Lecture No. 0079
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0079
Tape no.
2B 11:45 ~ 12:30
Date
2018/12/31 ~ 2019/01/02
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of commentary
English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P55-LL3 ~ P56-L3
Great! Let’s continue to listen to Master’s recording.
[Master Jih-Chang’s commentary book 1, tape 2B on page Prologue 22]
In addition, the moment that doubtful feelings arise, it is also interesting [to observe] how the doubtful feelings manifest themselves in the mind of Zen practitioner. That is, once you are in that state of mind, your mind is preoccupied with nothing but the question of the meditation object. Suppose you are chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, then you start to question, “Who is chanting Buddha’s name?” It is much like you have owed someone millions of dollars. Owing someone millions of dollars, and being pressed by the creditor, you don’t know how to settle it. Or it is like someone owes you millions of dollars; you do not know what to do with it and are desperately wanting to get the money back. This is what it’s like being absorbed in penetrating the question, but the Zen practitioner is unable to break it up or twist it open easily, just like that! Anyway, these feelings have to be properly experienced personally. Penetrating the question for the meditation object does not come easy; it is hard to attain! And usually, it takes many years to go through such mind-penetration process. [00′48″]
In this short paragraph, Master again explained to us what it would be like to be in the state of arising doubt - which is a form of training under the Zen practice. Not only had Master studied many forms of trainings, he also delved deeply [into each training/practice]. [Master explained] what it would be like when [one is preoccupied with] the question for the [meditation object]. Suppose [one is] chanting the Buddha’s name, then [the question arising from the meditation object] for [one] to trace would be, “Who is chanting the Buddha’s name?” Besides, there could be different [doubtful] questions for the meditation object. When a doubtful feeling/question arises, [one’s] mind and the doubtful sense would [appear to] fuse together completely. It seems that the whole mind is so preoccupied that whether [one is] walking, sitting, lying down, or sleeping, etc., [one] just couldn’t let go of it. [01′27″]
In fact, [we] will discuss how this “I” is established when [we progress to] the Insight (Vipassana) section, as well as how [we] posit many other topics and objects. [In a nutshell,] it is the question about how [our] mind posits when we face the circumstances and arising objects. While [we] come to this topic in the Insight (Vipassana) section, and also during the learning sessions of debating topics, [we] would be like [our] monastics; as they also spend the day and night exploring [just] one topic while studying Pointing the Way to Reasoning. During their exploration, they might often take a whole week to ruminate on the [same] topic. Because I have noticed that was [how] the monastics in our first class studied the Five Great Treatises. The teacher would pose a question [for them to contemplate], and if no one in the entire class could understand it, then sometimes they would not go to sleep that night. The whole class just sat there, [and keep on contemplating the question]. All of a sudden, when one unravelled the question, he would discuss it with everyone around him; then gradually the group would be able to come up with a [cogent] reasoning to resolve the question. [02′11″]
Take the debating forum for instance. Sometimes [the students] would be dumbstruck by the questions the great teachers fired at them and could not come up with any answer. All the reasoning failed them as if they were in dark hollow; the mind just went completely blank. Some debaters, [when rebutted with a statement by great teachers], would just stand speechlessly at the debating forum throughout the entire 30-minute debate session. [Why is it so?] It is because when it was his turn to debate, he was required to defend his topic within the assigned duration. [However upon confronted with a rebutting statement,] he was at his wits’ end, not knowing what to ask or how to respond; all he could do was stand there, all [defending] thoughts disappeared. [02′38″]
In the process of studying the course of reasoning and exploring the truth, many monastics actually spend months and years studying the sutras and scriptures. For instance, during the establishment of the education system of the Five Great Treatises, they have to arrive at an answer to every question, but sometimes they cannot reach a conclusion. Even though they spent years trying to figure it out. [Hence,] they are [always] at the state of arising doubtful feelings, [contemplating the unanswered questions year after year]. [Despite all these, they] still need to uphold full enthusiasm in joyous perseverance to figure out the answers incessantly. [03′03″]
Why is it so? Because exploring how this “I” is posited is of extreme importance. The origin of affliction, centering around [our] self-cherishing mind, could be deemed as the source of almost all afflictions in our lives. As we have learned, Buddha said that “ignorance” is the root cause to all of our sufferings, and the cycle of birth and death derives from ignorance. If this ignorance is not eradicated, we would not be able to escape from the endless tormenting cycle of birth, death, rebirth, and so on. Hence, many practitioners earnestly study the sutras and scriptures taught by Buddha, to explore how this very “I” is ultimately posited? Between the state of one’s mind and external circumstances, what kind of mental strength does one have when in doubt or in focus? [Hence,] from the beginning of their study of Pointing the Way to Reasoning, the monastics have to spend years, even up to ten or twenty years, contemplating such question [of how this “I” is posited]. [03′51″]
Actually, it is akin to having something constantly on one’s mind, i.e. [one just] cannot let go of this question [of how “I” is posited] in [one’s] mind. [It could be] until the extent that whether one is having a meal, walking or looking at the clouds up in the sky, one would always keep contemplating the question that matters a lot in one’s life. Many people may be very interested in the question of “lack of inherent existence” and want to explore this topic: what exactly is lack of inherent existence? After all, how does this “I” come about? Some practitioners would spend up to 20, 30, 40, or 50 years since very young to begin exploring this question. Like some of the novice monks in our monastery, who started to memorize and recite The Essence of True Eloquence, they contemplate such questions ever since they started studying the scriptures and sutras at a very young age. [04′44″]
Thus Master described the feeling of unable to let go [a question] as something you cannot break it up or twist it open. This is [indeed] the [mental] state of an earnest practitioner. Master said that it is a strenuous process; what is more, one has to sustain the effort year after year. Such practitioners who meditate [and explore] on the true nature of reality deserve our sincere respect! [05′08″]
If guided by virtuous teachers along the way, we would be aware of the present state we are in - be it in the wind, caught in the rain, trapped in the fog, or in the dark night, the virtuous teachers would advise us. For instance, one may have doubts while studying the scriptures and commentaries; the teachers would emphasize that one should have reasonable doubt instead of a negative one. If one keeps on doubting unreasonably, it would lead to the destruction of one’s faith and may even trigger the founding of some wrong views or mistaken perceptions. One would then diverge to the erroneous path. [To prevent all these, [we] require virtuous teachers to stand by our side to handhold and guide us. [05′40″]
Even after one is skilled at the reasoning of debating, one still needs to know how to further develop more advanced reasoning so that it will benefit oneself in establishing the faith in the Three Jewels. [This applies] even in the establishment of rigorous analysis about the scripture teaching, reflection of one’s own mental stream, and while repeatedly conducting analyses and discussions over many definitions. To truly establish certainties toward an issue, [we] must repeatedly go through the process of eliminating erroneous perceptions, and what is considered establishing one’s own aim. Finally, [we] have to be challenged by tonnes and tonnes of questions raised by others, and then to answer them continuously. [06′09″]
If one can establish a flawless asserted aim/concept that no other can find faulty, it would be like when Master Xuan-zang was debating in India. Debaters at the time all claimed, “If you can make me change a single wording of the aim/concept that I have established, I would reward you with my head.” That means I can even offer my head to you. Understandably, the monastics at that time would trade off their lives for their propositions, because they have spent so many years exploring and contemplating, they studied strenuously day and night, and went through rigorous analyses and diligent investigations until eventually they were able to establish their own unshakable, resolute proposition. [06′43″]
The faith thus established had wrought through repeated questions and answers, constantly being challenged and clarified. Furthermore, after one has prepared himself in such a way, one still needs to be challenged by many others’ questions, and thus at the end, one arrives at such aim. Thus it is very hard to be swayed once this aim is established. This is how faith works; it is established after repeated debating and analyzing. It is thus validated with constant studying, contemplating, and debating day and night. Hence, analytical meditation is extremely essential! [07′20″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0079】
讲次 0079
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2B 11:45 ~ 12:30
日期 2018/12/31 ~ 2019/01/02
广论段落 P1-L6 如极难量胜者教……我礼龙猛无着足
手抄页/行 第1册 P55-LL3 ~ P56-L3 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P55-LL2 ~ P56-L4 )
手抄段落 手抄段落 还有真正疑情现起的时候……是经年累月地这样来。
好！大家接着听。
还有真正疑情现起的时候，那个参禅那个疑情现起也满有意思的。到那个时候你的脑筋里面没别的东西，就是这个疑。假使你是念阿弥陀佛，说[念佛的是谁?]就是人家形容啊如人欠万贯，欠了人万贯钱一样，那个债主逼在那里不晓得怎么解决。或者说你被人家倒了万贯钱一样，你不晓得用什么方式，心里老放不下要回来的那种味道。他什么东西说打不散、搓不开，这样啊！反正这种东西啊，所以就是说你只有正确地体会了。好辛苦、好辛苦！而且往往是经年累月地这样来。 [00′48″]
这一小段，师父又为我们解释一下疑情现起来的状况——参禅的一个法门。师父学过很多法门，而且都是深入地学。疑情现起的状况，比如说念佛，参念佛的是谁，还有参不同的话头，到了那个疑情现起的时候，就是整个疑情和心完全地融为一体，好像怎么也放不下，走着、坐着、躺着、睡着......，心里全部都在想这一件事情。 [01′27″]
其实到了〈毗钵舍那〉的部分，会谈到对[我]的这个安立，还有对很多事物的安立的问题——就是心对境的一个安立的问题。当讲到〈毗钵舍那〉的这个问题，还有学习辩论题，像出家人学《摄类学》的时候，他们也是从早到晚探讨一个题。探讨这个题的时候，常常一周可能也会想这个题。因为我看到我们寺院第一班的法师在学五大论的时候，老师留了一个题，如果他们全班都没有人明白的话，那么这一夜有的时候他们都不会睡的，大家在那儿坐着，突然有一个人破题了；他破题了之后，他就跟周围的人讨论，然后慢慢大家就可以把那个问题想出了一个思路。 [02′11″]
比如说上辩论场，有的时候被大善知识问到哑口无言，什么都答不出来，所有的思路好像全部都掉进了某个黑洞，心里只是一片空白。有的辩论的人，也有被特别厉害的大善知识回答一句之后，就在场上一直站三十分钟。因为轮到他辩论的时候，他要辩完那么长时间，可是他不知道该问什么，就只能在上面站着，所有的思路都不见了。 [02′38″]
在学习理路、在探讨真理的时候，很多出家人经年累月地研习教典。比如说五大论学制建立的这个过程中，每一道题他们都想要去寻觅答案，有的时候会讨论不出一个结论，甚至经年累月地没有一个结论，经年累月地都在起疑情的这样一个状态，但是却要提起十二分这样的一个精进力，不停地去探索。 [03′03″]
为什么呢？因为探索[我]的安立非常重要。以我爱执为中心的这个苦难的渊源，几乎可以说承包了我们生命所有的痛苦，一旦我们听佛说了[无明]就是所有痛苦的根源，这个生死就是无明产生的，如果这个无明不破除的话，我们是无法逃脱生、死、生、死这样的一个摧残。所以很多修行人精进地学习佛陀的教典，在探索[我]到底是如何安立的？在心和境之间，他的犹疑、他的侧重点，到底是一个怎么样的力道？从学习《摄类学》开始，经年累月，十年、二十年都是要钻研这个问题。 [03′51″]
其实也有点像念兹在兹，就是一直在心上不能忘记这个问题，甚至可能在用斋的时候、在走路的时候，甚至在抬头看一眼天上的云的时候，都会去想我们生命里非常在乎的那个问题。很多人可能会对无自性的问题很感兴趣，想要去探索：无自性到底是怎么回事情？这个[我]到底是如何产生的？对这个问题，有的修行人就要探索可能二十年、三十年、四十年、五十年，从很小的时候就开始探索。像我们寺院有的沙弥就开始背《辨了义不了义》，他们从小的时候就开始接触这样的教典，开始思索这样的问题。 [04′44″]
所以师父说老放不下的那种感觉，打不散、搓不开，这是求道者的一个用功的状态。师父说是很辛苦的，但是还要经年累月地这样地努力下去。很礼敬这样探索真理的修行人！ [05′08″]
如果有善知识在旁边指导的话，就会知道自己是在什么境界——在风中、在雨中，还是在雾中，还是在黑夜里，善知识都会告诉自己。比如说在学经论产生怀疑的时候，会强调说要合理犹豫，不能非理犹豫。非理犹豫再下去之后就会破坏自己的信仰，甚至会建立一些邪见、非量的东西，然后会走上了歧途。这都是要善知识在旁边，手把手地教自己。 [05′40″]
就算是自己会了辩论的理路，但是辩论的理路怎么去伸展，才能有利于自己建立对三宝的信心，甚至建立严密的对教量的观察、对内心的观察，对很多很多定义的反覆观察和讨论。我们真正地确定一个事情的时候，是要经历破除邪见是什么，自宗是什么，最后还要经过有人提问题了、又有人提问题了、又有人提问题了......，然后不停地答疑、不停地答疑。 [06′09″]
如果能立出一个别人挑不出一点毛病的自宗，就像玄奘大师在印度辩论，那个时候辩论的人都说：[如果你能把我上面立宗的字动一个的话，我就以头相谢。]就是我的头都可以给你。所以那个时候的出家人他们的立宗是用生命立出来的，因为他经历过了太多太多的探索，太多太多昼夜反覆地、反覆地用功，精进地观察，所以最后他成立的自宗是坚固不可动摇的。 [06′43″]
所以这个时候建立的信仰，他已经经历过了提出问题、再回答问题、再提出问题、再回答问题，而且自己提得差不多之后，他还要接受很多人对自己提问题，最终他会建立出一个这样的自宗。一旦这样的自宗建立出来之后，他肯定是非常难以撼动的。信仰就是这样，是在反覆地辩论、反覆地观察之中建立出来，在昼夜不停地听闻、思惟、辩论、反覆地观察中建立出来的，所以观察修是非常非常重要的！ [07′20″]