Lecture No. 0096
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0096
Tape: 2B 21:18 ~ 22:27
Date: 2019/02/28 ~ 03/03
Outline: : Foundation
Topic: Opening Veneration – Veneration before commentary
English Lamrim Vol. 1, Page 33
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P60-L5 ~ P60-LL1
So, let’s listen to the next paragraph.
Why do I specifically use this example? At our level, if we do not have genuine recognition, all sorts of reinforced pride will thus arise. Well, when we hear that someone attained enlightenment, we take it as achieving Buddhahood. Not so! There are various levels of enlightenment; ordinary beings also can achieve [a certain degree of] enlightenment; it is possible. Buddha also achieved his enlightenment. The same applies to Tian-tai Master Zhi-zhe too. Let me explain it further. For a remarkable practitioner like Master Han-san, he highly venerated Tian-tai Master Zhi-zhe. As for Tian-tai Master Zhi-zhe, before he passed away, his disciple asked him, “Master, what level have you attained on the stage of realization?” “I am only at the fifth rank, only the fifth rank.” This is still at the “stage of seeing,” and his teacher actually attained the “stage of resemblance.” This Master Atisha of ours, he was not the last [of these enlightened beings]; just after his ordination, well, prior to his ordination, he beseeched teachers. All of his teachers had attained the path-of-preparation or above; many of them were at Bodhisattva levels. They shared their own experiences with him, and he applied them accordingly. Instantly, he achieved the same accomplishment [as his teachers]. Such an extraordinary being was later ordained and practiced as a monk for several decades. [01′14″]
Do you have any doubt after listening to the above passage? When hearing that someone has attained enlightenment, many classmates might question if it is equal to achieving Buddhahood. Master said, “Not so! There are various levels of enlightenment.” Master followed by saying, “ordinary beings also can achieve [a certain degree of] enlightenment.” Pay attention! What does this indicate? When Buddha sat underneath the Bodhi tree, didn’t he attain ultimate enlightenment by gazing at the starry sky? Also, Tian-tai Master Zhi-zhe and Master Han-shan were enlightened as well. Over here, some classmates may have qualms: Are those who are enlightened still considered to be ordinary people? [01′53″]
Let me explain this briefly. In this context, enlightenment definitely refers to the realization of emptiness, or understanding emptiness. The understanding of emptiness first begins from obtaining the inferential cognition; what is realized through the inferential cognition is the wisdom acquired from contemplating the teaching. Then why is the attainment of the inferential cognition thus named? The attainment of inferential cognition relies on the premise that is established from the proper causes. As for the proper causes, there are the “inference for oneself” and the “inference for others”. The “inference for oneself” is to contemplate by each individual. For example, achieving wisdom of emptiness after contemplating the proper cause that establishes the understanding of emptiness; the inferential cognition thus drawn is called the “inferential cognition for oneself.” The “inferential cognition for others” means by listening to others’ cognition of proper causes, one realizes emptiness; this is the “inferential cognition for others.” However, both of them rely on proper causes as basis for establishment, what do they aim to validate? The premises, by way of conducting inferential cognition, one can realize emptiness. Can emptiness deduced from inferential cognition be regarded as enlightenment? Should be valid too! If one has attained the wisdom of emptiness by means of inferential cognition, is he an ordinary being? Yes, he is still an ordinary being. [03′01″]
Regarding realizing the wisdom of emptiness, the Analysis of Ornament for Clear Knowledge lists 9 proper causes for validating emptiness. Do you still remember how many there are? Can you still recall them? Five folds [v.3 p.287], seven ways [v.3 p.283], the cause of Vajra destroying wrong views into particles, also neither unity nor manifolds, refuting the intrinsic nature that is produced and ceases [v.3 p.156], refuting the 4 extreme types of production [v.3 p.186], refuting the 4 alternative ways [v.3 p.185], establishing possible opposing causes, and the cause of arising conditions. Having established the concept of lack of intrinsic nature by means of the 9 proper causes, the practitioners are to contemplate this concept of lack of intrinsic nature. What I just mentioned is the inferential cognition, which is categorized as the wisdom acquired from contemplation. Next is to realize emptiness with the practice of samatha (serenity), which is categorized as wisdom acquired from meditation. Having obtained the wisdom acquired from meditation, one has to further the realization with the dual practice of meditative serenity and wisdom insight [v.1 p.40]. Before this, what stage is one at? One is still at the conceptual-cognition; such kind of realization is still based on conceptual-cognition. Not until the practitioners complete the dual practice of meditative serenity and wisdom insight, and thus obtain the direct-cognition of emptiness can they be regarded as sages. The attainment is based on direct-cognition instead of conceptual-cognition. Then, if they are Mahayana practitioners, they enter the first Bhumi of Bodhisattva level; it still takes two great eons to accumulate merits before they can achieve the peerless ultimate enlightenment. [04′18″]
Everyone can think about this process! Based on the tenets, one validates the attainment of a great practitioner, it is not merely saying, “Ah! So and so looks like such!” Any validation has to be based on rigorous tenets. As what Master stated here, all of Master Atisha’s teachers had attained the path-of-preparation or above. What is path-of-preparation? That is what we have just mentioned earlier: the practitioner realizes emptiness based on the dual practice of meditative serenity and wisdom insight, which is attained based on conceptual-cognition, before obtaining direct-cognition, the practitioner is considered at the level of path-of-preparation. Do you still remember this section? Master said, “many of them were at Bodhisattva levels,” which refers to Master Atisha’s teachers! “They shared their own experiences with him;” that is, his teachers shared their experiences with Master Atisha. “And he applied them accordingly. Instantly, he achieved the same accomplishment as his teachers.” So this demonstrates that he was an extremely brilliant practitioner. The height of Master Atisha’s achievement is beyond our imagination! Master said, “Such an extraordinary being!” That is why Master Atisha could integrate and uphold several lineages! [05′18″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0096】
讲次 0096
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉论前皈敬
音档 2B 21:18 ~ 22:27
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 P60-L5 ~ P60-LL1 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P60-L6 ~ P60-LL1 )
手抄段落 我为什么要特别举这个例子呢......然后几十年。
那么我们再听下一段
我为什么要特别举这个例子呢？我们哪，因为你没有真实地认识，我们种种增上慢心很容易生。欸，往往人家听见大彻大悟，好像那个大彻大悟成了佛一样。不是！大彻大悟有层次不同的，凡夫也是大彻大悟，也可以，就这样；然后佛也是，天台智者大师也是。那我就特别说明一下，像憨山大师这么地了不起的人，看那个天台智者大师这么高。然后天台智者大师他最后走的时候，人家弟子问他说：[大师啊，你证得什么品位啊？][我只登五品，只登五品。]那还是在[观行位]上当中的人哦，他的老师才是[相似位]当中的人。我们这位阿底峡尊者他不是最后哦，他刚出家的时候，哦，还没有出家，他去参访善知识，他那个善知识最起码的都是加行位上的人，有很多是地上菩萨，就告诉他他自己的经验，然后他照着修持，当时就证得他老师相应的位次。这样高的一个人，出家，然后几十年！ [01′14″]
这一段不知道大家听完之后有没有疑问？可能很多同学疑问的是：听到大彻大悟，好像大彻大悟就成了佛一样，师父说：[不是！大彻大悟的层次是不一样的。]这里边有一句话，说：[凡夫也可以大彻大悟。]注意哦！这里边说什么？佛坐在菩提树下，是不是也夜睹明星大彻大悟了？还有天台智者大师、憨山大师都彻悟了。这里边可能一些同学会有疑问：大彻大悟的还是凡夫吗？ [01′53″]
我稍稍作一个解释。在这里边，彻悟肯定是对于空性的证悟力——了解。对于空性的了解，首先要从比量上证得，在比量上证得就属于思所成。那么比量证得为什么叫[比量证得]呢？就是要依靠正因而证得它的所立，这就是[比量证得]。那么在正因上，有[自利时]还有[他利时]。 [自利]就是自己思惟，比如说成立空性的这个正因，思惟之后而证得了空性，这样是比量，这个就叫[自利时比量]。 [他利时比量]就是从他陈述的这个正因，听到之后他证得了空性，这个叫[他利时比量]。但是都是要依靠正因去证得什么？所立，所以它是比量证得空性。比量证得空性可不可以叫彻悟？也可以吧！比量证得空性，是凡夫否？是的，所以他也是凡夫。 [03′01″]
证悟空性，在《现观辨析》里边列举了九种正因去成立空性。有几种还记不记得？大家还记得吗？五相、七相、金刚屑因，还有离一异、破有无生、破四边生、破四句生、对立可得因，还有一个缘起因。透过这九种正因去成立无自性的道理，然后行者要对这个无自性的道理进行思惟。刚才我讲的是比量证得，比量证得属于思所成；接下来用〈奢摩他〉去证得空性，它属于修所成；修所成之后，再来用止观双运证得。这个之前还是属于什么？分别心的，还是属于分别心证得，止观双运之后最后现证空性的那个行者才是圣者。不是用分别心证得，它是现证。那个时候，如果是大乘行者的话才是登初地，然后还要两大阿僧祇劫累积资粮，去成就无上正等菩提。 [04′18″]
大家可以想想这个过程哦！依据教理去判断一个大德他的所证，不是说：啊，看起来像怎么样！因为有严格的教理的基础来判断。所以像这里边写到，阿底峡尊者他的老师最起码都是加行位的。加行位是什么？就是刚才我们说止观双运去证得空性，还是在分别心上证得，还没有现证之前，那时候是加行位的。有记得这段吧？师父讲到：[有很多是地上菩萨]，就是阿底峡尊者的老师哦！ [就告诉他他自己的经验]，就是他的老师把他的经验告诉他，[然后他照着修持，当时就证得他老师相应的位次。]所以这是绝顶聪明的一个修行者，他的成就是很难想像地高！师父说：[这样高的一个人！]所以他才能把几派的传承融会于一身嘛！ [05′18″]