Lecture No. 0111
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0111
Tape: 3A 00:04 ~ 02:25
Date : 2019/04/22 ~ 04/24
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
English Lamrim Vol. 1, Pg 33-34
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P67-L1 ~ P68-L1
Master said, “What a pity!” Let me ask everyone here, why did Master say “What a pity!” instead of “Why didn’t you take my advice”? For example, some parents would lecture their children, “If you don’t follow my advice, whatever consequence will serve you right! You’re on your own!” Yet Master said, “What a pity!” Why is it a pity? Are those practicing blindly and training aimlessly working hard? Yes, certainly they are! In fact, they are not just working hard; they are so assiduous that they practice day and night at all times. However, what is the outcome? They fall short of their expectations and some even got digressed, taking a detour. Isn’t this a pity given that they have spent so much time and effort? It is not that they don’t want to practice! They already have the aspiration to practice; however, with no knowledge of the tenets and without paying attention to the importance of listening and contemplation, they just jump into practice. In this way, so much time were wasted instead, that is certainly very pitiful! [00′58″]
As we all know, the truth of suffering is the effect arising from the truth of the origin [v.1 p.342]. If we don’t listen and contemplate, we won’t even know about the term “the truth of the origin” [v.1 chapter 20], nor “the truth of suffering.” So what is the truth of suffering? It comprises of eight types of suffering, six types of suffering, and three types of suffering [v.1 chapter 17~19]. These sufferings are the ones we have to face throughout the course of birth, aging, sickness, and death. And what exactly is the cause of these sufferings? The truth of the origin, which includes karmic deeds and ignorance, is the cause of these sufferings. Then, is it possible to eliminate both the effect and the cause of sufferings? Through the practice of the teachings, one can resolve both truths of suffering and its origin; thus we have to practice the truth of the path. Total elimination of the cause of suffering and the origin of suffering, one would acquire the path towards the truth of cessation. Understandably, even for the concept of “suffering, the origin, cessation, and the path,” we need to listen and contemplate according to the tenets repeatedly. Among the Four Noble Truths, there are two types of cause and effect: the contaminated [or known as conventional truth], and the pure [or known as ultimate truth]. The truth of suffering and the truth of the origin are both contaminated cause and effect; what are they? They have to be cast aside, to be eliminated and to be remedied. [Why?] Because they [conventional truth] will bring about suffering and agony. The truth of cessation and the truth of the path are the pure cause and effect [and thus ultimate truth]. How is the truth of the path related to the truth of cessation? The truth of the path is the expedient method [we need] to achieve the truth of cessation, so the truth of cessation is the effect stage of the truth of the path, and that is what we should obtain. [02′16″]’
Therefore, the fundamental principles of the Four Noble Truths encompass both aspects of what to adopt and what to cast aside. If we don’t listen and study the scriptures…. Are you listening? Pay attention! Listen carefully! Don’t be distracted! The suffering we are experiencing now, be it at work, at home, on health-related issues, or even the stress from our environment, at the very moment of suffering, we will contemplate: the suffering I am experiencing then must has its cause, but where does the cause originate? I would identify and eliminate it; the effect can thus be removed. Are we able to think it this way? Or rather, as soon as suffering emerges, we are trapped by it at once, unable to find a way out. Some people may even assume that it is hard to eliminate their suffering or it is almost impossible to do so. With this thought in mind, they are totally submerged into it, as they are unable to resolve the sufferings in life. However, if we constantly listen to the teachings of the Four Noble Truths, we would have a clear impression in the mind: when suffering arises, we would immediately figure out what the cause is. Why? For suffering is never causeless. What is the cause of suffering? What is the approach we can adopt to eliminate it? Once the cause of suffering is eliminated, the effect of suffering disappears as well. So what exactly is the approach to eliminate suffering? Is it possible to get rid of it? If it is possible, all we have to do is find that approach and apply it accordingly – as long as the cause of suffering is gone, so is the effect of suffering. [03′37″]
If you can constantly think of it this way, then suffering will not envelop you; you even begin to despise it. [Why?] Because the cause and effect of suffering are exactly what we want to eliminate; it should be tossed away and remedied. We shouldn’t be totally submerged into and be bullied by it, thinking it will never ever go away or assuming it is permanent and unchangeable. It is not quite so! [On the contrary,] the cause of suffering can be remedied and thus removed. Hence Master commented, “why do we need to practice;” it is because of sufferings! It is the cause and effect of suffering. Then, why does such understanding motivate us to practice? It is because suffering can be eliminated, right? So, this understanding will prompt us to start practicing. Then, guide us the way to practice, the path to cultivate. With this in mind, we would constantly explore how to eliminate it? What the steps should be? With constant listening of the teaching, we will naturally cultivate a habitual practice of listening and contemplating, then our reflection would flow along with the teaching. [04′31″]
Take heed! We should apply the Dharma mirror to analyze the problems in mind, instead of being enslaved by our emotions, and constantly being enslaved by sentiment – whatever the sentiment is, whatever we would perceive the external world. In fact, rational discernment would influence our sentiment. Our proper discernment will influence our feeling, so it would be more appropriate if we could abide by the teaching to reflect on our sentimental feeling. If so, then what is this known as? This is what we call the “perception” instead of the sentimental feeling. Whether the sense that arises during our practice is emotional or perceptional – the proper comprehension of this effect still needs to be validated based on the tenet teaching. Hence, [for the stages in learning,] from the beginning, the middle, and at the end, the tenet teaching is always needed and we should not be away from the tenet teaching! Once we depart from the tenet teaching, submerge in our personal understanding of what practice should be – an exaggerated way of practice, we would lose our goal and direction in our learning, as if we were totally submerged in the ocean and unable to get hold of ourselves. So our cultivation/practice should never be away from the guidance of the tenet teachings! [05′24″]
Look at many years ago, Master had tried earnestly and persistently to explain the Lamrim! However, even up to this day in our learning, regarding our weaknesses in habitual tendency, his guidance is still right to the point, isn’t it? Do you feel Master’s teachings are not directly and specifically for you? Think about it, have you ever thought of applying the teachings to tame the affliction arising in your mind? In fact, we can abide by the tenet teaching to put what we have learned into practice; by doing so, we can eliminate the cause and effect of suffering. Hence, in our cultivation/practice, how can we overlook the importance of listening and contemplating? We should be extra careful not to heedlessly become such a practitioner as described in “nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts]”! [Why?] Because that will make Master lament! This is too pitiful! His heart ached while looking at us. Hence, he imparted Lamrim for us. [06′33″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0111】
讲次 0111
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 3A 00:04 ~ 02:25
日期 2019/04/22 ~ 04/24
广论段落 P1-LL1 今勤瑜伽多寡闻……复乏理辩教义力
手抄页/行 第1册 P67-L1 ~ P68-L1 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P67-L1 ~ P67-LL1 )
手抄段落 上面我们讲到造论的宗旨......就多生多劫，真可惜！
师父说：[真可惜！]我问大家一句：为什么用了可[惜]？没有说：[这么不听话]？像有些父母教育小孩就说：[你不听话，以后怎样怎样活该，我不管你。]然后师父说：[真可惜！]可惜什么呀？这个盲修瞎链的用不用功？用功啊！不是轻易地用功，是非常用功的，可能是没白天没黑日的，这样非常努力地修行。结果呢？没修出来他要的东西，修到岔路上去了。这么用心的人难道不可惜吗？他不是不想修行啊！他已经发起了想修行的心，可是因为不懂教理、没有重视闻思，然后就开始用功了，反而浪费了大把的时光，确实是可惜呀！ [00′58″]
像我们都知道苦谛就是集谛所感得的果，如果我们不闻思的话，我们是连[集谛]这个名字也不知道，[苦谛]名字也不知道。那么这个苦谛到底包含了什么呢？包含了八苦、六苦、三苦，就是我们在生老病死中要面临的这些痛苦。那么这些痛苦的原因到底是什么？就是集谛，是苦谛的因，集谛包括了业、惑。那么这些苦果和苦因到底可不可以消灭呢？透过修道，可以灭除苦谛和集谛，所以要修道谛。彻底灭除了苦、集的这个果位，就是获得了灭谛的圣道。连[苦、集、灭、道]这样的道理，我们都是要依据教理来反覆地听闻的。在这个四谛中，有染污的因果和清净的因果两种。苦谛和集谛就是染污的因果，是什么？应舍的、应断除的、应对治的，因为它是痛楚的、痛苦的；灭谛和道谛是属于清净的因果，道谛是获得灭谛的一个什么呀？方便，所以灭谛是道谛所获得的果位，是应取的。 [02′16″]
所以这个四谛基本就涵摄了应取、应舍两方面。我们如果不去听闻教典的话，有在听吗？注意喔，注意听！不要走神！我们现在所受到的苦，在工作中、在家庭、在健康上，乃至环境造成的压力，在各种苦的当下，我们会去想：我现在所感得的苦它是有苦因的，苦因是什么？我找到那个苦因，把它灭掉了，苦果是可以灭除的，能现出这样的想法吗？还是苦的感受生起来之后，一下子就栽在那个苦恼里边，然后就很难出来？甚至有的人会认为他的苦是很难净除的，几乎是不可能净除的，然后就开始沉沦下去了，因为他没有能力解决他生命的痛苦。可是这样的四谛的教理一旦多听了之后，我们就会清晰地在心里形成一个印象，当有苦生的时候，我马上会想因是什么？因为苦不是无因生的。苦因是什么？灭除苦因的方法是什么？因为你把苦因灭了，苦果就灭了。那么灭除苦因的方法，那个方法到底是什么？能不能灭掉它？如果能灭掉它的话，我就找到那个方法，就沿着那个方法去操作，苦因消失，苦果就消失了。 [03′37″]
你常常地这样想的时候，你就会对当下的苦生起一种没有那么投入的状态，或者有点蔑视它的状态。因为这个苦因和苦果就是我要灭除的，它是要被弃舍的、要被对治的，而不是我一头栽进去被它欺负的，它永远不会消失、它是常法，不是这样的！它是可以被对治、可以被消灭的。所以师父才说：[为什么要修行？]因为苦啊！因为苦因、苦果。那这个力量为什么会推动我们修？因为可以灭掉它，对不对？所以说推动我们修行。然后进一步教导我们如何去修行，就修道。沿着这个，一直研究这个是怎么灭掉的？次第是什么？所以这样听闻多了之后，在我们的心上自然会种下一种闻思的习气，然后我们会沿着教理去思考问题。 [04′31″]
注意！沿着教理这个明镜去看内心的问题，而不是成为感受的奴隶，永远都被感受所奴役——感受是什么样，我们就认为世界是什么样。实际上，理性的抉择会引导感受，正理会引导感受，沿着正理的思考出现的如理如法的感受才是对的。那个叫什么？ [觉受]，不是感受。我们修行出现的是感受还是觉受——正确的觉受，这个结果的验证还是要靠教理的。所以初中后都是要靠教理，是不可能离开教理的！一旦离开教理，堕入自己感受的天花乱坠的那种修行，那可能就是不知所宗了，好像沉在海里不知道去哪里找自己一样。所以我们修行是一步都离不开教理的指引的！ [05′24″]
看看在这么多年前，师父苦口婆心地讲《广论》啊！到现在我们学起来，针对我们的习气毛病，还是那么直指人心地针对到了，对不对？你会觉得师父讲的法没有针对到自己吗？想想自己，有没有在苦受现起的时候想到教理怎么调伏？是可以依靠教理的，那些教理拿来实践是可以消除苦因和苦果的。所以，怎么可能想要修行的时候不重视闻思呢？我们要特别小心自己不要不知不觉地成了[今勤瑜伽多寡闻」这种类型的修行者，师父会慨叹啊！这太可惜了！他看着我们啊，心疼呀！所以才为我们宣讲道次第。 [06′33″]