Lecture No. 0153
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0153
Tape: 3A 20:40 ~ 24:01
Date: 2019-09-16 ~ 2019-09-18
Outline: Foundation
Topic: Prologue – the Goal of writing the commentary (Lamrim)
English Lamrim Volume 1, page 34
Vol. 1 of Master’s discourse handbook P75-L8 ~ P76-LL2 (2016 NanPuTuo Version Vol 1 P75L11 ~ P76LL1)
How do we create the karma of repudiating Dharma? We created it casually! Does it take us as much effort to commit it as moving a weighty boulder? Not at all! Just casually we repudiated the Dharma, it is very, very easy to commit. And Master followed by saying, “if we unmindfully refute and denigrate it, we unknowingly create karmic obstacles;” look at these words that Master used; the effect is very shocking! Unmindfully we refute and denigrate Dharma; unknowingly we commit a grave transgression of denigrating Dharma. Master could clearly recognize what is manifesting in our mind!! [00′41″]
Then, exactly how appalling is the karma of denigrating Dharma? Maybe the newer classmates are not fully aware of that, but those who have studied longer should all know; as soon as they learn about the karmic obstacle of denigrating Dharma, their faces would change! Master said: as for the five heinous crimes we committed and ten non-virtuous deeds we did, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, based on the sutras, have ways to help us repent the sins; however, as for denigrating Dharma, very sorry, it is very difficult! [01′02″]
Hence, Master reminded us again that we have chanted Buddha’s name conscientiously because we want to be reborn in the Pure Land. However, because we have not received the encompassing teaching, we don’t know that the other methods are also obtained by Buddha at the expense of his physical forms (頭目腦髓) for countless eons. The teaching is also accumulated for the sake of helping all other sentient beings to remove suffering and attain happiness and is incomparably precious. We don’t know the preciousness of this value, and thus very ignorantly, ignorantly denigrate it, creating tremendous obstacles. Master again said, “ we unmindfully repudiate the approaches of others, we have created tremendous karmic obstacles.” [01′42″]
I am also contemplating this question: does repudiating others mean that we are denigrating Dharma? When we repudiate others, do we also disdain the Dharma that they are upholding? Master said denigrating Dharma is such a grave karma, “Not only will we not be able to go [to the Pure Land], we also have accumulated a lot of transgressions!” In the commentary of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Tape 3A, Master has undauntedly brought up the topic of “denigrating Dharma”. [02′14″]
Many of us do not really understand this problem of denigrating Dharma, nor do we even realize how serious denigrating Dharma was back then. So when Master brought up the topic of denigrating Dharma, many people looked into the sutras, wondering, “Is denigrating Dharma that serious?” In the Ten Wheel Sutra of Ksitigarbha, the consequences of denigrating Dharma are vastly enumerated. Also, we will gradually learn from the later chapters in Lamrim that this is extremely huge, can cause us to fall [into miserable realms], a gateway to creation of non-virtuous karma through our three karmic doors – body, speech, and mind. Thus, at the very beginning, Master told us - this is not a place to go! Under no circumstances can we casually and heedlessly refute the Dharma approaches other practitioners undertake! Otherwise, it would be very difficult for us to repent and purify. [03′04″]
This discovery is very unique! For those practitioners who are niche in their approach, because of the lack of extensive understanding towards other Dharma approaches, there is also naturally a lack of extensive tolerance. For instance, as everyone knows that there are eighty-four thousand Dharma approaches; however, among the eighty-four thousand Dharma approaches, how many can we know? There are Zen, Tenet, Vinaya, Tantra, and Pure Land practices, [to name just a few]. Among these approaches, Master mentioned his past experiences and felt that: Ah! Between Mahayana and Mahayana approaches, there are always some hard-to-understand areas; but after learning Lamrim, everything was resolved, everything was understood. At this point, Master said that when we study one approach, we grasp onto one approach. Is grasping onto one approach producing arrogance? Or what is it? In any case, it is the attitude that “Others are all not good; I am the most capable!” Because of this mentality, we denigrate the Dharma! Because we have not learnt the complete lineage, we denigrate the Dharma! [03′51″]
All these are to remind us at all times that we should be respectful to the practitioners who are practising other Dharma methods. We need to remember that the Dharma approaches they are practising were also passed down from Buddha. We should never use a denigrating attitude to dismiss the others and praise ourselves. Even if the Dharma approach we practise is good, does that mean we are good? These are two different issues. If others are having faults, does that make the Dharma approach they take unsound? These are also two different issues. Master has brought up this many years ago: this karma of denigrating Dharma would definitely cause us to fall into the miserable realms, we must never never commit it! [04′26″]
In this section, Master said: “Buddha expressed explicitly that to help all sentient beings, he beseeched all kinds of approaches. All of them are expedient means to resolve the suffering of all living beings. Buddha Dharma sees no difference between the Mahayana tradition and the Theravada tradition; the key purpose of Buddha Dharma is to [provide expedient means] that fit the capacities of individual practitioners.” And Master repeated by saying Dharma is to “fit the capacities of individual practitioners;” he reiterated it. “It took Buddha incalculable eons, making sacrifices of his physical forms (捨頭目腦髓), to accumulate what he realized – Buddha Dharma.” Would you wonder, “I don’t know how each Dharma is derived! Is it truly obtained by Buddha at the expense of his physical form?” This is mentioned in many scriptures. I will now refer to the Mahayana Collections: The Ten Wheel Sutra of Ksitigarbha, chapter six. Let me read it, you can listen to it; you can read the entire sutra in the future; many other scriptures also mentioned it. [05′30″]
Men of good lineage, thus for those relying on one of the three vehicles to renounce the joy and comfort, and detest the peril and suffering in cyclic existence should abide by Buddha’s teaching, or sravaka’s teaching, or pratyekabuddha’s teaching, or respect all the Mahayana teaching; never denigrate, enshroud or conceal even one single verse. One should constantly recite and listen with veneration, and should have an unyielding aspiration to attain Buddhahood by putting the teaching into practice. One should not live with those who denigrate any of these three vehicles for even one night, and should not approach, consult, or listen to those denigrators. If anyone denigrates any of the three vehicles, or approaches the denigrators, listening to or consulting them, such cause and condition would definitely lead one to downfall to unrelenting hell and endure grave sufferings without knowing when to be released. Why? Men of good lineage, in the past while I was performing Bodhisattva deeds, diligently pursuing omniscient wisdom, or beseeching even one verse from sravaka teaching, I even sacrificed my physical forms; or when beseeching one verse from pratyekabuddha teaching, I even sacrificed my physical forms; or for the sake of beseeching one verse from the sublime Mahayana teaching, I even sacrificed my physical form. Even I had to exert such strenuous effort and overcome hardships to beseech merely one verse from the three vehicles; for the verse thus attained, I would be very joyful, receive it with respect, and practice it accordingly without obliteration at any moment. I overcame all challenges and hardships throughout countless eons and eventually attained the ultimate omniscient enlightenment. Moreover, for the sake of benefiting living beings, I imparted the teachings of the three vehicles. Hence, one should not denigrate, enshroud or conceal even a single verse. Instead, one should constantly recite and listen with respect, and have an unyielding aspiration to achieve it by applying accordingly. Men of good lineage, such sublime teachings from the three vehicles, from the past, future, and present, all Buddhas state the same, and this is supported by all majestic power, for the sake of relieving all living beings from the suffering in cyclic existence, to promulgate the teachings of the Three Jewels continuously. Thus, one should pay equal respect to the sublime teachings of these three vehicles, and not denigrate, enshroud and conceal them. If one denigrates, enshrouds, or conceals even one single verse of the teachings from these three vehicles, one would definitely suffer the downfall to unrelenting hell. [08′40″]
So Master said here: “It took Buddha incalculable eons, making sacrifices of his physical forms, to accumulate what he realized – Buddha Dharma.” What Master said here has its basis on sutras and scriptures; it was not something Master exaggerated to scare us, but rather Buddha personally said this in many scriptures. [09′01″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0153】
讲次 0153
科判 道前基础
主题 〈皈敬颂〉造论宗旨
音档 3A 20:40 ~ 24:01
日期 2019-09-16 ~ 2019-09-18
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 P75L8 ~ P76LL2 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P75L11 ~ P76LL1 )
手抄段落 我现在随便说一个例子......在这一点我只随举一例。
谤法的业是怎么造的呢？随便造的！要像搬石头一样那么沉重地造吗？不是的！轻轻易易地就否定它了，是非常非常容易造的。而且师父又在后面说：[不知不觉当中造成功这个谤法的障碍。]看这几个字，用下去是怵目惊心的喔！随便轻轻易易地否定它、毁谤它了，不知不觉当中造成这个谤法的罪障。师父把我们的现行看得太清楚了！ [00:41]
那谤法的业到底有多可怕呢？新的学员可能不太了解，老学员都知道，提到谤法的业障，脸色都会变喔！说：造了五逆十恶，佛经里面说诸佛菩萨还有办法帮我们忏悔呀；但是谤了法，对不起，就是很难喔！ [01:02]
所以师父又回过来说，我们辛辛苦苦地念佛想要往生极乐世界，可是由于没有得到圆满的教授，不知道其他的法门也是佛陀用无量劫的头目脑髓换来的，也是为他有情离苦得乐辛辛苦苦地积聚出来的，有无比珍贵的价值。我们不知道这个珍贵的价值，就非常无知地、无知地诽谤了它，产生了绝大的障碍。师父又讲一句：[你随随便便排斥别人，产生了绝大的障碍。][01:42]
这里边有个问题我也在思考：排斥别人就会谤法吗？我们排斥别人的时候，是否连带着就会对他所修行的法也持着一种轻蔑的态度？师父说谤了法的，这么大的一个恶业，[不但不能去啊，而且是累积了很多罪过！]在《菩提道次第广论》3A 的部分，师父就非常勇悍地提出了[谤法]这件事情。 [02:14]
很多人是不太了解有谤法这个问题，甚至当时也不知道谤法有多严重。所以当提出这个谤法的问题的时候，很多人就看佛经，说：[谤法会这么严重吗？]在《地藏十轮经》里边就广泛地列举了谤法会感得什么样的结果。还有在《广论》后面会慢慢地学到，这是一个极大的、会堕落的、在身语意三门造作恶业的门径。所以师父在一开始的时候就这样告诉我们：这个地方绝对不可以去！绝对不可以轻松地、随意地否定他人所修学的法门！这样的话，自己就很难忏悔干净。 [03:04]
这个发现是很独到的！一门深入的人，因为对其他的法门缺乏广泛的了解，也就自然缺乏广泛的包容。比如说大家都知道有八万四千法，那么八万四千法我们到底能知道多少法？说禅、教、律、密、净。这些法门之间，师父说他之前的经验就觉得：啊！大乘和大乘之间总是有一些很难理解的部分，但学了本论之后就全部地开窍、全部地理解了。师父在此处说：当我们修一法就着一法。着在一个法上产生是我慢吗？还是什么？总之就是[他人都不行，我最厉害！]因为这个心态谤法！因为没有学到圆满传承而谤法！ [03:51]
这些都是要提醒我们在二六时中，对于修持其他法门的修行人真的要普同恭敬。要想他修的法也是佛陀传下来的，绝对不可以用轻蔑的态度轻易地否定别人，说自己好。自己所学的这个法门好，自己就好吗？这是两个问题。那么他人有点毛病，他人所学的那个法门就有毛病吗？这也是两个问题。师父在那么多年前就提出了：一定会让我们堕落的这个谤法的业，千万、千万不能造！ [04:26]
在这一小段中，师父说：[佛说得清清楚楚，他为了帮助一切众生，所以啊求各式各样的法门。所有的法门它无非是解决一切众生的种种方便的这个法，法无大小，本身最主要的应机]，然后师父又说了一遍[应机]，重复一下。 [而每一个法都经过佛无量劫舍头目脑髓，这样积聚起来的。]大家会不会觉得：[每个法是怎么来的我也不知道呀！真的是佛舍头目脑髓换来的吗？]这个很多经典里都有讲。我现在举一个《大乘大集地藏十轮经》卷六的部分。我念一下，你们听一下就好了，以后也可以回去看整本的经，很多经典里都有讲。说：[05:30]
[善男子，是故若欲于三乘中随依一乘求出生死欣乐安乐厌危苦者，应于如来所说正法，或依声闻乘所说正法，或依独觉乘所说正法，或依大乘所说正法普深信敬，勿生谤毁障蔽隐没下至一颂，常应恭敬读诵听闻，应发坚牢正愿求证。毁谤三乘随一法者不应共住下至一宿，不应亲近咨禀听法。若诸有情随于三乘毁谤一乘，或复亲近谤三乘人咨禀听受，由此因缘皆定当堕无间地狱，受大苦恼难有出期。何以故？善男子，我于过去修菩萨行，精勤求证无上智时，或为求请依声闻乘所说正法下至一颂，乃至弃舍自身手足血肉皮骨头目髓脑，或为求请依独觉乘所说正法下至一颂，乃至弃舍自身手足血肉皮骨头目髓脑，或为求请依于大乘所说正法下至一颂，乃至舍弃自身手足血肉皮骨头目髓脑。如是勤苦，于三乘中下至求得一颂法已，深生欢喜，恭敬受持，如说修行，时无暂废。经无量劫修行一切难行苦行，乃证究竟无上智果。复为利益安乐有情，宣说开示三乘正法。以是义故，不应谤毁障蔽隐没下至一颂，常应恭敬读诵听闻，应发坚牢正愿求证。善男子，如是三乘出要正法，一切过去未来现在，过殑伽沙诸佛同说，大威神力共所护持，为欲救拔一切有情生死大苦，为欲绍隆三宝种姓令不断绝。是故于此三乘正法，应普信敬，勿生毁谤障蔽隐没，若有毁谤障蔽隐没三乘正法下至一颂，决定当堕无间地狱。][08:40]
所以师父在这里边说：[每一个法都经过佛无量劫舍头目脑髓，这样积聚起来的。]这句话是有经典依据的，不是为了吓唬我们把它夸大了说的，是在很多经典里佛亲口宣说的。 [09:01]