Lecture No. 0313
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0313
Lamrim Volume 1: P42-L1 ~ L8
Date: 28 Mar 2022
Topic: Master Atisha revitalized the precepts, setting the pure teachings
Great! Let’s continue to learn from the Introduction to the Four Interwoven Annotations, the Chinese text. Everyone, please turn to page 143, the middle section. [00:14]
In the later dissemination of the teaching to Tibet, some who fancied that they were scholars and yogis misconstrued the meaning of the collections of tantras. Because of this, they did great damage to the maintenance of ethical discipline, the root of the teachings. This excellent being [Atisha] refuted them well. Moreover, he caused their erroneous conceptions to disappear and then reinvigorated the flawless teaching. Thus, his kindness reached all those of the Land of Snow [V1, p. 42]. [00:49]
In the later dissemination of the teaching in Tibet, some people pompously purported themselves as distinguished scholars who had mastered the Five Knowledges and as eminent yogis. They misconstrued the contents of the Tantric teachings, which caused extreme grave damage to the fundamental principle of the teaching – pure monastic conducts. Fortunately, Master Atisha refuted such misconstrued interpretations, and in addition, eliminated all erroneous views; he reinvigorated the flawless Buddha’s teachings, so the kindness from Master Atisha benefited all beings in the Snow Land. And his kindness is also benefiting you and me now. So what we should do properly is to cherish this precious lineage. And the best way to show our appreciation is to abide by the teaching in practice; we should properly meditate and internalize the teachings, set a good example to encourage others to do the same so that together we can pass down this pure lineage. [01:40]
Now, let’s take a look at Rinpoche’s Introduction together. He said that in the early dissemination in Tibet, Buddhism was flourishing, but it was gradually waning. Do you still remember what the cause was? It was because of the erroneous understanding of the essence of wisdom of emptiness held by the Chinese abbot, etc. that caused the Buddha Dharma to decline. Later on, Kamalasila composed the Three Stages of Meditation [Bhāvanākrama], to refute them convincingly and thus promulgated Buddha’s intent; so his kindness is immensely appreciated. In the later dissemination, some people misconstrued the Tantric teachings. Actually there was no mentioning of Sutrayana; what was mentioned was primarily the misunderstanding of the Tantric teachings, purporting that they were Panditas and yogis, like those Blue-skirted Panditas or Red-robed Acharyas, etc. They seriously damaged the bedrock of the Buddha Dharma – the pure monastic conducts. The bedrock of the Buddha Dharma is the ethical discipline. They spread erroneous views to monastics, namely, the ritual practice of killing the enemies as a way of redemption, advocating the corrupt sexual practice with a consort as “union and liberation”. What they advocated caused tremendous harm to the Buddha’s teachings. [02:59]
With these confusing heresies/statements spreading around, “this excellent being refuted them well”; refers to Jowo Je, Master Atisha. “Moreover, he caused their erroneous conceptions to disappear and then reinvigorated the flawless teaching”, all the erroneous views were removed and Master Atisha reinvigorated the flawless sublime teaching in Tibet. The pure sublime Buddha Dharma could be preserved and promulgated in Tibet was due to the kindness of Master Atisha. Such kindness is inconceivably deep! [03:32]
As we all know, the Sutrayana emphasizes greatly on the precepts, for that is what the Buddha’s teachings built upon. The Tantric teachings also strongly stress the precepts. Thus, if someone presumes that Tantric teachings do not require practitioners to abide by the precepts, this misconstrued view will cause tremendous damage to the teachings. Hence, monastics should properly uphold the ethical discipline. This misconstrued view arises from not studying the scriptures properly and the consequence is the arising of various erroneous views. We shouldn’t continue with such mistaken discrimination! Why? Because from the manifestation of the eminent great masters in the past, especially those who were proficient in the Tantric trainings, they upheld the precepts diligently and meticulously. Whether the renunciates can be observed as monastics greatly depends on how closely they abide by the monastic vows. Master Atisha refuted the misconstrued views of the Tantra perceptions, especially the misconstrued views advocated to the monastics. Thus, the pure Buddha Dharma was thus restored, and the flawless lineage of the teaching could be promulgated again. All of these were because of the kindness of Master Atisha. Such kindness is incredibly deep! [04:38]
From the start we were discussing the good qualities of Master Atisha till now, we would distinctively notice that in the flawless instructions from Master Atisha, he constantly advocated the importance of the precepts. The yellow hat lineage [Gelug] also advocates that the pure precepts are the root Buddhist training. With the flawless precepts as the foundation, the pursuit of renunciation, Bodhichitta, and wisdom of emptiness becomes feasible. If practitioners can’t even uphold the fundamental precepts properly, yet they further exclaimed that they have attained something, such claim is evidently very deceiving! [05:19]
Actually from this part of introduction of Master Atisha, we would notice clearly: there were someone, for example, unknown to the locals coming from afar; these wayfarers began to talk about miraculous things which were unheard of to the locals; what they advocated sounded very cool and supernatural – such pompous talks made them looked like they were very impressive. However, if what they advocated violated the precepts, then it was definitely a heresy. We can observe and make discernment: what makes Dharma masters eminent was how sincerely and earnestly they abided by the precepts when promulgating the teachings; we can also observe their personal conducts, and how they guided their disciples – they always stress strongly the ethical discipline. Why? Because “the Sangha community is built upon the precepts”! That is, the foundation of the teaching is the precepts! [06:03]
Thus, from the lineage virtuous teachers’ teachings, and the introduction of the good qualities of Master Atisha, we can unmistakably receive the advice the eminent masters in the past had left for us – how crucial the precepts are! From the initial stage of studying Buddhism, to the middle, and even up to the Tantric trainings, the precepts are the teachings from Buddha that can ever never be overlooked. For this, I hope we would listen and contemplate over and over again. [06:31]
It is especially true that we should properly study well the teachings passed down from this pure lineage. Why? Because by relying on such teachings of the flawless pure lineage, we can have discerning comprehension of the scriptures. So, whoever they are, whatever they advocate, they must align with the Buddha’s intent. The comprehensive teachings from Buddha – [the three precious trainings:] ethical discipline, meditative concentration and wisdom of emptiness. The precepts are the upmost basic and essential part of all the Buddha’s teachings. Why? Because without the precepts, we won’t have another chance of being reborn with a human form; without the human form, we will descend to the three miserable realms. Without the precepts, the path to liberation would not be feasible. [07:08]
Looking at this section, I am very grateful to those eminent masters for constantly rectifying the lineage tainted by others and refuting the erroneous views. Had it not been for those great virtuous teachers to help us, how pathetic we would be: though we are aspired to learn Buddha Dharma, where could we find the pure source of waterhead – the lineage? Thus, [now we have the opportunity to study the Buddha Dharma from the pure lineage;] this is definitely the profound kindness from Master Atisha! Such benevolence is inconceivable! [07:37]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0313】
讲次 | 0313 (2021-03-29 ~ 2021-03-31)
标题 | 后弘期：尊者振兴戒律、令教清净
《广论》段落 | P6-LL3 ~ P7-L3 总之雪山聚中前弘圣教……故其深恩普遍雪山一切众生。
入门段落 | 第1册 P143-L6 ~ P144-L7 于后弘圣教......不可思议的恩德！
备注 | 四家合注《白话校注集》第1册 P142-L6 ~ P142-LL3 第二科、灭除对梵行......深恩遍泽雪域一切众生。
(更新日期: 2022年3月28日)
00:00
好！我们继续学习《四家合注入门》，请大家把书翻到 143 页，请大家看中间的原文。 00:14
于后弘圣教，则有一类妄自矜为善巧智者及瑜伽师，由其倒执相续部义，于教根本清净梵行作大损害，为此善士善为破除。复能殄灭诸邪执着，弘盛增广无倒圣教，故其深恩普遍雪山一切众生。00:49
而在圣教的后弘期，则有一些人妄自认为是通晓五明的大学者以及瑜伽师，由于他们错误地理解了密续的内涵，因而对圣教的根本——清净梵行，造成了极大的损害，幸得这位善士阿底峡尊者善为破除。另外又消灭了其他种种颠倒的执着，振兴无误的教法，所以尊者的深恩遍泽雪域的一切众生，现在也在恩泽着你和我，所以我们要好好地珍惜这珍贵的法脉传承。那么最珍惜的方式就是依教奉行，好好地修行自己，也能够自作教他，把这个清净的法流传承下去。01:40
我们来一起看一下仁波切的讲记。说在前弘期的佛教经历过兴盛期，后来式微，原因还记得是什么吧？是当时支那堪布等人未达空性正见的扼要，损减了教法，后来莲花戒论师著作《修次三篇》善为破除，广弘佛陀的密意，所以恩德极重。后弘期中，有人妄执密续的义理，这里边其实并没有提及到显教，主要是颠倒执持密续的义理，自诩为班智达和瑜伽师，这里边就提到了像“蓝裙班智达”和“红色阿杂惹”等人，他们严重地损害圣教的根本——就是梵行。教法的根本就是戒律，他们对梵行众——出家的僧团传播邪法，将歼灭敌人予以解脱、对女人行非梵行的恶行称为合度法，造成了教法极大的伤害。02:59
像这样混乱的说法，“为此善士善为破除”，就是指觉窝杰阿底峡尊者。“复能殄灭诸邪执着，弘盛增广无倒圣教”，消灭所有的邪法，在西藏弘传无倒的清净的圣教。西藏能有清净的教法，弘盛增广，全部是阿底峡尊者的恩德，不可思议的恩德！03:32
我们知道显教很强调戒律，戒律是教法的根本，那么密续也是一样地非常强调戒律。如果有人认为好像修行密法不需要好好持戒的话，将会造成对教法极大的伤害，所以出家众都是要好好持戒的。对这一点，因为没有认真地听闻教典，产生各种各样的邪分别。不需要再做这样的邪分别！因为我们看先辈大德的示现，尤其是学密法的成就者的示现，他们都是非常尊重戒律的。出家众到什么时候就是出家众，他们就是以梵行为基础。阿底峡尊者把胡乱地讲说密法、尤其是对僧众胡乱地讲说密法的这个伤害予以去除掉，所以就变成又有清净的法流、清净的教法再继续地弘传，全部都是阿底峡尊者的恩德，是不可思议的恩德！04:38
从我们开始讲阿底峡尊者的功德一直讲到这里，我们都会清晰地发现阿底峡尊者的清净的教授里边一直在倡导戒律的重要性，像黄帽派也是主张清净的戒律为根本。在这个清净戒律为根本的前提下，才能有比如说出离心啊、菩提心啊、空性这样的一个追求，如果连基本的戒律都没办法好好持的话，还能说自己有什么修为，实在是一个很欺诳的事情！05:19
实际上在这一部分的阿底峡尊者的介绍里边，我们会清晰地看到：当有人比如说从很远的地方来，大家都不知道就开始讲一些好像挺神的、挺怪力乱神这样的法，听起来自己吹嘘得满高的，但是如果是破坏戒律的话，那一定是一个邪法。真正的大德在弘扬圣教的时候，我们可以去看，之所以成为一代的大德，他都是极度地重视戒律，他个人的行持，还有他教导弟子们都是非常非常重视戒律的，因为“依戒立僧”啊！教法的最根本也就是戒律！06:03
所以，从这个传承善知识的教诫，还有在介绍阿底峡尊者的功德里边，我们可以清晰地读到祖师留给我们的这些叮嘱——戒律是多么重要的事情！从最初学习佛法到中间，乃至到密续的部分，戒律都是非常非常不可以忽略的佛陀的一个教诫。这一点，还是希望我们再再地、再再地闻思。06:31
尤其是要好好地学习有清净传承的这样的教授，因为有清净传承的这样的教授才能够对教典赋予我们决定的定解。所以不管是谁，他所说的东西必须随顺于佛陀的教法、总的佛陀的教法，就是戒定慧。这个戒律，一定是重中之重，因为没有戒律就没有人身了，就失坏人身了，掉落三恶趣了；没有戒律，也无法轨成出离之道。07:08
看到这一段，也是内心中满感恩这些一直在把被别人染着了的传承再把它清净、把一些邪说端正过来的这些大德。如果没有这些大善知识来帮助我们的话，我们实在是很可怜的，想要修行，可是到哪里去找清净的水源啊？所以这真的是阿底峡尊者的深恩啊！不可思议的深恩！07:37