Lecture No. 0121
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0121
Tape: New Version 02 22:38 ~ 24:31
Date: 2019/05/27 ~ 05/29
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Opening veneration at the beginning of the commentary
English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P42-LL7 ~ P43-L7
Next, let’s listen to the new version of Master’s Lamrim commentary. There is another explanation by Master on the phrase “nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts], while those who have studied much are not skilled in the key points of practice.” While listening, please caution (ourselves) not to be distracted; please listen attentively! [00′19″]
[New version 2A 22:38 ~ 24:31]
In other words, you didn’t have such understanding of the matter before, but now you understood. And the same process also applies to “conformity with Dharma”. First, we know a concept literally; then gradually we come to realize its imbedded meaning, and from there we need to delve into it layer by layer so as to understand its profound philosophical connotation. Our usual flaw is that with a smattering of knowledge, we assume, “Well! That is good enough.” Hence, if we want to learn Buddha Dharma sincerely, we must recognize that none of the great masters of the past, whether they were Tibetan, Indian, or Chinese, made an exception. The gist of their manifestations can be summarized with the two terms: purifying negative deeds and accumulating merits. That is, if our obstacles are not removed, it is impossible for us to delve into Buddha Dharma; without sufficient merits, we are not able to keep making headway on the path! Therefore, over here, everyone please pay close attention to this: usually we would assume that “I am here to learn, so I deserve to sit here for you to teach me”. However, am I endowed with such sufficient merits? Therefore, if you observe carefully [on the above concept of purifying negative deeds and accumulating merits], you won’t take helping out in the monastery as petty chores, or decline to do something simply because it is not to your liking. In fact, we should make discernment: we definitely should eschew what we shouldn’t do. However, as for what we should do, we often are not so sure about it. Once we are clear about it, we would realize that helping out in the monastery is the best provision for us to accumulate. It is absolutely impossible to study Buddha Dharma without sufficient provisions; it is simply impossible! [Learning Buddha Dharma] is not merely to understand it literally; I can only briefly explain it here; by the time you make a bit progress, you will come to realize the deeper and more profound meaning of the teaching. [02′10″]
Very well! At the beginning of this section, Master mentioned: “First, we know a concept literally; then gradually we come to realize its imbedded meaning, and from there we need to delve into it layer by layer so as to understand its profound philosophical connotation.” It is a gradual progression guided by a proper sequential order. However, what is our current state like what Master said? We are easily susceptible to this fault; what is it? It is “with a smattering of knowledge, we assume, ‘Well! That is good enough.’” That is, we hold a shallow presumption towards the Dharma. [02′48″]
Master continued introducing great masters of the past, including masters from Tibet, India and the Chinese lands. Let me ask everyone, Master said, “none of the great masters of the past… made an exception: the gist of their manifestations can be summarized with…” What comes next? It is “purifying negative deeds and accumulating merits”! [03′08″]
Master while explaining the verse in the newer edition of his Lamrim commentary “nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts], while those who have studied much are not skilled in the key points of practice”, he immediately skipped into “purifying negative deeds and accumulating merits”. We would feel, oh! So here this topic is being brought up. Everyone can think about it; what will be the issue that Master will convey to us next? Master said, “if our obstacles are not removed, it is impossible for us to delve into Buddha Dharma; without sufficient merits, we are not able to keep making headway on the path!” Notice this! Why can't we make any headway? Does this phrase “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts]” describe practitioners who do not listen? It is possible that they are unable to assimilate with the teaching. What about the ones described in “while those who have studied much are not skilled in the key points of practice”? They have listened a lot but failed to deepen their learning with contemplation and meditation; isn't it also not making headway with learning? Being unable to assimilate the teaching also means that they cannot deepen their learning, right? Unable to expand their scope of learning; nor deepen what they have learned. [03′55″]
So what is the root cause of one not being able to expand and deepen what they have learned? We may say, “Well! There is no virtuous teacher; thus one should rely closely on virtuous teachers.” However, as we all know, in order to encounter virtuous teachers, does one need to have merits? Yes, we need it! To listen to teachings from virtuous teachers also requires merits! Thus, what is the reason that one is not being able to expand and deepen their learning? They are unable to listen to the teaching, hence there is a need to purify negative deeds and accumulate merits. It cannot be done if one does not remove obstacles, [also] without sufficient merits it will also not be accomplished. [04′27″]
We can examine ourselves: When I could not achieve the good qualities that I should be cultivating, for example: monastics or young children having trouble memorizing the texts, and even when Lamrim classmates lacking the motivation to learn after a period of time, or when I could not persevere with the content that is being taught …. At such moment, will it strike us that it is because we haven’t eliminated our obstacles and haven’t accumulated sufficient merits? Or would we be saying: busying with family matters, we are not smart enough, or our health is in poor condition? Or claim that: I am not interested in this study; my interest is in other fields, so on and so forth? We would find many excuses for ourselves, but it hardly ever occurs to us that all these are because we haven't removed obstacles, nor have we accumulated sufficient merits, right? [05′15″]
Sometimes, we would express by saying, “Alas! My karmic obstacles!” However, by saying “my karmic obstacles”, do we stop here? After identifying our karmic obstacles, we need to remove them and purify them. Besides, Master explained that all the great masters of the past, whether they were Tibetans, Indians or Chinese, without an exception, they all said: As long as when one is unable to advance further in the study, it is attributed to nothing else but these two things: purification of negative deeds and accumulation of merits! [05′40″]
Similar occurrences happened before. When lay disciples first begin their learning in Lamrim class, it would be very delightful, carrying their backpacks everyday like going to school and arriving at the Lamrim classrooms, learning joyously together with everyone. However, after a period of time, there was a lady, whom both her in-laws, aged over eighty, were sick and hospitalized. She was extremely worried, she took care of them in the hospital every day, delivering meals back and forth. After learning of this, her Lamrim classmates went to help her out and comforted her anxious state of mind. [06′19″]
About one month later, her in-laws were discharged from the hospital. She returned to the Lamrim class, thinking she could now focus on her Lamrim study. However, it wasn’t long after, her youngest son met with a car accident; fortunately, I heard he only sustained a fracture at his leg, but as a mother, she was very worried, and was not in the mood to continue attending class. She worried all day long thinking about her beloved son. Her classmates once again went to care for her, and helped to contact orthopaedists whom they were acquainted with to call her; everyone made concerted efforts to help her out. At last, her son’s leg was completely healed, and he was discharged from the hospital in good health. After the discharge, she stayed at home for a few more days to care for her son, and returned to class again. [07′11″]
After a period of learning, wow, her grandson was born. This is a lady fully devoted to her family, so again she decided to stay home to take care of her grandson, taking leave of absence from class. After sometime spent looking after her grandson, her classmates suggested, “Could you take one day per week to rest and come for class? And look after your grandson on the other days.” This is because everytime when they attended class, her classmates would look at the empty seat where she used to be seated and remembered how much she enjoyed studying the Lamrim, yet she had to face so much difficulty [in order to learn]. On one hand, everyone admired her heart of devotion towards her family; on the other hand, they really wished to help her to continue with Lamrim studies, because that is something she wanted to learn very much. [07′56″]
Back then, pre-class rituals such as offering seven cups of water and offering lamps before the Buddha were implemented in Lamrim class. There would also be group prostration to 35 Buddhas, that time we would chant “Tara Sutra”, Amitabha Buddha’s name, and then there were classmates reciting the “Array of Stalks Sutra” and the Lamrim. In short, besides studying Lamrim, everyone would utilize many methods to accumulate merits and purify negative deeds. It was specially emphasized to be very grateful towards our family members, get rid of our bad temperament, become more caring and expressing our gratitude more frequently towards our family members. After noticing good improvements of one’s character after learning the Lamrim, most family members would then be supportive of them to continue coming for class. [08′41″]
I remember there was once, we didn’t hold Lamrim class for a few days; someone’s husband came to me and said, “Aiya! Why did Lamrim class stop?” Without Lamrim class, his wife would pace around the living room, back and forth, until he could not have peace for the entire morning. He said, “As soon as she attends the Lamrim class, she becomes less irritable; thus making my life more blissful too.” He then said he strongly supports his wife to attend the Lamrim class. [09′05″]
Of course, there are also some husbands who would find that attending Lamrim class would hold up household chores. So then if a female lay disciple attends Lamrim class and takes care of her household at the same time, she needs to get up very early to cook for her family and finish the laundry. After that, she still needs to offer water and lamp to Buddha, and attend the class; she would be busier. Even so, many Lamrim students still manage to overcome all types of difficulties; they helped each other and persevered in attending Lamrim classes. In actual fact, after persevering on our learning for some time, our family members might also join in. Connecting our family members to join the studies is also a very positive contribution to the family, isn’t it! Because of our assiduous attitude in learning the Lamrim, our family members followed suit and found their refuge in Lama Tsong-Kha-pa’s teaching, hence this is also a huge contribution to our family. [09′46″]
Just like the lady I mentioned earlier, with the help and encouragement from her classmates, she also engaged in all the above-mentioned preparations and persisted in her Lamrim study while looking after her family well too. After so, she stayed on with the class all the way. She is very grateful for the help rendered to her through that particular period. She said, “Back then, anything that happened would give me an excuse such as not having the time for Lamrim class, or that I was totally out of energy. Under such condition state, with everyone’s help, I leapt through this hurdle.” Why were there so many people coming up to help her out during that time? It is also one type of merits, isn’t it right? Thus, in the Lamrim class, everyone helps one another, working on eliminating obstacles and accumulating merits together to persist on a cause like learning the Lamrim teachings. These have truly profound meaning to our lives! [10′46″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0121】
讲次 0121
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 新版 02 22:38 ~ 24:31
日期 2019/05/27 ~ 05/29
广论段落 P1-LL1 今勤瑜伽多寡闻……复乏理辩教义力
手抄页/行 凤山寺版：第1册 P42-LL7 ~ P43-L7
手抄段落 换句话说.......自然会感觉得很不一样的内涵。
那我们接着听一下新版《广论》，师父对于[今勤瑜伽多寡闻，广闻不善于修要]还有一段解释。在听闻的时候注意不要走神，认真地听！ [00′19″]
换句话说，你先对这件事情不了解，现在你了解了。那我们现在[相应]也是一样，先文字了解，后来文字的义理了解，后来义理当中的内容了解，要层层深入。我们通常容易犯的这个毛病，才学得一点皮毛，那自己以为：啊！行了。所以真正要想学这个的话，藏地的祖师们也好、印度的祖师们也好、汉地的祖师们也好，没有一个例外，告诉我们：最重要的浓缩起来两句话——净罪、集资。就是我们的障碍，这个如果没有除，不可能学得进去﹔资粮不够，不可能学得进去！因此现在在这个地方大家有一点要注意：平常我们总觉得好像我是来学的，应该坐在这里你来教我的。我有这个资粮吗？所以你们仔细去看看自然是了解，不要以为在这地方好像来做点常住的事情，或者我不愿意做不相应的事情。实际上我们有几个分别：不应该做的是不要做；应该做、自己不了解的这种事情，常常自己不清楚，我们要了解这就是我们最好的集聚资粮，资粮不够你要想修学佛法是绝无可能，绝无可能！这个不是一个语言上面，我只能简单地说，当你们慢慢地去深入的时候，你们自然会感觉得很不一样的内涵。 [02′10″]
好！这一段师父在前面说了一小段话，说：要先文字了解，文字的义理了解了之后，当中的内容要了解，然后层层深入，它是有一个循序渐进的过程的。但师父又说我们的现行是什么呢？我们通常会容易犯个毛病，这什么毛病呢？才学了一点皮毛，就以为：啊！行了。就是把佛法想得太浅了。 [02′48″]
接着师父讲了藏地的祖师、印度的祖师、汉地的祖师，提问大家一下，说：[没有一个例外，告诉我们：最重要的浓缩起来两句话]是什么？应该是四个字：净罪、集资！ [03′08″]
师父在讲到[今勤瑜伽多寡闻，广闻不善于修要]的时候，在新版《广论》里边一下子就跳到了[净罪、集资]。我们会觉得：喔！讲到这里了。大家可以想一想，师父接着要告诉我们什么问题？说我们的障碍如果没有除的话，不可能学得进去；资粮不够，不可能学得进去！注意！为什么学不进去？ [今勤瑜伽多寡闻]是不是也没有去闻？可能是听不进去。然后[广闻不善于修要]，他听了很多之后没有往深了学，是不是也是学不进去？学不进去就是深不下去的意思，对不对？也广不下去、也深不下去。 [03′55″]
那么广不下去、深不下去，究其根本的原因到底是什么呢？我们可能说：[啊！没有善知识，应该亲近善知识。]但是大家都知道值遇善知识要不要福报资粮呀？要的！听善知识的话，也要资粮！所以深不进去的原因、广不下去的原因是什么呢？没法听闻，所以要净罪集资，说障碍不除是没办法的，资粮不具是没办法的！ [04′27″]
我们可以观察一下我们自己：当我该修的法修不出来，像出家人背书啊、小孩背书背不出来，还有广论班的同学一段时间就没心力了；当没心力的时候，或者说我对所学的内容感到有点坚持不下去，这个时候我们会不会现起：实际上我障碍未除、资粮未具，是这个原因？还是我们会说：[家里事情太忙、太笨、身体不好]？或者说：[我对这个没兴趣，我的兴趣在其他方面]等等、等等？我们会给自己找很多的理由，但是是不是很少想到障碍未除、资粮未具？ [05′15″]
就是有的时候我们表达说：[哎呀，我业障啊！]但是[我业障啊！]就完了吗？ [业障]之后得消除业障、得净化业障。而且师父说藏地的祖师、印度的祖师、汉地的祖师没一个例外的，就是所有智者如是说，只要学不进去就这两件事，四个字——净罪、集资！ [05′40″]
像以前也有这样的事情，广论班的居士开始学得是很欢喜的，每天背著书包像上学一样来到广论班的教室，大家一起快快乐乐地学习。可是过了一段时间，有位女居士她的公公婆婆一起生病了，八十多岁的双亲一起住院了，她非常非常地担忧，每天在医院里陪护着，来回送饭。广论班的同学听到了之后，就去支援她，也安慰她焦灼的心。 [06′19″]
过了大概一个月，她的双亲出院了，她又回到了广论班上课，以为这下可以顺利地上下去了。又上了一段时间，她的小儿子出了车祸，还好听说只是腿骨折，但是作为母亲的她非常担心，没有心思来上课，整天担心她的宝贝儿子。广论班的同学又去关心她，也有相互认识的骨科医生打电话给她，大家齐心协力。总算她儿子的腿是保住了，后来健康地出了院。出院之后，她在家里照顾了几天儿子，又回到班里上课了。 [07′11″]
学了一段时间，哇！她的孙子出生了。这是一个对家庭充满奉献的女居士，她又决定在家里看孙子、不来上课了。孙子慢慢地看了一段时间，然后广论班的同学就建议她：[你可不可以一周休息一天来上课？其他时间看孙子。]因为每次上课的时候，大家看着她空着的座位，想到她那么欢喜学《广论》，却有这么多困难，大家一方面非常佩服她对家人的奉献之心吧！一方面也很想帮忙她把广论课坚持下来，因为那是她很想学习的。 [07′56″]
那时候，我们在广论班里就推行比如说在佛前供水、供七碗水，在佛前供灯，还有集体拜三十五佛，那时候还念《度母经》、阿弥陀佛佛号，然后还有人诵《华严经》、《广论》。总之，在学《广论》之外，大家还会做很多的集资净障的法。尤其是要特别地对家人很感恩，要改掉自己的坏脾气，要对家人多关心、多感恩。因为看到学《广论》的同学个性上的改变，多半家人就会支持他来广论班。 [08′41″]
我记得有一次，好像广论班有几天没上课，有一个先生就来找到我说：[唉呀！广论班怎么会停课了？]一停课，他太太在他们家客厅来回转、来回转，转得一上午他自己都不能安心。他说：[她一上广论班之后，她脾气就变好了，这样的话，我也就是可以享享福。]他就说他非常支持太太上广论班。 [09′05″]
当然也有的先生会认为上广论班耽误家务了，那既上广论班又要管家庭的一个女居士她就很早起来，为家人煮饭、洗衣服，然后她还要供水、供灯、听课，就会忙碌一些。尽管如此，很多广论班的同学还是克服了各种各样的困难，互相帮忙，把《广论》坚持听下来。其实坚持听久了，有的时候家人也会加入，家人加入之后，也是对家人的一个很好的奉献吧！因为由于自己努力学《广论》，家人跟着找到了皈依，找到宗大师教法，所以这也是对家人的一个巨大的贡献。 [09′46″]
就像刚才我讲的那个女居士，她终于在大家的劝慰和帮忙之下，也是做这些加行，她家里的事情也没耽搁，广论班也坚持下来了。所以后来她就一直跟班，她很感恩这一段大家对她的帮助，她说：[那个时候，任何一件事都会使我有一个理由，就是我没有时间去学《广论》，或者我完全完全地没有精力。在这种状态下，大家相互帮一下，就过了这个关了。]为什么在这个时候会有这么多人帮忙她呢？这也是一种福报啊！对不对？所以在广论班里大家相互帮忙，一起净罪集资，把学《广论》这件事坚持下来，对我们的生命毕竟意义太深远了！ [10′46″]