Lecture No. 0012
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0012
Tape no.
1B 00:50 ~ 02:43
Date
2018/05/10 ~ 05/13
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Merits of Lama Tsong-kha-pa
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P17 L1 – P18 L2
[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, 1B on page introduction-14~15]
Here I would like to mention something. Earlier [I] referred to Lama Tsongkhapa who upheld Buddhism in its entirety. [Because of his achievements,] we have the opportunity to receive his teaching now. Despite the degeneration of [Buddhism], if we sincerely combine Chinese tradition with [Lamrim] teaching, my feeling is that the future will be promising with boundless prospects both for individual practice and for Buddhism as a whole. With regard to Lama Tsongkhapa and his achievements, I will go over these briefly now. [00′44″]
Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s learning began with the fundamentals - the doctrines and tenets. He spent his first few years of study broadly acquiring the doctrines from various sects. At a little over the age of twenty, he entered Tibet [Lhasa] and within a few years, he became a prominent figure there, due to his thorough understanding of the teachings. His [attainment] of knowledge did not come out of thin air. Lama Tsongkha-pa was an extremely intelligent person who beseeched the virtuous teachers of his time [to teach him] and he learned from them all with sincerity. He extensively mastered the teachings from all teachers, including the Hinayana’s Treasury of Knowledge (Abhidharma-kosa) 《俱舍》, the Mahayana’s Profound-view (性宗), Extensive-deeds (相宗), Buddhism logic (因明) and even Vajrayana, and [he] attained his encompassing realization. [01′53″]
Well, after listening to this section, Master said, “Earlier [I] referred to Lama Tsongkhapa who upheld Buddhism in its entirety.” My question is, what is “Buddhism in its entirety”? Next question: what is “upheld”? Let’s think about these two questions! [02′15″]
Then Master followed by saying, “we have the opportunity to receive his teaching now”. What do we receive? We receive Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s teaching in its entirety, don’t we? Also, “Despite the degeneration of [Buddhism], if we sincerely combine Chinese tradition with [Lamrim] teaching.” Master said, “the future will be promising with boundless prospects both for individual practice and for Buddhism as a whole”; Master expressed “promising with boundless prospects” twice. This is also a lovely and very sincere confidence toward this encompassing lineage. Also, for those of us who have faith in this encompassing teaching, with such opportunity encountering it, whether we study it to cultivate ourselves or we have grand aspiration [to benefit all sentient beings], Master said we should have promising future as well! [03′11″]
So, one more question again: what is “promising with boundless prospects”? If you practice it for your personal benefit, then what is your promising future with boundless prospects? With regards to Buddha Dharma and the lineage, what will be its promising future? [03′27″]
In the following paragraph, we learn that at the beginning of his study, Lama Tsong-kha-pa began his studies based on the fundamental doctrines and tenets from various sects. In his early twenties, he was already widely known in Tibet. Take note! Master mentioned that Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s understanding of the teaching was very thorough. Here Master recognized that Lama Tsongkhapa was very smart and extremely intelligent. He went all around to learn from various excellent teachers at that time – not one teacher was not visited. The next question I want to ask you all is: usually we consider that those who can be self-taught are the most intelligent, right? So why did an extremely intelligent person [like Lama Tsong-kha-pa] still needed to seek teachings extensively? [04′14″]
One more question for you all to explore: Is it due to his extreme intelligence, that’s why he recognized the need to learn extensively? And then “he learnt extensively the teachings that the teachers had mastered thoroughly”! Well! Is he intelligent or not? [04′27″]
[Master commented on Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s learning] “Including the Hinayana’s Treasury of Knowledge (Abhidharma-kosa), the Mahayana’s Profound-view, Extensive-deeds Buddhism logic and even Vajrayana, and [he] attained his encompassing realization.” He was such an extremely intelligent person who sought teachings from so many great virtuous teachers. Thus, eventually he achieved his own complete understanding of the teaching. [04′46″]
Did Master express his own perception in this paragraph? Although it is to introduce Lama Tsong-kha-pa, has it occur to you that, as the beginner in Buddha’s teaching, do we emphasize the learning of doctrines and tenets? In an earlier study session, Master mentioned about how Langdarma destroyed Buddhism. So much so that it was in a very bad shape. Later on, the Dharma was restored a bit. Even after more than one hundred years of restoration, the teaching was still in a chaotic mess! And what expression did Master use to describe it? Listen carefully! Listen carefully! “Usually, everyone applies his own personal imagination or personal view, so we can imagine how chaotic the situation was.” Pay attention! It was very chaotic, very chaotic. Everyone explained the teaching based on personal imagination, which was extremely confusing. What did Master try to convey? [The message is this:] There is no longer a lineage. Towards the scriptures, everyone applied their own personal imagination, explaining the teaching in whichever way their imagination is. The passing of teaching from a master to another, this kind of lineage was gone, and that was extremely chaotic! [06′05″]
So in today’s commentary, Master mentioned that Lama Tsong-kha-pa was extremely intelligent, he sought teachings far and wide from every excellent teacher during his time and acquired the teachings mastered by each teacher regardless of lineage. That is, he mastered the teachings from every lineage. Thus, he became the top master (顶严) of the time and was very very prominent! Everyone studying Lamrim would notice that all views have their basis– [all views are supported by] Buddha’s statements, lineage master’s explanations, and what the proper perceptions are.. Therefore, Buddhism is a thorough, rigorous process of dialectics. It is not a metaphysic built merely on imagination. Rather, the teachings are soundly grounded on a very rigorous reasoning and dialectic process. By listening to the teaching of virtuous teachers, one obtains the wisdom arising from listening. Subsequently, one contemplates and thus obtains the wisdom arising from contemplation, which becomes our own unshakable perception, and then base on this to practise and transform. That is, one’s mind is transformed while listening to the teaching, while contemplating, and then while applying in practice, so one can achieve powerful mental transformation. [07′14″]
So, what is the force that changes our destiny? It is [our] perception. And, how can we transform from a skewed, limited, or even incorrect perceptions into something extensive, complete and pure? It all comes down to listening to the teaching of the scriptures. Why did the practitioners appear to rely on personal imagination [when it came to understanding the scriptures] during the chaotic times of Dharma? That was due to the lack of a credible source of the scriptures and the lack of reliable lineage to guide everyone’s practice. The light of the teaching could no longer be seen clearly. thus, personal experiences became something seemingly important. Therefore, Master also repeatedly advised us that even an extremely intelligent practitioner like Lama Tsong-kha-pa had to learn from all qualified teachers; what about me? To learn Buddhism, one can’t rely on personal assumptions or imaginations, we need to refer to what the lineage says, what the sutra says, what the commentaries say. Does this make sense [to you]? It requires one to contemplate over and over, to analyze repeatedly – that is why it is known as the study of wisdom. [08′37″]
After a few years of learning, you would find yourself much clever than before. You are able to make judgment faster than before, have a serious and responsible attitude to explore any matter, not just brush it aside lightly. Because every word and every sentence in Lamrim require us to earnestly explore what the teaching is about? What is it trying to refute? What is it trying to establish? What is the attitude in ourselves? Is your perception based on any lineage? Is there a reliable source? [09′05″]
Therefore, during the editing conference of our venerables in the Scriptural, everyone would say, “What is the actual meaning of this statement? Is your interpretation based on a reliable source? Is his statement based on a reliable source?” They would not say, “I feel such and such…” Even for a reincarnated practitioner, precisely because he is a reincarnated practitioner, he would cherish the scriptures more than anything else. How could we practice if the scriptures disappeared from the lineage? How could we know what liberation, Bodhichitta, or the wisdom of emptiness is? Thus, if we study the teachings earnestly, allowing the passing down of the sublime lineage of scriptural-knowledge. Only then, the experiential-knowledge could be retained. [09′42″]
So, everyone who is earnestly listening to Master’s teaching at this very moment is dedicating one’s personal effort to uphold the passing down of the lineage, as we have great faith in this teaching. So, we can rejoice ourselves, for we are applying the teaching not based on our personal imagination but based on rigorous scriptures and the teachings from qualified teachers and learn repeatedly. Some of our fellow students have already studied Lamrim for 20 years. After 20 years, do you think there is nothing to learn from Lamrim? Or do you find that there are a lot that we have not understood? Also, how many times have you listened to Master’s commentary? Even after many times of listening, we will still discover areas which we have overlooked, or even miss the critical points. If that is the case, during these 20 years of study, each year, each year, they have a different meaning. It is not merely repetitive but rather, it is a progress, a necessary step for further advancement. [10′41″]
We are able to encounter such complete teaching and have such remarkabe teachers upholding and passing down the sublime lineage to us, so we should be thankful to all qualified teachers, especially thankful to those translation venerables, thankful to our Master. Also, we should be thankful to [being born in] this era, where we are blessed with such a wonderful environment, allowing us to sit peacefully under the lamp, studying this seemingly ancient wisdom, yet a wisdom full of contemporary vibrant rhythm, with such practicality in application, but the lineage goes way back to the past. Hence, enjoy this blissful time while one is able to listen to the teaching! Indeed, very grateful! [11′34″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0012】
讲次 0012
科判 道前基础
主题 宗大师的功德
音档 1B 00:50 ~ 02:43
日期 2018/05/10 ~ 05/13
手抄页/行 1册 P17-L1 ~ P18-L2 ( 2016 南普陀版：1册 P17-L1 ~ P18-L1 )
手抄段落 那么，这个是顺便说一下……自己有圆满彻底的认识。
那么，这个是顺便说一下。刚才说到宗喀巴大师，把那个完整的教法提起来了，那么现在我们也有机会接触到。虽然它现在已经向下了，但是的的确确把我们中国固有的东西，以及现在这个配合起来的话，我的感觉，不管我们自修也好，对佛法的前途也好，那简直前途无量、前途无量！那么关于这个宗喀巴大师，他自己本人的成就，我也简单地说一下，这里。 [00′44″]
宗喀巴大师，刚开始学的时候，他主要的先由基础上面——教理。所以他头上多少年广学各家各派的东西，各家各派的东西。他只有二十刚出头一点，进到西藏，没有几年就全藏闻名，全藏闻名，换句话说，他这个教理的通达。但是他并不是凭空而来的，以他这样的一个绝顶聪明的人，他到处去参访当时的善知识，没有一个善知识不参访的，这样。然后跟他们广学那些善知识所通达的东西，而学的内容不拘任何宗派，小乘的《俱舍》，然后大乘的性宗、相宗、因明，乃至密教，然后自己有圆满彻底的认识。 [01′53″]
好，这一段听完了之后，师父说：“刚才讲到宗喀巴大师把完整的教法提起来了。”那我的问题是：什么是完整的教法？第二个问题：什么是提起来？大家想想哦！ [02′15″]
接著师父讲到：“现在我们也有机会接触到”，接触到什么呢？被宗大师提起的完整的教法，是这样吧？说: “虽然它现在已经向下了，但是的的确确把我们中国固有的东西，以及现在这个配合起来。”师父说：“不管自修也好、对佛法的前途也好”，师父用了两次“前途无量、前途无量！”这也是对完整教法的传承一种美好的、非常真挚的信心，还有对于能对完整的教法有信心、有法缘接触到的我们，无论我们自修也好、无论我们发广大的心也好，师父都说我们应该是前途无量的吧！ [03′11″]
那么再问大家一个问题：什么叫“前途无量”？如果你自己修的话，前途无量是什么呢？对于佛法、教法的传承来说，前途无量又是什么呢？ [03′27″]
在下一段又介绍了，说宗喀巴大师在开始学的时候，他主要先由基础上面的教理，广学各家各派的教理，所以二十岁刚出头的时候已经全藏闻名了。注意哦！师父说这个教理他是非常通达的。师父在这里边成立宗大师是一个非常聪明，而且是绝顶聪明的人，他到处去参访当时的善知识，没有一个不参访的。那这一句我问大家一下：一般我们都认为无师自通是最聪明的，对吧？那这么绝顶聪明的人，为什么还要到处去学呢？ [04′14″]
再问大家一个问题：那是不是因为他绝顶聪明，所以才知道要到处去学呢？然后“广学那些善知识所通达的东西”哦！那这个人聪不聪明呢？ [04′27″]
“而所学的内容不拘任何宗派，小乘的《俱舍》等等，然后性宗、相宗、因明，乃至密教，他都有自己最圆满的认识。”这么绝顶聪明的人，参访了那么多大善知识，跟那么多大善知识学，所以最后得到自己圆满的认识。 [04′46″]
这一段师父有没有立出他自己的观点呢？虽然是介绍宗大师的，但是也有没有想我们学佛开始的时候，要不要重视学教理呢？因为还记得师父在上一面提到朗达玛破坏佛法；后来说破坏得不成样子，又后来讲到有一点恢复。恢复一百多年之后，那个教法也是非常地乱、非常地乱！然后师父用怎样的语调形容它乱呢？注意听！注意听！“平常的时候，大家都是凭个人的想像，凭个人的想像，所以这个凌乱的情况我们可以想见。”注意哦！非常乱、非常乱，大家都是凭个人想像的时候，那已经是乱到极点了，这个见解是在说什么呢？传承已经没有了，对于经典的解释、论典的解释，大家都在凭个人的想像。就是想像力怎么解释就怎么解释，已经没有师师相承的这样一个传承了，那就是乱到极点了！ [06′05″]
那么今天有讲到，宗大师这么绝顶聪明的人，他到处去参学当时的善知识，把他们所通达的内容不拘宗派地全部都学来了，就是各个传承都学来了，所以成为了当时的顶严，非常非常闻名！大家学了《广论》就会看到各种说法全部是有依据的，佛陀是怎么说的、祖师又是怎么讲的，正确的观点是什么。所以佛教是一个非常非常严谨的思辨过程，它不是只凭想像力而构建的一个玄学，它是非常非常严谨的，由于思路、由于抉择而成立出来的教理。透过跟随善知识听闻，听闻之后得到闻慧，然后再进行思考得到思慧——得到自己不可动摇的这种见解，然后再依照这个来修行转变。就是闻的时候也转变心，思的时候也转变心，再由修再转变心，完成对内心强大的转变。 [07′14″]
所以推动命运的那双手是什么呢？是思想。那么思想如何才能够从片面的、局限的，甚至是颠倒的，变成是广泛的、全面的、清净的呢？就是要听闻教典。所以为什么佛法乱的时候，它的相状会是修行人都凭各自的想像？就是没有一个经典的依据，没有可靠传承教法的教理来指导大家的修行，那盏教理的明灯大家已经看不清楚了，所以个人的经验就变成了好像很重要的事情。所以师父也再再地告诫我们说，像宗大师这样绝顶聪明的人都去跟所有的善知识学，那么又何况是我呢？说学佛法不能够凭借自己的主观臆断、主观想像，要看看传承是怎么说的、经上是怎么说的、论是怎么讲的。那么这么说有道理吗？要经过内心的反复思辨、再再地去思考，所以它会被称为是智慧之学。 [08′37″]
学了几年之后，你就会发现自己比过去聪明多了。对事情的判断力会比过去迅速，对什么事情都会有非常认真、很负责任的一番探索，不会大而化之。因为《广论》每行字、每行字，都是要我们认真地探索教理是在说什么？所破是什么？所立是什么？在我们内心的行相又是什么？你的说法有传承吗？有依据吗？ [09′05″]
所以在译经院法师们大会校讨论的时候，大家都要说：“这句话到底是什么意思？你这样说有依据否？他这样说有依据否？”不会说：“我觉得怎样、我觉得怎样......”就算是再来人，正因为他是再来人，所以他更加地重视教典。因为如果教典失传了的话，我们怎么样修行啊？我们怎么样知道哪里是解脱、什么是菩提心、什么是空性啊？所以认真地学教理，然后可以使教正法传持下去。那教正法能够传承下去，就会有证正法。 [09′42″]
所以每一个在此时此刻认真地听师父带子的我们，都在为传持教法奉献出自己的力量，因为我们对这个教法有很大的信心的缘故。所以可以自己随喜一下，因为我们不是靠个人的想像力在修行，我们是依照严格教理的论典、依靠善知识的讲解，然后再反复、多次地学习。像有的学员已经学二十年了，学二十年了之后，你是会觉得《广论》没什么好学的，还是你会发现太多没有学懂的？还有师父的带子，听了多少遍了？听了多少遍之后，还会发现其中有自己疏漏的地方，甚至有特别大的点都没有看到。如果这样的话，那么二十年的学习，每一年、每一年它都有不一样的意义，它不仅仅是一个重复，它是一个递进，它是必须要进步的一个层次。 [10′41″]
我们能学到这种圆满的教法，而且有这样了不起的大善知识，把圆满的教法提起来传承到我们的面前，所以感谢一切大善知识，尤其感恩那些译师们，感恩我们的师父。也感恩这个时代，能给我们这样一个美好的环境，让我们能够静静地坐在灯下，学著这些听起来很古老，却是充满时代的跳跃感这样的智慧，应用起来是如此实用，可是它的传承真的是源远流长。所以好好为自己能够闻法的时光幸福一下吧！真的是非常感恩！ [11′34″]