Lecture No. 0026
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0026
Tape no.
1B 15:52 ~ 17:30
Date
2018/06/28-07/01
Outline: Foundation
Topic: The near and distant path to Buddhahood
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P24-LL2 ~ P25-LL5
Great, let’s listen to the next section. Everyone please pay attention, and listen well! [00′10″]
[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 1B on page introduction-23~24]
So, if you are seriously planning to learn Lamrim, the reason I did not provide a tight curriculum schedule is so that [you will make the effort to] validate [your understanding of the teachings] through research of the sutras and scriptures as long as you are willing to learn. The Lotus Sutra clearly states that "I [Buddha], innumerable eons ago, have taught you [Sariputra] the complete teachings. It is unfortunate that you have not taken my advice. Often, you hastily continued with your latent propensity. In the end, you thought you understood, yet you actually did not.” Also in this Sutra, there is a parable called the Chapter of the Parable of the Manifest City (Chapter 7 化城喻品). Do you still remember it? I will explain this Parable of the Manifest City in plain language to express its core meaning. It is like [a group that] set out on a long journey for a treasure hunt in a faraway location. Everyone followed the lead merchant, our Buddha, who knew exactly how to get to the destination. Alas! Along the way, [the group experienced] thirst, heat, and weariness. They made all sorts of effort without getting any closer [to the goal] and were getting ready to give up. [01′23″]
Buddha knew that the “mental capacity” (⼼量) of the followers was too weak [to continue] so he manifested a city on the spot. “Here we are! Here we are!” [Buddha proclaimed.] Everyone got excited and, once they entered the city, [they were] pleased to drink water and eat food. Then, the Buddha said, “After this refreshment [we must go on.] We are not there yet; there is more distance to be covered!” At that time, starting afresh was the right thing to do! I believe many of you here have read The Lotus Sutra before and knew this parable. If not, please find time to study it. [01′52″]
In terms of its literal meaning, this section should be easy to understand, right? Then, allow me to bring up a few questions. First, Master said, “If you are seriously planning to learn Lamrim…” There were two words “seriously planning” in the statement. Let’s think about this. Why did Master use these two words “seriously planning”? He could have just said, “If you want to learn Lamrim in the future…” Why did Master stress on “seriously planning” to study Lamrim? Do you have the answer to it? What are your answers? [02′29″]
Usually, when we discuss an issue with others, we will say, “Please give me some suggestions.” Some may reply, “You really want to hear it?” And we will answer, “I really want to hear it!” The reply is, “Then I am going to tell you! Do you truly want to hear it? I am about to tell you!” So, the question [Master asked] is: are we seriously planning to learn the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment? If we are seriously planning to learn, then what Master was going to say would be very very important to us. That is, Lamrim should be the taken path! [02′59″]
So here, Master hoped that we can begin the learning of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment with a very sincere attitude. In other words, with a “genuine attitude”, we dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to such learning. We commit ourselves to it, instead of just scratching the surface or browsing through it. It is rather the potency of devoting our entire being to it. [03′27″]
Then Master said he “did not provide a tight curriculum schedule” for the reason that, “as long as you are willing to learn”. Actually, by saying “you want to learn” should be sufficient, yet Master added the word “willing” before “to learn” – “as long as you are willing to learn.” What does the phrase “willing to learn” mean? That is, you are enthusiastic about learning! Learn it without any reservation! If that is the case, then “validate [your understanding of the teachings] through research of the sutras and scriptures”. [03′55″]
Then, some might say, “Wow, we spend so many years studying one text!” It is not like that! Through learning Lamrim, we get to hear references to many scriptures! For example, now we have heard Lotus Sutra. In the very beginning of Master’s commentary, we get to hear The Lotus Sutra and The Array of Stalks Sutra. In this case, because of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, many people start to recite The Lotus Sutra. Reciting a sutra once can also accumulate immeasurable merits. If one recites The Array of Stalks Sutra once, wow! Such a thick volume of The Eighty Chapters Array of Stalks Sutra, but one will recite it very very joyfully! The Array of Stalks Sutra is an extremely brilliant and magnificent scripture; you all can read it on your own. You might not understand, but if you are able to plant the seed in your mind, that will be really wonderful! [04′31″]
My first encounter with The Surangama Sutra* was at an auntie’s house. I heard someone reciting The Surangama Sutra. But at that time, I did not know it was the recitation of a Buddhism scripture. I just heard someone repeatedly reciting “Ananda! Ananda! Ananda!” Upon hearing “Ananda”, I left my seat, ran to her door and asked, “Why is it Ananda?” I opened the door and dashed in, I said, “You are saying ‘Ananda’; who is 'Ananda'?” And then I took The Surangama Sutra from her hands. That older sister was startled, probably a little frightened by me as I cried. And then I said, “Why does this name sound so familiar; who is Ananda? What are you reading?” I then took over The Surangama Sutra and began to read on my own in front of her. [I was so absorbed in my reading that] it seemed the older sister was not there. [05′18″]
[*Surangama Sutra: An original Sanskrit version of Śūraṅgama Sūtra is not known to be extant, and thus its full Sanskrit name is not known. Śūraṅgama roughly means "indestructible." The word is composed of Śūraṅ (great, absolutely), with Gama (durable, solid). It is a very profound guidance for us to understand the true nature of reality.]
If you immerse yourself in reciting a sutra, imagine how many beings you can benefit! Maybe there are more people as impetuous as me, one day when they hear the reciting [of The Surangama Sutra], their virtuous roots are initiated and then they find refuge – the Buddha. [05′34″]
Thus, Master mentioned here, “validate [your understanding of the teachings] through research of the sutras and scriptures”. It means that you have to look into it yourself. What do you validate? It is to validate if the statements in the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment have reliable sources, if they were stated by Buddha. [05′47″]
Then, Master continued, “The Lotus Sutra clearly states”, what is said clearly? Do you still remember the big section that follows? Master said, “I [Buddha], innumerable eons ago…” Whose tone is this? It follows, “I [Buddha], innumerable eons ago…” How long is the duration of “innumerable eons”? It is infinite, from past till now, endless. Master said, “have taught you [Sariputra] the complete teachings”; who was taught? We may reply, “It is those who listened to The Lotus Sutra when it was imparted.” But now we also have heard The Lotus Sutra, so we have been taught the complete teachings as well. “It is unfortunate that you have not taken my advice. Always…” Take notice! Behold! After Buddha taught us, but very sorry, the audience do not take heed. What was the action taken when one doesn’t heed the advice? [Master followed by saying,] “Always…”. Notice the word “Always”. It is not a temporary reaction but rather, one always acts in this manner continuously and consistently. "Hastily", that attitude, hastily, doing what? “Continued with your latent propensity”. What does it mean by continuing with our latent propensity? It means what we are habituated to and familiarized with, right? We engage in what we feel like doing and just do it. “In the end, you thought you understood, yet you actually did not.” [07′17″]
For those younger members, I am not sure whether you are able to relate to this experience upon reading this section? However, if you have taken care of your younger siblings before, then you will also understand. No matter how many times you tell a younger sibling about certain things, he just won’t listen; he will just do it his way. For example, you tell him “Well! You should not run. Don’t run for you might fall! Don’t run, don’t chase after me; stop running after me!” He definitely would chase after you. “Kaput”! He fell, and with a bleeding knee. Aw! He cried, and then you had to put a bandage on it. Next time, you tell him, “You should not run, you should not run!” There he was, fell on the ground again. We were all like this when we were young. [07′50″]
[Take myself for example.] When I was young, I stuffed my pockets with popcorns. When I saw my [neighboring] older sisters dashing out from the yard, I, being younger at that time, felt that I must dash as well. As they were dashing, they turned around and shouted at me, “You should not run! Stop running. Be careful not to spill your popcorns!” I was thinking I didn’t care! I had four pockets full of popcorns; and started dashing and dashing. Not even knowing what happened, I fell to the ground, then burst out crying, popcorns were scattered all over the ground. Seeing this, all of the older sisters turned back and helped me to pick up the popcorns. After being picked up, the popcorns were not edible as well. [Seeing this,] I cried again. That was the end of the fun. Nobody could continue playing, instead, they comforted me. Hence, from a small incident with a little kid, the attitude of not taking advice is obvious! [08′28″]
What mentioned above might strike a chord with all teachers. Respected teachers, while you are teaching your students, will they listen to you? Yet teachers can’t stop teaching just because students are not listening, they still have to teach continuously, sending off classes and classes of graduates in this manner. Like Buddha, who has been relentlessly imparting to us the complete teaching since immeasurable eons, the same goes for parents. Even if the children will not listen, parents can never stop giving advice! Would you agree? So, from these few statements, we can see Buddha’s compassion and patience! Buddha, from immeasurable eons ago, has given us the same teaching in countless durations. [09′03″]
Those who have studied Lamrim would have learned that one of the good qualities of virtuous teachers is to “rely on … abandoned dispiritedness”. [LR v.1 p.71] Just keep on teaching the same concept over and over again, repeatedly mentioning the same teaching. After repeating it for a while, will your passion for the teaching still remain? Some people will become numbed after repeating the same thing for a while, but Buddha’s compassionate attitude never fades. Because he has already reached the perfect state, he gave us encompassing teaching continuously and never stopped even for an instant. Thus, if we reflect on it, do you feel that although we have encountered various sufferings in the journey of our lives, we still have the care from our Master as well as all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They constantly try to pull us out from our erroneous habits by disseminating [Buddha’s teaching] to us again and again. [09′47″]
Do we have any feeling towards "hastiness"? The anxious heart and agitated feeling to quickly find the task and quickly get it done, ] rushing to achieve instant result. Is this right? We often look for instant gratification in the things we do, without thorough planning. Besides being hasty, we are inclined to find a method of doing things that suits our habits, and received no results in the end. So all the above reveals a phenomenon: the manifestation of the compassion of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is that they are continuously imparting the teachings. Yet, our state is that we always do not listen and are inclined to rush into our method of doing things. We ended up being constantly trapped in the midst of sufferings. [10′27″]
Although the scriptures are profound, there are so many repeating occurrences happening in our lives. However, after so many similar occurrences have happened, have we tried to reflect on them? Would we learn from each one of these occurrences to uplift our lives? That is, to remove the habitual way of continuing to do things hastily and in accordance to our method. If we think, “How difficult it is to change this habit! Wouldn’t that be against myself and make myself suffer?” We search for happiness, yet we end up getting more suffering; isn’t this against ourselves? Which route is easier, taking the easy way out or applying the antidote to our habits right from the beginning? [11′04″]
Theoretically, this is so. However, when we want to put it into practice, we have to go back to Master's words “seriously planning to learn Lamrim”, and “as long as you are willing to learn”, that is we have to listen to the advice of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Because on this path of enlightenment, we were not successful, we do not have the experience, only Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have the experience. Thus, if we don’t listen to those who have been through it and just dash out on our own impulsively, sigh, then we will end up bumping our heads with cuts and scrapes, and having to get up repeatedly. Although we are dashing ahead, but in reality, we suffer many injuries and waste a lot of time. [11′40″]
Therefore, facing this situation where the Buddha continued to teach us relentlessly and we continue to do as we please, what should we do? The Chapter of the Parable of the Manifest City [Chapter 7 of Lotus Sutra] was told! As we walked and walked, we stopped the moment we encounter a difficulty, our habitual reaction is always “Well, we will stop here. It is too difficult to move on." Master described such a response as having weak “mental capacity!” However, will we describe ourselves as such? What will be our reaction? We would feel that “It is not that my mental capacity is weak but the obstacles are too challenging to tackle; I have tried my best!” Or one may say, “People around me are not very supportive!” or “He did not understand me!” or “When I am in need of your support, you are not available; how can I continue?” We would never ever attribute the failure to ourselves, thinking it is due to my lack of mental capacity. Perhaps there is another excuse, “That is right! My mental capacity is just weak, so I am not going to continue!” This is like a child throwing a tantrum, saying, “I don’t want to eat. What can my parents do to me? I just won’t eat!” When we refuse to eat, we suffer ourselves, ending up with poor health for the rest of the life. [12′46″]
Thus, by telling the story of the Chapter of the Parable of the Manifest City, we can see how mindful Buddha was to comfort his group of disciples. Before arriving at the destination, Buddha manifested a city and said “we are here”. What is this parable saying? Actually, we can all achieve the ultimate enlightenment, but as we walk and walk, some people will give up and stop walking. so Buddha would say, “Ah! The destination is herer.” Thus, Buddha demonstrated a convenient means for us. So, would we like to just stay in the manifested city? Or would we like to advance directly to the final destination? [13′23″]
In this Chapter of the Parable of the Manifest City, do we feel that Buddha is very considerate and caring? Then, comparing with Buddha, when we encounter those with weak mental capacity or those who are not cooperative, we will just leave them behind or expel them from the team. With them on the team, we cannot travel far; they keep complaining and whining along the way. Never will they improve, so just expel them! But what did Buddha do? Well! He manifested a city, and said, “Here we are! We have arrived!” With refreshments and encouraging words, ah, the energy is restored! Then, they were able to continue moving on! Thus, upon reading this part, one will feel the warmth. But I am also thinking do we always need Buddha to manifest a city for us? If we have complete faith and trust in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, we will just follow them and keep on walking. We can go as far as we want, will we really be exhausted-to-death? [14′09″]
So when we continuously expand our mental capacity, actually, we will find out how much exactly can our heart contain? How many brain cells do we have awaiting to be explored? How large is the capacity of our brain? And how much have we used so far? Why do we feel that we are not able to achieve it and that there is a lack of wisdom? There are so many cells remaining dormant, waiting to be awakened. Isn't that what the scientists had said? [14′36″]
So, if our wisdom, which is more powerful than the most special, the universe's greatest calculator, can be ignited, then imagine what kind of great achievements we can have in this life! Yet, do we just settle for the present state of suffering, and remain status quo, without careful planning for our own wonderful life, and strive for it? (We) get caught in the present state of suffering and dare not to dream big for a better future. [15′07″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0026】
讲次 0026
科判 道前基础
主题 成佛远近二路
音档 1B 15:52 ~ 17:30
日期 2018/06/28-07/01
手抄页/行 1册 P24-LL2 ~ P25-LL5 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P24-LL2 ~ P25-LL6 )
手抄段落 所以，如果说你们将来……好好地去看一看。
好，那么我们来听下一段。大家要注意听，注意听！[00′10″]
所以如果说你们将来真正要学本论的话，我所以把课排得比较少的原因，你们要肯学，好好地要去找各式各样的经论自己证明。《法华》上面说得清清楚楚，说：“我啊，无量劫以来，就把那圆满的教法告诉你，告诉你了以后，对不起，你就听不进我的话，总是急急忙忙照你配你胃口的去做，结果就因为这样，你以为得到了，没有，没有得到。”所以它中间说了一个什么比喻？叫〈化城喻品〉，大家还有印象吧？这个〈化城喻品〉，我现在完全用最平常的方式，来说明最重要的意义。就像说我们现在要去到某一个地方求宝一样，这一条路是满长远的，大家一直跟着那个大商主──大商主就是我们的佛陀，他是完全了解的──去走。哎呀！走在路上是又渴、又热、又累，大家是跑了个半天又跑不到，眼看着要退心了。 [01′23″]
那个佛陀就晓得这些人的心量太差，所以这个地方现一个化城：欸，到了、到了！大家觉得好欢喜。结果进了城，喝了一点水、吃饱了，觉得很高兴。佛陀就说：“大家精神振作了，还没到喔！下面还有路哦！”那个时候他就跑起来，就对了！我想在座的一定有很多同修念过《法华》，晓得这个公案；没有念过，好好地去看一看。 [01′52″]
这一段在字面上应该没有什么难懂的，对吧？那我再提几个问题。第一个问题：师父说：“如果你们将来真正要学本论的话……”有个“真正”二字。然后可以稍作思考一下：为什么师父要放上“真正”两个字呢？比如可以说：“如果你们将来要学本论的话……”为什么要强调“『真正』要学本论的话”？你们有答案吗？什么答案？[02′29″]
通常我们跟一个人讨论问题，说：“你给我一点建议。”有人会说：“你要听真的还是假的？”然后说：“我要听真的！”说：“那我说了！你是真正地想听真的吗？我要说了！”就是说，你是不是真正地要学《菩提道次第广论》？如果真正要学的话，师父接下来讲的话会对我们非常非常地重要，应该说就是这样一条路！[02′59″]
所以这里边，师父希望我们能怀着非常殷重的心，开始学习《菩提道次第广论》──那就是一个“真心”，把自己的真心奉献出去的这样一种学习。把心投在里边，而不是浮浮泛泛地学，或者走马观花地学，而是整个生命投下去的这种力量。[03′27″]
接着师父就提出说：“把课排得比较少”，然后又说一遍：“你们要肯学”。其实，就说“你们要学”就可以了，师父又在“要学”中间加了一个“肯”字，“你们要《肯》学”。肯学是什么？就是你愿意学呀！要心甘情愿学呀！如果是这样的话，就“好好地去找各式各样的经论自己证明。”[03′55″]
然后有的人说：“哇，这么多年学一本论！”不是的！学了这本论之后，我们会在这本论里听到好多经典的名字！比如说现在就听到《法华经》，一开篇就听到《法华》、《华严经》。这样的话，因为《菩提道次第广论》的原因，很多人就开始读《法华经》了。其实诵一遍经也是功德无量，如果把《华严》诵一遍的话，哇！那个《八十华严》很厚，但是会非常非常欢喜！非常非常灿烂、辉煌的一部经典，大家可以去读一下。未必读得懂，但是你读进去的话是很美的！[04′31″]
我最初知道《楞严经》，就是去一个阿姨家，听到有人在读《楞严经》。但那个时候我不知道是在读佛经，就一直听到说：“阿难！阿难！阿难！”听到里边有个人一直在说：“阿难”。我就离开那个座位跑到她门口，说：“为什么是阿难？”我就打开门冲进去，我说：“你在说：『阿难』，谁是阿难？”然后就从她手里把《楞严经》拿过来。那个正在诵经的姐姐非常惊愕，可能有点被我吓到──我哭了。然后我说：“为什么这个名字听起来这么熟，谁是阿难？你在读什么？”我就把那个《楞严经》拿过来开始自己看，在她面前自己看，好像那个姐姐不存在一样。[05′18″]
如果你认真地诵一本经，诵经的时候，不知道你会利益到多少有情呢！也许还有像我这样莽撞的人，有一天听到了突然善根被启发了，然后就找到了他的皈依──找到了佛陀。[05′34″]
所以师父在这里边说：“好好地去找各式各样的经论自己证明”，就是你要看。证明什么呀？证明《菩提道次第广论》上讲的很多东西，是不是有依据的、是不是佛说的。[05′47″]
所以接着师父又讲说：“《法华》上面讲得清清楚楚”，清清楚楚的什么呢？下面一大段还记得吗？师父就说：“我啊，无量劫来……”这是谁的语气呀？说：“我啊，无量劫来……”，“无量劫来”是多长时间啊？无尽的，从过去到现在，无尽的。“就把那圆满的教法告诉你”，告诉谁呀？我们可能说：“在《法华经》里，是告诉《法华经》里听到《法华经》的那个人。”但现在我们也听到《法华经》了，所以就把那圆满的教法告诉我们。“告诉你了以后，对不起，你就听不进去我的话，总是……”注意哦，看！告诉了之后，对不起，听者听不进。听不进的选择了什么行动呢？“总是”，注意有个“总”字，不是说一会儿这样，他总是、一直是──“急急忙忙”──那状态，急急忙忙。干什么呢？“照你配你胃口的去做”。什么叫照自己配自己胃口的去做呀？习惯的、熟练的，对吧？想要的、自己愿意做的，然后就去做了。“结果因为这样，自己以为得到了，没有，没有得到。”[07′17″]
可能很多年龄小的，不知道读这一段是不是会没有感觉？但是如果你曾经带过弟弟妹妹的话，其实你也会清楚。你把一件事告诉他很多遍他不听，他非得照着他自己的习惯。比如你跟他说：“欸！你不要跑、你不要跑，你跑不稳！你不要追、你不要追我！”他一定在后面追你。咔！倒了，然后膝盖流血了；哇！哭了，然后你就给他包扎。你下次告诉他说：“你不要跑、你不要跑！”又是趴在地上。我们小时候也是这样。[07′50″]
像以前我小的时候，口袋里装满了那个爆米花，我的姐姐们从院子里冲出去之后，那时候我比较小，我觉得我也要冲。她们一边冲、一边回头对我喊，说：“你不要跑啊！你不要跑，小心你的爆米花都洒出来！”我在想：我才不管！我四个口袋都装了爆米花。然后就开始冲，冲、冲、冲，我都不知道怎么回事就突然趴在地上，然后就开始大哭，满地都是我的爆米花，结果我所有的那些姐姐们都回过头来要捡。捡完了之后也不能吃了，然后我就开始哭；大家也玩不成了，就一起哄我。所以从一个小孩很小的事情，都可以看到不听劝！[08′28″]
所有的老师大概对这句话都感触颇深。尊敬的老师们，你教学生的时候，你会觉得学生会听你的吗？但是不能因为学生不听就不教，还得继续教，我们就是送走一届一届的学生。看佛陀无量劫来，就不停地把圆满的教法告诉我们；还有父母亲，小孩不听，也不会停止说呀！对不对？所以这几句话可以看到佛陀的悲心啊、耐心啊！他无量劫来，在不可称数的时间内讲同样的教法 。[09′03″]
学过《广论》的同学知道在善知识德相里有一个什么？“悲体离厌应依止。”就数数地宣说法要，就重复地讲一件事情。讲久了之后你的激情还在吗？有的人在一件事上讲久他就麻木了，但是佛陀的悲心是从来没有减弱的。因为他已经达到一个圆满的程度，他刹那刹那都不会间断，就给我们讲圆满的教法。所以这样想一想会不会觉得：尽管我们在人生中会遭遇各种各种痛苦，还有师父心疼我们、还有佛菩萨心疼我们，一直想要把我们从自己不停地错误的习惯中拉出来、拉出来，一直讲、一直讲。[09′47″]
大家对“急急忙忙”自己有感觉吗？焦躁的心，赶快找个东西赶快做，然后急于求成啊！对不对？做什么都是急于求成，没有做周密的规划。而且急急忙忙，还要去找一个一定是配自己胃口的去做，结果没有得到。所以揭示了这样一个现象，就是佛菩萨的现象是慈悲地一直讲；那么我们的现象就是一直听不进去，急急忙忙做自己那一套，然后结果就一直在这个苦难中。[10′27″]
所以虽然说经典是深奥，但是在我们的生命中林林总总到处都是这样的例子。但是这样的例子很多很多之后，我们会不会反思呢？我们会不会由这一个一个的例子，升华自己的生命呢？就是改掉那急急忙忙配自己胃口的习惯。如果想：“改掉这习惯多困难呢！我不是处处跟自己作对吗？”我们想要求乐、却得到痛苦，难道不是作对吗？与其最后发现作对了，还不如一开始对治自己的习气，那哪一条路更轻松呢？[11′04″]
道理是可以这样讲，但是真正做起来的时候，就回到师父说的那句话：“真正要学本论的话”、“要肯学的话”，就是真的要听佛菩萨的话。因为求取无上菩提之路，我们并没有成功、我们并没有经验，就佛菩萨有经验。所以你不听过来人的话，自己就是一根筋冲出去了，欸！那到最后又跌得头破血流，不停地、不停地跌倒爬起来、跌倒爬起来。虽然一直向前冲，但是真的是受了很多伤，耽误了很多时间。[11′40″]
所以面对这样的一个状况──不停地讲、那边不停地做自己的，怎么办呢？结果居然下面讲了〈化城喻品〉！大家走着、走着，不走了──只要遇到困难，我们的常态行为就是：那好，不走了！困难太大所以停止。面对这样的，师父给个定义说：“心量太差！”但是我们会这样形容自己吗？我们会觉得什么？“不是我心量太差，我已经努力了！是困难太大！”或者说：“周围人没有配合我！”或者说：“他没有理解我！”或者说：“在我该得到你援助的时候你不援助我，我怎么走下去呀？”我们绝对不会把这个原因归结到自己身上，说我心量太差。那也许还有一种方式：“没错，就是我心量太差，所以我不走了！”就像小孩一样耍脾气：“我不想吃饭，爸爸妈妈你能把我怎么样？我就不吃！”不吃以后就会长不好，自己受苦，一辈子身体不好。[12′46″]
所以在〈化城喻品〉这里边讲了之后，大家就可以看到，佛陀是用怎样的心，安慰着这样的一群弟子们──还没到地方，佛陀就化了一个城说到了。这个譬喻是譬喻什么呢？其实无上菩提路可以一直走到那个目的地，但是走着、走着有一些人就说走不了了，然后佛陀就说：“啊！到目的地了。”所以佛陀为我们示现了一个方便。那我们想不想要在化城停呢？还是想要一路到最后的目标？[13′23″]
在这个〈化城喻品〉里，我们会不会觉得佛陀好贴心哦！再对比一下我们自己，我们遇到心量差的、不肯配合的，甩掉他就可以了，把他从团队里开除；带着他总是走不远，总是一路抱怨、一路叫苦，永远都不行，那把他开除！佛陀什么？欸！变个化城，说：“你到了、到了！”然后给他喝点、吃点、安慰点、鼓励点，啊，来劲了！下面又可以走了！所以看到这边觉得满温馨的。但是也是在想：一直要佛菩萨化城给我们吗？如果能够彻底地信任佛陀、彻底地信任佛菩萨，就一直走下去，你要走多远就走多远，真的会累死吗？[14′09″]
所以当我们不停扩大我们的心量之后，其实我们会发现：我们的心到底能承载多少东西呢？我们还有多少脑细胞有待开发呢？我们大脑的容量到底有多大？这一辈子使用了多少？为什么都觉得做不了了、没有慧力了？那么多的细胞都睡着，根本就没有把它唤醒！这是科学家说的吧？[14′36″]
所以要把那么聪明的，比一个特别特别、宇宙最厉害的计算机还厉害的我们的慧力激发的话，那你说我们到底这一生能成就多大的事情呢？但是，是不是就甘于眼前的痛苦、甘于这样的现状，没有去用一个非常圆满的设计，为自己的人生有一个非常美妙的规划，然后去冲刺？拘泥在现状的痛苦之中，不敢去奢望更美好的未来。[15′07″]