Lecture No. 0084
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0084
Tape no. -
Date : 2019/01/17 ~ 01/20
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue - Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
English Lamrim Vol 1, Page 33
Greetings to all! Very, very happy that our time to learn together has come again! I hope everyone can adjust our motivation, correct our attitude towards studying of the teaching – to benefit boundless and immeasurable beings, we need to arise the spirit of enlightenment. It is after doing so, then we can achieve the state of full enlightenment, and the attainment of Buddhahood. Although we remind ourselves to listen with such intent every session, we might feel, “Ah! I do not think I have the true spirit of enlightenment.” Our deliberate attempt to mimic Bodhichitta may seem like an imitation at the beginning. However, with repeated practice for some time, we would spontaneously desire for such auspicious mentality to arise in our minds before learning the teaching. [00′49″]
The reason why Buddhas came to this world is for the sake of liberating us from the suffering of cyclic existence. Thus, they imparted as many as 84,000 Dharma essences, especially the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, which targets to remedy the abysmal suffering we experience in the cyclic existence. When Buddha gave the teaching of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, those who had the affinity to listen directly, reached their commensurate stage of realizations. Now, after all these years, we are still able to read the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra as well as learn the associated commentaries. Hence, the two great Bodhisattvas conferred by the Buddha were mentioned. They [Nagarjuna Bodhisattva and Asanga Bodhisattva] were endowed with the capabilities to compose commentaries and to explain the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. How great a blessing this is! Hence, we must develop the Mahayana motivation when learning the Lamrim. This will generate an inconceivable propelling force not only in our present life, but also future and limitless lives too. Therefore, please do not neglect our ignition of such motivation in every session. [01′53″]
There was a period of time when I was being asked a question: “For this round of studying the Lamrim, should we skip the parts that we are already familiar with and discuss topics that we are not familiar with, or just target at the abstruse parts in the Lamrim?” I have given deep consideration to questions of such, after which I sought advice from Rinpoche. And then he replied, “Though it seems like we have understood many concepts and reasoning; has the mind been transformed? Have the students realized internally in the same way and equivalent capacity in which they have understood the theories? Before such realization is present, repeated discoursing will still be required.” The purpose of repeatedly explaining what we have listened to before, or the scriptures that we are already familiar with, is to enable such a realization to arise in our minds. [02′42″]
We should not only want to listen to something we have never heard before; and towards what has been taught before, we lack desire for these teachings, even becoming numb and lax, or having the attitude that lacks veneration. Although we have heard and learned some teachings before, has our mind been transformed accordingly? Just as Rinpoche stated, we should observe if the realization arising in our mind commensurate [our theoretical knowledge of the teachings]. This is something for us to introspect and observe internally. After so doing then we will discover: “Ah! I [my actual conduct] am a far distance away from the teachings and concepts I have listened to. Thus I still need to be constantly reminded, and [also] to remind myself to think of the teaching.” We must contemplate on this point continuously. [03′21″]
In fact, Master had previously said the same. Take for example, “Making offerings to the Three Jewels”, all Buddha’s disciples will know about this. I consulted Master, “We have already discussed the section on making offerings to the Three Jewels; do we need to bring it up again?” Master then said, “Aye! Zhen-Ru, people tend to be forgetful after the discourse has been given, so it is a must to explain it repeatedly. Due to forgetfulness, there must be constant reminders!” [03′45″]
Having contemplated words of wisdom from virtuous teachers, that is, how virtuous teachers hope for us to study, and even have considered the wishes of Lamrim classmates as well as my own, we decided that [Global Lamrim II] it has to be studied in detailed manner. However, such a way of learning does not mean we will elongate the duration; we can speed it up. What I mean is, do not be anxious, everyone! [04′07″]
In the previous discourse, we talked about the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra being introduced to Chinese land, Master Kumarajiva had already translated the MahaPrajnaparamita. Therefore, I feel that we all should get to know Master Xuan-Zang*. If Master Xuan-Zang did not seek the teaching and translated them back then, we probably will not be able to obtain this version of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra to read now. So, I feel that us all Buddha’s disciples should learn about Master Xuan-Zang, or even study the biography of Master Xuan-Zang, if time permits. Since we have limited discussion time today, I will briefly introduce him to you. [04′43″]
[*Xuan-Zang: 602-664) Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator, who travelled to India 629-645]
1300 years ago, at the beginning of the Tang dynasty, Master Xuan-Zang made a lot of preparations, including physical training, for the sake of seeking the Dharma. He was determined to seek the Dharma- and accomplish it, no matter what trials awaited him. His conviction could be described as resolute – without any hesitation that he wanted to complete this mission of going to India to seek Dharma, even if it means costing his life. Everyone can go read his biography to understand how perilous the journey was. Without nerves of steel and valor to endure the treacherous journey, no one can endure that till the end. [Most probably] surrendering after seeing a few obstructions that will be in the way. However, Master Xuan-Zang said, “I would rather die in the course of heading toward the west [from China to India] than to take half a step (back) towards the land of the east for survival!” Such is the dauntless attitude that Master Xuan-Zang donned! Until his arrival in India! [05′37″]
The entire pursuit took Master Xuan-Zang 17 years! 17 years in total! The journey covered about 50,000miles and approximately more than one hundred countries along the way! Unlike traveling by airplane today which takes only a few hours to reach a destination, Master Xuan-Zang travelled on foot and horse wagons to go through over 100 countries. Finally, he fulfilled his mission to obtain the teachings and returned to China afterwards. He brought back 657 volumes of Sanskrit scriptures, which were made out of pattra. What is pattra? That was a book made out of palm leaves. The palm leaves were cut off from the tree, boiled in hot water and dried out in the shade. After which, they were cut into long stripes like the long format [of the Tibetan loose page scriptures.] That was paper in India at that time. In the end, the front and back covers were made of two pieces of board, which clamped the loose pages in between, and forming the rectangular form of Sanskrit scriptures. This form of scripture is known as the palm leaf manuscript. At that time Master Xuan-Zang brought back 657 of such Sanskrit scriptures. [06′53″]
After returning to China, Master Xuan-Zang was highly regarded and exalted by Emperor Tang Tai Zong. With the appeal and support from the Emperor, he recruited all eminent monks nationwide to form an academy to conduct stringent translations. Translation works went on for more than a decade; eventually Master Xuan-Zang finished translating 75 scriptures, 1,335 chapters of scriptures in total! [07′16″]
It was not until his old age when Master Xuan-Zang initiated the task of translating the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra. However, there are over 600 chapters in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra! It was a translation project of massive scale for Master Xuan-Zang to undertake. Given his old age, it required a considerable level of mental strength to achieve it. [Nevertheless,] Master Xuan-Zang aspired to compile all the collections about the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra he obtained in India, into a most complete version, and then translated them into the Chinese language. [07′48″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0084】
讲次 0084
章节 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 -
日期 2019/01/17 ~ 01/20
广论段落 P1-L6 如极难量胜者教……我礼龙猛无着足手抄页/行
大家好！又到了我们一起学习的时间了，非常非常地开心！希望大家能够调整自己的意乐，端正自己学法的一个动机——为了利益无穷无尽的有情，必须发起菩提心；发起菩提心之后，才能够成就正等觉位、才能够成佛。虽然我们每次听法的时候都是这样作意，可能我们会觉得说：啊！我也好像没有真实的菩提心，但是我们这样造作菩提心，先好像是假的一样去造作，造作久了之后，我们就会在学法之前，自然地想要在心里现出这样的吉祥的心念。 [00′49″]
诸佛出世，是为了救度我们在轮回里的痛苦，因此才说了八万四千法蕴，尤其是《般若经》，就是专门为了对治我们轮回的深重的痛苦才说的。佛说《般若经》的时候，在佛的座下听法的那些有缘的人，得到了他们该得到的果位。现在经过了这么多年之后呢，我们还是能够读到《般若》，而且还能够学到《般若经》的注释——所以就提到佛陀授记的两位菩萨，他们能够写释论、解释《般若经》——这是多大的福分！所以一定要造作一个大乘的作意来学习《广论》，这对我们的无限生命、对我们的现世和来生，都是有着不可思议的一个牵引的力量。所以每次学习的时候，大家不要忽略这个动机的策动。 [01′53″]
曾经有一段时间，我被问一个问题：是不是在这一次学《广论》的时候，大家都熟悉的就不用讲了，然后讲一些可能大家不熟悉的，或者就《广论》的难点去解决。我也深刻地思考了一下这样的问题，后来我把这个问题请问仁波切，然后仁波切说：[虽然很多概念、很多道理大家都懂了，但是有没有改变内心呢？有没有在内心中生起如你懂了的道理那样的一个证量呢？如果那样的证量没生起的话，还是要讲的。]重复地讲自己听闻过的或者已经很熟悉的经典，就是要让我们在内心中生起这样的一个证量。 [02′42″]
不能只想听一些没听过的，对听过的，心里就没有那样的希求心，甚至有一些麻木感和不认真，或者不恭敬的心态。虽然我们听过了、我们知道了，可是我们的心有没有依据它做转变？就像善知识讲的，有没有在内心中生起那样的量呢？这个还是我们要对内心观察的。当我们做这样的观察之后，我们就会发现：啊！其实我自己和我所听闻的那个道理相差地还是很远的，所以还是需要数数地提醒、数数地忆念。我们在这点上要持续地思考。 [03′21″]
其实，师父也这样讲过。比如[供养三宝]这件事，所有的佛弟子都知道这件事，我就请问师父：[供养三宝这件事已经讲过了，还要再讲吗？]然后师父就说：[唉呀！真如啊，这个讲了之后大家会忘的呀！所以一定要重复地讲，因为会遗忘，所以一定要不停地提醒！] [03′45″]
思考善知识的法语，或者善知识希望我们怎么学，还要思考一下广论同学的愿望，还有我自己的心愿，我们还是决定细细地学过。但细细地学过并不等于时间要拖得很长，我们可以加速。我的意思就是你们不要着急！ [04′07″]
上一讲我们讲到《般若经》传进了汉土，鸠摩罗什大师，已经翻译了《摩诃般若》。所以，我觉得大家应该了解一下玄奘大师，因为玄奘大师当年如果没有求法、翻译的话，我们现在可能也看不到这个版本的《般若经》。所以我觉得我们所有的佛弟子应该去了解一下玄奘大师，甚至我觉得有时间我们可以把玄奘大师的传记好好学一下。因为今天时间有限，我就略略地讲一下。 [04′43″]
一千三百年前，初唐的时候，玄奘大师为了去求法，做了很多很多的准备，包括他锻炼身体。他是心意决定一定要去求法的，不管怎样他一定要成办。可以说决志——没有任何疑虑——一定要成办求法这件事，应该说舍生忘死前往印度求法。他求法的过程，大家可以去了解，很多过程是非常惊恐的，没有一个极大的勇气、胆略和坚强的意志，没有人经得了那种摧残，应该都退掉了，看到几个困难摆下去大概就不想走了。但玄奘大师说：[宁可西行一步死，不向东土半步生！]就是这种勇气哦！才走到了印度！ [05′37″]
他去求法之后，历经了十七年！历经十七年！行程大概是五万里哦！前后到过一百多个国家！那个时候不是像现在有飞机，几小时就到，全凭走的或者车马，走了一百多个国家，终于把他要学的学了。学了之后他又回国，为我们带回了六百五十七部梵夹的经典。这个梵夹是什么？就是那个时候的书，是用棕榈树的树叶做成的。把棕榈树的树叶剪下来，然后放在滚开的水里面煮，煮过之后再把它阴干，阴干之后再切成长条形的，像长函那样。就是那个时候印度的纸张。最后的书皮和封底，它就用两个木板相夹，夹起来，就做成了长条形的梵文的典籍，这样的梵文典籍，就是贝叶经。当时玄奘大师就带回了六百五十七部这样的梵文经典。 [06′53″]
大师回国之后，深得唐太宗的器重和欢喜，经过唐太宗的支持和号召，集合了天下的高僧，组织成严密的译场，然后进行了十余年的翻译工作，他翻译了七十五部啊！一千三百三十五卷的经典！ [07′16″]
大师到了晚年的时候，才开始启动《般若经》的翻译。但是多达六百卷的《大般若经》啊！这是一个非常浩大的翻译工程，晚年的时候，去挑战这样的一个很大的翻译，也是要相当强的心力的。所以，他想要把自己在印度所搜集的各种《般若经》集结成一部最完整的《般若经》，然后他想把它翻译成汉文。 [07′48″]