来源：济群法师 2025年07月12日
明天是观音菩萨成道日。这几天，各地信众多半会到寺院敬香礼佛，寺院里也是人山人海，香火鼎盛。相信大家入寺时已经感受到这种“热烈”的气氛。
Today marks the sacred birthday of Guanyin Bodhisattva. In the past few days, devotees from all places have flocked to temples to offer incense and pay homage to Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Some temples, for example, have been packed with people, with the scent of incense permeating the air. I believe everyone can feel this “enthusiastic” atmosphere upon entering the temples.
江南人喜欢大把烧香，甚至有人将成百箱的香搭成高高的香塔来烧。但他们惟求量而不求质，结果烧起来浓烟滚滚，气味刺鼻，也不管菩萨是否接受，只是一厢情愿地烧着。
People in the Jiangnan region enjoy burning a large quantity of incense, with some even stacking hundreds of incense boxes into towering piles. However, this focus on quantity over quality often leads to heavy smoke and overpowering smells, without considering whether the bodhisattvas would appreciate such burnings.
事实上，这并不是正确的纪念方式。大量香火使寺院烟雾缭绕，空气严重污染，也使生活其间的出家人备受困扰。另一个严重问题是，到处扔着香的包装，部分还印有佛菩萨像和名号。且不说给环境带来问题，这种“把香一点，袋子一扔”的行为，究竟是在祈福还是造业？
This is not the correct way to commemorate the occasion. Excessive incense burning fills the temple with smoke, which severely pollutes the air and troubles the monks who live there. Furthermore, discarded incense packaging, some of which even bear images and names of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, is flying everywhere. Apart from such littering’s environmental impact, is this “burn the incense, throw the bag” behavior meant to seek blessing or to create negative karma?
这么做，与其说是表达了虔诚，不如说是反映了对学佛的无知，同时还隐含强烈的贪著和所求，是凡夫心而非清净心的体现。这样一种方式，既不能和佛菩萨相应，也不能使自身得到成长，还会给外人带来“佛教是迷信”的观感，可谓问题重重。
Rather than expressing devotion, such behavior only reflects ignorance about Buddhist teachings. Behind it lies a strong sense of attachment and desire that stem from an unenlightened mind rather than a pure and clean one. This mode of celebration neither resonates with Buddhas and bodhisattvas, nor promotes personal growth, and even risks giving outsiders the impression that Buddhism is merely superstitious. Clearly, there are issues that need to be addressed.
对于信众来说，如何在这些殊胜的日子表达虔诚？作为寺院来说，如何通过如理如法的纪念活动，引导大众建立正信，起到忆念三宝、见贤思齐的作用？这就需要认识到：我们为什么要信仰佛菩萨？
So, on exceptional days like this, how exactly should followers express their devotion? How can temples arrange events that align with the Dharma to guide the public towards establishing the right faith, remembering the Three Jewels, and emulating the virtuous? To accomplish these goals, we must first understand why we believe in Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
信佛不是找一个靠山，而是以此作为学习榜样。就这个意义而言，对观音菩萨最好的纪念，不是什么外在形式，而是了解菩萨的发心、行持、功德，践行菩萨的法门，由此圆满菩萨的品质，并最终成为观音菩萨。
Embracing Buddhism is not about seeking external support, but rather adopting Buddhas and bodhisattvas as role models to learn from. Therefore, the most meaningful way to commemorate Guanyin is not through superficial offerings, but by understanding his aspirations, practices, and virtues, adhering to his teachings, acquiring his perfected qualities, and ultimately becoming Guanyin.
这才是菩萨的本怀，也是佛陀出世的本怀。
These embody not only the true intention of the Bodhisattva but also the very reason for the Buddha’s appearance in this world.
摘自《向观音菩萨学修行》
作者：济群法师
Excerpted from:
Studying the Path with Guanyin Bodhisattva
By Master Jiqun
