐的人，他的时间就过得快，这就是人间的天堂和地狱。苦修行实际上讲的一个重要的问题就是约束你自己，苦修行就是要把自己约束起来，使自己精神能专一。犹如我今天是一个学生，在家里做功课，我为了能考上大学，把自己捆绑起来，这个捆绑是把门关起来，把电视机搬出去，把游戏机关闭，把所有的电话切断，目的是为了让自己学习能专一，精神能集中。
Good times pass by very quickly, while bad times seem to pass very slowly. That is why time seems to pass slowly in the underworld, while time seems to pass quickly in heaven. In reality, heaven and hell already exist in the human realm. People who are locked in prison would feel that every passing day seems like a year to them. While people who are happy every day and indulge in worldly pleasures would feel that time pass very quickly. That is the human realm’s version of heaven and hell. Ascetism, in reality, is about learning to restrain oneself. It is about restraining oneself so that they can focus their spirit. Just like how a student is doing homework at home, because they aim to qualify and be admitted to a top university, they would tie themselves up, lock themselves in the room and move away all distractions like TVs, video games, telephone etc., all to keep their mind focused on learning, and so they can concentrate.
师父给你们讲一个真实的故事，有一个人为了让自己的孩子能考上悉尼最好的大学，他四年没有看电视，就看报子，他把家里的电视机全部收起来，谁都不准看电视，这就叫约束自己。你们跟随师父学佛，师父要不要约束你们呢？如果师父不约束你们，你们就会乱看，思想就不会专一，就不能一门精进修学。约束自己使自己的精神专一，才能达到定，就是说能约束自己的人，这个人才能达到定力。我要学佛，我要约束自己，我不能乱看，不能乱想，不能乱讲，不能有杂念，祈求观世音菩萨帮助我驱除我的杂念，观世音菩萨一定会帮助你的。要记住约束自己苦修行，就是得如来智慧，就是得佛菩萨的智慧。当一个人定得住的时候，才能产生智慧。
Master will now tell you a real-life story. A parent, for the sake of helping his child to be admitted into one of Sydney’s best universities, for four years, he hasn’t watched the TV nor read the newspapers. He stored the TV and other distractions away; no one was allowed to watch it, now that is self-restraint. You are following Master to learn Buddhism, has Master required you to restrain yourself? If Master didn’t teach you to restrain yourself, then you will look at other things, and your thoughts won’t be focused, and you won’t be able to cultivate wholeheartedly and single-mindedly. Restraining yourself will cause you to focus, so you’ll be able to attain higher concentration. In other words, people who can practise self-restraint are people who possess the power of concentration. “I want to learn Buddhism so I must practise self-restraint, I mustn’t mindlessly watch, or mindlessly think or mindlessly speak, I must not have distracting thoughts. I pray that Guan Yin Bodhisattva can help me remove my distracting thoughts.” Guan Yin Bodhisattva will definitely help you. Take note that practising self-restraint and asceticism will help you attain the wisdom of suchness, the wisdom of the Buddha-Bodhisattvas. When a person can concentrate, they will develop wisdom.
任何时候都要约束自己，你是菩萨，你是有形象的，笑都不能乱笑，要学会克制自己，那才叫约束自己，那才叫学佛。人要有尊严，约束是非常重要，定力就是靠约束得来的，想做的不能乱做，想吃的不能乱吃，跟随师父学佛法，就是要约束自己，要想修成正果就是要约束自己，克制自己，才能带来心中的法喜。因为你克制了之后，那种开心是从内心的开心，而不是外表的触目型的开心 。比如：你吃到东西了，那种开心是临时的，因为就在你这么几寸喉管的地方，吃进去的时候有感觉，咽下去子就没有感觉了，对不对呀？
You must restrain yourself at any moment; you are a Bodhisattva, you have an image, even when you smile, you can’t mindlessly smile, you must learn to control yourself, that’s self-restraint, that’s learning Buddhism. One must have dignity; self-restraint is very important, the power of concentration depends on self-restraint. You mustn’t mindlessly think about something you want to think about; you mustn’t mindlessly eat something you want to eat. When you follow Master in learning the Buddha-Dharma, you must restrain yourself; if you want your cultivation to succeed, you must restrain yourself. Only by controlling yourself can you bring out the dharma-bliss within your mind. It’s because after you have controlled yourself, the kind of happiness you experience is something that stems from within, not the kind of superficial eye-catching happiness. For example, when you eat something you like, that kind of happiness is temporary. That’s because you can only sense and taste the food you ingest on your few-inches-long tongue, but after you swallowed it, you no longer have any feelings, right?
那你就是为了几寸的喉管，你来享受，这种开心有什么意思呢？心中开心了，叫静安开心，因为心很安静，很平安，那种开心是可以保持一定的时间的，要学这些东西。师父今天对得起观世音菩萨，全世界的人只要称师父是菩萨，那师父就是做得对，我就对得起观世音菩萨了。如果全世界的人都在骂我的话，那我就是做错了。师父现在付出的是生命，换来大家崇敬菩萨爱观世音菩萨，是在救人，我们修的是乐行。什么叫乐行？就是快乐的修行，我们必须要用快乐来修行，快乐的修行外人看我们是苦修行，实际上我们自己很快乐，那才是乐修，乐行。你今天帮助人家的时候，快乐不快乐？
Then it means for the sake of your few-inches-long tongue; you indulged, what meaning is there to this kind of happiness? When your mind is happy, it’s known as tranquil happiness, because this happiness is in a state of tranquillity and peace. This kind of happiness can be maintained for a long period, you learn must these kinds of things. Master has not let down Guan Yin Bodhisattva. If people around the world address Master as a Bodhisattva, then it means he has done it right. If people around the world scolds Master, then it means he has done wrong. Master is devoting his life in exchange for your respects to the Bodhisattvas and love for Guan Yin Bodhisattva, we are saving others, and we are practising a blissful-cultivation. What is blissful-cultivation? It means we must use happiness to cultivate. Although people may see us as practising asceticism, in reality, we are happy, that’s blissful-cultivation. When you are helping others, are you happy or not?
就像有人说我：“卢台长，你吃素这么多年，你好苦呀，你连海鲜都不能吃，你白来人间活一次。”你们说我活得开心吗？当然开心了。人家说我瘦，我还说这是健康美呢，人家想瘦还瘦不下来呢，我们活得很开心，人家看我们不重要，重要的是自己认为开心那才是开心，明白了吗？救度众生是最开心的事情，是最伟大的事情，今天能够救度一个人的命，那是胜造七级浮屠呀，要活得有意义，活着时，人家尊敬你，崇拜你。死了之后，人家纪念你。
Like how some people say to me, “Master Lu, you’ve been a vegetarian for so many years, life must be very hard for you, you can’t even eat any seafood, you’ve wasted your life here in the human realm.” What’s your opinion, do you think that Master’s happy? Of course, he is. Some people said he looked thin, but he replied that it’s a healthy-kind of beauty, many people want to slim down but can’t. We live very happily, how others see us are unimportant, what’s most important is how happy we see ourselves. If we think that we’re happy, then we are happy, you understand? Saving and spiritually awakening sentient beings are the happiest thing to do, and the greatest thing to do. If today, you can spiritually save somebody, then it’s better than building a seven-storey pagoda. You must live meaningfully, so when you’re alive, others will respect you, and when you die, others will commemorate you.
世界上的五种欲望我们能控制，能节制，有规律的去修行，我们就是快乐行。五种欲望大家都知道，前面已讲过了，我们不要贪名利，我们要节制它，控制它。我明明不能吃荤腥，但是我控制不住，那我就节制，少吃一点，再不行我们就有规律的去控制它，有规律的就是有节制的去控制它，让自己尽量初一，十五吃素，这就是有规律的节制，控制自己这两天吃素，然后我十天吃素，再来我一个月吃素，最后就可以吃全素了。自然而来的修心，就是很自然来的修心，我很自然的接受了，如吃素，很自然的节制了自己的贪欲，食欲等等这就叫乐行，就是快乐的行为，快乐的修行。
If we can control, restrain and cultivate the five desires in this world with discipline, then we will experience blissful-cultivation. The five desires were already mentioned previously; we must not desire for fame or fortune, we must restrain and control it. We clearly mustn’t eat meat, but if we can’t control it, then eat less. If we can’t do that, then we must use rules to control it, for example like doing our best to eat a vegetarian diet for a whole day for the 1st and 15th day of the lunar month. That is a kind of rule to control it, so that we start by adopting a plant-based diet for two days a month, and then ten days a month, and then maybe try doing it for a whole month, then finally become a life-long vegetarian. Let the urge to cultivate the mind come naturally, so that we naturally accept like, like becoming a vegetarian, and then one will naturally control their different kinds of desires. That’s blissful-cultivation.
每天睡觉自然的醒了，舒服不舒服？如果睡觉是不自然的醒了，闹钟一响，你难过不难过？修心就是要修自然的东西。对人也是要这样，要自然，吃素也要自然。我不贪钱，我也很自然。我不贪睡，我也很自然，那才叫修心，那才叫养性。不知道的人还以为师父在给你们讲养生之道呢，其实，修心和养生之道是一样的，修心的人活得长呀，这个活得长说的是阳间（人间）的。如果对世界上的五欲六尘，你不钻进去的话，你就活得长呀，常言到：饭后百步走，活到九十九。这都是养生之道。遇事不怒，讲的也是养生之道呀。所以我们要追寻精神上的欢乐，而不是肉体上的欢乐，肉体上的欢乐很快就结束了，而精神上的欢乐是永远的。
Every day when you wake up naturally from sleep, doesn’t it feel comfortable? If you don’t naturally wake up from sleep but forced to wake up because of the alarm going off, don’t you feel upset? Cultivation of the mind is to cultivate natural things. Treating others are the same, it should be natural, to adopt a vegetarian diet should also be a natural process. “I’m not greedy for money; I do things naturally. I’m not greedy for sleep, I do things naturally,” that’s what cultivation of the mind is about, that’s what cultivation of one’s nature is about. If others didn’t know, they might misunderstand that Master is teaching you the way of preserving one’s health. Cultivation of the mind and preserving one’s health is the same, cultivators of the mind will live long in the human realm. If you avoid making contact with the world’s five desires and six defilements, you’ll live very long. There’s a saying, “Walk one hundred steps after finishing your dinner and you will live up to ninety-nine years old.” That’s a way of preserving one’s health. Don’t get angry after encountering a frustrating incident, that’s also a way of preserving one’s health. That’s why we must seek spiritual happiness, not physical happiness. Physical happiness ends quickly end while spiritual happiness lasts forever.
我们追求的是一种精神上的爱，而不是肉体上的，不是人间的短暂的，更不是一种带着苦的爱。真正的快乐在哪里？要懂得真正的快乐，是在人的精神里，因为你的精神满足了，你就有快乐了。你所有的痛苦就是因为你的精神不满足，才带来了痛苦。要自然产生快乐，一个人气很足的时候，就会产生快乐。气足就是因为我很干净，因为我很开心，所以我气足，这个人气足的时候，是不会生病的，是很快乐的。你们去听听看，生病的人的声音，都是有气无力的，气不足了，气不足是怎么来的呢？就是因为痛苦，想不开，气就不足了。
What we are pursuing is a kind of spiritual love, not one based on the physical, nor is it based on the human realm’s impermanence, nor is it a kind of love based on suffering where true happiness is found. You must understand true happiness is found in a person’s mental state. If you are mentally sufficient, then you are happy. The reason why you are suffering is that you are mentally insufficient. One must naturally produce happiness. When one’s energy is sufficient, they will produce happiness. One’s energy becomes sufficient because one is very pure and happy. When one’s energy is sufficient, they won’t develop illnesses; they are very happy. Just listen to the voices of the people who are sick, their voice is weak, which indicates a lack of energy. Why does lack of energy occur and become insufficient? It’s because of suffering and obstructed thoughts.
所以学佛的人要懂得气足，气足带来精神上的愉悦，就是欢快感，因为气足是一种内在的表现，师父讲给你们听它的内在表现形式是轻安，刚给你们讲了一个叫静安，现在给你们讲一个叫轻安，就是当一个人很开心的时候，他是一种轻安，就是轻松，没有烦恼就轻松了，嘴巴里怎么会哼小调的？就是因为没有烦恼了，开心呀。
That’s why Buddhists should learn how to keep their energy sufficient; then it will bring mental bliss because it’s an expression of what’s within. Master tells you that its internal form of expression is relaxed-peace. Just then he mentioned tranquillity; now it’s relaxed-peace. In other words, when a person is happy, they’re in a state of relaxed-peace, or relaxation. When one isn’t stressed, they are relaxed. Why do people start humming? It’s because they don’t have afflictions, they’re happy.
人不识字没有关系，但是不能不懂道理，不懂道理这个人就白活了，所以，世俗人的快乐是靠接触，而修行的人是靠内心的知足，我们是修行的人，心里知足了，那么就很快乐了，心里不知足就感觉很难受，很苦。
If a person is illiterate, it doesn’t matter, but they must not be unreasonable. People who are unreasonable are ruining their life. The happiness of worldly people depends on what they encounter, while cultivators’ happiness is dependent on the level of contentment within their mind. When they are content, they are happy; if they aren’t content, then they experience suffering.
接下来给大家讲一个“通”字，我们经常讲要想得通，什么是想得通？想不通？通是你想的，什么事情都是你想得，最后是一个通字，你去想，如果你的后面没有这个通字，你是想的，永远是你想得，通字就是你想通了。什么是通？ 通经络，你脑子通了，心通了，身体也通了，你这个运程也会好的，想得通的人不会生病，因为他的气脉通了（全部打开了）。
Next, Master will talk about the word ‘clear’. We regularly say that one must think clearly, what does it mean? Also, what does it mean to think unclearly? The word ‘clear’ is about how you think, everything stems from the mind, so in the end, it’s how you think. If you don’t think clearly, then you’ll keep thinking about it, and there’s no outlet for it. If you think clearly, then after you think, the thought is gone. What is ‘clear’? It indicates that your meridian channel is clear, your brain, your heart and your whole body is clear, so your fortunes will be good. People who think clearly will not develop any illnesses because their qi channels are clear (all opened).
告诉大家要彻底的认识自己，一个人要彻底的认识自己，很多人不认识自己，还以为自己很了不起，了不得了，我就是这个样子，你是谁呀 ？要彻底的认识自己，实际上就是认识了佛菩萨。因为你真正的了解了自己的本性，你最原始的根，你就是认识了佛菩萨。
Everybody must thoroughly know themselves. Many people still don’t know themselves, and also thinks they are extraordinary, “I am this and this.” Who are you? You must thoroughly know yourself, in reality, it’s to get to know of the Buddha-Bodhisattvas. It’s because when you truly understand your inherent nature, which is your original source, then you’ll understand the Buddha-Bodhisattvas.
常常责备自己的人，往往能得到他人的谅解。哎呀，我做错了，对不起了，人家就会原谅你了。 我没有错，我就是这样的，谁原谅你呀。如果不了解自己，又经常去责备别人，最后弄得自己痛苦不堪，自己都不知道自己做的对不对。常讲这个不好，那个不好，最后大家都讲你不好，弄得自己痛苦不堪，不要去讲人家，讲人家一定会讲到自己的，结果自己就会很痛苦，你怎么会被人家讲的，就是你自己嘴巴讲人家了，人家才会讲你的，这是人间最起码的道理，也是佛理。一个人真的做人做到常责备自己，原谅他人，这个人就是菩萨。
People who regularly blame themselves are usually able to receive other’s sympathy. “Oh I made a mistake, I’m sorry.” Then others will forgive you. “I’m like this, so what?” Then who would forgive you? If one doesn’t know themselves, and regularly blame others, they will suffer unspeakably in the end; they don’t even know what they’re doing is right or wrong. People who regularly complains that this is bad or that is no good would cause others to say that they’re in the wrong, and they suffer in the end. So don’t say bad about others. Otherwise others will say bad about you. As a result, you suffer. Why would others talk about you? It’s because you talked about others first, so they started talking about you. This is one of the basic principles of the human realm; it is also one of Buddha’s principles. If a person can regularly only blame themselves and forgive others, then this person is a Bodhisattva.
忍人所不能忍，行人所不能行，在佛法上叫大雄。人家不能做的我去做，人家讲我，我不能容忍的我一定要容忍。许多寺庙都有“大雄宝殿”，里面都有许多的佛菩萨，佛菩萨的一个基本点是什么？就是忍人所不能忍，行人所不能行。人学佛之后，如果你远离了恶习，学佛之后你今天不去做坏事，不去动坏脑筋，你就离幸福近了。你想幸福吗？你想越来越好吗？改掉你身上的恶习，你就幸福了。
Forbear what normal people can’t forbear, do what normal people can’t do, it’s known as ‘Mahavira (great victor)’ in the Buddha-Dharma. “I’ll do what others can’t do, when others slander me, even if I can’t forbear it, I’ll still forbear it. Many monasteries possess a Mahavira hall when it enshrines representations of many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. What is one of the foundations of the Buddha-Bodhisattvas? It’s that they forbear what normal people can’t forbear, and do what normal people can’t do. After learning Buddhism, if you have separated from your unwholesome habitual behaviours, then you won’t do bad things anymore, you won’t think unwholesome thoughts, you get closer to worldly blessings. Do you want to be blessed? Do you want to improve your wellbeing? If you can change your unwholesome habitual behaviours, then you become blessed.
佛菩萨就是觉悟的众生。因为你这个众生觉悟了之后，你就变成佛菩萨了，而众生就是还没有觉悟的菩萨。你们是不是众生？你们心中是不是有佛？你们心中是不是有菩萨？但是你们没有觉悟，所以你们不能被称为菩萨，只能称为凡人。
Buddha-Bodhisattvas are enlightened sentient beings. It’s because when you, a sentient being, become enlightened, then you transform into a Buddha-Bodhisattva, while sentient beings are unenlightened Bodhisattvas. Are you a sentient being? Do you possess Buddha or the Bodhisattvas in your mind? But you aren’t enlightened yet, so you can’t be called a Bodhisattva, only a mortal.
心量狭小的人，烦恼多。气量越小，烦恼越多。心量广大的人，智慧非常的丰饶。也就是说当一个气量很大的人，这个人是非常有智慧的。有些人喜欢吵架，对方不跟你吵，这个人就是有智慧的人，心量大。如果跟着一起吵架，那么这个人也是小人。如果夫妻两个一起吵架，那么两个都是小人。
People who are narrow-minded will have a lot of afflictions. If they are also intolerant, their afflictions become greater. People who are greatly tolerant possesses abundant wisdom. Some people like to pick a fight, but if the other person doesn’t quarrel or react, then they are very wise, they are tolerant. If they also argue back, then it means they possess a low level of spirituality. If both couples argue with each other, then it means both of them possess a low level of spirituality.
佛菩萨说：“诸恶莫作，众善奉行，自净其意。”所有的善我都去做，所有的恶我全部不去做，要把自己所有的意念，好好的转变为干净的意念，这才叫菩萨。如果人人都能够积极地行善，不做恶事，人间哪里还有邪恶？人间将到处都会充满爱心和欢乐。
The Buddha-Bodhisattvas said, “Refrain from committing unwholesome deeds, cultivate all wholesome deeds, purify the mind.” Perform everything that is considered virtuous, while refrain from doing anything unwholesome, and one must properly transform all thought into pure thoughts; then they are a Bodhisattva. If everybody makes their best effort in performing virtuous deeds and not does any unwholesome deeds, where would you find evil in the human realm? Everywhere in the human realm will be filled with love and joy.
愚痴的人，一直想要别人来了解他。这就是愚痴的人，你知道吗？ 我很好的，我过去怎么样怎么样的，只有愚痴的人才会这样做，这样说的，愚痴的人总想让人家了解自己。而有智慧的人，却努力的了解自己。经常了解自己的人，才是一个有智慧的人，因为当他了解自己的时候，他就知道自己应该怎么做了，他就知道自己所做的一切是对还是错，这就是有智慧的人。没有智慧的人，傻傻的，总想让人家来了解自己，有本事自己了解自己，把自己了解清楚。以为自己很聪明，跑出去给人家不停的讲，这个世上没有一个比你笨的，你讲出来，你就是这世上最愚蠢的人, 菩萨不会要一个不肯承认自己错误，而造出因果的人。因果是担当、承受，所以学佛要学要领，学精神。
A foolish person constantly wants others to understand them, that’s an act of foolishness, you understand? “I’m very good, in the past I’m this and that.” Only foolish people will act and talk like that; foolish people generally want others to understand them. While the wise will make the best effort to know themselves. People who regularly understand themselves are people who possess wisdom. That’s because when one understands themselves, they know what they should do, they then know whether everything they do is right or wrong, that is wisdom. People with no wisdom are foolish and want others to understand them. If you have the ability, know about yourself first and gain clarity. They think they are clever and constantly go to others and talk about themselves. In this world, there is nobody who is more foolish than you, but when you act like that, you are the most foolish person in the world. Bodhisattvas will not help somebody who is not willing to admit their faults and constantly create more karma. One must bear responsibility for their karma and accept it. That’s why one must learn and assimilate the spirit of the Buddha.
