Lecture No. 0371
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0371
Lamrim Volume 1: P47-L4 ~ L7
Date: 27 Feb 2022
Topic: Aspire to learn the essence of the Three Knowledges
Let us go back to the quote from the text that was covered in the previous teaching: “Ajita indicates in the Ornament for Clear Knowledge that knowing the paths of the three vehicles is the method for bodhisattvas to achieve the goal they have set.” Great! We will go over the key points about the “Knowledge of paths”. [00:18]
In the Introduction to the Four Interwoven Annotations [Chinese text], Volume One, page 164. Do you read this book often? Please turn to page 164; let us read the passage Venerable Jam-yang Shay-pa explained: “With the reliance of the Bodhisattva form, those who are inspired to steadily and ultimately achieve the goal of benefiting all living beings should apply expedient means – understand the expected effect of the knowledge of paths: the knowledge of the sravaka path, the knowledge of the pratyekabuddha path and the knowledge of the Bodhisattva path – to benefit all worldly beings of the three types of disposition.” What actually does this statement mean? From Venerable Jam-yang Shay-pa’s explanation, we can clearly see that, “with the reliance of the Bodhisattva form, those who are inspired to steadily and ultimately achieve the goal of benefiting all living beings”, have you noticed this is what an inspired Bodhisattva should learn? Earlier in teaching 368, what was the first statement Master said in the first paragraph of his commentary? “The aspiration or the objective of Bodhisattvas is to help all sentient beings with various dispositions. Thus, their study has to cover all aspects.” Here the emphasis is the word “reliance.” And this reliance is completely based on one’s spirit of enlightenment. Thus, this explained the content of the Bodhisattva path. [01:50]
Now, let us take another look at how Lama Tsong-kha-pa explained this statement in the Golden Garland of Eloquence. He said, “Before the exhaustion of the samsaric world, Bodhisattvas who are inspired to benefit all living beings should apply three knowledges of the ultimate meaning of no more rebirth and the composite expression of paths of: cause, essence, and effect, so as to accomplish the desired effect stage of high-status and certain-goodness of all living beings.” Have you noticed that Lama Tsong-kha-pa gave the same explanation – “Before the exhaustion of the samsaric world, Bodhisattvas who are inspired to benefit all living beings”? The quote clearly illustrated what Bodhisattvas should learn，and how long is the course of this learning? Before the exhaustion of the samsaric world; that is, the aspiration of the Bodhisattvas is into the infinite future. What Bodhisattvas should study and what they should attain are to obtain the Knowledge of Paths. Would you not feel it is very auspicious? [02:46]
As for “three knowledges of the ultimate meaning of no more rebirth,” have you noticed again there is the term “ultimate”? This “ultimate” here does not refer to the ultimate truth or wisdom of emptiness. It has a different meaning; actually “the ultimate” here is what the wisdom of emptiness aims to refute. So, what does the wisdom of emptiness aim to refute? It is the “intrinsic existence”. “Three knowledges of the ultimate meaning of no more rebirth” means that intrinsic existence is not realistic in these three knowledges of paths. [03:16]
So, is “the ultimate meaning of no more rebirth” about nothingness? In “the composite expression of paths of: cause, essence, and effect”, what is the meaning of these terms: cause, essence and effect? As all of us know, the three knowledges of paths refer to the knowledge of the sravaka path, the knowledge of the pratyekabuddha path and the knowledge of the Bodhisattva path. They are to validate the truth of ultimate meaning of no more rebirth; but in the composite expression, the manifestation of the given cause, essence and effect will arise, so what lies in the composite expression? There are cause and what else? They are essence as well as effect. [04:07]
These are not readily cognizable by us, because we are not at the level of cognizing them directly. I am wondering if you will be nervous when hearing this for the first time. If you are, please take a deep breath. Since our mind is lack of [subtly impermanent] inherent nature; thus we can be inspired to learn all of these. Through listening, contemplation, discussion and constant practice, we can come to learn what we did not know in the past. We learn lots of worldly knowledge in the same manner; the acquisition of the wisdom that will enable us to resolve the issue of birth and death is the same. Knowledge is wealth, knowledge is fate, and knowledge is also the most powerful weapon to change destiny. Therefore, do not resist learning knowledge that is foreign to us; do not refrain from the opportunity for our own growth, correct? There are lots of foreign terms and many scriptures that we will study in the future. The experience of encountering them is like meeting friends for the first time – unfamiliarity. However, the more interaction we engage in, the more familiar we become with each other. That is, to read repeatedly a few more times, and later these teachings will become dear friends that we even become inseparable. Hence, the same applies to our understanding of the three knowledges. [05:21]
Just like the Five Great Treatises curriculum in our monastery, it takes monastics 16 years to complete one round of the study. Do you know how many years it will take to finish the Ornament for Clear Knowledge? It will take 6 years in total, which is the longest study program in the Five Great Treatises. The Venerables will spend 4 years studying the Pointing the Way to Reasoning: Compendium of Debates, Types of Reasoning, and Types of Mind. And then systematically advance to the study of the Ornament for Clear Knowledge. The prerequisite to learn the Ornament for Clear Knowledge is that Venerables should memorize the entire text, and they must be tested one by one to pass it. The criterion for this test is accuracy; no mistake of any kind is permissible. Passing the test is the qualification for advancing to the next course. [06:09]
Many of our Venerables have already finished memorizing the Ornament for Clear Knowledge, and they also have successfully passed the test. They even memorized those annotations on the Ornament for Clear Knowledge, like the Commentary Clarifying the Meaning, composed by Acharya Haribhadra, and the well acclaimed Golden Garland of Eloquence, so on and so forth. Do you know how many words are there in the Golden Garland of Eloquence? You can try to count it! It is the Tibetan version, about 400 thousand words! As you can see, the scriptures that the monastics have to memorize is enormous, but they have done a great job! So, when you come to study the Ornament for Clear Knowledge, the learning journey is truly magnificent. By that time, we can study together, I will explain the content of the three knowledges in great detail. So, now we should aspire sincerely! [07:03]
Are you afraid of encountering difficulties and withdraw from the learning? Or you are very keen in learning, but feel that life is too short? If so, have you forgotten that: Bodhisattva path is taken life after life! In our dedication:
Life after life, by the power of relying on Je Tsong-kha-pa
As the Mahayana Virtuous Teacher
Aspiring on the excellent path praised by the Buddha,
Never forsake him, even for a moment.
We do the dedication so that all our virtues will become provisions, allowing us to follow virtuous teachers on the Bodhisattva path. As Santideva Bodhisattva indicated in the Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds [V.2 p.188~189 or The Way of the Bodhisattva chapter 7 #17 & 18]:
“How could I attain enlightenment?”
I shall not indulge in such discouragement.
For the truth-declaring Tathagata
Has spoken this truth:
“Even flies, mosquitoes,
Bees, and worms will attain
Unsurpassed enlightenment, so hard to attain,
Once they generate the power of perseverance.”
Namely, even insects like gadflies, mosquitoes and bees, are able to attain peerless enlightenment if they exert perseverant effort! [07:58]
I remember once during the debating on the topic of “all living beings can achieve Buddhahood”, one of our monastics cried very hard on the spot because this is such a very touching discovery revealed by the Buddha! Because Buddha told us so, we should not be feeling timid and withdraw, thinking that we are not able to achieve Buddhahood. Because Tathagata is the speaker of the truth, and what did he say? All mosquitoes, gadflies, insects, ants, all the ants crawling on the ground, or even those frail insects, if they exert joyous perseverance, they are able to obtain peerless enlightenment. Hence, if we are inspired with the power of joyous perseverance, we also can attain the state of Buddhahood! [08:45]
Do you remember Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s great aspirations [V.1 chapter 5]? Samantabhadra Bodhisattva said:
“Now that the Worldly Honored Vairocana Buddha manifests in all Dharma realms, all universe in ten directions and in three lifetimes; all Tathagatas in every particle are the same, in every mindfulness I should follow. Therefore, before the exhaustion of the space, the living beings in all realms, their karmic deeds, and their afflictions; my learning of the teaching will never ends. Such thought continues one after another uninterruptedly, and tirelessly throughout my karmic deeds from body, speech and mind.”
Together, we should also make such aspiration! [09:29]
【广海明月 讲次: 0371】
讲次 | 0371
标题 | 发愿学习三智的内涵
《广论》段落 | P9-L6 ~ P9-L7 阿逸多云……由道种智成办世间利。”
音档 | 6A 07:39 ~ 6A 08:59
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P166-LL4 ~ P167-L5 ( 2016 南普陀版：P166-LL4 ~ P167-L6 )
手抄段落 | 下面引……这个是一件事情的两面。
四家合注白话校注集段落 | 第1册 P164-LL12 ~ P164-LL10 “所依身为菩萨……世间三种种姓的利益。”
00:00
再回到那一句，“阿逸多云：‘诸欲饶益众生，由道种智成办世间利。’”好！我们现在来重点地学习一下“道种智”。00:18
在《四家合注白话校注集》（第一册）第164页──你们会常看这本书吗？如果看的话，可以翻到164页──巴梭尊者解释这句话说：“所依身为菩萨，想要阶段性及究竟地成办利益众生的诸位大士，应当透过方便──了知声闻、独觉、菩萨三种道的道种智，成办所求的结果──世间三种种姓的利益。”这段话到底是什么意思呢？在巴梭尊者的解释中，我们可以清晰地看到：“所依身为菩萨，想要阶段性及究竟地成办利益众生的诸位大士”，有没有发现这是一位已经发心的菩萨他所要学的？那么上一段师父的第一句话也是说什么？“菩萨要求的，他目的是要遍摄这个各式各样的根机，所以他要学一切。”这里边特别强调所依身，这个所依身完全观待于他的菩提心，所以这是在讲菩萨道的内涵。01:50
我们可以再看一看宗大师的《金鬘论》是怎么解释这句话？说：“乃至轮回未空之间，想要饶益众生的菩萨，透过证得三种道胜义中无生，名言中有因、体性、果的道智，能成办一切众生想要的增上生及决定胜的果位。”大家有没有发现宗大师的解释也是一样的──“乃至轮回未空之间，想要饶益众生的菩萨”，清晰地标明这是菩萨要学的，而且学程有多长呢？乃至轮回未空之间，他的发心贯彻尽未来际。这样的大士他所要学的、要证得的就是道种智。有没有特别地辉煌？02:46
那么，“三种道胜义中无生”，大家会不会又发现有个“胜义”？这里边的“胜义”不是指胜义谛或者空性，它另有解释，是指正好是空性所要破的那个胜义。空性所要破的胜义是什么？那就是“有谛实”。“三种道胜义中无生”，意思就是三种道没有谛实的出生。03:16
那么胜义中无生是不是完全无生，就是什么都没有呢？在“名言中有因、体性、果”。那名言中有因、体性、果是什么意思呢？我们知道三种道就是指声闻道、独觉道、大乘道，道智证得这三种道在胜义中无生，但是在名言中它从自己的因出生、具有自己的体性，而且也会出生自己的果，所以在名言中有什么呀？有因，还有什么？有体性，还有果。04:07
这对我们来说不是现前分，因为我们还没有现前证得。我不知道你们第一次听到会不会紧张？如果你紧张的话，就请深呼吸，因为心无自性的原因，所以我们想要去学习。那么透过听闻、思惟、讨论和串习，我们就会学懂以前不会的知识。世间很多知识都是这样的，了脱生死的智慧也是这样的。知识是财富、知识是命运，知识也是改变命运最有力的武器，所以不要拒绝去学习陌生的知识，不要拒绝自己的成长，对不对？对于陌生的这些法相名词啊，还有我们将来要学的很多典籍，就像朋友一样，初次见面的时候有点生，然后多走动走动就熟了。就是见面啊、多反复看一看啊，以后就成为挚友，甚至分都分不开了；那么我们对于三智的了解也是一样的。05:21
像在我们寺院的五大论的学程中，法师们总共要花十六年才能完成一轮五大论的学程。《现观》的学程你们知道要几年吧？总共要六年，所以是五大论中花的时间最长的。法师经过四年时间学习《摄类学》、《因类学》、《心类学》，然后就会依次进入《现观》的学程了。在进入《现观》的学程之前，就要要求法师要把《现观庄严论》这本论背完，而且要一个一个考，要通过考试，考试要很准确，你不能背错，甚至不考过是不能升班的。06:09
很多法师把《现观庄严论》都已经背完了，也通过了考试，甚至把《现观庄严论》的解释也背下来了，例如狮子贤论师的《显明义释》，还有非常著名的宗大师的《金鬘论》等等。你们知不知道《金鬘论》总共有多少字啊？去数一数吧！是藏文的，大约四十万字喔！所以法师们背的书是很大量的，但是学得还不错吧！所以学习《现观》的时候，是很壮阔的学习，等到你们也一起学习的时候，我们再详细地学习三智的内涵，所以现在要好好地希求啊！07:03
请问你们会怕难，不敢学吗？还是你们很想学，但是觉得此生的时间太短？是不是忘了一个事情：菩萨道是生生世世的！我们的回向文中：“生生由胜宗喀巴，为作大乘知识力，愿于佛赞善稳道，虽刹那顷不暂舍。”让我们所有的善，都回向能追随善知识学习菩萨道。像寂天菩萨在《入行论》中也说：“不应自退怯，谓我不能觉。如来实语者，说此真实言：所有蚊虻蜂，如是诸虫蛆，若发精进力，咸证无上觉。”这里边已经说：若蚊虻蜂这样的小虫，如果发起精进力，都可以证无上觉！07:58
还记得有一次在辩论到“众生都会成佛”的这个主题，我们寺院有一个法师当场痛哭流涕，因为这实在是太感人的一个佛陀的发现！因为佛陀这样告诉我们，我们不应该自己感到退怯、认为自己无法成佛。因为如来是谛实语者，他说什么呀？所有蚊、虻、虫、蚁，就地上爬的蚂蚁，那种非常非常脆弱的小虫子，如果发起精进力都能够成就无上正等觉，那如果我们发起精进力，也一定能成就佛果！08:45
还记不记得普贤菩萨的大愿？普贤菩萨说：“如今世尊毘卢遮那，如是尽法界、虚空界十方三世一切佛刹，所有尘中一切如来皆亦如是，于念念中，我皆随学。如是虚空界尽、众生界尽、众生业尽、众生烦恼尽，我此随学无有穷尽，念念相续，无有间断，身、语、意业无有疲厌。”我们一起也要如是发愿吧！09:29