Lecture No. 0091
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0091
Tape 2B 18:33 ~ 19:16
Date: 2019/02/11 ~ 02/13
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P58-LL3 ~ P59-L3
What causes our learning to deviate and lean toward this but not that [continuation from teaching #89]? In the next paragraph, Master will give us a very clear explanation. Let’s continue to listen. [00′07″]
[2B 18:33 ~ 19:16] Take many cases in our conventional world for example. Many people talk about their work – Dharma Works and how their Dharma works are expanding widely. However, they appear to be separated from the teachings gradually, while another kind of people will keep their work in compliance with the teaching. They abide by the teachings, but their Dharma works are gradually shrinking and shrinking. In this light, it is not easy to achieve the encompassing solution. As far as personal practice is concerned, the [above-stated situations] may not have much impact; however, to successfully promulgate the encompassing teaching, this is not sufficient, just like that. Thus, under any situation, we must always balance the two [wisdom and compassion] properly so to perfect the teaching. [00′51″]
Up to this paragraph, let’s examine ourselves mindfully. Master said that speaking from the perspective of the conventional world, many people talk about the Dharma Works, saying how widely their Dharma Works are expanding, yet they are slowly and gradually separating from the teaching. I wonder what does everyone think about it? The Dharma Works are widely promulgated, why would it be separated from the teaching? Doesn’t being compliance with the teaching then causes the Dharma Works to be widely promulgated? Why would it be separated? What is your answer? The other type says that they closely abide by the teaching, but their Dharma Works is slowly shrinking. Master said: if this is for personal practice, it is fine, but if we want to promulgate the encompassing teaching, having these two problems is not feasible. “Thus, under any situation, we must always balance the two [wisdom and compassion].” Pay attention! Master said, “balance the two properly.” [01′47″]
Now let’s analyze, Master mentioned the first scenario - “many people talk about their work – Dharma Works and how their Dharma Works are expanding widely. However, they appear to be separated from the teachings gradually.” Expanding the Dharma Works widely, this phrase is not hard for us to understand the statement. However, gradually becoming disconnected from the teaching, what is it? First, we need to contemplate what is Dharma? What is the definition of Dharma? Dharma has the ability to salvage and commiserate. What does Dharma salvage and commiserate? This afflictive and suffering mind of ours. Hence, when speaking of Dharma, we must apply the teaching to tame ourselves within, to tame the afflictions in our minds. To tame afflictions inwardly, what do we use to tame our minds? Using a benchmark. What kind of benchmark? For instance, law is a benchmark; morals are also benchmarks, and also the precepts defined by Buddha are also benchmarks. The core essence of precepts is to not harm other living beings, distinguishing the force that causes our minds to go towards non-virtues. We must reverse our mind, cause it to go towards virtuousness. At any given condition, we have to go towards virtuousness, let our mind create virtuous intentions, and our body and speech also creating virtuous karma. [03′22″]
If the Dharma Works are widely spread, but we neglect our practice to cast aside non-virtuous and to adopt the virtuous, slowly breeding our arrogance and the desire for fame and wealth, and the self-cherishing attitude grows bigger, and the higher our positions get, (we will) very often look at others’ shortcomings. After a while, we will be accustomed to finding faults with others. If we find faults with others, and we arise the intention to help them, it is still acceptable. If we find faults in others, feeling that we are being mistreated by others, or that we are the best, and not being able to persevere in upholding the most important principles such as venerating the Three Jewels, being filial to parents, and respecting all living beings, to the extent that we are so fully occupied, all these principles will slowly become blurred in our minds. The only focus left is to expand the business and make it bigger and bigger, recruiting more and more staff. We totally overlook the “refreshing-coolness” (“清凉”) nature of Dharma. When the departments within a business entity cannot cooperate with one another but are eager to empower themselves, or even compete viciously against each other, then people who work under such condition will become more and more unhappy, more and more stressful. Because the mission is blurred, the associated tasks will slowly be disconnected from the teachings. [04′46″]
Speaking of the teaching, one must allocate time to listen to the teaching and to contemplate the teaching. Besides, when faced with situations, one must practise upholding the right thoughts and lead a mindful living. Our Dharma Works is to engage in virtuous deeds: a group of people getting together to eradicate non-virtues and apply virtues, turn the non-virtuous deeds around, cultivate the good habit of applying virtuous deeds, training our mind in all kinds of situations. Hence, we must be very familiar with the Dharma teaching, we must allocate time to study it. So everyone can now study Lamrim everyday, study the teaching every day; this is truly great! When we constantly listen to the teachings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the scriptures, we would be protected from mental delusion - being deluded by what? Deluded by becoming overly attached to the matters and neglect the attention and adjustment to our mental attitude. Hence, rejoice everyone for being able to persist in listening to Buddha‘s teaching for so many years, being very earnest in studying and contemplating, and basically forming a habit of study and contemplation. We will continuously be vigilant of ourselves, not to fall into the situation of deviating from the Dharma teaching as described by Master. [05′52″]
Once we discover that we only value outer appearance, and the bad habit of neglecting our mind stream emerges, we need to make adjustments, so that we will not deviate. Such deviation definitely begins from our mind stream, not being detected promptly, hence, we must never neglect our mental attitude! This intention, from the beginning of promulgating the Dharma Works, need to be rightly positioned; we must definitely not neglect making our aspiration! Making aspiration is something that is very easily forgotten. Making aspiration is very important! Due to lack of practice, we tend to forget it. So from beginningless time, is making aspiration something that we have not been practising until we are familiar with it? Otherwise, why would we forget it so easily? We did not realised how important making aspiration is to our lives. We have to make aspiration in every Lamrim lesson! If we have heard it for 20 years, then we would have practiced the aspirational vow for 20 years! Rejoice yourself! We have practiced the aspiration for 20 years! Also rejoice many classmates! This virtuous deed does not come by easily! Making aspiration is a direction; it is not for personal fame and gain, but for alleviating afflictions, finding a cure for our ignorance, removing suffering thoroughly. To generate a genuine altruistic attitude to benefit all living beings, even if it’s just a thought, will accumulate immeasurable merits! [07′04″]
Through the Dharma Works that originate from an undefiled aspiration, an expanding work that constantly counteracts the afflictions within us, can we achieve a state where the bigger the enterprise becomes, the more the afflictions are tamed, and where more people are benefitted? It shouldn’t be many people (convene to promote Dharma Works) ending up deviating from Buddha Dharma altogether, wasting our precious lives and squandering our lives away. Having encountered the teaching, yet we fail to make good use of it to improve our lives, what a great loss it is! We all claimed that we are Buddhists, thus we cannot be not vigilant! [07′36″]
From beginningless time, we are used to looking externally for the cause of our happiness and suffering, or even try to secure a way to remove suffering and attain happiness. Thus there is a saying, “With the eyes on our face, we continuously look outward, and the ears are listening to the outside as well.” We often search externally for the cause of eliminating suffering, and attaining happiness and its effect. Hence, when interacting with many people, we often attribute the cause of our sufferings to others. However, Buddha told us that the antidote to training our minds is in our own hands. This suffering heart of ours, what kind of medicine should we take to be happy? That is to apply the teaching to tame ourselves inwardly. [08′29″]
In the initial stage of practice, we often forget to take this Dharma medicine. We often still follow our original habits. This path is too familiar. The moment we take this path, our eyes immediately look at others, our ears listen to others, and we will feel that all the issues lie in the external environment, there is nothing wrong with my mental attitude! So, we are petty about the external environment, spending a lot of time arguing and opposing, but we forget to reflect on our thoughts, our habits, if there is any problem. [09′00″]
When we first start to switch the direction to examining ourselves inwardly, we may not be used to it; we might not even see what is wrong with ourselves. However, with more learning in the Lamrim class and taking on more volunteer responsibilities; from undertaking a little responsibility, and then slowly undertaking more and more, we gradually allow our capacity to care for more and more people. In the process of continuously studying the scriptures, we would then be trained to form the habit of examining ourselves inwardly. [09′27″]
Not sure how is everyone’s training in your respective classes? How’s the practice at home? You are not distracted now, are you? Are you listening? Are you listening? Don’t be distracted! How did the training go? Is it making a little progress? Or is it a disaster? Or the more you practise, the higher you feel is the failure rate? No matter what the results are, now you are listening, listening to the teaching and practising! So, please continue to persist, persist and we are bound to achieve it. Because this is the correct method, it is uncontaminated. This lineage is pure, many people have succeeded by taking this path! Why can’t you and I? Therefore, keep at it, and we will be able to connect our heart to the Dharma tightly, never must we deviate! But to slowly, among many situations, place Dharma in our heart to observe. Dealing with matters on one, observing our minds on the other. The more we practice, the more proficient we will become. [10′36″]
Once we become very skilled, we will find it only easier, because using a small amount of effort can seemingly bring about a huge progress. We won’t be using strenuous effort yet find very little improvement. In fact, it is very marvellous to successfully control one’s negative thought. For instance, you can’t smile at others, you feel angry with that person. But on the second thought, “No! I need to examine my mind inwardly; I need to practice OMAK on others, do my best to smile at this person!” Such effort is praiseworthy, for it is a progress that we make in applying the teaching to tame our mind. Even if it is only a tiny little progress, lasting only for a split second, it is worth our praise! If you have applied such efforts, rejoice! [11′28″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0091】
讲次 0091
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2B 18:33 ~ 19:16
日期 2019/02/11 ~ 02/13
广论段落 P1-L7 摄二大车善传流……敬礼持彼燃灯智
手抄页/行 第1册 P58-LL3 ~ P59-L3 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P58-LL3 ~ P59-L3 )
手抄段落 譬如说我们世间看很多事情......那么这个教法才圆满。
为什么会导致学这个、学那个有偏失呢？下面一段师父会讲得很清楚，大家接着听。 [00′07″]
譬如说我们世间看很多事情，有很多人讲那个事业的——佛法事业，讲佛法事业，事业推展得很广啊，但是他跟法慢慢地往往有点脱节现象。另外一种呢，他就讲如法，讲如法但是他那个事业慢慢地就慢慢地缩小，这我们就不大容易产生圆满的这种答案。那么假定自己修行来说，那个没有关系，如果是你想把那教法的圆满地传开的话，这个就不足，这样。所以在任何一个时候，总要把这两样东西能够配合、调和得恰当，那么这个教法才圆满。 [00′51″]
到这一段要观察自心了。师父说：世间看很多事情，有很多人讲佛法事业，比如说佛法事业推得很广啊，然后往往就跟法慢慢有点脱节。这个不知道大家作何感想？佛法事业推得很广，为什么跟法有点脱节了呢？不是很如法才能很广吗？为什么会脱节呢？你们的答案是什么呢？另外一种就是讲非常地如法，但他的事业就慢慢地缩小，师父说：假定你自己修行的话没关系，如果想要把教法圆满地传开的话，有这两种问题都是不行的。[所以在任何一个时候，总要把这两样东西能够配合。]注意！师父讲了：[调和得恰当。] [01′47″]
现在我们来观察一下，师父说第一种现象——[讲佛法事业，事业推展得很广啊，但是他跟法慢慢地往往有点脱节现象。]佛法事业推展得很广，这句应该并不难理解，但是跟法慢慢有点脱节到底是什么呢？首先要思考什么是法？法的定义？法是具有救护和悲悯的功能。救护和悲悯什么呢？我们这颗充满烦恼和痛苦的心。所以谈到法，一定是要拿这个法向内调伏我们的心、调伏我们心的烦恼。如果说向内调伏烦恼的话，拿什么调伏呢？拿一个标准。什么标准呢？比如说法律是标准，道德也是标准，还有佛说的戒律也是标准。戒律的核心就是不要伤害其他有情，止息我们这颗心向恶的那种力量，一定要扭转它，让它向善，在一切缘起点上都要向善，让我们的心去造作善的意乐，身口也去造作善业。 [03′22″]
如果事业推广得很广的时候，忽略了内心舍恶取善的功夫，慢慢地滋长了内心的慢心、名利心，我执越长越大，位置也越来越高了，常常会看别人的毛病。看久了之后，就会习惯看别人都不对。如果看别人都不对，生起了利他心还好；如果看别人都不对、都是对不起自己的，而且自己是最厉害的，恭敬三宝、孝顺父母、恭敬众生，这些最重要的原则如果没有办法精进地执持，甚至忙着、忙着，这些都慢慢模糊了，只剩下把事情做大、把事情做大、把人聚多、把人聚多，却忽略了法的清凉的特质。如果一个事业体，各个部门之间不能配合、都想壮大自我，甚至产生恶性竞争，其实这样在里边工作的人们就会越来越不快乐、越来越有压力，因为宗旨模糊了，这样跟法真的就会慢慢脱节了。 [04′46″]
提到法，一定要有听闻的时间、思惟的时间，而且对境一定要练习提正念，过正念的人生。我们的事业，就是造集善业，一群人在一起断恶修善，扭转恶习，培养善妙的习气，一切境界上都要修链自己的心，所以我们应该对法要很熟练，一定要有学法的时间。所以现在大家天天都能够学《广论》、天天学法，真的非常地好！我们常常听经典上佛菩萨的教言，我们就不会得到一种失心疯——疯到哪里去了？疯狂地迷恋事相，忽略了对内心的注视还有调整。所以随喜大家能够坚持这么多年听闻佛陀的教法，非常认真地闻思，而且基本上养成了一个闻思的习惯，我们会一直小心自己不要变成像师父说的这种跟法脱节的现象。 [05′52″]
一旦发现只重视表象、忽略内心的恶习出现的时候，就要赶快调整，这样就不会脱节。脱节一定是从心念上先开始的，没有及时发现，所以绝对不能够忽略自己的心啊！这颗心从推展佛法事业的动机开始，就要安立好，绝对不能忽略发心！发心是非常容易忘记的一件事情。发心很重要！串习得不熟练，就容易忘记。所以无始劫来，我们是不是串习得最不熟的就是发心吧？不然为什么那么容易忘记呢？我们不认为发心对我们的生命有多重要。每节《广论》课都要发心啊！如果我们听了二十年了，那你就练了二十年了。随喜自己吧！练了二十年发心喔！也随喜很多同学！这个善行可不容易啊！发心就是一个方向，它不是为了名闻利养，而是为了净化烦恼、对治我们的无明，彻底消灭痛苦。为了生起真实饶益一切有情的心，哪怕只有一个念头，都会累积不可思议的资粮！ [07′04″]
由皎洁的发心开始的佛法事业，一直在一个对自心的烦恼的对治中开展的事业，是否可以做到事业越大、烦恼调伏得越多、利益的人越多呢？而不是很多人一起跟佛法脱节了，自己浪费了生命，虚度了人生，在值遇佛法的时候，没有好好地改变自我的生命，这是多么大的损失啊！我们都自称是学佛的，自己不可不慎啊！ [07′36″]
无始劫来，我们习惯在外境上去找寻自己苦乐的原因，甚至是达到苦乐的方法，所以说：[眼睛长在脸上，就一直看着外面，耳朵也听着外面。]我们会常常在外境上去寻觅自己离苦得乐的原因和那个结果，所以跟很多人在一起互动的时候，常常把自己痛苦的原因加诸在别人身上。但是佛陀告诉我们，修链自心的解药是在我们自己手里边，我们这个痛苦的心，要吃什么样的药才能够快乐呢？就是要拿法来向内调伏。 [08′29″]
在刚刚开始训练的时候，我们会常常忘记用这味法药：我们会常常还是按着原来的习惯，这条路走得太熟了，一走，就马上眼睛去看别人、耳朵去听别人，然后就觉得是外境上出了所有的问题，我的心没有太大的问题！所以我们就在外境上锱铢必较，花很多时间去诤论、去对抗，却没有反思一下自己的思路、自己的习气有什么问题。 [09′00″]
一开始把这个方向向内扭转的时候，是不太习惯，甚至是看不到自己有什么问题。但是在班里边多多地学习，然后再承担一些事情，从承担一点点，然后慢慢承担越来越多，慢慢地让自己的心里面多放一些人、多放一些人，在不停地学习这些教理的过程之中，我们就会训练向内观察的这个习惯。 [09′27″]
不知道诸位现在在各自的班里训练得怎么样了？在家里训练得怎么样了？现在你没走神吧？你有在听吗？你有在听吗？不要走神喔！训练得怎么样了？是小有成就呢？还是一塌糊涂呢？还是越训练你会觉得失败率越高呢？无论是怎么样的一个成绩，现在的你就是在听，在听教理呀、在修学呀！所以要坚持下去，坚持就会练习会的，因为这个方法是正确的、是清净的——传承是清净的，很多人依着这条路修行成功了！为什么你、我不行呢？所以坚持练下去，我们就能够让我的心跟法紧紧地连结在一起，绝对不要脱节！而是慢慢地在很多事项之中，把法放到自己的心上去观察，一边忙事情、一边去观察内心，练久了之后就越来越熟了。 [10′36″]
熟了之后就轻松了，因为费一点点力气就可以好像进步很大；就不会费了很大的力气，怎么好像进步很小呢？其实对一个恶念的控制力的成功，也是很殊胜的。比如说你对别人笑不出来，你想跟他生气。但是想想：[不行！要观察内心，我要对别人观功念恩、努力地微笑一下！]这个努力也是很值得称赞的，因为毕竟是我们向调伏内心的修链功夫的一个进展，哪怕只有一吋、只有一分、只有一秒，都是非常值得恭喜的！如果你做了这样的努力，那随喜你喔！ [11′28″]