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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0048

Tape no.

2A 07:13 ~ 08:16

Date

2018/09/13 ~ 09/16

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P38-L7 ~ P38-L11

Very well. Let’s listen to the next section of the recording.

[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 2A on page Prologue 3~4]

[What is] the content of the veneration? First, it explains this “treatise” – the composing of this commentary. Why do we pay homage to Manjusri Bodhisattva when composing a commentary? As we know, three precious scriptural collections are Sutras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma. The Abhidharma is mainly [for the development of] wisdom, for one to distinguish [Buddhist] term-and-appearance profoundly, upon this understanding, thereby making the cultivation of wisdom available. In Buddhist teachings, the representative of Great Wisdom is Manjusri Bodhisattva. That is the [reason we pay homage to him]. There is also the possibility of not paying homage to Manjusri Bodhisattva [as opening-veneration because] the opening-veneration depends on the characteristics [of the commentary]. This is the first [veneration section]. The following verses are [about] the three Jewels, one by one. The first: [01′08″]

Have you all listened attentively just now? Great, I would like to bring up a question for you all. In this short paragraph, Master first explained why we should pay homage to Bodhisattva Manjusri. So, what is the reason for doing so? Master mentioned Tripitaka, or the three precious scriptural collections, consists of three parts: Sutras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma [meaning commentary], right? The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment falls into the category of Abhidharma. Back then it should have been a common practice among the translators to have conventions about whom they should pay homage to when translating Sutras, Abhidharma, and Vinaya respectively. Sutra mainly discusses good qualities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so the prologue venerates all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The prologue of Vinaya venerates omniscience because only Buddha can establish the precepts. Not even the tenth level Bodhisattva can establish the precepts, but only Buddha can. And the prologue of Abhidharma is to venerate Bodhisattva Manjusri. [02′12″]

So here, Master stated that Abhidharma is specifically devoted to the development of wisdom, and he mentioned the term to “distinguish [Buddhist] term-and-appearance profoundly”, discerning the name and characteristics in depth. Thus, the literal meaning of “to distinguish profoundly” is to discern and analyze the meaning of a term and appearance in depth. Of course, when Master mentioned terms and appearance, we would immediately think of the object to be defined, the characteristics of the defined object, demarcation, differentiation, etc. that we have learned in the Pointing the Way to Reasoning. We should discern and analyze all these contents in depth so as to grasp the meaning. [02′42″]

As for the word “Abhidharma”, what exactly does it mean? Based on what Venerable Jamyang explained in the Analysis of Ornament for Clear Knowledge, Abhidharma is to clearly explain how to counter [one’s afflictions], including both [following] good qualities:

- Making appropriate adjustment and applying [corresponding] remedy

- As well as providing salvation;

This is the definition of Abhidharma. Bodhisattva Vasubandhu in his Commentary Explaining Proper Perception also stated: “Counter all afflictions as if they are our enemies”. Question: what will these afflictive enemies do to us? They will completely wipe out our happiness. Since there are suffering cause and suffering effect, both of the suffering cause and suffering effect should be countered. The affliction within our minds is our real enemy. So the function of Abhidharma is to support us to counter this enemy. [03′28″]

And Bodhisattva Vasubandhu continued: “[Abhidharma will] rescue us from miserable realms in the cyclic existence.” Now we are in the human realm among the fortunate realms, where life is considerably at ease. However, from the perspective of the continuous mental momentum of life after life, do we carry the cause to be reborn into the miserable realms in our mind stream continuum? Is there any cause, whose effect has not yet matured, still existing in our mind stream, particularly the cause from the past lives that will lead us to the miserable realms? [03′50″]

So how horrible are the miserable realms? In studying the “suffering of the three miserable realms” [v.1 chapter 10], if we contemplate it carefully and analyze it, it is truly shocking and frightening! Thus we are in need of being rescued. If miserable realms are not that scary, the suffering would not be excruciating, and the duration is not going to be that long, we wouldn’t need to be rescued, because there are still lots of enjoyment! Hence, Abhidharma serves as a function to rescue us from the miserable realms in the cyclic existence. [04′25″]

“Because it is endowed with the good qualities of mending and rescuing, it is called Abhidharma”. Abhidharma has the good qualities of mending and rescuing. [Pay attention to] the word “rescue”! Imagine that in the midst of the afflictive ocean of samsara, Abhidharma serves the function as if it is a big vessel coming to our rescue. The commentaries from other non-Buddhist schools don’t have these two good qualities: mending and rescuing. Why is that? The fundamental difference is this: what is the most devastating suffering in our lives? It has to be rebirth and death! Being reborn in such countless eons that the four oceans can’t hold all the tears we shed when parting with our loved ones. Due to the cyclic existence, if the corpses left behind every cycle of rebirth were to remain, who knows how many worlds the corpses can fill up. If this long cycle of rebirth and death is not resolved, then we will all have to experience this process for infinite times. This is the most unbearable suffering in the cyclic existence. How to thoroughly resolve the issue of endless rebirth and death? Is there a doctor available, who can cure us of such illness? Buddha is the greatest healer, who can cure us of this disease, saving us from the cyclic existence. [06′00″]

There are detailed illustrations in Abhidharma, so Master said it is to “distinguish [Buddhist] term-and-appearance profoundly”. Take the Ornament for Clear Knowledge for example. It profoundly analyzes many terms and the characteristics of the defined object, etc., making a detailed analysis, so we get to understand what the path to liberation is, what the Bodhisattva path is, what is Mahayana, and the difference between Mahayana and Hinayana, to name just a few. We might not have spent much time understanding many of the demarcations and their definitions in the past, but in the future, as for the definition in respect to meditating on them, we will have a thorough discussion in Abhidharma. The reason we study Abhidharma is for the attainment of the good qualities of mending and rescuing our mental stream! Hence, we allocate time to put in earnest effort in such deliberate learning, sincerely aspire in learning how to tame our own mind. [07′04″]

Master followed by saying, “upon this understanding, thereby making the cultivation of wisdom available”. In Buddhism, Manjusri Bodhisattva represents wisdom. For instance, as for the Pointing to the Way of Reasoning, whom should we pay homage to, remember? We pay homage to the guru Manjusri, our protector! [07′21″]

讲次 0048

科判 道前基础

主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬

音档 2A 07:13 ~ 08:16

日期 2018/09/13 ~ 09/16

广论段落 P1-L1 ~ P1-L2 南无姑如曼殊廓喀耶……敬礼尊重妙音

手抄页/行 第1册 P38-L7 ~ P38-L11　( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P38-L7 ~ P38-L12 )

手抄段落 那么里面归敬的内容呢……顺着次序来，第一个

好，那我们现在开始听下一段。

那么里面归敬的内容呢？第一个是说明这个“论”，造论，那么造论的时候为什么是归敬文殊师利菩萨呢？我们晓得，我们的三藏分成功经、律、论，那么论特别是讲智慧的，能够所谓深辨名相，了解了以后，然后能够启发智慧。而这个在佛法里面，是由大智文殊师利菩萨作为代表的，这样。那么是可以不一定归敬这个文殊师利菩萨，可以看它的特质而来这个归敬，第一个。那么下面就是三宝顺着次序来，第一个： [01′08″]

大家刚才有认真听吧？好，那么现在我提一个问题：师父在这一小段里，第一个是说明为什么归敬文殊师利菩萨呢？大家有没有听到那个原因啊？师父说三藏分经、律、论，对吧？那么《菩提道次第广论》属于经、律、论的论部。当时应该是译师们的一个传规，为了区分经、律、论，所以说就要在译经的时候归敬什么、论的时候归敬什么、律的时候归敬什么。经主要都讲佛菩萨的功德，所以归敬一切诸佛菩萨；那么律是归敬一切智智，因为只有佛才能制戒，十地菩萨是不能制戒的，唯有佛能够制戒；那么论就是礼敬文殊菩萨。 [02′12″]

所以在这里边，师父就说论是特别讲智慧的，讲到一个“深辨名相”，深辨名相。那么“深辨”字面的意思，应该就是深刻详尽地辨析。当然提到名相的时候，大家都知道学《摄类学》名相啊、性相啊、界限、差别等等。这些内容要深刻详尽地辨析，让自己明了。 [02′42″]

所以对这个“论”字，到底什么叫“论”？嘉木样大师他在《现观辨析》里说：具足了修治——修整、调治——与救护两种功德的清净能诠，是论的定义。世亲菩萨在《解释正理论》中也说过：“修治一切烦恼仇敌。”请问烦恼仇敌会怎样呢？令我们彻底地不快乐。因为有苦因、有苦果，所以一定要修治这苦因和苦果，内心的烦恼才是我们真正的仇敌。那么论的作用就是修治这个仇敌。 [03′28″]

接着世亲菩萨还说：“从恶趣诸有中救护。”我们现在是在人天善道中的人道，是很安乐的。那么从生生相续的一个心续的续流这个角度来看，我们的心续里有没有恶趣的因呢？过去生中有没有恶趣的因还没有成熟为果的在这个心续里？ [03′50″]

恶趣有多恐怖呢？学到“三恶趣苦”的时候，如果详细地去思考、观察一下，是很惊悚、很惊悚的！所以才需要被救护。如果恶趣不是那么惊悚、痛苦那么强烈、时间那么长，也不需要救护了，因为还有很多安乐嘛！所以这个论它就有一个作用，就是把我们从恶趣、诸有中救护。 [04′25″]

“由于具足了修治与救护的功德，所以是论。”具足了修治与救护的功德，救护哦！可以想见在烦恼的轮回大海中，论典有救护的功能，好像一艘救我们的大船一样。所以这个论的定义，其他宗派比如说外道，他们是没有这样的两种功德的：修治与救护。为什么说没有呢？最根本的一点：你我生命中最惨痛的痛苦是什么呢？一定是生死啊！无量劫的生死，我们与亲人别离的眼泪，可能四大海都装不下了。由于轮回，每一期死亡所抛下的尸骨，如果都没消失的话，不知道可以堆满多少个世界。这么长、这么长的生死，如果没有去解决它的话，在未来还将无穷次地经历，这就是轮回中最最深重的痛苦。那么对于生死这件事情，到底要怎么解决它？有什么医生可以治疗死病？佛陀就是治疗死病的大医王，把我们从一切三有中救护。 [06′00″]

这个论典，因为它详尽地阐述——师父说“深辨名相”。像《现观庄严论》它就把《般若经》中的很多名相、性相等等，做一些深刻的辨析。让我们了解如何是解脱道、如何是菩萨道、如何是大乘、大乘和小乘的差别等等。很多我们过去可能没有花时间了解，但在将来一定会去修行的一些定义的界限，在论典里会广泛深刻地讨论。这个对于我们的身心能够达到一种修治和救护的功德，所以我们才学习论吧！所以才花时间，要在生命里很认真地投注这样一个学习的业力，很认真地发心来学习调伏自己这样一颗心。 [07′04″]

师父下面说：“了解了之后，可以启发智慧”，在佛法里代表智慧的是文殊菩萨。比如说《摄类学》，《摄类学》归敬哪一位本尊还记得吗？归敬上师怙主文殊！ [07′21″]