Lecture No. 0349
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0349
Lamrim Volume 1: P46-L10~L18
Date: 06 Mar 2022
Topic: Plan out a life that can thoroughly eliminate suffering
Let us examine the experience familiar to us in life; we might hear some people saying: “Ah, your life is quite a bumpy ride!” Is this from the angle of the truth of suffering? When we say the rugged road of life, we are making a comparison among people. If we compare human lives with all the hardships the living beings in the three miserable realms have to endure, our rugged lives are nothing. Living beings in the miserable realms will think our way of living is heavenly to them. For instance, in winter when it snows heavily for several days in a row in Canada, we discover that raccoons would run out of food. Once, I saw seven raccoons come out from the edge of the forest. Because it is very cold in the winter, we gave them some bread. At first, only one raccoon dared to come near, and then later it seemed the entire family followed. In the winter, they do not have much food to eat. [Compared with them,] we humans have food to eat, a fireplace to keep us warm, and clothes we can put on. However, we would have fights in the house, and we still complain about our life – we are not content with what we have as a human. [00:52]
So, here, it involves whether we recognize what suffering is. Does it take some effort for us to recognize it? It may even take greater effort to find who can help us learn what suffering is, right? Who teaches us how to recognize what suffering is? In fact, it is the Buddha who taught us to how to recognize what suffering is. So, would we all not feel that studying up to this point, we suddenly become a bit more humble? Do you feel it this way? Will those self-righteous thoughts that are always banging out loud inside of us be held back a bit? Actually, those justifiable thoughts we strongly believe in are exactly what Master said here – fumbling around the nonessentials; which provides very little power of wisdom – not recognizing [suffering cause] means inadequate wisdom power. Hence, we need to humbly study more and until one day, “Ah! Now I recognize you, [the cause of suffering].” [01:38]
Master followed by asking if this suffering can be removed, and what was the reasoning he applied? Why is that suffering can be removed? First, if it exists intrinsically, can we remove it? No! We cannot. Then, he mentioned cause and effect. If we are able to find the cause of suffering, and if we can remove the cause, naturally this suffering can be resolved. [02:01]
Pay attention! Master continued explaining the verse, “that which is to be thoroughly eliminated”; meaning we can “completely sever the cause. Naturally the issue of suffering will be settled!” So, the focal point here is the word, “thoroughly.” Have you reflected accordingly every day based on this guidance? Actually, regarding suffering, we do not have the determination to thoroughly remove it; rather, our attitude is, “Well! That will do. As long as the suffering does not bother me too much, I will just muddle along to get by the day!” We do not have the strong motivation to thoroughly eliminate suffering; or we do not even have such urgent need, not the least. More often than not, we just drift along and get by; we never ever seriously thought about the need to thoroughly sever suffering. Take heed, not just sever suffering, but to eliminate it completely. We do not have such determination. Now you can see how remarkable the Buddha Dharma is – it is for us to know all of the causes of suffering. In order to identify suffering we need to know their respective causes, and then sever them all, completely! [03:00]
Some people say, “When can I resolve all that trouble me once and for all?” People resort to all possible means when dealing with suffering; some even end their own lives as the solution. Why? Because they do not comprehend the preciousness of this life, nor do they know that actually mental continuum carries on. Further, committing suicide is sinful, which distresses people close to us. That said; some people see ending their life as a means to resolve issues, assuming ending their own life is resolving all problems that trouble them. In fact, death is the beginning of the bardo state, meaning another life shall begin; thus ending one’s life does not end everything. [03:34]
So, ending one’s life is not the way to resolve issues, nor is quarrel; shutting oneself off is not the solution, either. Trying to cover up the problems by wallowing in eating, drinking, and all sorts of pleasure is not the way to resolve issues, either. So are making others apologize and beg for our forgiveness. Only when we completely sever the cause of suffering will suffering be terminated – knowing what suffering is, being able to recognize it and identify the suffering causes; the word “thoroughly” should be added; that is, we should thoroughly know what suffering is, thoroughly recognize suffering causes, and thoroughly eliminate them; that is the way to terminate suffering. What does this mean? If we do not battle against suffering, we will always be enslaved by it, which suggests that there is no way for us to see the sun emerges behind the clouds again and living a life in the darkness. Even living in the human realms, many people are experiencing too much suffering! [04:20]
From the above passage, I hope everyone can pay particular attention to this word “thoroughly”. The “thoroughness” is also the aspect we find it very difficult to take into account when it comes to our lifelong plan – how could I ever think about to understand what suffering is, to know all of the suffering causes, and to eliminate all suffering? How could it be possible that we have such insight? How could it be possible that we have such capability? [04:47]
However, Master mentioned earlier that humans and deities have this capability. Pay attention! We are endowed with this capability. This piece of advice is from those who had traversed the path and this is what they had experienced before. If we are to compare the experiences the past masters had been through with those of ours, which ones are more superb? We can see who is happier, more carefree and level-headed, and then we should follow along! [05:12]
So, if we can listen to the teaching every day, abide by the concepts and the reasoning Buddhas and Bodhisattvas gave us, and follow along the direction Master pointed out for us, then we will know that the scope of living for this day is too limited. Quickly uplift it! Give it a boost! And then we will notice, “Not studying the scriptures for one day will make us look repulsive!” Is it not so? Then living that way is not desirable! We have no way whatsoever to stop the afflictive continuum in our mind stream; sometimes we have no idea what is going on. Hence, listening to the teaching and studying it every day become extremely important; we must persist in the effort of attending Lamrim class. Why? Because by attending Lamrim class continuously is for us to be better acquainted with the Four Noble Truths, and the effect is that we will develop the habit of introspection, getting more familiar with how to subdue our minds, and thus advancing on the path to ultimate enlightenment with joyous perseverance continuously. Master said he would accompany us all the way to the final stop, correct? That means on the path to ultimate enlightenment, Master, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas would accompany us along the way. So, this is not a lonely path and we must all exert more effort! [06:02]
【广海明月 讲次: 0349】
讲次 | 0349
标题 | 规划遍断痛苦的人生 (2021-08-02 ~ 2021-08-04)
《广论》段落 | P8-L11 ~ P8-L13 今初……所应修行，
音档 | 5B 10:51 ~ 5B 13:12
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P152-L4 ~ P153-L5 ( 2016 南普陀版：P152-L5 ~ P153-L7 )
手抄段落 | 那么这个道理也许……自然问题解决！
(更新日期: 2022年3月6日)
00:00
然后我们平常可以看一看，有的人说：“啊，你这一生真辛苦啊！”是不是从苦谛的角度讲的呢？命运坎坷，也都是人跟人比，如果人跟三恶趣比的话，没有一个人是命运坎坷的。恶道里的有情看到我们人这样子，就已经觉得我们如同在天堂。比如说在加拿大冬天要是连几日大雪的话，就会发现浣熊就没吃的，有一次我看到有七只浣熊在树林边出现，因为冬天太冷了，就给它们点面包。一开始是一个浣熊敢靠近，后来看起来大大小小一家子都出来了，它们冬天是没有东西吃的。但是人有东西吃、还有壁炉烤、还有衣服穿，然后在屋子里还吵架，还觉得人生有太多太多不满足！00:52
所以在这里边就涉及到认得苦这件事，认得苦这件事是不是要花一些力气？甚至要花很大的力气，甚至你跟谁去认识苦？谁会教我们认识苦？认识苦这件事实际上是佛陀教我们的，所以学到这里的时候，突然觉得内心有点变谦虚了，大家有同感吗？心里边呐喊着、叫嚷着的很多念头，觉得自己很有道理的那些心，有没有稍微调伏一点呢？实际上觉得自己有道理的那些想法，师父说都是枝末上的努力，是没什么慧力的──认不得就是没什么慧力的──所以要虚心地去学，什么时候能学到：“啊！我现在认得你了。”01:38
接下来师父讲到这个苦能不能去得掉，讲了什么理由？为什么它能去得掉？第一个，天生如此能去得掉吗？没办法！然后就提到了因果。如果把苦因找到的话、苦因能够断除的话，这个苦就自然能够解决。02:01
注意！下面又说到了那个“遍断”，遍断就是“普遍地把那个因拿掉了，自然问题解决！”在这里边要注意到的还是这个周遍的“遍”字，你们有没有对比自己每一天的心？我们其实对苦没有一种遍断的心，就是“啊！差不多就行了。只要你不一直找我麻烦，得过且过就行了！”我们对痛苦没有一种要彻底铲除它的这种强烈的意志力，甚至这样的需求都似乎没有。多半都是得过且过、能过就过，没有想过彻底地把这个苦要断，而且是──注意──周遍，全部都断掉，没有这样的决心。你看！佛陀的法就是高明，真正的苦因要全部都知道，真正的苦要知道、苦因要知道，然后要全部地断掉，遍断！03:00
有人说：“什么时候能一了百了，我把所有的问题都解决掉呢？”人们用各种方式面对，有的人甚至去结束生命。因为他不了解这个生命的珍贵，也不了解其实是还有续流的；而且自杀是有罪过的，会令自己的亲人特别特别担心。但是有人把结束生命当成是一种解决问题的方式，认为只要自己死了，所有的问题都解决了。实际上自己死了，是另一个中阴的开启，是另一个生命的开始，它根本不是一个结束。03:34
所以死亡不是解决问题的方式，吵架不是解决问题的方式，把自己关起来也不是解决问题的方式，吃、喝、玩、乐，找种种现世安乐去涂抹也不是解决问题的方式，让别人道歉、让别人跪地求饶，都不是解决问题的方式。唯有遍断苦因，知道苦、认识苦，把苦因找出来──这些前面都加一个“周遍地”知道苦、知道苦因，然后周遍地把它断除掉，这个苦才会结束。这是说明什么？这个苦要是不去对它战斗，它会永远奴役我们，我们没有云开日朗的一天，我们永远都会在苦的这个压迫下，过着暗无天日的人生，哪怕在人道，也有人觉得痛苦太多了！04:20
所以从这一段的角度，我希望大家能够注意到这个周遍的“遍”字。这个周遍的“遍”字，也是我们平常对我们的人生很难去规划的一个字──我怎么会想到把所有的苦都了解、把所有的苦因都了解、把所有的苦都断除掉？我怎么会有这样的一个想像力呢？我怎么可能会觉得这是我的能力呢？04:47
但是前面师父说了，人天道就是有这个能力，注意！就是有这个能力。这是走过来的人说的，这是这条路走完的人说的，这是他的经验。他的经验和我们的经验比起来谁的经验会更高明呢？就看谁活得更快乐、谁活得更潇洒，那就沿着谁的方法走！05:12
所以每天听法、每天听法，对照佛菩萨给我们的理路，对照师父带领我们去的方向，我们就会认识到这一天已经活得太渺小了。赶快提升！赶快提升！所以才会发现“一日不听法，面目可憎”，是吧？就不能要了！自己心续的烦恼续流是没法阻挡的，甚至发生了也不知道。所以每天必须学法，一定要坚持上广论班。因为坚持上广论班就是我们要熟悉四谛法，就是一定要产生这个习惯性地向内观察、习惯性地自我调伏、习惯性地沿着无上菩提这条路一直精进下去。因为师父说他会陪我们到最后一站，对吧？一路都有师父相陪、有佛菩萨相陪，这不是一条孤单的路，大家一定要加油！06:02