Lecture No. 0333
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0333
Lamrim Volume 1: P46 L3-L9
Date: 18 Mar 2022
Topic: There is no contradiction between Zen meditation practice with sutras taught by Buddha
Very well! So we will continue to listen to Master’s commentary on the “coming to understand that all of the scriptures are instructions of practice”. While listening to the teaching, everyone, please stay focused! Be attentive! And pay more attention! [00′17″]
[5A 15:47 ~ 5A 18:21]
The second of the greatness of the teaching is that practitioners are “coming to understand that all of the scriptures are instructions of practice.” During our process of studying Buddha Dharma, a phenomenon is commonly seen: In practice, some people may have an inclination for this and not that; meaning that some people prefer a certain way of practice and disregard others [completely]. This situation occurs specifically in the Zen school. The Zen school originally holds its own particular value. However, it has gradually developed into a view in that there was not much use in studying the sutras. It is of little use studying the sutras. What works is that the Zen master would give his disciples one phrase or a gesture of “eye expressions or raising eyebrows” as the proper guidance for the disciple to penetrate its meaning. Such guidance has its particular meaning; now I will go over it. That is, the intended goal of the Buddha Dharma.... What is the true intention of the sutras? It is like the “finger pointing to the moon” meaning to look at the finger, which is pointing towards the moon; it is true that the finger is not the moon itself. However, to perceive the moon, you have to rely on that finger that indicates where the moon [enlightenment] is. By the same token, this is the function of the sutras. [01′34″]
Now I will give you a quiz to see if you have listened attentively; the first question is: Master said, “a phenomenon is commonly seen”; if we don’t look at the transcript of Master’s commentary, are you able to answer what “a phenomenon” refers to? Master said, “some people may have an inclination for this and not that”， the “this” and “that” refer to the different studying approaches within the Buddhist community, right? One practitioner may prefer one practice to the other. Besides “some people prefer a certain way of practice and disregard others [completely].” [02′03″]
Great! This question has been answered. The next question is: I remember the time when I just began my Lamrim study; while discussing this passage in the Lamrim class, some classmates had practiced the Zen meditation – I was studying Zen as well back then and many practitioners applied the self-taught meditation training without any guidance from a teacher; so, while listening to this paragraph, some took it as Master seemed to disapprove Zen meditation practice, or probably he held different opinions. Then, everyone in the class began to discuss this. Let me ask you all first! After reading this section, would you think that Master had something to say about the Zen meditation approach? Or are you reluctant to speak up about what you have in mind? [Back to the commentary;] Master said, “it has gradually developed into a view in that there was not much use in studying the sutras. It is of little use studying the sutras.” Master continued, “Zen master would give his disciples one phrase or a gesture of ‘eye expressions or raising eyebrows’ as the proper guidance for the disciple to penetrate its meaning.” Doesn’t this statement seem to insinuate the practice of certain school is not right? This question was the one we were discussing back then; how do you interpret this statement? Do we have to take it as Master somehow disapproved the Zen practice? In fact, Master had studied the Zen practice; besides, he thought highly of the great masters of the Zen lineage; is that right? So how should we explain this? Master said, “… there was not much use in studying the sutras;” isn’t it the fault of the practitioners who are learning this practice? The practitioners fail to fully grasp the essence of the Zen practice. [03′30″]
Let me ask everyone a question related to how to listen to the teaching; please listen well to this! The “finger pointing to the moon”, what does it refer to? What does the finger pointing towards the moon represent? Does it mean the sutra? It is to point out the accurate direction in terms of our mind training – the accurate direction of removing suffering and attaining happiness; it is to point out the direction for us, and that is the meaning of “finger pointing to the moon”. This was also [one of the topics we had discussed back then.] [03′51″]
Here is another point worth contemplating; Master said, “The Zen school holds its own particular value”, and “the goal of Buddha Dharma.... What is the true intent of the sutras”, this means we need to contemplate on this question. The original intent of the sutras is to explore what is the true nature of our mind. What exactly is the nature of the mind? Is it filled with sufferings? Or is it possible that the moment we realize the true nature, the suffering is ceased? So, what exactly is this nature of the mind? This is worth our exploring. [04′23″]
However, while studying and exploring what the true nature of our mind is, some practitioners, after they have studied for a while, they go straight into exploring what the true nature of the mind is, skipping the efforts of listening to what Buddha taught about: how to investigate the mind, what are the characteristics of the mind, what are the various conditions arising before practitioners attain enlightenment, where should be the first step to take…. Buddha is like a virtuous mentor, a teacher guiding us to advance gradually from the first grade. However, some people would just study for a while, and then assume that they could just sit down with legs folding; likewise, they can probably attain Buddha’s enlightened attainment of the dependent arising and wisdom of emptiness. [I mean] some practitioners would neglect the systematic order while practicing; they assume that the attainment the past masters achieved – like the attainment Sixth Patriarch had – means that everyone else can have the same achievement as well. [05′09″]
I recall the time when I was studying in the Lamrim class; we were chanting the Diamond Sutra and the Platform Sutra by the Sixth Patriarch earnestly and wholeheartedly; we were all very enthusiastic about the Zen meditation practice. However, we could not understand the case studies – there are many real examples in the Complete Zen Meditation Collection – what exactly are the meanings conveyed in the case studies? We could not figure them out. Some of us felt they had got it, but it was very likely they had misconstrued it and got deviated. Why? Because their behaviour revealed somehow their practice was not quite right, and it seemed that they had not got enlightened; what they revealed was rather worrisome behaviour! So under such condition, we need to rely on teachers’ guidance. Without receiving the guidance from a virtuous teacher, we just rely on our self-taught practice blindly; it is very likely we are wasting this human form of leisure and opportunity. You can try to imagine under what kind of circumstances they were in when Master gave the commentary on this section. [05′49″]
Next, Master would apply another analogy. Everyone, please listen attentively! As usual, I will still follow up by asking you some questions.
Or let me put it in this way. Take going to a certain place for example. Someone shows us a map. The map is definitely not the place itself. Take a road in the Tai-zhung city for example, the map is for sure just a piece of paper, so the road on the map is in no way whatsoever the road itself? However, after carefully studying the map, we can then follow the directions shown on the map and arrive at the destination. So this is how the map works. Once you understand the way to get to that place, and then upon arrival, the map is no longer needed. Yet, some do not understand this point – maybe it is because of their latent propensity or maybe it is due to some specific reason; they become so fixated on the idea that the map is Tai-zhung. For instance, now I am holding the map of Tai-zhung in my hand. And the original intent of this map is to show the traveler how to reach Tai-zhung; now this traveler says that the map is Tai-zhung. In this situation, you have no choice but to take away the map and tear it up. “How can this be Tai-zhung? The map is to point out the location to you.” If the message does not get across, the teacher who was showing the traveler how to get to a place would simply tear up the map. This is a sort of the painstaking effort and expedient means of the Zen masters. [07′19″]
Have you heard this paragraph clearly? I know many classmates would repeatedly listen to it for many times while discussing this section. They try to understand why is that in this paragraph Master brought up the map? What was exactly the point that Master used the map as the example? Does it mean that we must follow the map while we are taking a trip [to an unfamiliar place]? Or was Master trying to point out the function of the map? Or was he pointing out our mistaken usage of the map? In this commentary, Master used the example of the city Tai-zhung, and indicated that some practitioner would take it that Tai-zhung is the small dot on the map; that is it. Under such condition, the virtuous teacher of this disciple had no choice but to take away the map this disciple was so fixated on. [08′00″]
Master added, “This is a sort of the painstaking effort and expedient means of the Zen masters.” The point is to remove our grasping or the attachment we normally will have; by no means does it mean that all travelers should not rely on the map. It specifically targets at those practitioners who are so fixated on the map that they actually fail to see the “finger pointing to the moon” – pointing out the direction of the mind - thus, the virtuous teacher has to remove what we grasped on so that we can deepen into our exploration. It doesn’t mean that everyone should do away with the map. Apparently, what does this map refer to? It refers to the sutras that Buddha taught! The scriptures! [08′32″]
So from the above short paragraph, it is evident the pervasiveness of “whatever is a color is necessarily red” – this is the first debating topic in the Pointing the Way to Reasoning– Compendium of Debates. Some practitioners are specifically fixated on the statement from the text, and they don’t exert to introspect. This is the reason why they are stuck in terms of their meditation practice and not making any headway. In order to give them guidance, their virtuous teacher applied this method [of tearing up the map]. But this does not mean that all [virtuous teachers] have to use this approach while teaching all the sutras to each disciple; if they do, that is the fault of the assertion that “whatever is a color is necessarily red”. Do you agree with this? [09:06]
So this above paragraph of [Master’s commentary] is to further elaborate the earlier paragraph from Master in this teaching, is that right? Why would the virtuous teacher guide us and giving us instructions that we should do it this way or that way – the guidance of “eye expressions or raising eyebrows” as well as “finger pointing to the moon”? All the guidance is meant to help us understand the exact intended meaning in the sutras that Buddha conveyed. When practitioners are stubbornly grasping on what the scriptures state and totally forget about applying the teaching on their own mind training, lineage masters would apply such approach for the practitioners to introspect. Having them to be mindful does not mean the sutras taught by Buddha are not needed; [quite the contrary,] the sutras taught by Buddha are required! Do you all agree with this? [09′38″]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0333】
讲次 | 0333
标题 | 禅宗教授与需要佛经不相违
《广论》段落 | P8-L10 ~ P8-L11 此论教授殊胜分四……极大罪行自趣消灭殊胜。
音档 | 5A 15:47 ~ 5A 18:21
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P139-LL5 ~ P140-LL3 ( 2016 南普陀版：P139-LL5 ~ P140-LL4 )
手抄段落 | 第二个，“一切圣言现为教授殊胜”……这是祖师的一番苦心方便。
(更新日期: 2022年3月18日)
00:00
好！那我们接着就要往下听师父讲解“一切圣言现为教授殊胜”，在听的过程中大家要专注！专注！再专注！00:17
第二个，“一切圣言现为教授殊胜”。在我们修学佛法过程当中，有这样的一个现象，有这样的现象：有的人说他欢喜这个，就不接受那个；有的人偏向那一方，就不能利用这个。尤其这种情况最特殊的，在禅宗当中。这个禅宗现在有它的特殊的价值，可是发展到后来的禅宗，他总觉得那个佛经好像没有用的，好像没有用的。那就是祖师的那一句话，给你一个“瞬目扬眉”，这个就是对。它有它的特殊的意义，这个特殊的意义先说一下。就是说，本来这个佛法的目标，这个佛经的原意是干什么？如“标月指”，那就像指给你这个月亮，看那个手指一样，它的的确确不是月亮，但是你要认得这个月亮，还一定要根据他的手指，指给你看，这个佛经的功效。01:34
现在考一下大家听闻的时候有没有认真，第一个问题：师父说：“有这样的一个现象”，如果不看手抄，你们能答出来“这样的现象”是什么吗？说：“有人欢喜这个，就不接受那个”，这个、那个都是指佛教内部的学习方式，对吧？他执着一个，他就不喜欢那个，然后“偏向那一方，就不能利用这个”。02:03
那好，这个问题答完了。问第二个问题：一开始在广论班研讨到这一段的时候，学习禅宗的居士──当时我也是学习禅宗的，很多人是自学的，没有老师指导──听到师父讲这一段的时候，就觉得师父是不是好像不赞成禅宗，或者好像有什么想法？大家就开始讨论。我先问大家吧！你们读了这一段之后，会觉得师父是对禅宗这个宗派有什么其他想法吗？你们是不敢说有其他想法吗？那师父说：“发展到后来的禅宗，他总觉得那个佛经好像没有用的，好像没有用的。”然后“祖师的一个‘瞬目扬眉’，他就是对”，这句话不是在说某个宗派不好吗？我们当时是讨论了这个，这句话你们要怎么解释呢？就是一定要成立师父是说禅宗不好吗？师父自己就是学过的，而且师父非常非常地尊重禅宗的大德们，对不对？那要怎么解释呢？这里边的“他总觉得那个佛经好像没有用的”，是不是学的人的过失？他没有学清楚。03:30
我再问大家一个听闻的问题，认真听！“标月指”，这个标月指是指什么啊？指一个月亮的手是指什么？是佛经吗？指示我们心上的那个正确的方向──离苦得乐的正确的方向，指给我们看，说“标月指”。这也是一个。03:51
这里边还有一个点，说：“禅宗是有它特殊的价值”，然后“本来这个佛法的目标，这个佛经的原意是在做什么”，要去探索这个问题。佛经的原意也就是探索我们心的本来面目，那心的本来面目到底是什么？是不是充满痛苦的呢？还是一旦我们了解了这个本来面目的时候，苦就会息灭掉了？所以它的本来面目到底是什么？这个是值得探索的。04:23
但是在这里边说，在探索心的本来面目的时候，有些人学着、学着就直接探索心的本来面目是什么，不需要听一听佛陀的讲法：是怎么探讨这个心、这个心有什么特色、在没有开悟的时候有多少种状况、下脚处是什么……。佛陀就像一个善知识一样、像老师一样，从一年级开始一点点教我们。有些人就学着学着，认为他只要盘腿一坐，大概就可以像佛陀一下子悟到缘起性空了一样。学的人有的时候会忽略掉这个次第，以为一些祖师达到的目标──像六祖大师达到的目标，好像大家人人都可行似的。05:09
像我们那时候学习的话，都拼命地念《金刚经》还有《六祖坛经》，对禅宗是非常非常热衷的。但是看不懂公案──《禅宗大全》有很多公案──到底是什么呢？参不透。有的人觉得自己参透了，其实可能是走歪了，因为看那个现行是不太对的，好像没有开窍，好像变得更严重了！所以在这种状态下，就要找老师指导，如果找不到老师，凭着自己那样胡乱地用功一通，可能会辜负这个暇身。师父讲到这一段的时候，可以想像那是什么样的一个状况。05:49
接下来，师父再会举到一个譬喻，请大家认真听！我还是会提问题。
或者我们这么说，譬如说我们现在要到一个什么地方去，他给你看一个地图，这个地图的的确确不是那个地方，譬如说台中市哪一条路，当然地图是一张纸，怎么能代表那个路？但是你把那个地图认得了清楚以后，你就可以照着地图上面所告诉你的这个走法，跑到那个地方去，所以有它这样。等到你认得了那个地方，到了那个地方以后，是不要这张地图。那么有一些人他不了解这一点，或者由于他的习性，或者有这个特别的原因，他就死死地把住这张地图，说台中就是这个，就是那个地图。譬如说我现在手上面这个是台中的地图，说它现在本来这一张地图，是告诉他怎么到台中去走，他现在说这个就是台中。那碰见这种情况的话，你没有办法，只好把他那个地图拿出来，把它撕掉。“这个什么是个台中？这是告诉你那个地图。”万一说不通，他根本就拿它撕掉了，这是祖师的一番苦心方便。07:19
这一段大家有没有听清楚？研讨这一段的时候，很多广论班的同学常常听了好几遍。比如说这一段师父讲了一个地图的事情，讲了一个地图的事情到底要讲什么呢？是要讲走路一定要照着地图走？还是要讲地图的作用是什么？还是要讲我们错误地使用了地图？这里边举了台中嘛，他认为台中就在那里，就那么一个小地方，那就是台中。在这种状态下，他的善知识没办法，就要把他的那张地图夺走。08:00
师父接着说：“这是祖师的一番苦心方便。”要拿掉你的执着，不是说所有的人走路都不需要地图了，而是对于那个太执着地图、已经不去看真正的指月指──指内心的方向──的那个人，要把他执着的东西先拿开一下，他才能往深了看，不是说所有的人都不需要地图了。这个地图很显然是指什么呀？佛经啊！经典啊！08:32
所以在这一小段，很显然把这个问题周遍了，说：“是颜色都是红色”──我们《摄类学》学的那道辩论题；有人就是特别特别执着经典上的一句话，不往内心去观察，功夫就卡在这个地方，进步不了。为了教他，他的善知识就用了这个方式。但是并不是说所有的佛经对所有的弟子们都是要用这样的方式，这就是犯了“是颜色都是红色”这样的一个问题。你们觉得是不是这样呢？09:06
所以这一小段是解释前一段的，对不对？为什么会有这样的一个善知识告诉你应该怎么样、怎么样──“扬眉瞬目”，还有“指月指”这些教授──都是为了帮忙我们去了解佛经所指的意义到底是什么。一旦有人特别执着了这个经典而忘记自心的时候，祖师就会用这种方式让他去看他的心。让他看他的心并不是说佛经是不需要的，佛经是必需的！大家觉得是这样吗？09:38