Lecture No. 0210
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0210
Tape: 3B 19:22 ~ 21:31
Date: 2020-04-02 ~ 2020-04-05
Topic: Rely on the teacher and lineage, and one will be able to validate the truth of emptiness
From the previous teaching [#209], it is obvious this way of (helping other people to) resolve their problems is not at a superficial level, but to solve the problem in-depth. What does it mean to solve the problem from the root of the cause, in-depth? It means the virtuous teachers must “have a thorough understanding of the tenets”; that is, they have already attained encompassing, purified, proper perception through systematic study and contemplation on the Tripitaka. Besides, they need to further substantiate scriptural knowledge by practicing it to attain the indisputable experiential knowledge. In terms of scriptural knowledge, attaining the experiential knowledge is great, but Master put “indisputable” before the experiential knowledge, because the realization of the tenets definitely requires one to follow the teachings passed from the master to disciples; that is, such realization of tenets is acknowledged indisputably by one’s excellent teacher. [00:41]
When one reported their experiential understanding to Master, he would say, “Well, this is “offering precious” (showing off),” meaning this was not some sort of actual realization; yet one felt that it was some sort of attainment. But Master might have thought it was a form of complacency. There were other times when one felt extremely dejected and distressed (in terms of practice), but Master would take it as the proper attitude that was accordant with the teaching. We should not take a bit of progress as attaining realization. However, when one constantly examine our three karmic doors through the Dharma mirror, we would surely spot a lot of flaws. Upon noticing so many flaws, we may doubt, “Can I solve them?” Sometimes, we can be frightened by what is in our mind and dare not confront ourselves. [01:25]
Suppose one day someone suddenly feels, “Is my faith in the Buddha for real or not? How strong can my faith be? How deep is my belief in the law of cause and effect? In terms of letting the excellent teacher, who I rely on, to lead me by the nose, I also need to exercise discerning wisdom, meaning that I need to take in his or her appropriate teachings and gently decline the inappropriate ones, without any disrespect….” How to make a sound judgment among these, especially when we are influenced by our latent propensity, we tend to follow our own preference and put the instructions from excellent teachers in the back of our mind. More often than not, we would take their guidance for reference only. Instead of taking excellent teachers’ instructions as our guiding light, we’d rather follow our feelings. When all different factors come into play, are we able to stay a bit cool-headed while making decisions, and contemplate: what I am thinking now and what I am about to do are in accordance with the precepts? [02:21]
Actually, precepts are laid down very clearly. A case in point is the way Master handled matters, be it major or minor. From our perspective, it seemed that Master resolved them as if they were a piece of cake, so assertively and confidently. However, every time Master would go to the prayer hall and prostrate to Buddha and Bodhisattvas very sincerely, supplicating for the blessings from Buddha and Bodhisattvas; he would pray and beseech their blessings over and over again. [02:49]
Hence, as for “indisputable,” how do we dispel our doubts? We must constantly validate our experiential learning with excellent teachers. Never assume what we understand is a real attainment, like “I think I have met my chosen deity today!” “Or, well, this seems to be a certain state of realization.” And then the next day, one would contemplate something and suddenly feels he or she seems to attain the realization of wisdom of emptiness! However, it is more likely that one hasn’t realized anything, not even the right views on the wisdom of emptiness, not to mention how far away such goal of realization is! Understandably, without studying the tenets and without relying on excellent teachers, it is possible that we don’t even know where we are on the path. It is like getting lost in the mountains; so disoriented that we would assume we had somewhat reached certain milestones, but in reality we are still circling around, getting nowhere. So, when listening to Master’s teachings, we should not take what he said lightly. [03:36]
Some practitioners would sometimes see themselves as: “I am not capable! I can’t put what I have learned into practice! Having examined my cultivation/meditation practice over the past few years, I did not seem to make much progress whatsoever.” Thus, they jump to a conclusion and put a label on themselves, as if they could see through all the virtuous deeds they have accumulated over the beginningless eons, penetrate all their virtues throughout the past eight great eons, determining that they are not able to cultivate/apply meditation practice, heading toward the direction of incapable of cultivation/applying meditation practice. In fact, all these are the self-imposed misunderstanding, the masquerade we put on. What we encounter now is nothing but a foggy zone; once we pass this foggy zone, we can continue progressing on this Bodhi path. Come to think of this: if we don’t exert with this life of leisure and opportunity, our nonvirtuous karma would not spare us, and the duration of the maturation of the nonvirtuous karma will be even longer. [04:20]
Thus, if we can often keep Master’s exhortations in mind and abide by them as to what to adopt and what to cast aside when we make choices, this will save us from taking a lot of detours! As to whether this is what we aspired for, or whether this seems to be our only choice after pondering on it over and over again, once we consulted it with excellent teachers, many a times, we would have completely different understanding. At moments like that, whether we would still grasp on our own point of view, or we can put aside our viewpoints for a moment and listen to what excellent teachers have to say, all depends on how strong our faith is, right? [04:52]
While studying under Master’s guidance, I often felt, wow, it seemed that I had thought through the issues. However, once I asked Master a question, I would find my line of argument was completely wrong! I put what I have “harvested” from cultivation “in a basket” and presented it to Master; after reviewing it, Master said, “This is not what I would call a harvest! This is nothing!” Should I still continue cherishing what I have “harvested in the basket”? Or should I just throw it away without difficulty and prepare a brand new basket to fill with what Master was giving to me? Some disciples would carry the basket to Master and come back with the same things still in the basket; obviously, they did not take in anything Master said; namely, their mind was closed like a capped bottle. Why? Everything is still at my own discretion! It is like what great masters in the past were berating about: “The root cause of the immeasurable eons’ cyclic existence is: that the ignorant one takes it as one is in charge.” We are unable to take Buddha’s teachings and Teacher’s advice as the guiding light on the path to enlightenment. Understandably, we should take the direction that the excellent teachers point out for us, instead of heading in a certain direction that we assume to be correct. [05:51]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0210】
讲次 0210
标题 依靠师承，方能验证悟境真伪
音档 3B 19:22 ~ 21:31
日期 2020-04-02 ~ 2020-04-05
广论段落 P2-L6 ~ P2-L7 胜那兰陀诸智论师……圣教盛行，
手抄页/行 第1册 P89-LL1 ~ P90-LL3 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P89-LL1 ~ P90-LL2 )
手抄段落 那么哪三样东
00:00
很显然，这里边说这个解决问题，不是那种浅浅的状态，它是一个深度解决。深度解决是什么？ “教理上要有圆满的认识”，一定是对三藏做过系统闻思、得到过圆满的清净正见。然后在教理还要进一步验证，他有实修功夫，是确定不疑的悟证境界。在教理上，有悟证境界就可以了，师父在悟证的境界前面加了“确定不疑”──他对教理领悟的这些一定是要有师承的，就是他的善知识许他这个是没有问题的悟境。 00:41
当一个人跟师父报告体会的时候，师父就说：“哎，这是献宝的。”就是说这个是没有什么实际的功夫，自己觉得好像很好，但是师父可能会觉得这是一种自我满足的状态。还有的时候，是自己觉得非常非常不好、非常痛苦，但是师父会认为这是一个如法的心态。我们不能说那一点点东西好像就是悟证，但是当一个人在拿着法镜数数观照三业的时候，一定会看到很多问题。看到很多问题难免会觉得：“这我能解决问题吗？”有的时候就会觉得非常害怕自己的心，害怕面对自己。 01:25
比如说有一天一个人突然开始觉得：“我对佛陀的信心到底是真的还是假的？我能够信多深？对业果见我能信多深？对我所依止的善知识要授其鼻肉，还要加上抉择慧──他讲如法的要听、不如法的要委婉地说，不能失去恭敬……。”在这中间的拿捏，尤其是当自己的业习气来了，全部都听自己的，善知识的教诲就放在后面，从来都只做参考；不是善知识的语教是我们的明灯，而是自己的感觉就是方向。随着很多东西混为一谈的时候，我们能否在每一个抉择的当下，令自己的心稍稍安静一下，考虑一下：我现在的所行、所想是否会符顺于律仪？ 02:21
其实律仪是非常清楚的。师父有大小的事情，其实在我们看起来，师父解决那些事情实在是信手拈来的事情。但是师父每次都要去佛堂非常认真地顶礼佛菩萨，非常虔诚地祈求佛菩萨的加持，再三地、再三地祈求佛菩萨的加持。 02:49
所以“确定不疑”，那些疑惑要怎么断除？一定要跟善知识反覆确定。不能自己想一出就是一出──自己今天觉得见到本尊了！欸，这好像是什么什么悟境。然后明天有的人就会想一点事情就突然觉得自己好像证空性了！其实可能是什么还不知道，连空性的正见也没有获得，离证悟不知道差多远呢！所以不学教理、不跟着善知识，就会真的不知道自己在什么地方。就像在山里边迷路一样，以为都到什么地方了，其实可能还在原地打转。所以在师父讲法的时候，不要轻易地就放过他讲的那几句话。 03:36
还有像有的修行人，有的时候就会给自己下一个定义说：“我不行啊！我不能修行了！总结一下这几年我也没有什么进展。”就给自己贴个标签，马上下个定义，好像把自己无量劫来的善根都看到了一样，好像看穿了自己八万大劫的善，就确定自己是不能修行了，然后就朝着不能修行的方向去打算。实际上这都是自己给自己设的误区，自己给自己设的障眼法。其实就是一段迷雾，过了迷雾之后我们依然会行进在这个菩提路上。这一生不好好地努力，其实恶业也不会饶过我们的，那些恶业成熟的时间会更长。 04:20
所以很多时候，如果我们能够想想师父的教诫，按照师父的教诫那样去抉择自己的心的话，真的会少走很多弯路！对自己所想的东西到底是不是这样的，尽管自己想了千百回觉得就这一条路，但是很多时候跟善知识谈一下，结果就不是这样的。但是那个时候到底是执着自己的见解，还是能把自己的见解拿掉、去听善知识的呢？那就看自己的信心有多强，对不对？ 04:52
所以跟师父学习的时候，常常会觉得：哇！自己好像把这个问题已经想完了，到师父那儿问了一个问题之后，发现好像全都不对！拿了一篮子收获给师父的时候，师父认为：“这不是收获！这什么都不是！” 那一篮子东西还要好好地珍惜着吗？能不能顺手把它丢掉呢？然后再准备一个新的篮子接受师父给的东西。有的人去了之后拎那些，回来之后还拎这些，因为对师父讲的东西应该是一点儿也没接受，心的瓶子是扣着的。为什么呢？一切都归自己作主吧！所以就像祖师呵责的那样：“无量劫来生死本，痴人认作本来人。” 我们没法把佛陀的言教、上师的言教当作是指路的明灯。要朝着那个方向去，而不是朝着自己所谓的某种方向。 05:51