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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0143

Tape: 3A 16:49 ~ 17:42

Date: 2019/08/12 ~ 08/14

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of commentary 

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P74-L1 ~ P74-L5 (2016 NanPuTuo Version Vol 1 P74-L1 ~ P74-L6)

Well! Let’s listen to another paragraph now.

[3A 16:49 ~ 17:42]

Now, the question is, between these two, why is that one is the speedy path, while the other is rather a slower one? Well, the answer lies in whether you have attained the encompassing instructions and exhortations or not! If you have, you will attain the state of Buddhahood in just one lifetime! Otherwise, I regret to say that you will take an astronomically lengthy detour, circling around. The key focus is there, but how can you obtain the encompassing teachings? That is, sublime instructions are required. Well, when Lama Tsong-kha-pa realized the embedded meaning and examined the situation at that time, he said, “Therefore, having seen that … I was inspired to explain this path of the great trailblazers.” Well! With that, we then recognize this all-encompassing Mahayana path is what we should take. [01′01″]

When we have the opportunity, the capability, and the aspiration to make the choice, now the question is: between the two, Master asked, “why is that one is the speedy path, while the other is a rather slower one?” Well! The answer lies in “whether you have attained the encompassing instructions and exhortations or not!” Everyone can ruminate over this statement: without attaining the encompassing instructions and exhortations, what is the consequence? The consequence is whether we will take a speedy path or a rather slower one. It will also determine how much suffering we have to endure: one is less, whereas the other one is much more suffering. Suppose we are discussing whether to engage in a business deal; we would definitely decline a deal if the end result is not that promising after enduring lots of hardship. Or when we are deciding to take which route to a city, we would definitely avoid picking the tortuous one; besides, most likely there might have many unfavorable encounters. Why? Not only do we all want to alleviate suffering and attain happiness, but also wish to accomplish it as quickly as possible. To achieve that, it is surprising that the key point is whether we have attained the encompassing instructions and exhortations! If we have, what happens? We can attain the state of Buddhahood in just one lifetime! Otherwise, Master said, “I regret to say that you will take an astronomically lengthy detour, circling around.” This detour means circling around in the miserable realms! The duration would be immeasurable eons, and the suffering is so unbearable that one can hardly stand it even for one second; having to bear the suffering for a very long time. [02′34″]

What did Master say after that? He said that in order to obtain this encompassing teaching, one must attain the sublime instructions. Then he continued, “Well, when Lama Tsong-kha-pa realized this embedded meaning…” what did Master Tsong-kha-pa realize? He realized that there is a speedy path to Buddhahood as well as a detoured one. Master Tsong-Kha-pa also noticed the predicaments, or the flaws, or the fallacies and the poignancy the practitioners faced at that time. Master Tsong-kha-pa realized such embedded meaning, so he said, “Therefore, having seen that … I was inspired to explain this path of the great trailblazers.”  Master explained the intention of Master Tsong-kha-pa in a benevolent tone, then he said, “With that, we then recognize this all-encompassing Mahayana path is what we should take.” So the verse “I was inspired to explain this path of the great trailblazers” appeared unexpectedly after the lengthy explanation [of previous verses in the Prologue]! [03′45″]

I wonder what is your feeling over this part? Although I have read it many times, I still shed tears, feeling overwhelmingly grateful. If Master Tsong-kha-pa had not explained to us on the trailblazers, what are we supposed to do? Besides, even though Master Tsong-kha-pa did impart it over six hundred years ago; if Master had not gone through countless hardships to obtain and impart this teaching for us, what should we do? Moreover, at the very beginning, no one was willing to listen to the teaching. In the initial stage of establishing the Lamrim class, Master kept on his effort of imparting the teaching again and again despite the fact that he was the very last one left at the end; he continued giving teachings, one after another, but everyone left except Master – he was the only one remaining in the class. [04′29″]

We all can think about it. A layperson I met before, told me that there were about 30 people in his Lamrim class in the beginning; but after 6 months into the class, there was no one left. He was very very sad and decided never to be a monitor again. If you were that monitor, would you still persist on after all the students, who were encouraged by every possible means to attend the class, stopped coming to the class? Encountering such wonderful and sublime teaching, Master held it so dearly and wanted to share it with others; however, no one liked to hear about it in the beginning.  Master went through such difficult times and came all the way to present the teaching to us; hence, we are able to hear such profound teaching and recognize this: Wow! There is such an encompassing teaching, a speedy path and a detoured one; the key point is to obtain such sublime guidance [to make a sensible choice]. [05′26″]

Think about it: had it not been for Master’s determined willpower to continue bestowing the teaching, how was it possible for our inner faith in Dharma, like flowers blossoming? If virtuous teachers, with great compassion, have been patiently waiting for us, guiding us, then what should we uphold to repay their kindness? We should treasure such hard-to-obtain teaching at heart. First, we must listen earnestly to the Dharma; never should we listen perfunctorily. Nor should we feel apathetic simply because we have heard the teaching several times, and thus neglect the instructions on how to listen [to the teaching] properly. We definitely should not take what the monastics had taught or Master’s teaching lightly. All these flaws should be refuted and rectified accordingly. [Instead, we should think it this way:] after hearing it over and over again, I would then develop a commensurate sense of being touched and the ascertained understanding of the teaching; this should be the right attitude to have! [06′30″]

讲次 0143

科判 道前基础

章节 走一条最快成佛的路

标题 有无圆满教授，决定成佛快慢

音档 3A 16:49 ~ 17:42

日期 2019/08/12 ~ 08/14

广论段落 P2-L1 故离智者欢喜道……故我心意遍勇喜

手抄页/行 第1册 P74-L1 ~ P74-L5　( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P74-L1 ~ P74-L6 )

手抄段落 那么现在这个问题说......大乘的圆

好！我们现在再听一段。

现在这个问题说，那两者当中，为什么一个这么快，是一个这么慢呢？哪！就是这样——你有没有得到圆满的教授、教诫！你得到了，就是一生取办！否则的话，对不起，你就是转这么大圈子。那么这个关键是没错，哪来得到那个圆满的教呢？要有殊胜教授。哦，所以啊大师看见了这个内涵，又鉴于眼前这个状态，所以他说：我见已啊，来解释此大车道。哦！那个告诉我们，这个才是走这一条大乘的圆满的道路。 [01′01″]

当我们有机会、有能力，而且自己想去抉择，那么现在这个问题：两者当中为什么一个这么快，一个这么慢呢？喔！原来是[你有没有得到圆满的教授、教诫！]大家可以把这句话在脑海里再回放一下：有没有得到圆满的教授、教诫，会决定什么呢？决定快或者慢。决定快和慢会决定什么呢？就决定我们少受很多苦，还有一个是多受很多苦。如果平常讨论问题说，做这个生意，受了很多苦可能结局还不怎么好，我们一定不去做的；或者我们选一条路去哪个城市，说那条路非常地辛苦，而且可能中间还会遇到很多不吉祥的事情，那我们一定不会走，因为我们都想离苦得乐，而且还想快速地离苦得乐。所以这里边最重要的问题居然是有没有得到圆满的教授、教诫！得到了什么样呢？一生取办！得不到的话，师父说了：[对不起，你就是转这么大圈子。]我们是在恶道中转的喔！是无量无边阿僧祇劫，而且受的痛苦是一秒钟都受不了的痛苦，要受那么长的时间。 [02′34″]

接着师父讲出了什么呀？说要得到圆满的这个教法，一定要殊胜的教授。然后师父就说：[哦，所以啊大师看见了这个内涵。]看到了什么内涵啊？快速成佛的路啊！还有那条远路。然后又看到了现在修行者现存的这些困境，或者说弊端，或者说错谬、苦楚。宗大师看到了这个内涵，所以他说：[我见已啊，来解释此大车道。]师父用如此亲切的语气为我们诉说大师的心意，然后说：[那个告诉我们，这个才是走这一条大乘的圆满的道路。]所以[见已释此大车道]的那个偈子，居然在这么长的讲述之后突然出现！ [03′45″]

不知道读到此处大家什么感受？虽然我也读好多遍了，但是还是感激涕零。如果没有大师解释这个大车道，我怎么办呢？就算大师在六百多年前就讲了，如果师父不是费尽千辛万苦得到这个教授来为我们讲，我怎么办呢？而且刚开始讲的时候还没人愿意听，刚开始组建班的时候，讲、讲、讲就剩师父一个人了，讲、讲、讲就是师父一个人了。 [04′29″]

我们可以自己想一想。我以前遇到一个居士，他说他广论班里有三十个人，开到半年的时候全跑光，一个都没有。他非常非常伤心，就再也都不当班长了。如果一次又一次悉心、非常努力找来的人，然后你给他讲，都跑光了，还能够坚持讲吗？师父遇到了这么美的教授，他心里这么珍爱，然后想把它告诉这些同学，可是开始是没人喜欢听的。师父就是穿越了那样的困境，一直走到我们面前，所以我们才能够听闻到这样的教授，才能够认识到：喔！有圆满的这样一个教授，有近路、有远路，最关键的问题就是要获得这个殊胜的引导。 [05′26″]

想一想：如果没有师父这样矢志不移地坚持，我们岂能等到内心信心的善法的花开放？如果善知识用如此的慈悲心来等待我们、来引导我们，那我们应该用什么样的心去回报他们呢？就是把他们千辛万苦求来的这个教授，好好地珍惜在心上。首先要认真地听，不能对听法马虎，不能因为听闻好几遍了之后就心生麻木，就不重视听闻轨理，甚至对说法师、对师父给我们讲的也不珍惜了，这都是在内心里要破斥的、要对治的。一遍又一遍地听了，才能够如量地生起那样的感动和那样的定解，这才是对的！ [06′30″]