Lecture No. 0245
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0245
Lamrim Volume 1: P35 – LL3~P36L1
Tape： 4A 17:07 ~ 20:27
Date: 2020-08-03 ~ 2020-08-05
Topic: Everything in the Lamrim are Paths Leading Us Towards Hope
Let me raise a simple question: Having studied Lamrim for all these years, would you think that your mind has not transformed a single bit? When contemplating where your future rebirth will be, would you feel insecure? Does this suggest that you have not changed at all? Or, you may establish the thought that: “If so, what is the use of studying the scriptures? What’s the good in understanding them?” These questions are targeted at those who have studied Lamrim for many years. How would you resolve these two questions? [00:25]
When we say, “There has been no use to study so many scriptures”, what would be the basis here that is not of use? It is the conclusion we draw based on our insecurity or uncertainty about our future rebirth, right? When our minds approach the concepts of mindfulness of death and our future rebirths, we are nervous or frightened; what should we do next? May I ask: When the fear of descending to the three miserable realms arises while contemplating on the mindfulness of death, what should come next? Immediately think of the Three Jewels and sincerely seek refuge in the Three Jewels. Using meditation on virtuous objects and taking refuge in the Three Jewels, we are applying the remedy against the fear of descending to the miserable realms in our future rebirth, or our sense of insecurity and the state of extreme nervousness. We should not remain dwelling in such fear, and claim that all our efforts of studying scriptures are of no efficacy instead. Is it like this? [01:13]
As one of the reasons for seeking refuge in the Three Jewels is the fear of descending into the miserable realms in our future rebirth, thus it is reasonable to have such fear, and it is instead precarious if we do not know to be fearful after knowing of such impending danger. When such fear arises in our mind, we do not recall or take refuge in the Three Jewels, but instead, we proceed to negate ourselves; isn’t this absurd? Wouldn’t this lead us to the great abyss of danger? After having strived for so many years, do we wish to regret or retract this? [01:37]
Thus, we should know what is solution; you should take refuge in the Three Jewels when in fear. Who has the capability to help us dispel our fear towards life and death? It’s the Buddha! When we seek refuge in Buddha through recollecting his good qualities, it is indicated in the Lamrim on the chapter of “Going for Refuge in the Three Jewels” [V.1 p.180], that this can totally dispel our fear. Just like Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva who comes to our rescue upon hearing our cries for help, bestowing fearlessness on us, cruising this samsaric world to enlighten us. All we need to do is to channel our fearful thoughts to meditate on objects of worthy of refuge – the Three Jewels; it is not necessary to continue dwelling in that fearful space and instead proceed to discredit what you have studied for many years. It takes us only slight effort to make this connection. Thus, over here, whether we are into chanting Buddha’s name or practicing Zen meditation, taking the first step on the path is imminent. Master continued by saying “Never shall we claim, ‘I will practice whatever aligns with me; I don’t care about any other trainings’ ‘Ah! Why am I learning all of these?’” This is the question we should ask ourselves! “Such a way of thinking will pose a very serious impediment.” [02:39]
Just like some who have studied Lamrim, will there still be moments of negative emotions? If lately, there have been many obstacles and things that do not go our way, we may feel down; and when feeling down this thought will ponder “Why is my journey of learning Buddhism so tough? Is Buddha Dharma effective for me?” [02:55]
So, how shall we resolve this problem? One more step forward, we will fall into the Pacific Ocean! Due to recent matters not going our way, how did we draw the conclusion that Buddha Dharma is of no avail? Things go wrong, getting in a bad mood, after these, do we tame ourselves using the Dharma? Use the Dharma to remedy it! If things go awry, this unpleasant mood, negative thoughts; we keep them and let them accumulate; with no action of remedy, then no matter how splendid the Buddha Dharma is… No matter how effective was the prescription given, without taking the medicine, how can we be cured? The most important of all is: are we aware that such negative feelings can augment to the point we develop wrong views towards the teaching! This is jumping into the Pacific Ocean, it is too severe! [03:35]
So how can we regulate from an unpleasant mood to a pleasant one? We should give consideration on how to constantly remind ourselves to be vigilant, tame our erroneous thoughts, or negative energy and thoughts processes. Never let yourselves be engulfed by our negative thoughts – to the point of: when we look out, everything we see is bleak and full of gloomy sentiments. We should realize that this state of mind is impermanent, we can remedy it; such mental state moves from moment to moment; it is not eternal, it can be remedied! [03:58]
After we have learnt the scriptures, we then analyze our mind at this given moment, how to stay mindful and to counteract the afflictive emotions. We will not remain caught in that mental continuum and cry piteously over our sufferings. Due to the rise of the feelings of suffering in us, we draw the conclusion using these feelings as a basis; as a cause, and instead start to negate Buddha’s teaching! Just because we experienced of suffering, does that infer falsehood onto Buddha’s teachings? Shakyamuni Buddha left the palace and led the life of an ascetic in the forest; gazing at a starry night sky and realizing dependent arising and emptiness, those inconceivable solutions towards liberation from the cyclic existence - Do these Dharma teachings hold no value just because of my bad mood? Do they become untrue? Because my mood is down, hence, everything else is no good, this is “all colours are red,” as [revealed in the first debating topic in the Point the Way to Reasoning – Compendium of Debates/ Collected Topics], that fault is acting up! [04:42]
Then, what should we do at this juncture? Applying remedies should arise in our minds. Just think about it: where do we hear of these remedies from? They are all from the scriptures we have learned. If we don’t study the scriptures, every step would be taken cluelessly. Hence, to study Lamrim as well as its key points is extremely vital! Every step is an instruction manual for true meditation, all of it guides us with a gust of power to free us from our negative mind frames, sadness, helplessness, and panic. So everyone has to know how to apply it. [05:12]
Some classmates asked: Between the examples I have mentioned, and [the example Master applied], “I don’t care about anything now; I will just set off first” and “If you keep walking in this manner and with one more step forward, you might likely fall into the Pacific Ocean”?, what are their differences? That is, this person keeps studying while deviating from the path! What does “getting deviated from the path” refer to? That is, the train of thoughts has deviated. For example, when detecting our mood turning unpleasant, quickly activate the right thought, using the right thought to counteract this negative intention and energy. If we are afraid of descending to the miserable realms in our future rebirth or fearful of not being able to obtain a human form and not encountering the teachings, such fears, we should ponder: Who can rescue (us)? Buddha is the only one who can rescue (us), and the Three Jewels are our only refuge! At this juncture, we should immediately uphold our mind in refuge to the Three Jewels; we cannot hold a mindset and instead refute by saying: “What is the point learning the scriptures in this life?” Because of immediate suffering, because of fear, he took a different path. However, this is not what Lamrim teaches us. Lamrim says that whenever we arise the fear of descending to the lower realms, once we start to feel afraid, we should seek out whom we can go for refuge. This is the precise moment for us to take refuge! [06:12]
Thus you can see, this person takes the deviated path. Why? That is because he has not internalized the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment! When the path to enlightenment is obstructed for him, he took a turn backwards and embarks on another route. He did not study the map well, that’s not the route stated on the map! Everything in the Lamrim are paths in our minds, you will know when to turn, how to proceed, and how to move forward, following Master’s instructions; every step is advancing toward hope and positive energy. What do you think? [06:40]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0245】
讲次 0245
标题 《广论》里都是走向希望的心路
《广论》段落 P2-LL4 ~ P2-LL3 今初 总此教授……即是菩提道炬
音档 4A 17:07 ~ 20:27
日期 2020-08-03 ~ 2020-08-05
手抄页/行 第1册 P105-LL4 ~ P107-LL6 ( 2016 南普陀版：P105-LL4 ~ P107-LL7 )
手抄段落 我还是举个例……应该有的认识。
00:00
举个最简单的设问：学了这么多年《广论》，你会不会认为你的心一点都没有改变，想到后世去哪里心里虚虚的？这是不是你一点儿都没改变？或者你可以成立：“那学经典有什么用？了解经典有什么用？”这些是针对学了很多年的人。这两个问题怎么解决？00:25
说：学了这么多经典没有用，是根据什么没有用的？是根据我们对后世没把握、心里慌张，对吧？在想到念死和后世这个问题的时候，我们感到慌张或者感到恐惧，那接下来该做什么呢？请问：由于念死无常而怖畏恶趣，接着应该什么？现起三宝，应该真诚地皈依三宝。用那个所修的善所缘皈依三宝的心，来对治这个怖畏后世堕落，或者没有安全感、极度地不安的这种心，而不应该停在这种恐怖中，反而说所学的没用。是不是这样的？01:13
因为皈依三宝有一个因就是要怖畏后世堕落，所以这种怖畏是合理的，如果不知道害怕倒是危险的。当我们生起了这种恐怖之后，没有去缘念三宝，反而回头否定自己，这样不是很颠倒吗？这样不是险处吗？努力了这么多年，要去追悔吗？01:37
所以要知道解决方案是什么，你害怕就要皈依三宝。谁有能力帮我去除对生死的怖畏呢？是佛陀啊！那时候想到佛陀的功德我们去皈依的话，“皈依三宝”有写到完全是可以去除怖畏。像观世音菩萨就是闻声救苦、施无畏，游于这个娑婆世界度化我们。只要把我们那个怖畏的心，去缘念一个真正可以依靠的三宝境就可以了；不用停在那个怖畏的地方，反而否定自己这么多年的所学。这稍稍连结上就可以了。所以这里边不论是念佛、不论是参禅，我们下脚的第一步一定是要走的。师父说：“千万不要说：‘我走这个，其他的不管了！’”“哎呀，这个我们学这个干什么啊？”这句话要向自己问哦！“这个是一个很大的障碍。”02:39
像有的人虽然学习《广论》了，但是会不会心情有不好的时候呢？最近如果障碍特别多、诸事不顺，所以心情不太好，心情不太好就会想到：“我学佛怎么学这么苦呢？佛法对我有没有作用呢？”02:55
这个问题要怎么解决？再往下一步，就到太平洋了！最近诸事不顺，怎么会导致佛法就没有用了呢？诸事不顺、心情不好之后，你用佛法调了吗？用佛法调呀！如果诸事不顺，这个坏心情、负面作意放在这儿存着、积累着，不去对治的话，那再美妙的法——医生开的药再好，你不吃的话怎么治病啊？所以最重要的是我们能不能知道就是一种坏心情，它增益到自己对教法产生邪见了！这就是跳太平洋，这太严重了！03:35
所以怎么样把坏心情变好？考虑考虑怎么样提正念，降伏自己的非理作意，或者负面能量、负向的思考，不要让负面思考淹没自己，到最后眼里看出去都是灰灰的、都是伤感。要知道这样的心是无常的、是可以对治的，它刹那、刹那都在迁流，它不是永恒的，它是可以被对治的！03:58
一旦我们学教理之后，就会分析我现在的心，怎么样去缘念、去对治它，而不会淹没在那个现行里只是喊苦而已。我们因为生起了这种苦受，以这种苦受为依据、为因，反而去否定佛陀的教法！自己感到苦，佛法就不真实了吗？释迦牟尼佛离开王宫走进苦行林，夜睹明星，悟到缘起性空、悟到不可思议的解脱生死的那些法——因为我心情不好，那些法就没有价值了吗？就不是真的了吗？因为我心情不好，所以一切都是不好的，就是“是颜色都是红的”那个毛病就发作了！04:42
这个时候要怎么办呢？要现起对治。你想想：我们这些对治法都是哪儿听来的？全部是教理上听来的，如果不学教理的话，每走一步都不知道怎么办。所以学本论还有学这个纲要，是非常非常重要的！每一步都是实修手册，都是指导我们怎么样从现在陷溺我们的这种负面作意，这种悲伤、无助、惶恐之中跳脱的一个力量，所以大家一定要知道去用它。05:12
有的同学问：那我讲的这个例子，和“不管了就出门”、“走走可能会走到太平洋”有什么差别呢？就是这个人学着、学着，他走错路了！什么走错路？就是思路走错了。比如感觉到心情不好的时候，要赶快去提正念，提起正念来对治这个负面的作意、负能量。如果我们怖畏后世堕落，或者怖畏后世得不到人身、遇不到教法，那么这种怖畏要去想：谁能救？那就是唯有佛陀能救，唯有三宝是皈依！这个时候应该马上提起皈依的心，而不能用这样的心，反而回头说：“我学这一生有什么用？”因为现在痛苦、因为害怕，他走了另一条路，可是《广论》不是这样说的，《广论》说当我们生起怖畏后世会堕落的心，开始害怕的时候，要去寻找谁是皈依，这个时候正是要皈依的时候！06:12
所以你看，那路就反而走岔了。为什么？就是《菩提道次第》他没有学通呀！那条通路他通不上去，这个地方之后他突然向后拐了，他那地图就没有学清楚，地图不是这样走的！《广论》上的都是我们的心路，你就知道到那个地方师父说该怎么拐、怎么拐、怎么走，都是走向希望、走向正向的正能量。你们认为呢？06:40