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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0269

Lamrim Vol. 1: Pg40 LL17

Tape No |  4B 23:15 ~ 24:13

Date: 2022-07-20

Topic: Master Atisha's good quality of benefitting others - made Buddha Dharma flourished like the sun at high noon

Today we will study [from where we left off in GL discourse #264]:

C. Having gained those good qualities, what Atisha did to further the teachings

1. What he did in India

2. What he did in Tibet

Everyone please listen carefully to Master’s recording. [00:17]

In other words, the part on purely benefiting others. The first part of benefitting others, was in India, and the second part was in Tibet. I will not go over this in detail. In short, because Master Atisha came to Tibet, the entire Buddha Dharma in India and Tibet was hereafter reformed. He rectified and corrected what was misperceived, and perfected what was incomplete. For this reason, Buddhism flourished at its height, like the sun at high noon, for a very long time. In fact, Lama Tsong-kha-pa did the same thing as well. It has been six hundred years since Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s reform. Buddhism in Tibet flourished like the sun at high noon for a great length of time. Even though the influence of Buddha Dharma gradually declined, Tibetan Buddhism is still very well maintained. However, looking at ourselves presently, the Chinese Buddhist community is quite dishevelled. The reason is that; herein lies the reason [showing the value of such reform and rectification]. This is the fact we should know. [01:17]

This section, I would really like to know how do the class facilitators explain this paragraph in the discussion classes? For example, what would be the focus of your discussion? Possibly every class facilitator would have his or her own emphasis on this paragraph. Nevertheless, please look at the text; it says: “Having gained those good qualities, what Atisha did to further the teachings: 1. What he did in India, 2. What he did in Tibet”. This explains what Master Atisha did to promulgate the sublime teachings based on the different geographical locations. And, what did he do to promulgate the sublime teachings? He revived the sublime teachings and benefited living beings, that is why Master stated these were purely about benefiting others. What does it mean by purely benefiting others? That is, how all living beings are thoroughly benefitted. And Master said he would not go into detail about how Master Atisha benefited others. “In short, because Master Atisha came to Tibet, the entire Buddha Dharma in India and Tibet was hereafter reformed.” Take heed! “He rectified and corrected what was misperceived, and perfected what was incomplete. For this reason, Buddhism was flourishing at its height, like the sun at high noon”, meaning, not only was Buddhism flourishing like the sun at high noon, this condition also lasted “for a very long time”. [02:35]

Let’s take a closer look at this short paragraph. [02:35]

Exactly what benefits did the manifestation of Master Atisha into this world bring to us? [02:44]

That is, Buddha Dharma in India and Tibet began to flourish like the sun at high noon. [02:49]

What kind of benefit would there be for living beings when the teachings begin to flourish again like the sun at high noon? [02:55]

It means that there would be many great achievers amongst his disciples, and there would be countless living beings planting the seeds to be connected with the teachings; for example, the ten virtuous deeds would be widely expanded. Therefore, the flourishing of Buddhism, like the sun at high noon, offers the most profound benefit to all living beings. These are the good qualities of Master Atisha. [03:21]

Everyone please take note. Take heed! It only mentioned that after Master Atisha manifested– just as a guru – it made Buddha Dharma flourished, like the sun at high noon and thus benefitted numerous living beings both in India and in Tibet. How did Buddha Dharma flourish like the sun at high noon? For the details we can study the biography of the Life of Master Atisha. The Chinese version of Master Atisha's biography translated by Venerable Fa-zun is an abridged translation, not a comprehensive biography. Our venerables in the translation academy are translating the complete version now. We will study it in great detail when this translation is done. Now when we are discussing about Master Atisha’s good qualities, pay attention! His good qualities are directly linked with Buddha Dharma. Thus, the flourishing of Buddhism, like the sun at high noon, is the greatest benefit to all living beings. This involves rectifying the impure part of the lineage – correcting the misperceptions and perfecting the incomplete part of the Buddha Dharma. The imperfect part could mean the stages of the path were incomplete. Thus, Master Atisha laid out the encompassing stages of the path and its content for an ordinary being to advance all the way to Buddhahood. [04:29]

Master continued, “In fact, Lama Tsong-kha-pa did the same thing as well”! It has been six hundred years since Lama Tsong-kha-pa reformed Buddhism in Tibet. The teaching is still flourishing like the sun at high noon. Though it has declined somewhat, the teaching is still very well preserved. This is the auspicious cause and effect of why we can study Je Rinpoche’s teachings and encounter such authentic and encompassing teachings. When learning the sublime teachings, we must keep in mind that this opportunity is the greatest benefit bestowed by Master Atisha! He was originally the prince of Bengal, he went through all sorts of hardship to become a monastic, he beseeched the teachings from Master Serlingba [in Sumatra], spent many years sailing across the ocean. Later, Tibetans even fought and sacrificed their lives to invite him over. We have to be grateful to those people who invited Master Atisha to Tibet. [05:12]

讲次 | 0269 (2020-10-26 ~ 2020-10-28)

标题 | 尊者利他功德──令佛教如日中天

《广论》段落 | P6-L1 于圣教所作事中分二……藏中所作事理。　今初

音档 | 4B 23:15 ~ 24:13

手抄页/行 | 第1册 P125-LL3 ~ P126-L4　( 2016 南普陀版：P125-LL2 ~ P126-L6 )

手抄段落 | 于圣教所作事中分二……这是我们要了解的一个事实。

(更新日期: 2023年12月19日)

00:00

今天我们会学：“于圣教所作事中分二：一、于印度所作事理，二、藏中所作事理。　今初”。请大家认真听师父的带子。00:17

那么换句话说，纯粹利他部分。利他部分第一个在印度，第二个在西藏。这个内容我不详细说了。总之，他由于阿底峡尊者出来了以后，把印度以及西藏整个的教法，错的改过，不圆满的圆满，因为这样的关系，所以如日中天维持了很久。实际上呢，宗喀巴大师又一次，所以宗喀巴大师改革到现在六百年来，他在西藏的状态，很长一段时候如日中天，虽然后来慢慢地下去了，但是呢始终保持着很好的。反观我们目前，我们国内一塌糊涂，原因就是说，原因就在这里，这是我们要了解的一个事实。01:17

这一段，我很想知道在研讨班各位班长到底会怎么带这一段？比如说大家的着力点会放在哪里呢？这一段可能很多同学各自有各自的侧重点，但是请大家看：“于圣教所作的事中：于印度所作，于藏中所作”，这是由地域的原因，阿底峡尊者对圣教所作的事业。那么对圣教所作的事业是什么呢？就是令圣教振兴、饶益有情，所以师父说是纯粹的利他部分。纯粹的利他部分是什么意思呢？就是彻底地饶益众生的部分。然后师父说内容是怎么饶益的不详讲，“总之，他由于阿底峡尊者出来了以后，把印度以及西藏整个的教法”，注意！“错的改过来，不圆满的圆满，因为这样的关系，所以如日中天”，不仅仅是如日中天，还有“维持了很久”这样的状况。02:35

那么我们就看这一小段。02:38

阿底峡尊者应化在这个世界上，为我们到底带来了什么利益呢？02:44

就是印度和西藏的佛法又开始如日中天。02:49

教法开始如日中天之后，那会对众生产生什么样的饶益呢？02:55

就是在他的弟子们中会出现很多成就者，然后有数不清的众生会和这个教法结缘，比如说十善业会很广阔。所以佛教如日中天的这个盛况，正是对众生完成最深切的利益，这就是阿底峡尊者的功德。03:21

我想要请大家注意到的是：注意！这里边只是说由于阿底峡尊者出现了之后——就是一个上师——令佛教如日中天，饶益了从印度到西藏这么多的有情。怎么令佛教如日中天呢？详细内容我们会去看《阿底峡尊者传》。但是尊法师翻译的《阿底峡尊者传》是节选，不是全部的。现在译经院的法师们正在翻译一个完整的版本，到那时候再详细地讲。那么现在谈到阿底峡尊者的功德的时候，注意！就跟佛教直接连系在一起，所以佛教如日中天就是对众生最深切的饶益。这里边涉及到把不清净的传承改过来——错的要改过、不圆满的圆满。不圆满的可能是次第不全，所以把一个凡夫一直到成佛所有的次第、内容都能够圆满。04:29

接着说：实际上，宗喀巴大师又做了一次！宗喀巴大师改革到现在六百年了，也是如日中天，虽然现在有一点下滑，还是非常好。这也是我们能够学习到宗大师教法非常殊胜的因缘，可以接触到这么清净圆满的教法。当我们学到这个教法的时候，我们一定要记住：是阿底峡尊者深切的饶益！他本来是孟加拉的王子，费尽辛苦地出家，又跟金洲大师求法，渡海就花了那么多年，后来西藏人拼死拼活把他请来——我们要感谢那个请法的人。05:12