Lecture No. 0225
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0225
Lamrim Volume 1: P34-L26 ~ L32
Date: 2020-05-25 ~ 2020-05-27
Topic: Receiving Maitreya’s permission, he wrote, explained, established and propagated the Prajna
[00:00]
During that time, the great abbot Santaraksita was the spiritual leader of Buddhism, hence, Haribhadra relied on him as his disciple. He relied concordantly on great abbot Santaraksita in terms of thought [v.1 p.78] and practice [v.1 p.84], studied deeply and meticulously the teaching of Prajna that is passed down from the honorable Maitreya, commentaries composed by the honourable Asanga, his brother Vasubandhu and Vimuktisena. He also examined in detail, the honourable Nagarjuna’s Middle-Way teachings, which was written to explain Buddha’s esoteric intent. Thus Haribhadra received the complete verbal transmissions on the stages of the path of the Extensive path, which was passed down from Buddha to honorable Maitreya, and then to Asanga and his brother, and gradually to him. He then also learnt from the verbal transmissions on the stages of the path of the Profound path, passed down from Buddha to honorable Manjusri, then onto Nagarjuna, and his disciple Aryadeva. With regards to the tenets he listened to or any key points of each stage of the path; Haribhadra repeatedly contemplated, analyzed, and scrutinized them. And in order to know them by heart, he diligently practiced the objects of meditation concordant to these learnings. [01:02]
Everyone can contemplate on this: it would already take up a long period of time to finish learning the lineages of both the Profound and Extensive path; and then using what was learnt, the various tenets, stages and key points - please pay attention to the following words: “repeatedly contemplated, analyzed, and scrutinized them. And in order to know them by heart, he diligently practiced the objects of meditation concordant to these learnings.” After gaining unwavering conviction through analysis, one still has to repeatedly practice it. “He thereby had attained exceptional insight into the essence of Buddha Dharma – the encompassing essence of the three vehicles on the path to enlightenment.” This was how devotedly and diligently he studied! The path he took [for this mediation practice] was very clear: relying on Excellent teachers, listening to the sublime teachings, fixing his attention properly on the teachers and teachings, and then cultivating a practice that conformed to the teachings [v.1 p.193], basically it is these stages of the path. How brilliant! A great Bodhisattva who came back based on his aspirations, he too learnt and practiced the teachings according to this stringent stages of the path. This is something worth our sincere contemplation! [01:55]
After diligently and rigorously concentrating on the objects of meditation, with regards to the core of Buddha Dharma - the encompassing essence of the three vehicles on the path to enlightenment, he attained exceptional insight, and then what did he begun to impart to thousands of disciples? The teaching of Prajna! Only then could he start to teach the teachings of Prajna that is so surreal. [02:15]
This Dharma master, in order to widely propagate Dharma works, in front of his teacher, the eminent abbot Santaraksita, he implored for the teaching of honorable Maitreya to cultivate on. He must have studied so assiduously, one day he had a dream. He dreamt of a monk donned in saffron robes who looked dignified. The monk prophesized to him: “Head eastward to Khasarpana!” He was given such an instruction in the dream. Then he followed the instruction and headed for the location specified in the prophecy and fasted for three days after his arrival there. And then again, he observed his dream. At dawn, he dreamt that right above the prayer hall of Odantapuri [p. 378 #18], between layers of clouds in the sky, he saw the half-length manifestations of many deities – just their upper bodies. What were these deities doing? They were making generous offerings of valuable items in abundance. [03:15]
Master Haribhadra asked, “Why are deities making such offerings?” The deities replied, “Honorable Maitreya is giving teaching on the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines [v.1 p.79], so we are making offerings.” Haribhadra looked carefully for a long time, he then spotted honorable Maitreya, with golden countenance and a small stupa adorned at the tip of the crown; his right hand was making the Dharmachakra Mudra. Haribhadra immediately prostrated and made offerings, then he asked, “The Compassionate One, there are many contemporary annotations on your commentaries; which one should I base my practice on?” The honorable Maitreya replied, “The annotation should be able to proficiently encompass all commentaries and summarize the logical key points. You shall be the one to compose this treatise!” How intriguing, he asked Maitreya Bodhisattva which commentary he should base his practice on, honorable Maitreya’s reply was that such a commentary had not been written and Haribhadra should compose it! Hence, Haribhadra received the empowerment and the permission from honorable Maitreya. After he was awaken from that dream, he made offerings again. All of these seemed to happen in dreams. The cultivation of many great practitioners whether in dreams or awake, they were consistent, there was not much difference. [04:31]
After listening to this section, would you look forward to having such a dream when you lie on the bed every day? However, if we supplicate to honorable Maitreya and get to meet him, what would be our request? Will we first prostrate and make offerings? Or even ask, “The Compassionate One, there are many contemporary annotations on your commentaries; which one should I base my practice on?” Would we ask such questions? Higher chances are that we will ask honorable Maitreya for? Bestowment of an instantaneous achievement, not seeking after honorable Maitreya’s guidance on which commentary we should be studying. [05:07]
Because he received instructions from honorable Maitreya, Haribhadra prepared himself to compose a commentary. And then to search for a benefactor to sponsor this composition, he headed westward from Khasarpana in the east. At the time, there was an emperor named Dharmapala, whom was mentioned earlier. The name Dharmapala was the transliteration based on ancient pronunciation; in the modern pronunciation, it should be pronounced like this “Dhar-ma-ba-la”. This emperor heard that Master Haribhadra was skilled in explaining the Prajaparamita Sutra, and sent envoys to welcome Haribhadra. Ah! It seems that this emperor was yearning for this day and night with a longing heart. The way the envoys and Haribhadra met was very unusual – they bumped into one another on the way by coincidence! It should be a very joyous moment! Try to picture that scene. After they met, the emperor invited Master Haribhadra to the monastery, Trikatukavihara, where Master Haribhadra began to impart the Prajna teachings widely to thousands of monastics. [06:13]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0225】
讲次 0225
标题 获本尊开许，著述立说弘《般若》
日期 2020-05-25 ~ 2020-05-27
广论段落 P2-L7 后时止迦摩啰室啰
备注 狮子贤论师的故事
00:00
那个时候大堪布静命是佛教之主，因此狮子贤就去依止了他，在意乐和加行两方面都非常如理地依止了这位大堪布静命，又深细地研习从至尊弥勒传来的般若教授、圣无着兄弟以及圣解脱军所著的这些论着；也精细地研究了圣龙树解释佛陀密意而著作的中观诸论。所以他圆满地听受了佛世尊传给至尊弥勒，再传给无着兄弟，渐次传来的广行道次第的口诀；又学了由佛世尊传给至尊文殊，再传给圣龙树师徒，次第传来的深见道次第的口诀。对于所听闻的教义、道次第各个扼要，反覆地思考、衡量、细察；并为了使心中能够熟习，勤奋地串习其中的所缘行相。 01:02
大家可以想一下：光是学完了这个深见的传承和广行的传承，就要花很久的时间，然后再对所闻的教义、次第各个扼要──注意下面这几个字 ──“反覆地思考、衡量、细察；并为了使心中熟习，勤奋地串习其中的所缘行相”。观察得到定解之后，还要经过串习。 “由此对于佛法心要──三乘道次第圆满道体，生起了特殊的觉受。”这样的一个用功法！走的路线非常地清楚──亲近善知识、听闻正法、如理作意，然后法随法行，基本就是这样的次第。很精彩呀！乘愿再来的大菩萨，他学修的次第也是按着这个严格的次第而学修的，非常值得我们思考！ 01:55
他这样子勤奋地串习了所缘行相之后，对于佛法心要──三乘道次第圆满道体，生起了特殊的觉受，于是对数千位信众开始讲什么了？ 《般若》的教授！梦寐以求的《般若》的教授才可以讲了。 02:15
这位论师为了想要大弘佛教的事业，因此在他的上师大堪布静命面前，求受至尊弥勒的修法而修持。他修得很用功吧！然后他就做梦，梦见一位身着红花色的僧衣、威仪端正的比丘对他授记说：“前往东方‘喀萨巴尼’去吧！”在梦里他被这样授记。然后他也就依照授记前往所说的地点，在那个地方修斋戒法三天。既而他又再度地观察梦境，在拂晓的时候就梦见了“能飞聚落寺”哈热殿堂的上空，在云层的空隙中，出现了诸天神的半身像，就是上半身。这些天神在做什么呢？正以各种供物──非常丰厚的供物在作供养。 03:15
狮子贤论师就问：“这天神是为什么而作供养呢？”天神就回答说：“至尊弥勒在宣说《八千颂》，所以我们在作供养。”他就仔细地看啊，看了很长的时间，于是就看见了至尊弥勒──金色的面容，顶上严饰着一座小塔，右手结说法印。他就立即顶礼供养，而启问说：“慈尊您的论着，现今有许多注疏，应当依着哪部论作为依据呢？”至尊弥勒答道：“应当通晓一切的论典，把合理的部分总摄起来，这一部论就由你来著作吧！”很奇妙，他去问依靠什么论？然后至尊弥勒答道说那部论还没问世，你来写吧！所以他就得到了本尊开许，获得了开许。醒来之后，又作了供养。看起来一切都是在梦中。有很多大德的修行是梦中、醒来都是一如的，没有什么差别。 04:31
听了这段，你们会不会每天躺在床上很期待做一个这样的梦？但是我们祈求至尊弥勒、看见了至尊弥勒，会想要什么呢？会先顶礼供养吗？而且问说：“慈尊您的论着，现今这么多注疏，应当依着哪部论作为依据？”我们会这样去问吗？多半会想跟至尊弥勒要一个什么？现成的成就，而没有想要至尊弥勒指示我一下到底应该看哪一本书。 05:07
因为得到了至尊弥勒这样的一个指示，所以他就准备写书了。然后为了寻觅撰写论着时的施主，他就从东方的喀萨巴尼往西去了。当时有一位达摩波罗王，就是我们提到的达摩波罗王。达摩波罗是用古代习惯的音译方式译的，如果用现在的音的话，应该念作“达玛巴拉”。这位国王听说阿闍黎狮子贤善于讲说《般若经》，于是派遣使者迎接他。看起来这位国王也是朝思暮想，心之渴仰啊！迎接非常非常地奇特，迎接的使者和狮子贤论师恰巧在路上居然相遇了！应该是非常欢喜！想一下那个场景。相遇了之后，也就把论师迎接到了三庄严寺，到了之后狮子贤论师就为数千位僧众广传《般若》的教授。 06:13