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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0027

Tape no.

1B 17:30 ~ 18:44

Date

2018/07/02-07/04

Outline: Foundation

Topic: The near and distant path to Buddhahood

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P25-LL4 ~ P26-L4

Great, let’s all listen to the next short paragraph [from Master]. [00’04]

[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 1B on page introduction-24~25]

Here, I will not put too much emphasis on the latter part [of the story], [I will] just point out [its meaning]. It means that, if we really want to learn from Buddha, we should begin by calming down and be patient so we can understand what Buddha wants to tell us, and then we would apprehend his proper and complete teaching. Afterward, you [should] strive to achieve the realization in one lifetime. Otherwise, hastily jumping into [the teachings] is like taking a detour. Frankly speaking, before we have the correct understanding, after all, we are just ordinary beings, I also have the same feeling, alas! When I hear of the hardships in applying Buddha’s teachings and [discovering] that it is such a lengthy journey [to reach Buddhahood], all will be frightened. However, once you have the proper recognition and proper understanding, you will adopt the latter [aspiration to achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime]. Your fear will not make it any easier; rather, it will bring you all kinds of hardships! This is the real intention of the story. Thus, the key point is, if we can understand the entire essence of Buddha’s teaching prior to putting the teaching into application, that approach would be much easier. [01′18″]

This is a very short paragraph. I would like to ask you all a question, that is when one hastily jumps into the teaching with one’s latent propensity (habitual tendency), then one might think I have gotten it, yet it is not so. How does one apply an antidote to address such a problem? Have you found the remedy in this paragraph? “It means that, if we really want to learn from Buddha, we should begin by…” Master used a few words, what were they? He said one should begin by “by calming down”. There is one-word Master said before “calming down”? It is the word “begin”. He said, “begin by calming down”, don’t rush into it! Take your time! And “be patient”. Your state of hastiness reflects that you are anxious and agitated, right? Be patient and then what’s next? So that “we can understand what Buddha wants to tell us, and then, we would apprehend his proper and complete teaching.” [02′12″]

[Master said that] “Buddha wants to tell us … proper and complete teaching”. Pay attention! Master used “proper” as well as “complete”. By completeness, it means the teaching is not fragmented; it is not deficient but rather with connectivity all the way. He continued by saying that we “apprehend”. Take notice! What does this “apprehend” mean? Like in the case of, “Well! Speaking of so and so, have you met him yet?” The reply is, “No, I haven’t met the person before; don’t know him.” And then, “Do you remember what your neighbours look like?” “Yes.” “Can you recognize your sisters’ faces clearly?” “Yes.” “You know what your parents look like, right?” “It's not just clear; it’s very familiar!” After we apprehend it, we will start making strides to advance. Master said this is to “strive to achieve the realization in one lifetime”. With only a few lines, Master explained such a great undertaking clearly! Think about it: are we able to describe such a hard task with just a few lines? [03′02″]

Thus, first we start with a calm attitude, and what we should apprehend is the proper and complete teaching from Buddha. If we advance all the way [to reach Buddhahood], the result is achieving the realization in one lifetime. Take heed! The following is the opposite. “Otherwise”, if we do not strive accordingly, what will we become? Our old habits will take control again, “hastily jumping into [the teachings]”. Then, we continue with our latent propensity (habitual tendency), and engage in it enthusiastically and happily. However, it “is like taking a detour”. [03′30″]

Master followed by saying, “before we have the correct understanding, after all, we are just ordinary beings”. Master continued, “I also have the same feeling…When I hear of the hardships in applying Buddha’s teachings and [discovering] that it is such a lengthy journey [to reach Buddhahood], all will be frightened.” “However, once you have the proper recognition and proper understanding,” pay attention, the word “proper” appeared again, proper recognition and proper understanding. And then Master concluded, “You will adopt the latter [aspiration to achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime].” Is that so? Will you have any doubt? With proper understanding, will we be able to achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime? Why [would people adopt the latter approach*]? Why is that? You have previewed the commentary, haven’t you? Can someone answer it? [04′16″]

[*Youthful Sudhana achieving Buddhahood in one lifetime.]

(A disciple replies [based upon the commentary], “Your fear will not make it any easier; rather, it will bring you all kinds of hardships! This is the real intention of the story.”) [04′21″]

So, we are afraid of taking the long path, right! Then the thought is we believe the other path might be easier. [Why?] Because, in this case, one must be not willing to follow what Buddha had taught to advance all the way [to achieve Buddhahood in one lifetime]. It is too tiring, and we would prefer to find an easier way. Why do we opt for the easier one? That is because we are frail and lack energy. Therefore, if you ask me to take that long journey, I can’t make it. Master said that such a fearful attitude would instead bring us all kinds of hardships. Pay attention! Is that true? Can it be true? Do we believe in such a statement? [04′54″]

We all try to avoid the fearful results, so we choose to behave as we do at the present moment. As a result, our wrong choice would make us even more afraid, and we have to endure even more hardships. This type of situation happens quite often, doesn’t it? Our decision, made hastily due to our fear [of suffering], would not keep us away from the results we fear. On the contrary, we might have to endure even more hardships. Is it true? [05′18″]

After the questions, Master followed by saying, “This is the real intention of the story.”* Master again concluded, “Thus, the key point is”, to eradicate such a hasty attitude. “The key point is if we can understand the entire essence of Buddha’s teaching…” Here it appears again! Master mentioned about proper and complete teaching earlier, now the phrase “entire essence” appears again. “[If we can understand the entire essence of Buddha’s teaching] prior to putting his teaching into application, that approach would be much easier.” That is, refrain from jumping into the application right away in the beginning. Rather, first, figure out the entire strategy for the battle, take a look at what our game plan for the limitless eons is, and where I am heading to? Begin by taking a good look at this map to achieving Buddhahood. [06′02″]

[*The story refers to the comparison of Lotus Sutra and Array of Stalks Sutra in previous sessions.]

I often refer to the map as the aerial photo. Who took the photo? Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did. And it comes with guides, thus one can work on figuring out all of the relevant routes clearly before heading out. Do not head out without knowing where the paths are; otherwise, for sure you will end up at nowhere! It’s like you plan to go through the east mountain, yet unknowingly detoured to the north mountain, or to many other odd unknown places. What is the reason? It is because we are not equipped with the vision of proper perception. Thus, when we engage in the practice, the deviation occurs, and the deviated-route is definitely a path filled with lots of unbearable hardships; by no means is it an easier path! [06′39″]

讲次 0027

科判 道前基础

主题 成佛远近二路

音档 1B 17:30 ~ 18:44

日期 2018/07/02-07/04

手抄页/行 1册 P25-LL4 ~ P26-L4　( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P25-LL5 ~ P26-L4 )

手抄段落 这个地方，我不强调后面的……倒反而来得省事。

好，大家再听下面一小段。

这个地方我不强调后面那个，只说明什么？说明我们真正要想学这个佛，应该一开头的时候，先心平气和、耐下心来，把佛要告诉我们的正确圆满的教法认识了，然后你开始去一口气走的话，这个就是一生取办。否则的话，你急急忙忙去做的话，这条是远路，这条是远路。究实说来，在我们没有正确了解之前，因为我们毕竟是个凡夫，自己我也一样地感觉：哎呀！叫我去，一听见那个佛法这么难走、这么长远，谁都会害怕。但是如果你有了正确的认识、正确地了解以后，谁都会取后者，因为你害怕的结果，并没有因为你害怕而省力呀，反而让你吃尽千辛万苦啊！这是个真实的内容。所以真正重要的，假定说我们能够如法地去了解了这个完整的内容，然后去走的话，倒反而来得省事。[01′18″]

这是非常小的一段。我想问大家第一个问题，就是：急急忙忙要去找配自己胃口的去做，然后结果以为得到，后来没有得到，这种毛病怎么治啊？有在这一段找到治疗的药方吧？“说明我们真正要想学佛，应该在一开头的时候”，师父讲了四个字，什么啊？“心平气和”，心平气和前面有个什么？“先”心平气和，别着急！别着急！然后“耐下心来”，你看急急忙忙的不就是老着急、不心平气和吗？说耐下心来做什么事情呢？就是“把佛要告诉我们的正确圆满的教法认识了。” [02′12″]

“佛要告诉我们的正确圆满的教法”，注意！这里边出现了“正确”，又出现了“圆满”。所谓的圆满，就不是支支节节的，它是没有残缺的、一路上去的。所以“认识了”，注意！这个认识，比如说：“欸！说起某某人，你见过他吗？”说：“没见过、不认识。”那说：“你邻居的脸，你记得清楚吗？” “清楚。” “你姐妹的脸清楚吗？” “清楚。” “爸爸妈妈的脸清楚吗？” “那不仅仅是清楚，太熟悉了！”认识了之后，我们就一口气开始走上去的话，师父说：“这就是一生取办。三行字哦！就把这么大的一件事情交代清楚啰！想一想我们要描述一个这么难描述的事情，岂能三行字解决啊！[03′02″]

所以，先是一个心平气和的状态，要了解的对象就是正确圆满的佛陀的教法，一口气开始走上去的话，这就是一生取办。注意！下面反方出现了。“否则的话”，如果不这样做的话，我们会变成什么样呢？又是老毛病发作了，“急急忙忙地去做”，就是又配自己胃口的，觉得做得挺来劲、挺开心，但是“是条远路”。[03′30″]

接下来，“在我们没有正确了解之前，因为我们毕竟是个凡夫”，师父说：“我也一样地感觉，叫我去听见佛法这么难走、这么长远，会害怕的”。“但是如果有了正确的认识、正确地了解之后”，注意！又出现了正确──正确的认识、正确地了解，师父接下来的结论是：“谁都会取后者。”是这样吗？有疑问吗？正确地了解了之后，我们就会取一生取办吗？为什么？为什么？你们有看手抄吧！谁答一下？[04′16″]

（弟子回答：“因为你害怕的结果，并没有因为你害怕而省力，反而让你吃尽千辛万苦！这是个真实的内容。”）[04′21″]

所以我们害怕这条路远，对吧！然后觉得：我想那个可能是比较省力的。因为他在这里边一定是不愿意照着佛陀一口气走上去，就说太累了，我要找一个省力的办法。为什么要省力呢？因为我缺力、没力，所以你要我跑那么长远的路我跑不到。师父说这种害怕的心，反而让我们吃尽千辛万苦。注意哦！真的吗？真的吗？我们能信任这句话吗？[04′54″]

我们都是为了躲避恐惧的那个结果，所以选择当下的行为，结果选错了之后，反而让我们更害怕，而且比原来还吃尽千辛万苦，这种事情很多吧？不会因为我们害怕，然后急急忙忙选择那结果，我们害怕的就不会出现，反而会更加地辛苦。是真的这样吗？[05′18″]

问完了之后，接着师父下面那几个字是：“这是个真实的内容。”师父后来又结论说：“所以真正重要的”，就是破那种急急忙忙的状态，“真正重要的，假定说我们能够如法地去了解这个完整的内容”，又出现了！前面说圆满正确，现在又出现了完整的内容，“然后去走的话，倒反而来得省事。”就是一开始不要忙着去做，先把整体的作战规划搞清楚，看一看我们无量劫来的生涯规划是什么，我要走到哪里？先把这个成佛的地图看清楚。[06′02″]

我常常说空照图。谁拍的呢？佛菩萨拍的。然后又有向导，先搞清楚这所有的路，然后再开始走。不要路在哪儿都不知道马上就上路了，那肯定不知道走到哪里去了！你要走东山，可能不知道拐到北山，或者拐到不知道多少莫名其妙的地方去了。因为什么呢？没有具备正知见眼，所以行的时候就会有偏差，而且绝对是一条千辛万苦的路，绝对不是省事的！[06′39″]