Lecture No. 0122
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0122
Tape: New Version 02 22:38 ~ 24:31
Date: 2019/05/30 ~ 06/02
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
There is another type of practitioners Master brought up in the following: “We would usually assume that I am here in the monastery to cultivate on Buddha Dharma; hence, no matter what, I am sitting here for you to teach me.” And then Master asked in reply, “However, am I endowed with such sufficient merits?” That is, have I acquired the provision to study the teaching? We can examine ourselves now; when undertaking some responsibilities in the monastery, we would grumble, “Alas! I’d like to listen to the teaching every day! I don’t want to take on this responsibility!” However, there are so many people living together in the monastery, some have to do the kitchen chores, some need to sweep the yard, others are taking care of [Lamrim] discussion classes… If monastics do not assume such various responsibilities, in fact, it would be impossible to accommodate the needs of so many people; thus everyone has to work hard together! [00′39″]
If one is so tied up with chores that one doesn’t have time for practice and listen to the teaching; one would hold the grievance hard, not taking it as opportunities to accumulate merits. If that were the case, then all the effort and time we put in would be wasted, right? Thus, Master revealed to us: “you don’t take helping out in the monastery as petty chores, or decline to do something simply because it is not to your liking…” Master was pointing out the bewilderment or grievance we have harboured deep down inside – the feeling that I shouldn’t do this, I am supposed to do that, why should I do it this way? In fact, meditation/cultivation is not like that; rather, the proper way is we sincerely serve the general public at the very moment of dependent-arising condition, and strive hard to accumulate merits and purify obstacles. [01′23″]
Hence, Master continued specifying the following scenarios: we should eschew what we shouldn’t do; but for what we should do, what we don’t understand, usually they are what we are not very clear with. Over here, I would like everyone to think about it: as for what we should do, we are not very clear, often not clear about it. Would we feel this way? We usually would think, I definitely know what I should do and what I shouldn't do. Is it possible that I don’t know much more of what I should do? As for what I should do, is it possible that I am not clear about it? Besides, as for what I don’t understand, I am not sure about it. Then what exactly was Master referring to that we don’t understand and are not clear with? The given task should be done, yet one does not recognize it fully; nor does one fully realize that one lacks the clear understanding in recognizing the tasks that should be done. There are several layers (of meaning) here! [02′09″]
What does this refer to? Do you still recall what was covered previously? That is: “Once we are clear about it, we would realize that helping out in the monastery is the best provision for us to accumulate!” What we should do may happen to be something not to our liking, so we don’t think we should do it; however, quite the contrary, this is the best opportunity for us to accumulate merits. Why do we need to accumulate merits? If one doesn’t have sufficient provisions yet yearning to study Buddha Dharma, as what Master said, it is “absolutely impossible…. it is simply impossible!” For us to manifest virtuous meditation object in our mind, constantly uphold right mindfulness, or efficiently visualize, [able to] uphold certain practice instantly [, merits are required]. If we try but can’t visualize meditation object clearly, like the image of Buddha, or unable to apply the concept on how to listen to the teaching, for all such [unfavorable] conditions, Master let us establish a viewpoint - insufficient meritorious provisions, obstacles not removed! [Without it,] Master said it is “absolutely impossible” twice! If one does not have sufficient merits, it is absolutely impossible for one to study Buddha Dharma! “It is simply impossible!” [03′15″]
Then Master continued, “This effort is not merely to understand it literally.” We claim, “Alas! I am lack of provisions; I have karmic obstacles.“ Nor will we fully appreciate its deeper meaning simply by repeating what Master had said. Master said in short, “by the time you make a bit progress, you will come to realize the deeper and more profound meaning of the teaching.” So, regarding accumulating merits and removing obstacles, how can we have a more in-depth understanding of its meaning? What about those classmates who have studied Lamrim for so many years? What are you thinking at this moment? And, what are monastics thinking now? [03′48″]
Let me elaborate further here. Usually, there are two kinds of responses on why we are unable to continue in the study; one reaction is blaming the external conditions, right? “If it were not for such environment, I would be able to continue with my learning.” “If he did not pick on me all the time, saying something that hurts my ego, or making me feel very uncomfortable, I might find this Lamrim class quite nice.” Or “I have a good relationship with so and so; I am doing pretty good.” What kind of attitude is this? It attributes every cause to the external conditions. The other type of response is, “I am not smart enough, or I am such and such!” That is to disparage oneself from one’s perspective. However, whether one attributes the cause to unsatisfactory external conditions or one’s internal issue, what is the crux of the problem? It is the merits that we have yet to accumulate. [04′36″]
Does this provide us with a brand new perspective in life? When facing adversity, we are often entangled by the external conditions, thinking it is not like what we have in mind; why is that things don't turn out the way we expected? Our mind would develop a drastic sense of suffering of not getting what we want; thus becoming agitated and restless. Such agitated state of mind would, in turn, bring us disturbances and worries. When condemning ourselves, we would become depressed, sometimes feeling very lonely, or very fearful of what may happen next. When these emotions arise, could we have a viewpoint for these frames of mind and feelings - Actually, there is no need to think so hard, to blame on so many things; all we need to do is just properly accumulate merits and purify karmic obstacles; once obstacles are removed, all will be fine. [05′23″]
Some classmates used to say, “Alas! I can’t continue with Lamrim study now.” Some said they could not continue at the medium capacity section; still, others stopped at the great capacity section. The pile of excuses they would give were like, karmic obstacles, whatever happened at home, and so forth… I replied, “It should not be that complicated; try to make proper offerings to the Three Jewels, and see if you can regain mental strength.” This is to accumulate merits! Make proper offerings to the Three Jewels! We may even hold a small-scale offering ceremony in class; everyone can bring some apples or oranges from home as offerings. Some may even offer water or a lamp to Buddha; we can make these offerings to the sublime objects. Some will chant Migtsema [Prayer to Lama Tsong-kha-pa], do circumambulations; moreover, we may also get together for the 35 Buddhas Confession practice. Then, after making a few rounds of offerings, some classmates actually show improvement in learning. They marvelled, “How baffling it is! I feel good [about coming to the class].” [06′05″]
Moreover, something seems to keep occupying your mind for a long time; “Alas! I just stopped frowning at it, yet it again creeps upon my mind.” You just can’t get rid of that person or that matter; you would find yourself entangled and caught in a net. The mind is totally trapped by the matters connected to that person; you simply cannot exert any mental effort to be out of it. However, by earnestly focusing our mind on the Three Jewels, and supplicate for blessings from the Three Jewels, like chanting Migtsema, or 35 Buddhas, some would recite the Sutra of 21 Taras for a period of time, one would then notice, “Well! It seems I am doing better now.” [06′33″]
So, when you are feeling low at times, do remember: don’t overly blame yourself by tagging, ”I am not good at this, nor can I do that, so on and so forth.” Too much negative thinking will bring you nothing but setbacks and frustration. And such setbacks will, in turn, keep you from continuing with the study! Originally, the learning of Buddha Dharma is meant to cheer us up when facing challenges; yet we often deny ourselves while challenged. We tend to generate more negative thoughts that would eventually overwhelm ourselves, trapping ourselves in the abyss of afflictions. Why? That is because we don’t have the proper understanding on the issue of “being unable to continue with the study”; we lack of correct view. Or one may claim, “But that feeling is very real; I simply cannot make it!” However, after analyzing it with proper reasoning, we would find it was not as what was considered. Our perceptions, especially as an ordinary being, are more often than not deceiving! [07′28″]
So, in regard to the issue of being unable to continue with the study, without the correct view, one is not able to settle it. When we feel we can’t continue with the study, then we would follow our feelings. And what are such feelings? [The thought behind those feelings] is, it is really impossible for me to continue with the study. However, we have gone through various difficulties to have “this hard to obtain human body and the rare opportunity to listen to Buddha’s teachings”; isn’t there any way to resolve the issue of not being able to continue the study? Master thus taught us a solution: to accumulate merits and purify obstacles; this is what we can adopt to resolve it! [08′01″]
Hence, Master said all great adepts from Tibet, China and India said so. All the wise sages also said alike. Aren’t we, the subsequent followers, supposed to refer to what masters of the past had said? Juxtaposing the feelings we consider to be real with the guidance of the great adepts of the past, are we willing to forsake the struggle caught between the self-grasping idea of “I am not capable” or blaming on the external conditions? We can analyze our problem and tackle it with the proposed solution of accumulating merits and purifying obstacles, and then promptly take action! We can apply the 35 Buddhas Confession Practice! As a matter of fact, while performing many tasks, we can uphold such intention that we are eliminating karmic obstacles! All these are meant to purify our karmic obstacles. For instance, taking care of parents, attending to our teachers, doing kind deeds, or even sweeping the floor with the attitude of sweeping away negative karmic debts, we are actually purifying our karmic obstacles. [08′51″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0122】
讲次 0122
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 2019/05/30 ~ 06/02
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。
还有一种，师父在下面解释说：在常住，平常我们觉得我就是来修行的、我就是来学的，反正我坐在这就是来教我的。然后师父就反问说：「有这个资粮吗？」就是学法有这个资粮吗？我们现在也可以观察自己为常住承担一些事情的时候，我们就会说：「哎呀，我想要天天听法呀！不要承担这些事情啊！」可是常住这么多人在一起，就是要有人煮大寮、有人扫院子、有人要关顾研讨班......。很多很多事情法师如果不去忙碌的话，实际上很多人是没有办法的，所以必须得大家一起忙碌！ [00′39″]
如果说一忙碌的时候就觉得是耽搁修行、没有时间闻法，心里憋一股怨气，而没有把它当作是集资粮的机会，这样的话，很多时候忙了很多事情，是不是就白辛苦了？所以师父在揭示我们说：[不要以为在这个地方好像做点常住的事情，或者我不愿意做我不相应的事情......。]师父在说我们心中的那种不解或者怨气——觉得我不该是做这个、我应该是这样的，我为什么要这样呢？实际上修行不是这样的，就在当下的缘起点上，认真地在为大众付出的时候，努力集资净障。 [01′23″]
所以师父说了几种事情，说不应该做的是绝对不要做的，但是应该做、自己不了解的事情，常常自己是不清楚的。我觉得这个点大家可以考虑一下：应该做、自己不了解的这种事情，常常自己不清楚，我们会有这种感觉吗？我们会不会觉得应该做、不应该做我是知道的，应该做还有我不了解的吗？我应该做这件事，我不了解吗？而且关于不了解这件事，自己是不清楚的。那到底师父指的是什么事情我们不了解、我们不清楚？这件事应该做，然后自己不了解这个应该做的事情；然后对自己不了解这个应该做的事情这个状况，自己不清楚。这好几重喔！ [02′09″]
这是说哪件事情啊？还记得前面听过的吗？就是：「我们要了解这就是我们最好的集聚资粮！」应该做的这个事情恰恰可能是我不太喜欢做的、我认为是不应该做的，但是这恰恰是我们最好的集聚资粮。为什么要集聚资粮？资粮不够修学佛法，师父讲了四个字：绝无可能！绝无可能！我们想要善所缘在心中生起来，我们想要正念一直都在，或者我观想什么、提持什么马上就来。如果干观想也观想不出来，怎样也是没法清晰地现起，比如说佛陀的尊身，或者我想要听闻轨理具足也现不起来，这些所有的状况，师父让我们树立一个见解——资粮未具、障碍未除！师父这「绝无可能」说两次喔！资粮不够，想修学佛法，绝无可能！绝无可能！ [03′15″]
然后师父接着说：「这不是语言上面讲的。」我们说：啊！我缺乏资粮啊、我有业障，这不是这样学着师父说一说就会了解的。师父说这是简单地说，当我们深入下去的时候，我们自然会感觉到很不一样的内涵。那么对于集聚资粮和净化业障，我们到底能够体会到一个怎样不一样的内涵？学了《广论》这么多年的同学，不知道当下大家在想什么？还有法师们在想什么？ [03′48″]
这里边我再讲一下。通常我们学不下去的时候有两种反应，一种是什么？怪外境，对吧？ 「如果环境不是这样的话，我就能学下去。」、「如果他不是那样老是看我不对，或者对我说了一些伤害我自尊的，或者让我非常不舒服的话的话，我觉得我在这环境里还是不错的。」或者「我跟某人关系好，我还是不错的。」这是一种什么？原因出在外境上。还有一种人就是觉得我自己笨啊，我自己怎么样、怎么样啊！就是从自心的角度，他会觉得是自己不够。但无论是觉得外境不够，还是觉得内心出问题，他的症结点都在于什么？资粮未具。 [04′36″]
那这是不是给我们一个崭新的思路？当我们遇到困境的时候，我们会常常纠结于这个环境怎么是这样的，和我想像的完全都不一样，为什么不像我理想的那样呢？心里就产生了剧烈的求不得苦，心里就是七上八下、放不下。会不安、担忧，怨自己的时候会觉得沮丧，有的时候会觉得很孤单，或者很害怕接下去会发生什么。当这些种种的心情现起来的时候，我们能不能对诸如此类的心情和感受给它一个见解——实际上，你不用想那么多、怪那么多事情，好好积资粮、净化障碍就可以了，除掉障碍就可以了？ [05′23″]
以前有些同学就说:「哎呀！我现在《广论》学不下去了。」有的人说到中士道就学不下去了，还有的人到上士道学不下去了。说就是业障啊，什么家里事情......讲一堆。我说：「应该没那么复杂，好好地供养三宝，看你会不会提起心力？」集资粮嘛！好好地供养三宝。甚至班级里举办一个小型的供养法会，大家都从家里拿点苹果呀、拿点橘子啊，甚至有的人拿碗供水呀，拿一个灯在佛前供一盏灯，我们去对殊胜境做供养。还有的人念密集嘛、旋绕，还有的就是大家在一起拜三十五佛忏。供养过几回之后，有一些人真的就好起来。他说：「莫名其妙！我心情好起来了。」 [06′05″]
还有一直放在心上想的一件事情：哎！才下眉头又上心头，就是摆脱不了那个人，就是摆脱不了那件事，你就会发现就像一个网一样，他把心完全塞到跟那个人有关的事情里，他就是抽不出心力来。但是一旦认真地去缘念三宝、祈求三宝的加持，比如说念密集嘛、念三十五佛，还有人念《二十一度母经》，这样念，念一段时间之后，他就发现： 「欸！好像我好点了。」 [06′33″]
所以当自己感到心力不济的时候，切记！不要疯狂地向自己的头上贴超多的标签：「我这个不行！那个不行！怎样、怎样、怎样......」，发了太多对自己的负能量的这些心念，全部都是打击自己的。这样打击完就更没力气学了！本来是遇到困难了之后，应该自己给自己加油；可是我们遇到困难之后多半都是否定自己，释放更多的负能量让自己没法消化，然后自己把自己搞得非常地烦恼。是为什么呢？就是因为我们对于「学不进去」这件事，没有一个正确的看法，没有一个正确的知见。或者说：「那感觉是很真实的，我没能力呀！」可是感觉上真实的东西，经过正理观察之后，你会发现事实不是那样的。我们的感觉，尤其是凡夫的感觉，有太多的欺诳！ [07′28″]
所以，对于学不进去这一件事，没有建立正知见，就没有办法去解决它。当我们感到学不进去的时候，就只能跟着感觉走。那感觉是什么？就是真的不能学了。可是好不容易「人身难得今已得、佛法难闻今已闻」，碰到学不下去这个障碍，没有办法解决吗？师父教我们就四个字——集资净障，这便是解决之道啊！ [08′01″]
所以，师父这么说，藏地祖师这么说，汉地祖师这么说，印度祖师这么说，所有的智者都是这么说的。那我们是后学者，是不是要听一下祖师们的看法？然后跟自己的那种感觉上比较真实的东西对比一下。是不是愿意把自己这种见解坚固地认为自己不行，或者以为外境有问题，从这两个方向一直在这折腾不出去的这种状况，用集资和净障这两大问题摄起来之后，集资、净障，就马上行动就好了！净障就拜三十五佛！其实你怀着净化业障的动机去做很多很多事的时候，都是在净化业障啊！比如说孝顺父母、承事师长，或者做善事，甚至扫地，你怀着扫掉业障的想法，就是在净化业障。 [08′51″]