Lecture No. 0334

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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0334

Lamrim Volume 1: P46 L3-L9

Date: 20 Mar 2022

Topic: Sutras and scriptures are the best guide for cultivation

Now, we will continue to listen to the next paragraph of Master’s commentary:

 [5A 18:21 ~ 5A 22:21] 

Thus, even the patriarchs of the Zen school would use various skillful means for guiding the disciples. If necessary, they also use common and popular dialects, or the vernacular language to give teachings. What is the sutra? A case in point by a (particular) lineage master (Zen school) – “the yellow fallen leaf to pacify the crying child”; a child was crying out loud, so the adult picked up a yellow fallen leaf from the ground. A yellow fallen leaf indicates something with little value. The adult used the yellow leaf to calm the crying child. The child looked at it, was pleased by it, and stopped crying. The mission is accomplished! You may not agree with such method, saying it is not appropriate to compare the sutras, which are precious and sublime, to the fallen leaves on the ground, which signifies something of little value. I don’t think that is what the great Zen master meant to make this kind of comparison; rather, this is a metaphor to illustrate how to stop a child from crying by applying this method. That is it. [01′09″] 

What exemplifies here is that we ordinary beings do not understand the true nature of reality. Thus, we are always deluded in this inverted ignorance, enduring various sufferings and afflictions, just like this afflictive crying child. But now, Buddha is leading us with skillful means to stop us crying. Once we stop crying, the skillful means serve its purpose! That is how it works. That is, the Buddha [who is the great master] uses various methods or expedient means to guide those who cannot grasp the essence of the sutras. He guided them by pointing out the root cause of the issue – that is how the Buddha guides the disciples. Due to this kind of guidance, some disciples slowly and gradually inclined toward the view that, they say, “Ah! Sutras are not needed now.” This is a mistaken view. May I ask, if the sutras were not needed, how would you apply Buddha Dharma? The intended meaning of the sutras is to guide you with Buddhist practice. Once you get it, of course you won’t need them. As an analogy in the Diamond Sutra exemplifies, those who intend to cross the river of samsara must use a raft – that is the requirement. Yet, once they have crossed it successfully, what should they do about the raft? Naturally, they won’t need it anymore – definitely so. No one would safeguard the raft after crossing the river. If they do, isn’t it absurd? It is no longer necessary to continue carrying the raft on the back. So this is the systematic order that we need to recognize clearly. [02′37″] 

From the earlier analogy of the “finger pointing to the moon” to the analogy of the map, now here Master brought up another analogy, “yellow fallen leaf to pacify the crying child”; I believe many classmates have read about this case study, that is, the fallen leaf to pacify the crying child, and those classmates are good at sharing it with others. However, how do we understand the story of “yellow fallen leaf to pacify the crying child”? The main point Master was conveying is: that the teaching can help living beings [as the crying child] stop crying. Crying is the metaphor for suffering; namely, the sentient beings are submerged in suffering. The good qualities and purpose of the sutras are to salvage the living beings from samsaric suffering. However, for those people who are not able to get hold of the essence of the sutras, the past masters [including Buddha] guided them by “pointing out the root cause of the issue”; what is the root cause of the issue? It is to end suffering! Then, why is that the child is crying? Here, the living beings are compared to children. The ignorance in our mind brings about all sorts of absurdities and sufferings and this is why the afflictions are incessantly arising. [Buddha and past masters used expedient means to] help stop us from crying [over afflictions]. [03′40″] 

So, the analogy is to exemplify the function of the scriptures; it doesn’t mean that the scriptures are not needed. In other words, the yellow fallen leaf in the “yellow fallen leaf to pacify the crying child” is still needed! Without the fallen leaf, the parent couldn’t pacify the child. Therefore, this fallen leaf at this given time appears to be very precious. Why? With it, the adult can stop the child from crying. Thus, if (we) say the leaf is of no value after it (helped to) stop the child from crying; such view is an incorrect understanding (of the analogy), right? Such view has gone too far, as Master pointed out directly: “This is a mistaken view”. [04′14″] 

Here is another point worth contemplating: after crossing the samsaric river, would you still have the need to carry the raft on your back? This is actually a very profound question. Later when we study the Vipassana (wisdom/insight), we will [learn how to remove obstructions from our mind stream] tier-by-tier and layer-by-layer to reveal the wisdom that all phenomena are without intrinsic nature. We have to peel off our grasping in life, layer by layer meticulously. Thus, we should not hold that practitioners should immediately detach everything right off the bat. Some practitioners begin their practice right from “not being attached to anything”; such as: “You don’t need to grasp on doing kind deeds!” “When you get mad, you should not be fixated by it, either,” which means that you don’t need to worry about losing your temper! This attitude is also a kind of negligent of the law of the cause and effect. Or take the precepts you have committed to for example; if you are not mindful of the precepts, then how can you prevent yourself from transgression? And even if you adventitiously commit transgression, how can you repent properly based on the teachings? With such an attitude over time, how can you uphold the vows you have promised to fulfill immaculately, more and more impeccably? Master Atisha had been an eminent monk upholding meticulously on the very pure ethical discipline for 552 lifetimes, and this immaculate upholding of the essence of the precepts has been carried over life after life; how could this be achieved [if practitioners think that they should not be grasping on all the phenomena]? Therefore, Master Atisha must be very, especially, mindful about keeping observance of the pure precepts; so much so that such thought never slip away from his mind stream. [05′18″] 

When evaluating how good is one’s meditation effort in [Zen school], masters would ask their disciples: “Under the bright luminous day light, are you able to be in charge of your mind?” Then, “While sleeping at night, are you able to be in charge of your mind?” “In those dreamless night during your sleep, are you able to be in charge?” All these questions (asked by the masters) were related to the effort of the mind training! Hence, if we were able to better comprehend the meanings of the scriptures, then we would not misinterpret the intended meanings of those past masters, or even misconstrue the significance of the Zen school. Therefore, I am firmly convinced that deepening our study is highly necessary. [05′43″] 

As for the issue of the raft, should we continue to carry the raft on our back after crossing the river? Master clearly pointed out the “systematic order” – right from the beginning, the raft is required; namely, without the raft, there is no way for us to cross to the other shore. As for those who continue carrying the raft after crossing the river, someone must tell them: “You have already crossed the river. Now, you should think of some other ways to remove this burden.” [06′05″] 

Next, we will listen to another paragraph. Please listen attentively! 

As a matter of fact, if you are able to understand the scriptures directly, then they are the best guidance without a doubt. Yet, just because you lack certain capacities, and there is no other way around, great teachers use skillful means and straightforward language to teach you. Such kinds of specific and skillful means are in themselves part of the authentic scriptural teachings. This is what we should understand and develop true appreciation. Why is that we practitioners would misconstrue the sutras? It is because we are unable to grasp the key points of practice. Under this circumstance, what matters most is to understand the key points of what the sutras taught us so as to eradicate our attachment and our inner grasping. Unfortunately, some practitioners prefer the guidance of certain schools and forsake the sutras. This is really detrimental to our practice, very destructive! So Lama Tsong-kha-pa specifically pointed out the phenomena we are facing now, and what their causes are. Here it exemplifies the point that by studying meticulously the detailed explanations and thoroughly following the guidance of the text, we will know that all the scriptures and teachings from great teachers of the lineage are the best guidance and, based on these teachings, we should be able to eradicate and purify our afflictions. [07′41″] 

The message in this short paragraph is very deep and profound! Usually during my study, I would listen repeatedly, sometimes up to 7 times, or even more than 10 times; I would just contemplate its meaning again and again. I am wondering how many times you would chose to listen. [07′56″] 

Master said: “As a matter of fact, if you are able to understand the scriptures directly…;” take heed! To understand what? Master said if we can “understand the scriptures directly.” What will be the conclusion if we understand the intended meaning of the scriptures? What will be the effect? The effect is that we will understand that “they are the best guidance.” I will skip [some lines of Master’s commentary], and ask you: Master said, “the best guidance;” then the question is the guidance of what? Master said the scriptural knowledge is the best guidance for us “to eradicate our attachment and our inner grasping”. Hence, the key points in Buddha’s scriptural teaching are to remove the attachment in our mind. [08′33″] 

If we do not recognize that all the sutras and scriptures are our best meditation/cultivation guidance, and their intended purposes are to help us remove the grasping we have in our mind stream, the example mentioned here shows what side we would lean toward? We would not understand the real purpose of the intention of Buddha’s scriptures, right? Since we do not know the purpose of the sutras then the virtuous teachers would explain the meanings of all the sutras Buddha taught. However, after we heard the teachings of the virtuous teachers, we misinterpret the intended meaning and what do we take it as? The sutras Buddha taught are not needed! Therefore, the first mistake practitioners commit is that they do not understand the meanings of the sutras. After they listened to the virtuous teachers’ guidance, they further misconceive it, and mistaken it as something that the sutras taught by Buddha are not needed. If the beginners who just started their meditation practice/cultivation think that they do not need any guidance from the sutras, then how could it be possible for them to advance on this path? [09′07″] 

Master said, “So Lama Tsong-kha-pa specifically pointed out that the phenomena we are facing now, and what their causes are” So, what is the reason? Master specified the reason. And what is this reason? Yes, that is right! “It is because we are unable to grasp the key points of the practice. Under this circumstance, what matter most is to understand the key points of what the sutras taught us so as to eradicate our attachment and our inner grasping.” The real purpose of all the sutras is to help us eradicate our inner grasping, and this is what the virtuous teachers are trying to tell us, through various analogies like “yellow fallen leaf to pacify the crying child,” etc. to help us recognize the importance of the scriptures, and their specific functions of the scriptures. However, (we, the practitioners) tend to get them wrong, misconceiving that the sutras taught by Buddha are not needed. [09′52″] 

Then Master continued: “all the scriptures and teachings from great teachers of the lineage are the best guidance and, based on these teachings, we should be able to eradicate and purify our afflictions.” Regarding the aforementioned all sorts of flaws, based on Master, how could we apply remedy? The remedy we can apply is through “studying meticulously the detailed explanations and thoroughly following the guidance of the text,” , which means, through our study of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, we learn how not to misunderstand the practice of Zen school, how not to misinterpret the excerpts of the Zen masters; we should not take it as something that the sutras taught by Buddha are not needed for those who are seeking liberation. This thought is indeed very odd! Yet, all these flaws can be resolved by studying this Lamrim; this is truly a very fortunate thing that ever happened to us! [10′35″]

Eng

【全球广论 II 讲次: 0334】

  • 讲次 | 0334

  • 手抄段落 | 所以乃至于禅宗的祖师们……能够净化我们的烦恼的。

  • 《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 18:21 ~ 5A 22:21

  • 手抄页/行 | 第1册 P140-LL2 ~ P142-L9 ( 2016 南普陀版:P140-LL3 ~ P142-L9 )

  • 手抄段落 | 所以乃至于禅宗的祖师们……能够净化我们的烦恼的。

(更新日期: 2022年3月20日)

00:00

现在我们继续听下一段师父的讲解:

所以乃至于禅宗的祖师们,用种种的方法说明,必要的时候,他们也用很平常、粗俗的这种话来说。什么叫佛经呀?说这个“黄叶止儿啼”,这个祖师的公案:说这个小孩子哇啦哇啦哭,那么这个做大人的人,就在地上捡一个树叶子,那个树叶子黄了,掉下来的,表示没有什么用场的,逗一逗那个小孩子,那个小孩子看了欢喜,不哭了,好了嘛!你说我们想起来这个佛经这么珍贵的,怎把它比成,比成功树上没用的树叶掉在地下?他的意思,不是把这个佛经比成功那个没有用的树叶,这个是一个譬喻,说明了说这个小孩哇啦哇啦哭,你现在用这么一个办法,使得那个小孩不哭了,就这样。01:09

这个里边说明就是我们凡夫不了解世间的真相,所以一直在无明颠倒当中,受了种种的苦恼,就像那个小孩子一样哇啦哇啦受苦恼了哭。他现在呢,佛就引导我们用一个善巧方便,使得你不哭,不哭了那么就好了嘛!就是这样。所以他用种种方法,对于把握不住佛经这个原则的那些人,他来从根本上面指出问题中心,说明这个,说明这个,这样。因为这样的关系,所以慢慢、慢慢地偏向那方面,就是说:“啊,现在那么这个经教就不要了!”这个是一个错误。请问假定经教不要的话,你怎么修学佛法?经教本来告诉你修学佛法,当然你知道了,当然不要。所以《金刚经》上有个譬喻,说你渡过这个生死的河,想渡过一个河,你一定要用船,一定要,但是你走过了,渡过了这个生死之河以后,你这个船怎么办呀?当然不要了嘛,当然不要。你不能说渡过了岸,守着那个船,那不是开玩笑吗?乃至背这个船走,那都是不要了,所以这个次第我们要认得很清楚。02:37

从前面的“指月指”到地图,现在又到了一个“黄叶止儿啼”,想必当初很多同学都看过这个公案──就是黄叶止儿啼,然后都会讲,但是到底怎么理解这个“黄叶止儿啼”呢?师父主要是在讲它止息众生的哭泣的这一点。哭泣比喻苦恼,受了苦恼。佛经有拯救痛苦、把我们从痛苦中救拔出来这样的一个功德,但是对于把握不住佛经的这个原则的人呢,这个祖师的意思就是“才从根本上指出问题的中心”,中心是什么呢?就是止息痛苦嘛!那小孩为什么哭呢?把众生比喻成小孩一样,心上的无明导致这种种颠倒、种种痛苦,所以苦恼不断,然后来止息这个哭泣。03:40

本来是阐释经典的作用的这样一句话,不是说这个经典是不需要的。就是说“黄叶止儿啼”得有黄叶吧!没有黄叶,儿啼还是止不了的,所以这个黄叶这个时候就显得尤为地珍贵,因为它能止儿啼。那如果说它止了儿啼,小孩不哭了之后就认为这个叶是没用的,这也是不正确的,对不对?这个见解已经过头了,师父直接说:“这是个错误。”04:14

在这里又涉及到另一个问题就是:那渡过了河之后你还要背着船吗?这个问题可能是一个很深的问题,等到我们以后在学习毗钵舍那,一层、一层地剥落的时候,看他执一层、一层的这样的自性空,要层层、细细地剥离,不是一开始就什么都不执着。有的人一开始上手就“不执着”,比如说:“你不用执着行善啊!”“发脾气的时候,你也不用执着!”那就是发脾气了,你也不用在乎!就变成对因果的一种漠视。或者对于所受的戒律,如果你不执着于你所受的戒律的话,那你怎么能够防止自己犯戒呢?犯戒之后又怎么能够如法忏悔呢?那怎么能够随着时光的流逝,自己持戒得越来越皎洁、越来越皎洁?像阿底峡尊者五百五十二生都是持戒清净的大比丘,甚至联系到生生世世的戒体都那么皎洁光明,怎么可能做到?所以他一定是要特别、特别在意这件事,乃至说念兹在兹。05:18

问功夫就有一句话说:“白日皓皓做得了主吗?”那“夜间睡着的时候,你能做得了主吗?”“夜间无梦的时候,你能做得了主吗?”说的是一个调心功夫啊!所以一旦我们把经典看得稍稍会通一下,就不会错解祖师的意思,甚至错解禅宗的意思,我会觉得深入的学习是很必要的。05:43

这个船的问题,是不是过河还要背着船?师父在这里边清晰地讲到了“次第”──一上手的时候必须要有船,没有船是没法渡河的;至于过了河还要背着船的人,就要有人告诉他说:“你这个河已经过了,你要想一个其他的办法去掉这个负担。”06:05

接着我们再听下一段,要认真听喔!

所以真正说起来,假定你直下就能够了解这个经典上面所说的话,那经典本身就是最佳指导;但是因为你不行,没有办法,所以它更用方便善巧直截了当地告诉你。所以像那种特别的方法,它本身还是真正的经教,这个我们要了解的,真正要了解的。所以这个原因是什么?正因为我们把握不住重点,现在你把握不住重点,在这种情况之下,最重要的应该认识佛经里面告诉我们的重点,来破除我们内心上面的执着。而你不幸地又偏向于那些宗派的说明,把佛经不要了,那你就更害了,更害了!所以他特别告诉我们,说我们现在对这种现象,它这个原因何在?那么这地方说明,你如果透过本论的仔细的说明,详细的介绍,我们就认识,原来所有的佛经祖语,它都是眼前最好的指导,根据这个东西能够破除、能够净化我们的烦恼的。07:41

这一小段涵量很大!通常我学习的时候可能要反复地听,有的时候要听七遍、十遍以上,反复地琢磨。不知道这一段你们会选择听几遍?07:56

说:“真正说起来,假定你直下就能够了解”,注意!了解什么呀?“经典上面所说的话”。了解了经典上所说的话,会有什么结论呢?什么结论?“那经典本身就是最佳指导”。那我跳过去问:“最佳的指导”,指导什么?“破除我们内心的执着”。所以,佛经里告诉我们的重点是来破除我们内心上的执着。08:33

如果我们没有了解经典本身就是对我们修行的最佳指导,来破除我们内心上的执着,这里边列举说会偏在哪儿了?不懂佛经是做什么的,对不对?不懂佛经是做什么的,善知识就讲了佛经是做什么;结果一讲,他又理解偏了,理解成什么呀?佛经不要了!所以第一个错误就是不理解佛经,然后再给他解释之后,他产生了更深的错误,认为佛经都不需要了。一开始的人如果不需要佛经,可怎么走这条路呢?09:07

“特别告诉我们,我们现在对这种现象,原因何在?”原因是什么?师父在这里边列举了原因。这个原因是什么?对!“因为我们把握不住重点,现在把握不住重点,在这种状况下,最重要的应该认识佛经告诉我们的重点,来破除我们内心的执着。”佛经里的重点就是要破除我们内心的执着,善知识也要告诉我们这一点,透过“黄叶止儿啼”等等很多的说法,来让我们认识到经典的重要性、它的作用是什么;可是又理解偏了,理解成好像不需要佛经。09:52

那么师父接着说:“原来佛经祖语,都是眼前最好的指导,根据这个才能够破除、能够净化我们的烦恼的。”上面列举的这一堆毛病,师父说要怎么治啊?“透过本论的仔细的说明”。我们透过学习《菩提道次第广论》,所以我们会知道不能错误地理解禅宗、不能错误地理解祖师语录,更不能错误地认为佛经是一个解脱者不需要的,这非常地奇怪!这些毛病透过学习本论就可以了解到了,对我们来说是极大的一个幸运!10:35

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