Disclaimer: The translations are not official nor endorsed by 2OR, so please just treat it as a ‘fan-based’ translation. 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】. Please enjoy, and I hope it serves as a good filler until the official English version comes out.
女孩子稍微化化妆，人家看着很漂亮，如果浓妆艳 抹的，走出来像个什么样子啊？什么东西过头了，就没有了美感。所以吃东西的时候，要想到“我少吃一点，我够了”；一碗汤喝两口，真好喝，如果你把一大碗都喝下去，你还有胃口吗？所以，中国茶文化里过去上茶都是一点点来的，喝茶可以看出你的品质，看出你的风格，这些都是有窍门的，拿一个盖子慢慢地把茶叶弄弄，就看你的稳重。如果你今天来跟别人谈生意，他看你喝茶的样子，就知道你的为人素质。
When girls put on light makeup, then they look pretty. If their makeup was heavy, how would that look? When anything is in excess, then it loses its beauty. That’s why when you eat, you must always think that you should eat slightly less and you are full. When you drink a small bowl of soup, it tastes very delicious. If you drink a very large bowl of soup instead, would you still think that it still taste good? That’s why in Chinese tea culture, people drink tea in very small sips. People could discern the quality of your character and your style by looking at how you drink your tea. There is a trick to it. When they see you slowly savouring the tea making process, they can see that you are a steady person. If you are discussing business with somebody, they would be observing how you drink your tea to discern your character.
中国茶道文化和饮食文化在桌子上都是一样的。你 慢慢地把茶杯拿起来，手不抖，说明你今天心不慌。然后，你很耐心地把茶叶去掉，慢慢地用嘴巴吹一吹，再慢慢地喝下去，这叫什么？胸有成竹。你今天能够这么稳得住，你这个人做事情一定能够成功。你看我们现在有的人，拿起茶杯就喝，马上烫得全部吐出来，这种人能够做什么事情啊？学中国的文化，学佛教的禅，都是一种意境和意念。所以师父跟你们讲，“少吃一口”是原则，经常说“我够了，我饱了”就是圆融啊。
Chinese tea culture and food culture are the same. When you bring the teacup over to your lips to sip, and your hands aren’t shakey, then it means that you aren’t nervous. Then if you patiently filter out the tea leaves, and slowly give the tea a blow to cool it down and then proceed to sip it slowly, it shows that you are confident. If you could remain steady, then it means you have a great chance of success when doing something. Just take a look at how people drink nowadays. They take the cup of tea and directly drink it unknowingly whilst it’s still hot, and they get burned and have to spit it out immediately. What kind of things could they accomplish? Chinese culture and Buddhist zen philosophy teach a kind of artistic conception and ideal. Those who frequently think that they have enough and they don’t need more are worldly-wise individuals.
我们要住得简朴，一个人住得越简朴，越是容易开 悟。这句话怎么理解呢？住得简单一点，怎么会容易开悟呢？因为经常忆苦思甜啊。我有一个房间住，我够了，我住得很简单、很简陋，我出去看见什么都开心，因为家比较简陋，到外面看什么东西都有兴趣，都觉得很好；如果你的家很豪华，你到外面看什么都不满意。所以，住得简朴能够对社会产生感恩心。同样，因为你自己吃苦了，家里很简朴，你到外面会有一种同情心，想想很多人还没有地方住呢，对不对？所以，不要把自己弄得太奢华，这样你会没有慈悲心。
Our lifestyle should be minimalistic. That way, it’s easier to become awakened. How should we understand this logic? How is it easier to awaken if you live in a simple way? It’s because then you would regularly recall the suffering you experienced in the past and contrast it with the happiness in current times. “I’ve got a room to live in, that’s enough. I live in a very simple and minimalistic place, so when I go outside, I’m very happy and excited to see new things.” If you live in a luxurious place, then you won’t be satisfied with what you see outside. That’s why if you live in a simple place, then you would develop a sense of gratitude towards society. Also, because you are experiencing hardships and your house is very minimalistic, you would also develop a kind of sympathy for others. You would also think about how many people are still homeless, is that right? That’s why don’t be too extravagant with yourself. Otherwise, you won’t have compassion.
最后讲行。衣食住行，行不仅仅是走路，行是行正 道，一个人走路要行正道。人间什么叫正道？就是不要去贪人家的小便宜。你们去看，经常贪人家小便宜的人，就会走偏道。师父跟你们经常讲，不要想着这里可以省几毛钱，那里可以省几块钱，师父教育你们，让你们不要去贪，如果你们经常这样做的话，你们的心会变得非常地狭窄。有些老人家的心态就不好，两块五在澳大利亚能够坐船、坐火车、坐公共汽车，他今天花了两块五，今天出去就要办理五六件事情，要把这个本钱坐回来，他拥有这种心态，你说他的身体会好吗？今天出去办一件事情，想什么时候去办，就什么时候去办，就两块五，付了也就付了，结束了就结束了，为什么为了两块五，我要去五六个地方，要这样折磨自己，弄得自己很累？
Lastly, let’s talk about the subject of travel. The four basic necessities of life, which are clothing, food, housing and travel. Travel isn’t just about how you are moving from place to place, but it also means whether you are walking on a noble path. What is the noble path in the Human Realm? It’s to not go after petty gains. Observe those who regularly go after petty gains from others, don’t they deviate much easier? Master regularly tells you not to think about how you can save a few pennies here and there. He teaches you not to become greedy. If you constantly act like that, you will gradually become more narrow-minded. The attitude of some old people isn’t good. For $2.50 Australian dollars, you ride a boat, train and public buses. So when they spend $2.50, they want to try to do as many things as they could, and they go out and try to do five or six different things. With this kind of attitude, would their health be any good? When you go out to do something, you should do it whenever it’s the right time to do it. Once you’ve spent the $2.50, you’ve spent the $2.50, and that’s that. Why must you force yourself to go out and do five or six different things for the sake of spending the $2.50 and torture yourself? Won’t you be very tired?
人就是要懂得不贪便宜，叫不贪不求。该你的，是 你的缘分，不该你的，很多就是恶缘。今天这个人跟你好，是善缘；这个人今天不愿意跟你好，你硬要去跟他好，可能就是恶缘。所以，看见人间所有的物质，橱窗里的东西，很想买，你们要培养自己不想买任何物品的习惯，不要去想，经常想着自己够了。到商店里去干什么？你们难道没有衣服吗？难道没有床吗？难道家里没有吃的吗？那还跑到商店去转干吗呢？那不是浪费时间吗？学佛人要经常想着自己什么东西都有了，不想买任何东西。一个小孩子说：“我什么都够了。”这就是心满意足，这种孩子就过得很愉快，不满足你才过得很痛苦啊。看见什么都满足了、都够了，这种人才不会去贪，不贪的人不就是知足吗？知足的人不就是常乐吗？
People should know not to be greedy for petty gains. If something should be yours, and you have it, then it’s a karmic affinity. If something shouldn’t be yours and you have a lot of it, then it will become an unwholesome affinity. If somebody treats you well today, it’s a wholesome affinity. If somebody doesn’t want to be in a love relationship with you, and you want to force yourself into it, then it may develop into an unwholesome affinity. That’s why you should cultivate a habit of not wanting to buy anything. Don’t think about it, and regularly think to yourself that you have enough. Why are you going into the shop? Do you not have clothes to wear? Do you have no bed to sleep on? Do you have nothing to eat? What are you doing in the shop to look for? Aren’t you wasting your time? Buddhists should regularly think to themselves that they already have everything they need and don’t need to buy anything. When a child says, “I have enough,” then it means they are content. This kind of children will grow up happily. It’s when they’re discontent that they suffer mentally. People who are content won’t become greedy for other things. Isn’t it true that those who aren’t greedy are usually the people who are content? Isn’t there a saying that happiness lies in contentment?
你们去看那些法师，他们就是用师父经常讲的这些 戒律来严格要求自己，他们从来不逛商场，他们不去买东西，他们觉得什么都够了。师父看到一个法师到师父这里来，拿出帮同修带来的几封信，他把自己背的包袱全部抖出来，师父看了都掉眼泪，里面有一包小纸巾、一个小手电棒、几封信，还有一个小的塑料口袋，里面放了一点点零钱，还有一小盒万金油，哪里痛了就抹一抹，这就是他们一生的家当。跟他们相比，我们贪了太多！师父看了心里就很痛，这就是苦修。
Observe some of the venerable monks. They observe the precepts that Master asked them to and have set strict high standards for themselves. They never go and shop around and buy goods, because they feel that they already have enough. Master once saw a venerable monk who visited him, and he took out a few letters that some of his fellow practitioners asked him to bring. All of his possessions were kept in his one cloth bag. Even Master feels upset when he saw that. The bag contained a small bag of tissues, a small flashlight, a few letters, and a plastic container that contains some change and little money. They also carry a small bottle of medicinal ointment, so when somewhere aches on their body, they rub a bit of it into the area. That’s all of their belongings. Compared to them, we already have too much. Master feels upset when he sees them. That is ascetic cultivation.
你们要知足啊，如果不知足，你会觉得自己活在这 个世界上很难过，知足了，你就会觉得自己怎么会这么幸福啊。当一个人感到幸福的时候，他才会感恩这个世界，感恩社会，感恩自己到这个人间来，感恩大家都在成全自己，才会给自己修心修行带来法喜。
You must learn to be content. If you don’t, it will become very hard for you to live on. When you feel content, you will feel blessed and happy. When somebody feels blessed, then they would develop gratitude towards the world, society, the people around him, and they would be thankful to be in this world. Then they will continue to experience Dharma bliss when they’re cultivating their mind and behaviour.
师父要你们在心中对钱财没有欲望，对物质没有欲 望，经常在心中说“我不需要，我够了”，你才能在心中制止自己的欲望，有效地约束自己。“钱够用吗？” “够了。”“物质还要不要？”“不要了。”你的心中没有欲望，你就能够克制自己。很多母亲说：“孩子只要对我笑一笑，我就满足了。”妈妈的这个欲望越小，她越不心痛啊。很多父母想：“我从小把他养大，他现在怎么这样不理睬我啊？他就这么寄点东西回来，也不回家看我？”这样想了后父母心里就很痛。很多母亲欲望很小，逢年过节孩子从很遥远的地方给自己寄点保健品，自己就很感动了。这就是为什么要克制欲望。
Master wants you to harbour no desire for wealth and possessions in your mind, and that you would constantly think that you already have enough and don’t need any more. Only by having these thoughts would your mind be able to control your desires and restrain yourself effectively. “Do you have enough money?” “Yes.” “Do you still want this?” “I’ve got enough, thanks.” When your mind has no desires, then you can control yourself. Many mothers say that as long as their child smiles when they’re with them, then they’re satisfied. The fewer desires the mother has, the less mental pain they would go through. Many parents have thoughts like, “I’ve raised him for so long, why is he neglecting me? He only sent a few things to us, but he doesn’t come and visit us.” When they think that way, then they’ll be in mental pain. While some parents have few desires. When their child sends over some health supplements from far away, they already feel touched. Now, do you know why you should control your desires?
人一旦有了欲望，欲望就会控制自己。这就要先克 服欲望、降低欲望，每个人要把欲望先降低。过去贪求的，现在还有吗？我们小时候贪了多少东西，我们现在还有吗？我们小时候要了多少东西？新书包、新衣服、新铅笔盒，在学校里跟同学攀比，心眼很小，总觉得自己很了不起，当上了“三好学生”，至少昂首挺胸一两个月，其实这些都是贪，贪来之后又没有了，现在找也找不到。所以，贪心少，烦恼就少，贪心一定要少，你的烦恼一定会少。
When somebody has desires, then their desires control them. That’s why you must learn to minimise your desires to that you can control it instead. Do you still have the things that you have taken out of your desire? When you were little, you wanted and got many toys. Do you still have it? Like your previously new school bag, new clothes, new pencil cases. At school, you liked to compare what you have with your schoolmates. You were self-centred and thought that you were better than everybody. Then if you became an honourary student, then you could proudly puff up your chest for at least a month or two. In reality, all of this is a kind of greed. When you got it, then it’s gone after a while. That’s why the fewer desires you have, the fewer afflictions you have.