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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0066

Tape no. -

Date: 2018/11/15 ~ 11/18

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue– Veneration at the beginning of the commentary

English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33

Vol. 1 of Four Interwoven Annotations P56-LL7 ~ P58-LL6

Everyone, please turn to page 57, the Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations [Chinese version]. Let’s look at how the verse is explained in the Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations. In Rinpoche’s teaching, he mentioned that there are two trailblazers introduced in Lamrim, the Profound View and the Extensive Deeds. That is why Lama Tsong-kha-pa paid homage to these Masters of the lineage. So what are these two trailblazers of the Profound View and Extensive Deeds? The former is the profound path, also the lineage of the Profound View, which is passed from Manjusri Bodhisattva to Nagarjuna Bodhisattva. The latter is Extensive Deeds, the lineage of the vast deeds, which is passed from Venerable Ajita, also known as Maitreya Bodhisattva, to Asanga Bodhisattva. In addition to these two lineages, Profound View and Extensive Deeds, Rinpoche also introduced a lineage of Blessings, or known as the lineage of Great Deeds, which is passed from Manjusri Bodhisattva to Santideva Bodhisattva. Thus, there are 3 types of lineages in total. [01′35″]

Thus, in this verse, it says: “The supreme heirs of the unequaled teacher [the Buddha].” The “unequaled” means “peerless.” Since all Buddhas praised our Sakyamuni Buddha and compared him to a white lotus, [Sakyamuni Buddha] is incomparable; that is, there is no comparison. [02′00″]

Why did they praise Sakyamuni Buddha and compare him to a white lotus? What essence does the white lotus represent? If you ever walk on a bridge in a drizzle, looking at a white lotus in the water, you would discover it is very elegant, divine and pure in the ripple. When you gaze at it earnestly, the refreshing feeling will soon fill your heart. [This might explain why there are many depicting the white lotus] as “slim and gracefully standing in the water,” etc. However, Rinpoche said the white lotus is rarely seen in India. The red lotus, [on the other hand], is quite common. Thus, by comparing the white lotus, it is for its “rarity and uniqueness.” In general, lotus flowers give us a feel of holiness, something unworldly, refreshing and pure. But seen from the perspective of its rarity, the white lotus signifies the very gallant and sacred aspiration of Sakyamuni Buddha. He came to this world of five impurities [v.1 p.392 #266] to manifest [the path to the state of] Buddhahood. Master told me before, “I heard there is a kind of flower named Giant Water Lily*; it is as big as the size of a cartwheel.” Then I asked, “Is it the leaf that is as big as the cartwheel or the lotus?” Master replied, “It is Giant Water Lily.” But later, when I asked around, found out people have ever seen the leaves of Giant Water Lily that are as big as the cartwheels but not the Giant Water Lily. If the water lily flower is as big as the cartwheel, that would be very distinct! [03′35″]

[*One of the easiest ways to differentiate a lily and a lotus from a distance is by looking at the leaves. The leaves of the lily sit flat on the water, whereas the leaves of the lotus rise above the water about four feet over the water level. Moreover, the lily flowers float on the water surface, whereas the lotus flowers just emerge out of the water.]

So [all Buddhas] praise Sakyamuni Buddha, for salvaging us from the world of five impurities. The world we live in is full of weighty afflictions and laden with suffering, with short lifespan. Nevertheless, Buddha did not mind at all. It is possible that just due to all of these unbearable sufferings, he jumped into this big ocean of cyclic existence, into this world of five impurities to rescue us. Thus, such gallant willpower and strong aspiration are just as rare as the white lotus. So Buddhas in all ten directions are singing the praises of Sakyamuni Buddha unanimously; thus, Sakyamuni Buddha is also known as “incomparable”. That’s the explanation of the word “unequaled”. [04′20″]

What about the word “teacher”? The “teacher” refers to the “mentoring teacher” with the “proficiency in transforming disciples’ minds, thus as our mentoring teacher”. What does this mentoring teacher teach? With his knowledge or his wisdom, he is capable of transforming and purifying the mental continuum of suitable disciples.  What is to “transform”? That is to eliminate all afflictions from the mental stream of disciples. Whoever imparts such approach is known as the mentoring teacher. Hence “the unequaled teacher” is the incomparable mentoring teacher, Bhagavan Buddha. Then, the supreme heirs born from Buddha’s speech are to assume the burden of all the Conqueror’s deeds. The word “heirs” in the “supreme heirs of the unequaled Teacher” refers not to ordinary fathers and sons, but the disciples born from Buddha’s speech; besides, there is a word “supreme” preceding it. [05′30″]

What does it mean to be born from Buddha’s speech? As we all know, where do we come from, our family backgrounds will be part of who we are – our cultural background, habits, and lots of tradition and heritage. Thus, if the “supreme heirs” were born from Buddha’s speech, then their mental streams are cultivated by Buddha’s speech, [nothing else but] totally born from Buddha’s speech. Therefore, what manifests in terms of their bodies, speech and mind are the two good qualities of Buddha’s teaching, scriptural knowledge and experiential knowledge. With merely these words “the supreme heirs of the unequaled teacher [the Buddha],” Lama Tsong-kha-pa sang the praises of Buddha as well as his supreme heirs. [06′24″]

What are the good qualities of the supreme heirs in regard to their upholding of the Dharma works? It says, “Having assumed the burden of all the Conqueror’s deeds”. What kind of deeds have they assumed? That is, “shouldering the responsibilities of all twelve Dharma works”, guiding sentient beings, enabling them to eradicate all suffering and attain happiness. These supreme heirs completely uphold the burden of Buddha’s deeds, and they are Maitreya Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva. [06′52″] 　

讲次 0066

科判 道前基础

主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬

音档 -

日期 2018/11/15 ~ 11/18

广论段落 P1-L5 是无等师最胜子……礼阿逸多及妙音

入门段落 第1册 P56-LL7 ~ P58-LL6 其次，此论所示深广二道中……阿逸多及妙音两位菩萨。

请大家把《四家合注入门》翻到五十七页，然后我们看一看《四家合注入门》里边对于这个偈颂的解释。在仁波切的讲记里边，说在这个《广论》中，有开示深广两种道，就是《广论》含摄甚深和广大两种道，所以宗喀巴大师顶礼其中的传承上师。那么甚深、广大二道的传承到底是怎样呢？前者就是两者之中的甚深道，也就是深见的传承，是由文殊菩萨传与龙树菩萨；后者就是广行道——广行派的传承，由慈氏传给无着菩萨，就是弥勒菩萨传给无着菩萨。这里边讲了主要是传承深见、广行两种传承，仁波切还介绍了一种加持派的传承，或者说伟大行派的传承，是文殊菩萨传给寂天菩萨的，所以总共有三种传承。 [01′35″] 　　

那么，在这个偈颂里边说：“是无等师最胜子”，所谓“无等”就是"“没有匹敌”的意思。因为一切的佛陀都对我们的释迦佛“赞如白莲”，所以说是无与伦比的，没有什么可以跟他匹敌的。 [02′00″] 　　

为什么赞美释迦佛像白莲花一样？那么取白莲的什么精神？如果在绵绵细雨的时候走在桥上，然后去看一朵水中的白莲花，会发现它在水波中非常非常地圣洁和出尘。当你非常认真地凝视着它的时候，其实心里也会感觉到清凉，所以用“亭亭在水中”等等，有很多人赞美过白莲花。但是善知识说这个白莲在印度是非常非常少见的，大多是红莲花，所以赞美白莲就是取它“稀有”的意思。一般莲花都给我们一种圣洁的、很出尘的、很清凉、无染的一种感觉，但这个白莲，它取稀有的话，就取释迦佛的发心非常的勇猛和圣洁，为了五浊恶世的我们来这个世界示现成佛。师父以前给我讲过说：“听说有一种莲花叫王莲，说是大如车轮。”当时我还问说：“是叶子大如车轮，还是莲花？”师父说：“是莲花。”但是后来四处去问，说是只看过那个莲叶大如车轮，没有见过莲花大如车轮的。如果有一种莲花大如车轮的话，那真是太稀有了！ [03′35″]

所以这里边赞美释迦佛，为了度化五浊恶世的我们，我们在这个世界就是烦恼又重，又非常地苦，寿命又很短，他完全不在意这些，可能正是由于这些难以想像的痛苦，他就纵身跃入这个轮回的大海，来这个五浊恶世度化我们。所以这种勇猛的志向、勇悍的发心，就像白莲花一般稀有。所以十方的诸佛都一齐地赞叹，所以叫“无与伦比”，是“无等”这个解释。 [04′20″] 　　

那么“师”，这个“师”字是指“导师”。是“修正所化相续故为导师”。这位导师他要教什么呢？就是他的学问或者他的智慧能够去修正、净化所化机的相续。那么“修正”什么？就是灭除所化相续中的一切烦恼。能开示这个方法的人，就称为“导师”。所以“无等导师”，就是无可匹敌的导师佛薄伽梵。那么，从他的语教所出生的最胜子，荷佛一切事业担的最胜子，“是无等师最胜子”，这个“子”非指一般的父子，是形容从佛陀的语教中所出生的弟子，而且他前面还有个“最胜”。 [05′30″] 　　

什么叫从佛的语教所出生的？我们都知道，我们从哪里来、我们的家世背景，就会带着那个家世背景的一些文化的色彩、习惯，或者说很多很多的传承都在这个背景里边。那么这个“最胜子”是从佛陀的语教所出生的话，就是他的心续为佛陀的语教浸透，完全是从佛陀的语教中所出生的。所以他的身语意所显示的，即是佛陀教证二法的功德。看看这几个字——“是无等师最胜子”，赞美了佛陀，又赞美了他最殊胜的法王子。 [06′24″] 　　

这个最殊胜的法王子，他的功德事业到底是什么呢？说：“荷佛一切事业担”，佛的什么事业呢？就是“随应调化十二相事业”，调化有情，令有情离苦得乐。这个最胜子，将所有的佛陀的担子圆满地担荷起来了，这两位就是弥勒菩萨和文殊菩萨。 [06′52″]