Lecture No. 0290

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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0290

Lamrim Volume 1:  P38 – L14~L33

Date: 15 Jun 2022

Topic: The Root of Sublime Teachings is Ethical Discipline (1)

Next, let’s review: how many types of vows are there for individual liberation? “As stated in the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment: ‘Among the seven types of vows of individual liberation [v.2 p.148], that Buddha expounded, the supreme practice is the pure ethical discipline upheld by monastics.’” Buddha expounded seven types of vows, and what are the seven types? They are: laymen, laywomen, novice monks, novice nuns, novices about to become ordained nuns, fully ordained monks, and fully ordained nuns [v.2 p.265 #237]. The “supreme practice” refers to becoming a monk or nun. And out of the vows of individual liberation, the pure ethical discipline upheld by the monastics are the most distinguished, as indicated in the lines, “The elder was such a great monastic who abided by the ethical discipline closely, I bow to this upholder of the precepts.” Although in the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment it lists seven types of vows of individual liberation, however, originally there are eight of them, that is to include the eight precepts for both men and women. It is also mentioned in An Explanation of the Precepts for Buddhist Vajrayana Practice [composed by Master Tsong-kha-pa]: “The first three are the vows for the lay practitioners”; that include the eight precepts in one day, the laymen, and the laywomen. It also says, “The latter five are the vows for the monastics”, which include the vows for the novice monks, the novice nuns, and the novice about to become an ordained nun, the fully ordained monks and the fully ordained nuns. The individual liberation vows are primarily the ethics for guarding the personal physical and verbal deeds. [01:08]

As states in the Lamrim: “Likewise, Atisha, after receiving the complete vows of a monk”,   after Master Atisha took the monastic vows, the way he guarded them is similar to the way that “A yak is so attached to the hairs of its tail that when a single hair gets caught in brush, it will risk its life to guard that no hair be lost, even if it sees that it might be killed by a hunter;” Master Atisha “guarded at the risk of his life every minor fundamental training, not to mention the major fundamental trainings to which he was committed”; the term “major fundamental trainings” refers to the four cardinal transgression* of the vows; thus “he was an elder who was a great upholder of the texts on discipline.” [01:39]

 [*(I) The cardinal transgression of the vows of individual liberation [v.2 p.73] is pārājika or catvārah pārājikā dharmāh in Sanskrit: they are the violation of the following in ascending sequence as far as seriousness concern:

1. Sexual misconduct
2. Stealing
3. Killing
4. Serious senseless speech

 (II) The cardinal transgression of the individual liberation is mentioned in conjunction with the Bodhisattva vows for comparison in v.2 p.119, 120, 138

 (III) The four binding factors of the Tantric vows are from: https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/ prayers-rituals/vows/factors-involved-in-transgressing-tantric-vows

1. Not regarding the negative action as detrimental, seeing only advantages to it, and undertaking the action with no regrets

 2. Having been in the habit of committing the transgression before, having no wish or intention to refrain now or in the future from repeating it

3. Delighting in the negative action and undertaking it with joy

 4. Having no moral self-dignity (ngo-tsha med-pa, no sense of honor) and no care for how our actions reflect on others (khrel-med, no sense of face), such as our teachers and parents, and thus having no intention of repairing the damage we are doing to ourselves]

Let’s continue with the instructions from the guru;  that some of us are so enthusiastic while taking the vows, some made a lot of commitments as well; however, when it comes to upholding the precepts, not a single precept can be upheld. In this case, the benefit one can receive is very minimal. And also, [instead of accumulating merits,] one would accumulate many flaws. Therefore, we had better not to uphold the precepts in such a manner. It was said that on his way to Tibet, Master Jowo Je Atisha would instantly stop in the middle of the journey and repent even just for a very minor transgression. As we all know, going on a long journey would make one feel exhausted both physically and mentally and it is very hard for a traveller to cope with fatigue. What if one gets sick during the journey ...? Then we can see how arduous it was at that time for Master Atisha  to travel all the way to Tibet from India. Despite all of these, Master Atisha was so vigilant in terms of upholding the precepts that he would instantly stop and repent even for a tiny transgression. Actually, he could keep going on his journey without stopping; however, he stopped just to repent. [02:40]

Some Tibetan gurus would claim that their Tantric experiential attainments are so high that they don’t pay specific attention to the vows of individual liberation. However, with such sublime attainment of the Tantric experiential knowledge, Master Jowo Je Atisha guarded the vows of individual liberation more than cherishing his own life. Take notice of the following few words; this is the absolute vital point of practice! The root of the sublime teachings is also referring to this (ethical discipline). Whether Buddha Dharma can remain in the secular world all depends on whether practitioners can uphold the sublime vinaya; that is, wherever there is the sublime vinaya remaining in the secular world, then Buddha Dharma will remain. Without upholders of the sublime vinaya, Buddha Dharma will not remain in this world! [03:23]

Let’s reflect on this again by asking ourselves: what does  “absolute vital point” indicate? Though Master Atisha had reached such eminent experiential attainment in the Tantric practice, he guarded the vows of individual liberation more than cherishing his own life, and this is what the absolute vital point of practice means. What is the essence of the sublime teachings? In fact, all of us aspire to learn many teachings that we have never heard of before; however, many virtuous teachers emphasize the importance of upholding of precepts. All of us know that through ethical discipline, we will be able to eliminate the chances to descend to the three miserable realms; that is, ethical discipline serves as a means to block the entrance to the miserable realms. If we are right at the entrance of the three miserable realms, what can protect us from entering that entrance as if there is a gliding rail for us to glide past it? That is ethical discipline. When we are at the door of the three miserable realms, we would not fall in when the door is open. This is not going to happen; instead we would take the ride on the gliding rail and bypass it; even no longer hear the term - three miserable realms. This is the  peerless sublime vows of individual liberation, as it will keep all sentient beings from experiencing the suffering of the miserable realms. [04:21]

So, let’s reflect on it again. Every day we would claim: “Establish the sublime Buddha Dharma in the world!” So, what does it mean? Some may answer: to implore virtuous teachers to remain in the world, and to promulgate the Dharma teachings in the world. Then, what is the root cause for preserving the Dharma teachings in the world?  it mentions here: the root of the sublime teaching is precepts. Thus, whether Buddha Dharma can remain in the world depends on the upholding of the sublime Vinaya in the world; when the sublime Vinaya is upheld in the world, Buddha Dharma will remain in the world. Namely, without the upholding of the precepts, Buddha Dharma would not remain in this world. [04:52]

Now, let’s ponder over here: we often speak of “May the sublime teaching remain forever”, and we also aspire to “establishing the sublime Buddha Dharma in the world”, as well as we often say: “maintaining the spirit of Master’s key principle ideology”; this is what many of our senior students and monastics have in mind. Then, what exactly is Master’s principle? That is, to promulgate Buddha’s teaching continuously in this world! To maintain Buddha’s teaching perpetually relies on the upholding of the precepts! Thus, as for the minute precepts, behold! “Despite what a great attainment Master Atisha had, he guarded the vows of individual liberation more than cherishing  his own life, and this is the absolute vital point!” [05:28]

Eng

【全球广论 II 讲次: 0290】

讲次 | 0290 (2021-01-07 ~ 2021-01-10)

标题 | 圣教的根本在于戒律（一）

《广论》段落 | P4-L5 ~ P4-LL3 其中戒学……是故成大持律上座。

入门段落 | 第1册 P114-LL3 ~ P116-L2 那别解脱律仪有几种呢......佛法就不住世。

(更新日期: 2022年6月15日)

00:00

接下来想一想别解脱律仪有几种呢？“如《菩提道炬论》云：‘七众别解脱，如来所宣说，最胜妙梵行，即比丘净律。’”如来说了七种，哪七种呢？近事、近事女、沙弥、沙弥尼、学法女、比丘、比丘尼。这个“梵行”，就是指出家。而出家律仪中的比丘律仪，是别解脱律仪中最最殊胜的！“具妙梵行胜苾刍，持律上座我敬礼”，说的也就是这个。虽然在《菩提道炬论》的字面上说有七种别解脱律仪，但本来是八种，就是把八关斋戒也算进来，不分男女二众，就成为了八种。在《律海心要》中也有提到：“在家律仪为前三”，在家律仪就是指八戒、近事、近事女，近事就是指居士的意思；又说：“后五为出家律仪”，就是指沙弥、沙弥尼、学法女、比丘、比丘尼五种。别解脱律仪是以守护身口的律仪为主。01:08

说：“谓其正受圆满苾刍诸律仪已”，指阿底峡尊者受了比丘戒之后，“如爱尾牛，若尾一缕挂着于树，虽见猎士将离其命，宁舍其命护尾不断。如是虽于一轻学处，尚宁舍命防护不犯，况其所受重大学处”，“重大学处”就是四种他胜罪等重大学处，然后说：“是故成大持律上座”。01:39

接下来就看下面，上师教诫我们，说我们有些人在受戒的时候是很勇敢的，也做了许多承诺，但是持戒的时候一条戒也守护不了，这样的话利益就很小，而且还累积了众多的过失，所以是不应该这样的。传说觉窝杰具德阿底峡尊者在前往西藏的路上，虽然只是微小的恶作，也会立刻停下来进行忏悔。大家都知道车马劳顿的时候，身心疲惫去一个很遥远的地方，光是疲惫感就已经让人心里非常非常地难以应付了，如果在路上再生了病。那么我们可以看看，在这种前往西藏的长途跋涉之中，尊者防护律仪，哪怕是微小的恶作也会立刻停下来忏悔。其实可以继续走、不用停的，他要停下来忏悔。02:40

在西藏有些上师，自许获得很高的密法证量，就不重视别解脱律仪。但是觉窝杰具德阿底峡尊者在密法上的证量如此地崇高，对于守护别解脱律仪却比自己的生命还要珍惜。注意下面这几个字——这就是极扼要处！圣教的根本在于戒律也是指这个。佛法能否住世，观待正法毘奈耶的行持是否住世，正法毘奈耶的行持住世，佛法就住世；正法毘奈耶的行持不住世，佛法就不住世！03:23

这里面我们再回头看一下。问一下：那个“极扼要处”是什么呢？在密法的证量如此崇高，但是对于守护别解脱律仪却比自己的生命还要珍惜，这就是极扼要处。圣教的扼要处是什么呀？我们都想要了解很多很多好像没有听过的法，其实很多的善知识都特别强调戒律。戒律大家都知道是能够截断三恶趣的、堵塞三恶趣门的一个方式。到了三恶趣的那个门，怎么样能不进入，会有一条像滑轨一样滑走的，那就是律仪。到三恶趣门，不会门打开就掉下去，不会这样的，就乘着那个滑轨车滑过去了，甚至连三恶趣门的名声都听不到了，就是最胜的别解脱律仪，因为它会让有情免受恶趣的痛苦。04:21

所以再重新想一下，我们天天说：“建立教法！”那么什么叫建立教法？说：请善知识住世，然后教法住世。那么教法住世的根本是什么？在这里边说：圣教的根本在于戒律，佛法能否住世，观待于正法毘奈耶的行持有否住世——正法毘奈耶的行持住世，佛法就住世；如果戒律的行持不住世，佛法就不住世了。04:52

在这里边我们想一想，我们常常在讲“正法久住”，还希望“建立教法”，还有常常说：“维系师父的宗风”，这都是很多老学员还有法师们常常的思路。那么师父的宗风到底是什么？就是令法久住！令法久住就是观待于戒律！所以于微细戒，看！“不管修行多高，守护别解脱律仪却比自己的生命还要珍惜，这就是极扼要处！”05:28