Lecture No. 0196
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0196
Tape: -
Date: 2020-02-13 ~ 2020-02-16
Topic: Contemplation of Mindfulness of Death provides us the driving force to learn the pure and encompassing teaching
Many gurus in the past have mentioned this: once we have attained the high-status, especially the one with the human life of leisure and opportunity, we must maintain the consecutive high status life after life. That is, having human life of leisure and opportunity just in this life is not good enough! We still need to improve the state of our lives and make it better than the previous one; hopefully our lives can become much better than the preceding one. Only by striving hard in such a manner, we can then completely be free from the sufferings in samsara, attain liberation, and then eventually attain the omniscient state of Buddhahood. Hence, if we are unable to attain high status life after life, then what is the point or how much difference does it make to have a human life of leisure and opportunity in this life? So, the last two lines of the stanza [quoted in teaching #195] specifically emphasized this point, “If now I fail to turn it to my profit, how could such a chance be mine again?” Though having the human form, we are not able to make the best use of various favorable conditions to create a better rebirth for the next life; how is it possible for us to obtain another human life of leisure and opportunity in the future rebirth? What is said in Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds? It says, “How could such a chance be mine again?” It means we are not going to have it, right? At least here it means that the chance of having a human life of leisure and opportunity is slim. Take heed! Pay attention to how Bodhisattva Santideva phrased this sentence! If we can’t attain the high status with favorable conditions, the chance to have another human form in the next life is slim; then how could such a human life of leisure and opportunity be mine again in the future rebirth? [01:31]
Therefore, while looking at ourselves in the mirror or thinking about ourselves, we need to contemplate this, “Although I have obtained this human form, am able to study Buddha Dharma in this life, and have encountered virtuous teachers as well as the pure and encompassing teaching from Lama Tsong-kha-pa with so many virtuous companions around me, can this human form that I have now remain so for a very long time in this world? Or, is there a way that death will spare me once and for all?” Thus, we must contemplate on mindfulness of death. [02:07]
No one living in this world would want to think about death, because the thought of it would make us feel depressed, sad, and scared. So, why does Lamrim tell us about mindfulness of death? It is true that we would feel frightened and painful when being reminded to contemplate on death; however, at the same time, it would propel us, provide us with the driving force to find out how to get rid of this pain. [02:37]
When pondering on how to rid ourselves of the suffering of birth and death, we would naturally reflect on, “Who can help me remove the suffering of birth and death?” Considering all the means we could possibly have, like our interpersonal relationships, gourmet food, clothing, houses, cars, and even our physical appearance, we would realize that none of these can help us remove the suffering of birth and death. Then, what else out there is our reliance? We can rely on studying the sublime teaching. That is, only by following Buddha’s sublime teaching in our meditation practice can we counteract the suffering of birth and death. [03:17]
Many of us are unwilling to think about death when we are alive; majority of us are not mindful of death and impermanence, right? However, if we ponder on this issue seriously, it is obvious that we will face death one of these days; that is, we will definitely die! However, what we cannot predict ahead of time is how and when we will die. For example, quite often a very healthy person can suddenly be gone. So, there is no certainty who will depart from this world first, the elderly ones, the middle aged ones, or the younger ones. [03:56]
At the moment of dying, other than the sublime teaching we have already learned, is there anything or anyone around us that can really help us? We can think about this, “When death is imminent, what can help us the most?” Of course friends and relatives can help take care of our physical form. However, as for our mental continuum, what can we bring along with us to the next life? It has to be the sublime teaching, right? Hence, this is why we need to study the sublime teaching. On the other hand, if we are not mindful of death or we skip contemplating death in the morning, then what we are focused on is nothing but the pursuit of enjoyment in this life. It follows that whatever we are doing can’t be considered to be in accordance with the sublime teaching, right? [04:42]
Therefore, only through the training of being mindful of death can we then realize that there is always an end to this human life of leisure and opportunity that we have now. It doesn’t mean that after death, everything just stops right there and we will all turn into dust or even dissolve into nothingness. Quite the contrary, our mental continuum will move on. When it continues to flow forward moment by moment, our karmic force rolls along with it. Meanwhile, when the karmic force ripens, our greatest fear is that we carry along with us the negative karma; and our greatest joy is that we carry along with us the virtuous karma to the next rebirth. Why? Because virtuous karma will result in happiness! Thus, the only reliance we have is to study the sublime teaching and uphold the precepts. With that we are motivated and reminded to be vigilant of our three karmic doors so that moment by moment we are encouraged to engage in virtuous deeds! Isn’t this correct? The Dharma category on mindfulness of death is like an icy cold beverage which after taking one sip, we would sense its icy coldness, but it will clear up our mind and enable us to discern what to adopt and what to cast aside. At least we will face every single day in our lives more mindfully, knowing what to adopt and what to cast aside instead of being caught up in bewilderment. Furthermore, we will clearly and accurately prioritize the tasks that will bring about the most favorable conditions for our future rebirths. [06:06]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0196】
讲次 0196
标题 思惟念死，产生修学正法的动力
音档 -
日期 2020-02-13 ~ 2020-02-16
广论段落 -
手抄页/行 -
手抄段落 -
过去很多上师有提到：获得了增上生，尤其是获得暇满人身之后，我们必须要能够生生增上。就是这一生得到了这个暇满人身，不够的！还要一生比一生增上，希望一生比一生更进步。由于这样的方式，让我们能够彻底地脱离轮回的痛苦，获得解脱，乃至究竟地成办一切智智的圆满佛果。所以，如果我们没有办法生生增上，纵使在今生能够得到这样的暇满人身，但实际上到底能具有多大的意义呢？因此，在偈颂的最后两句话有特别地强调：“倘若今生利未办，后世怎得此圆满？”如果在获得人身的同时，种种的利益无法去成办的话，而在将来想要再一次获得暇满人身，《入行论》的原话是什么？ “后世怎得此圆满？”得不到的意思，对不对？至少说这是不太可能的一件事。注意喔！注意！寂天菩萨讲这句话的重量啊！如果没有办法增上、没有得到利益的话，想要再一次获得这样的人身是不太可能的事，后世怎得此暇满？ [01:31]
所以在照镜子的时候、在想自己的时候，我们要想到：今生我虽然获得了能够修学佛法的人身，遇到了善知识，遇到了宗大师清净圆满的教法，还有这么多的善友在周围，但我所获得的人身，有没有办法长久地安住在世间呢？或者说有没有办法不死呢？一定要去思惟念死的这个内涵。 [02:07]
人活在世上都不愿意去想死亡，想死亡我们会闷闷不乐，感到悲哀、恐惧。那么为什么在《广论》里还要念死呢？因为当我们念死之后，没错，会产生痛苦、产生怖畏，但是同时我们也会有一种力量产生──就是我如何摆脱这种痛苦呢？它会有一种推动的能力。 [02:37]
想到如何摆脱这种生死痛苦的时候，我们自然就会想：谁能帮我摆脱生死的痛苦？眼前的这些，靠人际关系、靠美食、靠衣服、靠房子、靠车，甚至靠自己的容貌，都不能让我们摆脱生死的痛苦。唯有什么？修学正法，跟着佛陀修学正法，才能够对治生死痛苦。 [03:17]
在活着的时候很多人不愿意去想死亡，绝大部分没有念死无常，对不对？但实际上如果认真地去想一想，我们都知道有一天一定会死的！那么在什么样的情况下、在什么样的时间点，这是我们没办法预测的，像有的时候身体非常健康的一个人，很快地他就不见了。所以年龄大的、年龄中等的和年龄小的，谁先走也是不一定的。 [03:56]
我们在死的当下，除了所学的正法以外，周遭的一切到底对我们会不会有很大的帮助呢？我们就想一想：到死的时候什么能帮助我们？亲友当然可以帮我们在之前照顾身体，但是我们心念的部分，什么东西能够带往来世？一定是正法，对不对？所以进一步要修学正法。相反地，如果没有办法念死，这一天早晨我们不念死，所追求的一切都是以今生的安乐为主的话，我们的所作所为都没有办法称之为修行正法吧？ [04:42]
所以必须透过念死，让我们知道此生得到了这个暇满人身，实际上它是有一个尽头。死之后，不是一切都停止了，我们化为微尘──甚至成为没有；我们的心续还会继续向前。心续继续刹那刹那向前流动的时候有滚动的业力，在这个业力刹那刹那成熟的时候，我们最怕的是带恶业到后世，最高兴的是带善业到后世，因为会快乐啊！那么能够鞭策我们的内心、警醒我们的三业时时刻刻要造善业的，就是唯有修学正法、持戒！对不对？所以虽然念死法门像凛冽的饮料一样，喝了之后会觉得很冰，但是会头脑清醒，会让我们能够明辨取舍，至少对这一天的生活、这一天的人生，我应该舍什么、取什么，不会陷入深度迷乱，甚至会极度清晰和准确地选出对来生有益的那件事要最先完成。 [06:06]