菩萨畏因，众生畏果，因、果这两个字，不但我们众生逃不了，甚至于连佛、菩萨也不能避免的，只因菩萨的眼光远大，所以不造恶因，而受的也是乐果，可是众生却眼光如豆，只为目前打算，常种恶因，所以也常吃苦果。
Bodhisattvas fear causes; living beings fear effects. It is not only living beings who cannot escape cause and effect; even the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot avoid them. However, because Bodhisattvas have far-ranging vision, they avoid creating bad causes and only receive joyful rewards. Living beings, on the other hand, are very short-sighted. Seeing only what's in front of them, they often plant evil causes, and so they must often suffer the bitter retribution.
所谓“多栽桃李少栽荆”。多种善因，无疑地就是替自己预备了锦绣的前程，假若只顾目前，多行不义，不种善因，那么无疑地也是替自己的前途预备了荆棘的途径。
It is said, “Plant more peach and plum trees, and fewer thorn bushes.” By planting more good causes, you will undoubtedly be laying out a golden future for yourself. But if you only see the present, and you engage in lots of immoral practices and plant no good causes, you will doubtlessly be preparing a thorny path to travel in the future.
什么是锦绣前程呢？“遥指西方落日边”，“从是西方。过十万亿佛土。有世界名曰极乐。”
What is the golden future? “Point to the distant setting sun in the West.” “To the west of here, passing a hundred thousand million Buddha-lands, is a land called Ultimate Bliss.”
什么是荆棘前程呢？啊！“地狱无门苦自招”，在极乐世界里，黄金为地，七宝为池，天乐风飘处处闻，事事无不称心满意，还可以见闻佛法，速成佛道；然而在地狱里呢？刀山、油镬、剑树、洪炉，就是最好的伴侣了。
What is the thorny future? “Hell has no gates; you bring suffering upon yourself.” In the Land of Ultimate Bliss, the ground is made of gold and the pools are filled with the seven gems. Celestial music is carried by the breeze and heard everywhere, and everything goes according to your wishes. You can also see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and quickly accomplish Buddhahood. What about the hells? Your best companions there are the Mountain of Knives, the Oil Cauldron, the Tree of Swords, and the Great Furnace.
对于选择前程，众生是绝对自由的。若是志在西方，发愿要往生净土的话，那么要精勤念佛菩萨的名号便可以了；若是欢喜地狱，更简单，行恶事就堕地狱，这是必然的。可是我敢肯定地说一句，没有人宁愿下地狱，而不愿往生西方极乐世界的。除非他不信有地狱和有极乐，除非他不知道有痛苦的地狱和极乐的净土。
Living beings are absolutely free to choose their own future. If you wish to be born in the West and you make a vow to that effect, you can accomplish it by vigorously reciting the names of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you prefer the hells, it's even easier─just do evil deeds and you'll fall into the hells for sure. But I can assure you of one thing: no one would prefer falling into the hells to being reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. That is, unless he doesn't believe in the hells and the Land of Ultimate Bliss, or he doesn't know that the hells are misery and the Pure Land is blissful.
对于“断善根、少信心”的人，我们是没有办法度的；可是对于“不知道”的人，我们却应该生出一种慈悲的心。外道的人常说：“天国近了，天国是你们的”。我们信佛的人，也应该为法忘躯，奔走跋涉，对自己的亲友们，说说念菩萨的功德，和极乐世界的好处。“极乐世界是众生的”，若是你能常常说这种道理，那么你就是一个大道心的菩萨了，和菩萨一样行径的人，就是不退菩萨为伴侣了。
If people have cut off their good roots or have little faith, there is no way for us to save them. But if it's a matter of not knowing, we should be compassionate. Other religions often say, “The Kingdom of Heaven is near. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you.” We of the Buddhist faith should also forget our bodies for the sake of the Dharma, and hasten to tell our friends and relatives about the merit and virtue of reciting the Bodhisattva's name, and the benefits of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. “The Land of Ultimate Bliss belongs to living beings.” If you constantly proclaim this kind of principle, you are truly a Bodhisattva with a great mind for the Way. Those who walk the same path as the Bodhisattvas will have irreversible Bodhisattvas as their companions.
所以，我们不但自己要念菩萨，也应常常劝别人也念菩萨，这样，才可以说得上是一个佛教徒，才可以说是不忘皈依时所发的四宏誓愿，所谓“独乐乐，不如众乐乐”。一切众生，皆有佛性，对于具有相同佛性，与自己无分别的众生，我们能忍心让他们痛苦，不设法令他们快乐吗？
“有志者，事竟成”，众生虽然难度，可是我们信佛的人，二六时中，切记不要忘了度众生。
“Where there's a will, there's a way.” Although living beings are hard to save, we who are Buddhists must never forget to save living beings.
一九五八年六月十八日上午开示
A talk given on the morning of June 18, 1958
