Lecture No. 0283
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0283
Lamrim Vol. 1 | P37L22 ~ LL11
Date: 23 May 2022
Topic: The meaning of “attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi*”
After the section on the good qualities of the preceptor of Master Atisha and how profound his attainments were, what follows is an explanation, the differentiating and analysis part of it. Let’s look at the Four Interwoven Annotations, Chinese text, page 117. Here is the annotation from Master Ba-so about the meaning of having “attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi*”, what does this mean? That is, in the discussion of the good qualities that after acharya Silaraksita advanced to the level of the path of preparation, the point in this discussion is regarding what kind of experiential knowledge acharya Silaraksita achieved. Through this explanation, we will discover that the interpretation Master Ba-so had was quite different from the other great masters. How different were they? We can read along. [00:32]
[*”Attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi” is based on V.1 p.37 Silaraksita “had attained a meditative concentration in which he engaged reality from one perspective…”. Please refer to V.1 of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment by Geshe Lhundub Sopa, p.24 2nd paragraph and note #8 on p.543. Master Atisha’s ordination preceptor, Silaraksita, attained the 3rd level of path of preparation – the level of patience. Silaraksita had attained the level realizing the emptiness of the inherent existence of the object – namely, nullified the inherent existence of the object. This teaching #283 is from the explanation section of the Chinese Four Interwoven Annotations V.1 p.117~118.]
It says in the Annotations: in regard to the statement “attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi” mentioned in this section, the great masters in the past all had different interpretations. Master Ba-so explained “a portion of the true realization” as “having comprehended that the perceived objects are of no inherent nature,” whereas the other masters in the past explained it as “the perceived objects are void of true reality”, or the mind of the practitioners “being able to quell what can be eradicated at the path of seeing.” [00:56]
According to Master Ba-so, the true realization refers to wisdom of emptiness, and it is divided into two types: lack of intrinsic existence of the perceived objects, and lack of inherent nature of the mind of the perceiver, each of them is a part of wisdom of emptiness; thus, they are discerned as a portion of true realization [of meditative concentration, or samadhi]. At the patience level of the path of preparation, the samadhi attained through realizing the perceived objects are of no inherent existence is the meaning of “attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi.” This is how Master Ba-so comprehended it. [01:22]
As Lama Tsong-kha-pa mentioned in the Golden Garland of Eloquence: a practitioner, at the patience level on the Mahayana path of preparation can eliminate the distracted thought process when interfacing with the perceived objects, and retain the ability to detect such distracted conception. Because practitioners at the patience level of the path of preparation have realized that all perceived objects are of no intrinsic nature, and their minds correspond to negating inherent existence. Thus, this is how Lama Tsong-kha-pa explained as “attaining a portion of true realization of samadhi”. According to the great teacher Ah-keh Yun-den’s explanation, the true realization here means the mind of the practitioner does not perceive the object as existing independently. As for “having realized that all perceived objects are of no intrinsic nature” mentioned in the Golden Garland of Eloquence, based on the context, we can explicate it as eradicating the mental distractions of perceiving objects as independently exist. That is, when attaining the conceptual realization of the wisdom of emptiness, practitioners would not perceive the objects as exist inherently; it follows that not apprehending the objects as inherently existent means the practitioners have “attained a portion of the true realization of samadhi*” by not grasping on the perceived objects as inherently existent. Thus, that is why it is called “a portion of true realization”. [02:15]
Are you listening? In the Annotation on Ornament for Clear Knowledge, the great master, Gyaltsabje, also mentioned: as for how to distinguish the four levels on the path of preparation, we should not determine the level of the practitioners by the degree their minds perceiving the inherent nature of the perceived objects. [Why?] Because what practitioners at the four levels of the path of preparation have realized is that all phenomena are void of intrinsic nature, and this is based on the clear Dharma characteristics appear in their general mental image. Thus, the positing of the four levels of the path of preparation should be determined by to what extent practitioners unveil such eradication. [02:45]
In Master Jam-yang Shay-pa’s [we translated as Venerable Miao before] Analysis of Ornament for Clear Knowledge, he also thought that not only are the practitioners at the four levels of the path of preparation able to apprehend that the perceived objects are void of true reality, but they can also recognize that all phenomena are of no intrinsic nature. Besides, speaking of the patience level of the Mahayana path of preparation, Master Jam-yang Shay-pa defined that at this stage, the practitioners’ minds are able to attain a portion of true realization of meditative concentration (samadhi). However, do you remember what Master Ba-so said in the previous paragraphs? He thought attaining a portion of the true realization of samadhi means that practitioners realize the perceived objects are of no inherent nature, right? [03:08]
So, from Lama Tsong-kha-pa, Master Gyaltsabje, and Master Jam-yang Shay-pa, we can derive that none of these masters agreed that attaining a realization that the perceived objects are of no inherent nature is equivalent to attaining a portion of true realization of samadhi. Because if that is the case, then prior to reaching the level of patience, the practitioners should be able to realize that all phenomena are void of intrinsic nature; they do not have to wait till the moment they reach the level of patience of the path of preparation to attain that portion of true realization of samadhi. Such state of realization can be obtained before advancing to the patience level of path of preparation. [03:33]
Generally speaking, by following the four levels of the Mahayana path of preparation, practitioners can sequentially quell the four types of discrimination that will be eradicated at the path of seeing: 1. [Heat:] grasping on the contaminated part of the perceived objects, 2. [Peak:] grasping on the purified part of the perceived objects, 3. [Patience:] the mind of the practitioners grasping on actualized discrimination, 4. [Supreme mundane quality:] the mind of the practitioners grasping on imputed discrimination. [*See table II & III on page 4 of this file] Accordingly, practitioners at the patience level of the Mahayana path of preparation can unveil the first two types of discrimination of the perceived objects, which will be eradicated at the path of seeing. Thus, probably from this perspective Lama Tsong-kha-pa established the view that practitioners at the patience level on the Mahayana path of preparation have attained a portion of true realization of meditative concentration (samadhi). Since a portion of what to be eradicated at the path of seeing – that is, the discrimination on the perceived objects is eliminated – while attaining the wisdom of emptiness the practitioners will not perceive the objects as exist independently. [Why?] For they have already eradicated such views. Master Jam-yang Shay-pa considered that at the patience level of the Mahayana path of preparation, practitioners’ minds begin to quell the discrimination of inherent existence that will be eradicated at the path of seeing. Thus, seeing from this angle, it also can be defined as attaining a portion of true realization of meditative concentration. [04:28]
Based on the above analysis, regarding positing a portion of the true realization of meditative concentration, whether it is from the perspective of eradicating the discrimination of inherent existence of the perceived objects at the path of seeing, or the mind begins to negate the intrinsic nature of the perceived object at the path of seeing, the determination of practitioners’ attainment is posited from the angle of eradicating or quelling such discrimination, rather than from the angle of realizing that the perceived objects are void of inherence existence. To sum up, the explanation put forward by Master Ba-so is obviously different from that of Lama Tsong-kha-pa, of Master Gyaltsabje and of Master Jam-yang Shay-pa. Thus, I purposely brought forth the above exposition so that those who are serious about exploring the scriptures can contemplate their nuances in detail. [05:12]
Since we are introducing the acharya Silaraksita, who bestowed the monastic vows on Master Atisha and gave him the ordination, we have the chance to explore further how incredible Silaraksita’s good qualities were and how profound his attainment was. No matter what, Silaraksita was definitely a Bodhisattva, whose attainment was at least the path of preparation – since there is no other way for us to know how profound Silaraksita’s attainment was. My deep appreciation goes to Master Atisha and his acharya Silaraksita! Because of this opportunity, we get to learn more about how Lama Tsong-kha-pa explained in the Golden Garland of Eloquence, what Gyaltsabje explained in his Annotation on Ornament for Clear Knowledge, and how Master Jam-yang Shay-pa understood it. All these gave us the opportunity to study how different virtuous teachers explained it, what their perspectives were; what is even better, we can discern the differences by juxtaposing them together. [05:52]
The conclusion we draw through this kind of discussion is that we are able to know how the patience level of the path of preparation mentioned in the scriptures is posited in terms of cutting off the discrimination of inherent existence from either the angle of the object or the subject [the mind], and get to know the scripture from various perspectives. Thus, by understanding this, we can also broaden our knowledge on the good qualities of Bodhisattvas at the path of preparation. I hope we can all develop a stronger aspiration to study Mahayana teaching, and even to obtain such experiential knowledge. From there we can also get to know how marvellous all the teachers of Master Atisha were! [06:24]
So, to be able to receive such a pure lineage passed down from this Dharma succession, and learn from this uninterrupted lineage, how fortunate we are! Everyone do study well! Even the lay practitioners should aspire that in the future they will be able to practice as monastics – yearning to have the opportunity to be ordained as monastics life after life. [Why?] That is because Upasampadā [the full set of monastic vows] is indeed splendid. Let’s work together at this goal! [06:55]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0283】
讲次 | 0283 (2020-12-14 ~ 2020-12-16)
标题 | “一分真实三摩地”之意涵
《广论》段落 | P3-LL2 ~ P4-L2 此后尊重及诸本尊……其讳又名胜燃灯智。
备注 | 四家合注《白话校注集》第1册 P117-LL7 ~ P118-LL1 一分真实三摩地探义......以供读者参考。
(更新日期: 2022年5月23日)
00:00
在讨论阿底峡尊者的善知识他的功德到底证悟有多深的时候，这边后面有一段辨析。《四家合注》的 117 页巴梭法王的一个注释，注说：“一分真实三摩地”这个是什么意思？就是说戒铠阿阇黎他获得了加行道以上的功德到底是什么样的证量，就在探讨这个问题。大家在讨论的时候，会发现和巴梭尊者的观点不一样，这个不一样处我们可以了解一下。00:32
说：关于此段提到的这个“一分真实三摩地”，祖师们是有不同解释的。巴梭法王把“一分真实”解释为“证得所取无自性”，而其他的祖师解释为“不显现所取境有谛实”，或“开始压伏见道所断能取分别”。00:56
巴梭法王认为真实指空性，分为所取境上的无自性，以及能取者之上的无自性两种，所取无自性及能取无自性各属于空性的一部分，所以都称为一分真实。加行道忍位的时候证得所取无自性的三摩地，就是一分真实三摩地。这是巴梭法王的一个想法。01:22
那么宗喀巴大师在《金鬘论》中就有提到：大乘加行道忍位的时候，断除所取的散乱，唯留能取散乱。由于加行道忍位安住于一分无所取，以及随顺无能取，所以是住一分真实三摩地。依据大善知识功德海的解释，此段的真实即指不显现能取所取有谛实。《金鬘论》中所说的“安住于一分无所取”应该承接上文，理解为断除所取散乱，也就是指证空性的时候不会显现所取境有谛实；而不显现所取境有谛实，即是不显现能取所取有谛实的其中一分，所以称之为“一分真实”。02:15
有在听吗？贾曹杰大师在《心要庄严释》中也有提到：不能从明现能取所取无自性的程度来区分四种加行道，因为四种加行道等持同样都证得一切法无谛实，也都明现诸法法性的义共相，所以要从断除所断的程度来安立四种加行道。 02:45
妙音笑大师在《现观辨析》中也认为四种加行道不仅都能够证得所取无谛实，而且能证得一切法无谛实。另外，在提到大乘忍位加行道时，妙音笑大师解释为能取一分三摩地。记不记得前面巴梭法王的解释？是所取，对吧？03:08
所以从宗喀巴大师、贾曹杰大师，还有妙音笑大师的承许，可以推知他们都不承许证得所取无自性的三摩地即是一分真实三摩地。因为如果是这样的话，在忍位以前就能证得一切法无谛实，那一分真实三摩地便不用等到加行道的忍位才能获得，前面就可以获得。 03:33
一般而言，大乘加行道四个阶段的时候，会依次压伏四种见道所断的分别：执染污所取分别、执清净所取分别、执实有能取分别、执假有能取分别。大乘加行道忍位的时候，能够断除前两种见道所断所取分别的这个现行，宗喀巴大师应该是从这个角度来安立大乘忍位加行道为一分真实三摩地。由于断除见道所断的一分——所取分别的现行，所以证入空性的时候便不会显现所取有谛实，因为已经断掉了。妙音笑大师认为大乘加行道忍位的时候，开始压伏见道所断能取分别，所以从这个角度上也能安立为一分真实三摩地。04:28
综上所述，无论是从断除见道所断所取分别的现行，或是从开始压伏见道所断能取分别，来安立一分真实三摩地，都是从断除或压伏所断的这个角度来安立的，而不是从证得所取无自性的角度来安立的。所以巴梭法王的解释，显现上与宗喀巴大师、贾曹杰大师与妙音笑大师的说法有不同，所以在这个地方特别地拿来讨论，以供那些钻研经典的人详细地去思考一下。05:12
由于讨论阿底峡尊者的这位授戒阿阇黎、剃度和尚，他的功德到底是什么样的？无论怎样都必须承许是加行道以上的菩萨——本地风光也不知道是什么样。也很感谢阿底峡尊者和他的剃度和尚！我们有了这一分，比如对于宗喀巴大师《金鬘论》怎么讲的啊？还有《心要庄严释》贾曹杰大师怎么讲的啊？妙音笑大师怎么讲的？这些就会给我们一个学习的机会，让我们去看一看各家祖师所讲的，甚至把它们都会通起来，看看其中的差别。05:52
这样讨论下来的结论，就是我们会对经典里面说的忍位的所断到底是从哪个角度去安立加行道忍位的这个定义，看看不同角度的风光，扩大我们对于加行道菩萨的功德的理解，希望我们能够对大乘的法生起欲求心，乃至去实证它。从而可以了解一下阿底峡尊者的老师们都是何等的精彩！06:24
所以，能得到这个传承上师这样传下来的法脉，到现在为止没有间断的这样一个传承的学习，我们是何等地幸运！大家一定要好好地学！不管现在是居士在学习，也要发愿以后生生世世能够出家；出家人在学习，也要发愿生生世世能够出家，因为近圆戒还是非常地精彩的。所以我们一起努力！06:55