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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0097

Tape: 2B 21:18 ~ 22:27

Date: 2019/03/04 ~ 03/06

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue– Veneration at the beginning of commentary

English Lamrim Vol. 1, Page 33

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P60-L5 ~ P60-LL1

Master said, “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.” [00′14″]

Over here, Master mentioned the attitude of reinforced pride, so, what is reinforced pride? There are seven types of pride, as mentioned in the Compendium of Five Aggregates authored by Vasubandhu, and the Extensive Compendium of Five Aggregates written by [great] treatise master Venerable An-hui. Reinforced pride is the 5th one out of the seven types of pride. In Master Xuan-zhang’s Chinese translation of Vasubandhu’s Compendium of Five Aggregates, it stated, “What is pride? The 7 types of pride are*:

1. The simple pride

2. The greater pride

3. Exceeding pride

4. The pride of believing “I exist”

5. Reinforced pride

6. The pride in regarding oneself inferior

7. Unfounded pride.”

What is reinforced pride? It refers to the belief in [some] people, who are overly proud and regard themselves as already attained the enlightenment attested by the sublime Dharma, but in reality, they haven’t. In the attitude so-called “regard themselves as already attained the enlightenment attested by the sublime Dharma which in reality haven’t”, what is this sublime Dharma after all? It refers to the of sublime state of noble beings’ fruition and Samadhi, etc. The fruition of sublime state of noble beings, as categorized according to the perspectives of Hinayana and Mahayana traditions, from the perspective of Hinayana, the fruition of sublime state of noble beings is from Stream-enterer level all the way to arhatship, and entry-level Bodhisattva all the way to Buddhahood for Mahayana. Due to our lack of actual recognition, some people [conceitedly] consider that they have already attained the fruition of sublime state of noble beings or even Samadhi, etc. [01′42″]

[*Seven types of pride: https://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Seven_kinds_of_pride

1. The simple pride or lesser pride: considering you are the same as your peers

2. The greater pride: thinking that you are better than your equals

3. Exceeding pride: thinking you are even better than those who are great

4. The pride in believing “I exist”: believing that the aggregates are self and are possessed by self

5. Reinforced pride: thinking you have greater qualities than you actually possess

6. The pride in regarding yourself only slightly inferior to those who are great, but that you are excellent nonetheless

7. Unfounded pride: regarding oneself as possessing virtues, such as wisdom and enlightenment, taking pride in what is actually a fault]

Why would our lack of actual recognition contribute to reinforced pride? We might make incorrect judgments on either others or ourselves. [May I ask] how does “the actual recognition” originate? We all know by now that it comes from our thorough, detailed and attentive listening to the sutra/scripture teaching, followed by extensive contemplation and critical analysis. [Namely,] only through a sturdy, [comprehensive and in-depth] study of the sutras/scriptures and through the process of listening, contemplating, and practising the teachings, we can then draw the clear lines of demarcation [for ourselves and for others]. For instance, the three realization levels of listening, contemplation, and practising which I just mentioned, or even the attainment of path-of-preparation until finally entering the Bodhisattva levels, the ranking and demarcation [of each level] is very specific and clear. However, if we don’t study the sutras/scriptures comprehensively and in attentive details, we would mix up the enlightenment of an ordinary being with that of the entry-level Bodhisattva, even with that of the 10th level Bodhisattva; we would muddle up [the different levels] and cannot make proper discernment. If someone claims to us that he is enlightened, we won’t even know what enlightenment he has achieved, nor do we know how to frame our question. Great lineage Masters of the past said, if the good qualities of Bodhisattvas at the path-of-preparation level is explicated broadly, an ordinary being is likely to mistake them for the good qualities of Buddha; [but the former qualities are only at the stage of path-of-preparation]! However, for an ordinary being, one would be amazed, thinking that the enlightenment of an ordinary being is almost equal to the good qualities of Buddha, or even mistake them for Buddha’s good qualities! [03′08″]

So in this short passage, look at these statements from Master, “Not so! There are various levels of enlightenment; ordinary beings also can achieve [a certain degree of] enlightenment.” Think about it, it was thirty years ago! Thirty years ago, the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment was not popular in the Chinese community. How was Master able to explicitly explain such rigorous tenets to us, with such clarity? Look, Master used only three lines to clearly depict [such rigorous tenets]! However, we have to assiduously study what was covered in these three lines. For those aspiring beginners who have not learn the teachings, it is very likely that they will delve into these statements, asking questions like, well, why are there so many levels of enlightenment? Why ordinary beings can also be enlightened? Along with these lines of thoughts, one would be able to delve into studying the tenets. [03′45″]

So, I will contemplate: why Master would mention such an example? Through such a description, it is certain that we would at least reach some initial understanding of how eminent Master Atisha was. On the other hand, [Master] also introduced to us the discerning process of Tian-tai school. If we don’t study the tenets extensively, actually there is no way we could comprehend what Master was trying to convey. Thus, in the entire course of giving Lamrim commentary, Master always encouraged us to thoroughly and extensively study the tenets because this approach will [facilitate] and expedite our practice, and prevent us from going astray. Analogous to having a map, you must follow the map and reach the destination where we have never set foot on, with the guidance from the virtuous teachers, it will make it much easier for us. [04′31″]

Master was very punctilious and rigorous in terms of studying the tenets. As long as he had some spare time – by this we mean the time when he had no visitors, not attending meetings, not traveling to check on Dharma Works at various locations, or giving encouraging words to disciples – you would find him always reading scriptures. I also find this quality [of constantly studying sutras/scriptures] on many of my other virtuous teachers. When Master was studying sutras/scriptures, sometimes [I] found him so touched that he was almost speechless; he would pace back and forth in the prayer hall, very excited and touched. Sometimes, Master would shed tears when he was reading the sutras/scriptures. While I was watching him by his side, I felt that whatever revealed in the sutras/scriptures were all manifested in Master’s mind. If you follow Master closely, actually you would find it possible to validate all the teachings in the sutras/scriptures in your mental stream, as long as we, as Buddhists, earnestly study and practice [what is taught in the teachings]. However, we must abide by the stages of the path rigorously in practice, instead of parroting others’ views or coming up with our own idea about what the experience of enlightenment should be. [05′33″]

Through these two short paragraphs, Master explained how Master Atisha attained enlightenment and illustrated it with a comparable link to the eminent monks in China. He had very profound expectations of us, hoping that we could study Buddha Dharma properly, and as thoroughly and extensively as possible. In order to have a comprehensive understanding of Buddha Dharma, we must learn from the commentaries composed by lineage masters. Because commentaries explain the sutras, we have to learn [the commentaries] properly to understand the path [to enlightenment]. Only then, we can open up our vision of proper views. And only with the vision of proper views, our steps of precepts can be firm and stable, and head toward the correct destination; this is an extremely important point! As embedded in these two short paragraphs, Master had high expectations of us so he gave us the discourse in this way. Not sure what kind of insight you all have obtained while listening to these two paragraphs? I would really like to hear about them! [06′16″]

讲次 0097

科判 道前基础

主题 （皈敬颂〉论前皈敬

音档 2B 21:18 ~ 22:27

日期 2019/03/04 ~ 03/06

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。

师父说：[为什么要举这个例子呢？我们哪，因为没有真实地认识，我们种种增上慢会很容易产生。往往听见大彻大悟，好像大彻大悟成了佛一样。] [00′14″]

在这里边，师父提到了增上慢这样的一种心态，那么什么是增上慢？在世亲菩萨所著的《五蕴论》，还有安慧论师所著的《广五蕴论》中，提到[慢]总共有七种，增上慢是这七种慢中的第五种。在玄奘大师所翻译的世亲菩萨所著的《五蕴论》中说：[云何为慢？所谓七慢：一、慢，二、过慢，三、慢过慢，四、我慢，五、增上慢，六、卑慢，七、邪慢。]什么是增上慢呢？就认为自己已经获得自己尚未获得的殊胜所证法，心高举为本性，这就是增上慢。所谓他自己认为他已经获得了自己尚未获得的殊胜所证法，殊胜所证法到底是什么？就是指圣果及禅定等等。圣果，从大小乘来分的话，小乘的圣果就是预流果一直到阿罗汉果，大乘就是初地一直到佛地之间。由于我们没有真实地认识，所以自己会认为自己已经得了这些圣果乃至禅定等等。 [01′42″]

为什么我们没有真实地认识，会产生增上慢呢？或者判断别人判断错了，或者判断自己。 [真实地认识]请问是来源于何处呢？现在我们大家都知道一定要详尽地、仔细地听闻教典，然后开始广泛地去辨析、了解，透过扎实地对教典的学习、对教理的闻思修，我们才能够知道判断的界限。比如刚才我说的闻、思、修三个层次的证悟，甚至加行位的证悟到最后登地，它的位次、它的界限是非常非常清楚的。但是如果我们不仔细地学教典的话，我们就会把一个凡夫的大彻大悟和一个登地菩萨的大彻大悟，甚至和一个十地菩萨的大彻大悟全部混成一团，完全无法判断。甚至如果有一个人在我们面前说他大彻大悟了，我们都不知道他到底彻悟什么，都不会去询问。祖师曾经说过：如果广讲加行位菩萨的功德的话，一个普通的凡夫可能会认为那是佛陀的功德，加行位哦！但是，一个普通的凡夫听起来的话，哇！会觉得他的功德跟佛陀几乎是没有差别的，甚至就是佛陀的功德哦！ [03′08″]

所以师父在这一小段，看这几句话：[不是！大彻大悟有层次不同的，凡夫也是大彻大悟。]可以想见三十年前哦！三十年前《菩提道次第广论》还没有在汉土流行，那么师父怎么样把这个严密的教理给我们讲清楚呢？你看，师父用了三行就讲成这样子了！但是这个三行我们要学好多。那么对于教典没有学习的初心行者来说，透过这几句话可能就会去钻研了，比如说：欸，为什么大彻大悟层次差这么多？而且凡夫也大彻大悟了？沿着这个疑问大概就可以去学教理。 [03′45″]

所以我会自己想：为什么师父要举这样一个例子呢？透过这样一段描写，当然是让我们去稍稍了解一下阿底峡尊者他到底是怎样成就的一位高僧大德；另一方面，提到了天台宗的判教的方式，如果我们不去广学教理的话，其实是没法理解师父在讲什么的。所以师父在讲《广论》的整个过程，都在鼓励我们一定要深入、广泛地去学习教理。学习教理了之后修行会快得多，而且不会走上歧途。因为就像一个地图，你要沿着地图去到一个没有经过的地方，而且要有善知识引领的话，这就变得方便得多！ [04′31″]

师父在学教理这一点上，示现的是非常非常严谨的。师父几乎有闲暇的时间——我们说的闲暇就是他没有在见人、没有在开会、没有在各地跑法人事业、四处去鼓励同学的话，几乎都在看书。像我的其他善知识们也都是这样，都在看经典。师父看经典的时候，有的时候会发现师父非常非常地感动，讲不出话来，然后他会在佛堂里走来走去、走来走去，就是很激动；有的时候，师父看经典会流眼泪。在旁边看着师父的时候，会感觉到经典上所显现的一切，仿佛都显现在师父的内心之中。你跟着师父的话，就会觉得经典上所讲的一切，其实一个学佛的弟子只要好好地努力，是可以把它现证在内心中的。但是要严格地按着道次第的修行，不能人云亦云，或者自己想我的证悟经验是怎样。 [05′33″]

师父这两小段，由阿底峡尊者的证悟，结合到我们汉土的高僧大德，他对我们寄予了深刻的希望，就是希望我们能够把佛陀所讲的法详尽地学好。如果想学好的话，一定要学传承祖师所造的论，因为论就在释经，要把这个学好才能够知道路径，我们才能够开正知见眼。有了正知见的眼睛之后，我们戒律的脚才能够走向正确的地方，所以这是非常非常重要的一点！师父在这两段里对我们寄予了这样的厚望，所以他这样讲。不知道你们听的时候你们有什么高见？我也很想知道！ [06′16″]