Lecture No. 0085
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0085
Tape no. -
Date : 2019/01/21 ~ 01/23
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue –Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
In the Biography of the Tripitaka Masters of Da-Ci-En Monastery in the Great Tang Dynasty, it says, “The East land [China] places great value on the Prajna(“般若”).” Although the Prajnaparamita Sutra had been translated in the previous dynasties, it was incomplete. Therefore, people supplicated to Master Xuan Zang (“玄奘大师”), asking if he could translate it again. Because the Prajnaparamita Sutra is very voluminous, and at that time, Master Xuan Zang was involved in many administrative tasks in Chang’an and was very busy. Master Xuan Zang was worried about the impermanence of life which might be difficult to for him to complete the translation! Thus, he made a request to the still-reigning emperor Tang Gao Zong, if he could do the translation at Yuhua Monastery*. To his surprise, the emperor granted his request. Yuhua Monastery might have been less crowded and comparatively more tranquil, making it easier for Master Xuan Zang to complete such translation work. [00′49″]
[*Yuhua Monastery was also known as the Yuhua Palace, which the emperor bestowed to Master Xuan Zang for his translation effort.] Thus, in October, the winter of the 4th year of Xian Qing [AD 659], Master Xuan Zang, along with the translators and disciples, left Chang’an for Yuhua Monastery. On the first day of the following year, Master Xuan Zang commenced the translation of the Prajnaparamita Sutra. The Sanskrit version of the Prajnaparamita Sutra has about two hundred thousand passages, which scope is truly profound and extensive. Hence, when facing the translation work of two hundred thousand passages, the translation team had some idea and wanted to request Master Xuan Zang to remove or summarize some parts of the sutra. They even made such request several times to Master Xuan Zang. [01′34″]
At that time, Master Xuan Zang was also slightly swayed and wanted to go along with everyone’s idea. For instance, similar to the predecessor Master Kumarajiva* who translated the Maha Prajnaparamita Sutra, where he left out the more complicated parts of the scripture. And what happened to Master Xuan Zang after he had such a thought? Everyone can think about it. In the end, Master Xuan Zang had a nightmare that night. It was a very, very dreadful nightmare. He dreamed that he was in a very dangerous place and a ferocious beast was about to attack him, such terrifying dreams, etc. Then he was awakened by the nightmare, sweating and shivering, after struggling hard to get away and wake up from the dreams. [02′19″]
[*Master Kumarajiva was over 200 years before Master Xuan Zang; they both were among the 4 eminent translators in Chinese Buddhism history. Master Kumarajiva was from Central Asia, the Chinese emperor at his time appointed him as the teacher-of-the-state. Based on the Sanskrit version of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Master Kumarajiva translated it into Chinese. He also corrected some mistakes in the Central Asia translation version of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, adding references to it. With 3 different languages involved, yet his Chinese version was faithful to the original Sanskrit meaning with elegant use of Chinese expression.] Upon waking up, Master Xuan Zang felt very frightened and horrified, his horror should be due to the consideration of the method of translation. Thus, he told everyone, “Our translation will completely follow the original scripture. No deletion! Not a bit of deletion!” After announcing his decision to everyone as to how to translate the Prajnaparamita Sutra and setting the guiding principles, Master Xuan Zang had another dream that night. All the nightmares were gone. He dreamed of seeing Buddhas and Bodhisattvas illuminating lights between their eyebrows, and the light shone on him. He felt very joyful and tranquil. He saw himself holding flowers and lamps in his hand and offering them to immeasurable Buddhas. And he dreamed that he ascended to the teaching throne and imparted the teaching to the public. He was surrounded, praised, and venerated by many people. He also dreamed that many people offered him precious fruits; all of these were recorded in the biography. This is a very auspicious and joyful dream. Master Xuan Zang himself also felt very delighted and hence, at that time, he thoroughly decided that the Prajnaparamita Sutra cannot be deleted in any parts, and shall follow the original Sanskrit version accordingly. [03′26″]
At the beginning of the Prajnaparamita Sutra, there is chapter [394] called the Grand Purified Land of Buddha; it states: “Bodhisattva Mahasattvas for the sake of Prajnaparamita Sutra, used their supernal and aspirational power to fill up the thousands of world systems (“大千世界”) with the most precious jewellery, various fragrant flowers and hundreds of delicious foods, clothes, and music, all sorts of wonderful offerings available by the arising conditions of five sensory faculties to adorn the teaching throne of the Prajnaparamita Sutra.” This is stated in the sutra. These Bodhisattva Mahasattvas, all are great Bodhisattvas! In order to make offering to the Prajnaparamita sutra, they applied their supernal ability and aspirational power to fill up three thousand grea tworld systems, like a vessel, filled with precious treasures. Can you imagine how many precious treasures we have on earth? The scripture has mentioned as such, actually we can follow this visualization for our offering. So how many types of precious treasures do we need? You can count the precious treasures you have seen before; don’t just think of buying the treasures when you see them or just want to possess them. Think about how all the treasures we have seen can also be offered to the Prajna, offering to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. [04′31″]
What else? Various fragrant flowers, for instance, ocean of gorgeous flowers of different colors, different shapes, all types of fragrances. And then, food with hundreds of flavours. Not sure if everyone can think of food with hundreds of flavours? That is many varieties. All of them are very grand offering. And also clothes, we can actually make offering too when we go shopping for clothes. In the past, I heard Master mentioned before that when you are shopping or visiting other places, don’t just think, “Does this piece of clothing fit me?” You can chant “Om, Ah, Hum” and offer it [to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas]. Because this is what we see with our eyes, it can be offered. Also for music, when listening to music, don’t just be absorbed in it. It can be offered to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well. Thus, the offerings from arising conditions of the five sensory faculties can be applied to adorn the teaching throne. [05′20″]
When translation was being carried out at Yuhua Monastery, there was an abbot of Yuhua Monastery, Venerable Hui De, and a translator, Venerable Jia Shang. Something strange happened. Both of them actually had the same dream. Actually, this is very uncommon in the world; two persons being able to have the same dream, it is a very rare occurrence! Both monks had dreamed about Yuhua Monastery that night. The monastery became very spacious, very big, and very peaceful. Also, as illustrated in the sutra, it was decorated with various wonderful adornments, filled with magnificent tents, heavenly carts, exquisite banners, beautiful music and all sorts of offerings. They also saw many, many monastics streaming in endlessly, holding luxurious parasols, exquisite banners, and various items to offer to the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra. In their dreams, they visualized such an offering assembly. [06′20″]
Besides, all the paths and walls in the monastery were decorated with beautiful brocade; it is very hard to imagine how they are so beautifully designed in a dream! All the floors in the monastery were covered with fabulous flowers, and people were walking on them. As they reached the translation academy (“译经院”), it was even more auspicious, almost as beautiful and as grand as illustrated in the scriptures, the academy was completely decorated with various precious jewels. And both of them dreamed the same! They both heard people giving teachings in three different lecture halls in the translation academy; they saw Master Xuan Zang sitting in the main hall giving a teaching. Both venerables dreamed the same scene. They were probably very delighted when they woke up from the dream, both of them actually went to pay Master Xuan Zang a visit at the same time! I would visualize what would the scene be like? Wow! Both disciples came to meet their teacher together and shared their dreams. The dreams they both had were actually the same. At that time, Master Xuan Zang said, “We are now translating the chapter of the Grand Purified Land of Buddha; all Bodhisattvas will present their offerings. Would you believe after seeing it in your dreams?” [07′36″]
At that time, the apple tree beside the main hall, the tree was also very strange, it was actually blooming flowers out of the supposed season and it was blooming continuously. Each flower had six petals with alternate red and white color, very bright and very exuberant. Seeing it makes people exclaim, “Wow! How joyous!” This apple tree keeps blooming and blooming as if it is making offering continuously. Hence, at that time, the people were probably also very, very delighted! Everyone surrounded the tree, discussing happily, and said, “Ah! This is the sign that the Prajna is propagating again. The six petals in the flower should be representing the six perfections!” [08′26″]
Despite the appearance of various auspicious signs, Master Xuan Zang still strived very hard to translate the Prajnaparamita Sutra, because its content and scope were very profound and extensive. Besides, deletion is not allowed, deletion is definitely not allowed. Hence, the translation effort must be inconceivably strenuous. During the process of translating the Prajnaparamita Sutra, Master Xuan Zang was also very worried that he might not be able to complete the entire translation for fear of the impermanence of life. Thus, he told the monastics, “I am already 65 years old and will definitely die in Yuhua Monastery. Yet the Prajnaparamita Sutra is such an extensive scripture, I am very very afraid that the translation will not be completed. I hope everyone would work hard and earnestly. Do not be afraid of the arduous task!” You all can imagine that, with Master Xuan Zang earnestly encouraging everyone, he must be the one who led the group upfront and worked the most diligently, not afraid of the hardship. As he had already endured so much when beseeching the teaching in the west; the hardship of the translation work compared to that would probably be not as fearsome, just that the demand of the physical stamina might be too great. [09′34″]
Finally, on October 23rd, the winter of the third year of Long-shuo under the emperor Tang Gao-Zong, the translation finally completed! There was a total of 600 scrolls being translated, which is known as the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra. Master Xuan Zang was very very delighted! He put his palms together and said to his disciples, “This sutra has affinity with the Chinese land (“汉地”). I am able to come to Yuhua Monastery, it was due to the power of the Prajnaparamita Sutra! In the past, while I was at the Chang’an, I was held up by many external duties, how would it be possible to accomplish such a task! Now, we are able to complete the translation, this must be due to the blessings from all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and the Dharma protectors! This Great Prajnaparamita Sutra is the scripture that stabilizes the nation, the greatest treasure of humans and deities. Everyone should rejoice at such an accomplishment!” Since then, we have had the 600 scrolls of Great Prajnaparamita Sutra in China. Master Xuan Zang said this is the scripture that stabilizes the nation and the greatest treasure of humans and deities! [10′40″]
Master Xuan Zang finished translating the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra in October of AD 663, and his disciples again supplicated, “Can we please translate the next scripture?” They thus went on to translate the Kasyapa Chapter of the Ratna-kuta Collection [v.2 p.76] (“大宝积经”). Just right after translating the first few lines, Master Xuan Zang felt that his physical strength was waning. Thus, he stopped the translation work. In March the following year, Master Xuan Zang passed away. So, the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra is a monumental work that Master Xuan Zang dedicated his entire life to and worked his heart out to accomplish in his late years! That is the reason that we have the chance to read the Great Prajnaparamita Sutra today, and when reading the commentaries from both Bodhisattvas [Nagarjuna and Asanga] on the Prajnaparamita Sutra, we then have the complying source. [11′30″]
Preserving scriptures and passing down the scriptures are also the sacred missions of the eminent monks in the past. Master often guided us by saying, “Never should we take these scriptures for granted while reading them!” Every single word and every single line in the scriptures are the painstaking efforts the translators had traded their lives for, so how could we not treasure them! How could we not venerate them! How could we not cherish them! [12′04″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0085】
讲次 0085
科判 道前基础
章节 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 -
日期 2019/01/21 ~ 01/23
广论段落 P1-L6 如极难量胜者教……我礼龙猛无着足
在《大唐大慈恩寺三藏法师传》里边就有这样的记载：东土重视《般若》，在前代虽然也曾翻译过，但是不够完备，所以大家就祈请玄奘大师是不是可以重新翻译呢？因为《般若经》的部头很大，那个时候大师在长安的事务非常多，很繁忙吧！玄奘大师就担心人命无常，很难完成这样的翻译呀！于是他就向唐高宗——那个时候是唐高宗了——请求：能否到玉华寺翻译呢？居然得到了唐高宗的允许。玉华寺应该是没有那么多人，可能相对地清净，比较能容易完成这样的译著。 [00′49″]
所以在显庆四年冬季的十月，大师就带领着译经的大德和弟子们，从长安一同出发前往了玉华寺。他在显庆五年春天正月一日那一天，大师开始翻译《大般若经》。 《大般若经》的梵本共有二十万颂，经文非常地广博、非常非常广。所以一同翻译的这些弟子们面对二十万颂的翻译，大家就有一些想法，想要请求大师可不可以删减或者省略经文，甚至多次请求大师删减、省略经文。 [01′34″]
这个时候，玄奘大师也动了这样的心念，想要随顺大众的想法，比如说像前辈译师鸠摩罗什大师翻译的《摩诃般若波罗蜜经》那样，他就是删除了比较繁复的经文。大师动了这样的念头之后，发生什么事了呢？大家可以想一想。结果玄奘大师晚上就做恶梦了，非常非常恐怖的恶梦，梦见自己身处凶险的地方，还有梦到猛兽来抓他......等等这些梦，然后被恶梦吓到流汗、颤抖，才从梦中很不容易地脱离、醒过来。 [02′19″]
当时醒过来之后，就感到非常地惊慌恐惧，他惊慌恐惧的应该是考虑到译经的一个方式问题。所以他就告诉大家：[还是要依照原典广泛地翻译，不删！什么都不删了！]当大师把这件事告诉大家，把译场怎么译《般若经》的这个原则楷定下来之后，当晚大师又做梦了。恶梦都消失了，然后就梦见诸佛菩萨眉间放光，照在自己的身上，心里感到非常地欢喜和舒适；然后看到自己手里拿着花、灯，供养着无量诸佛；又梦见自己登上了法座，为大众说法，被很多人围绕、赞叹、恭敬；还梦见有人供养珍贵的水果，这都是在传记里面记载的。这是一个非常吉祥、很喜悦的梦嘛，大师他也觉得非常非常地欢喜，所以那时候彻底地决定不能再删减《大般若经》，完全遵照梵本翻译。 [03′26″]
在《大般若经》初分中有〈严净佛土品〉，在〈严净佛土品〉说到：菩萨摩诃萨众为了《般若波罗蜜多》，运用神通、愿力，盛满大千世界的上妙珍宝、诸妙香花、百味饮食、衣服音乐、随意所生的五尘妙境种种供养，庄严说法的处所。这是在经典里讲的。说那些菩萨摩诃萨，都是大菩萨喔！他们为了供养《般若波罗蜜多经》，运用神通、愿力，三千大千世界像一个容器一样，装满了上妙珍宝。你可以想我们在地球上有多少珍宝？经典上这样讲，其实我们可以照着这个观想去供养的。那是要多少种珍宝呢？你可以数数你看过的珍宝，不要看到珍宝的时候只想把它买来，或者只想拥有它。要想一想眼睛看到的珍宝也是可以供养的，比如说供养《般若》，供养所有的佛菩萨。 [04′31″]
还有什么呢？诸妙香花，比如说花海，不同颜色、不同形状、各种香味的一片花的海洋；然后百味饮食，不知道大家是不是能想到百味饮食？就是很多种。全部是非常盛大的一个供养；还有衣服，大家去买衣服的时候，其实这是可以供养的，以前听师父讲过，比如说你去逛街的时候，或者去其他地方的时候，不要只是想：[这个衣服我适不适合穿？]可以念嗡啊吽、可以供养的，因为这是我们眼所见的，是可以供养的；还有音乐，听到音乐别只是沉醉在音乐里边，也可以供养佛菩萨。所以随意所生的五尘妙境的种种供养，都庄严说法的处所。 [05′20″]
当时在玉华寺翻译的时候，有一位玉华寺的寺主慧德法师，还有一位译师叫嘉尚法师，发生了很奇怪的事情，他俩居然做了同样的梦。其实这种事情在世界上是很不多见的，两个人能够同样做一个梦，是很稀有的事情！两位法师那天晚上都梦见了玉华寺，那个寺里边突然好像变得很广、很大，非常非常地清净，也是像经中讲的被各种美妙的饰品庄严，充满幢帐、宝舆、花幡，还有伎乐，各式各样的供品；又看到很多很多僧众络绎不绝，手里拿着华盖、幢幡，还有各式的供品，一起来供养《大般若经》。他们做梦的时候，梦到这样的一个供养法会。 [06′20″]
而且寺院里的道路，还有寺院所有的墙壁，都铺上美丽的锦缎，这是很难想像的，在梦里怎么设计得这么美！而且寺里所有的地面，都布满了非常非常美妙的花，众人都步行其上。到了译经院就更加地胜妙了，几乎就像经典里记载的那么美、那么庄严，完全被众宝所庄严的译经院。而且两个人哦！他们都听到了译经院里有三间法堂有人在讲法，而且梦见玄奘大师他就在中堂说法，两位法师都梦到这样的景象。可能两位都从梦里醒来的时候大概是很高兴吧，居然两位法师一起去拜见大师！我想那个场景是怎样呢？哇！两个弟子一起来找到老师，分别启白他们做的梦，居然两个人的梦是一样的。当时玄奘大师说：[现在正翻译到〈严净佛土品〉，诸菩萨一定会供养的，你们看到之后是否相信了呢？] [07′36″]
当时长在殿旁边的双柰树，那个树也很奇特，它居然在不该开花的时候开花了，而且还是一再地开花。每一朵花都开出了六片花瓣，红白相间，非常地鲜艳、非常地茂盛，让人一看就是：哇！太喜欢了！双柰树老是开花、老是开花，好像一直献供的感觉，所以当时可能大众也非常非常欢喜吧！大家就围过去很高兴地议论，都说：[啊！这是《般若》再度弘扬的征兆，花开六瓣，应该代表六种波罗蜜多吧！] [08′26″]
出现了种种的祥瑞、征兆。但是玄奘大师在翻译《般若经》的时候，应该还是非常辛苦的，因为太过浩瀚，而且不能删减，决定不能删减，所以翻译的工作一定是非常非常繁重的。在翻译《大般若经》那个时候，其实玄奘大师自己也非常担心译不完，害怕无常到来，所以他就告诉僧众说：[我今年都六十五岁了，一定会死在玉华寺。而《大般若经》它是非常大部的，我非常非常害怕会翻译不完，希望人人都能勤奋恳切，不要怕辛苦！]大家可以想像，玄奘大师这样劝勉大众，他一定是冲在最前面，一定是最最勤奋恳切，不怕辛苦的，因为他都西行求法经历那么多了，译经的辛苦比之那样的辛苦可能已经算是没那么惊恐了，只是体力的付出可能太过巨大。 [09′34″]
这样努力到了唐高宗龙朔三年冬天的十月二十三日，终于完成了！一共翻译出六百卷，称为《大般若经》。玄奘大师非常非常地欢喜呀！合掌告诉弟子们说：[这部经典与汉地有缘，我能来到玉华寺，完全是仰赖《般若经》之力！以前我在长安，被许多外缘牵缠着，怎么可能完成此事呢！现在能够完成翻译，一定是得到诸佛菩萨的加持、龙天的拥护啊！这部《大般若经》是镇国之典、人天大宝，大家应该为此欢喜自庆！]自那个时候开始，我们汉土就有了六百卷《大般若》了。玄奘大师说这是镇国之典、人天大宝！ [10′40″]
玄奘大师在西元六六三年十月翻译完《大般若经》，然后弟子们又去请说：[可不可以请翻下一部？]然后继续翻译《大宝积经》，刚刚翻译了开头几行，玄奘大师就感觉到自己的气力不足，于是就停下了译笔。就在隔年三月，玄奘大师就圆寂了。所以《大般若经》是玄奘大师在晚年，用所有的生命、呕心沥血翻译出的一个宏篇巨著！所以我们到现在才能够读到《大般若经》，然后读到两位菩萨诠释《般若经》的时候，我们才有得依循。 [11′30″]
保存经典、传承经典，也是历代高僧的神圣使命。师父常常教诲我们说：[莫将经典容易看！]经典的每一个字、每一个字、每一行，都是译师们用心血和生命换来的，所以我们岂能不珍惜呀？岂能不恭敬呀？岂能不珍爱执持呢？ [12′04″]