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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0162

Tape: -

Date: 2019-10-17 ~ 2019-10-20

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – The purpose of writing the commentary

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34:

They tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship

Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations Vol. 1 P74-L6 ~ P74-LL4

Great! Everyone please turn to page 74, the Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations [Chinese text], Let’s look at the answers by Rinpoche again. 

It says, “What does the verse ‘they tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship’ mean?’” It means if we can’t look at the scriptures comprehensively, take it partially instead; we would notice certain Buddha’s teaching while overlooking some other parts. What would it be like if we take Buddha’s teaching partially: as the scriptures recorded various different definitive meanings and provisional meanings; some scriptures stated there is “a self”, whereas some others said there is “no-self”. Thus, one should not partially claim: “Buddha proclaimed there is ‘a self’”. Hence, we have to study Buddha’s teaching in its entirety; otherwise, our study would be as described, “through the eyes of partisanship”. It is not because Buddha said it in some scriptures, we then obstinately hold on to that. Therefore, if we truly want to learn the Dharma, we have to learn it comprehensively. Here Rinpoche said: “Those who do not study the encompassing teaching can’t understand and experience the difference [between selfness and selflessness.] One would first notice Buddha stated in certain scriptures that there is “a self”, which is correct. However, why is that Buddha said there is “a self” but later Buddha said “selflessness”; if we don't study the encompassing teaching, we would hold on to one statement; this is what is described as “through the eyes of partisanship”. [01′15″]

For this, many classmates may have similar experiences, thinking, “Well, there are some inconsistencies in Buddha’s teaching.” For those who have studied a lot of Buddha’s teaching, they would easily discover this point, since they are not able to understand thoroughly - why Buddha stated it this way or that way. Hence, before we have full comprehension of the teaching, we would stubbornly grasp onto the teaching given at certain phases to a certain groups of living beings. If so, it is very obvious that we are having the flaw of not having a comprehensive understanding of what Buddha taught; thus Rinpoche said over here, “This is through the eyes of partisanship.” [02′06″]

For instance, we may consider meditative serenity is of great importance when it comes to meditation practice, so we pay close attention to the tenets that Buddha taught in regard to the meditative serenity, and study them earnestly. Yet, what about the prerequisite teachings like how to develop renunciation, how to initiate Bodhichitta, and even how to rely on virtuous teachers, how to apply the law of cause and effect, how to obtain a human life of leisure and opportunity even it is hard to come by? We pay little attention to all of these; we may not have learned the sufferings in the miserable realms and pay no attention in reading (the scriptures). Take another example: while reading the sutras, would we specifically read up the “sufferings of the three miserable realms” while reading the Tripitaka? Would we categorically read the section on “conviction in karma” in the scriptures? Or would we pay great attention and focus on the reading of such chapters as “how to rely on virtuous teachers”- in the Tripitaka? More often than not, we are always looking for ways to apply meditative serenity and how to achieve stabilization, and specifically focus on what the state of achieving the profound Samadhi is like; this is what we focus on. [03′15″]

So why would this phenomenon, “they tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship” manifest? It has something to do with our latent propensity. We would prefer to study this part rather than learning the other part which we have no feel at all; sometimes we even have an aversion to some teaching. Or we would even feel this is something not necessary for us to learn or this is dispensable; all I have to learn is what concord to my liking and to my preference. Thus, every one of us is looking for what is to our liking, but why is that we haven’t thought about what we are learning should be in accordance with the all-encompassing stages of the path? Why is that we lack the will power to concord with all the Dharma? Instead, we just learn the teaching partially. Why? Is partial wonderful? It is still beautiful. However, the rainbow is pretty as it covers the whole spectrum of colour: red, orange, yellow, green, aqua, blue and violet; it is not  unicolour (that makes the rainbow so breathtaking). Then, why can’t our mind concord with the all-encompassing teaching? [04′15″]

It is just like our customary habit. For instance, while pondering on a question, we would find ourselves easily trapped in our habits of thought, unable to get out of it. While engaging in a task, we would be so involved in it that we are not able to let go. It seems that whatever we see, whatever we think, we are trapped, finding it hard to detach from that given task, unable to traverse through that moment of dependent arising condition, so that we can perceive the matters from a broader perspective, looking afar into the spaciousness. Buddha’s teaching is as vast as the wide-open space. If it had not been for the virtuous teachers who brought forth to us the all-encompassing teachings, we would never have the thought of looking up to the magnitude of the spaciousness. We only focus on the steps we are taking, the ground under our feet; all we have to be clear about is the little path from here to there, and that is all. We are not aspired to admire the magnitude of the spaciousness. [05′09″]

讲次 0162

科判 道前基础

主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨

音档 -

日期 2019-10-17 ~ 2019-10-20

广论段落 P1-LL1 观视佛语多片眼

手抄页/行 -手抄段落 -

入门段落 第1册 P74-L6 ~ P74-LL4 [观视佛语多片眼……只抓住一句这就是片眼。

好！请大家把《四家合注》翻到 74 页。再看一下仁波切回答问题。

说：[观视佛语多片眼] 是指什么呢？不全面地去看的意思，就是片段，有些佛语会看、有些就不会看到。假设不遍观佛语的话，过去经典中宣说了很多各别不同的了义、不了义，有些说补特伽罗有我，有些说补特伽罗无我，不可以只片面地说：[佛宣说补特伽罗有我。 ]所以对于佛语要全面地学习，不这样做的话就是[片眼]。不能因为这之前他有说过，就非得固执不可。所以要学的话，就必须全面地学。但是仁波切在这里边说：有些人不全面学的话，就体会不到。看前面写的是[有我]，这是佛讲的，是对的。但是为什么要讲[有我]呢？到后来又写的是[无我]，那不全面看的话，只抓住一句就是[片眼]。 [01:15]

在这一部分，可能很多同学也会遇到这种状况，觉得：欸，佛讲的教理好像前面、后面是矛盾的。学得越多的同学有的时候会越容易发现这一点，因为他心中无法会通——佛为什么要这样讲、为什么要那样讲？所以一旦我们没有了解全面的说法的时候，我们就会固执在某一个时期或者对某一类有情讲的那个法。在这样的状态下，我们很显然就会犯下对佛语没有究竟了解这样一个缺失，所以仁波切在这里说：[这就是片眼。 ][02:06]

比如说我们会认为修行最重要就是修定，对于佛陀讲的修定的教理就非常仔细、非常认真地学，但是前面怎么发起出离心、怎么发起菩提心，甚至亲近善知识、修行因果、暇满人身的难得易失，这些都没有听闻，甚至恶趣苦都没有听闻，也没有去重视阅读。比如说我们看佛经的时候，自己阅《大藏经》会特别去阅读[三恶趣苦]吗？我们会特别特别去阅读[深信因果]的那些教典吗？乃至我们会极其极其重视地去阅读[如何如理亲近善知识]这样的篇章——在《大藏经》中？很显然，我们会一直找怎么样修定、怎么样能够得定，乃至四禅八定全部都修起来是什么的状态，我们就只专注在这个部分。 [03:15]

所以为什么会[观视佛语多片眼]？是和自己的习性有关系的。因为我就比较喜欢学这个部分，学那个部分的时候就没有感觉，甚至是反感；甚至觉得这是我不需要学的、多的，我不需要学的，我只要学我比较相应的、比较有欢喜心的。所以每个人要找每个人相应的部分，可是为什么我们没有去相应全圆的道次第呢？为什么我们没有一种力量去跟佛陀讲的所有的法都相应呢？只相应一部分，这是为什么呢？一部分美不美呢？是很美的。但是彩虹之所以美，就是赤、橙、黄、绿、青、蓝、紫都有，它不是单色的。我们的心为什么没有去相应一种全圆的呢？ [04:15]

就像我们平常的习惯，比如说想一个什么问题，就容易栽在那个问题里出不来了；做一件什么事情，也会栽在那件事上出不来。好像是看什么着什么、想什么着什么，很难穿越正在缘的那个事情上，很难穿越当下的缘起点，看到远方、看到虚空。所以佛陀讲的教理浩瀚得像虚空一样，如果没有善知识把全圆的道次第在我们面前展现的话，我们并不想仰望虚空，我们只想看着脚下这块路、从这儿到那儿的一点路弄清楚就可以了，我们并不想瞭望虚空。 [05:09]