Lecture No. 0195
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0195
Date: 2020-02-10 ~ 2020-02-12
Topic: Spurring on the [Proper] Motivation of Listening [to the Dharma], and Reap the Benefits of Human Life of Lesiure and Opportunity
Greetings to all! It is time for us to study and discuss Lamrim again. Before each discussion, [I] hope we all can adjust/shape our motivation properly, because many of my excellent teachers emphasize [the importance of] making aspiration and dedication. If we don’t have a proper aspiration/motivation guiding us prior to whatever karmic deed we engage in, for instance if we listen [to the teaching] for the sake of seeking happiness in this life, then it is not necessarily in accordance with pure and sublime Dharma. Therefore, we have to adjust our motivation everytime. [00:38]
I often adjust my own motivation prior to having a Lamrim discussion session, so I invite you all to do the same as well. Not sure if you are tired of [being reminded time and time again]? However, sometimes I would ponder: given such a short timeframe for you all to follow me in adjusting [our own aspiration/motivation] accordingly, could it truly help to stimulate and uplift your Mahayana aspiration? Even if it is [just] an approximation [to the Mahayana aspiration]. Therefore, there are times I thought about lengthening the duration of adjusting motivation, but [at other times I have to] cut it short in order to keep up with the Lamrim study schedule [I have planned]. Today, since we have finished the study and discussion of the Prologue and are about to begin discussing the Lamrim main text, I hope we can earnestly adjust and shape our motivation as to why we come to listen and study Lamrim. [01:26]
An excellent teacher has taught on [how to properly] adjust the motivation prior to listening to the Dharma, and it always touches me deeply every time I read it. Thus, I’m sharing it here with you all as part of the study. It is in the Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds, Chapter 1, “The Excellence of Bodhicitta”, the fourth stanza which reads,
“So hard to find the ease and wealth
Whereby the aims of beings may be gained.
If now I fail to turn it to my profit,
How could such a chance be mine again?”
It says that we are fortunate enough to obtain the eight types of leisure and the ten opportunities in this life, and such human form is very rare to obtain. Not only is such human form of leisure and opportunity hard to come by, but this human form also can help us to accomplish many significantly meaningful achievements. [02:10]
The 2nd sentence of the stanza says, “Whereby the aims of beings may be gained”. The word “aims” primarily refers to the benefits that can be obtained by beings. The so-called “beings,” from a broader perspective, refer to all sentient beings or pudgala. In Sanskrit, the term “beings” means any entity endowed with capabilities and functionalities; they are known as “beings”. For instance, sentient beings or pudgala, upon facing external conditions either physically or mentally/spiritually, all have various feelings; namely, they are capable of being responsive to external arising conditions, thus we name all pudgala as “beings”. This is the broader definition of “beings”. [02:49]
However, regarding the benefits gained by the “beings” as mentioned in the Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds, the “beings” here do not refer to those whose major concern is [to seek] for happiness in the present life. In other words, the beings specially reference from Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds are different from the average ordinary beings in the sense that the former beings must have long-term vision, and the goal they pursue must be aimed for the benefits in future rebirths; namely, they are called “beings” here is because their motivations are to primarily seek a better future rebirth. [03:15]
[Understandably,] if whatever we are doing now is for the sole purpose of pursuing happiness in this life, whatever virtuous deeds are centred on the enjoyment in this life, actually such virtuous karmic deeds can’t be counted as sublime Dharma. Moreover, if we wish to raise our virtuous karmic deeds to the level of sublime Dharma, then this is the time for us to develop long range vision; that is, instead of focusing on the pursuit of enjoyment in this life, we should primarily focus on aspiring for a better future rebirth. Centering on the benefits in future rebirth, for example, we could start by self-examining in the morning: Are the meals I have [for a day] to merely satiate my current hunger or, are they means to help me attain a better future rebirth? [Whatever we do,] whether it pertains to clothing, food, shelter, transportation, and even listening to [and studying of] the sublime teaching, will the thought of aspiring for a better future rebirth flash across our mind after all? Are we focused more on the happiness in this life or on a better future rebirth? By applying daily analysis to examine ourselves, the answer should become very clear! [04:29]
If the aspiration is premised on a better future rebirth, then what does a better future rebirth encompass? To put it simply, it encompasses two parts, ”temporary” and “the ultimate”. What does “temporary” refer to? It means that we are born in the human or deity realms in the cyclic existence – the effect stage of human or deity! This is the “environmental effects” on rebirth of high-status in the human and deity realms. Without obtaining human and deity / high-status rebirth, it will be very difficult or nearly impossible for us to study Buddha Dharma. On the other hand, if we have attained this effect stage of human or deity realms, we can further our practice to achieve the ultimate benefits, namely Sublime Wisdom, Bodhisattva’s Wisdom of Proper Discrimination on All Phenomena, and the Sublime Wisdom of Omniscience *. [05:04]
[* 1. Sublime Wisdom or All-Knowledge refers to the wisdom attained by Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas;
2. Bodhisattva’s Wisdom of Proper Discrimination on All Phenomena or Knowledge of paths means the wisdom attained by Bodhisattvas;
3. Sublime Wisdom of Omniscience or Knowledge of all aspects refers to the wisdom attained by Buddhas.]
Now that we have obtained this physical human form of leisure and opportunity, the greatest benefit is that we can accumulate various benefits to achieve provisional high-status and attain the ultimate certain goodness. So, can we take advantage of the human form we have now to accomplish all sorts of benefits in this life? The most extraordinary [benefits] is of course to achieve Buddhahood while we are in human form. Without achieving Buddhahood [in this life], the second best is to aspire [that we are] able to attain personal liberation [from samsara]. If personal liberation cannot be obtained, we should hope not to be reborn to the miserable realms or in the realms where we lack the leisure or opportunity [to study the Buddha Dharma]. This is the kind of benefits we can achieve relying on this present human form of leisure and opportunity. [05:52]
I’d really like to know, what are you all thinking about right now? For instance, every day before leaving the house, we will look into the mirror, [thus] seeing ourselves in the mirror. Looking [at the reflection] in the mirror, we check how we look in the outfit or if our face is washed clean. Nonetheless, we do see the reflection of a person, thinking, “That person is me.” Upon seeing a being in the shape of human form in the mirror, would we recall and think of the benefits of having the human form of leisure and opportunity? While we see ourselves in the mirror, do we only look for the prettiness/ugliness, and the tidiness of our clothing? Would we notice that this is a human form of leisure and opportunity [which we are endowed with]? Although we may not be fully endowed with the ten opportunities, we surely have the leisure and opportunity to study and listen to the Dharma teaching; we still have faith and many other favorable conditions. Thus, would we much cherish the human form, which we have worked very hard at upholding the precepts and doing meditation practice [in the past or previous lives]? Because, if we only focus on the physical appearance, aren’t we wasting the incredible, great benefits/advantages this leisure and opportunity can offer us? Great masters [of the past and present], Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, have been tirelessly teaching us in the sutras and scriptures that, with this human form of leisure and opportunity, we are able to achieve consecutive high-status and eventually reach the ultimate certain goodness. At the very least, we will not fall to the miserable realms in our next rebirth. This is the greatest benefit of the small scope [capacity] or the shared small scope the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment can offer us. [07:23]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0195】
讲次 0195
标题 策动听闻动机，获取暇身大利
日期 2020-02-10 ~ 2020-02-12
大家好！又到了我们研讨《广论》的时间了。在每次研讨之前，希望我们能够好好地调整自己的动机，因为我很多的善知识都非常非常强调发心及回向。如果我们所造作的业没有一个正确的发心引导，比如说如果是以希求此世安乐的心来听闻的话，未必是一个清净的正法。所以我们动机每次都要调整。 [00:38]
我常常在研讨《广论》之前自己调整一下，也请大家调整一下，不知道你们会不会听烦了？但是有的时候我想：就这样很短的时间，大家跟着我调整一下，是否能够真实地策动起趣向于大乘的发心呢？哪怕是相似的，所以我有的时候想把调整动机的时间拉长。但是要追进度，所以就会变短。今天因为〈皈敬颂〉讲完了，开始要进入《广论》的正文的部分，所以希望我们能够认真地策动我们来听闻、学习《广论》的动机。 [01:26]
有一位大善知识开示听法前的动机，我每次看了都很感动，所以在这里跟大家一起学习一下。在《入行论‧第一品菩提心利益品》中，第四偈提到：“暇满人身极难得，既得能办人身利，倘若今生利未办，后世怎得此圆满？”说在今生我们有机会能够获得八种闲暇以及十种圆满的人身，这样的人身是相当难得的；不仅难得，而且它这个暇满人身能够成办我们很多有意义的事情。 [02:10]
在偈颂的第二句话：“既得能办人身利”当中的“利”，最主要的是指士夫的利益。所谓“士夫”，以广义的方式来说的话，就是一切的补特伽罗都能够称为“士夫”。在梵文当中，“士夫”这个词所代表的意思是具有能力、有作用，称之为“士夫”。比方说补特伽罗，他们不管身体或是心灵，在面对外境的同时，都会有种种的感受，他是有某种反应的能力，所以我们称一切的补特伽罗为“士夫”，这是广义的士夫意思。 [02:49]
但是在《入行论》中特别提到的士夫的利益，这当中的士夫，并不是以今生的安乐为主的士夫，也就是他跟一般的是不同的。这当中的士夫他的眼光必须要放得长远，他所希求的一定是来生的利益，所以他的出发点也是以希求后世安乐为主的，这样才称为“士夫”。 [03:15]
如果我们现在做一切事情，所缘的都是为今生的安乐打算的话，贪着此生的乐而行善，其实所造作的善业不能够成为真正的正法。更进一步，如果我们想要将所造的善业提升为正法，这时候我们的眼光真的要放得长远，就是不要以今生的安乐为希愿，要以后世的安乐为我们的希愿，就是以来生为主。以来世为主的话，比如从早晨开始我们就可以观察：我吃饭的时候只不过是为了解决现在的饥饿罢了，我是为希求来世的安乐而用餐的吗？乃至衣、食、住、行所做的一切，甚至是闻法，到底希求后世安乐这个念头会不会在我们的心里边现行呢？我们到底是著重在此世的安乐，还是后世的安乐呢？每天观察自己就一定会见分晓的，非常清楚！ [04:29]
如果是以希求后世安乐为前提的话，那后世的安乐包括什么呢？简单就说“现前”以及“究竟”两个部分。现前是什么？我们在轮回之中获得人天道──人天的果位啊！就是指人天的增上生果。如果没有人天的增上生果，我们想修学佛法是很困难、不太可能的事情。但是在获得了人天增上生的果位之后，更进一步我们要成办的究竟利益，也就是解脱、一切智，以及一切遍智。 [05:04]
我们现在所获得的这个暇满人身，它最大的利益是能够成办现前增上生，以及究竟决定胜种种利益。所以我们现在所获得的人身，是否在今生当中能够成办种种利益？最殊胜的，当然就希望得到人身的时候成就佛果；退而求其次的话，没有成办佛果，也希望能够希求一己的解脱；如果没有办法获得一己的解脱，也希望来生能够不堕恶趣，或者不堕在非闲暇处。这是我们现在凭借这个暇满人身可以拿到的利益。 [05:52]
我很想知道现在大家在想什么？比如说每天出门的时候都要照镜子，照镜子的时候就照到自己。我们照镜子的时候，是看看自己的衣服或者脸有没有洗干净，但是我们就会照到一个人啊！说：“那个人就是我自己。”在照镜子看到一个人身、一个人的形状的时候，会不会忆念到暇满人身的利益呢？当我们照镜子看自己的时候，是只看美丑、衣装整不整洁，还是会看到这是一个暇身啊？虽然十圆满未必都具足，但是一定还是有闲暇听闻佛法，还是有信、有很多条件的。所以会不会对我们经过了持戒和很多修行得到的人身，内心里很珍惜呢？因为如果我只看形貌的话，是不是就辜负了这个暇满它能带给我们的巨大的利益、难以想像的利益？祖师、佛菩萨在教典里都谆谆教诲我们，是可以透过这个暇满人身拿到增上生乃至决定胜的。最下的来世不堕落恶趣，就是《菩提道次第广论》会给我们的下士夫的利益，或者是共下士道的利益。 [07:23]