Lecture No. 0212
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0212
Tape: 3B 21:31 ~ 22:59
Date: 2020-04-09 ~ 2020-04-12
Topic: With concordant disciples, the all-encompassing teachings and pure lineage can then be passed down
Before we begin our discussion today, everyone should still take refuge [in the Three Jewels] with Mahayana aspiration. By reciting the verse of taking refuge and Mahayana aspiration, we can turn our virtuous deed of listening to Lamrim teaching into our merits for studying the sublime teaching. [Why?] Because if we listen to the teaching with the aspiration to pursue the omniscient effect of Buddhahood after taking refuge in the Three Jewels, such a kind deed will become the Mahayana provision. Hence, we have to really, really habitually practice it diligently. Every time we listen to the teaching, engage in any virtuous deed, or even every morning after we wake up, we should maintain the Mahayana motivation to live our life each day. [00:40]
In the previous class, we have studied:
“Here the teaching that I will explain is how fortunate beings are led to buddhahood by way of the stages of the path to enlightenment that (1) contain the key points of all of the Conqueror's scriptures, (2) are the pathways forged by two great trailblazers, Nagarjuna and Asanga, (3) are the system for supreme beings progressing to the state of omniscience, and (4) fully comprise all the stages practiced by the three types of persons.” [01:02]
And we also covered,
“The scholars of glorious Nalanda are said to have explained the teaching by way of three purities—the purity of speech of the master, the purity of mind of the disciple, and the purity of the teaching that will be explained. At a later time the teaching spread to Vikramalaśila… Between these two renowned methods…” [01:23]
Now, we will continue listening to how Master elaborated the “purity of the disciple’s mind” in the original version of his Lamrim commentary. [01:35]
“There is also the “purity of the disciple’s mental stream.” To promulgate Dharma across this world requires not only teachers but also students, this should be very clear. Not only is this the case for Bodhisattvas and gurus, our Buddha was the same way. When Buddha was born, his disciples arrived [in this world] as well. For there has to be beings yearning to learn; to align with this condition, the encompassing Dharma was taught [by the Buddha]. Without this mutual alignment, even though Buddha attained perfect realization, he would not have the opportunity to share the teachings. This is the nature of Buddha! Didn’t he clearly specify: my understanding of the Dharma is as much as the great earth, yet what I have taught is only like the dust particles on the tip of a fingernail. Generally speaking, prior to Buddha’s teaching, there must be a conditional cause. Therefore, to spread the Dharma, other than the requirement of having a teacher, the condition of the student is also equally important. Just like in the above case, the scholar came to the kindergarten class with all the children; pardon, the students’ mind streams were not purified, [the scholar] can’t provide complete teachings to us.”【03:06】
In this paragraph Master said, “To promulgate Dharma across this world requires not only teachers but also students” Master continued saying that Not only is this the case for Bodhisattvas and gurus, our Buddha was the same way. When Buddha was born, his disciples arrived [in this world] as well. For there has to be beings yearning to learn; to align with this condition, the encompassing Dharma was taught [by the Buddha]. [03:35]
Whenever I read this paragraph, I still am very touched and would thank the thousands and thousands of disciples who follow Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and great masters of the lineage to study Buddhism. Had they not followed Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to study Dharma, we would not have this opportunity to hear such teaching now. Many commentaries that we see today are available because so and so‘s primary disciples or certain eminent disciples had implored their gurus to give teachings. And at their request, the gurus began to compose treatises. Understandably, these disciples are very important. [04:15]
Master continued, “Without this mutual alignment, even though Buddha attained perfect realization, he would not have the opportunity to share the teachings. This is the nature of Buddha!” Master exemplified this statement with Buddha’s analogy that the Dharma Buddha realized is as much as the great earth, yet what Buddha taught is as little as the amount of the dust particles on the tip of a fingernail. [04:34]
I also noticed this point while studying under Master’s guidance. Master chanted the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra every day. In fact, Master really, really like to learn the wisdom of emptiness or discussing the wisdom of emptiness with others. However, because we are beginners in the study of ”The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment”, so Master displayed that he did not impart Vipassana to us. In fact, he was very, very pleased every time he talked about the wisdom of emptiness. [05:02]
Back then – say 30 or 20 years ago, if Master had explained Vipassana to us, we would have been completely clueless as to what he was talking about. Now, after we have studied the Five Great Treatises, we know about the 4 schools of Buddhism philosophic tenets and many different philosophical views. Then based on such knowledge, we are able to take a stepwise approach toward what to refute, how to establish our own principles, and the sequential steps to meditating on the wisdom of emptiness. We come to realize that without the preceding stages of the path, like having unwavering faith in the law of cause and effect, how is it possible for us to listen to the teaching on the wisdom of emptiness? If we know nothing about the concept of how to rely on virtuous teachers, it is impossible for us to listen to virtuous teacher’s guidance on the wisdom of emptiness, nor can we get close to Mahayana practitioners. [05:48]
Thinking of this, we should be really grateful to the first group of lay practitioners who came to listen to Master’s teaching. Had they not followed Master to listen to his teaching in the very beginning, it is unlikely that we would have the sangha community that we have now, nor would there be any opportunity for you and me to learn this very sublime teaching. Hence, we should really bow to those monastics and lay practitioners who followed Master to learn Lamrim right from the start. [06:20]
While I was learning by Master’s side, I also noticed how spontaneous Master was able to reveal the essence of the three capacity in any given matter; he could even eloquently and smoothly elaborate on any topic and elevate us further to the next level. But why is that Master would sometimes focus merely on a certain aspect? Because if he explained the teaching more deeply, most of us would be lost. Sometimes, we lack the aspiration for more of the teachings. For instance, when we, the disciples, make a request to visit the virtuous teacher, we all have a question or a topic that we want to ask. Sometimes, the topic Master was discussing was completely different from what we had expected! At a moment like that, could we dump clean our cups and earnestly take in the blessings given by Master? As a matter of fact, we often care more about what we want; hence, the requirement of “the purity of mind of the disciple” is not easy to meet. [07:07]
What does it mean by “the purity of mind of the disciple”? Why was that the great scholars of the glorious Nalanda Monastery would put a high premium on the purity of the disciple’s mind, regarding it as a very essential requirement? This is the way the lineage works. Actually, if we examine ourselves closely as to what we aspire for each day, we might probably realize why it is so. This is also a type of requirement for the disciples. This part will be further elaborated in great detail later in Lamrim. [07:37]
I am really grateful to those who studied the teaching from Buddha and prominent virtuous teachers. Without their strenuous efforts in learning, how could we hear such encompassing teaching? At that time, these disciples must have presented their outstanding qualities so that such perfect teaching could be preserved. I bow to all excellent teachers as well as their disciples! Because of them, the teaching has been passed down till this day, passed down into our ears, passed down to you and me, passed down into our hearts! [08:08]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0212】
讲次 0212
标题 有相应的学者，圆满教法方能流传
音档 3B 21:31 ~ 22:59
日期 2020-04-09 ~ 2020-04-12
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 P90-LL2 ~ P91-L7 ( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P90-LL1 ~ P91-L9 )
手抄段落 那么还有“学者相续净”……他就没办法把圆满的教法拿给我们。
00:00
在今天的研讨开始之前，大家还是要皈依发心，用皈依发心的偈子，让我们所听闻《广论》的这个善行成为听闻正法的资粮。因为有了皈依之后，如果用一个希求于遍智佛果的发心的动机来听，它将会成为大乘的资粮。所以要非常非常习惯去串习，每一次闻法或者每一次做善行，甚至每一天起来之后，要有一个大乘的动机活过这一天。 00:40
上一节课我们学到：00:45
此中总摄一切佛语扼要，遍摄龙猛无着二大车之道轨。往趣一切种智地位胜士法范，三种士夫，一切行持所有次第无所缺少。依菩提道次第门中，导具善者趣佛地理，是谓此中所诠诸法。 01:02
接着，
此中传有二派释仪，胜那兰陀诸智论师，许由三种清净门中，诠释正法。谓轨范语净，学者相续净，所说法清净。后时止迦摩啰室啰，圣教盛行。 01:23
那么现在我们就可以听师父在旧版《广论》带里讲的“学者相续净”这一部分。 01:35
那么还有“学者相续净”。所有的一切法流传在世间，不仅仅说有老师就行，还要一定有学的人，这个很明白。不但是菩萨、祖师，我们佛也是一样，佛出世的时候，那个时候同时那个弟子也来。因为一定有这样想学的人，所以应这样的机，然后说这样圆满的教法。那个时候如果没有这样相应的机的话，他虽然他自己有正确的内容，但是他不一定有机会说出来。就是佛本身就是如此！他不是说得很清楚吗？我所了解的法啊就像大地土，但是我说的法如爪上土。所以通常啊，都是有一个因缘，那个时候佛才说呀！所以，如果说一个法流传的话，除了老师这个条件以外，学者这个条件也是相当重要的。就像刚才那个故事也是一样，这个大学者跑得来，跑到幼稚园，跑到小孩子那里去，对不起！学者的相续不净，他就没办法把圆满的教法拿给我们。 03:06
在这一段，师父说：“所有的一切法流传在世间，不仅仅说有老师就行，还要一定有学的人。”说：不但是菩萨、祖师，我们佛也是一样，佛出世的时候，那个时候很多大弟子就跟着来了。一定会有想学的人，就应这样的机，说这样圆满的教法。 03:35
这一段每次看到，还是很感慨的，就会感谢那些千千万万跟着佛菩萨一起学习的佛弟子们，还有传承祖师的弟子们。因为如果没有他们跟着佛菩萨学习的话，我们现在也听不到这样的法。我们也看到很多论，都是有哪个大弟子、哪个大弟子请上师说，然后他上师就开始写那部论，所以学的人是很重要的。 04:15
师父接着说：“如果没有这样相应的机的话，他虽然他自己有正确的内容，但是他不一定有机会说出来。就是佛本身就是如此！”举了佛陀说他了解的法就像大地土一样，但是他所说的法就像爪上的土。 04:34
这一点，在跟师父学习的时候也有发现。师父天天诵《般若经》，师父实际上他自己非常非常喜欢学空性，或者跟别人讨论空性。但是因为我们刚刚开始学《菩提道次第广论》，师父就示现没有给我们讲〈毗钵舍那〉，其实师父自己一提到空性的部分是非常非常欢喜的。 05:02
那个时候，比如说三十年之前，或者二十年之前，如果把〈毗钵舍那〉讲给我们的话，我们可能不知道在说什么。像现在学了五大论之后，才知道四部宗义、分多少种见解；然后层层递进，所破是什么、自己的立宗又是什么、修行空性的次第又是什么。也可以清楚地感觉到，实际上没有前面的道次第，比如说业果见不坚固，怎么去听闻空性呢？如果连亲近善知识的轨理也不知道，那么我们也没法跟一个善知识听空性，没法亲近大乘善友。 05:48
所以想一想，第一批来跟师父听法的那些居士们，真的是很感恩他们！因为如果最初没有他们跟随在师父身边听的话，可能也就没有现在这个僧团，也没有你我现在还在学习着这么清净圆满的教法。所以真的要顶礼那些从一开始就跟随在师父身边学习《广论》的出家人、居士们。 06:20
在跟师父学习的时候，也会发现师父就在一件事上可以揭示出三士道的内涵，甚至可以再往上去讲，都是像行云流水一般。但是为什么有的时候师父就某一个点去讲了呢？因为再讲深了大家是听不懂的，还有的时候是没有什么希求心的。比如说我们学的人，当我们去见善知识的时候，都有一个自己想问的问题，都有自己想要的一个事情。有的时候师父讲的问题，就跟我们想要的完全是不一样的！那时候可不可以倒空自己的杯子，认真地去领受师父的加持呢？其实很多时候我们比较在意自己想要的是什么，所以“学者相续净”这件事也是一件不太容易的事情。 07:07
什么叫“学者相续净” ？为什么那兰陀寺的诸大智者们把学者相续净摆在传承教法这么重要的一个位置、作为这么重要的一件事？传承的规矩就是这样。我们看一看自己的所求，每天看自己最想要得到什么，大概就可以知道。这也是对于弟子们的一种要求，《广论》后面也会讲更详细的。 07:37
很感谢跟佛陀学的、跟大善知识学的那些弟子们，如果没有他们拼命地努力学的话，我们岂能听到这么圆满的教法呢？那时候一定是呈现圆满的机，所以这个圆满的教法才会流传下来。顶礼诸大善知识，还有他们的弟子们！有了他们，教法才能传到现在，传到你我的耳边，传到你我的眼前，传到你我的心中！ 08:08