Lecture No. 0125
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0125
Tape : New Version 02 24:31 ~ 28:12
Date : 2019/06/10 ~ 06/12
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of commentary
English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P43-L8 ~ P45-L4
Very well! Let’s listen to the next paragraph in the newer version of Master’s commentary.
[Newer version 02 24:31 ~ 28:12]
And such realization [that we lack provisions] is definitely not something we can understand literally. I would like to share with you a very simple story. I went to Taichung the day before yesterday, because one classmate had a car accident. That accident was so severe that it almost took her life. The flesh on the leg was gone; it was very likely that the leg might be amputated. Under normal condition, we would surely complain about this and that. Naturally, besides blaming the driver for hitting us, we would have other things to grumble about. Most people would respond, “How come? I have studied Buddhism. How come Buddha didn’t protect me? Instead, I have to face such an obstacle!” A lot of people [while suffering mishaps] would react this way. We view Buddha Dharma as the street peddler in today’s world, [thinking that], “I give you three dollars, and in return you give me three-dollar worth of goods; I give you ten dollars, so you must provide me with things worth ten-dollar value. We take studying Buddhism as a business transaction to be completed right before our eyes; say, I offer you 3 catty of bananas, so please bless me and grant me a big fortune. How absurd it is! It indicates a total lack of understanding about the profundity of Buddha Dharma. Karma is the fundamental principle of Buddha Dharma. Karmic effect is preceded with very profound causes and conditions; the effect definitely does not take place right away. [01′38″]
Over here, Master mentioned that a classmate had a car accident, and it was a very serious one! So severe was the crash that the flesh on the leg was gone, and it was very likely that the leg might be amputated. Under normal situation, we would blame the reckless driver for hitting her, causing her so much heart wrenching suffering. This was one possible complaint we would make – putting the blame on the driver. Who else was to blame? We would blame Buddha and Bodhisattvas, grumbling, “I have studied Buddhism! How come Buddha doesn’t protect me! Worst of all, I have to endure such unbearable pain!” That’s how the complaints would go. Master analyzed such mentality by describing it as taking Buddhism as peddler trading. I give you three dollars, and you offer me three-dollar worth of spinach; I make an offering of 3 catty of bananas, and then Buddha should bless me. What should Buddha grant me? To make a big fortune. Hence, Master said, “how absurd; it is so ridiculous!” [02′29″]
Then Master continued, “It indicates a total lack of understanding about the profundity of Buddha Dharma.” Let me ask you, in what way is Buddhism so profound? Do you remember what Master just mentioned? He brought up the word “karma”. Master said, “Karmic effect is preceded with very profound causes and conditions.” The words of “causes and conditions” were mentioned; Master continued, “The effect definitely does not take place right away.” Master mentioned earlier, “We take studying Buddhism as a business transaction to be completed before our eyes.” Actually, in this paragraph, Master was reminding us that we do not have the concept of the past and future lifetimes; we view everything in terms of the present lifetime. We haven’t realized the concept that life is an ongoing process flowing from this lifetime to the next one unceasingly. Whatever present effects are, they are from causes and conditions in the past. If we lack such recognition, then we would tend to see whatever happens from a rather limited perspective, confining it to a certain time frame, a particular person, and certain arising condition. Thus, the domain of one’s existence, the scope of one’s thought, as well as the timing are all very limited. [03′41″]
The profound connotations of causes and conditions in Buddha Dharma can only be comprehended through the concept of infinite lifetime, ranging from the infinite past to the infinite future, so as to perceive all of the causes, or effects, or suffering and happiness a person experience in his life. All of the occurrences have to be analyzed from the perspective of infinite lifetime, instead of taking what happened just now as the cause. Are you listening? In most cases, to seek the cause, one has to trace it backward, rather than arguing, “Ah! You just said that about me, so I respond such...” That is only a conducive object to the arising condition! The deeper causes were actually planted in the past, and most likely they were from very long time ago. [04′23″]
In this paragraph, Master took a further step to point out that we don’t have the concept of the past and future lifetimes; thus we would grumble about in this manner. Why is that making such complaints suggest we lack the concept of the past and future lifetimes? What will be the consequence if we do not have the concept of the past and future lifetimes? [We would think:] it was obvious that the car hit her, since we saw with our eyes and heard with our ears; that car caused her excruciating pain. Or we would grumble, “Well! Omnipotent Buddha and Bodhisattvas are able to help me out, but how come they did not come to rescue me?” We reason this way because we see things from the present aspect. However, seeing from a more profound and broader aspect, what could be the causes and conditions of this incident? During Buddha time, if something happened, the disciples would ask, “Buddha, what are the causes and conditions?” And Buddha would tell them what happened in the long gone past: why is that one has such effects in this lifetime? It was because of such and such happening in the past lifetimes... Hence, this is why something happened in this lifetime. Thus, Buddha didn’t analyze any occurrence from such a short duration, with narrow scope and objects. Have you noticed that? This was why Master said that Buddha Dharma is profound and karma is preceded with profound causes and conditions; such view posits the premise that lifetime is infinite; thus it is very deep and profound. [05′33″]
Let’s listen to the next paragraph. [05′36″]
The reason why I specifically bring up this matter is that normally most people would often complain, “I have studied Buddhism! How come it is not working?” As a matter of fact, when I visited that classmate, she did not complaint; instead, she said, “Ah! Master, please accept my sincere apology for troubling you to come [to visit me]. How weighty is my karmic debt! [Thanks to this car accident,] I have purified my karmic debt!” I was pleased to hear that! To begin with, karma is the fundamental concept of Buddha Dharma. Today, with understanding of this cause and effect, we should realize the reason why matters happen and they have nothing to do with whether I study Buddhism or not. If you have planted the cause, its effect will certainly ripen. Now we realize if we plant such a cause, it will bring about its corresponding effect; before the maturation of the effect, the karma will not vanish. [06′33″]
Furthermore, at the maturation of the effect, is it true that one will engage in committing another karma? For example, I hurt someone in the past, and today when such cause ripens and we run into each other; he would hurt me; do you follow me so far? May I ask, suppose now he is hurting you, how would you respond to that? Usually when he hurts me, I would be clueless, not knowing why he wanted to hurt me; I would thus feel, “Well! I am in no way bringing you any harm, but why do you want to harm me?” And we are totally baffled; would we complain? I believe we would. However, after we have studied Buddhism, the teaching we have learned is to “endure the arising karmic effect;” we can take it with forbearance. If so, this karma we created before will be terminated right there; we would not bear its effect any further. Nevertheless, we usually couldn’t take it this way; rather our complaint would follow by a bunch of foul language. Thus, at this juncture, on the one hand, the past karmic effect matured, for sure, but isn’t it true that at the same time we commit another [negative] karma? The karma created simultaneously will bring about another effect in the future; thus it forms an endless loop, which goes on and on with tighter and tighter entanglement. [07′47″]
From the line “nowadays those making effort at yoga have studied few [of the classic texts], while those who have studied much are not skilled in the key points of practice”, Master elaborated it further by giving us this teaching. We can examine ourselves; Master believed if we change our mind stream accordingly after hearing the teaching, then we are skilled in the key points of practice; the law of karma is the most important concept [we Buddhists have to recognize] and it will manifest itself when we are facing an arising condition. The manifestation arises..., behold! Master spoke highly of that classmate. When Master visited her, she did not complaint, but rather she responded, “Ah! Master, please accept my sincere apology for troubling you to come [to visit me]. How weighty is my karmic debt! [Thanks to this car accident,] I have purified my karmic debt!” When reading what she said, we would also praise her in admiration! [08′25″]
A while ago, a venerable was also involved in a car accident; what she expressed was nearly the same as this classmate. She said, “Teacher, thank you for assuming the role as Master’s successor, which is a great consolation to me in time of such adversity!” What manifested in her mind was the gratitude toward the Three Jewels; she did not put all the blame on the person who hit her. [How serious was her condition?] Her injury with several broken ribs made it impossible for her to walk; it was a very difficult time for her. Despite this, she did not blame the driver, nor did she vent her grievances to me; all she did was express her gratitude! She also said that with this accident, her faith towards the Three Jewels has been strengthened; she sensed the blessing from the Three Jewels. Imagine how difficult the arising condition was! Even the doctors were very surprised that she was able to survive the critical condition. Besides, when asked if she felt painful, she replied that it was not much. With that response, the doctors were extremely amazed! [09′18″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0125】
讲次 0125
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 新版 02 24:31 ~ 28:12
日期 2019/06/10 ~ 06/12
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 P43-L8 ~ P45-L4
手抄段落 那个而且这种事情也不是文字相......越缠越紧。
好！那我们现在再听一下新版《广论》的下一段。
那个而且这种事情也不是文字相。我愿意讲一个非常简单的故事给你们听：前天我出去到台中，因为有一个同学出了车祸。然后这个车祸是非常厉害，差一点命送掉，那个腿上的肉整个的不见掉了，那说不定有可能这个腿都要废掉。要我们平常的时候，当然会抱怨这个、抱怨这个。当然除了这个抱怨那个车子撞他以外，还要其他的抱怨。一般人来：[什么？我学了佛，没有保佑我，怎么反而还要受这个障碍！]我们很多人都会有这样的现象。我们把佛法看成功就像今天世间上面大家做小贩的：我给你三块钱，你给我三块钱东西，我给了你十块钱，你得给我十块钱的东西。我们把学佛法想成个现前的交易一样，好像我今天供养了你三斤香蕉，等一下你就应该来加持我，让我发一个大财，就这么荒唐法！对佛法的深厚的内涵都不清楚。佛法正规地讲都讲业，这个业前面是非常的深厚的因缘，绝不是眼前的。 [01′38″]
师父在这段里讲了一个车祸的同学，这个车祸很严重啊！说腿上的肉都整个不见掉了，而且这个腿可能都要废掉。一般的状态下应该抱怨那个撞他的，怎么不小心把他撞成这样，产生了这么深刻的痛苦。这是一个抱怨，抱怨撞他的车子。还有一个抱怨谁呀？就抱怨佛菩萨：[我都学佛了，你还不保佑我，让我受这么大的苦！]这一下抱怨就是抱怨成这样子。然后师父分析这种心态说：把佛法看成是做小买卖的，给你三块钱，你给我三块钱的菠菜；我供养了三斤香蕉嘛，等一会儿你要来加持。加持让我发个大财。所以师父说：荒唐，这么荒唐法！ [02′29″]
接着说：[对佛法的深厚的内涵都不清楚。]那我问大家：佛法的深厚的内涵，到底从哪里去讲呢？还记得刚才师父在讲什么吧？就是在讲[业]。师父说：[这个业前面是非常的深厚的因缘。]讲了[因缘]两个字，说：[绝不是眼前的。]然后在前面又加上了一个：[我们把学佛法想成个现前的交易。]其实在这一段里，师父在点醒我们：我们没有生起前后世的概念，什么都是用现世的角度在考虑，没有生起这个生命的相续是一个不断的过程；它是从此生趣往来世，现在所感得的结果前世是有因缘的。这样的想法一旦没有贯通，凡是有什么事情发生的时候，都局限在此时、此刻、此人、此境这样去观察，所以他的生存范围，还有思考的范围、时间点都是非常狭窄的。 [03′41″]
佛法深厚的因缘、内涵，它一定是拉到无限的过去到无限的未来这样一个时间轴上，去看待这一个人生命所感得的这一切因，或者说结果，或者说苦乐。都是在一个很长的时间轴上去观察这件事情，并不是就眼前发生什么，就认为说是那个因。有在听吗？多半找因是要往前找的，不是说：[啊！刚才你说我什么，所以我这什么。]那只是一个勾起的缘罢了！更深的因可能在过往，可能在很久很久的一个过往。 [04′23″]
师父在这里边更加深一点地揭示出我们没有前后世的概念，就会这样去抱怨。为什么这样抱怨就是没有前后世的概念？那没有前后世的这个概念到底会产生什么呢？因为眼睛看着、耳朵听起来，就是那个车子撞了他，他这么剧烈的痛苦就是那个车子引生的。或者说：[欸！佛菩萨不是可以救，为什么没救我？]所以这是很眼前的思考。但是从很深远的角度去观察的话，那这件事到底是什么因缘呢？在佛世的时候，一有什么事情，弟子都去问：[佛陀，这是什么因缘啊？]然后佛陀就讲个过去的事情：为什么会今生这样呢？前世有什么什么事情，所以说这一生是这样。所以根本不是局限在这么小的一个时间点和范畴和人事物的角度上，去考虑这件事的。有注意到吗？所以师父说的深厚的内涵，还有前面深厚的这个因缘的理解，一定是涵盖了一个生生世世无限生命的前提在里边，然后才会谈到深厚。 [05′33″]
再听下一段。 [05′36″]
我所以特别讲这件事情，因为一般普通人很多人会常常抱怨：[我学了佛，怎么不灵光啊？]实际上，我去看那位同学，那位同学不但不抱怨，而且说： [啊！师父真对不起你，还劳你驾，这我业障很重啊！我净了我的罪障啊！]那我听了是非常赞叹！佛法本来告诉我们这是业，今天了解了这个业以后，应该清楚这一件事情的所以发生，跟眼前学佛不学佛是没有关系，以前如果你造了这个业，这个业一定会感果。现在我们了解，造了这个因就感果，没有感果之前这个业一定不会消失。 [06′33″]
进一步来说，当这个业感果的时候，是不是同样又要造业了？譬如说，我以前伤害过某人，那么今天这个怨碰上了，我会被他伤害，这一点大家懂不懂？请问现在你被他伤害的时候，你采取什么态度？通常情况之下，他来伤害你，我也不知道为什么莫名其妙他伤害我，我会觉得：[咦！我也是好端端的，为什么你今天要来这么伤害我？]乃至于完全不知道，我们会不会抱怨？我想我们会抱怨。所以学了佛以后，告诉我们叫[观业忍受]，到那时候我安心忍受﹔那这样一来的话，前面造的业到此为止，你眼前不会再受。可是我们平常都是受不了，自己会抱怨，三字经一大堆。所以这个时候，一方面前面造的业到现在感果了，不错，是不是那么同时又造业了？同时又造业，然后呢将来再感果，所以永远地辗转，越缠越紧。 [07′47″]
因为是基于[今勤瑜伽多寡闻，广闻不善于修要]，后面师父讲了这一段。我们就可以观察，师父认为我们听闻了之后，如果能在身心上有受用的话，那应该就是有修要；那么修要最重要的业果见，在对境的时候就要现起。现起的时候，看！这个同学做的就是师父很赞叹他。去看那个同学，那个同学不但没抱怨，还说：[啊！师父，真对不起你！还劳你驾呀，这是我业障很重啊！我净了我的业障。]看他讲的这些，真的是我们也要很赞叹啊！ [08′25″]
前一段时间有一个法师也是出了车祸，她几乎也是对我说了一模一样的话。她说：[老师，很感谢你接了师父的棒子，让我在这么辛苦的时候心有所依呀！]她心里生起了满满的对三宝的感动，没有去抱怨那个撞她的人。她被撞得已经不能走路了，很辛苦的，肋骨撞断了好几根啊，但是她没有去抱怨那个人，也没有跟我讲她多痛苦，就是在表达满满地感恩哪！还讲了她觉得透过这次车祸，自己对三宝的信心增加了，觉得她得到了三宝的加持。你看看，这么痛苦的境！连医生都觉得惊讶，她能够这样子脱险活过来。而且问她疼不疼的时候，她说不怎么疼，医生都感觉到非常非常惊讶！ [09′18″]