【亲近善知识 Relying on The Excellent Teacher】摄彼等义亲近善知识 A summary of the meaning of relying on the teacher P13
【摄彼等义】
【于昔多生，未能如法依止诸罪，应由至心而悔，多发防护之心，自应励备法器诸法，数思圆满德相知识，积集资粮，广发大愿，为如是师，乃至未证菩提以来摄受之因。】
啊！说我要成无上菩提；要想成无上菩提，必定要走这个路，这就是我们现在发的愿。你能这样做的话，那么种了这个正确的因，因为得到了这个正确的因，所以你将来得到这个果。所以，在你还没有证得无上大菩提因之前，你一直这样子努力，这样努力有这个因，将来自然感这个果。所以我们现在真正要忙的就是忙这个。你有了这个因种下去了以后，自然而然,将来文殊师利菩萨，也会跑到福城的东边跑得来说:「某人啊!现在你要求了，你要怎么做啊!」五十三员大善知识都等在那个地方，他已经等了无量无边劫了，我们就是不成气候。这个话，我想我们大家了解，没有一个佛菩萨例外的，他要救我们，无量无边劫都等在我们，就是我们没有这个条件，没有成就这个法器。一生取办不难哪！关键在哪里？就在这里。
来源 SOURCE：
日常师父法语 22B 04’37”手抄稿第三册 P199LL3
22B 04’37” Vol 3 of Master Jih-Chang’s Discourse P199LL3
English Lamrim Volume 1, P92
【A summary of the meaning of the previous five parts】
【Those whose practice of relying on the teacher was improper in previous lives should achieve an attitude of confession and restraint from the depths of their hearts. Exert yourself in the practice of those teachings for which you are suited as a recipient, and repeatedly contemplate the complete qualifications of your teachers. Make many aspirational prayers and accumulate the collections of merit and sublime wisdom as causes for having such a teacher to look after you until you attain enlightenment.】
Ah! I wish to attain the unexcelled enlightenment. In order to attain the unexcelled enlightenment, you will have to take this route. This is the aspiration prayer that we should generate now. If you can do this, you have planted the correct cause, and because you have obtained this correct cause, you will obtain the [corresponding] effect in the future. So before you attain the unexcelled enlightenment, you have to continue to strive in this way, work hard on the cause and you will naturally attain the corresponding effect in future. This is what we should truly be busy with now. Once you have planted this cause, then eventually in the future, Manjushri Bodhisattva will also go to the east side of the Buddha city and say, "So and so, this is what you have been seeking [the excellent teacher], what should you do? Fifty three excellent teachers are waiting for you .” They have been waiting for endless eons already, but we weren’t ready. I say this because I think everyone here understands that no Buddha and Bodhisattva are an exception to this. They all want to help us. They have been waiting for us for endless eons but we didn’t meet the qualifications and become suitable recipients for the Teaching. It is not difficult to attain enlightenment in one lifetime. But where is the key? It is here.
