Lecture No. 0361
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0361
Lamrim Volume 1: 46-LL10 ~ LL5
Date: 23 Feb 2022
Topic: Constantly Learn Correctly the Means of Benefitting Others
Greetings to all! I am glad it is time for us to study Lamrim together again. Today, we will begin from this section: [V.1 P. 46]
For, as Nagarjuna’s Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment (Bodhicitta-vivarana) says:
Because they engender in others
Certain knowledge that accords with their own,
The wise apply themselves
Always and without mistake.
We can read over this passage several times. Now, we will listen to Master’s commentary [00:27]
For, as Nagarjuna’s Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment (Bodhicitta-vivarana) says:
Because they engender in others
Certain knowledge that accords with their own,
The wise apply themselves
Always and without mistake.This treatise teaches us that we or anyone else must want to aspire to help other people, inspire them, and support them. If we are certain that we want to do it, at such time, to those living beings whom we aspire to help and guide, including the means to help and guide them, we must have perfect, complete and flawless recognition and understanding. Thus, “the wise” refers to Bodhisattvas. Constantly and continuously, reflecting the true conduct of Bodhisattvas and the aspirations of Bodhisattvas, they fully focus their minds on benefiting sentient beings, and working to benefit living beings, nothing else. Putting it in this way as well, the intention of them devoting their entire minds is to establish this pure land, forever aspiring as such even after they have achieved the state of Buddhahood. Furthermore, they do not make mistakes. This is because if you want to achieve this intention, and despite having very good motivation, but if there are mistakes, will it be effective? No way! Thus, to attain the “happy realm”, the means must be accurate and precise without any minor, minimal mistake. [01:58]
From this passage, it says “this treatise teaches us” - which treatise is it? It is the Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment. Everyone, please read the name precisely. Some skip reading the first word and read it as the Commentary of The Spirit of Enlightenment, whereas others read it as the Spirit of Enlightenment – leaving out the word “Essay”. The accurate title of the treatise is the Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment. It states “this treatise teaches us” - what is the first conclusion here? [02:26]
When we have acquired an unwavering understanding of the content, we would also aspire to help other people cultivate the same conviction as our conviction. If we are certain that this is what we want to do, Master said: “must want to aspire to help other people, inspire them, and support them.” Then, he followed by saying: “if we are certain that we want to do it” - is this the first step? If anyone among us or own self must want to do it, what is it that we are certain about? That is, we must help other people and inspire them. [03:04]
What is helping other people? How do we help other people? Just as we have an unwavering conviction, we aspire to help other people arise such conviction as well. First, change or rectify perception; base on our conviction in scriptures, we aspire others to arise similar conviction in scriptures as well. Why? By this means, our lives change in terms of alleviating suffering and attaining happiness. [03:29]
Once we have ascertained this goal with unwavering conviction, what is the next step? At this time, to the living beings whom we aspire to help and guide, Master said: “to those living beings whom we aspire to help and guide, including the means to help and guide them.” Over here, how many points are mentioned? There are two points: the living beings whom we aspire to help and guide, and the means with which we employ to help them. What else? There is one requirement. It is “perfect, complete and flawless”. What is it? “Recognition and understanding”. Take heed! These two most important words: “recognition” and “understanding”. From the beginning, we need to recognise and understand that we ought to help others. Following that, there is another recognition and understanding; that is, to the living beings whom we aspire to help and guide, including the means to help and guide them, we need to have perfect, complete and flawless recognition and understanding. [04:17]
What does “perfect, complete and flawless recognition and understanding” mean? Without errors and without omission from which an unswerving conviction arises. Take impermanence for example; if we are to help other beings to attain irrefutable valid cognition of impermanence so as to eradicate the grasping on the perception of permanence, then before reaching such level, we ourselves must first rely on qualified virtuous teachers, listen to the flawless teaching properly, correctly and without errors, comprehend the attributes of impermanence, and even so far as to attain valid cognition of impermanence. This is the way to go. What do you all think? [04:50]
Then it comes the next step, correct? Who do “the wise” refer to? They are the Bodhisattvas. What are the things that the Bodhisattvas are constantly engaging in? “They fully focus their minds on benefiting sentient beings.” And it can be further elaborated as: what is the purpose of them devoting their entire minds? To establish this pure land – “the intention of them devoting their entire minds is to establish this pure land”. Is that all? “The intention of them devoting their entire minds is to establish this pure land, forever aspiring as such even after they have achieved the state of Buddhahood.” After attaining Buddhahood, their engagement remains as such forever; before attaining Buddhahood, this is what they do; after attaining Buddhahood, this is what they do as well. Can we describe it as forever and ever-lasting? Forever and ever-lastingly benefitting sentient beings, right? [05:42]
Following that, an issue arises: they do not make mistakes because in order to achieve this intention, and despite having very good motivation, but if there are mistakes, it will not be effective. It would not work! Thus, Master said: “to attain the “happy realm”, the means must be accurate and precise”. That is, we must be especially mindful that there are no mistakes, and the means are accurate and precise. [06:04]
If we focus our attention and read this quote from the Essay on the Spirit of Enlightenment for a few times, and then carefully read every word Master explained in his commentary on this part several times, we will then realize that over here, the stages are clear. So, on which part of this section will you focus your attention? Which part will you focus on: your understanding of this passage or your understanding of the explanation from Master? Which part will leave the deepest imprint in your mind? [06:35]
Once we are determined to benefit living beings, the essential point is that we must have complete and flawless understanding of the living beings we aspire to help and of the expedient means we use to guide them. Is this correct? Here, the key focus is on the word, flawless; namely, we must be proficient in understanding all of these unmistakably, be it the beings we want to help or the expedient means. Then, what should be done? Where can we find such means? Where can we find such an approach that is flawless? Isn’t the scriptural knowledge that Buddha taught is the flawless means to help living beings alleviate suffering and attain happiness? If we abide our practice by the scriptural knowledge, we would be able to acquire experiential knowledge; that is, the achieved experiential knowledge means we can alleviate suffering and attain happiness! Therefore, the wise, or Bodhisattvas, should have a thorough and flawless understanding of what the scriptures taught and promulgate accordingly to those beings that we are able to share these instructions. Bodhisattvas should skillfully master these expedient means to help living beings, and they should impart Buddha’s exact intent to those beings who are ready for the guidance. [07:37]
What is the first step? As mentioned in the Stages of the Path, we need to rely on virtuous teachers and on those who have such experience and learn from them! What do we learn? In entirety. Study and contemplate until unswerving conviction arises, meaning having valid cognition about alleviating suffering and attaining happiness – to obtain the corresponding valid cognition at each level on the stages of the path. Once we have acquired such knowledge, in order to share such conviction with all potential practitioners, thus we have to explain the teachings that Buddha expounded on how to alleviate suffering and attain happiness precisely without any flaw. In this way, guide and help such potential practitioners and living beings, and help them escape the binding of birth, aging, illness, death, and be away from worries, sorrow, afflictions and lamenting, so that they can reach the state free from aging and death, to the kingdom without sorrow or anxiety. [08:21]
So, have you all noticed that in order to benefit living beings, we need to acquire some kind of capabilities, correct? What kind of capabilities? Isn’t that the capability to study? Such study has to be comprehensive to obtain encyclopedic knowledge, correct? We also need to follow those with experience so as to make sound discernment. This is like being a doctor giving prescription to a patient; the trainee needs to follow the teacher for years of training before he can prescribe medication - what medicine for what illness so as not to make any wrong prescription. Buddha is the greatest healer, so we should learn, correctly without errors, his teachings on the means to alleviate suffering and attain happiness. And how long should we study? We should constantly learn for a long time. Besides, we need to share the teachings without errors. Thus, our study has to be faultless. Hence, the capability of learning becomes very important here! Does the capability of study include patience and perseverance? Make long-term aspiration in studying the teaching. [09:22]
Thus, from what is mentioned above, we can infer that what we usually often most overlook is learning how to benefit living beings. As for benefiting living beings, we need to pay attention to their entire individual characteristic like what kind of illness inflicting them and what Dharma to apply as antidotes to cure their illness? Next, have I mastered this particular Dharma? Would I be able to consistently and persistently carry out what Buddha taught with pure intention? Or would I mix it with my own contaminated afflictions, with all sorts of desire of getting fame and gains in return, but I claim that I am helping others? Another scenario is that I sort of “follow suit”, meaning being influenced by others’ unwholesome habits and fall into the abyss, instead of benefitting living beings! Therefore, it is extremely especially important that we have accurate, precise, thorough, and flawless understanding of the teachings that Buddha expounded! [10:09]
Hence, it does take long periods of time, extreme conscientious learning, and assiduous practice before we can correctly rectify others’ habits so as to help all potential practitioners to embark on the correct path of eliminating suffering and attaining happiness, instead of a deviated path or totally taking the opposite direction. Accordingly, benefiting others is indeed a very, very solemn and serious task. It requires long periods of time and encyclopedic study, correct? Only through applying flawless approaches can we actually help potential practitioners. [10:40]
In regard to the point – what we easily overlook while helping others, would you consider it is so? In general, most of us would put the focus on whether I am aspired to help others; with the intention to help sentient beings, the actual focus should be on whether the means to help others are correct and pristine? Prior to this, we need to check if we have learned it? How to help potential practitioners develop the same unswerving conviction as we have developed our unwavering conviction; in addition, help them arise determination. For this pristine purpose, bodhisattvas or the wise, over long periods of time, should engage in flawless study of Buddhas’ and Bodhisattvas’ teachings of the scriptures, even so far as to promulgate the teachings. Benefiting sentient beings involves helping them alleviate suffering and attain happiness, but how to alleviate suffering? And how to attain happiness? The teachings we share with potential practitioners must be pristine without errors. To fulfill such a goal, how should those who aspire to become bodhisattvas prepare? We must follow virtuous teachers life after life to study the scriptures expounded by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and develop unwavering conviction for the teachings. In addition, during the process of helping others, we also help them cultivate unwavering conviction in the scriptures and commentaries of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas so that they can acquire the knowledge of the pristine means of alleviating suffering and attaining happiness. [11:56]
What is that? It is the teaching of the stages of the path to enlightenment. [12:01]
【广海明月 讲次: 0361】
讲次 | 0361 (2021-09-13 ~ 2021-09-15)
标题 | 恒时无谬地学习利他的方法
《广论》段落 | P9-L3 ~ P9-L4 如释菩提心论云……善趣无谬误。
音档 | 5B 26:43 ~ 5B 28:18
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P160-L1 ~ P160-LL1 ( 2016 南普陀版：P160-L4 ~ P160-LL1 )
手抄段落 | 如《释菩提心论》云……一点点没有错误。
(更新日期: 2022年2月23日)
00:00
大家好！很高兴又到了我们一起学习广论的时间了。今天我们学到“《释菩提心论》云：‘如自定欲令，他发决定故，诸智者恒应，善趣无谬误。’”我们可以把这段文自己反复地读诵几遍。现在我们一起来听师父的带子。00:27
如《释菩提心论》云：“如自定欲令，他发决定故，诸智者恒应，善趣无谬误。”
那么这个论上面告诉我们，如果说我们，或者我们任何一个人，自己啊一定要想帮助别人，启发别人、帮助别人；确定要这样去做的话，那么这个时候自己一定要对于你所化导的那个众生，及化导他的方法，要圆满无错地有一个认识。所以这个“智者”，就是指这一个菩萨们，他一直、一直，他菩萨的真正的行为，菩萨的愿力，没有别的，全部的精神就利益众生、利益众生。然后也可以这么说，他的全部的精神的目的，是创造这个净土，乃至于成佛以后永远是如此。而且他必然是没有错误，因为你要想达到这个目的，尽管你的动机很好，错了以后有没有用？不行欸！所以他“善趣”，走得非常正确，一点点没有错误。01:58
在这一段中说：“这个论上面告诉我们”──哪一部论？《释菩提心论》，请大家把字看准。有的人就是不念第一个字，然后念成《菩提心论》，还有的人念《释菩提心》，不念论──名字是《释菩提心论》。说：“论上面告诉我们”，告诉我们的第一个结论是什么呢？02:26
当我们定解了一个内涵之后，也想要让他人如同我们自己定解那般生起定解，如果自己确定一定要这么做的话，师父说：“一定要想帮助别人，启发别人、帮助别人。”然后下面师父又说一句：“确定要这样去做的话”，这是不是第一个层次呢？我们中间的任何一个人或自己，一定要去做的话，确定要做一件什么事情呢？就是一定要帮助别人、启发别人。03:04
什么是帮助别人？怎么帮助别人呢？如同自己定解的那样，也令别人发起这样的定解。先改变知见，依照自己对经典的定解，也让别人对经典产生同样的定解。为什么？借此改变生命离苦得乐。03:29
那么确定好了这样的一个坚定的心意之后，接着看一看要做什么呢？那么这个时候一定要对于我们所化导的众生，说：“自己一定要对于你所化导的那个众生，及化导他的方法”，这里边讲了几个呀？对象有两个：化导的众生，还有化导他的方法。然后呢？有一个要求，叫“圆满无错地”，什么？“有一个认识”注意！这个最重要的两个字，要“认识”。开始我们要有一个认识，就是要帮忙别人；接下来还要有一个认识，就是对于化导的众生还有化导他的方法要有一个圆满无错的认识。04:17
什么叫圆满无错的认识？没有错误地、没有遗漏地了解而产生的定解。以无常为例，如果想要令其他的所化机心中也生起没有错谬的证得无常的量，而透过这样的量就能够断除常执，那么在这个之前，我们自己一定要先亲近善知识，正确无错谬地听闻正法，了解无常乃至生起证得无常的量，这样才行，大家觉得呢？04:50
然后接着到下一步了，对不对？“智者”是指谁呀？“菩萨们”。菩萨们一直做的事情是什么？“全部的精神就利益众生”。还可以再说一句，全部的精神的目的是什么？创造这个净土──“全部的精神的目的，是创造这个净土”，就完了吗？“全部的精神的目的，是创造这个净土，乃至于成佛以后永远是如此。”成佛以后永远如此，没成佛之前也做这个、成佛以后也做这个，这可以叫永恒吗？永恒地利益众生，对不对？05:42
接着又出现了这个问题，说：他必然是没有错，因为想要达到这个目标，尽管动机很好，错了以后是没有用的，是不行的！所以师父说：“‘善趣’，走得非常正确”，就是我们要特别注意没有错误，走得非常正确。06:04
这一小段如果我们定睛凝神，把《释菩提心论》这个原文看个几回，然后再把师父的解释这一段一个字、一个字地看过几回，然后我们会发现这里边的层次是非常清楚的。那后来大家的注意力会放在哪里呢？诸位你们对这段话的理解，或者对师父讲解这段话的理解，注意力会放在哪里？就是你心中印象最深刻的那个部分？06:35
要利乐有情前面确定好了之后，最重要的事情就是──你要圆满没有错误地去了解所化导的众生，及化导的方法，对不对？这里边我们会落在没有错误，要善于趣入没有错误地了解这一切。怎么办呢？哪里有这样的方法？就是没有错误的方法？是不是佛陀的教正法，都在诠释无错谬的令有情离苦得乐的方法？如果依着教正法修行，就能生起证正法，生起证正法就是离苦得乐啊！那么菩萨智者们应该恒时地对于经论的所诠无错谬地了解乃至宣说，以此教诫所化机。菩萨们应该善巧地趣入这样度化有情的方式，应该对所化机没有颠倒地开示佛陀的密意。07:37
第一步应该是什么呀？是不是在《道次第》里边──要跟善知识学、要跟有经验的人学啊！学什么呢？整个的都要学，学习生起一种定解，就是离苦得乐的正确的量，在每一个次第上离苦得乐正确的量。学到了之后，为了令所化机也能够拥有这样的定解，因此需要无错谬地宣说佛陀所阐释的离苦得乐之道，以此接引所化机，化导众生，令他们离开生老病死，离开愁忧苦叹，正确地趣向于没有老死、那个无忧的国度。08:21
所以大家有没有发现利益众生需要一种能力，对不对？什么能力呀？是不是学习能力？要非常海量的学习，对不对？还要跟有经验的人去判断。就像行医一样，给一个病人的身心开药，要跟着师父学好多年，你才可以开药方啊、什么病吃什么药，然后才不至于开错药。佛陀是大医王，我们应该要无错谬地学习佛陀所诠释的离苦得乐的方法，用多长时间学呢？恒时地、长时间地学习，并且无错谬地宣说。为了无错谬地宣说，所以要无错谬地学习。所以在这里边学习能力就很重要！学习能力里边包括毅力和恒心吗？要发长远心学习。09:22
所以这句话就显示出一个我们平常最最忽略的东西，就是“学习怎样利他”。对利益的这个众生，还有──注意──他整个人的了解：什么病呀？什么法来治这个病？然后我有学会这个法吗？我会清净地、始终如一地贯彻佛陀的教导吗？还是把自己非常杂染的烦恼、名闻利养各种东西都杂在一起，反而叫帮忙他人呢？还有的就是“随流下”，随着别人的恶习，自己被带到深渊去了，这更谈不到利乐有情了！所以在这里边，正确、圆满、无错谬地了解佛陀所宣说的道是非常非常重要的！10:09
所以这要经过长久地、非常认真地、刻苦地练习，然后才能够正确地斧正一个人的习惯，让所化机走上一个离苦得乐的正路，而不是偏路，或者说完全走向了反路。所以利益他人是一件非常非常庄重、严肃的事情，要经过长时的、大量的学习，对不对？要没有错谬的方法，才能够真的帮到所化机。10:40
这一点，就是我们平常帮人的时候非常容易忽略的部分，你们认为是这样吗？像我们都会注意我有没有心帮人；有了心之后，其实要注意的是帮人的方法到底对不对、清不清净？在这个之前还要说：我们有学过吗？如何令所化机产生如同自己所定解的定解，也令所化机发起决定，为了这个纯净的目标，菩萨智者们应该长时间地对于佛菩萨所开示的经论的所诠，进行无错谬地学习乃至宣说。想要利他，离不开拔苦与乐，怎样拔苦？怎样与乐？必须清净没有错谬地为所化机开示，为了达到这样的目标，想要做菩萨的人要做怎样的准备呢？我们必须生生世世跟随善知识学习佛菩萨的教典，对教典的所诠义产生定解，然后在帮忙他人的过程中，也是令他有情对佛菩萨的经论的所诠产生了定解，从而了解如何才是清净的离苦得乐之道。11:56
那是什么呀？那即是──菩提道次第。12:01