Lecture No. 0073
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0073
Tape no.
2A 27:13 ~ 27:52
Date
2018/12/10 ~ 12/12
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P46-LL2 ~ P47-L2
After explaining the untainted Dharma, Buddha then continued. The original text of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra states, “Kausika! If any noble man and noble woman guide a sentient being to dwell in the stream-enterer level, the merits they accumulated surpass guiding all beings in the Jambudvipa continent to abide by ten virtuous deeds. Why? Kausika! All beings dwelling on the path of ten virtuous deeds might not be exempted from the downfall to the hell realms, the animal realms, and the hungry ghost realms. If they dwell in the stream-enterer level, they would never be reborn in the three miserable realms. If you guide beings to attain once-returner, non-returner, arhatship or the enlightened state at the pratyekabuddha level, needless to say, the merits accumulated would exceed the former.” [00′48″]
What is conveyed in the above section is, if a noble man or a noble woman guides a living being to dwell in the stream-enterer state, the merits of such guidance exceed guiding all beings in the Jambudvipa continent to abide by ten virtuous deeds. Take heed! The difference in the headcounts is way too substantial. The merits of guiding one living being to dwell in the stream-enterer state are much greater than guiding all living beings in the Jambudvipa continent to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds! [01′16″]
The question we would ask is still this, “Why?”. Buddha again affably called out his disciple’s name and said, “Kausika, these living beings dwelling on the path of ten virtuous deeds might not escape the downfall to the hell realms, the animal realms, or the hungry ghost realms; they might not be exempted from [being reborn in] the three miserable realms. However, once a sentient being dwells in the state of stream-enterer, it is for sure that he or she would be liberated from the three miserable realms for good!” This being will be free from falling into the three miserable realms forever. Pay attention! The merit of guiding one being to be free from the three miserable realms for good is greater than guiding all living beings in the Jambudvipa continent to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds. Buddha continued, “If you guide beings to attain…”, the merits of guiding one being to dwell in the state of stream-enterer are so immense; it goes without saying that if one can guide a being to attain once-returner, non-returner, arhatship or the enlightened state of the pratyekabuddha, the merit will be much more immense than the former! This is yet another analogy. [02′09″]
Buddha said, “If noble men or noble women, etc,. guide all sentient beings in the Jambudvipa continent to all dwell in the state of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat or the enlightened state of the pratyekabuddha”. Wow, the analogy has grown bigger! That is, for all beings in the Jambudvipa continent to dwell in the state of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, and the enlightened state of pratyekabuddha, this merit is inconceivably huge! Nevertheless, “It can’t surpass the merits of guiding one being to progress towards the unexcelled ultimate enlightenment.” It can’t be compared to inspiring one being to aspire to achieve the spirit of enlightenment. [02′35″]
More questions follow, Why? “Why? Kausika!” Buddha again called his disciple and said, “If guiding sentient beings to progress towards the unexcelled spirit of enlightenment will allow Buddha’s perceptions to be preserved forever in this world. Why is that so?” Why? “Due to the existence of Bodhisattva Mahasattva, there are stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, arhats, and the enlightened state of pratyekabuddhas. With Bodhisattva Mahasattva, there are Tathagata, the perfectly enlightened who turns the sublime Dharma Wheel to liberate all living beings. What does this mean? To encourage one living being to aspire to achieve the spirit of enlightenment, such virtuous root can surpass guiding all living beings in the Jambudvipa continent to dwell in the state of stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat. Why? First, “Buddha’s eyes of perception can be preserved forever in this world”. Why is it so? Because the existence of Bodhisattva would bring about stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, and the enlightened state of pratyekabuddha; because of Bodhisattva, Tathagata, the perfectly enlightened who turns the sublime Dharma Wheel to liberate all living beings. All of these arise from Bodhisattva. Hence, once a being is inspired to develop the spirit of enlightenment, he or she will accumulate such huge, enormous merits! [03′38″]
“Bodhisattva Mahasattvas all rely on the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra to have their achievement. Hence, Kausika! If noble men and noble women transcribe such profound Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, giving to others for them to recite and to transcribe, if the latter also transcribe and disseminate the transcription widely, such accumulated merits would far exceed any former blessings by an immeasurable degree.” What is this analogy trying to tell us? That the amount of merits gained when you inspire a living being to develop the spirit of enlightenment is so incredibly huge; what about the virtuous roots of those who transcribe the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and pass the transcriptions to others, who do not only recite but also continue to transcribe and disseminate the sutra widely? It exceeds the merits of inspiring a living being to develop the spirit of enlightenment. This is inconceivable! Very hard to imagine! [04′17″]
“Why is it so?” Why? Again Buddha called his disciple by name, “Kausika! Such esoteric and excellent teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra extensively covers all sublime, virtuous teachings of the mundane and supramundane worlds. By relying on such virtuous teachings, there arise the Ksatriya clan, Brahman clan, senior practitioners, and lay practitioners, the four universal monarchs, and even the deity realms that lack of discrimination [Lamrim vol.1 pg 119], as well as the extensive teaching of the Four Mindfulness, the benefit of attaining the wisdom of omniscience. Also, the feasibility to attain stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, arhat, pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva Mahasattva, and Buddhahood.” Why are the merits of transcribing the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, enabling others to recite, to transcribe, and to disseminate it so immense? Buddha said, “Because the esoteric and excellent teachings of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra extensively covers all sublime, virtuous teachings of the mundane and supramundane worlds, and if people abide by these sublime virtuous teachings, all goodness will arise, such as the Ksatriya clan, etc., as well as Bodhisattvas and various deities, arhats, and even Buddhas; all of the above can be produced. [05′15″]
The analogy in this short section is already quite astonishing to us. However, I am wondering when reciting the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, do you deliberate over it and even make a list [of how many merits one will accumulate by abiding with the above] using the white board? Using comparison as a way to help us see how immense exactly the virtuous roots are if one can transcribe the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, and give it to others after the transcription and for them to recite, and others will do likewise to widely disseminate the sutra! So far, we have only just compared the above-mentioned, and we have yet to finish comparing! Going forward, there are much more to be compared. The above is Buddha demonstrating through analogy, to explain how great the merits are if the noble men and noble women could transcribe the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, give it to others to recite, and then transcribe and recite again to disseminate it widely. The above is one approach. [06′03″]
Next, Buddha revealed another approach, and it begins with, “Moreover, Kausika! Guide all living beings in the Jambudvipa continent. If noble men and noble women, etc., guide the living beings in all of the four continents to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds, what do you think? Could such noble men and noble women accumulate a lot of merits due to this cause?” Indra replied, “Very much so! Bhagavan, a lot of blessings! Sugata!” Buddha said, “Kausika! If noble men and noble women, etc., transcribe the sublime Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, and give it to others to recite and to transcribe it for wide dissemination, such noble men and noble women, etc., would accumulate much more blessings than before; as aforementioned.” [06′38″]
What does this mean? Putting aside the living beings from the Jambudvipa continent, how many more living beings did Buddha cover [in the previous paragraph]? The living beings in all four continents [of the Buddhism cosmology], to give guidance to all beings in the four continents. Imagine how much effort would it take for us to guide one living being to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds? And this is to guide all sentient beings in the four continents to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds. However, the merits thus accumulated are not as great as those of noble men and noble women who transcribe the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and give it to others to recite, and to transcribe and recite accordingly, to have the sutra widely disseminated. The merits are not as much as this! [07′12″]
Now the scope extends to all four continents, and in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, Buddha again said, put aside the four continents, let’s expand the scope to include all living beings in the one thousand small world systems. One can also encourage them to dwell on the path of the ten virtuous deeds. And Buddha asked Kausika, “Is such merit bountiful?” Kausika replied, “Wow! Very much so; that is a lot! Buddha, that is bountiful; very much so!” And Buddha said, “It is not as much as the merits of transcribing the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and giving it to others to recite, and then [others follow their steps to] transcribe again for further dissemination!” [07′33″]
Kausika affirmed, “Wow, that merit is indeed enormous!” And Buddha said, put aside the one thousand small world systems, let’s talk about the one thousand middle world systems …” And the comparison continued on. And then Buddha said, “Put aside the one thousand middle world systems and talk about the one thousand great world systems first.” Of course, in between all these dialogues, Kausika would reply, “Ah! Very much so, that is much more! Truly bountiful, very bountiful!” And Buddha replied all with, “All of these still can’t compare with the merits of one living being who transcribes the Sutra and gives it to others to recite and for others to transcribe again for further dissemination!” Such comparison continued on. Putting aside the three thousand great thousand world systems, there are the worlds as numerous as the sand of Ganges River in all ten directions. Putting aside the worlds as numerous as the sand of Ganges River in all ten directions, there are living beings in the worlds of ten directions, and all of them are to dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds. This is beyond our imagination, since living beings are immeasurable, and to make all immeasurable living beings dwell on the path of ten virtuous deeds. [08′17″]
We may imagine, “Ah! Will that day come?” Well, Buddha made such an analogy in the scriptures; it is so huge, the virtuous roots are just so huge and enormous! And Buddha asked Kausika again, “Is this a lot of merits?” So let us visualize it again. If we were together with Kausika, the deity king, and said, “Wow! That is very much so! Buddha, this merit is incredible!” What did Buddha say as a result? “Buddha said, “Kausika! If noble men and noble women, etc., transcribe such profound Paramita, give it to others to recite, and others continue to transcribe for further dissemination, such noble men and noble women, etc., have accumulated much more merits than before.” So much more than ever! [08′52″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0073】
讲次 0073
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2A 27:13 ~ 27:52
日期 2018/12/10 ~ 12/12
广论段落 P1-L6 如 难量胜者教……我礼龙猛无着足
手抄页/行 第1册 P46-LL2 ~ P47-L2 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P46-LL2 ~ P47-L3 )
手抄段落 因为这样的关系……有很多是以慈悲方便入。
在解释了什么是无漏之法之后，佛陀接着又讲。在《般若经》上的原文说：“憍尸迦！若善男子、善女人等，教一有情住预流果，所获福聚，犹胜教化一赡部洲诸有情类，皆令安住十善业道。何以故？憍尸迦！诸有安住十善业道，不免地狱、傍生、鬼趣。若有安住预流果者，便得永脱三恶趣故，况教令住一来、不还、阿罗汉果、独觉菩提，所获福聚而不胜彼？” [00′48″]
这一段是说：如果一个善男子或者善女人教一个有情住在预流果，他教一个有情住预流果的这个福报啊，胜过教化一赡部洲的有情都安住十善业道。注意喔！这个人数是差得太悬殊了，他教一个有情住预流果所获的福报，比教赡部洲所有的有情都安住在十善业道的福报还大！ [01′16″]
那我们的问题依然是：“为什么？”佛陀又亲切地呼唤他弟子的名字，说：“憍尸迦，这些安住于十善业道的有情，不一定能免掉地狱、傍生、饿鬼，不一定能免除三恶趣。但是一旦一个有情安住预流果，便得永脱三恶趣！”就是他永远脱离了三恶趣。注意喔！教一个有情永远脱离三恶趣的这样一个福报，大于教化一赡部洲的有情安住于十善业道。佛陀又接着说：“况教令住一来......”教一个有情住预流果就这样了，何况你教一个有情安住于一来，还有不还、阿罗汉果，还有独觉菩提所获的福聚而不胜彼呢？就更胜于他了！这又是一个譬喻。 [02′09″]
说：“若善男子、善女人等，教赡部洲诸有情类皆住”都住于“预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉果、独觉菩提。”这个譬喻又大了喔！就是教赡部洲所有的有情都住在预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉、独觉菩提，这是很大很大的不可思议的福报！ “不如有人教一有情，令趣无上正等菩提。”不如教一个有情发菩提心。 [02′35″]
接着问题又来了，为什么呢？ “何以故？憍尸迦！”佛陀又呼唤他弟子的名字，说：“若教有情令趣无上正等菩提，则令世间佛眼不断。所以者何？”为什么呢？ “由有菩萨摩诃萨故，便有预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉果、独觉菩提；由有菩萨摩诃萨故，便有如来、应、正等觉转妙法轮度无量众。”说：为什么呢？教一个有情发了菩提心，他可以胜过教所有赡部洲的有情都住于预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉果这么大的善根，是为什么呀？说：首先“令世间佛眼不断”。为什么呢？因为有菩萨的缘故，就会有预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉果、独觉菩提；因为有菩萨的缘故，就会有如来、应、正等觉转妙法轮度无量众，这些都是从菩萨出生的。所以一个人发了菩提心，有那么大、那么大的福报！ [03′38″]
“诸菩萨摩诃萨，皆依般若波罗蜜多而得成就。以是故，憍尸迦！若善男子、善女人等，书写如是什深般若波罗蜜多，施他读诵，若转书写广令流布，所获福聚，胜前福聚无量无边。”这个譬喻是说什么呢？那个令有情发菩提心的福报胜过那么多，那么如果书写般若波罗蜜多的人，然后书写了又转他读诵、转他书写、广令流布，这样的善根胜于什么？令有情发菩提心。这是不可思议的喔！这是不可思议的！ [04′17″]
说：“何以故？”为什么呢？佛陀又呼唤了弟子的名字：“憍尸迦！如是般若波罗蜜多秘密藏中，广说一切世、出世间胜妙善法。依此善法，世间便有刹帝利大族、婆罗门大族、长者大族、居士大族、四大王众天，乃至非想非非想处天，亦有四念住广说乃至一切相智施设可得，亦有预流、一来、不还、阿罗汉、独觉、菩萨摩诃萨、诸佛世尊施设可得。”说：为什么抄《般若经》，令他读诵，然后转抄、转令读诵、广令流布会有这么大的功德？佛陀说：“因为般若波罗蜜多的秘密藏，广说一切世间、出世间的善妙法，依这个善法能出生一切，比如刹帝利大族等等，还有菩萨，还有各各天、阿罗汉，甚至诸佛世尊，才能够施设出来。” [05′15″]
这一小段的譬喻就很令我们震惊了，但是不知道平常大家诵《般若经》的时候，有没有细细地去琢磨一下，甚至把它用白板列一下。我们透过对比的方式，看看这个抄《般若经》，抄完了之后给别人诵，诵完了再抄、再诵，广令流布，这样的一个善根到底有多大？这是才比到这儿，还没比完呢！后面还有很多还没比完。上述所讲的，是佛陀给我们展示的一种比喻的方式，怎么样去了解善男子、善女人书写了《般若经》，又转给他读诵，然后又转书写、转读诵、广令流布，这样的功德有多大。上面是一个方式。 [06′03″]
下面佛陀又再开显了一个方式，这个方式一开始是说：“复次，憍尸迦！置赡部洲诸有情类。若善男子、善女人等，教四大洲诸有情类，皆令安住十善业道，于意云何？是善男子、善女人等，由此因缘得福多不？天帝释言：甚多！世尊！甚多！善逝！佛言：憍尸迦！若善男子、善女人等，书写如是什深般若波罗蜜多，施他读诵，若转书写广令流布，是善男子、善女人等，所获福聚甚多于前，余如上说。” [06 ′38″]
这边是说什么呢？先放着赡部洲的有情不说，接着换多少有情了？四大洲的有情，四大洲的有情，都教化他们。你想想，我们教一个有情，让他住于十善业道多费力气呀！这是教四大洲的有情喔，都获十善业道了。可是，还不如善男子、善女人抄《般若经》，送给他读诵，然后转书写、转抄、转读诵，这样地广令流布，福报不如这个多喔！ [07′12″]
现在已经变四大洲，接下来在《般若经》里边，佛陀又说先放着四大洲不说，先说小千世界有情，也令他们安住于十善业道。又问憍尸迦说：“这个功德多不多呢？”憍尸迦说：“哎呀！很多、很多了！佛陀，很多、很多了！”然后佛陀说：“还不如他抄《般若经》 ，转给他读诵，然后又抄、广令流布，不如这个功德大！” [07′33″]
憍尸迦肯定说：“哇，那个功德太大了！”然后佛陀说：“先放着小千世界不说，先说中千世界......”就这样譬喻下去。然后说：“先放着中千世界不说，先进入大千世界。”当然这中间都有憍尸迦说：“啊！甚多、甚多！真多、真多！”然后佛陀都说： “这还是不如一个有情书写《般若》、施他读诵，然后再书写、广令流布，福报不如这个多喔！”这样譬喻下去了。然后放着三千大千世界先别说，说十方各如殑伽沙等世界；然后放着十方各如殑伽沙等世界不说，再说十方一切世界的有情，全部安住于十善业道。这个已经很难想像了，因为有情是无量无边的，所有的无量无边的有情都住于十善业道了。 [08′17″]
我们想像说：啊！会有那一天吗？但是佛陀在经典里就做这样的譬喻，就是这么大、这么大的善根！然后又问憍尸迦说：“功德多不？”那我们想像一下，我们如果跟憍尸迦这个天王在一起，说：“哇！那太多了！佛陀，这不可思议的功德！”结果佛陀说什么？ “佛言：憍尸迦！若善男子、善女人等，书写如是什深般若波罗蜜多，施他读诵，若转书写广令流布，是善男子、善女人等，所获福聚甚多于前。”比那个还多！ [08′52″]