Lecture No. 0340
Global Lamrim II
Lecture No. 0340
Lamrim Volume 1: P46-L3 ~ L9
Date: 23 Mar 2022
Topic: If no one expounds the Buddha Dharma, even the wise can‘t understand it
We will continue to listen to the next section:
[5B 00:07 ~ 5B 03:35]
As indicated in the sutra, “If no one expounds the Buddha Dharma, even the wise can’t understand it.” If “no one expounds” to you despite being an intelligent person, you won’t be able to “grasp the meaning properly”. This wisdom refers to the conventional level. Even if you are endowed with the wisdom carried over from the Dharma studied in the previous lives, you still need a virtuous teacher’s guidance. In fact, the same applies to the worldly matters. Without being taught things like what an airplane or a ship is like, the first time when we see a flying object in the sky, we would ponder, “Wow! This is weird!” This reminds me of a joke. [In around 1876, in the Qing Dynasty, the British businessmen] started to build the first railway in China. Where was it built? They wanted to lay the first railroad from Shanghai to Woosung. After the railway was built, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, in charge of studying and observing astronomical events, said, “Ah! There is a constellation appearing in the sky, a sign indicating a turmoil in the country”. What was the constellation? It was the Scorpius called by these government staff as the centipede spirit. People tried to find the connection and it turned out that the newly built railway was what the sign indicated. So the government had the railway dismantled and dumped into the sea. How absurd! [01’06”]
Now, see how wonderful it is to have the Lamrim as our guidance! In fact, the first time you read the Lamrim, you just don’t know what it is about. Without guidance, you won’t comprehend the content. It is true in terms of worldly matters [and it is even more so about the instruction on the path to enlightenment]. This is very obvious, right? This is very clear and easy to understand. People would joke around that savvy technology is hard to understand. Yet, there are way too many things in our daily lives that are just beyond the scope of our understanding. Once, I heard an interesting joke about a northerner [of Mainland China] travelled to the south. It was said that the fruits in the south were very good, very tasty. Let me just pick one or two tropical fruits for examples: bananas and sugarcane. How the northerner would say about the sugarcane? “This sugarcane tastes pretty good, but somehow the bagasse [sugar cane fiber] is hard to swallow.” Is this how we would eat sugarcane – the bagasse is to be swallowed? [Without this understanding, one would say,] “Sugarcane is very tasty, but the bagasse is truly hard to swallow.” Lack of a common sense leads to this joke. [I’m not exaggerating;] this was actually what happened! We watch others take a banana, peel it, and eat the fruit inside. Then we would follow suit by removing the peel and eat any fruit. We would also apply this method when we eat kumquats [a small, sour citrus fruit]; namely, we would remove the peel and eat the fruit, no, that is not the way to eat kumquat! The actual value of kumquat is the rind, right? Alas, this is how worldly matters go! [02’26”]
Thus, we will understand that worldly matters are as such, not to mention the more profound matters that require deeper contemplation! The same applies to the Buddha Dharma. Even if you apply yourself to reading those commentaries the eminent masters had written, you might not grasp the key points. However, with the guidance of a virtuous teacher, well, you can get it right. So not only are all scriptures revealing the best approach for you to meditate, but also with the guidance from a virtuous teacher, as this text specifically tells you, you will quickly understand it. After you realize the key points of practice, instead of telling you that you will immediately receive merits, what did the author points out first? Those countless wrongdoings will immediately be stopped. Once you refrain from committing wrongdoing, then merits will be accumulated! So, what do you really want [for studying Buddha Dharma]? This merit is what you really want. What is your purpose? To remove all suffering and attain all merits, right? So with these four points of the greatness, the benefit of studying the Lamrim is clearly revealed. Is this what you folks are looking for? Yes, to me this is truly what I want! [03’33”]
Very well! Isn’t Master saying in this section that: “If no one expounds the Buddha Dharma, even the wise can’t understand it”, right? I don’t know if you all would think: “Some people are really smart; they must have been very intelligent in their past lives, so even no one taught them in this life, they are very sharp in picking up things.” Would you think of it this way? But Master said: ” Even if you are endowed with the wisdom carried over from the Dharma studied in the previous lives, you still need a virtuous teacher’s guidance”, right? A case in point is the Sixth Patriarch; upon hearing the recitation of the scripture, he achieved sudden enlightenment. However, he still relied on the guidance from his teacher - Master Hong-ren! Without such guidance from a virtuous teacher, he wouldn’t have further achievement. Hence, on this [Mahayana] path, practitioners won’t have any attainment without relying on virtuous teachers. [04’14”]
Master also talked about a joke – the constellation Scorpius as the centipede spirit, right? It’s still hard to imagine how the event turned out to be like that! If we are aspired to study the Buddha Dharma without the guidance from a qualified teacher, such learning could become a laughing matter. For instance, some practitioners may think: “Wow! Once I advanced to the first Bhumi, I will begin my attainment of arhatship.” They would mix up the meditation practice in such a way. Others would muddle up the understanding of wisdom of emptiness with the Zen meditation practice; they would even become mixed up with the understanding of wisdom of emptiness, Zen meditation and having a “brain fade”. Having a “brain fade” means that their mind goes blank, but they mistake the attaining of the “no-thought” [no grasping] state of mind for the attainment of the wisdom of emptiness. So, there are many things that we need to contemplate repeatedly. Because everyone has been learning the Buddha Dharma for so many years, we all would encounter all kinds of misinterpreting of the teaching. If we don’t study well and make a fool of ourselves, being laughed at is only a minor matter. What if this joke ends up descending to the miserable realms in the future rebirths, then it is no laughing matter. Rather, it will be a tragedy! [05’12”]
Master used the joke of eating the inside of the banana and sugarcane. Similar incident occurred when I first met the classmates from Taiwan. I told them that: “We, in northeast China, prefer shredded potato, a home-cooked food we eat all the time.” They were very surprised: “Wow! Shredded earthnut!” With a very rare expression on their faces, very envious look. I couldn’t help but wonder: “Could it be that they don’t have potato in Taiwan? If yes, then why is that “the shredded potato” become such an unique matter to them, given that this is not any special gourmet dish, but just a home-cooked one!” After a period of time, I learned that when they went back and told Master that I like to eat shredded earthnut [or peanut], I realized that they had mistaken the shredded earthnut for the shredded potato; they thought it was really amazing to slice and shred the peanuts and stir fry them. Thinking of shredding earthnut, they thought those of us from the northeast China were really awesome! I heard and felt it was really a joke – who would interpret the shredded potato that way! Later, I found out that in Taiwan, “peanut” was known as “earthnut” [which is pronounced in the same way as people from northeast China would pronounce potato – “tǔ-dòu”.]. [06’12”]
So, for ordinary beings, the path to liberation or even to the state of Buddhahood is unperceivable and unimaginable to them, for some parts of the teachings are defined as hidden phenomenon or extremely hidden phenomenon; it is totally impossible for ordinary beings to comprehend. In this case, if no one pointed out to us, how could we perceive what the extremely hidden phenomenon is? How could it be possible for us to realize such phenomenon with our current mind state? Hence, we must rely on a virtuous teacher. Master was drawing inferences, right? On the path to achieve Buddhahood, we wouldn’t know how without guidance. Thus, we must rely on a guide, a virtuous teacher, on the path to attain the state of Buddhahood! [06’43”]
After giving us the worldly example, Master said, “Thus, we will understand that worldly matters are as such, not to mention the more profound matters that require deeper contemplation!” When we were learning from Master, we would notice that Master often took a very minor arising example at that given moment, to explain a very profound teaching, like the case of the sugarcane. At that time after I met Master, he mentioned this example again and he was laughing all the way; whenever he brought up this example, he would laugh as if he had talked about it for the first time. While listening to it, I felt, on one hand, a sense of geniality, and on the other hand I see it as a reminder to myself to be alert! That is, I have way too much ignorance and foolishness in my mind; if I don’t follow virtuous teacher and listen carefully, in fact, all these benighted states of mind will bring about a lot of sufferings. [07’24”]
So Master said, “Even if you apply yourself to reading those commentaries the eminent masters had written,” would you able to remember them? Master said, “You might not grasp the key points”, however “with the guidance of a virtuous teacher, well, you can get it right.” So now, not only all scriptures are revealing to us the best approach to meditation/cultivation on the teachings, but also through the guidance of virtuous teachers, as specifically indicated in the Lamrim, we can grasp the key points right away. According to Master, what will we get right away? It is the good qualities, right? And then we can eliminate boundless wrongdoings. [07’57”]
Master then reminded us by asking us if this is really what we want; he asked, “So, what do you really want?” “What is your purpose of doing?” Do you remember the answer? “To remove all sufferings and attain all merits, right?” Master said, “[This point is indicated] very clearly.” And he continued, “So with these four points of the greatness, the benefit of studying the Lamrim is clearly revealed. Is this what you folks are looking for?” That is, Master was asking us: isn’t this what we want? What does it mean? Master was asking about these four points of the greatness are what we want, right? If the four points of the greatness were not what we want, then the greatness would not ignite our aspiration. Nevertheless, such greatness is what I want – to remove all sufferings and obtain all good qualities; of course we want to have them. So once this greatness is aligned with my inner aspiration, that is what I am looking for! And then Master said: “Yes!” And what did Master say next? “Yes, to me this is absolutely what I want!” [08’53”]
So, Master often said, “On the path of learning the Buddha Dharma; not even ten cattle can pull me back from taking the path. I would never ever go back to where I started. Instead, I will persist in my study on the path, life after life!” Why? Because the truth taught by the Buddha in the text is very wonderful and genuine! Also, we can eliminate all sufferings and to perfect all good qualities and attain happiness. Is there any sentient being unwilling to have such state of life! Whenever Master mentioned, “for the sake of all living beings, I want to achieve Buddhahood,” he would often say, “If you all comprehended it this way, who wouldn’t want to have it? Everyone would like to have such a goal!” So, why is that we don’t want to learn Buddha Dharma? Who wouldn’t want to remove all suffering, obtain all good qualities and perfect with ultimate happiness? Honestly, everyone wants it! [09’34”]
Remember this statement from Master: “To me this is truly what I want!” When we are staggering along in the present life, submerged in the illusive sensual enjoyment of this mundane world, we must think: Master appeared in our lives and presented the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment to us; he, and many eminent great masters, tirelessly gave us teachings to guide us to transcend the limited vision we would have in this life and teach us how to extend such happiness into the future rebirths, since our life continues on and on, right? Such mental continuum will incessantly continue into the future rebirths. So, when we are postulating what suffering is and what happiness is, we must consider transcending from this life into the future lifetimes. Why? For such way of postulation is a great bargain and also very pragmatic. It is not something illusive but a very practical matter. It is like making a very realistic personal plan. [10’25”]
So, we should allocate some time to listen to Master’s teaching or discuss Lamrim every day, so that we can pull the direction of our mind towards: “Ah! My goal and purpose is to eliminate all sufferings and attain the encompassing happiness, so I need to rely on the sublime teachings and the guidance from the Buddha. [Listening to Master’s commentary or discussing the Lamrim every day] serves as a reminder to constantly nudge us again and again! Studying in the Lamrim class carries the same purpose, so that we will gradually cultivate the aspiration of: this goal is what I want! It is genuinely what I want, and it is what I will pursue life after life! [10’53”]
By studying continuously in the environment where we are close to virtuous teachers and study the sublime teachings, after a long time, we will have such objective deep in our mind; and such goal would even become what we want to achieve with our whole life force. Have you noticed that Master reminded us of this objective again? However, we would also discover that no matter how many times Master reminded us, we are still forgetful. Is this right? So, that’s why we should constantly study under the guidance of Master! [11’23”]
Some people would claim: “Ah! After having learned the Lamrim for many years, I have this objective firmly established!” My goal is, without a doubt, to attain the ultimate enlightenment. If this goal has not yet been established, despite having studied for many years, then have you truly grasped the key points covered in the Lamrim? If you have grasped the key points of the teachings and while applying it accordingly, does such goal of attaining the ultimate enlightenment constantly arise in your mind? Have you become very proficient in this effort yet? If not, does that mean you should put in extra effort? [11’49”]
【全球广论 II 讲次: 0340】
讲次 | 0340 (2021-07-01 ~ 2021-07-04)
标题 | 佛法无人说，虽智不能了
《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 | 5B 00:07 ~ 5B 03:35
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P147-L1 ~ P149-L2 ( 2016 南普陀版：P147-L1 ~ P149-L1 )
手抄段落 | 所以经上面告诉我们……千真万确就是我要的！
(更新日期: 2022年3月23日)
00:00
我们接着再听下一段：
所以经上面告诉我们：“佛法无人说，虽智不能了。”它讲“无人说”，虽然有智慧，你没有办法“了”，这个智慧就是世俗智慧；就算是有佛法里面宿生带来的智慧，还是要有人教。其实世间的事情也是一样的，飞机、轮船等等没人教，我们看天上飞一个东西来，我们看见：喔唷，这个怪！当年这个我们这里曾经有过一个笑话，说人家在中国造了第一条铁路，造在哪里呢？从上海到吴淞口。结果造了个铁路以后，钦天监，那个属于以前那个观天文的，说：啊！天上出了一个星宿，所以国家动乱。出的什么星宿？叫蜈蚣精。大家找了半天，原来这条铁路就是蜈蚣精，把它拆掉，丢到东洋大海。有这种笑话！01:06
现在看，喔，这个好得很哪！实际上你第一眼看见的话，你的的确确不晓得这是什么东西。没有人告诉你，你不知道，世间简单的东西你都不知道，这很明白对不对？这是非常清楚、非常明白的事情。所以人家说个笑话，这个不要说这种科技上的东西，你没办法懂，就是眼前太多的东西，我也听见人家说那个笑话很有意思，说人家北方人到南方来游历，说这个南方的水果真好，水果非常好。结果水果当中，譬如我随便举两个，香蕉、然后呢甘蔗。这个北方人怎么说啊？“这个甘蔗是满好吃，但是这个肉很难吞。”那甘蔗的这个肉要你吞下去的吗？甘蔗是满好吃，可是甘蔗这个肉的确很难吞，那这都不知道，发生这种笑话，都是千真万确的事实哦！你要看人家，啊，说这个香蕉，把那个皮剥开来吃里面的肉，假定你想这样一定是剥开皮，吃里面肉的话，你拿到了金柑，金柑也是剥掉了皮吃肉，那就坏了！金柑是吃那个皮，就不是吃那个肉，对不对？欸，天下的事情就是这样啊！02:26
所以我们要了解，世间的事情尚且如此，何况深远的东西！那么佛法也是如此，就算是他写在书本上教你去看的话，你还是花了很大的功夫，不一定真正体会得到；有一个善知识的引导的话，那么，欸，了解了。所以不但所有的经教是眼前告诉你最好修行的办法，而且透过这个善知识，本论特别地告诉你，你很快可以得到它。得到它了以后，他下面不说你，他不说你马上得到功德，他先说什么？把无边的罪行马上消失。罪行消失了，功德就起来了嘛！你要的什么？要的就是这个。我们的目的干什么？要去掉一切苦，要得到一切功德，对不对？所以这个四个项目非常清楚、非常明白，告诉本论的真正殊胜──这是不是你们要的？对，对我来说千真万确就是我要的！03:33
好！师父这一段是不是在讲：“佛法无人说，虽智不能了”，对吧？这里边不知道大家会不会有这样的想法？说：“有的人是很聪明的，他过去是很聪明的，所以这一生没人说他也能懂。”会不会？但是师父说：“就算是有佛法里面宿生带来的智慧，还是要有人教”，对不对？就像六祖大师，他一听经典就突然心有所悟，但是他还要弘忍大师引导他呀！没引导他还是不行的，所以这条路没有善知识是无法成办的。04:14
在这里边又讲了那个笑话──蜈蚣精，对吧？居然弄成这样子！所以我们学佛的话，没有老师教会学成让别人笑话的。比如说有的人就会认为：哇！那一定是登地了之后，就开始证罗汉果了。有人会弄成这样。还有人把了解空性跟修禅定混在一起；甚至把了解空性、修禅定和大脑一片空白混在一起，因为大脑一片空白，没有什么念头就是无念之念，就好像已经证得了空性了。所以很多东西大家要反复地去思考。因为大家这么多年学习佛法，应该会遇到形形色色、各种各样对佛法误解的部分，这个要不好好学，真的闹出笑话人家笑一笑还好，万一这个笑话铸成了来世的堕落，这就不是个笑话，这是个悲剧了！05:12
还有师父举了那个香蕉、甘蔗，要吃里边的。像这个笑话，原来一开始遇到台湾的同学，我说：“我们东北比较喜欢吃土豆丝，土豆丝是家常菜，常常吃。”台湾的同学就很惊讶说：“土豆丝？哇！”他脸上露出一种非常稀有的神情、很羡慕的神情，我在想：“台湾没有土豆吗？为什么好像觉得我们吃土豆丝很稀有的样子，这又不是什么了不起的菜，家常菜而已！”经过了一段时间，后来才了解这个人回去跟师父说我爱吃土豆丝，他认为我说的土豆丝，就是把花生切成片，再切成丝，然后再炒了，他觉得我们东北人简直是太厉害！我听了之后觉得真是一个笑话，谁那么理解土豆丝！后来我才发现台湾人把“花生”叫“土豆”。06:12
那么对于凡夫来说，解脱道乃至成佛的路，很多是完全不可现见的──有些是隐蔽分和极隐蔽分，对凡夫来说根本是无法发现的。这样的话，如果没有一个人告诉我们，我们怎么能发现极隐蔽分？怎么样用自己的心去证得这样的事情呢？所以一定要一个人引导。师父在推论，对吧！这件事没人跟你说是不知道的，所以我们在学佛的路上一定需要一个引路人！06:43
举完这个世间的例子，师父说：“世间的事情尚且如此，何况深远的东西！”我们跟在师父身边学习的时候，会发现师父常常从眼前的一个非常小的例子给我们讲一个非常深刻的法理。像这个甘蔗的问题，当时见到师父之后，师父又讲了这个故事，一讲师父就笑，每次讲到这个故事都笑，好像第一次讲一样。在听的时候，一个是倍感亲切，再一个就要警醒自己呀！就是心上有很多很多的无明、很多很多的愚痴，如果不跟随善知识好好地听闻的话，实际上是太多的不知道就会导致太多的痛苦。07:24
所以师父说：“就算是他写在书本上教你去看的话”，记得吧？“花了很大的功夫，不一定真正体会得到”，但是“有一个善知识的引导的话，那么，欸，了解了。”所以不但所有的经教眼前告诉我们是最好的修行的方法，而且透过这个善知识，本论特别地告诉我们，可以很快地得到它。师父说马上得到什么？功德，对吧？然后去掉了无边的罪行。07:57
师父后来有一句话接着又提醒我们：这是你要的吗？“你要的什么？”“我们的目的干什么？”记得吧？“要去掉一切痛苦，要得到一切功德，对不对？”师父说：“非常明白。”接着又说：“告诉本论的真正殊胜──这是不是你们要的？”这句话在问我们：是不是我们要的？说什么？说这几个殊胜是不是我们要的？如果这几个殊胜不是我们要的，那这个殊胜就不会引动我内心的渴望。但这个殊胜确实就是我要的！那去掉一切痛苦，得到一切功德，当然就想要了。所以一旦这个殊胜和我内心的渴求整齐地对在一起了，那就是我的所求！然后师父说：“对！”后面那句话怎么说的啦？“对！对我来说千真万确就是我要的！”08:53
所以师父常常说：“学佛这条路，十头牛都拉不回去，绝对不会走回头路，一定要学下去，生生世世要学下去！”因为这里边讲的真理实在太过美妙，而且如此地真实！这就是离开所有的痛苦、圆满所有的功德和快乐，哪有一个有情不愿意要这样的生命的状态！师父常常会提到“为利有情愿成佛”的这个目标，提到的时候，师父常常会说一句话：“如果大家了解了，谁不想要？都想要这样的目标！”所以为什么会不想要学习佛法呢？谁不想要去掉所有痛苦、得到一切功德、圆满一切的快乐呢？谁都想要！09:34
记着师父说的那句话：“对我来说千真万确就是我要的！”当我们的生命在现世的苦乐中跌跌撞撞，迷幻于现世的这些五欲的享乐的时候，一定要想一想：师父在我们的生命中出现，带着《菩提道次第广论》一直给我们讲，还有很多大善知识。那么要引导我们超越现世的这个所求的目光，就是从这此生的安乐一定要延续到未来，因为我们的生命是要延续的，对不对？这个续流是不会间断，它会向来生延续的。那么我们对苦乐的安立，一定要超越此生往来生去安立，因为这样的安立对我们是非常划算，也是非常实际的；它不是什么玄幻的东西，它是很实际的一件事情，就像做一个对自己非常实惠的计划一样。10:25
所以要每天抽时间听师父的带子，或者研讨《广论》，会把我们的心拉向：啊！我的目的和所求是要去掉一切痛苦、得到圆满的快乐，所以我需要圣教、需要佛陀的教法。一直在耳边提醒我们、提醒我们、提醒我们！广论班在一起学习也是这个目的，慢慢地养成──这个目标就是我要的！千真万确是我要的，而且是我生生世世追求的！10:53
所以在亲近善知识、听闻正法这样的一个环境中一直学习、一直学习，久了之后，这个目标就会深入我们的内心，乃至变成了我们用所有的生命力想要去达到的一个目标。有没有发现？师父又再次提醒了这个目标。但是我们会发现：师父无论怎么提醒我们，我们还是会忘记。对不对？所以一定要一直跟着师父学！11:23
有的人说：“啊，学《广论》都学很多年之后，这个目标建立出来了！”真正地想要趣向无上菩提，这是自己的目标。如果这个目的还没建立出来，那学《广论》学了很多年有没有学懂呢？学懂了之后照着做，照着做有没有内心里不间断地去希求这个目标？功夫有没有这么纯熟呢？如果没有纯熟的话，是不是还要更努力地学呀？11:49