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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0161

Tape: -

Date: 2019-10-14 ~ 2019-10-16

Topic: Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts] 

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34

【Therefore, having seen that they lack the path pleasing to the wise… I was inspired to explain this path of the great trailblazers. 】

Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations Vol. 1 P70-L4 ~ P74-L3 【Therefore, having seen that they lack the path pleasing to the wise 】

If we want to define what meditation practice is, it is a practice based on the encompassing stages of the path; and the first step in the encompassing stages of the path is to rely on the virtuous teachers and listen to the scriptural teaching. This is definitely the starting point. Moreover, not only must one listen to the teaching based on the encompassing stages of the path, one must also learn under the guidance of virtuous teachers from the pure lineage. Hence, listening to the teaching, studying extensively, and learning the tenets and scriptures are of vital importance. Without studying scriptures, we would not know how to apply the meditation practice, or understand its sequential order and quantitative measurement. [00′34″]

When we visualize someone sitting upright, practicing meditation solemnly, and hoping to attain serenity, prior to that, practitioners must have gone through a series of systematic studies based on the stages of the path. The systematic studies involve seeking virtuous teachers and listening to virtuous teachers’ impartation on scriptures. Then the teaching on numerous scriptures would naturally arise during their meditation; [in other words,] the practitioners have actively engaged in listening, reciting, debating, and discussion, etc. Even after the practitioners clearly understand the sequential orders and quantitative measurement, they would still need the guidance of virtuous teachers in terms of the meditative serenity. The practitioners can proceed with their practice only after they have studied tenets in detail, and after they can clearly distinguish what to adopt and what to cast aside. [01′13″]

At this juncture, we can examine ourselves: speaking of practitioners, do we still have the pronounced habitual tendency of “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts]”? If so, then why is that we have such a tendency? [In fact,] any habitual tendency is formed through cultivation. Then, why is that we would foster such a habitual tendency? It is likely that we don’t quite value the importance of studying the tenets and we have cultivated such a tendency for more than one lifetime. How can we completely rectify such a tendency? If Lama Tsong-kha-pa had not composed this treatise, it is impossible for us to find a remedy ourselves [ to rectify such habitual tendency], because there is no way we could have knowledge on it. Even if Lama Tsong-kha-pa had composed this treatise so many years ago, we haven’t heard of it; had Master not held up this commentary right before each one of us, even if it was given to us as a gift, we wouldn’t be able to recognize the essence of it. If it had not been for the compassion of Master to persist in teaching us in a way that we can understand and appreciate it, we wouldn’t be able to continue with our study, listening repeatedly to the teaching and contemplating its profound meaning for over 10 or 20 years. [02′18″] 

So while we are learning the verse “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts]”, it seemed that because of the practitioners’ flaws back then, Lama Tsong-kha-pa composed the treatise out of compassion towards those practitioners. However, for people in the later generations like us, is such a flaw less prevailing in our generation than in Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s time? What I mean is that we need to examine ourselves. Thus, we have to be extra cautious: if we continue to practice in this way, we will deviate from the path pleasing the wise, and diverge from the encompassing sublime teachings; these could happen. Just because of the worries that we would deviate from the path pleasing the wise, Lama Tsong-kha-pa composed the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. As Lama Tsong-kha-pa said, ”those disciples who missed him could just recite his two treatises.” One of them is the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment – the last will and testament sent by the wind in the wilderness [so it can reach places]*. Hence, this is a very precious treasure of wisdom! [03′13″]

[*See endnote]

With this treatise as our guide, as well as Master’s lucid and detailed elaboration, we then can rectify the flaws we have with our meditation practice. For example, we mistakenly consider meditation practice as either meditative serenity or its approximation, but we do not realize the importance of listening to the teaching, which is a very vital and indispensable step for those who put effort into meditation practice. [03′40″]

So today, I truly feel very fortunate that time and again, I am able to study the instructions from virtuous teachers through Lamrim together with every one of you! Because we can see there are still many people out there who have not studied Lamrim; their habitual tendency might still be as described above. Even if we have already studied it, if we don’t review it earnestly, our understanding of the teaching can still be very skewed and limited. We will not know that we should repeatedly apply the remedy to rectify our fault of studying few of the classical texts but fond of making efforts at yoga. [04′11″]

For instance, while studying, we might become very anxious if we can’t understand what we are learning; then we would wonder, “Alas! When can I start my meditation practice after having studied Lamrim for a while?” It reflects a mentality that studying the scriptures and contemplation are not part of meditation practice. Studying and contemplation are the indispensable part of meditation practice; we must study the scriptures in great detail. However, after studying  the scriptures earnestly for a long time, we might feel that we don't have time for meditation practice; such mentality reflects we overlooked the fact that studying scriptural knowledge is the very first and crucial step in meditation practice. [04′45″]

Hence, we should examine ourselves to see whether our yearning for studying the scriptures would be as strong as that for meditative serenity and insight. Moreover, we should have high aspirations while listening to the teaching, thinking that we are actually applying meditation practice. This meditation practice is on the practice of study aspect – the practice of listening. We should develop solid conviction, feeling confident and poised that we are accurately proceeding on this complete encompassing path, instead of thinking that while listening to the teaching, we are not applying the meditation practice. [05′17″]

Therefore, while we are studying the Pointing the Way to Reasoning – Compendium of Debates or Lamrim, and find that we have the misconception this is not meditation practice arising in our minds, then immediately we need to reflect on it by asking ourselves, ”Am I like what is described in the verse “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classical texts]””? Is it true that only seated meditation or reciting the ritual can be counted as meditation practice, while studying tenets, reciting scriptures, or even debating are not considered meditation practice? It might be due to the working of the wrong views! Thus, everyone, please pay attention; about the issue of “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classical texts]”, knowing and being aware of it is not good enough. Instead, we have to reflect inwardly [and ask ourselves]: am I still upholding such perception? [06′00″]

If we have this [wrong] perception, then the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment can help us, and we will be blessed by Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s compassion. Are we able to truly recognize [the importance of] the stages of the path? We must realize preferential yearning for meditative serenity and insight is not correct. We have to seriously listen to the teaching and contemplate on the complete encompassing stages of the path – the sublime scriptural knowledge and experiential knowledge – over a long period of time so that we can clearly discern what to adopt and what to cast aside. We need to devote a lot of time and effort to cultivatesuch discerning ability. [06′45″]

[*The last will and testament is an allusion from a story of a traveling merchant. In the past, there was a merchant doing business outside of town. After making a lot of fortune, the merchant set off on the way back home. There were three villagers overhearing this; they planned to kill the merchant and took away all his fortune. Then three of them left the village and hid in the forest plotting to rob the merchant on the road. Knowing what the robbers wanted, the merchant said he would give up all of his fortunes but please spare his life. Since they were all from the same village, the robbers denied his request for fear that the merchant might tell on them later. The merchant then made the last pleading, begging the robbers to allow him to send his last will through the wind. Thinking how ridiculous that idea was and how infeasible it was, they agreed. The merchant said his last will to the wind at the top of the hill, calling out, “Please let people know that I am killed by so and so….” After killing the merchant, the robbers buried him and left. The merchant’s wife waited and waited, but nowhere could she find her husband. Three years later, the youngest of the robbers had had this question – the wind could really carry the will – for so long that one day he asked his wife about it. Baffled by such a question, his wife, in turn, asked around in the marketplace; very soon everyone knew about this, so did the wife of the merchant. She reported to the authority and the three robbers were prosecuted for the crime they had committed.

The moral of the story is: people can get the message sent by the wind. In this case, it is the sharing of Lamrim.]

讲次 0161

标题 [今勤瑜伽多寡闻]即是我内心的邪宗

音档 -

日期 2019-10-14 ~ 2019-10-16

广论段落

P2-L1 故离智者欢喜道……故我心意遍勇喜

手抄页/行 -

手抄段落 -

入门段落 第1册 P70-L4 ~ P74-L3 [故离智者欢喜道……就是这个意思。

如果说什么是修行的话，一定是一个全圆的道次第；全圆的道次第，那一开始的功夫一定是亲近善知识，然后听闻教典，一定是从这儿开始的。而且一定是要听全圆的道次第，跟随有传承的善知识。所以多闻、学习教理和教典，这个是极其重要的一件事情。因为如果不学习，我们将不知道怎么修行，修行的次第和数量都不了解。 [00:34]

在我们现起一个人端坐在那里，非常庄严地修禅定的时候，那前面他一定有一系列的道次第在进行。比如说他去寻找善知识，跟善知识听闻教典，一定会浮现出很多教典的样子，那个修行人在非常努力地听闻啊、背诵啊、辩论啊、切磋......。把次第和数量弄清楚之后，即使是修禅定也要有善知识的指导，所有的一切都将在详细地学习教理，明辨其中的取舍之下才能够进行。 [01:13]

这时候就可以观察一下：当我们想到一个修行者的时候，我们是不是心里还有很浓厚的那种[今勤瑜伽多寡闻]的习气？那么这种习气是怎么来的呢？任何习气应该都是培养出来的。那么我们为什么会培养这样的习气呢？不只是一生会泡在这样的习气里面。这样的习气要怎样能够得到彻底的改正呢？宗大师没有造这本论的话，我们是没法自救的，因为不知道。宗大师造了这本论这么多年了，我们也未曾知道，如果师父不是把这本论捧到我们每个人的眼前，就是送给我们了，我们也读不出来味道。如果师父不是这样非常慈悲地用我们能够理解和欢喜的方式一直在讲给我们的话，我们也不可能学进去，甚至坚持十年、二十年的学习，一直在听闻、思惟。 [02:18]

所以在学到[今勤瑜伽多寡闻]的时候，好像是因为当时的修行人出现了那样的状况，然后宗大师悲悯那些人写的论，但是我们后世的这些人这个毛病会比那时候的人少吗？我说的是要观察自己。所以要特别特别注意：如果这样下去的话会离智者欢喜道，会离圆满教要胜教授，会离开那些的。就是怕我们离开智者欢喜的道，所以宗大师才为我们写了《菩提道次第广论》。就像宗大师说的，想念他的弟子们，就去阅读他的两本论。其中一本就是《菩提道次第广论》——野风送来的遗嘱，这是非常非常珍贵的智慧宝藏！ [03:13]

有了这本论作指导，然后有了师父这样非常入心的讲说，我们就可以校正自己在修行上的偏失。比如认为修行就是止观，而没有看到听闻是很重要的，不知道听闻是乐于修行的人非常非常重要的一个步骤，而且是不可逾越的一个步骤。 [03:40]

所以，今天我自己和大家能够再度再度地在《广论》里边学到善知识的这个教授，我实在是觉得非常非常地幸运！因为可以看到现在还有很多没有学到的人，可能还是这样子。就算我们学到的人，不认真的话，我们对修行的理解依然是很偏狭的，没有数数地去对治自己好乐瑜伽却不重视多闻的这个缺点。 [04:11]

比如说一学习，我们学不会的时候就会很焦灼，然后就想：[哎呀！我什么时候去修行啊？我学《广论》什么时候去修行？]好像闻思的时候就不是修行。闻思的时候是修行必经的一个阶段，我们必须得详细地听闻教典；但详细地听闻教典的时间如果一长的话，我们就会觉得好像没有时间修行，而忽略了这正是修行的一个次第，而且是非常非常重要的部分。 [04:45]

所以我们是否能够对于听闻教典，贯注像对于修禅定、对于修止观那样强烈的向往，而且在听闻的时候就生起强大的欢喜心，觉得我就是在修行、我是在修行[闻]的修行——听闻的修行。能生出这种脚踏实地、自我感觉得到行进在这个圆满道次第、正确的次第上的一种踏实感，而不要觉得我听的时候我没有在修行。 [05:17]

所以我们在学习《摄类学》啊，或者学习《广论》，发现内心中有的时候会生起觉得这没有在修行的见解，就要想一想我是不是落入到了[今勤瑜伽多寡闻]这样的一个见解？非得认为去打坐，或者去念仪轨才是修行；在学习教典、在背诵教典的时候，甚至在辩论的时候，这都不是修行。可能都是这些邪宗在发酵吧！所以大家要注意，面对[今勤瑜伽多寡闻]这个问题，并不是说我们知道了这件事就可以了，我们要向内心中观察：我现在是不是依然还是这个宗？ [06:00]

如果是这个宗的话，我们将被《菩提道次第广论》所救拔，被宗大师的悲心所摄受。是否可以在内心中确认这样的次第？确认只是欢喜止观是不可以的，要对全然圆满的道次第，这些殊胜的教正法、证正法进行扎实稳健、经年累月的听闻、思惟，然后去辨析其中的取舍——需要特别清楚地辨