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.
师父在帮助人家的时候，我觉得我是在得到，而不是在付出。而通常人的理念是我帮助你，我买东西给你吃，是我对你好，那是我在付出，现在的人都是要回报的，这就是境界 。境界不同的时候，你帮助人家你自己的心里也会不开心的，因为你在帮助人家的时候，哎呀，我做了这么多，他也不理解我。“哎，我是免费给你做的”，话出来了，脸难看了，对不对呀？要明白帮助人家是自己得呀，知道帮助人家你得到多少吗？你得到的是无限的智慧，因为当一个人帮助人家的时候，他得回来的是智慧，是悟性。
When Master helps others, he feels that he gained and not suffered a loss. Whereas for ordinary people, the thought of helping others like buying food for others, treating others well etc., seems to be a kind of incidental expense. The people nowadays seek reciprocation. That is the difference of level of spirituality. When one hasn’t achieved a certain level of spirituality, when you help somebody, your mind becomes upset. That’s because, in the process of helping a guy, you would think, “Oh, I’ve done so much yet he still doesn’t understand me.” Then you would say to him out loud, “Hey, do you know that I’ve done everything for you for free?” and your distress shows on your face, right? You have to understand that helping others is to help oneself. Do you know what you gain from helping others? You will gain unlimited wisdom and further develop your potential of awakening.
你知道当一个人在帮助人家的时候，人家多感激你，当你需要人家帮忙的时候，就是一方有难，八方支援。师父给你们讲有了这个更高的境界之后，你就会找到这条慈悲路，就是这条道路，修道就是修这个道路。你明白了这个道理，你才会有这条路，你不明白这个道，就没有这条路，明白了吗？许多人工作没有了，就很难过，但是他不知道孕育着一个更好的工作在等待着他。很多人家庭破裂了，他不知道孕育着一个更好的家庭等待着他。但是，要看你有没有这个福气，要看你有没有这个德行，要看你是不是在真修，如果是真修，菩萨会帮助你解决问题的。
Do you know how grateful others are when you help them? When you’re in need, a lot of people will come and help you. When Master teaches and makes you aware of this higher level of spirituality, you’ll find a path of compassion. It’s only when you understand the principles that this path will appear. If you don’t understand it, then this path would never appear, you understand? When people lose their jobs, they get depressed, what they don’t realise is that it implies that there might be a better job waiting for them. When many families are separated, they don’t know that it implies that an even better family is waiting for them. But, it also depends on whether you have any worldly blessings, whether you have any virtues, or whether you are cultivating faithfully. If so, then the Bodhisattvas will help resolve your problems.
理论和境界要一致，也就是说，你学佛学了半天，你学了这么多的理论，你没有这个境界，你是学不好菩萨的，所以很多人忙了半天，天天学理论，嘴巴里讲出来一套一套的佛学理论，什么这个佛菩萨如何如何，那个佛菩萨如何如何，这个经典了，那个经典了，那你是在学佛学的理论，而不是在学佛。你的境界达不到菩萨的境界，你说你学了有什么用呢？要懂得一个道理，我们学佛，学菩萨，不单单要读经，我们要学佛菩萨的境界，佛菩萨的理论是在这个境界之上的。什么叫境界？
The theories that you learnt and your level of spirituality must be consistent. In other words, if you have learnt a lot of Buddhist theories but your level of spirituality hasn’t reached the same stage, then you won’t learn well to become a Bodhisattva. Many people are busy learning theories and able to articulate well and explain the background of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas in detail and explain about this sutra and that sutra, but at the end of the day, what they learn are theories and not how to become a Buddha. When your level of spirituality hasn’t reached the level of Bodhisattva’s, then what use is there from learning? You must understand a principle when you learn Buddhism and learn to be a Bodhisattva - you must not simply learn the sutras but also their level of spirituality. That’s because the Buddhist theories only become applicable beyond a certain level of spirituality. What is spirituality?
境界是看不见，摸不着的东西，是通过理论来作为基础，然后由你的思维来不断成熟，才能成为一个境界。要记住一定要学而兼用，学了不用，等于没学。所以觉受会很细微，就像一个人的感觉一样，举一个简单的例子，你们都有过恋爱的经验，当一个人喜欢你的时候，他站在你的背后，你会感觉到他的呼吸，你会感觉到他在后面看你，这个就叫很细微，能明白吗？ 你能感觉出来，感觉自己今天跪在观世音菩萨面前，观世音菩萨在看着我，感觉观世音菩萨在关心着我，这就叫觉受。
Spirituality is invisible and intangible. It is founded upon the understanding of theories, and through the maturation of one’s thoughts, one can cultivate their mind to a certain level of spirituality. Take note; you must apply what you’ve learnt; if you don’t, then it’s the same as having not learnt it before. That’s why Feelingly-Realisation is very fine, just like a person’s feelings. Here’s an example; you have all experienced love before. When you like somebody, and that person is standing behind you, you would sense their breathing; you would feel that they’re looking at you from behind, that is the so-called ‘fineness’ that Master is talking about, you understand? It’s something that you feel. You could feel that when you are bowing before Guan Yin Bodhisattva, Guan Yin Bodhisattva is looking back at you, and you could feel that Guan Yin Bodhisattva cares about you. That is ‘Feelingly-Realisation’.
强烈的感受到光明在心中，也就是说当一个人，学佛修心之后，他会有一种强烈的光明，就是我现在明白了，就像有些人看上去有点傻傻的，但是他说：“我学佛之后，现在明白了，只有观世音菩萨能救我的家，我现在有信心不管家里出什么事情，我一定好好的念经，我一定要坚持。”这就是光明在他的心中，如果没有这个光明在他心中，他就会失望，就会绝望，就会找不到方向，就会失去人生的目标，失去人生的目标之后，就像你开车开到了一个山坡路上，前面没有路了，前面竖立了一个路标：“前面无路”，你如果再往前面开，你就掉下去了，明白了吗？
One must intensely feel the brightness within one’s mind. In other words, when a person is learning Buddhism and cultivating their mind, they will possess an intense brightness as they understand that only Guan Yin Bodhisattva could save their family. “I have faith that no matter what happens in our household, I must properly recite sutras, I must persevere.” That is a sign of brightness within their mind. If they don’t have this brightness, they would be disappointed and feel a sense of hopelessness, unable to know what to do next, and lose their goal in life. Afterwards, just like how you drive a car towards a cliff, and you see a sign at the front with the words ‘There are no more roads beyond this point’, if you decide to keep driving forward, then you will fall, you understand?
一个人学佛要有目标，要能够感觉到观世音菩萨在关心我们，如果你能感受到强烈的光明在你的心中，我明白了，实际上这个就叫悟境，悟道，就是你悟出了这个境界，你就得到了这个道路，你能知道菩萨想什么，你就是菩萨。就像你知道你的孩子在想什么，这就是你能理解孩子的一个很重要的因素，就像很多母亲她知道孩子在想什么，这就是你悟出了这个道理，因为这个孩子我不能对他太凶，我不能对他太严厉，因为这个孩子怎么样怎么样，你就悟出这个道理出来了，叫悟道，你懂得这个道理之后，你就会原谅他，就会对他好了。
Buddhists must have a goal. One must feel that Guan Yin Bodhisattva cares about us. If you could feel an intense brightness within your mind and understand, then this is called ‘Awakenment-to-Spirituality’. When you are awakened to a level of spirituality, then you have gained that path. If you know how Bodhisattvas think, then you’re a Bodhisattva. Just like because you know what your child is thinking, you gain a very important factor in understanding your child. Just like how many mothers know what their child thinks as they have awakened to certain principles. For example, “I mustn’t act too aggressive nor overly strict to my son; it’s because his personality is like this and that.” As a result, you’re awakened to the principles and the Way, so you’ll forgive him and treat him nicely.
觉受会改变，而悟道是很不容易改变的。今天我念经了感觉好了或感觉不好了，这就是在改变了。但是，悟道是不容易改变的，什么叫悟道？就是我悟出这个道理之后，这条路我准备走下去，我觉得这条路是正的，就不大会改变的，明白了吗？ 悟道就是开悟，要把佛教深奥的理论变成实践，学佛菩萨深奥的理论，要把它应用到现实生活当中，嘴巴里讲的再好，我一切无所谓，而真正遇到事情时就会跳起来。
Feelingly-Realisation will change, whereas ‘Awakenment-to-Way’ isn’t prone to change. The feeling that you have when you recite sutras can change like sometimes you feel that you recited well, and at other times you might feel that you recited poorly. But ‘Awakenment-to-Way’ doesn’t change easily, so what is it? It’s a saying that means when you become awakened to a principle or a certain path and feel that it is a path that you’re prepared to see through because you think that it’s right, then it won’t change easily. Do you understand? Awakenment is to put the profound Buddhist theories into practice, to learn all the profound theories expounded by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and use it in your daily lives. It’s doesn’t mean anything if you could eloquently express it, the true test comes when you encounter a situation that would cause ordinary people to act impulsively.
尤如你们几个人在家里看见孩子跟你闹的时候，你能够忍耐住？忍耐是从内心出来的，是靠你悟出这个道理后，你才会忍耐，你不知道这个道理，你是无法忍耐的，如果没有悟出道理而克制自己，到最后身体就会出毛病了，什么心脏病，血压高都出来了，师父喜欢给你们说现实生活中的例子，就像一个人咳嗽的时候，心里想我不要咳嗽，我要忍住，憋住憋住最后还是憋不住“咳，咳，咳……”你是憋不住的呀，是因为你不懂其中的医学原理，才会这样做的。
Just like when you see your child throwing a tantrum when you return home, are you able to remain patient? Patience must come from within, and it comes from awakenment to the principles (about remaining patient). If you don’t, you’re unable to remain patient. If you haven’t awakened and you’re just forcing yourself to be patient, then you’ll just get sick in the end. Signs of heart disease and high blood pressure would appear. Master likes using real-life examples to illustrate. It’s also like when one is coughing, although they don’t want to cough and tries to hold it in, after a while, they can’t hold back anymore and coughs harder. It’s not something you can forcefully hold in, but you only did so because you didn’t understand the medical reasons and factors of the cause.
做人也是这样，要明白道理才能克制住自己，如果不明白这个道理，你让他克制，他怎么能克制住呢？这就叫悟。然后，内外可以相互引路得到证悟，就是说我们学佛、学菩萨、学佛法， 内外要相应，就是说外表和内涵要融入在一起，也就是说我的外表很谦虚，内心也要真谦虚，你们看看现在的人多虚伪呀，在外面看见人脸上笑嘻嘻的说：“哎呀，你好吗？好久不见了，好想你呀，……”转过身这张脸马上就变了，这人脸变的快呀，这个人的心和行为就不是一致的。
Behaving like a proper human being is like so. One must first understand the reasons why they must practise self-restraint for them to do so willfully. If not, and one is forced to do so, how could they manage? This is ‘awakenment’. Then, from one’s internal and external conditions, it would mutually guide one to ‘Verified-Awakenment’. In other words, as we learn Buddhism, learn to be a Bodhisattva and learn the Buddha-Dharma, there must be resonance between the internal and external. In other words, our outward behaviour and disposition must harmonise together. Like for example, if one looks humble, then they must truly be humble as well on the inside. Just look at how fake people act nowadays. On the surface, this person is smiling and says, “Hey, how are you? Long time no sees, I miss you…” Then after a brief moment, they quickly change their attitude. What it means is that their mind and behaviour are not consistent.
真的看见一个人喜欢，心和行为要一致，表面的事情，你还不如不做，我这么一讲下面的人心里可能会想：是呀，我就是这个样子，我不喜欢他就是不喜欢，台长说：不喜欢他你也要喜欢他，因为他是众生，众生就是我们的父母亲，就是我们的孩子，就是我们所有的一切，我们就是众生当中的一个，你为什么不喜欢他呢？你本身不喜欢他，你就是有分别心，就是学佛没有学好，明白了吗？
When you truly see somebody you like, one’s mind and behaviour must be consistent. For superficial matters, you might as well not do it. When Master talks about this, the people below might think, “Yes, I’m just as so. I don’t like him because I just don’t like him.” Master says, “Even if you don’t like him, you must still like him. That’s because he’s a sentient being. You must view sentient beings like our parents and our child, they are the world to us, and we are one of the countless sentient beings. Why don’t you like him? If you don’t like him, it means you are prejudiced; it means you haven’t learnt Buddhism properly, you understand?”
什么叫证悟？就是我证实了，我悟出来了，我证实了台长的法门真的好，我悟出这个道理了，我要好好的学，好好的修，这就叫证悟。所以悟道不在外、内、里、中间。为什么要悟道？我悟出来了，原来是这个道理呀，原来是哪个道理呀，全部不对，不在内、不在外、不在里、也不在中间，悟道在永远不变的真理里，也就是说你能明白这个道理是永远不会变的，那就叫悟道。举例因为观世音菩萨永远在救度我们，我们念了经之后菩萨就会关心我们，这个是永远不变的真理，对不对呀？
What is ‘Verified-Awakenment’? It means that it’s an awakenment that you’ve verified. For example, “I have verified that Master Lu’s Buddhist practice is great. I’ve awakened to the principles. I must properly study, properly cultivate, etc.” That is ‘Verified-Awakenment’. While ‘Awakenment-to-Way’ doesn’t come externally, internally, or anywhere else. What is it? For example, if you’ve pondered about something and in one moment, you thought that the cause was because of this reason, and then in another moment, you thought that the cause was because of that reason etc., then that is not an ‘Awakenment-to-Way’. It isn’t something that comes from anywhere. ‘Awakenment-to-Way’ is an awakenment to an eternal and unchanging principle and truth. For example, because Guan Yin Bodhisattva is eternally in the process of saving us after we start to recite sutras, the Bodhisattvas would become concerned of us. This is an eternal and unchanging truth, am I correct?
我们人活在世界上要明白一个永远不变的道理，那就是成住坏空，生老病死。你明白了这些道理，你就得到了真理，这才叫悟道。当年释迦牟尼佛是太子时，他坐车看见城里有些老人家快接近死亡了，有的是饥饿，有的是疾病，看到他们很苦，释迦牟尼佛心中很难过，佛祖说：“我看见这些人怎么这么可怜，我要找到一条路，这条路就是让人永远不会死的路，因为看见他们生老病死，我太难过了。”结果佛祖找到了一条路，就是人永远不会死掉，因为人的肉体可以死掉，他的精神灵魂是永远不会死掉的，这就是释迦摩尼佛发现的修灵魂超生了死的路，也就是佛祖的伟大。
While we are going through our daily lives, one must understand the eternal and unchanging principles, they are ‘Formation-Existence-Destruction-Emptiness’, and ‘Birth-Old Age-Sickness-Death’. When you understand it, then you have possessed the absolute truth, that is ‘Awakenment-to-Way’. At the time when Gautama Buddha was still a prince, and from inside his carriage within the city walls, saw that the elderly suffered from starvation, illnesses and were close to death, Gautama Buddha was very sad. Buddha said, “I saw how pitiful those people were, so I resolved to find a path that would let people no longer die eternally. It’s because seeing them go through birth, old age, sickness and death had made me too sad.” As a result, Buddha found a path that could let people live eternally. Although the mortal body can die, the spirit will never die. Buddha had discovered the path that cultivates the spirit to transcend over life and death, that is the greatness of Buddha.
师父现在教你们在做什么？就是教你们做伟大的事业，就是教你们悟出个道理，而且悟出的道理是永远颠簸不破的真理，是永远不会改变的真理。生老病死会改变吗？成住坏空会改变吗？那些老妈妈，老伯伯从小生出来就这么老吗？所以在小的时候要想到老的时候，在老的时候要关心小的，问题就在老的时候常想到自己小的时候，对人家怎么怎么好，而小辈的人在想，好呀，你这么老了还对我这个样子，想想看这些矛盾，这一代的鸿沟怎么样来跨越呀，忙了一辈子什么都没有得到，什么都一无所有，就这么来也匆匆，去也匆匆，看看自己的年纪大了，身体又不好了，难过不难过呀，想一想晚上睡觉难过的时候，就知道这个人是假的了。
What does Master teach? He teaches you how to undertake a great venture, he teaches you about the principles that you must awaken to, and these principles are eternal, indestructible and unchanging. Could the process of ‘Birth-Old Age-Sickness-Death’ be changed? Could the process of ‘Formation-Existence-Destruction-Emptiness’ be changed? When you look at the elderly aunties and uncles, do they look like so when they were born? That’s why when one is still young, one must be mindful of when they become old. And when one is old, they must show concern of the young. The problem is that the older generation reminisces about the times when they were young and thought about how well they treated others. While the younger generation would think that the older generation is unfairly treating them. So, this generates conflicts. How could we bridge this gap? Just think, one has been busy constantly over one’s whole life and gained nothing. We come and go like the wind. Just look at how old you are now, your body is also in a bad shape, aren’t you sad? At night, when you’re sad and unable to sleep, you’ll realise that everything is fake.
觉受更是在实修中身心和谐的感觉，感觉和接受是在实修中身心和谐的感觉，人活在世上常讲的几句话：我们人活的就是一口气，我就要争这口气，我气不打一处来，我生气了，到了最后这个人说我没有气了，其实就是一个气场呀，开心是不是一股气呀，悲伤是不是一股气呀，伤心是不是气呀，人就是活在这个气场当中，用算命的人来讲人是活在气数当中，气有数的，气到了一定数的时候，它就没有了，所以就说气数已尽，很多占星学家都会给皇帝看，看到最后说：“皇帝，这个国家气数已尽。”当年慈禧太后就说：“我们大清国气数已尽”。气数是会变的，刚刚还在生气，气得不得了，然而当别人说：“我不是说你，是说你好呀，你搞错了。”“啊，真的”这气立刻变了。有的人开心得不得了：“我中六合彩了”，来一个人说：“对不起，号码报错了。”“啊”，失望了。气马上就转变了，所以这个气是很重要的。
‘Feelingly-Realisation’ must also manifest a feeling of harmony between the mind and body in one’s cultivation. There is a saying that ‘life is but a single breath’. When one strives for vindication, one’s breath becomes irregular and so develop anger. In the end, this person may abandon their path of vindication and it’s because they’re out of breath. In reality it is a kind of energy field. Isn’t happiness a kind of energy? Isn’t sadness a kind of energy? People live within an energy field, from the words of a fortune teller, they would say that people lives within a lifespan of energy. Energy has a lifespan. After energy has reached a certain point, it will disappear, and it will said to be ceased. Many astrologists in ancient China would help the emperor see the fortunes of kingdoms from the stars and say, “Emperor, this nation’s energy lifespan has ceased.” At the time, Empress Dowager Cixi said, “Our Qing dynasty’s energy lifespan has ceased.” The energy lifespan can change. For example, if you got angry because you thought somebody was criticising you, and then that person tells you, “I’m not about you, I was talking about how well you performed, you misunderstood.” “Oh, really?” Then your anger subsides and your energy field will change. Some people become happy because they thought they had won the lottery. But then when they notice that they got the numbers wrong, they become disappointed and their energy field changes immediately. That’s why this energy is very important.
