Back to GL2 Listing Page | 全广二首页

Global Lamrim II

Lecture No.: 0003

Tape no.
1A 04:10 ~ 07:05

Date
2018/04/09 ~ 04/11

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse P4 LL4 – P5 LL1

Hello everyone! Let’s continue to learn another section. Before that, let’s have a check on our motivation and aspiration, and have the aspiration of a Mahayana practitioner when you listen. Because the Mahayana aspiration sets the direction. Even if it is a few minutes of listening, the karma created during these moments are leading us towards the great enlightenment. Leading us in the direction towards enlightenment is like a drop of virtuous water, dripping into the sea, this goodness will never dry up. After listening, dedicate the merit towards the attainment of Buddhahood. With that, a perfect session of listening is completed (from aspiration, actual session to conclusion). 

Ok, now let's continue to listen to a paragraph. [00′46″]

Now let’s use a simple method. What is The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment about? In brief, “Enlightenment” translated into Chinese is “awakening” - what we know as awareness. Awaken what? It is what we often know as “self-enlightenment, enlightening others, and ultimate enlightenment” - we need not go into each one in detail. Consider the most practical and concrete example. At the present moment, what are we after? Happiness! I mentioned this briefly yesterday and, to further explain or elaborate, [we all want] to avoid suffering and attain happiness. Once you thoroughly eliminate suffering, the happiness you attain is complete and faultless. This happiness is not only faultless, but it is also perfected. [02′01″]

Why is that we cannot attain [this happiness]? We work so hard so why can’t we attain it? The reason is that, although we work earnestly, without true understanding and without proper recognition, the positive effect will not necessarily arise, even though we may have worked hard for a long time. For example, if we are sick, we need to see the doctor. When you go to the doctor and you have no idea of his capability or if the medicine prescribed is applicable, you may randomly get a quack or take the wrong medicine and the sickness will not be cured. Not only will it not be cured, but it will get even worse. Similarly, the same idea applies to our daily interactions - although we are inspired by the goal, we lack the knowledge to achieve it. [02′58″]

Today, Master started to discuss “The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment”, and on the word “Enlightenment". What does Enlightenment mean in Chinese? Awakening! There are three perspectives when it comes to this. Self-enlightenment. What’s next? Enlightening others. And the third is ultimate enlightenment and there is no further explanation on this.  But how did Master explain it? Master said, "Consider the most practical and a concrete example. At the present moment, what are we after?" What are you pursuing? "Happiness!" Everyone pursues happiness, even birds, small insects...etc. Not a single one is not in pursuit of happiness. Then Master said, "To further explain or elaborate, [we all want] to avoid suffering and attain happiness." In this process, the elimination of suffering is entirely resolved and the attainment of happiness is perfected.  Then, this is the correct approach. [04'06"]

Master raised this here, pay attention! Think about what we have learned in the earlier paragraph, how to use a concise reasoning, and immediately apply it to your body and mind to arouse our interest, and develop yearning-for-Dharma (善法欲)? Because the Dharma concerns far more than our problems, (eliminate) suffering and (attain) happiness – this is awareness ah! "Awareness" also has the meaning of purification, verification and attainment, and it is expressed in two Chinese words which bore the meaning of awareness. Awareness means that a perfect situation has been reached in life, and it refers to the attainment of Buddhahood here. [04′37″]

What is the path towards attainment of Buddhahood? It is the path to relieveing sufferings step-by-step and gaining happiness step-by-step. If we know that the Dharma originally has a step-by-step approach to get our body and mind out of suffering and to be happy, isn't that great and something everyone looks forward to? So think about it, if this is the case, will we have yearning-for-Dharma to do this? From this concise reasoning that we have heard, we can use it to remove the suffering in our body and mind, find happiness and then accumulate it step-by-step every day, accumulate it step-by-step every day. Who would not look forward to such a life? Therefore, at the beginning of this commentary, Master hoped that we will use the Dharma that we have heard, apply on our body and mind to get rid of our sufferings and gain calmness and joy. This is how we should seek for the teaching in the Lamrim. Can you align to this very practical approach? Isn’t it very down-to-earth? Very realistic, isn’t it! Therefore, the Dharma can be easily applied to our daily lives in very practical ways. [05′40″]

Well, since it is so good, there is a road to enlightenment that can completely remove the suffering and gain ultimate happiness. Take a moment to compare with our current situations! Master said, "Why is that we cannot attain [this happiness]?" Why can't we get it now? After analyzing, the reason found is: Did we do it earnestly? If yes, what went wrong? Most of the time, we don't have a correct understanding of what we are doing. When it comes to this, there are a wide range of discussions on it. [06′12″]

Because we may not have gained the correct understanding, there may not be good results achieved despite striving to do it well for long time. Let’s talk about educating children in general which most of you have experience in. Take for example, would a child consider recitation from memory to be important? The child thinks that playing is more important. It is as important as working for the adults. Why do they need to go to school to learn recitation from memory and sacrifice so much of his or her precious playing time? If we let the child be and allow him to play until he is eighteen years old, he will not get to learn anything during his/her youth. Therefore, it is important for the child to have a correct understanding on attending school so that he would not waste his precious moments and miss the opportunities in learning. In order to gain the right mindset, it is reliant on the love and guidance of the parents and teachers on the children. [06′57″] 

For those of us who wish to attain ultimate enlightenment, without a capable teacher who can guide us through, tell us which is the correct path towards liberation from suffering and how to obtain ultimate happiness, even so, teach us how to recognize the misery and torment going on within our minds then, would you know is it still worth to continue? At that very instant, what is the method to be liberated from suffering? If you are unable to get a diagnosis from a good doctor, your sickness could aggravate instead of turning for the better. If there is a renowned doctor in the vicinity of our residences, this doctor may imperceptibly become one that you rely on. Whenever you are infected with even the slightest illness, you will go to consult him, “What is wrong with me?” Then, this doctor with exceptionally good attitude would compassionately advise you and prescribe medicine for you, giving you much attention and care. Then think about it, isn’t this doctor a good companion and an absolutely must-have genuine friend in your life? I feel that Master Jih-Chang is indeed using such a very amiable approach, to introduce us, to a very prominent and distinguished person, or a person who is closely related to the suffering & happiness in our lives. Who is this person?  Let’s continue to listen! [07′59″]

Now, there is an enlightened being who gave us these teachings which are referred to as “enlightenment”. Enlighten what? [The enlightened being] thoroughly knows right from wrong. This is “Bodhi,” which means enlightenment. In order to achieve this effect, we cannot just listen to [the teaching; we] have to apply it accordingly. Thus, you follow its steps by stages; this is called the “Path”. It is as simple as that. [08′43″]

So, this prominent and distinguished person whom Master wanted to introduce to us, maybe the students who have studied for a while already know, that is the great Buddha! Master had guided us very amiably, starting with the sufferings and happiness in our body and mind, [of which he] realized that we have difficulties in maintaining in a perpetual pleasant state. We could even be affected by agonies that take a long time to get rid of, some agonies could even, to the extent, rip and tightly bite on to our body and mind until [we are] not able to free ourselves from, and [these agonies] eventually entangle and hinder us throughout our whole lives. So is there such a person who has completely cleared off his sufferings and has acquired perfect happiness? Amidst the firmament of stars in the sky, Master led us to look upon the Buddha – an extremely dazzling Teacher whose brilliance is beyond all stars! [09′35″]

That said, the Buddha eliminated all the sufferings in life and obtained complete happiness. Then Master said that the Buddha has completed three types [of enlightenments] — self-enlightenment, enlightening others, and ultimate enlightenment and understands the truth of all phenomena. At that point, Master told us, within the universe, between the heaven and earth, and in the secular world, there exists such a heart which continues until today. This heart continues to exist. The Buddha’s heart has a multitude of capacity, that holds unmistakably flawless perceptions and understandings towards all matters; The Buddha’s views and understandings, just as in the past, are ever clear, accurate and even precise, without traces of errancy. Thus, the method that the Buddha used to eradicate away the root causes of sufferings is correct, and due to the elimination of the main factors of sufferings, there won’t be any painful consequences of sufferings. Furthermore, the method to achieve happiness is correct. Since the right cause was planted, [the Buddha] continued to perfect it. Hence, he gained ultimate and complete happiness. The eradication of sufferings and attainment of happiness originated from this heart that is full of wisdom.  Buddha holds accurate views and correct perceptions towards all the matters without any errancy. [10′41″]

The Buddha reveals to us the method to attain enlightenment, so what is this method about after all? [This method], in fact, is the “Path” — the Path to attain enlightenment, Master then explained the second term. Did all of you observe that? Master has explained the term “Path” in such amiability — that is, the Buddha has told you a method on how to obtain all the happiness and how it can help in eliminating all of our sufferings in life. Can such [ideal] situations happen on earth? For someone like me who is always tied down in hassles and troubles, possessing not much spirit and is busy with so many matters, is it possible to meet the great Buddha? [Am I] able to get to know such an almighty yet so amiable and warm “Path”? Well, you just need to open up this commentary!  Master has already appeared and is explaining [the Lamrim] to us. This is indeed truly wonderful! All of us should treasure the time we “meet” Master every day, in fact, this is also the time we meet the Buddha and all the great lineage Masters — that are the moments when we study and discuss [Lamrim]! Thank you!  [11′46″]

讲次 0003
音档 1A 04:10 ~ 07:05
日期 2018/04/09 ~ 04/11
手抄页/行1册 P4LL4 ~ P5-LL1 ( 2016 南普陀版：1册 P4-LL7 ~ P5-LL3 )

大家好！今天我们来继续学习下一段。还是要注意策励自己的发心，在听闻的时候有一个大乘的意乐。因为这大乘的意乐其实就像一个方向一样，它会把我们听这一节课哪怕是几分钟所造作的这个业，都引领到无上菩提的方向。而引领到无上菩提的方向，就好比是一滴水的善，我们把它放进了大海，那麽这一滴水就永不乾涸。然後在听完的时候，再把它迴向无上菩提，所以就做了一个非常完美的听闻——发心、正行和结行。　　

好，那现在我们接著听一段。 [00′46″]

所以现在我们用简单的方法。《菩提道次第广论》，那麽说些什麽呢？简单地说一下。“菩提”，翻成功我们中文叫作“觉”，大家晓得——觉悟。是觉悟些什麽呀？平常我们说叫“自觉、觉他、觉行圆满”。那麽这个我们也不必一个一个解释，拿我们最现实的，也最具体的说明——我们目前大家追求的是什麽？快乐！昨天说过了，简单地说是这样；更深一层地，或者是仔细一点讲的话，要想把痛苦解除、要想快乐得到。当你把痛苦彻底解除的时候，得到的快乐是圆满的，不会有毛病的，这样；应该说，不会有毛病的，但是并不圆满。而不但这个快乐没有毛病，而且圆满的，这样。 [02′01″]

那麽我们为什麽得不到呢？我们这麽努力去做，为什麽得不到呢？原因是说，我们虽然认真去做了，因为我们并没有对我们所做的事情有正确的认识；没有正确的认识，你虽然辛苦忙了半天，却不一定有好结果。比如说我们生了病要去找医生，你去找医生，假定你对这个医生有没有本事、这个药对不对你都不知道，随便找一个蒙古大夫，随便弄一点药吃吃的话，病治不好；不但治不好，乃至於更加重你的病苦。同样地，世间的任何事情都是如此，所以我们虽然要求这个好的目的，但是因为并不了解怎麽去做。 [02′58″]

今天师父就先讲了一下《菩提道次第广论》“菩提”这两个字。请问大家：菩提翻成中文叫什麽呀？觉！谈到“觉”，就有叁方面，一个是什麽？自觉。还有什麽？觉他。然後第叁个是觉行圆满，在这里面就没有解释了。但是师父是怎麽解释啊？师父说：“拿我们最现实的，也最具体的说明——我们目前大家追求的是什麽？”大家追求的是什麽呀？“快乐！”所有人都要追求快乐，连小鸟、小昆蟲......什麽都是在追求快乐。那麽师父说：“更深一层地，或者仔细一点讲，要想把痛苦除掉、要想快乐得到。”这个过程，除掉的痛苦是彻底解除、得到的快乐是圆满的话，那是正确的。 [04′06″]　　

师父在这里面就举出了，注意喔！想一想上一段我们学的，怎麽样用一个简明的道理，马上用到身心上头，我们就提起了兴趣、产生了善法欲呢？就是因为佛法攸关於我们的苦乐问题——这个觉悟啊！“觉悟”也是净化和證达的意思，中文用两个字表达就是觉悟。觉悟就是已经到达生命的一个圆满的境地，这里面指的是无上菩提。 [04′37″]

那无上菩提之路说起来是什麽呢？就是步步离苦、步步得乐的这一条路。如果我们知道：喔！佛法原来是一步一步让我的身心摆脱痛苦、一步一步得到快乐的话，那不是人人都欣乐之、人人都嚮往吗？所以，大家想一想，如果这样的话，我们会不会有善法欲呢？我们听来的这样简明的道理，可以用在身心上除苦引乐，然後每天步步积累、步步积累，这样的生活谁不嚮往呢？所以师父在本论的开头，希望我们把听来的佛法用在身心上，去掉痛苦、得到平静和欢乐，这就是我们对《广论》产生的希求心。大家可以想一想是不是很踏实？是不是很接地气？很现实、很现实！所以佛法的作用，也是非常非常实惠的。 [05′40″]　　

那麽既然这麽好，说有一种可以彻底地把痛苦都去掉，把所有的快乐都圆满这样一条无上菩提之路。对比一下我们的现状吧！然後师父就说了：“我们为什麽得不到呢？”现在我们为什麽得不到呢？分析的原因就是：认真做了没？认真了。那什麽原因呢？就是我们对所做的事情没有正确的认识。提到这一点的话，可能就要产生广泛的讨论了。 [06′12″]

因为没有正确的认识，所以忙了半天，都不一定有好结果。一般说教育小孩这件事，大家就都有经验了。一个小孩子，比如他认为背书有什麽重要的呢？他认为玩比较重要，玩就像大人工作一般重要，为什麽要坐在学堂里背书，牺牲掉那麽多珍贵的玩的时间呢？如果一个孩子，让他尽兴地玩，玩到十八岁的话，那整个青少年就什麽都学不到了。所以一定也要对坐在课堂里读书有个正确的认识，然後才能够不辜负光阴。所以这个正确的认识，就有赖於家长和老师对我们这些所谓的小小顽童的慈爱和管束。 [06′57″] 　　

那麽对於我们想要达成无上菩提的人来说，没有一个这样的老师引导我们，告诉我们正确的离苦得乐之道是什麽，甚至心里正在进行的这个苦认不认识？还要进行下去吗？离开痛苦的办法在当下到底是什麽呢？如果没有得到一个好医生，生了病的话，可能还会病上加病。如果我们家里附近有一个名医，可能无形中就会成为你的一个依靠，有点病你就去问他：“怎麽回事啊？”然後这医生态度又特别好，会特别慈悲告诉你，又给你开药、又关注你。那你想想，他是不是人生路上的一个良伴，一个绝对不可或缺的真挚朋友？我觉得师父就是在用这样一个非常非常亲切的办法，把一位非常非常伟大的人物、或者对我们生命的苦乐息息相关的人介绍给我们。那个人到底是谁呢？接著往下听！ [07′59″]

那麽现在有这麽一个人，他是彻底完全觉悟了，告诉我们这个道理，所以这个叫作“觉”。觉悟什麽呢？任何一件事情对、错，他完全了解了，这样，那所谓这菩提就是觉的意思。那麽我们要想得到这个结果的话，不但听到那个道理就算了，还要照著它去做，所以你照著它这个方法走上去的这个步骤，叫作“道”，这麽简单。 [08′43″]　　

所以师父要给我们介绍的这个伟大人物，可能学过的同学早都知道，就是我们伟大的佛陀！师父用非常亲切的引导，从我们身心的苦乐这点开始，发现我们都没法让自己一直永久处在快乐的状态，甚至有了痛苦，摆脱掉的时间也很长，甚至有些痛苦就紧紧地撕咬著自己的身心，是没法摆脱掉的，变成一生一世的牵缠和羁绊。那麽有没有一个人，他的痛苦全部解除了、他的快乐全部都圆满了？师父就在满天的星辰之中，引导我们去看佛陀——这位非常耀眼、比星星更耀眼的导师！ [09′35″]　

那麽说：他把生命所有的苦都解决、乐都得到了。然後师父说：他完成了叁种——自觉、觉他、觉行圆满，任何一件事情的对和错全部都了解了。师父就告诉我们说，在宇宙间、在天地间、在人世间，曾经有这样一颗心，而且它现在也是存在的，这颗心是存在的。他心中有一个量，这个量，就是对所有的事情完全没有颠倒的看法；他的见解一如既往地清澈和準确、乃至精确，没有一丝丝的错谬。所以他去除苦因的方式是正确的，苦因被去掉了，所以没有苦果；那麽得到快乐的因是正确的、是种下去了，继而令它圆满，所以他的快乐也圆满了。这苦和乐的去除和得到，只是源於这颗非常非常有智慧的心，他对一切事情有正确的知见、有正确的看法，完全没有颠倒。 [10′41″]　　

他告诉我们得到菩提的办法，那这个办法到底是什麽呢？就是“道”——菩提道，师父就解释第二个字了。大家有没有看到，师父把这个“道”字解释得是何等地亲切——就是佛陀告诉你一个方法，那个方法就是怎麽样能够得到全部的快乐呢？怎麽样能够帮我们生命所有的痛苦都去除掉呢？天底下有这样的事情可以达到吗？像我这样每天烦烦恼恼，也没有什麽心力，又很多事情在忙的人，真的有机会会晤到伟大的佛陀吗？能够知道这样了不起、如此亲切温馨的“道”吗？打开本论就是了！师父已经走到我们中间，在为我们讲述了。所以这是一件多美好的事情！大家一定要好好地珍惜每天跟师父会晤的时间，也是跟佛陀、祖师们会晤的时间——就是在研讨的时刻啊！谢谢！ [11′46″]