Lecture No. 0200
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0200
Tape: -
Date: 2020-02-27 ~ 2020-03-01
Topic: Aspire to eliminate the suffering of life and death, wholeheartedly cultivate the three precious trainings
Every time when we look in the mirror, we are more concerned about our tidiness and physical appearance for the day. It seems that we don’t care much about what kind of physical appearance we will have in the next life. If we seek a better future rebirth, then every time when we look into the mirror, we should think: how will I look like in the next life? Let’s contemplate deeper, if the goal we set is for a rebirth in the happy realms, is this good enough for us? It is in fact not sufficient. Why? Because we are already in the happy realm now! Our current state of being is in the happy realm; on top of that, we have also obtained the human life of leisure and opportunity. At the same time, we have encountered both virtuous teachers as well as Buddha Dharma. Although in this life we are born in the happy realm, and have temporarily escaped from the sufferings of the miserable realms; we still have to face birth, aging, illness, death, and various sufferings in cyclic existence. What is even more dreadful is, if we don’t study and practice properly while we can in this life, once the negative conditions arise, we will fall to the miserable realms in next rebirth. Hence, the human life we have in this life is just transient, and there is no guarantee that we will not fall into the miserable realms in our next life. [01:20]
Hence, when we are inspired to seek a better future rebirth, we would aspire to obtain a human life in the next life, just like what we have now. We could have made aspiration in the previous life, then obtained this precious human life. However, having this precious human life does not assure us that we will not fall to the miserable realms in the next life. Neither does it guarantee that we can sever the causes for birth, aging, illness and death, not yet! Therefore, all the more we have to think of a way to remove the causes for birth, aging, illness and death. Only when all the negative causes are removed can we breathe a sigh of relief! [01:56]
Hence, if we truly want to have a better rebirth, we need to exert ourselves to advance further, correct? The present situation we are in; if we wish to fall into the miserable realms, it can happen in a split second. It is like climbing a steep cliff; it is really arduous to inch up bit by bit, but once we lose our grip, we will fall into the bottomless chasm. Likewise, if we encounter non-virtuous teachers or companions while studying Buddhism in this life, it won’t be too hard for us to descend to the miserable realms under their lead. So our current condition allows us only temporarily respite from the suffering of the miserable realms. What is this respite? A breathing space for us! To catch our breath. Just like being caught in the rapids; suddenly we hit a sandbank in the middle of the rapids, we can stand on the sandbank to catch our breath. But in reality, are we still in a perilous situation? Yes, we are still in grave danger! [Why?] Because If we are not careful, not diligent, we will fall into the miserable realms again. [03:07]
Then, we need to contemplate further: are we able to free ourselves from the fetters of karma and afflictions by studying the teachings and practicing accordingly? What is the condition of being trapped by karma and afflictions? So, what is the condition of being trapped by karma and afflictions? It is cyclic existence! So how can we free ourselves from the samsaric world, filled with the suffering of birth, aging, illness and death? That is, happiness doesn’t last long and soon disappear, while suffering goes on and on; regardless of what physical form we have obtained, it will eventually be destroyed by birth, aging, illness and death. So, what can we do to get out of the cyclic existence? Thus we have to think: what is the cause for cyclic existence. The suffering in the cyclic existence, there are causes, then we must look for the causes. Can the causes be eliminated? If they can be eliminated, how can they be eliminated? The answer is we have to put the teaching into practice! By putting the teaching into practice, we could eliminate the cause of suffering and terminate cyclic existence. Therefore, we must practice the three precious trainings: ethical discipline, meditative serenity and wisdom. [04:16]
While we are studying the three precious trainings of ethical discipline, meditative serenity and wisdom, a part of the practice is shared with the practice of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, which is known as mind transformation method of the medium capacity. By applying the mind transformation method of the medium capacity, the Theravada practitioners – regardless of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas – can achieve arhatship, severing all the sufferings associated with birth, aging, illness, and death in the cyclic existence. Take heed! Here it shows how both the Mahayana and Theravada practitioners free themselves of birth, aging, illness and death. [04:47]
Hence, we should not feel contented with the higher-status we have now; instead, we should recognize further that to obtain liberation is comparatively more practical and will bring us ultimate happiness. Therefore, we should wholeheartedly study the essence of the three precious trainings of ethical discipline, meditative serenity and wisdom with enthusiasm. Our commitment to learning the three precious trainings should be as zealous as our desire for making a fortune, or for possessing anything our hearts desire. It is only with such intensity that we can eliminate the sufferings of birth, aging, illness and death. [05:28]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0200】
讲次 0200
标题 发心灭除生死苦，全心修学戒定慧
音档 -
日期 2020-02-27 ~ 2020-03-01
广论段落 -
手抄页/行 -
手抄段落 -
每次当我们照镜子的时候，都比较关注今天有没有整洁、有没有庄严，好像并不在意来世是一张什么样的脸。如果发生希求后世之心的话，每次照镜子的时候要想一想：来生我长什么样的脸？进一步再作思惟的话，如果只是投生在善趣，这样是不是就足够了呢？其实还是不足够。为什么？因为现在我们就在善趣呀！我们现今的状况就是在善趣，而且获得了暇满的人身，在获得了人身的同时，能够值遇到善知识还有佛陀的教法。虽然这一生我们投生在善趣，能够暂时地脱离了恶趣的痛苦，但现今我们还是要面对轮回当中的生、老、病、死种种的痛苦。还有更可怕的，如果今生没有好好修学的话，遇到恶缘，来生我们还必须要堕入恶趣。所以现今暂时获得的人身，没有办法保证来生不堕落恶趣。 [01:20]
所以当我们发生希求后世之心之后，我们想希求来世得一个人身，还是就像现在一样，我们前世可能就发心了，然后得到这样一个人身宝，但这个人身宝并不能保证我们后世不堕落恶趣，而且也不能得到这个宝的同时就断除了生老病死，还没有啊！所以要更想办法去达到一个把生老病死都去除的状态，把那种所有的不安全都去掉的状态，我们才会觉得如释重负啊！ [01:56]
所以我们想要提升，必须费尽所有的心力才有办法提升，对吧？我们现在的状况。但是如果想要堕落的话，只要一瞬间就能够堕落了。就像爬绝壁，向上爬一点点都很困难，但是你只要一松手，就可以跌入万丈深渊了。所以在今生修学佛法的同时，如果我们遇到的是恶知识或恶友，在他们的带领下想要堕落实在并不是太困难的一件事情。所以我们目前的现状，只是让我们暂时地跳脱了恶趣的痛苦，得到些许的什么呀？喘息空间啊！就是喘口气。像在一股急流之中，你突然到了一个急流中的沙地，站在那沙子上喘口气。但实际上我们目前的现状危不危险啊？还是很危险的！因为不小心、不努力，就会再次地堕落。 [03:07]
那么进一步我们还得去探索：是否能够透过修学佛法的内涵，让我们脱离业以及烦恼束缚的这种状态呢？那业以及烦恼束缚的状态是什么？就是轮回呀！那么到底什么样的方式能够让我们摆脱生老病死充满的轮回世界呢？就是快乐也不能快乐多久就消失了，痛苦是那么地长，不管得到什么样的殊胜的所依身，最终都会被生老病死所摧毁。什么方式才能够脱离轮回？就必须要去思考：轮回是由什么因成办的？这轮回的苦是有因的，然后去找到那个因。那么这个因可不可以灭除？如果这个因可以灭除的话，用什么方式灭除？修道啊！用修道灭除这个苦因，轮回就灭除了，所以一定要修学戒定慧三学。 [04:16]
那么当我们开始修行戒定慧三学的时候，有一个部分是与声闻、缘觉共通的，这也是我们所谓的中士道的调心方式。透过中士道的调心方式，能够让小乘的行者──不管是声闻或者缘觉──获得阿罗汉的果位，断除轮回当中的生老病死种种痛苦。注意！在这里边就出现了大、小乘怎么样地去摆脱生老病死。 [04:47]
所以我们不应该以现前获得增上生的果位为满足，我们应该更进一步地了解到：获得解脱对我而言才是比较踏实的、究竟的快乐，所以我们必须要全心全意地以全部的热情来修学戒定慧三学的内涵。我们发起修学戒定慧三学的内涵，就要像你发狂想要赚钱，你发狂想要拥有什么东西那样的一个热情，因为它们才能断除生老病死这些痛苦。 [05:28]