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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0213

Tape: 3B: 22:59 ~ 24:23

Date: 2020-04-156 ~ 2020-03-29

Topic: Purify our mind stream, resonate with the good qualities of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas’ countless emanations

[00:00]

Next, let’s listen again to the example given by Master. [3B 22:59 ~ 24:23]

Here, I would illustrate this point by giving another example. Legend has it that there were [three] famous people: Han-shan, Shi-de, and Zen master Feng-gan in the history of Chinese Buddhism. They are the manifestations of Amitabha Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. However, what were the appearances of Venerable Han-shan and Venerable Shi-de? Well, one appeared as a ragged monk, and the other was a poor emaciated beggar who seemingly knew nothing at all. Why did they manifest themselves in this way? Their appearances were meant to reflect the prevalence of Zen teachings at that time. What was the essential attribute of Zen practice? The essence was to realize the true nature of reality, namely emptiness. The quintessence of Zen practice is that one’s mind is untainted, not even by a speck of dust. Thus, these Zen masters manifested themselves in this way. What were they like? They were so poor that they couldn’t even find a place as small as the tip of the awl to stand on! Normally, we describe the beggars as people who are so poor that they can’t even afford a spot as small as an awl to rest on. That was how they manifested. The reason they appeared like that was to align with the capacities of their contemporary practitioners, and this is what we have to understand. Therefore, in order for Buddha’s teachings to promulgate and thrive, other than the qualifications of the teacher, the students should have commensurate capacities to learn Buddha Dharma. [01:32]

In this paragraph, Master was explaining “the purity of mind of the disciple,” meaning if we practitioners do not have such merits and prerequisites, in actual fact, the virtuous teachers would not be able to impart many teachings. Up to here, based on our own understanding, we would think it is more apt to be telling a story about a very qualified disciple at this point, for example, how Master Drom-don-ba went to invite Master Atisha. However, more than 30 years ago, Master explained this from the perspective of a teacher. For instance, Master referred to an example from the period when the propagation of Zen practice was at a prime, Amitabha Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, manifested themselves - Master described (them) as (a) monk, so poor that (they) couldn’t even find a place as small as the tip of the awl to stand on, such manifestations of the virtuous teachers. Why is that so? Because at that time, practitioners were learning about emptiness; the practice was to detach themselves from all worldly conditions to the extent that their minds were not tainted by even a speck of dust – hence, the manifestation of this profile: an extremely poor person who couldn’t even find a place as small as the tip of the awl to stand on. What was the reason for such manifestations? It was to align with the dispositions of the practitioners at that point of time. [02:36]

Every time when I read stories like this, I tremble a little; not sure how do all of you perceive this? Because quite often, we readily view other people as ordinary beings, such cognitive tendencies are very common; like there is nothing very great about others. However, what if we encounter such manifestations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, who appear to be no different from any ordinary person, or even manifest in a manner where their education level is lower than yours? At a moment like this, it is very hard for you to visualize that he has any profound attainment. What if such a virtuous teacher appears in front of me? Let’s think about this now: when a poor monk who couldn’t even find a place as small as the tip of the awl to stand on, appears in front of me; will we be able to have respect and veneration arise in our mind? Nonetheless, why were the practitioners during then able to show veneration and have faith when the Masters manifested in this form? Everyone can contemplate on this. [03:32]

And also sometimes, some people find supernatural power more appealing; when you display a little supernatural power, they would consider that to be remarkable. However, many great masters disagree with such approach, for they regard supernatural power as “the trivial byproduct of meditation practice”. The essence of meditation practice is to form the proper perception. We should learn to uphold precepts, develop conviction in the law of cause and effect, so as to free ourselves from the suffering of the miserable realms, and then proceed to develop the wisdom of emptiness – all phenomena are lack of intrinsic nature; a perception that is not tainted by even a speck of dust, think of ways to eliminate the sufferings of cyclic existence; [the miserable realms and cyclic existence] are the two major sufferings! The ultimate goal of Buddha Dharma is to remove the sufferings of self and others, and achieve such a goal of obtaining the most perfect and faultless happiness. [04:15]

Thus it is not for us to show off how great or how remarkable we are, wanting to look outstanding in front of others; these are not the objectives! Instead, the goal is to steadfastly eliminate suffering and attain happiness. What kind of suffering to eliminate? All kinds of suffering. What kind of happiness to attain? The most encompassing and perfect happiness, not tainted by even a speck of suffering at all. It is unlike the type of happiness that we experience now, merely the suffering of change, which is actually a state of temporary alleviation from suffering that has relativity as its characteristic. If compared to the state of most unbearable suffering, the suffering of change becomes happiness in relative comparison. However, that type of happiness [Buddhahood – ultimate perfect happiness] has no relativity for comparison. If we analogize ultimate happiness as a tree, then the happiness goes from the roots to the trunk, to branches, leaves, and also its flowers and fruits, they are all happy. [04:57]

Master would frequently talk about the miraculous people whom he had met in his life. Us listening at his side would sometimes become very frightened! It is because someone who looks like an ordinary being, he/she could be the manifestation of Buddha or Bodhisattva. Hence, after studying this paragraph, I am pondering what did Master intend to remind us through such an example? Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have countless manifestations! Just like Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, his manifestation is as such “manifesting into whatever expedient form to give teaching to whoever is in need of guidance”; all manifestations arise based on the capacities of disciples like us. Hence, we should never harbour a scornful attitude when facing any arising condition; especially when we are in front of auspicious beings, we should beseech the teachings sincerely, and the minds of a disciple – which is our mental continuum, to work hard to keep it pure throughout, starting from motivation to actual session, even until conclusion. Truly rely on virtuous teachers for the sole purpose of learning the sublime teachings; we are here purely for the Dharma. Only then we are able to gradually notice bit by bit, the inconceivable and immeasurable good qualities of virtuous teachers that they have yet to manifest in front of us, and also their powers of experiential attainment. [06:23]

For example, as everyone knows, Master advocated organic farming. About 20 years ago, organic farming was not as prevalent as it is now, besides, majority of people who did organic farming often suffered great financial loss; it was a very arduous undertaking. A monastic who cared so much about the use of pesticides on farmland; he cared about the river streams, the soil, and what kind of food people were putting into their mouths. And even the insects who are crawling hastily on the ground; thinking if the soil they crawled over would cause harm to them. He cared also about the birds flying in the sky, and the fishes swimming in the water. Master applied the organic concept to benefit these sentient beings that descended to the three miserable realms, wanting to take care of them. He did not make this endeavor alone with his own aspiration. Not only that, he did not stop at making his own aspiration, he went on to lead and guide many of us to make aspiration. It wasn’t for the sake of fulfilling a personal wish to have pesticide-free foods that we do organic farming; rather, it is to cultivate compassion, not to harm any living being, and not to destroy the environment. Because once the environment is damaged, there is nowhere for humans to go; humans would have no place to live in! So we now observe that after 20 years, organic farming becomes so common, there are many people who are into organic farming. Many people who did organic farming, as they farmed day by day, gradually, they began to study Lamrim! [07:37]

Who would have ever thought that an eminent monk would manifest himself in such a manner, went on to study how to grow wholesome vegetables so that everybody could eat well, and then, because of this reason, enabling many people to have the opportunity to study the pure, sublime, and encompassing teaching of a perfect lineage: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment! And also Master started a school, many many avenues of manifestation, aren’t these all in response to the needs of our era; as well as what we disciples require, he came to guide us how to accomplish it. Thus from us as disciples, we have to uphold the purest aspiration to follow Master’s guidance and continue learning, so as not to let down the vast Dharma works that the great virtuous teacher manifested for the purpose of guiding us. [08:21]

讲次 0213

标题 净自相续，体会佛菩萨万千示现的功德

音档 3B: 22:59 ~ 24:23

日期 2020-04-156 ~ 2020-03-29

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 P91-L8 ~ P92-L1　( 2016 南普陀版：第1册 P91-L10 ~ P92-L3 )

手抄段落 这里我也可以用一个比喻……这个学者还要有这样的条件。

00:00

接下来我们再听师父讲的那个譬喻。

这里我也可以用一个比喻来说一下，所谓比喻是个故事。相传我们中国历史上两位名人：寒山、拾得，以及丰干禅师。他们三位，一个是阿弥陀佛，一个是文殊菩萨，一个是普贤菩萨。结果寒山、拾得两位大士所现的是什么？唉！一个破和尚，穷叫化一个，什么都不认识的。他为什么这样现呢？就是那个时候现出来的相是禅宗传的时候。禅宗的特质是什么？要主要的见到那个本来面目，换句话说，空性。它扫一切法的，实际理地是一尘不染。所以他自己现这个相，就是什么？穷得身无立锥之地啊！所以通常我们那个叫化子，穷得连他站的地方像一个锥子那么一点点都没有，就这样，他所现那个相。他所以现那个相，是跟那学者相应的，这我们要了解。所以如果这个地方教法盛传的时候，除了这个老师以外，这个学者还要有这样的条件。 01:32

这一段师父是在讲“学者相续净”。就是说我们学的人如果没有这样一个资粮、这样一个根机的话，实际上善知识很多法也是讲不出来的。讲到这里，按着我们的思路，好像应该讲一个很相应的弟子的故事，比如说种敦巴大师怎么样去请阿底峡尊者。但是在三十多年前，师父从老师的角度讲，比如说那时候禅宗传得比较鼎盛的时候，阿弥陀佛、文殊菩萨和普贤菩萨，示现成了──师父说一个和尚穷得没有立锥之地，这样的一个善知识的行相。为什么呢？因为那时候在学空性啊，实际理地要一尘不染，所以就现这个相──穷得没有立锥之地。现这个相是为什么？就是跟那个时候学的人相应的。 02:36

每次看到这种公案都有点胆颤心惊，不知道你们是怎么想的？因为我们常常就是会把别人当凡夫，这种心思是很普遍的，好像觉得别人没有什么了不起的。但是万一碰到这种佛菩萨示现的，就像普普通通的很多人，甚至表现出他受教育的程度还没有你高的时候，你很难想像他有什么高深的证悟。当这样的一个善知识来到我面前的时候，现在想一下：穷得没有立锥之地的这样一个出家人站在我面前的时候，我们是否能够现起那样的敬意、恭敬心啊？但是为什么那个时候这样的老师出现，那样的有情会现起敬意呢？会生起信心呢？大家可以想一想。 03:32

还有的时候，有的人比较相应神通，当你表现点神通的时候，他就觉得是很了不起的，但是很多大德是很不赞成这种说法的。因为他们认为神通是“圣末边事”，真正的是要建立正知见；大家要学会持戒、建立业果见，免去恶趣的痛苦，然后建立无自性、一尘不染的空性见，想法去解决轮回的痛苦，因为这两大苦嘛！佛法终究是建立在一个令自他解脱痛苦，达到最完美快乐的这样一个目标。 04:15

所以不是要显得自己多伟大、多了不起，要在别人面前高出一人，都不是这个目标！就是为了非常踏实的离苦得乐这样的目标。是离什么样的苦呢？所有的苦。得什么样的乐呢？最圆满、最圆满的快乐，完全没有一丝丝痛苦染杂的快乐。不像我们现在感受的快乐只是坏苦，就是一个苦的渐息灭位，它是有对比性的，跟可能最苦的状态比起来这是快乐的。但那种快乐完全是没有可比性的，如果它是一棵树的话，从树根到树干、到枝叶、花果，全部都是快乐的。 04:57

师父也会常常讲他生命里遇到的那些很神奇的人，我们在旁边听的，有的时候是很害怕的！因为貌似凡夫的一个人，他可能是佛菩萨示现的。所以学了这一段之后，我在想师父举了这样一个譬喻，在提醒我们什么呢？佛菩萨有万千的示现哪！就像观世音菩萨他所化现的也是“当以何身得度者，即现何身而为说法”，都是根据我们弟子的根机这样示现的。所以我们内心里对一切境都不要抱持着轻蔑的心，尤其是对殊胜境，要好好地虔诚求法，把我们学者的相续──就是我们的心续，从动机到加行、到结行要努力地清净。真的就是只为正法而亲近善知识，只为法来。这样我们才能慢慢地、慢慢地从善知识示现的一点点、一点点，看到他还没有示现出来的那些不可思议的、不可胜数的功德，还有那些证悟力。 06:23

比如说大家都知道师父倡导有机，在二十多年前，有机没有现在那么普遍，而且做有机的人多半血本无归，是非常艰难的一件事情。一位出家人这么关心土地的农药问题，关心河流、土壤，还有大家吃到嘴里的是什么；乃至在地上匆匆爬过的小虫，它爬过的土是不是伤害了它？还有空中的飞鸟、水里的游鱼。师父就用一个有机的概念，去饶益这些堕落在三恶道的有情，想要照顾它们。而且也不是他一个人发心照顾就可以了，还努力地带领我们这么多人一起发心；不是为了自己今天吃一个无农药的东西然后来种有机，而是为了修慈悲心、不要去伤害有情、不要去破坏环境。因为环境一破坏了之后，人也走投无路了，人也没有地方待了！所以现在看看二十年之后有机这么普遍，有很多人种有机，种著、种著就来学《广论》了！ 07:37

有谁想到一个大德、一个高僧要这样示现，去研究怎么种菜种得大家吃得很好，然后因为这个原因还让大家学到了清净圆满的《菩提道次第广论》这样完美的传承！还有师父办学校，很多很多的示现，不都是应我们现在这个时代的需要、应我们这些弟子的需求，然后他来引导我们要怎么做。所以对我们来说，我们就要用最清净的发心跟师父一直学下去，才不会辜负大善知识为了教导我们所示现出来的种种利生事业。 08:21