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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0142

Tape: 3A 12:59 ~ 16:49

Date: 2019/08/08 ~ 08/11

Outline: Foundation

Topic: Prologue – Veneration at the beginning of commentary

English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34 

Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P72-L7 ~ P73-LL1 (2016 NanPuTuo Version Vol 1 P72-L6 ~ P73-LL1)

Again Master said, “Thus, the length of time is absolutely crucial to us.” Pay attention! “Time”. Are you listening? Are you distracted? Listening till this point, would you again feel that you have already listened to this before? However, what are your thoughts after hearing them? The key point is whether your mind has been transformed. Has your mind been transformed through the path of reasoning imparted by Master? Have you noticed the word “time”? If you have noticed it, let’s see what Master said next, “they both….” Take notice! They both “achieved Buddhahood, yet the key point is….”; what is the key point? He said, “if we have the opportunity, the capability, and we are willing to make a choice;” these three aspects sum up the opportunity to make a choice. [00′51″]

Why? You have learned about the Lotus Sutra and the Array of Stalks Sutra, and also received instructions from excellent teacher(s), the opportunity is here! Having opportunity, do you possess the capability? Those with capability can be further sub-categorized, of which: having no intention to do it despite being capable, right? Thus, if one possesses the capability and also the motivation to make a discernment; judging by these prerequisites, Master said, “then we would definitely take the speedy path instead of the slower one.” Take heed! This is a state of being concordant with what we have listened from the teaching. As we once again listen to the stories from the Lotus Sutra and the Array of Stalks Sutra, will we take on the profile of a practitioner who has the opportunity, capability, and motivation to discern? [01′33″]

Master said if we are, then we will definitely set out for the speedy path; it will be impossible to drag our feet! You can make an introspection: Despite being very familiar with this story, are we however able to arrive at the same conclusion as what Master pointed out for this paragraph? Because ultimately, we have to reach this conclusion. If we do not have a conclusion like this, we might have not understood this paragraph, and need to earnestly revise and practice the method to listen to the teaching, and listen again from the start. [02′04″]

Now observe ourselves with reference to this paragraph; we can ask ourselves: Do I have the opportunity to listen about the attaining of Buddhahood and also the opportunity to learn of the two types of paths, the speedy path and the slower one? Right now we are already listening to it! Some have even listened for over 20 years. Then, is there capability to discern? That is, to differentiate the length of time; long and short, wandering in miserable realms for a long span of time, are we able to establish an understanding of the cause and effect for our cyclical existence in the miserable realms? And then from the causes of suffering with effects of suffering, and the causes of happiness with effect of happiness that originate from our mindstream, are we capable of making a sensible decision through such an examination? The biggest question is: Are we motivated to make such discernment? [02′47″]

When we want to buy a house, a piece of land, or any item, we all want to find the best bargain, spending very little and obtaining the best and the most satisfactory item. Then, when we devote all of our body and mind towards achieving Buddhahood, we would also want to find a path that will not require too much exertion, especially the one that will prevent us from being submerged in the miserable realms for long periods of time, experiencing suffering that is unendurable even just for one second. For that, we must make a decision to discern! Master said: “if we have the opportunity, the capability, and we are willing to make a choice, then we would definitely take the speedy path”. Master had taught the same concept in the past too. [03′30″]

If the person I am in this moment, have yet to find motivation to do this, what is the condition that I’m lacking in? Not having the opportunity to listen to this teaching? Not having the capability to make a choice? Or is it that I prefer not to? Why is that I am not keen to discern? Is it because I don’t understand Master’s explanation here: the intended meaning of the Lotus Sutra and the Array of Stalks Sutra? Or because I do not care? Or I thought I understood it when in fact I have not, and thus did not contemplate deeper? Everyone can reflect well on ourselves, identify which of the condition we are missing, or that we have already arose the perception that is convinced of the paramount importance towards this section. [04′11″]

What are the characteristics of a perception that is convinced of the paramount importance? That is, upon reading this line of text, you will keep your eyes peeled to it, listen with full concentration, because it feels like it has become the most critical part of my life in incalculable eons, that allows me to avert a huge amount of suffering. This is too important; how can I listen to it with a heedless mindset! Even if I perceive myself to have understood at the first moments of listening, does my discernment reflect an internalized depth? Have I sustained this in my mind even in dreams when I’m asleep? Will I call to mind this teaching in my next lifetime? Or even have this arise during the time of death: I must take the Mahayana path, I must take the quickest path to achieve Buddhahood, and I must develop the spirit of enlightenment! Has this left an indelible imprint in our lives such that we will remember it dearly for life after life? [04′59″]

Because I believe for such instructions, Master would have explained it numerous times! So how can we use an attitude that is concordant, to reciprocate Master’s eternal reminders and calling out to us? Whenever there is an opportunity, Master would begin to remind us, “Please do not take the long route! The long route is way too arduous, too arduous! Besides, the duration is too long!” Moreover, Master even listed three points: “have the opportunity, the capability, and we are willing to make a choice”; how could you not make a discernment? Master reminded us in an unimaginably tireless and painstaking repetition. Losing count of the number of times he had did this, repeatedly explained to us over and over again. So with regards to ourselves, can we hold these reminders in our hearts? Why? Because Master couldn’t bear to see us suffer! Whether we can hold it in our hearts and develop an uncontrived understanding, this is the most critical! [05′58″]

讲次 0142

科判 道前基础

章节 走一条最快成佛的路

标题 做一个[想去抉择]的听法者

音档 3A 12:59 ~ 16:49

日期 2019/08/08 ~ 08/11

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 P72-L7 ~ P73-LL1　( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P72-L6 ~ P73-LL1 )

手抄段落 那么说到这里......绝不可能说慢慢

师父又说：[这个时间对我们是绝端重要的一件事情。]注意！时间。有在听吗？有走神吗？听到这儿会不会又觉得听过了？但是听过了你在想什么呀？关键是你的心有改了吗？有沿着师父讲的这个理路改吗？有注意到[时间]吗？如果注意到了的话，师父接着说：[这个里边两者，]注意！ [同样成佛，而真正决定的关键]是什么？说：[如果我们有机会、有能力，以及自己想去抉择的话，]这三个部分，有机会抉择。 [00′51″]

为什么？听到了《法华》和《华严》，也听到了善知识引导的教授，有机会了！有机会的时候，有能力否？有能力了。有能力还分几种，他有能力但是他不想做，对不对？所以有能力又是自己想去抉择的话，看这条件喔，说：[是决定会找那个快速的，绝不可能说慢慢来的。]注意！这是一个听闻相应的状态。我们再一次地听闻到了《法华》、《华严》的这个公案，我们是否是有机会的、有能力的，以及自己想去抉择的那个听法者呢？ [01′33″]

师父说如果是的话，那我们决定会去找那个快速的，绝不可能说慢慢地来！自己可以对照内心一下，虽然这个公案已经听得非常熟了，但是是否得出师父在此处所指出的那个结论？因为终究是要得出这个结论。如果没有得出这个结论，这一段可能没听懂，需要非常非常认真地做听闻轨理，重新地听闻。 [02′04″]

那么拿这一段话观察内心，我们可以自己问一问：我有机会听闻到成佛这件事，而且有机会听到快和慢两条路吗？现在就听到了嘛！有的已经听到二十多年了。那么有能力去抉择吗？就是时间长短啊、长时间都在恶趣里流转，能不能对我们在恶趣里流转这件事成立前后因果，然后从我们相续里的苦因和苦果、乐因和乐果这样的成熟去抉择？最大的问题是：自己想去抉择吗？ [02′47″]

像我们平常买个房子、买个地、买个东西，都会想找物美价廉，花很少的钱得到最好的、最满意的一件物品。那么当我们用全部的身心想要去成佛的时候，我们也想要找一条不要那么费力气的路，尤其是不要在恶趣那么长时间，受那种一秒钟都不能忍受的痛苦，那么一定要去抉择的！师父说：如果有机会、有能力，以及自己想去抉择的话，是绝对会找那个最快的。师父在以前也讲过这样的道理。 [03′30″]

如果现在的我还没有想去抉择的话，那我是差哪一个条件呢？是没有机会听？是没有能力抉择？还是我不想去抉择？不想去抉择到底是因为什么呢？是因为没有听懂师父在这里边讲的《法华》和《华严》的意趣吗？还是因为我不在意？还是因为我没听懂我以为我听懂了，我没有再深思？大家可以好好地观照一下自己，看自己是缺哪个条件，或者我们已经对这一段生起了绝端重要的这样一个看法。 [04′11″]

绝端重要的看法是什么样呢？当你看到这一行文字，你就会不眨眼地盯着、全神贯注地听着，因为觉得这是无量劫来我生命最关键的部分，可以让我少受那么那么多的痛苦，这太关键了，我岂能马马虎虎地听闻！就算我一听闻的当下觉得懂了，可是我抉择的，有深入骨髓吗？我有做梦都不忘这件事吗？我有在来生也会想起来吗？甚至在死有到来的时候，我也会现起来：我一定要走大乘，一定要走一个最快成佛的路，一定要发菩提心！有没有在我们的生命中留下难以磨灭的印象，甚至生生世世都铭记着它？ [04′59″]

因为我相信师父这样教导我们，应该也是讲很多了吧！所以如何用一个相应的心，来回报师父这千古的叮咛、千古的呼唤？每遇到一个地方师父就开始讲了，说：[千万不要走那远路啊！远路太苦了、太苦了！而且时间太长了！]而且师父还列了三点说：[有机会、有能力，你想去抉择的话]，你怎能不抉择呀！已经是不知道怎样的苦口婆心了！不知道讲了多少遍，这样重复地讲。那么对我们来说，是否能把这样的叮咛放在心上？因为什么？怕我们受苦啊！能不能放在心上然后产生定解？这是最关键的！ [05′58″]