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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0131

Tape : New Version 02 30:01 ~ 30:46

Date : 2019/07/01 ~ 07/03

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of commentary

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34 

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P46-L4 ~ P46-LL7

Let’s continue to listen to another paragraph:

[New version 02 30:01 ~ 30:46]

Then, over here, the meditation practice is meant for us to put what we have learned into practice and thus our mind will be in accordance with the teaching that we have learned; however, what are most practitioners doing nowadays? They have “studied few of the classic texts”. To put the teaching into practice, we must comprehend the teaching! Now we have studied a lot of teachings; if we cannot earnestly follow along with the profundity of the tenets step by step, we will not improve ourselves but rather stagnate, causing more afflictions and increasing our arrogance. Contrarily, if we are not stagnant and not arrogant, we definitely can have a deeper understanding of the teaching. Between the two, there is no room for the third option. Many practitioners are muddled, which suggests they are not in conformity with the teaching at all, and this is completely a waste of time. So for this type of “nowadays those making effort at yoga”, unfortunately, they do not understand the above concept! [00′50″]

Are you all familiar with this short paragraph? How many options did Master mention? “There is no room for the third option”, right? How many choices are there if there is no room for the third option? We are left with only two options, and what are they? That is, “To put the teaching into practice, we must comprehend the teaching,” right? Because the cultivation practice is meant for us to put what we have learned into practice and thus our mind will be in accordance with the teaching that we have learned. “However, what are most practitioners doing nowadays? They have ‘studied few of the classic texts’”. That doesn’t work, because cultivation requires us to understand the teaching. [Master] followed [by saying,] “Now we have studied a lot of teachings; if we cannot earnestly follow along with the profundity of the tenets - ” pay attention [to what follows], “- step by step”! In regards to “following along with the profundity of the tenets step by step”, it is like [having a tour] in a palace. First we enter from the main entrance [and explore its grandeur] door after door; then we would catch sight of the stately magnificence deep in the palace, or the splendor and majesty of each hall, step by step. Then Master said that “if we cannot earnestly follow along with the profundity of the tenets step by step” then we would “stagnate, causing more afflictions and increasing our arrogance.” Without further exploring the teaching, we could achieve nothing but stagnate, causing more afflictions and increasing our arrogance. [01′54″]

Contrarily, if we do not stagnate on afflictions and arrogance, we definitely can have a deeper understanding of the teaching. “Between the two, there is no room for the third option.” What are the two options? [First,] if we can’t explore the teaching deeper, we will stagnate! Does stagnation mean we will remain where we are, as it is and nothing will happen? It is not quite so, right? When we go into stagnation, we would just follow our habitual tendency and thus bring more afflictions [to our lives] and increase our arrogance. On the other hand, if we are not stagnant and can truly explore deep into the teaching, we won’t engage in deeds that will bring about more afflictions and we won’t be so arrogant/complacent; what will we do instead? Following the guidance of the teaching, we would remove/cleanse away the karmic obstacles and accumulate merits properly. Master said we only have these two options! [02′35″]

We all can see that, Master’s view on applying the teachings is always the same: “It is either with or without faith.” It is impossible to have a grey area in between! Well, goes a Chinese proverb: “Learning is like rowing a boat upstream; you either forge ahead or retrograde.” Is that right? It is also the same with cultivation/meditation practice! Why? ]It is] because our latent afflictive propensity cultivated from beginningless time has been very very strong, and we are very proficient at it. Our mind is bound to face all sorts of external conditions, so are the faculties of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body; when our mind and the other faculties encounter the arising conditions, it is impossible for the mind and faculties to not to respond to them. Since human beings are not dummies, for sure we will react accordingly. If we cannot properly apply what we have learned, we are bound to respond in erroneous manner. Or to put it differently, if we respond without conforming to the scriptural teachings, we would react spontaneously out of old habits. Hence, one way is to increase arrogance and afflictions, while the other is to remove/cleanse away the karmic obstacles and accumulate merits. These two are the only directions; it has to be one or the other; there is no third alternative! [03′24″]

Why did Master point out these two ways/directions for us? It is for us to make a [wise] decision, right? Why is it that we choose to put much effort exhausting ourselves to listen to the Dharma teaching and do the cultivation practice? Because we are fed up with constantly being tormented by the afflictions; we are tired of our own ways of battling afflictions as well; we find that none of them works. The quality of our lives still does not live up to our expectations, either. That is why we seek guidance from the learned, the Three Jewels, and the virtuous teachers. Then we apply such tenets to evaluate whether the approaches we have been adopting to solve our problems or the way we perceive our problems are the correct ones after all. We have followed along with our old ways of perception [long enough], yet there is not much improvement in our lives. Now having studied the tenets, we would apply what we have learned from the tenets to, pay attention! We would apply the tenets as Dharma mirror to reflect inwardly, examining our minds and behavior, and then improve ourselves accordingly. If so, then we would not be muddled [into endless sufferings]. [04′23″]

Why? Because eventually we would come to understand our mind, from each matter happening every day. In any arising condition, [we would realize,] “Well, I am complaining again!” Or even while complaining, [we] suddenly would notice and ask ourselves, “Am I complaining again?” If we sense that we are [indeed] complaining, are we strong enough to stop it instantly, or are our afflictions flooding overwhelmingly until we simply cannot stop complaining?? If the latter is the case, then are we able to become aware of the complaint afterward? Are we able to somewhat express our apologies/regrets to the one whom we vented our frustration on? If we can apply what we have learned in Lamrim from such angle and put it into practice as the take-home exercise, this would be a very astounding journey of self-discovery. Once we can keep the focus on our inner self, in fact, we would not have much time for phubbing*, browsing all kinds of highly repetitive matters, because we never have enough time to finish daily news. There is no end to checking all sorts of occurrences in the world. In fact, there is no end to discovering what is occupying our mind, either.
[*Phubbing was first coined as a term in May 2012. An Australian advertising agency created this word to describe the growing phenomenon of people ignoring their friends and family who were right in front of them and instead scrolling through their phones. Soon after, the stop-phubbing campaign was launched.] [05′20″]

See if we can focus on observing our mind, namely, the disturbance or composure in our mind; we can observe what a disturbed mind is like and what a composed mind is like. Take picking seashells on the beach for example. When the waves wash ashore, sometimes it brings some very pretty seashells; however, if the waves arise bringing along sands in the water, we wouldn’t know if there are beautiful seashells in the water. We have to wait for the tide to recede, the water calms down, and then we would notice: well! There are some beautiful seashells in the clear seawater. Thus, each time when the tide of our lives rise, do we only see the sand or we actually discover treasures? Just as the ocean bores many treasures, through our cultivation/meditation practice, can we also reap very rewarding experiences and joyfulness? [06′06″]

No matter what happens to us, are we able to perceive the arising conditions as rare treasure findings? This requires our observation and mental power to quell the turbulent and disturbing emotions. How to quell them? One of the ways is to take a deep breath. Another is that when we notice, “I am mad! I am sad! I am having erroneous thought!” the proper perception is arising, which actually will help us to restrain the negative emotional response. The key point is to have keen observation and examine ourselves where we are heading toward in terms of the direction of our life, namely, to examine our trains of thoughts. Thus, Master said there are [only] two ways/directions: happiness or suffering. The former is heading towards the path of liberation, while the other, if not reversing its direction, is heading for the endless samsara. [06′50″]

Therefore, I am [always] very grateful to Master. In the 2nd recording of his Lamrim commentary, Master explained a seemingly very sophisticated, subtle and advanced concept to us in such layman terms and plain language. Moreover, he embedded the truth with such a shocking example for us, telling us how practitioners would respond, once they truly appreciate the meaning of the teaching; as for those who don’t truly understand the teaching, they would grumble over trivial matters. The differences between the two [paths] could naturally be weighed in our hearts. [07′20″]

讲次 0131

科判 道前基础

章节 抱怨与感恩的两条心路

标题 层层深入法理，勿长烦恼骄慢

音档 新版 02 30:01 ~ 30:46

日期 2019/07/01 ~ 07/03

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 P46-L4 ~ P46-LL7

手抄段落 所以在这地方......不了解道理！

我们再接着听一段：

所以在这地方，修行本来是要把我们学的道理要去跟它相应，可是现在呢？ [多寡闻]。要修行一定要懂得道理呀！我们现在懂得了很多道理，如果说不能真正在跟它法理层层深入，只有停滞在增长烦恼、憍慢上头；反过来，假定我们能够不停滞在憍慢这个上面，我也一定能够真正地深入。这两者当中，没有什么第三条路。有很多人糊里糊涂，那根本不相应，这也是白浪费时间。这是一种，所以[今勤瑜伽]的呢，很不幸，不了解道理！ [00′50″]

这一小段大家熟悉吗？师父讲了几条路啊？ [没有什么第三条路]，对不对？没有什么第三条路，是几条路啊？两条路。哪两条路呢？就是[修行一定要懂得道理呀！]对吧？因为修行本来就是我们学的道理要去跟它相应，[可是现在呢？『多寡闻』。]就不行了，因为修行要懂道理。然后[懂得了很多道理，如果说不能真正在跟它法理]，注意！ [层层深入]。这个[层层深入]，就好像一个宫殿，我们从大门进去，然后一个一个门越来越深，就会看到宫殿里边的庄严，或者每个大厅的富丽堂皇，层层深入。然后师父说：如果不能在法理上层层深入的话，只有停滞在增长烦恼、骄慢上面。没深就会停，停了就会增长烦恼、骄慢。 [01′54″]

反过来，假定我们能够不停滞在烦恼、骄慢上面，我们也一定能够深入。 [这两者当中，没有什么第三条路。]哪两条路？要么不能深入，停了！停了就是停在那儿什么都没变吗？不是这样的，对不对？停下来的时候，依旧沿着老习惯增长烦恼、增长骄慢；如果我们没有停，我们能够真正地深入的话，那就不会增长烦恼、增长骄慢，而是什么呀？如法地净除罪障、积聚资粮。师父说只有这两条路！ [02′35″]

大家可以看到师父对修行的观点一向都是这样的，说：要嘛修信，要么就是没有信心。不可能有个中间的路线！说：学习像逆水行舟，不进则退。对吧？修行也是啊！为什么呢？因为我们无始劫来薰习的这个烦恼习气它是非常非常强的，也是非常熟练的。因为我们心一定要对境啊，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身都要对境，对境它不可能没有反应，我们不是木头人，一定有反应。反应的时候，如果不会正确的反应，一定会错误的反应；或者说如果你不会像经典上那样如法的反应，那就会用老习惯来反应它。所以增长骄慢、增长烦恼和净罪、集资这两个方向，要嘛它、要嘛它，没有第三条路！ [03′24″]

那么为什么师父会这样告诉我们两条路，就是让我们选择，对不对？为什么我们会选择要费这么多辛苦听闻和修行？因为我们已经受够了烦恼的折磨，也受够了自己对付烦恼的各种方式，我们会发现都不灵，自己生存得还是很不理想，所以我们才求教于智者，求教于三宝、善知识。然后用这样的教理看一看我解决问题的方式，甚至是我观察问题的方式到底对不对？沿着我原来那个方式观察的观点，我的生命没有什么改善；现在学了教理之后，我用教理的方式，注意！用教理的镜子来照自己的心、照自己的行为，然后去改善它，如果这样的话，就不会糊里糊涂了。 [04′23″]

因为我们终究会明了自心，每一天从每一件事上明了。这件事出现的时候：[啊，我又开始抱怨了！]抱怨到一半突然想起来了：[我是不是又在抱怨了？]自己问一下自己。如果意识到自己又抱怨了，那能不能有力气停下来，还是已经像洪水一般停不下来了？那么过后可以知道那是抱怨吗？可以去跟听自己抱怨的人表示一下歉意吗？从这样的角度来切入学习《广论》课后的锻炼的话，这会是我们自心之旅的一个非常惊讶的发现。一旦我们把注意力集中到内心的时候，其实我们也没有那么多时间去滑手机呀，去看着各种各样重复性很高的事情，因为新闻每天是看不完的，全世界这样、那样的事情也是看不完的，但是实际上我们心里的事情也是看不完的。 [05′20″]

如果能把注意力集中在内心去观察，就是心里的扰动或者不扰动，我们都去观察扰动的时候什么样、不扰动的时候什么样。就像在海边捡贝壳，一个浪冲上来，有的时候就冲上了一些好看的贝壳，但是如果带着沙子的话，那个水和沙子一起出现，你是看不到水里边有漂亮的贝壳的。一定等那个浪退去，水慢慢平静之后，你会发现：欸！这个清清的海水里边有漂亮的贝壳。所以每一个生命的浪冲过来的时候，我们到底是只能看到泥沙，还是能够收获宝物？像大海可以出生很多宝物一样，修行可以得到非常精美的经验和喜悦呢？ [06′06″]

不管我们遭遇的是什么事情，我们是否能在正在遭遇的这件事上像找到宝一样？这个心里一定要用观察力，让自己翻滚情绪的那个浪平静。怎么让它平静呢？深呼吸是一种办法。还有当你注意到：[我在生气、我在悲哀、我在非理作意！]当有一个正知力现起的时候，其实朝向负面的那个东西它就会有一定的遏制力，关键是要觉察，觉察到自己生命的一个方向，也就是思想的方向到底是怎样的。所以师父说有两条路，就是苦、乐嘛，一个走向解脱，一个如果不回头，就是走向无尽的轮回。 [06′50″]

所以还是很感恩师父啊，在第二轮的《广论》里，把如此好像很难琢磨的一个道理，用这么直白的语言讲给我们听。而且把真理嵌在一个这样怵目惊心的例子里面告诉我们，说真正体会到的时候它的心态是那样的；没有体会到的人，芝麻绿豆的事就抱怨个不停。这两者的差别，我们心里自然有一个天秤去秤量一下。 [07′20″]