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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0036

Tape no.

1B 24:47 ~ 26:34

Date

2018/08/02-08/05

Outline: Foundation

Topic: The near and distant path to Buddhahood

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P29-LL2~ P30-LL4

[Master said] “We are learning Buddhism, but, actually what we are learning is “me,” and gradually, this “me” grows bigger and bigger.” Take heed; here comes the sign of marching on the spot (no progress) and going nowhere! What kind of sign is it? It is this “me” that is inflating and growing bigger. Master wished for us to scrutinize [our mind]; whatever we learn or engage in, keep an eye on the condition of [our mental activities]! “The more one chants, the more afflictions one accumulates.” Concerning this topic, actually, I often hear many lay practitioners say, “Alas, I have studied [Buddhism] for many years! I have undertaken various volunteer tasks here and there; it was fine before all these. When I start to assume more responsibilities, alas, they all turned into afflictions! It seems that the more I follow Buddha’s teaching, the weightier my afflictions become.” What should this person do if he finds himself suffering from more and more afflictions? Did he observe himself? He definitely did!  He must have observed himself to realise that he has weighty afflictions. There are two possibilities: one, his afflictions have indeed multiplied much more than before; the other is, well, the rays of enlightenment has shone in! From this illuminating rays, he notices there is a lot of dust in the room, the dust of afflictions. This shows his ability to reflect with clarity internally is strongly enhanced, so for him to say at this moment “my afflictions become weightier” is a good thing, as he was able to notice that! [01′28″]

However, this is definitely not what Master is referring to here [not the latter but the former scenario], the afflictions really became heavier and heavier. Why? Because “something is wrong [with this application of the practice]!” Originally, it was meant to head in the direction [to Buddhahood], however, the practitioner heads off in the opposite direction. He will definitely be even farther away from [the destination]. Why did he make such a mistake? Examine closely! It was “the same reasoning mentioned above.” What is the reasoning mentioned here? He “considers it the proper approach”. Take notice! This practitioner has been applying [Buddha’s teachings] in his own way. He assessed the progress he has made by himself; everything is based on “me”. I am my own guide. I, myself… all is about this “I”! “As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t be so sure.” Pay attention! What does “As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t be so sure” mean? Who said it? Is it “I” who says so? No, it is not. Then what does this reveal? [Let’s analyze it] from another perspective: I think I am right; however, from the perspective of the people around me, [they would say] “No! You are not; you have mistaken it!” And this kind of mistake is what Master said, “jump to the conclusion that you’ve understood it”. Master said, “Please don’t do it! We devote time to grooming the “me” instead of engaging in Dharma practice. This “me” will grow bigger and bigger and result in unfathomable suffering, too much suffering!” [02′45″]

Why this person does not know that his ever-inflating “self” is growing bigger? How could it turn out this way? Is it due to the lack of guidance from a person with insights? Or is it because he does not believe in the advice of those with insights? In addition, he might not have any fellow practitioner with him! Otherwise, they would have told him, “You don’t seem quite right lately! When you talk, your viewpoints are quite tainted. In addition, these types of defiled habit are not good, either!” Virtuous companions will also remind him, and virtuous teachers will do so even more. Is this practitioner, whom Master had referred to, a loner? He might not have guidance from virtuous teachers, nor advice from fellow practitioners. That is why the “me” is inflated and growing bigger. Is he aware of it? No! [03′30″]

Right here, Master pointed out a situation in which a very studious practitioner thinks he is pretty good at practicing and is working very hard, but is actually going nowhere! He put in lots of effort, yet hardly made any progress at all. Worst of all, the “me” becomes bigger and bigger. [Master said this studious practitioner would end up with] “unfathomable suffering”; how unjustifiable! Master lamented it was such a waste of time and effort; it was not worth it! “Too much suffering!” Master couldn’t bear to see this type of practice. One exerted with all one’s might but ended up going nowhere. Master deeply felt pity for such a practice and it is unbearable for him to see our practice in this state! It must have been this reason that Master was inspired to impart Lamrim teaching to us, right? He must have seen many practitioners exerting themselves with all their might, but ended up going nowhere. They might not even know where the entrance was, they just kept on working frantically. Seeing this, Master must have shed a lot of tears! [04′34″]

So Master said, “I introduced how Lama Tsong-Kha-Pa applied the teachings at his time, where he attained high achievement and helped so many beings. He even restored Buddha’s teachings in their entirety such that we are still benefiting from it to this day. Above all, he pointed to this specific path for us [the path to achieve Buddhahood].” Master followed by saying, “This is also the reason why I chose Lamrim Chenmo for us to study together!” It was just the same reason why Lama Tsong-Kha-Pa composed Lamrim, right? “They tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship” [LR v.1 p.34]; what is the next line? “Unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures. Therefore, having seen that they lack the path pleasing to the wise” [LR v.1 p.34]. We deviate from the path that the wise [Buddha] would like us to take. We come up with one practice after another on our own for personal application and have gone through so much hardship. Thus, Master could not bear to see practitioners suffering in such conditions without any awareness and still could not find a way out. So, for this reason, Master found the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, a guide that can lead us step-by-step, with clear and precise goals. Moreover, Master explained it to us line-by-line. Hence, Master is indeed our greatest benefactor! [05′51″]

Even after having observed such “unjustifiable” practices in general, Master could have left us to our own devices! [Why?] Because when Master came across Lamrim, he was already aligned with the stages of the path; all he needed was to follow qualified virtuous teachers. However, he put in so much effort to give us the Lamrim teaching. And at the beginning of his Lamrim teaching, no one liked to listen to it! Think about it. What kind of compassion did it take for Master to tell us something we don’t like but truly needed? Master imparted the teachings in such a way that it drew our attention and gradually aroused our yearning for Dharma so that we would persist in learning it year after year. Master upheld such a pure aspiration to help us! What a  clear and illuminating aspiration! [06′32″]

What is the one-statement conclusion we can draw from this? For those of us who have been walking on the spot (no progress) or couldn’t find the entrance, what should we do? We should just follow Master’s Lamrim teaching! By listening to Master’s guidance, we will be able to find the entrance and will no longer spend our life marching on the spot and going nowhere! Because Master had deep sympathy over our current state and wanted to help us resolve our afflicted conditions, he came to study Lamrim with us. Hence, this is a truly joyous matter! All of us must cherish it dearly! [07′00″]

讲次 0036

科判 道前基础

主题 成佛远近二路

音档 1B 24:47 ~ 26:34

日期 2018/08/02-08/05

手抄页/行 第1册 P29-LL2 ~ P30-LL4 （2016 南普陀版：第1册 P29-LL2 ~ P30-LL2）

手抄段落

所以这个后面……跟大家共同研习的原因。

“自己觉得在修行佛法，实际上，我们修学的是‘我’，到最后‘我’越来越大。”注意，原地踏步的行相出现了！什么行相呢？就是“我”越来越大。师父希望我们能够仔细检查一下：不管是学什么、做什么也好，它的相状，注意喔！ “越念烦恼越重。”这个其实我平常也听到很多居士说：“哎呀，我修学这么多年了！在这里承担、那里承担，不承担还好，一承担，哎呀，全是烦恼！好像我修行，烦恼越来越重了。”如果这个人发现烦恼越来越重了，那接下来要怎么做啊？他有没有在观察自己？有吧！有观察自己才发现烦恼很重。这个有两种状况：有一种可能是真的比原来瞋心大；还有一种状态是，欸，觉照的阳光照进来了！根据这个觉照的阳光，他看到屋子里有很多灰尘，看到了烦恼的尘埃。这说明他对自我身心觉照的清晰度有强烈地增加，所以这个时候他说：“烦恼越来越重”是个好事情，因为他看到了！ [01′28″]

但师父此处绝对指的不是这个，是真的烦恼越来越重。因为什么？ “弄错了！”本来是向彼地走，如果向此地走，那一定是距离越来越遥远。他为什么会弄错了呢？注意看！ “就是刚才那个道理”，哪个道理呢？ “我觉得对了”。注意！他是自己教自己修行、自己看自己在哪里，都是“我”。我给自己引路、我自己......全部都是“我”！ “实际上，没有真的对。”注意！ “实际上，没有真的对”这句话什么意思？谁说的“实际上，没有真的对”？是那个“我”说的吗？不是。这一定是出现了什么？另一个参照的观察点。我觉得我对了，可是在旁边的人看起来，“你没有、你搞错了！”而且犯这个错误是“未会先会”，师父说：“千万不要哇！我们修了个半天，不是修的佛法，是修的‘我’，把这个我是越弄越大，结果吃得冤枉苦头太多、太多了！” [02′45″]

为什么这个人不知道“我”越弄越大呀？为什么弄成这样？是不是没有明白的人告诉他？还是他不相信明白的人告诉他？另外也没有道友吧！道友也会告诉他：“你最近这个好像不太对哦！一张口好像很多见解不太清净，另外这种习染不太好吧！”同行善友也会提醒，善知识就更会提醒。看起来，师父讲的这个人是不是一个很孤单的修行者？也许没有善知识摄受，也没有同行善友的提醒，所以把“我”越弄越大。自己知不知道？不知道！ [03′30″]

师父在这个地方，列举了非常用功修行，又自己觉得很好、很努力的这样一个修行者很可悲的现状——就是他在原地踏步！他用了那么多心血，可是并没有进步，而且还把“我”弄得越来越大了。 “冤枉苦头”，冤枉啊！师父为他叫屈呀，冤枉！ “苦头吃得太多太多！”师父是非常不忍这样的修行。看到花了那么大的心血，结果弄成这样，师父是非常非常地惋惜、非常非常地心疼我们！应该是这个原因，才发心为我们讲《广论》的吧！应该是看到很多很多修行者拼命地修行，结果在原地踏步，甚至门在哪也不知道，拼命地折腾，对于这种现状师父应该是流了很多眼泪吧！ [04′34″]

所以师父说：“谈到宗喀巴大师，当年他修行有这么高的成就，能够帮这么多人的忙，乃至把整个的教法全部这样振兴起来，到现在我们还有受用，就是指出这样一条路。”师父说：“这个也就是我所以选取本论，在这个地方跟大家共同研习的原因啊！”就像宗大师造论之前的那个原因，对不对？ “观视佛语多片眼”，下面什么？ “复乏理辩教义力，故离智者欢喜道”，离开了智者所欢喜的道，我们自己在那儿想一出就是一出，在那儿修行，费了那么多的辛苦。所以师父不忍这样的修行者，在这样一个苦境里煎熬却不自知、又找不到出路。所以为了这样的一个原因，师父才找到了《菩提道次第广论》——一步一步地引导、次第明晰、目标精确这样的一本论，而且一行一行地讲给我们。所以这是一个很深的恩德呀！ [05′51″]

　　像这样的修行状况，看到了之后也可以不用管啊！因为师父自己碰到了《广论》，自己在正确的道次第中，自己有善知识追随就可以了。费了这么大的心血给我们讲《广论》，一开始还没人喜欢听！想想：要怎样的不忍，才能够把大家不喜欢却真正需要的东西，讲到你能够喜欢听、能够生起善法欲，而且经年累月地听。师父发了一个多么清净的帮助我们的心，多么皎洁的一个发心！ [06′32″]

　　总结一句话是什么呢？所有在原地踏步的、找不到门的，怎么样？跟师父一起学《广论》呀！听着就可以找到门了，就不原地踏步了！因为师父就是为了解决我们这样的苦状，悲悯我们这样的现行，来跟我们一起学习的。所以这是一件多么可喜的事情，大家一定要万分地珍惜！ [07′00″]