Lecture No. 0065
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0065
Tape no.
2A 20:28 ~ 21:29
Date
2018/11/12 ~ 11/14
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Opening Veneration – Veneration before commentary
English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P43-LL3 ~ P44-L3
How to learn from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who transform the job of guiding living beings into playful dance in innumerable Buddha realms with immeasurable joy, requires us to pay extra attention to how we study and how we make aspiration. How can we relieve various stresses, getting rid of unnecessary worries, the feeling of loneliness and helplessness? Whenever we feel helpless, if we continue with this line of thought, we would feel even more helpless. Why don’t we think of a way to solve this helplessness. One, two, three… What is the sequential order? One of the most important point is to supplicate to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; another method is to ask those who have the knowledge and try to figure out a way to fix the feeling of helplessness. In any case, sitting there and not doing anything, feeling helpless, and looking for many people to seek solution, the latter is definitely more proactive and more optimistic for us. [00′44″]
Whether you are in the debating forum, or the teachers at Educational Park, or the students studying in Educational Park, or even assuming responsibilities in the Dharma Enterprises or the Lamrim classmates from all walks of life, everyone must learn to relieve stress, and learn to cultivate our heart and mind. When we continuously cultivate the heart and mind, we will feel that, actually the source of my suffering and happiness does not originate from what is happening right now, but rather, what revelation or development this incident has given me. [01′13″]
Once our heart and mind strive towards the cultivation of compassion and wisdom, we would actually feel that life has been very fulfilling. Because I have learned a lot, I’ve become more mature. Once we noticed how much we have improved, naturally we would feel joyous. Although it might not be comparable to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who are joyously working in the innumerable Buddha realms, at least we will discover some bright sparks, discover hopes, breaking the ice, breaking helplessness, breaking loneliness, breaking the feeling of not knowing where to go, stopping wasting our lives away! At least we will notice the blind spots from our practices and undertakings of responsibilities everyday. Noticing the blind spots is also a kind of discovery, and then trying ways to breakthrough the blind spots is also another discovery. One discovery after another… As everyone knows, a great discovery usually brings us enormous joy. Likewise, a development and discovery of our hearts would also bring us inner “coolness” (relief) and excitement. Thus, this is a very wonderful journey! [02′16″]
In this short paragraph, Master gave us insight on the word “emanate”. In our daily undertakings, we have to think about how to improve ourselves and how to let our heart and mind be joyful. You may ask: “Ah! If my heart and mind are joyful, will I not be benefitting others?” The act of benefiting others does not necessarily mean sorrows. If we always find ourselves being sorrowful all the time, how long can we last? We would feel totally exhausted, or running out of solutions. Hence, we need to pay special, special attention to the development of our heart and mind. Once we continuously feel the blessings from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and the imbuing inspiration from Master, we would not over-inflate ourselves and our egos in the course of assuming responsibilities, and forget the efforts of the team, forget each and every Lamrim student, each and every monastic, who has made that very rare and precious contribution in the establishment of the teaching. We would realise that we are really a big group of people putting in effort together to make the Lamrim study possible. And also the many self-benefitting and others-benefitting works stemming from Lamrim study. [03′15″]
Thus, working with a such a big group, involving interpersonal communication, involving all aspects of the responsibilities I am undertaking, it is not as relaxed as working alone. Just because it is not easy, we would seek a simplified approach; that is, how do we live in the present moment! What is present moment? (It means) taking our aspiration seriously, listening to the teachings properly, earnestly applying what we have learned to tame our mind internally, and at conclusion, earnestly dedicate all of our virtuous deeds. This may sound like standardized, a very orderly process of listening to the teaching of Buddha. However, precisely because the quality is right and the capacity is right, can we then arise the correct sense of perception and experience. Hence, it is not necessary for us to wait for a better tomorrow, or when everything is perfectly encompassing, then we can experience happiness. When we attend every lesson properly, we will be happy. [04′03″]
In every responsibility we take on, or even during very difficult times, how can we experience some relief while going through all sorts of challenges? We still need to ponder: is the task itself difficult or is it difficult because of the way I perceive it? Then, what makes it not difficult? It is because there is the guiding principle, the mind training principle, many stipulations of the ethical discipline, and teachings from Master, so on and so forth. Once we repeatedly apply the teachings to our minds and rectify our direction, we then would continuously awaken the virtuous parts in our hearts or fostering our kind intention. Once the power of our kind intention extends broader and stronger, we would discover: “Is there actually anyone opposing me? Is there truly a lot of animosities? Are there truly tons of issues that I can’t handle? Once we become more open-minded and more tolerant as to what happens in our life, then even from a small conflict, we will try to identify our own blind spot and transform from there; then at this juncture, joy will fill our mind. [04′59″]
Thus, I would like to say this: In every step we take, every undertaking we take on, we actually can’t do without the guidance from wisdom. With such guidance, we would know what we are up to, what we are saying, and what we are thinking. Are we heading in the direction of virtuous deeds, or on the path to purifying our afflictions? Or are we moving towards the direction of being conceited and egocentric? [In fact,] once the direction is incorrect, the feeling of suffering and happiness become very evident. If we can constantly reflect on ourselves with the teaching, naturally our minds would become sharper and more lucid. Pay attention! Being sharp and lucid is the standard we ask for ourselves rather than apply on others. Then, how should we treat others? We apply such means as OMAK, compassion, forgiveness, understanding, communication, and peace; abandoning the violent thoughts, brutal languages, or violent mindset. These are all required for taming our minds! [05′44″]
In this section, Master said, “Bodhisattva is like the moon, emanating cool moonlight in the boundless space.” With such wonderful integration of compassion and wisdom, facing countless Dharma works, Bodhisattvas are able to apply “playful dance” attitude to accomplish these incredible undertakings. Such a scenario is worth waiting for. For this, we must study well! [06′04″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0065】
讲次 0065
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2A 20:28 ~ 21:29
日期 2018/11/12 ~ 11/14
广论段落 P1-L5 是无等师最胜子……礼阿逸多及妙音
手抄页/行 第1册 P43-LL3 ~ P44-L3 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P43-LL3 ~ P44-L4 )
手抄段落 前面上说“游戏”……就教化众生的意思来说。
如何学习佛菩萨，把教化有情的事业变得像游戏无量土，全部乐在其中、欢喜无比，是非常非常需要注意我们的学习方法，乃至发心。如何去除很多压力、很多不必要的焦灼、孤单感、无助感？当我们感到无助的时候，如果你沿着无助的思路去想就会越无助；不如想一个办法如何去解决这个无助，一、二、三......，次第是什么；其中重要的一点，就是向佛菩萨祈求；再一个，向知道的人去询问，找出方式，然后去解决这个无助。总之，待在那里一动不动、无助，和去找很多人问方法，肯定是后者对我们来说比较积极、比较乐观。 [00′44″]
不论在辩论场上，或者在园区承担的老师啊，或者在园区学习的学生，甚至在法人事业，在各个行业的广论班同学，大家都需要学会去摆脱压力、学会去令自心成长。当我们不停地令自心成长的时候，就会感觉到其实我的苦乐并不只是源于正在发生什么事，而是源于这个事情带给我什么启示、什么成长。 [01′13″]
一旦我们的心，朝着悲心和智慧的成长方向去努力的时候，我们就会觉得其实日子过得还是满殷实的，因为我收获许多、我成长许多。看到自己成长许多之后，当然就会有欢喜——虽然不能说像佛菩萨那样，产生游戏无量土这样一个不可思议的境界，但是至少会在其中发现亮点、发现希望，破冰、破无助、破孤单感、破不知所从、破虚度人生！至少我会在每天每天的这种承担和修行中看到盲点，看到盲点也是一种发现，然后再去想法突破盲点，又是一种发现。一个发现，接着一个发现......大家知道一个伟大的发明，通常都带给我们无量的喜悦，那么我们对自心的一个成长和发明，也毕竟会带给我们自心的清凉或者几许雀跃，所以这个过程还是非常美妙的！ [02′16″]
师父在这一小段里一直启示着我们：“游戏”这两个字，在每天的承担中，要想到令自己成长、令自己的心灵愉悦。你说：“啊！那令自己的心灵愉悦，会不会是没有利他？”利他的时候不一定是苦哈哈的。如果一直是苦哈哈的，能坚持多久呢？我们就会感觉到累得不行了，或者已经没有办法了。所以内心的成长还是要特别特别关注的，一旦我们在内心中不停地感受到佛菩萨的加持、师父的愿力的摄持，我们就不会在承担事业的时候过分地膨胀个人和自我，而忘记了团队的付出，忘记了每个每个广论学员、每个每个出家人，在这一期建立教法中他所做的那种非常稀有的努力。我们就会发现我们真的是很大的一群人在成办学习《广论》，乃至由学习《广论》所生出来的很多自利利他的事业。 [03′15″]
那么自己在一个很大的群体之中，涉及到人际沟通，涉及到我所承担的事情方方面面的，就没有像自己一个人那样那么轻松。正因为不轻松，所以我们才会去寻觅一个简单的办法，就是怎么样活在当下！当下是什么？正视发心，如理听闻，认真地将所闻的法义校对内心，结束之后再好好地回向。听起来好像很制式化、很次第井然的一个听闻佛法的过程，但是正因为质对了、量对了之后，我们才能够产生如量的觉受。所以不一定要等待非常美好的明天、一切都圆满的时候，我们才能体会到快乐，在每一节课上好的时候，我们就会快乐。 [04′03″]
在每个承担的事业中，甚至在非常艰难的时刻，怎么去透过种种艰难体会稍许的轻松呢？还是要想一下：这种艰难是事项本身的艰难，还是我把它安立为艰难？那么它不艰难的是什么呢？因为有指导原则呀、有修心原则啊、有很多戒律的明文规定、有师父的教诫......。一旦拿法来数数地校对内心、校对这个方向，我们就会不停地觉醒心中的良善，或者长养心中的善意。一旦我们的善意越来越扩大、越来扩大的时候，我们就会发现：真的有谁对立吗？真的有很多敌人吗？真的有很多好像我无法面对的吗？一旦心里开朗、辽阔，发生一点小小的矛盾，我们试着从这矛盾中找到自己的盲点去提升的时候，我们的心就获得了喜悦。 [04′59″]
所以我想说：在每一步、每一步的承担之中，确实都离不开智慧的观照——观照我在干什么？我在说什么？我在想什么？是不是沿着善业的方向、沿着净化烦恼的方向？还是沿着膨胀自我的方向、沿着以自我为中心的方向？如果我们常常拿法来校对自心的话，自然会越来越明利。注意！明明白白、非常地犀利，是对自己的。对他人呢？观功念恩啊、慈悲呀、宽恕啊、理解呀、沟通啊、和平啊，摆脱那种暴力的思考、暴力的语言，或者暴力的心念，是我们非常必要的修行！ [05′44″]
所以在这里边，师父说：“菩萨清凉月，游于毕竟空。”慈悲和智慧的美妙融合，在面对着无量无边的事业的时候，菩萨都能用“戏舞”的方式来完成不可思议的这些事业，这是一件多么值得期待的事情，所以我们一定要好好地学习！ [06′04″]