【RELYING ON THE TEACHER】- One who abides in the lineage of the Mahayana, Has relied on an excellent teacher  

【A somewhat elaborate explanation for developing certain knowledge

Atisha’s Digest (Hrdaya-niksepa-nama) states:

One who abides in the lineage of the Mahayana

Has relied on an excellent teacher. 】

What does “abides in the lineage of Mahayana” mean? Normally, ordinary beings are divided into three groups: one is certain-nature or certain-aggregate, the second is uncertain-nature and the last one is certain-demonic-nature. Certain-nature means this kind of person already has virtuous roots and is determined to advance on the path of Buddha Dharma. The certain-demonic-nature lacks virtuous roots and certainly won’t enter [the study] of Buddha Dharma. The other type of person has uncertain-nature; he is not certain – when seeing other ordinary beings, [he] would follow, if the guidance were from an excellent teacher, he would enter the study of Buddha Dharma. So this, “those who abide in the lineage of Mahayana” refers to beings of certain-nature. Usually, we consider this type of person as the practitioners at causal stage – they may be endowed with the tendency to practice, the tendency to be on the path, or the sage’s tendency and so forth – we base this on various guidelines to distinguish. Often we refer to this as: *faith, dwelling, Bodhisattva activity, dedication, stages and so on, these are referencing the beings abiding in the Mahayana lineage. We are the beings stated here. In other words, those with virtuous roots and the aspiration to study Buddha Dharma, these people have decided to rely on excellent teachers. This [attitude] is most crucial.

SOURCE 来源 :

14A 08’43” Vol 2 of Master Jih-Chang’s Discourse P186 L5
English Lamrim Vol 1 P70

日常师父法语📡14A 08’43”手抄稿第2册P186 L5

依师 : 住性数取趣，应亲善知识

【《摄决定心藏》云：“住性数取趣，应亲善知识。”】

“住性”这个“性”是什么？平常我们分，一般的凡夫分三个项目，一个叫决定性或者决定聚，或着另外一个呢叫不定聚，还有一个叫邪定聚。那么决定性就是这种人已经种了善根，决定是要向佛法上面走的。另外这邪定聚呢，这种人没有善根，决定不能进入佛法的。还有一种人叫不定聚，他不一定，碰见一般的人嘛跟着一般人走，如果得到好的知识引导的话，他就进入佛法。现在那个“住性”的话，就是决定性的众生。通常这种人啊，我们通常说属于因位的行者，因位的行者——习种性、道种性、圣种性什么等等，我们看不同的开合说明。平常我们说信、住、行、向、地什么等等，这个就是这个地方所指的住性的数取趣。“数取趣”就是有情，就是我们。换句话说真正有善根想修学佛法的人，他决定应该亲近善知识，这最重要的。