人都是佛的分灵；佛的分灵，就不是佛的全体，或者由佛某一毛孔放光，在光中化出无量众生，或者由佛的呼吸气放光，在光中又变化出无量众生。佛的光能化众生，所以说：“一切众生皆有佛性，皆堪作佛。”

People are divisions of the Buddha's spirit; they are not the Buddha's entire body. One of the Buddha's pores may emit light, and within that light, limitless living beings appear by transformation. It may be that the Buddha's breath gives off light; that light also generates immeasurable living beings. The Buddha's light can create living beings by transformation, and so it is said, “All living beings have the Buddha-nature, and all can become Buddhas.”

等到我们做人了，在我们的呼吸气中，亦能变化出无数微生物的众生。在这些众生的呼吸气中，又能变化其它众生，也是无量无边。不过，佛分灵化出的众生，一修行就会成佛；等众生再化出来的众生，已隔了一个阶段，不是那么容易成佛的。

As people, our breath can also generate an uncountable number of microorganisms. In the breath of one of these microorganisms, limitless numbers of other living beings also appear by transformation. However, while living beings transformed from the Buddha's spirit can become Buddhas as soon as they cultivate, the living beings who are transformed from those living beings are one level removed, so it isn't as easy for them to become Buddhas.

畜生也会化出众生，因它也会呼吸，在呼吸气中，就隐藏了许多微生物，遇着助缘，即可变化成众生；若没有助缘，就化为乌有。好像我们每个人身中，都有无量的菌虫，这都是众生之一。在菌虫中，又会变化菌虫。所以说：“生生不已，化化无穷。”

Animals can also create beings by transformation, because they have breath. A profusion of microorganisms is hidden in their breath. Under suitable conditions, they can turn into living beings. If the aiding conditions aren't present, they disappear. Similarly, there are infinite numbers of germs and bacteria in our bodies, which are also living beings. The germs can also create more germs by transformation. Therefore, we can say, “Creation never stops, and transformation continues without cease.”

细以推测，大的众生能变化大的，小的众生可变化小的，各同其类，皆在那儿繁殖。所以世界的众生有无量无边那么多，越繁殖越多，繁殖到世界容纳不下那么多众生时，这个世界就会毁灭。此世界毁灭，另一个世界又成了，这都是众生起惑、造业、受报，在这儿颠倒迷糊，而不想要清楚明白，但众生还自以为清楚明白。

If we analyze this more deeply, we find that large living beings can create large living beings by transformation, and small living beings can create small living beings by transformation. They are all multiplying prolifically, each within its own kind. Consequently, there are boundlessly many living beings in the world, and the more they multiply, the more numerous they become. When they multiply to the point that there isn't enough room in the world for so many living beings, the world will be destroyed. This world will be destroyed, and another world will be created. This is all part of the process of becoming deluded, creating karma, and undergoing retribution. Although we are deluded and muddled in this process, we don't try to gain a clear understanding, because we think we already understand very well.

《中庸》上说：“人皆曰‘予知’，驱而纳诸罟擭陷阱之中，而莫之知辟也。”人都说自己有智慧，但你若把他撵到陷阱里去，他也不知道要躲避。你说这是智慧，还是愚痴？

The Doctrine of the Mean says, “People all say, ‘I know,’ but when they are driven into various nets, traps, or pitfalls, they don't know to escape.” People all claim to have wisdom, but if you were to drive them into a trap, they wouldn't even know to avoid it. Would you call this wisdom or stupidity?

一切众生都要吃东西。好像鲸鱼被训练得会跳舞、很听话，就因为它要吃东西；有肉吃，教它做什么，它就做什么。人被财色名食睡支配得颠倒迷糊，不知道回家，而在险道上走，愈跑离家就愈远，愈远就愈跑。在生死苦海中流浪，而不知向外拔出腿，你看这多可怜！

Living beings all need to eat. The reason whales can be trained to perform tricks obediently is that they want to eat. If they are rewarded with a piece of meat, they will do whatever they are told. People are controlled by their desires for wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep; as a result they become deluded and muddled. They are traveling along a dangerous road and have forgotten to return home. The more they wander, the farther from home they stray. The farther they stray, the more they wander. Drifting and flowing in the bitter sea of birth and death, they don't know enough to pull themselves out. See how pitiful they are!

众生不是迷财，就是迷色，总在这两种东西中打转转，跑不出去。或者迷于吃、迷于名，或迷于睡，这是众生的妄执，所不能破除的颠倒。人人若把这种迷看破放下，就会得到自在。

If living beings aren't confused by money, they're confused by sex. They're always involved with these two things, and cannot get away from them. They may also be confused by food, by fame, or by sleep. These are all false attachments of living beings. They have no way to smash through their confusion. If people could see through this confusion, they would obtain self-mastery.

一九八二年八月廿九日晚间开示
于万佛圣城