Lecture No. 0052
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0052
Tape no.
2A 11:11 ~ 12:41
Date
2018/09/27 ~ 09/30
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue - Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P40-L2 ~ P40-L9
Now shall we continue listening to Master’s recorded teaching? Everyone, please be prepared to listen to the teaching; that is, to be more focused than usual, and contemplate profoundly. Very well! [00′23″]
[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 2A on page Prologue 5~6]
From the beginning, from the very first step, we bring the following to your attention: “Why do I need to learn this treatise?” It is not meant for us to scratch the surface so that we can have some topics [for conversation] on social occasions, feeling seemingly to have something to talk about. It is not [meant to be] like this! [The purpose] is for us to recognize, understand, and align with [the teachings]. This will also enable us to emerge from all forms of suffering and attain the ultimate perfect Buddha-form. Therefore, this is the simplified meaning. Hence, when we speak, our speech is either in jest or in dispute – that is how we are. [For us,] when we are happy, we speak in jest; when we are upset, we engage in dispute. It is truly meaningless! What about Buddha? Well, he was able to achieve perfection and successfully accomplished – to fulfil the aspirations of limitless beings. The [term] “limitless” means all living beings are included. What do limitless beings aspire? [They aspire to fulfill their] hopes! The aspiration is priceless and precious. This aspiration arises from Buddha’s speech. [01′55″]
Next, Master would guide us to praise Buddha’s good quality of speech: “whose speech fulfils the hopes of limitless beings”. However, Master said, “From the beginning, from the very first step we bring the following to your attention: ‘Why do I need to learn this treatise?’ “ Master shifted from Buddha’s good quality of speech to this topic. Some students may wonder, “Hey! Isn’t Master supposed to introduce Buddha’s good quality of speech? Instead, Master was talking about the reason we learn this treatise?” Master said, “It is not meant for us to scratch the surface so that we can have some topics [for conversation] on social occasions, feeling seemingly to have something to talk about.” It is not for this purpose that we learn the treatise. Then, what is it for? Master repeatedly reminded us that it is not like that! “[The purpose] is for us to recognize, understand”. Pay attention! What words come after “understand”? Are you reading from the script? Answer together: “and align with [the teachings]”. Align our conduct with the teachings. This is very clear! [02′59″]
Thus, what can we achieve by aligning accordingly in action? “This will also enable us to emerge from all forms of suffering.” There are several words worth our attention! Why is there the word “also” in the phrase “also enable”? Buddha achieved it, but can we also achieve it? Someone successfully made it, so we add the word “also”. And we would transform “from all forms of suffering”, which are more than one form of contaminated suffering, to attaining “the ultimate perfect Buddha-form”. [The statement] once again reveals the fact that all living beings are able to achieve Buddhahood. Why is that so? For we have studied the treatise. We understand such concept: align our conduct with the teachings, and then gradually improve ourselves. Thus, we will be able to achieve the perfect virtuous form as Buddha. [03′45″]
Upon hearing this, we may wonder, “Is it so? I can do that too? Someone like me can also acquire these good qualities that is as spacious as the sky, as immense and vast as the ocean and the universe?” [Yes, we can!] It all starts from listening to the teaching and aligning our conduct with the teachings. Such initial steps are very steady and essential, for it enables us to know what to do and [how to do it]. Here, Master encouraged us again and again that in fact, we are capable of achieving Buddhahood! [04′17″]
Then Master followed by pointing out our present state – “Hence when we speak, our speech is either in jest or in dispute”. The phrase “in jest” means saying something for amusement only. People joke around. Everyone seems to have a great time laughing, but what is the point for doing so? Will it benefit our mental stream whatsoever? Will we do more virtuous deeds in our life because of such jest? Will such jest bring about more good qualities that I haven’t had before? Or will such jest help us to eliminate all sufferings of others? Some may claim, “Sure thing! Because such jest of mine makes him happy.” What follows after? His suffering cause is not removed, but time just goes by like that. If the suffering cause is not eradicated, the suffering effect is bound to arise. Thus, joking around is kind of wasting our lives, and it is a habit we need to change. [05′08″]
Master then said, “[For us,] when we are happy, we speak in jest; when we are upset, we engage in dispute.” Why do we dispute? We get mad! “Why is that you have such opinion? Why do you disagree with my point of view? Why is that you don’t understand me? Why don’t you agree with me? My analyses are very precise, sharp and profound in many aspects.” We usually argue with others based on such perceptions, because if we feel what others say makes sense, we will actually learn from them. However, we usually consider what others say as not making any sense, and I am the most sensible one. Thus, the dispute starts. [05′39″]
Pay attention! Take a look at the script. What was Master saying? Whether it is said in jest or in dispute, Master said, “It is truly meaningless!” What does this statement mean? It means that we should discard it, right? It is meaningless. Since it is meaningless, then why not throw it away! That is, [whether our speech is in jest or in dispute], it is as tasteless as chewing wax. It is simply meaningless! [06′06″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0052】
讲次 0052
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2A 11:11 ~ 12:41
日期 2018/09/27 ~ 09/30
广论段落 P1-L3 ~ P1-L4 俱胝圆满妙善所生身……于是释迦尊主稽首礼
手抄页/行 第1册 P40-L2 ~ P40-L9 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P40-L2 ~ P40-L10 )
手抄段落 在一开始的时候……这个就是佛陀的话。
现在我们可以接着往下听吧？大家要准备好自己的状态，就是要比平常的状态专注，而且要深刻地思惟。好！ [00′23″]
从一开始的时候，在开头第一步就提出来：我为什么要学这个论？不是在这里了解一点意思，只是使得我们口头谈话的时候觉得：欸，好像有什么好讲。不是！让我们有这个认识，了解了照着去做，使得我们也能够从充满种种痛苦的染污之身，最后得到这样圆满的佛陀的这个身体，所以它简单的意思就是这样。那么同样地，我们开起口来是啊，大家不是戏论嘛就是诤论，就这样；高兴的时候就是戏论，不高兴的时候就是诤论，实在没有太多意思！佛陀呢？欸！他能够成就圆满——满足地成就一切众生，说“无边”哪，这个是说包含了一切众生。众生什么？ “希愿”，希愿！他们这个愿望，最难能可贵、稀罕的他们的愿望之处，这个就是佛陀的话。 [01′55″]
接下来师父应该是要带我们学习赞美佛陀的“成满无边众生希愿语”的语功德。但是师父说：“从一开始的时候，在开头第一步提出来：为什么要学这个论？”师父却从佛陀的语功德跳到这里了。有的同学就会想：“哎！不是要介绍佛陀的语功德吗？师父怎么会讲说为什么我们要学这部论呢？”师父说，不是了解了一点意思，然后谈话的时候滔滔不绝要给人家去讲，或者在很多人中觉得自己知识渊博去演说，不是为了这个目标学论的。为了什么呢？师父再再地提醒我们，不是那样的！ “让我们有这个认识之后，了解了”，注意！ “了解了”之后那几个字是什么，有没有看手抄？一起回答：“照着去做。”照着了解的去做，非常清晰！ [02′59″]
那么照着了解的去做会达到什么呢？ “使得我们也能够从充满种种痛苦的染污之身”，这里边有几个字喔！ “也能够”，为什么加个“也”字呢？因为佛陀成功了，我们也能够吗？有人成了，我们才加个“也”。然后“从充满种种痛苦的染污之身”，不是一种痛苦的染污之身，“最后得到这样圆满的佛陀这个身体”。又再再地揭示出其实所有的众生都可以成佛的。因为什么？我们学了论，我们了解了这样的道理，然后我们要照着去做，照着去做之后慢慢地改善，就可以成就佛陀这样的圆满妙善之身。 [03′45″]
我们通常听了说：“真的吗？我也可以吗？像我这样的，也可以成就那样的像天空一样、像大海一样、像浩渺的宇宙一般的功德吗？”就是听闻，然后照着去做，它的起步是非常扎实的，让你能够知道怎么做。在这里边师父再再地鼓励我们，实际上我们是可以成佛的！ [04′17″]
接着就开始讲到我们的现状——“我们开起口来，不是戏论就是诤论。”所谓的戏论就是没有什么意义的，大家说说笑笑，在当下的时候听得是满开心的，都在笑，但是会有什么意义呢？会对我们的身心产生什么样的饶益呢？因为这样讲过了之后，我们的生命会出生很多善吗？出生很多前所未有的功德吗？乃至我们会去除他有情的痛苦吗？有人说：“可以啊！因为我讲一个这样的事情，他会开心。”开心之后，他的苦因没有去掉，然后时光就这样过去了。苦因没有去掉，会出生苦果的，所以戏论对我们的生命是一种浪费、是一种需要改变的习惯。 [05′08″]
师父接着说：“高兴的时候就戏论，不高兴的时候就开始诤论。”诤论什么？生气了！ “为什么你观点是这样的？你为什么不赞同我的观点？为什么你不了解我呢？为什么你不随顺我这么正确的、非常犀利、深刻的对很多事情的观察呢？”我们常常用这样的一个观点去诤论嘛，因为如果觉得对方有道理的话，其实我们会学习，我们通常都以为对方没有道理，我是最有道理的，所以会产生诤论。 [05′39″]
注意哦！看手抄，师父说什么？无论是戏论还是诤论，师父说：“实在没有太多意思！”实在没有太多意思这句话是什么意思？就是丢弃的意思，对不对？这很没意思，没意思就丢掉！就是食之无味，味同嚼蜡，没有意思！ [06′06″]