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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0137

Tape: New Version 02 30:46 ~ 34:28

Date: 2019/07/22 ~ 07/24

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of the commentary

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34 

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P46-LL6 ~ P48-L8

Regarding the verse, “they tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship, unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures,” let’s see how Master explained it in the newer version of Lamrim commentary; it’s short, not very long. [00′11″]

[Newer version 02 30:46 ~ 34:28, these 2 paragraphs were referred in teaching #132 as well]

Normally speaking, practitioners should start with studying extensively; unfortunately, “those who have studied much are not skilled in the key points of practice.” Having studied much, these practitioners are not skilled in putting what they have learned into practice. To begin with, they are supposed to study many scriptures and thus acquire some understanding of the teaching; based on their understanding of the teaching, they should make an effort to put it into practice. However, we don’t have to wait until we have studied all of the teachings to commence the practice. As I explained in the beginning, we can put whatever we have learned into practice during the course of studying [Buddha Dharma]. One may say, “I don’t know much now; how can I start my practice accordingly?” Although we are not well versed in the concepts in the scriptures, aren’t there many people around us, such as our parents, siblings, teachers, and friends? They would more or less tell us [what we should do and what we should not do]. Living in such a social milieu, we should try our best to accept virtuous concepts and gradually purify the nonvirtuous ones; this is what we can do. It is especially true that now we are studying Lamrim; this concept is greatly emphasized in the latter part of the text. If we can follow the instructions accordingly, then gradual improvement will become possible; otherwise, we will always stagnate at the mistaken stage. [01′29″]

 What is the mistaken stage, the prologue continues, “They tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship, unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures.” With regard to what Buddha tried to tell us, at first, we don’t even know; even if we know some after studying the scriptures, we view it through the eyes of partisanship – we interpret the teaching quite narrowly. Actually what Buddha wanted to teach us is rather profound and vast; it is either we don’t get it at all or we have a bit of understanding but stagnate at our limited-stage; that is why we don’t have the entire picture of [how to study Buddha Dharma]. [02′06″]

As everyone may notice, what Master explained in the newer version of Lamrim commentary was still regarding the angle from which we perceive the problems, right? “What Buddha wanted to teach us is rather profound and vast”; however, we are either unable to get/learn it at all, or even though we did learn a bit, we stagnate at our limited-stage and are overly attached to our perceptions, isn’t it? [Master] said in his first version of Lamrim commentary that [we should] listen more, understand more, continue with more listening and that we should not grasp on our perceptions too much. Have you noticed that [Master] reiterated nearly the same key point [in both versions of his Lamrim commentary]? The emphasis is the same. Let’s continue to listen. [02′36″]

The verse said, “the eyes of partisanship”; it is impossible to see things clearly with only one eye. You can give it a try. We used to run an experiment before; it was sort of a game. It went like this: close one eye, and then try to use your index finger of one hand to touch a fingertip of the other hand. You would find it difficult to have both fingers touched at the tip in this way; you should give it a try. Have you noticed it? When you shut one eye, it is hard to have your fingertips touched precisely, right? [03′07″]

Please don’t come up later and say: “Ah! I got them touched.” No need to force it; it is meant for your understanding… Think about it, with both of your eyes open, you are capable of touching your fingertips accurately; however, when you shut one eye, it may take you more effort to make it successful. This experiment is very simple! Although we have control over our hands, with one eye shut, it is not easy for us to touch fingertips precisely, not to mention learning something as profound and vast as Buddha teaching; could we understand it easily? Therefore, the verse said, “the eyes of partisanship”, which means we easily pass judgments based on our erroneous perceptions, and this is detrimental to us! That is to say, our present capability is so disappointing; in terms of our intuition, it does not work well; what about our discerning ability? We are “unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures”. In terms of our mind, we are unable to control the five faculties when facing the arising conditions; as for the sixth consciousness, it requires conceptual understanding. We simply don’t understand any of the true meaning of such profound teaching at all. That is because we have not put proper effort into studying the teaching. [04′22″]

Well! In this section, Master said “the eyes of partisanship” i.e. aren’t we having both of our eyes opened, right? Unable to see the whole picture of a problem, nor can we see it clearly. Master said, “This is detrimental to us;” what did Master mean? That is, “we easily pass judgments based on our erroneous perceptions”. In this immediate example of shutting one eye and keep the other eye opened, even though [we] exert ourselves, [we] can hardly have both fingertips* touched precisely, not to mention the profundity and extensiveness of Buddha Dharma, are we able to understand it in no time? Then, why would we pass judgments based on our erroneous perceptions? Why are that erroneous perceptions being turned into a gauge by which we appraise the arising conditions? We think the gauge we have obtained is [right and use it as] a standard, but we haven’t verified this “standard” from various sources, nor did we discuss or debate it with others from multiple angles/aspects. Therefore, we [simply] consider our perceptions to be the standard. However, once we get on to the stage of debating forum, most likely our perceptions will be challenged by other debaters from various perspectives; discussing with multiple parties, we probably could become less conceited, assuming we have the final say, right? [In such a way,] we could leave room for more learning and hold space for more observation/analysis. [05′33″]

[*This experiment is to have one’s arm wide open, close one eye, and try to touch the tips of both index fingers from far to near…]

Concerning this point, Master hoped that we can recognize our ignorance, either from the story of “the blind men touching an elephant”, or the verse “the eyes of partisanship.” With one eye closed, we can’t see clearly and can’t see the entire picture. What should we do if we can’t see the entire picture? We should be more observant and engage in more debates or discussions because we “tend to view the scriptures through the eyes of partisanship, unable to use reason to discriminate the meaning of the scriptures”; to eliminate both flaws, we need to exert great effort to study the scriptures. [06′01″] 

As Buddha ever mentioned, “Monks and the learned should properly analyze my teaching, forging, sawing, and polishing it as a goldsmith works on a piece of precious metal; never take it merely out of respect for me.” Thus, when it comes to understanding the meaning of the scriptures, we should discern with valid cognition. Maitreya Bodhisattva also said, “Those who contemplate properly on Buddha Dharma with discernment would not encounter a demonic obstruction.” A practitioner who analyzes [Dharma] with proper discernment would not be obstructed by demons. [A similar idea] can also be found in the Commentary on the Middle Way, “Ordinary beings are bonded by discrimination; once erroneous discrimination is removed, liberation will take place. The wise consider by removing erroneous discrimination, the effect of proper analysis will arise.” How can we ordinary beings achieve liberation, after all? [We] can achieve that through proper analysis. All adepts and ordinary beings share the same concept: [Those] not abiding by proper reasoning but merely chasing after literal meanings, they are known as the “practitioners rely on faith*.”, and they are considered to be practitioners with dull faculties. Those who abide by proper perception to discern are praised by the wise as the “practitioners rely on valid cognition*”. Thus, if any viewpoint holds that it is not important for those seeking liberation to follow the mode of discerning with proper perception and rationality, wise practitioners should shut both ears to such demonic statement. Upon hearing such words, [the wise ones] should [immediately] shut their ears because it is erroneous, and [one] should not listen to it! [One] must understand the teaching through debating with extensive topics, analyzing from various angles, and studying earnestly, because this is the advice from our lineage masters! [07′34″]

 [*“Practitioners rely on faith“ refers to those who develop faith prior to have in depth understanding. 

*“Practitioners rely on valid cognition” refers to those who acquire an understanding of Dharma through dialectic reasoning.]

讲次 0137

科判 道前基础

章节 善巧辩论，趣入教典广大海

标题 智者说灭诸分别，即是观察所得果

音档 新版 02 30:46 ~ 34:28

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-LL6 ~ P48-L8

手抄段落 那么正规地来说......在这个理论上面下过功夫。

关于[观视佛语多片眼，复乏理辩教义力]，大家还可以听一下新版的《广论》师父是怎样讲的，很短，不长。 [00′11″]

那么正规地来说，刚开始应该广学多闻，不幸的是[广闻是不善于修要]，学了很多道理呢，修行不善巧。本来是应该懂得了很多道理，然后呢，照着道理去努力地行持。这个努力行持也并不是等到我念完了再哦，刚开始时已经讲过，当我们在学的过程当中，随分随力。那也许说：[我现在还没有懂，怎么叫随分随力？]虽然书本上、理论上不太了解，可是周围是不是每个人都有——从家庭当中的父母，到兄长、到师友，那他们多多少少会告诉我们。我们应该随分随力地在这个圈子里当中，接受好的这种概念，尽量地把那个坏的渐渐地净化，这是我们做得到的。特别是学《朗忍》这样的一个教授，后面非常强调这个特点。那我们能够做到了，就渐次能够改善增上，如果做不到，我们始终会停滞在那错误的阶段。 [01′29″]

那个错误的阶段，下面就说：[观视佛语多片眼，复乏理辩教义力。]我们对于佛告诉我们的话，先我们根本不知道﹔就是知道了，学到了以后——多片眼，我们从一个角度去看。实际上佛要告诉我们的是一个无限地广的一个面，或者是我们根本没学到，或者学到了我们会停滞在我们自己这个阶段，所以对这件事情看不清楚。 [02′06″]

大家可以看到在新版《广论》上，师父还是说我们看问题的角度，对不对？佛要告诉我们的是一个无限宽广的一个面，可是我们根本学不到，或者学到了之后会停滞在我们这个阶段，还是过分地在意自己的认识，对不对？没有像第一遍说的，多听、多了解、多听闻，不要太执着自己的认识。差不多观点是一样的，有没有注意到？一样的。再往下听一下。 [02′36″]

他现在讲的[片眼]，这个一个眼睛，一个眼睛看东西看不清楚的。你们可以试试看，我们以前做过一个游戏，这个游戏是这样：把一个眼睛闭起来，然后呢，你拿两个手指头，就上下的手指头兜，那自己那个手指头兜不上啊，你们去试试看。你们有没有发现哪？你闭上一个眼睛，两个手指头兜兜，兜不上。是吧？ [03′07″]

不要等一下有人又是这样：[啊！我兜上了。]不必，那个都是自己的......。你仔细，就像你张开眼睛，一定兜得起来，可是一个眼睛闭起来的话，你要花很大的劲可能兜得上。眼前这么简单喔！手还是我自己控制的，闭上一个眼睛都兜不上了，你现在佛这么深远的东西，我们就懂了吗？所以他说这个[片眼]这道理，是我们最容易的拿我们自己的错误的概念去衡量，这是我们的致命伤！也就是说，我们现在具足的能力是这么地差，直觉的，不行﹔然后理智呢，[复乏理辩教义力]。我们脑筋当中说，是五根所对固然不行，六根那是要理论上面认识，对于这个教真正的深刻的意义，我们也一样地不懂，因为没有好好地在这个理论上面下过功夫。 [04′22″]

好！这一段，师父说[片眼]，不是眼睛都睁开了，对吧？看问题是看不到全貌、看不清楚的。所以这里面师父说[我们的致命伤]是什么？就是[最容易的拿我们自己的错误的概念去衡量]。眼前的这一个例子——闭上一只眼睛、睁开一只眼睛，然后很大的力气都对不起来，何况佛法这么深远的，我们能一下子就懂了吗？那我们为什么会拿自己的错误概念去衡量呢？为什么那样的错误的概念，却成了一个丈量事情的标准呢？我们认为我们获得了标准，这样的标准也没有去多方地求教、多方地探讨和辩论，所以以为自己的就是标准。但是一旦上辩论场，被多方的角度问难一下、讨论一下，可能就会减少这种自我感觉良好、自己认为的就是最后的答案的状态，对不对？我们会保留学习的空间、保留观察的空间。 [05′33″]

 师父在这一点，还是希望我们能够认识到我们的无明，[盲人摸象]或者[片眼]——把一个眼睛遮起来，都是看不清楚、看不到全貌的。那么看不到全貌怎么办呢？就是要多观察、多辩论，因为[观视佛语多片眼，复乏理辩教义力]，这两点都是要我们下功夫学教典。 [06′01″]

世尊也曾经这样说过：[比丘与智者，应善观我语，如炼截磨金，信受非由敬。]所以提到对于经义——经典上的意思，必须要以量来观择。至尊慈氏也这样说过：[以理思择善妙法的思惟者，恒常不遭魔障碍。]以正理去思择，这样的一个思惟者不会被魔障所障碍。 《入中论》中也说：[异生皆被分别缚，能灭分别即解脱，智者说灭诸分别，即是观察所得果。]我们凡夫到底怎样能够获得解脱呢？就是从观察得到的结果。说一切圣众、补特伽罗都共称：不依据正理，仅追随着言辞者，就是钝根的[随信心行者]；以正理思择取舍处，才被智者誉为[随法行者]。因此如果有一种说法：以正理去思择、以正理去推理的模式，对志求解脱者而言不重要的话，这样的魔语，具智慧者应当紧闭双耳。听到这样的话应该把耳朵闭起来，因为这是错误的、不可以听的！一定要去广泛地辩论、多方地观察、好好地学习，因为这是先辈祖师对我们的一个叮嘱吧！ [07′34″]