Lecture No. 0345
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0345
Lamrim Volume 1: P46-L10 ~ L18
Date: 15 Mar 2022
Topic: Listen to the Buddha Dharma – Sever afflictions, End the sufferings (II)
During our Lamrim class discussion, every now and then, we have difficulties dealing with issues happening in the family. Though we have been working so hard trying to resolve those issues for months or even years, we are still beset by them – in fact, it is not that the problems cannot be resolved, we just cannot work our way out of it! It seems that there is no way out. Then what should we do about them? We chose to study the teachings to seek wisdom and cultivate compassion. Once we maintain an open mind, we may find: actually my happiness is not necessarily subject to others doing the things right. We do not have to be that passive; only when we begin to study the teachings, as long as we are willing to be more open-minded to accept other people’s perspective and to untie the impediment in our mind then we can be happy. And the power of open-mindedness does not come from people around us; rather, what we get is from listening to the teachings and we will be delighted with our own effort. Those around us who are not happy may crack a smile when influenced by our happy attitude. Otherwise, family members have to weather the sunken face we wear every day in the house. What a toilsome way to experience life! [01:01]
Think about this: at any time of the day, whenever we are in contact with others or interacting with each other, inevitably there could be many hiccups here and there. Some people even find [the hiccups caused] afflictions arising in their dreams; some have no one messes with him, but have afflictive emotions arises when recalling a certain day, or suddenly remember what someone had said something to them, or just by thinking of something. So, if we do not try to apply antidotes against such afflictive tendency, with such strong force and high frequency, what a miserable way to live such a life! Why? Because such life is not happy at all! There is no way for us to feel at ease in our lives if we do not try to subdue the afflictive emotions arising in our mind, regardless how much wealth we have, or how acclaimed we are! [01:49]
Thus, the Buddha Dharma is exactly what we can exert to counteract the arising afflictions. Pay attention! When the affliction is stirred, it is very powerful. Besides, such powerful force of the afflictive emotions tends to perpetuate; namely, the agitation lasts on and on, once we are entangled by the afflictions, it is like smothered by viper. But how do we get rid of such powerful entanglement? That is: listen to the teachings! [By constantly hearing the teachings,] then we will have a seemingly strong explosive force to sever and cut off those afflictive entanglement right away. There are times that some people have the instant awakening experience that the predicament issue is not that important anymore; they overcome the impediment! [02:31]
So, I find this is a very, very marvelous experience! Certainly, it is also very hard for us to imagine how Buddha ever thought about such a solution – the teachings, as long as we listen earnestly to the teachings, the suffering caused by our afflictive emotions will reduce or even dissipate. Wouldn’t you all think this is wondrous? There are many amazing occurrences happening in the world, but the fact that listening to the teachings can subdue our afflictions, this is and will always be very refreshing, very delightful in our lives! All in all, it is quite unfortunate to be under the sway of afflictive emotions; on the contrary, we are very fortunate to be able to listen to the teachings! Hence, we still have to cherish the time we have for listening to the teachings, to listen more and more. Listen to the extent of understanding the teachings with an open mind, we must internalize our listening [on what Buddha taught!] [03:20]
Let’s contemplate: shouldn’t listen to the teaching be taken as our breathing, which we cannot live without? Once we stopped listening to the teachings, we would not know how to live properly without the guidance from Buddha Dharma; and that is when we will fall right into the snare of the obscuring afflictions. The force of the obscuring afflictions is very powerful; particularly those arising afflictions that cannot stop even for a second. If we do not rely on the guidance from the teaching, how can we sever them? What should we do? The outcome will be very hard for us to imagine. Nevertheless, as we all have experienced it, by listening to the teachings attentively, we can sever the afflictive emotions arising in the mind, which is covered in the benefits of hearing the teaching [V.1 P. 56], correct? We will recognize that there is no need for us to reason with others, we would not have to endure those tossing and turning sleepless nights and anxiety. Rather, just by simply sitting here listening to the teachings quietly, and attentively we continue to listen and listen! Hey! Then we find out that we are not harassed by the afflictive emotions that bothered us prior to the teachings. Even with a sense of momentary relief and refreshing coolness, we would remember the soothing feeling the Buddha Dharma has brought to our life – diminishes suffering, it will truly stop the suffering! [04:26]
Would we accumulate experiences? There are times when we are in the midst of suffering, we are even unable to express it clearly, it seems there is no way to express it; that kind of entanglement that cannot disappear – we cannot find our way out. That kind of feeling making us feel baffled, we cannot discuss it clearly with our family members, and we are just at our wit’s end, not knowing what to do. Yet there is a path! What path is that? Listen to the teachings! Listening to the Buddha Dharma can cease our suffering. Why not give it a try and listen to the teachings yourself! You can either pose a few questions and listen to the teachings or choose to discuss with others on this given paragraph. Focus on the discussion. [05:08]
In fact, the more we listen to the teachings the more experiences we will accumulate; then we will recognize the focus of eliminating suffering and attaining happiness in our life is shifting; take heed! We will gradually shift our reliance on the teachings – listening, contemplating, and cultivating/meditating on the teachings. Ah! We come to realize that only by listening, contemplating, and meditating on the teachings, we would obtain happiness. And such recognition is established through repeated listening to the teachings and accumulated experiences. [05:40]
So the broad based Lamrim curriculum is thus established with the hope that everyone can develop the attitude of taking refuge in the “Buddha Dharma” as in “taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Sangha”, right? The core value of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is to cast away what is non-virtuous and adopt what is virtuous! Why do we have the capability to discern what to cast aside and what to adopt? It is all because once we know the how-to [after hearing the Buddha Dharma], we thus embark on the actual path of alleviating suffering and attaining happiness. Only then we are able to willingly cut off those justifiable ideas that are actually quite erroneous and inverted perceptions, which will create more non-virtuous deeds. Those thoughts are in reality causing us to engage in deeds that neither good nor beneficial whatsoever to self or others. Finally, with more enlightened vision, we are able to see more clearly [the true nature of reality] and begin recognizing: what kind of action is wrong and should be eradicated; what lies behind such behavior is ignorance! Ignorance by definition: the inverted view of so-called happiness I am seeking, which takes me to the edge of the cliff, or even to the point of causing me to fall into the abyss! Thus, how could I recognize that my way of thinking is dangerous and it will bring harm to me – because it will incur suffering? I need to stay clearheaded to discern sensibly. Then, how do we make sensible decisions in terms of our thoughts and behavior? That is, we must rely on listening to the teachings! Do you all find this advice very, very important? [07:01]
Thus, for the sake of our own physical and mental wellbeing, able to be very optimistic, truly and earnestly cultivate/practice meditation in this life, or even life after life, we must not neglect the study of the scriptures, we have to continuously and constantly listen to the teachings, right? I feel so truly blessed to have the opportunity to listen to the commentary from Master with you all every day! What about you? [07:27]
【广海明月 讲次: 0345】
讲次 | 0345
标题 | 听法──截断烦恼、止息痛苦（二）
《广论》段落 | P8-L11 ~ P8-L13 今初……所应修行，
音档 | 5B 06:07 ~ 5B 07:33
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P150-L5 ~ P150-LL4 ( 2015、2016 南普陀版 )
手抄段落 | 他这个里面怎么说呀……那个才是真正殊胜的地方。
(更新日期: 2022年3月15日)
00:00
在广论班研讨的时候，我们都知道家家都有很难处理的问题，有的问题就是经年累月地处理不了──其实不是问题处理不了，是心里想不开呀！怎么想也想不开，所以怎么办呢？大家选择来学法，透过开发自己的智慧、开发自己的慈悲心，让自己开心之后，就会发现：其实不用特别非得让别人都做对了，自己才能够开心，不是那么被动的，是只要学到法了，只要心意开解自己就开心。而这个心意开解，不一定都依靠周围的人给你的力量，是依靠法就可以让心得到力量，自己就开解了。我们自己开心了，那不开心的人看到你开心，他也开心了。不然天天家里边愁苦着一张脸，大家都要看你的脸，这样的话都很辛苦啊！01:01
想一想，在二六时中，只要我们跟别人有接触，人们在一起互动，其实就会发生很多磕磕绊绊的这种事情；有的人做梦都会生烦恼，还有的人没有人惹他，回忆某一天啊、某一日，突然想起某个人对我讲过什么，或者想到什么，他就会起烦恼。这样烦恼的心如果不对治的话，你看看它缘烦恼的那个力量和频率这么高，那人的一生真的是很悲惨啊！因为它不快乐啊！这件事不在乎你有多少钱、不在乎拥有多大的名声，这个烦恼的心如果不去调伏的话，我们的人岂能活得舒舒服服的！01:49
所以法就正好对治我们这个烦恼搅起来的力道，注意！它那个烦恼搅起来是很有力量的。有力量之后，它还有的那个绵延性，就是它一直搅下去，被烦恼一缠上之后，就像被毒蛇缠住一样。可是怎么去摆脱力量这么大的一个纠缠呢？就是要听法！让我们的心瞬间获得一种好像很强的爆发力，立刻就把那个正在搅的烦恼切断了、断掉了；还有的人有的时候会经历那种一下子好像这问题也不重要，想开了！02:31
所以，我觉得这是一件非常非常奇妙的事情！我们当然也很难想像佛陀是怎么想到这个办法──给我们说法，然后我们认真听，痛苦就会减少，乃至痛苦就会消灭。大家觉得不奇妙吗？世界上有好多新鲜的事都在发生，但是听法能解决烦恼这件事，永远在我们生命里是那般新鲜、那么令人欣喜啊！总之，搅烦恼是不幸，能听法是大幸！所以还是要珍惜听法的时间，多多地去听，听到心开意解，一定要往内心听！03:20
大家想一想：其实这个法音会不会应该等同呼吸一样，是不能停的？因为一停我们就不知道该怎么样正确地活着了，不听法就马上跌入到现行的烦恼。现行烦恼的势力多么地粗猛，甚至是一刻都不能停的那种现行烦恼，如果不听法来截断的话，我们要怎么办啊？是很难想像的。但是大家只要体会到了，曾经体会过听法的时候对自己的现行烦恼是一个截断，因为听法胜利里就有这一个吧？你会发现，你不用跟别人评理，不用自己失眠、焦虑，坐在这儿静静地听，然后听、听、听着，欸！就发现：我的那件事怎么没有在想了，哪怕是一刹那间的轻松和清凉感出现的时候，其实我们就会记住那是闻法给我们生命的感觉──停止了痛苦，真的会止息痛苦！04:26
我们会不会去累积经验？就是我们会在有什么痛苦的时候，甚至讲也讲不清楚，好像也没有办法讲出来、也没办法消失的一种纠缠──走投无路了，自己也想不明白、跟家里也谈不明白，怎么弄都弄不好的时候，有一条路啊！那是什么路？听法！想到法可以止息我的痛苦啊，你听点试试看！你自己设几个问题听听看，甚至选择跟别人讨论一下这一段，就专注地讨论。05:08
其实这样的经验积累越来越多之后，我们生命离苦得乐的重心，注意！这个重心就慢慢地移交到了法这里──闻法、思惟法、修行法。喔！我们慢慢地才发现：闻法、思惟法、修行法原来才能够得到快乐。这个认知是我们透过一次一次的听闻、一次一次经验的累积，就建立出来了。05:40
所以广论班这么长的学程，就是希望大家养成能够“皈依佛、皈依法、皈依僧”的“皈依法”，对吧？皈依三宝的重心，舍恶取善啊！为什么能够有力量舍恶取善？因为我们了知了那个道理，就踏上了离苦得乐的真实之路，我们才能够非常心甘情愿地断除那些自己觉得有一大堆道理，可是完全是在造恶业的行为，完全是对不起自己、也对不起别人的行为。我们终于可以睁开一双慧眼，开始认识到：那种行为是不对的、是应该断除的，那种行为的名字的后面叫愚痴啊！愚痴的意思就是我是求快乐的，可是它把我带到了悬崖的边上，乃至是堕入了深坑啊！所以我怎么样知道我的想法是危险的、我做某件事是危险的──因为它会引来痛苦──就必须头脑清醒地判断。如何每天很理性地去抉择自己的思路和行为呢？那就一定要靠听法！大家觉得是不是非常、非常重要？07:01
所以为了自心的健康，能够以一个非常乐观的精神，真的很英勇地在这一生，乃至生生世世好好修行，一定不能忽略学教典这件事，一定要不间断地、常常地听闻吧！今生能跟大家一起每天都听师父的法音，觉得实在是太幸运了！你们呢？07:27