Lecture No. 0163
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0163
Tape: -
Date: 2019-10-21 ~ 2019-10-23
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – The purpose of writing the commentary
English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34:
【Unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures.
Therefore, having seen that they lack the path pleasing to the wise,
The supreme complete instructions, the key points of the teaching,
I was inspired to explain
This path of the great trailblazers. 】
How do we realize the vastness and profundity of such spaciousness - one must rely on the instructions from the virtuous teachers then we would be inspired to raise our heads and yearn for the boundless space, and yearn for its vastness; instead of rejecting it, wishing to contain that spaciousness within our hearts [i.e. to yearn for the teachings]. Thus it will arise within us the joyful anticipation of the stages of the path of the all-encompassing Buddha Dharma, where such expansion of the mental capacity is totally possible through Buddha’s teaching of the tenets and the instructions from the virtuous teachers. Our mental capacity can then be expanded. [00′38″]
Take our study of the Five Great Treatises for example. While studying the first subject, the Pointing the Way to Reasoning – Compendium of Debates, right from the beginning we get “roadblocked”: four types of reply, debate… The many questions are way over our heads. Reaching midway, the intermediate level of dialectic reasoning and higher level of dialectic reasoning, are totally incomprehensible. We continue to press on, striving hard to learn, when we reach the study of the Ornament for Clear Knowledge; the countless tenets surged up just like ocean waves; the required reading list of scriptures is way too long. By then, we will be totally overwhelmed, so many, so many more scriptures to learn. On top of that, we have to finish it all within the specific timeframe, and there are also debating topics, memorization, as well as examination… All these seem to be very stressful, but if we don’t study the scriptures, we would not be able to comprehend the subtle differences within Buddha’s teachings, nor we would be able to perceive the profound differences in the explanation of the teachings by the lineage masters. If that is the case, would it mean we would not be under any pressure? Learning, striving hard, exhaustion, is it pressurising? Yes, it is. Seemingly, there is no pressure when we do not learn, that is because we do not know how much we are ignorant of. We do not feel the pressure due to ignorance. However, once we start to learn, we would realize: Wow! All of these subtle differences are something we did not understand before. [To understand them] we must engage in debating in great detail and discerning closely what to adopt and what to reject. We have to contemplate on them year after year, turn to virtuous teachers for guidance, and repeatedly read those scriptures. [01′51″]
Like I always mention about Venerable Xinghua reading the Analysis of Ornament for Clear Knowledge for about 30 to 40 times. How long would it take to read 30 to 40 times? We have to spend copious amount of time to repeatedly review one commentary over and over again. But if we did not put in this amount of time, it would be very difficult for us to understand the detailed content of these scriptures, or even perceive the differences. Thus, how to prevent ourselves from being bias? Rely on listening to the all-encompassing teaching. Listen to the all-encompassing teaching, then we have to exert that much energy to study all of what Buddha has taught. [02′27″]
If this kind of learning will put one under great pressure, then isn’t it even more stressful when one is in the condition of not wanting to learn anything at all? Because that will give rise to the pressure of being ignorant! So while learning, we would repeatedly feel this: Well! What is this talking about? One seems to be enshrouded in the pitch darkness, totally unable to see any light upfront. However, if one just persists in repeatedly studying, listening, and discussing under such condition; sometimes a glim of light will flicker, and sometimes a beam of light will shine through, and sometimes it is in total brightness! Why? Because our mind will become sharper and more precise while studying the scriptures, and the mind will also become very focused. [03′05″]
After a prolong period of learning, one would not feel afraid when facing a lot of scriptures. Instead, one would feel panicky when there are not so many scriptures available on hand. On the contrary, one does not feel afraid when seeing so many books and would want to read them one by one. Actually, this is cultivating a habit; once the habit is formed, it will be fine. “Nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts]”, is such a habit in itself. Studying lots of scriptures is a form of habit; once such a good habit is formed, we would find delight in studying as much as possible, and even regard it as the way it should be; How is it possible to not study the tenets extensively in our practice? We would consider it very strange to not study the teaching extensively. [03′45″]
When you find that you have started to think studying the tenets should be the first step of your practice, and you don’t think that the time you spend on learning the tenets is wasting time which could be used for your practice, have you perhaps actually also listened to Lama Tsong kha-pa’s teaching, and Master’s teaching, adjusted your erroneous views and is able to stay on the correct stages of the path that pleases our Excellent Teachers? If such is the case, why not feel joyful? Although studying and contemplating the teaching is hard work. But I have finally rectified that habitual tendency and I finally take delight in studying more! And I consider studying a form of practice in itself. This is such a joyous transformation, so everyone, please rejoice yourself! [04′23″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0163】
讲次 0163
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 -
日期 2019-10-21 ~ 2019-10-23
广论段落 P1-LL1 ~ P2-L1 复乏理辩教义力……故我心意遍勇喜
手抄页/行 -
手抄段落 -
如何去领略虚空的浩瀚和美妙，这一定要善知识教我们，我们才会想要抬起头、向往那浩瀚的虚空、向往那辽阔，而且不去排斥辽阔，想在内心中承载那个辽阔。能够生起对佛法全圆道次第欢喜的期待，这种心量的扩展，完全是透过佛陀讲的教理、善知识的教诲，我们才扩展内心的。 [00:38]
比如说我们现在学五大论，学到第一本《摄类学》的时候，一开始就会撞墙，四种回答、辩论......，就有很多问题撞墙。到中间的中级理路、高级理路就不知所云了。学、学、学到《现观》的时候，那个像海一样的教理就涌进来了，要读的书非常地多，那个时候就会吓到，这么多、这么多的教典都要学，而且要在既定的时间内把它看完，还有辩论题、还要背书、还要大考......。这些问题似乎是很有压力的，可是如果不学的话，我们并不了解佛陀教理细致的差别，乃至那些祖师对这个教理解释的细致差别都是不了解的，那这样就没有压力吗？这样就去修行了，这样没有压力吗？学、辛苦、累，有没有压力？是有的。不学仿佛没有压力，因为不知道有多少无知的，就不会感受到无知的压力。但是一旦学了之后就发现：哇！这些细致的差别全是不了解的，必须详细地辩论、详细地取舍，经年累月地思考、跟善知识求教、反覆地看那些教典。 [01:51]
像我一直说性华法师把《现观辨析》看了三、四十遍，看三、四十遍要多长时间啊？像一部论也是反覆地看好多遍，这是要花下时间的。但是如果没有用这样的时间，我们就很难懂这个论它详细的所诠，乃至其中的差别。所以如何做到不片眼？就是要听闻全圆。听闻全圆，就要拿出那么大的精力对佛所说的法进行全面的学习。 [02:27]
这样的学习有压力，什么都不学的状态，那不是更大的压力吗？因为那会有愚痴的压力呀！所以在学习的时候，我们不只一次地会进入：欸！这到底是讲什么呀？似乎前面一片黑暗，完全看不到光亮。但是就在这样的状态下反覆地看、反覆地听、反覆地讨论，有的时候就会出现微光，有的时候会出现亮光，有的时候就会全亮了！因为我们的心在学习教典的时候会变得明晰、会变得细致，而且它也会变得非常地专注。 [03:05]
学久了之后，再看到很多教典的时候就不会怕。你会发现手边没有那么多教典倒觉得心里发慌，看到很多书的时候反而不会怕，想把它一本、一本地看了。其实这也是一个习惯的养成，养成习惯就好了。 “今勤瑜伽多寡闻”，他就是那样的一个习惯。那么广闻也是一种习惯，养成了之后其实就乐于广闻了，就会觉得天经地义，修行怎么可以不广泛地学习教理呢？我们会觉得不广泛学教理是一件非常奇怪的事情。 [03:45]
当你内心发现自己已经开始认为学习教理是天经地义的修行的第一步，并不会认为学习教理在浪费修行时间的时候，其实是否也听了宗大师的话、听了师父的话，调整了内心的邪执，可以安住于诸大善知识所喜的正确道次第上？如果这样的话，自己内心为什么不欢喜一下呢？虽然闻思很辛苦，但是我终于改过来那个习气毛病，我终于乐于多闻了！而且认为多闻就是修行本身，这是多么欣喜的变化，所以请大家随喜一下自己吧！ [04:23]