Lecture No. 0128
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0128
Tape : New Version 02 28:12 ~ 30:01
Date : 2019/06/20 ~ 06/23
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse P45-L5 ~ P46-L3
We will continue listening to this next section.
[Newer version 02 28:12 ~ 30:01]
This classmate thought, “Ah! This is my karma”, so she did not complain any further. Instead of grumbling, she told me, “In the past, when I learned the term “impermanence” in my Lamrim class, this concept seems to make a lot of sense; however, I just understood the term literally. Not until I had this accident today did I realize what impermanence truly means! I am totally terror-stricken, not knowing if I can sustain my life to the next minute.” She said, “It was just ‘Bang’!” A truck hit her motorbike; she was knocked out unconscious. It had been a long while before she came around and found herself lying on the bed in the hospital. She was fortunate to regain consciousness; suppose just “Bang”, and the truck ran over her, did she stand a chance to come around? No! Impossible! That was why she said: “Ah! I did not realize what impermanence means until now.” Hence, she wasn’t grumbling; instead, she was full of gratitude. [01′03″]
Are you able to distinguish the difference between the two scenarios? Normally, whatever trivial matter happens to us, we will grumble with a lot of justification. What is such justification for? Such justification will only enhance our arrogance and pride, with which we will engage in more negative deeds. What exactly are we learning anyway? Sigh! Therefore, I deeply sensed this key point. What is it? It is the conformity, also known as congruity. As for the conformity I just mentioned, let’s examine ourselves what we are conforming to. What we are congruent with is to increase our afflictions, or it is to truly purify negativity and accumulate merits; this is what truly matters to us. Hence, I hope that every classmate sitting here would sincerely realize this point while reading this incident. [01′55″]
Master repeated what that classmate who was involved in the car accident said, “This is my karma.” Then Master said she wouldn’t complain further; instead she even expressed her deeper perception of impermanence. Speaking of “impermanence”, there stood a sharp contrast between her understandings [before and after the accident]: remember? What is the first understanding? [That classmate said,] “In the past when I learned the term ‘impermanence’ in my Lamrim class, this concept seems to make a lot of sense.” When learning the concept, it made a lot of sense to her. [She continued,] “However, I just understood the term literally. Not until I had this accident today did I realize what impermanence truly means!” Then Master described how that classmate felt: “I am totally terror-stricken, not knowing if I can sustain my life to the next minute.” [02′56″]
Have you noticed [how she responded]? When Master visited her after the serious car accident, she reported to Master her true perception of impermanence as if it was an understanding gained while one listened to the teaching. The point is: under normal circumstances, we would simply take the teaching lightly; however, when we encounter impermanence, we are terror-stricken. And to what extent is the intensity of this terror? No one knows if this classmate’s life can sustain to the next minute. When that classmate expressed such a perception of [impermanence] to Master, I believe, besides showing deep compassion, Master must have felt very pleased with her. [03′40″]
Master changed the topic from complaining, not complaining [about karma] to the subject of impermanence – the earlier discussion was about karma, and then the discussion here is impermanence. Master said, “Bang!” She was knocked out unconscious; suppose the truck ran over her, she wouldn’t be able to survive. Thus she said: “not until then did she realize what impermanence truly means!” What followed was Master’s account of her mentality: “Hence, she wasn’t grumbling; instead, she was full of gratitude.” After she underwent such huge suffering and horrifying experience, why was she full of gratitude? Everyone can think about it. [Such an experience was very astonishing and horrifying.] [04′24″]
I had also heard a lay practitioner telling me in person about the car accident he was involved in. He was driving just as normal as it could be. Suddenly, a car from the opposite direction hit his car head-on, causing his car to spin 180 degrees. He was dumbstruck, thinking, “Done with it! This is the end!” After he came to his senses, he thought, “Am I alive or dead now? Am I in the bardo state?” When he opened his eyes, he blanked out. Fortunately, he was not hurt at all; he sat in the car but could not move – unable to move at all. It was the other driver who recovered from the shock first and got out of his car to check how serious the accident was. The front of his car was totally smashed, so his car stalled on the road with half of the remaining body. After this incident, it took him some six months to a year before he dared to ride in a car again. He would rather walk than to ride, unless it was absolutely necessary. No one knows beforehand when an accident will happen; it happens in split second. Hence, impermanence is instantaneous; that’s how horrifying it is! [05′35″]
As for what went through her mind, if she had not thought of impermanence at that time, most likely she would have felt, as in Master’s words, totally terror-stricken. [Why?] Because it was quite tough to handle it! In such an extreme condition, those who practice Buddha’s teachings earnestly would then uphold their mindfulness: There is nothing to complain about. This is one phenomenon of life, known as impermanence. It is just that I have never encountered it before, so I am caught off balance. [06′08″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0128】
讲次 0128
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 新版 02 28:12 ~ 30:01
日期 2019/06/20 ~ 06/23
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 P45-L5 ~ P46-L3
手抄段落 结果那位同学他觉得......应该真正懂得这个。
我们就来听接下来这一小段。
结果那位同学他觉得：[啊！这是我的业。」以他不再抱怨。不但不抱怨，他还告诉我：[以前我学《广论》，《广论》上面说无常、无常，好像很有道理，可是对这个无常两个字感觉得总满轻松。我今天碰见了这个事情，才晓得无常是这么个无常相！心里真是胆颤心惊，谁都不知道我这个性命能不能保持到下面一分钟。]他说他[啪！]一下子撞上去，人就昏倒了，根本一点都不知道，等到醒过来，已经很长一段时候在医院里躺在那里了。他现在有机会醒过来，假定[啪！]一下撞上去给车子压在他身上，他醒得过来吗？醒不过来。所以他说：[啊！我现在才晓得无常原来是这个样。]所以他不但不抱怨而且还感激。 [01′03″]
这两个差别大家分得清楚吧？我们平常遇到一点点事情就抱怨，讲了很多道理。这个道理干什么？增长自己憍慢，然后还要造很多恶业，我们到底是学什么啊？唉！所以我就深深地感觉到这个特点。这个叫什么啊？相应，也叫相应。所以我刚才讲那个相应，看看我们现在相应在哪里？我们是相应在增长烦恼，还是我们相应在真正地净除罪障、积聚资粮，这个对我们才是真正重要的。所以我但愿我们在座的每一位同学学这件事情的时候，应该真正懂得这个。 [01′55″]
师父在这里重复车祸那个同学他的话，说：[这是我的业。]然后师父说他不再抱怨，不但不抱怨，还讲了他对无常的一种觉受。在讲到无常相的时候有两个对比，还记得吧？第一个对比是什么呀？ [《广论》上面说无常、无常，好像很有道理。]听的时候应该是觉得很有道理，[可是对这个无常两个字感觉得总满轻松的。我今天碰见了这个事情，才晓得无常是这么个无常相！]师父接着用了几个字，说：[心里真是胆颤心惊，谁都不知道我这个性命能不能保持到下面一分钟。] [02′56″]
有没有看到遇到这么大车祸的这个同学，师父去看他的时候，他直接跟师父报告，好像是闻法的体会一样，讲了对无常的一种觉受。所以就出现了——平常听来的时候是觉得满轻松的，可是实际上真正遭遇到的时候是胆颤心惊。而且胆颤心惊到什么程度呢？谁也不知道我这个性命能不能保留到下面一分钟。我想那个居士把这样的一个觉受报告给师父的时候，师父除了疼惜他之外，一定是很高兴的。 [03′40″]
师父从前面的抱怨说不再抱怨，而且集中在讲无常的问题——前面在讲业，现在讲的是无常的问题。然后师父说[啪]地一下撞上去就昏过去了，如果车子压在身上的话就醒不过来了，所以他说：[我现在才晓得无常原来是这个样。]接着有一个心态，师父说：[他不但不抱怨而且还感激。]受了这么大的苦和惊吓，感激之情从何而生呢？大家可以想一想。 [04′24″]
像我以前也听到一个居士亲口跟我说他也遭遇到车祸，他的车也是在路上走，走着、走着，也是被对面来的一个车不知道怎么回事就把他撞得在马路上一百八十度旋转。他都不晓得怎么回事的时候，就觉得：完了、完了！等到他自己心里有念头的时候，他在想：我现在是活着还是死的？我现在是中阴吗？他睁开眼睛看看的时候，觉得都是空白状。幸好他完全没有受伤，但是他坐在车上是不能动的，没法动。后来那个司机最先缓过来，他下车去看，那个车整个前端都被大车削掉了，所以他们的车就剩一半停在路上。后来因为这件事，他大概半年到一年都不太敢坐车，宁可用走的，万不得已才去坐。车祸前一秒钟是没反应的，后一秒钟就来了，所以无常的迅速啊，就是这么可怕法！ [05′35″]
而对于他心里所想的事情，如果那个时候没有想到无常的话，多半无常到来的时候，就像师父用那几个字，是极度地胆颤心惊的，因为很难应付啊！在这么强烈的一个对境下，有认真修学佛法的人，他在这个时候就提起了他的正念：这没有什么好抱怨的，这就是生命的一种现状，那叫无常，以前只不过我还没有遭遇它、我还没有反应它罢了。 [06′08″]