Lecture No. 0318
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0318
Lamrim Volume 1: P42-LL21 ~ P42-LL12
Date: 30 Mar 2022
Topic: Chosen deities’ blessings: Cultivate the habit to confide every single matter
Before we begin today’s class, I would like to refer everyone to page 147 of the Introduction to the Four Interwoven Annotations; let me make a correction. On the first line of this page, it says, the “glorious Hevajra” meaning the chosen deity, Hevajra, and the “samayavyuharaja” refers to Shakyamuni Buddha. This was left out by the Venerable(s) [from our Translation Academy] in the course of translation [from Tibetan to Chinese], it should be “Trisamayavyuharaja”. There is a “tri” in front of the word “samayavyuharaja”. Everyone please mark the correction on this page of the Introduction to the Four Interwoven Annotations. [00:35]
Next, let’s look at this step: when Master Atisha was about to depart for Tibet, he prayed to Tara for guidance. Actually many masters also abided by “the precepts of refuge” presented in the Lamrim [V.1, chapter 12] – for every matter or plan, they would confide in Gurus, the Three Jewels and their chosen deities; they embark only after receiving the blessing and empowerment. Hence even someone as extraordinary as Master Atisha, he still supplicated for guidance, asking: “My act of going to Tibet, would it actually benefit the Tibetans?” [01:12]
Just like Master [Jih-Chang] before he does anything, he very frequently confided in the Three Jewels; and the most fundamental reason to do so is always: would doing this benefit the sublime teaching? Can this act benefit living beings? Supplications were always based on this premise. There was never: Would this be auspicious for me if I do so? Would I gain advantage? Never was any trace of such thought or request when praying for blessings. [01:35]
Thus, we can observe that the more eminent the Gurus are, the purer their upholding of the refuge is. Moreover, their relationship to the chosen deity is that of a teacher and disciple, or even like mother and child. However, their daily exchanges would be: what kind of actions can benefit sentient beings? How may I act in favour of the sublime teachings? This is the Bodhisattvas in the Buddha’s family, or the Buddha’s emanation(s), this is how they are. Hence, it is not like we can do as we please when we have extraordinary attainments. Doing so would be like we are on the same standing as the chosen deities; there is no need to confide or supplicate. In fact, practitioners with great practice, the more vigilant they are on this point. [02:17]
Then let’s reflect on ourselves: we often make lots of decisions on our own, dishing out one plan after another. When these plans are formed up, we are not even willing to tell our Gurus. Because there are times when the Guru will immediately turn down our plan and say: “The benefit to the sublime teaching is not significant!” Fearing that our plans may be axed, we would selectively disclose them [our plans], and quickly proceed with our preferred methods. Such a habit, after reading this section, we can briefly reflect on ourselves, or actually thoroughly examine ourselves: “Do we want to develop the habit of confiding in our chosen deity for whatever we wish to do?” [02:58]
This great Master was able to compose a commentary with his own capabilities, his proficiency in scriptural knowledge and also experiential knowledge should be very impressive. However, as such a great Master, what did he want to do? It was still to supplicate to the chosen deity to obtain permission. May I ask why is it so? Why is this emphasized when it comes to the three ideal qualifications for composing a treatise? We can then see that from Relying on The Teacher, the earliest stages of Lamrim [V.1 chapter 4], to the precepts of refuge [V.1 chapter 12], and all the way to such an exalted attainment – meeting the chosen deity in person; it is all derived from the same origin – to perfect and purify our faith in taking refuge. The more accomplished a Master is, the more immaculate his practice in taking refuge is, without leaving much room for any flaws. Why is it that some practitioners just cannot carry out confiding? They want to give themselves room, extra leeway, or they trust themselves too much. [03:46]
Then would you say that for such a great Master like Master Atisha, would he be unsure that his trip to Tibet would benefit Tibetans? All Tibetans already knew this, but why Master Atisha appeared like he was not? Why did he still ask Tara? With regards to composing a treatise, why is it a prerequisite to receive permission from the chosen deity? He was fully qualified, perfectly capable and endowed with good qualities to compose a treatise to salvage worldly sentient beings, why did he still need to ask for permission from the chosen deity? All deeds of eminent masters recorded in the scriptures are intended to remind us future disciples that from the time we begin to rely on an Excellent Teacher – for any matter, confiding in Excellent Teacher, receiving blessings from Excellent Teacher, all the way to confiding in the Three Jewels and abiding by the precepts of refuge with joyous perseverance; which is to frequently recollect the kindness of the Three Jewels, recollect the kindness of the Excellent Teacher. [04:35]
Some people may think: to keep confiding, there seems to be no time for that. There are also some who think: after confiding, there are chances that we will be asked to relinquish half of our plan or even the entire one, there is no room for freedom or creativity. However, what we need to exert on this path is to frequently confide with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, even to the extent of confiding each and every matter! [04:57]
Regarding this point, I have also asked many of my gurus: “With regards to the precepts of refuge, do we really have to disclose every single matter?” In actual fact, to uphold the precepts purely and meticulously, we need to disclose every single matter. It is because you will feel that: Is it even possible that we accomplish virtuous deeds that benefit living beings without receiving blessings from the Buddha and those of our Excellent Teachers? How do I accomplish these all by myself? From the initial stage of learning, for any experiential knowledge to arise, if it were not for the blessings from the Teachers, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, how could an ordinary being get rid of the afflictive propensity accumulated from beginningless time, and still choose to take a step forward when encountering so many obstacles and vast conditions that can cause us to retreat? Always take one step forward, we will achieve higher status rebirth, because we will not go downwards. When we meet at a crossroad or dilemma of advancing or retreating, we would always take the step forward! So who would give us such courage? It is the blessing power from the Teachers, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas! If we don’t cultivate the habit of confiding in our Excellent Teachers, and continue to act as we please, then we still end up fuelling our latent propensity! [06:01]
Thus, I’m saying that after reading this section, we can reflect on ourselves: As great and eminent master as Master Atisha, his actions were like this, in front of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas he was always like a child who would consult every single action like asking: “Mother! Can I do this? May I do it this way? Do you think this is good?” Great masters all have deep respect for their teachers, or view the teachers as their parents, full of deep veneration. Hence, I am very touched by their deeds; I am wondering what do you think? [06:29]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0318】
讲次 | 0318 (2021-04-15 ~ 2021-04-18)
标题 | 本尊摄受（二）：养成凡事启白的习惯
《广论》段落 | P7-L7 ~ P7-L8 其为本尊所摄受者……及广大正法。”
入门段落 | 第1册 P147-L1 ~ P147-LL4 胜欢喜金刚，立三三昧耶王”......这就是“谒见本尊天颜”的部分。
(更新日期: 2022年3月30日)
在开始今天的课程之前，我先请大家看一下《四家合注入门》的 147 页，我做一个更正。这里边的第一行，说“胜欢喜金刚”就是本尊喜金刚，“三昧耶王”是指释迦牟尼佛——这个是法师在翻译的时候漏掉了，是“立三三昧耶王”，是这样的，前面有个“立三”两个字。希望大家在《四家合注入门》自己用笔把它加上去。00:35
接下来，大家可以看这一步，像尊者准备进入西藏之前启问度母。其实很多上师都是遵循着我们《广论》中的皈依学处，但有什么事情都是要启白上师、三宝、本尊，得到加持和开许然后再去做。所以像这么伟大的上师，他取得了这么了不起的成就，但是他还是要问说：“我这样去西藏的行为，到底能否有利益藏人？”01:12
像师父在做什么事情之前，也常常是启白三宝，启白的最根本的一个理由都是：这样对圣教会有利益吗？这样可以利益众生吗？都是以这样的前提。从来没有说：这样我是否很吉祥？我能得到什么？从来没有任何一丝丝这样的一个希求而去祈求的。01:35
所以我们可以看到，越是伟大的上师，他们的皈依学处越是守得非常地清净，而且跟本尊的关系就像师生关系一样，甚至就像母子关系一样。不过他们谈的家常话就是：怎么样的行为可以利益众生？怎么样的行为能对圣教有益？这就是佛家族里边的菩萨，或者佛示现的，他们就是这样的。并不是我们有很高的修行，什么事情都可以自己做主了，甚至自己做主的就跟本尊一样了，好像也不用启白了，越有修行的大德在这一点上尤为严谨。02:17
那么反观察我们，我们常常自己给自己做很多决定，一堆一堆的计划出炉，当这个计划出炉的时候，甚至都不愿意跟自己的上师讲一下。因为有的时候讲了之后，上师就直接把你的计划给砍掉了，说：“这个对圣教的利益不大！”唯恐自己的计划被砍掉，所以有的时候就是能讲就讲、不能讲就不讲，赶快沿着自己的想法做。像这样的一个习惯，看了这一段之后，大家可以稍微观察一下自己，或者说透彻地观察一下自己：我们要不要养成做什么都会启问本尊这样的一个习惯呢？ 02:58
这位大德能够依靠他自己的力量造一部论，那么他经典的水平，还有他修证的水平应该也是很厉害了，但是这么厉害的大德他要做什么，还是要启问本尊、得到本尊的开许。请问为什么要这样呢？为什么造论三因里要着重地写这个？我们就看到从最初的依止法到皈依学处，到最后这么高的一个成就——亲见本尊，它都是一脉相承的，淬炼我们精纯的皈依心。越是有成就的大德，他的这个皈依越会做得彻底，不会留什么余地。有些人为什么启白就是做不了？他就是给自己空间、给自己余地，或者说太信任自己了。03:46
那你说阿底峡尊者这样的大德，他难道不确信他去西藏会利益到藏人吗？所有的藏人都知道的事情，那为什么尊者好像不知道的样子？他为什么还要去问度母呢？造论这件事情为什么还要得到本尊的开许？他完全是有本事、有力量或者说有功德，可以写一部救世的论著，为什么还要得到本尊的开许？在经典里这样的一些祖师的行谊，就是要提醒我们后学，从一开始亲近善知识——什么事情启白善知识、得到善知识的加持，到启白三宝、精进地持守皈依学处，就是常念三宝恩啊、常念上师恩。04:35
有些人会认为：老是启白，好像也没有时间。还有人认为：启白了有时候自己一半的计划，甚至百分之百的计划都被砍掉了，没有自由、没有发挥的自由。但这条路上要发挥的是能够常常启白佛菩萨，甚至是每事都会启问！ 04:57
就这一点，我也曾经问过我的好几位上师，说：“这个皈依学处里真的每件事都要启白吗？”实际上，真正守得精纯是要每件事都要启白。因为你会觉得：哪有一件事是不得到佛的加持、不得到善知识的加持，能靠我自力成办利益众生的善行呢？我怎么自力成办呢？还有包括从最初的任何一个修证功德的生起，如果没有上师、佛菩萨的加持，一个凡夫怎么样摆脱无始劫来的烦恼习气，能够在那么多障碍和自己退堕的各种可能性下，在可上可下的时候都上一步？都上一步，一定会完成增上生，因为不会向下去。在遇到可上可下的因缘、可上可下的念头的时候，我们都选择向上一步！那么谁给了我们这种勇气？上师的加持力、佛菩萨的加持力！如果我们不养成启白的习惯，还是自己拿主意，什么事都自己拿主意，那终归是转自己那一套！06:01
所以，我是说看这一段，我们反省一下自己：这么伟大的上师，他的行为都是这样的，在佛菩萨面前就像一个孩子一样，什么自己的行为都问问说：“妈妈！这样我可以做吗？妈妈！这样我可以做吗？你觉得这样好吗？”非常尊重他们的老师，或者说像父母亲一样，非常尊重父母亲。所以我觉得还是满感动的，不知道你们感觉如何？06:29