Lecture No. 0124
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0124
Tape : New Version 02 22:38 ~ 24:31
Date : 2019/06/06 ~ 06/09
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Opening veneration at the beginning of the commentary
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P42-LL7 ~ P43-L7
Speaking of making offerings to the Three Jewels, it does not necessarily require a huge spending; for example, we can offer seven bowls of clean water in front of the Buddha, and then light a stick of incense. Some lay practitioners like to offer water regularly, and they want to offer 108 bowls, which is a lot; while some others offer seven bowls each day. Like one time when Teacher Ah-kah* came to our place to visit us, he went first to the shrine hall. Going to the shrine hall first, what was he looking for? I thought Teacher Ah-kah wanted to pay respect to Buddha in the shrine hall. After that I noticed that he paid special attention to how the water offering was done. Three days in a row, younger Teacher Ah-kah would always head to the shrine hall first to check whether water was offered. When I greeted Teacher Ah-kah by the entrance of the shrine hall, I noticed that he would walk very quickly on the way in, checking if water was offered; and when he came out, he would suddenly look very relieved. He did this continuously for three days, and stopped doing so on the fourth. Because he realized: Oh! I [Teacher] do offer water. [01′00″]
[*Ah-kah: is the venerated salutation for teacher, in this paragraph 2 generations of Ah-kah teachers are mentioned.]
With regards to water offering, it seems like clean water is readily available in every household; every day, you get clean water and pour them into seven bowls, remove them from the altar before it gets dark, and then wipe the bowls clean and stack them together, just this motion. However, many virtuous teachers pay extremely close attention to this, because this is accumulating merits! When making an offering, you must focus, for example, making sincere offerings to the basis/object of refuge; once you have developed this habit, you would offer it every day. Think about it: there are so much water in the world; it is the same in our home. However, we would not find time to offer seven bowls of water to the Three Jewels; that is because we have not formed such a habit. [01′40″]
So, how to cultivate such a habit? Just start doing it! Find a small notebook, and then label it “offer 7 bowls of water.” If you have done it today, put a tick; if you did not, repent in front of Buddha. If you are concerned about feelings of guilt when repenting, then you could record a summary: offered water for three days this week; oh, need to offer four days for next week. Or without missing a single day, I want to offer water. Once offering water becomes a habit, actually when we are in front of Buddha’s statue, we would clear away many worries and woes as if they have vanished instantly. You would face Buddha and Bodhisattvas, holding the water pot, and carefully pour water into the bowls; before pouring water, you need to wipe the bowls clean and then pour in water one by one. You need to be extremely focused while pouring water – staring at the spout. This is because there is a requirement: one shouldn't fill the bowl to the brim, as it is a cause of arrogance, nor should it be too little, for that will symbolize a lack of provision. So the accurate mark will be: there should be a distance of about one grain of barley or rice between the water level and the brim; don’t fill until it’s near to a spill. [02′39″]
Following water offering, you offer the lamp and then the incense. After all of that, you definitely will not leave right away; and would continue gazing at the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. Then, you can supplicate to Buddha and Bodhisattvas. For instance, pray that whatever I am going to do today can become merits for studying the sublime teaching, and that I will not use inappropriate methods to complete these tasks, also not doing it for the sake of seeking mundane benefits; may I develop the approximation of the spirit of enlightenment, aspire to attain the wisdom of emptiness! When you see Buddha and Bodhisattvas, you would be reminded to sustain the right thought and when you see them, you will feel there is hope! For example, some people would smile at the sight of the statue of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, because Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva uses very compassionate eyes to look at us. Buddha said, when facing Buddha statue, should we view the statue just like seeing him in “person”, we would receive the Buddha’s blessings. Even though daily it is a short five minutes or three minutes to offer water, can you think about how much merits it will be after accumulating them? [03′37″]
Actually in the past when it [conditions] wasn’t convenient, it was simply having a mini statue or image of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Shakyamuni Buddha, or the merit field, with a few bowls of water offered in front of it; it doesn’t have to be something particularly grand. However, if resources permit, you could adorn the shrine hall beautifully. The key is our intention! Are we in awareness that by not accumulating merits each day, it is akin to letting lots of gold and silver slip away through our fingers? Clean water is available everywhere; however, if you offer it to the Three Jewels, the merits become yours; if you do not offer, the day goes by without leaving anything behind; this is a very true matter. [04′15″]
After offering water, or after entering the shrine hall, we usually would prostrate in front of the Buddha. “One prostration to Buddha will eliminate sins equal in number to the sand of the river Ganges.” Or, for some people who display the 35 Buddhas Confession Practice in the shrine hall, they can swiftly chant it once; if there is not enough time for prostration, reciting it once will do too. Just as what Lama Tsong-kha-pa said, “I cannot sleep soundly if I did not recite the 35 Buddhas Confession before going to bed!” Even such a noble Great Master says so, and how could we dare not to purify our karmic obstacles every day? The most helpful tool for us to purify obstacles is the 35 Buddhas Confession; masters of the Kadam school said, “Have you recited the 35 Buddhas Confession today? Did not? Then have you attained the 1st ground Bodhisattva yet?” Thus, it is well worthy of our effort to chant it once every day! [05′03″]
Hence, I hope everyone will value the importance of accumulating merits and purifying obstacles and incorporate them into our daily routines. Actually it takes just a few minutes to complete; the duration could be longer or shorter; the key is to cultivate this as our habit. Let me repeat: the offering of heaps of gold and silver, fresh water offering can achieve the same purpose just like offering gold and silver; offering it to the Three Jewels accumulates merits for ourselves. [05′30″]
Whenever passing in front of a Buddha statue, we would want to put our palms together and make a bow, or gaze at Buddha and Bodhisattvas and prostrate, we purify ourselves with every veneration we make. Besides, while paying respect to the Buddha statue, one would consciously try to calm our mind stream. At that moment, we will be healed, healed by the smile of Buddha and Bodhisattvas; thus healing ourselves through this act [of veneration]. We would experience feelings of coolness and delight within our hearts. Sometimes it sets us in the state of right thoughts to deal with the work and other matters we have for the day. Sometimes we would even be imbued with powerful joyousness, thinking: what good fortune I have! Not only do we encounter Buddha and Bodhisattvas, we are able to develop faith in them; we have bowls and pots to make water offering every day. We encountered the teaching of Lama Tsong-kha-pa; we are blessed by Master, Teacher and the Three Jewels. Thinking of these would probably make us very happy! Hence, despite the big or small happenings in our life, things that did not turn out the way we intended, or being hurt by the harsh words from others, as we think of the Three Jewels and ponder to ourselves, “Ah! I shouldn’t take these trivial matters to heart.” Actually, joy is a great motivating force for us to advance our quest towards enlightenment. [06′45″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0124】
讲次 0124
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 2019/06/06 ~ 06/09
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。
谈到供养三宝，也不一定要花很多钱，比如说七碗净水，在佛前供水，然后一炷清香。像有的居士定期喜欢供水，要供一百零八碗，供很多；还有的就是每天七碗。像以前有一次阿喀来到我们那地方，他先去佛堂。先去佛堂看什么呢？我认为阿喀要去佛堂礼佛，然后我发现他特别留心佛堂到底供水供得怎样，连着三天，小阿喀都先去佛堂看有没有供水。我在佛堂门口迎接阿喀的时候，发现阿喀进去的时候会走路很快，看一看到底有没有供水，等到他出来的时候就突然很放心，连着三天，看三天之后，第四天他就没看了，因为他发现：喔！我有供水。 [01′00″]
虽然供水这件事，看起来就是家家都有清水，每天你拿着这样的清水倒进七个水碗里，到天黑之前要把它撤下来，然后把碗擦一擦扣起来，就这样一个动作。但是很多善知识其实非常非常地关注，因为这就是集资粮啊！在供养的时候你要专注，比如说你要对皈依境认真地供，养成习惯就是天天供。你想：世上的水那么多，家里边的水是很多的，可是我们却没有时间在三宝前摆上七碗水供养，这就是没有养成习惯。 [01′40″]
那么怎么样养成这个习惯呢？开始做就是了！找一个小本，然后列上[供水七碗]，今天做了就打勾，没做的话就去佛前忏悔一下。或者你觉得忏悔的话你有内疚感，那你就总结一下：这一周供了三天，喔，下周要供四天，或者哪天全部没有一天缺的、都要供水。供水供成习惯之后，其实到佛前的时候，你就会把很多忧虑的事情、沮丧的事情好像瞬间清空了一样。你就面对佛菩萨，端着这个水壶，小心地把那个清水注入到供水碗里；在这之前你要把供水碗擦干净，然后一碗一碗这样注。注的时候你是非常专注的，你一直盯着那个水柱，因为它会有一个要求，是说：不能太满，太满会骄傲；还有不能不足，不足会资粮不足。所以标准说法就是：那个碗上面就差一颗青稞那样的距离，就是一个米粒吧，不要供到快溢出来了。 [02′39″]
供完之后再供灯，然后再供香。之后你一定不会马上就走，还会在旁边注视着佛菩萨。然后你可以对佛菩萨祈求，比如祈求今天我做什么希望上师三宝加持我，让我所做的一切都能成为正法的资粮，不要用不如法的方式去成办这些事情，也不要以现世的利益去做这些事情；希望我能够发起菩提心的随顺啊、希求空性啊！你看到佛菩萨就会提正念，看到佛菩萨就会感觉到有希望啊！比如说看观世音菩萨，有的人一见观音菩萨就笑，因为观世音菩萨就是用那种非常非常慈悲的眼睛在看着我们。在面对着佛像的时候，佛陀说我们要对这个佛像像他一样的话，我们就会得到佛陀的加持。虽然每天就这样一个短短的可能五分钟或者三分钟的供水，但是你想想累积起来会累积多少资粮呢？ [03′37″]
其实以前不方便的时候，就是用一个很小很小的观世音菩萨的像，或者释迦佛的像，或者资粮田的像，很小的一张贴在那个地方，下面摆几碗水就可以了，也不一定非得特别大。但是有条件的话，你可以很庄严地布置佛堂。最重要的是我们的心意！我们能否意识到每天不集聚资粮的话，就像大把的黄金和白银白白流掉一样；清水到处都是，可是你把它献给三宝那就是自己的资粮，你不献的话，今天就过了，过了就没了，这是非常真实的事情。 [04′15″]
供水完了，或者你去佛堂之后，通常大家都会礼佛。 [礼佛一拜，罪灭河沙。]或者有的人佛堂放着《三十五佛忏》，迅速地就可以念一遍；没有时间拜，念一遍也行。就像宗大师说：[睡前如果不念《三十五佛忏》，我无法安心入睡！]连这么伟大的善知识都如是说，我们岂敢每天不净化业障呢？净化业障，对我们最好的帮助就是《三十五佛忏》，噶当派祖师说：[你今天念《三十五佛忏》了吗？没念呀？那你登地了吗？]所以每天念一遍也是非常非常值得的！ [05′03″]
所以希望大家能够重视集资、净忏，把它纳入到我们生活的这种程序之中。其实也就是几分钟就完成了，你可长、可短，关键是养成一个习惯。我再说一遍，就像大把黄金、白银的供养，清水就可以了，就像黄金、白银一样，献给三宝就成为我们的资粮。 [05′30″]
在佛前走过，都想合掌鞠躬一下，或者看佛菩萨一眼，或者礼拜一下，每一次礼敬都是在净化自己。而且在佛前礼敬的时候，会注意到让自己的心清净一下。在那一刻，其实我们也会被疗愈，被佛菩萨的笑容疗愈，被自己的这个行为疗愈，内心里也会感到清凉和愉悦；有的时候会对这一天的工作，或者一天要应对的事情，也有一个正念的提持；有的时候还会有一个强大的欢喜心的摄持。想一想：我多有福报啊！又遇到佛菩萨，能够生起信心；而且我有供水碗、我有供水壶，我就每天都可以供养；能够值遇大师的教法，能够有师父、上师三宝的摄受..... .一想这些事情大概就会很开心了！所以生活中再发生一点大大小小的事情，有点不顺心的事情，或者别人出口伤了自己，但是想想三宝，然后自己想想说：啊！这些小事也不必在意。其实欢喜也是很大的进趣菩提的一个力量。 [06′45″]