Lecture No. 0379
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0379
Lamrim Volume 1: P47-L13 ~ L15
Date: 03 Mar 2022
Topic: We must distinguish cause and effects in anything we engage in
Very well! We will continue to listen to the next part of the commentary.
In addition, there is something unusual here. Generally, in Chinese culture, we would say that this is unreasonable or contradictory. Why did he say “the cause of contradiction” instead? We should know that when we sincerely apply the Buddha Dharma, one [part] is to plant some [virtuous] roots, like sketching a diagram and drawing a draft. It is okay just to have a general concept anyway. To go a step further, when you actually engage in practice, it requires great care without any flaws. Thus, at the time for serious practice, anything [we] engage in must distinguish between cause and effect, or the dependent-arising of karma, or the Middle Way. A certain cause results in its corresponding effect; in other words, if you want such an effect, you must plant such a cause. Now, assuming that the stated Mahayana [practitioner] does not want to study Hinayana teachings, you planted a wrong cause and this is a mistake. This is why it uses the word “cause” of contradiction here. Please note! There are many areas we need to pay attention to, and the reason I specifically mention them here is because I made this mistake before. Some people said that this book is hard to understand, and I felt the same way. So, I foolishly relied my own thoughts, felt that many of the writings were not fluent enough and made changes. To this day, I still repent for doing so! [01:40]
So, I specifically mention this here to you; subsequently, you should be able to apply according to various conditions. Now, we often argue with others, saying that I am reasonable and others are not. Excuse me! Our reasons as ordinary beings applied to other ordinary beings is fine, you may win a court case by arguing this way. However, in the context of Buddha Dharma, you will go to the hell realms, this is the cause. This is a very important concept! Therefore, I just bring it up here. [02:09]
The focal point in Master’s commentary is “the cause of contradiction”, right? Regarding this part on the cause of contradiction, Master said: “there is something unusual here”; what is unusual? How come there is a “cause” in “the cause of contradiction”? Just the word “contradiction” alone will do, correct? Why is there a “cause” in “the cause of contradiction”? In order to explain the cause of contradiction, Master then used sketching a diagram as an example, right? One is a draft, subsequently there will be a detailed design, it could be a blueprint for construction, right? One is a sketch, while the other is a more detailed construction drawing. When working on the draft, you can just do a rough sketch, an approximation of the image will do. However, in order to put it into actual practice, it involves the Buddha Dharma [statement] “at the time for serious practice,”, take heed! “anything [we] engage in must” in terms of what? Must distinguish in terms of cause and effect, the dependent-arising of karma, or the Middle Way. Namely, the reciprocal effect arises from a certain cause. What is “anything [we engage in] must distinguish between cause and effect? What is the premise of this statement? The premise is based on [those practitioners who are] sincere in putting the teaching into practice, right? That is, when we start to truly put the teaching into practice, “anything [we engage in] must distinguish between cause and effect”. [03:23]
First, let me ask you a question: is it easy to “anything [we engage in] must distinguish between cause and effect”? If it is not, then why is that? Is it because we have difficulty recognizing cause and effect? It is or not? The key issue is it is hard for us to recognize cause and effect, is it not? However, what is the precursor? Anything [we] engage in, pay attention! There is the interdependence in this sentence, whatever [practitioners] engage in, must distinguish between cause and effect. Let us talk about the first part of this statement; in dealing with any matter, will we want to perceive it from the angle of cause and effect? We would identify a reason [“cause”], right? What is the purpose of finding a reason [“cause”]? We would use that reason [“cause”] to argue with others, correct? I believe that you are wrong, so I have to point it out to you. This is how we identify the reason [“cause”]. Are we looking for the cause from the perspective of causality? What we are looking for is the approximation of such cause and effect. At all times, while handling matters, we would not see it as necessary to recognize the cause and effect, the dependent-arising of karma – from the perspective of cause and effect, or the karmic perception. This is something we would neglect. Are you listening attentively? [04:30]
So, “anything [we] engage in” and “must”, and “distinguish”, what to distinguish? Cause and effect. You have to peruse these words. You need to read the transcription of the Master’s commentary carefully and deliberately. We will discover: when we are truly talking about cultivating, we would not, firstly, think of perceiving matters from the perspective of cause and effect. Even if we do, we are unable to perceive them accurately. Most likely, we are confused by the arising phenomena – so muddled up with what we see, what we hear, or even with hearsays. Some people flatly do not perceive matters with their senses of seeing and hearing, what they do instead is to conjure using their own imagination and assume that it should be this way. They then handle matters based on whatever comes up in their mind. So, there is completely no “anything [we engage in] must distinguish between cause and effect”, they do not have such an intention at all. [05:22]
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Assignments:
1. Master said: “anything [we] engage in must distinguish between cause and effect, or the dependent-arising of karma, or the Middle Way. A certain cause results in its corresponding effect”, why? Is this truly necessary in whatever we do?
2. Analyze whatever we do, what would we definitely recognize clearly?
3. Compare your arising reaction [in answering the #2 assignment] to what Master said [in the #1 assignment], what should be your starting point [to close the gap]?
【广海明月 讲次: 0379】
讲次 | 0379 (2021-11-15 ~ 2021-11-17)
标题 | 做任何事情必定认识因、果
《广论》段落 | P9-L8 ~ P9-L9 故有说云……是相违因。
音档 | 6A 15:23 ~ 6A 17:26
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P170-LL4 ~ P171-LL5 ( 2016 南普陀版：P170-LL2 ~ P171-LL2 )
手抄段落 | 还有，这个地方很奇怪……所以说我这个地方随便一提。
(更新日期: 2022年3月3日)
00:00
好！接着我们往下听，听下一段。
还有，这个地方很奇怪，要我们中国人平常习惯的话，说这个不合理的、相违背的，他为什么说“相违因”呢？要晓得真正我们说在修学佛法里边，一个是种一点根，就像画一个图一样，起个草稿，反正马马虎虎大概有个笼统概念就行。进一步你真正行持的时候非常细致，一点都不能错。所以真正讲修持的时候，做任何事情必定认识因、果，或者说业感缘起，或者是说中道，如此因，感如此果；反过来说，你要得到这样的果，必定要这样的因。现在呢假定说，你说你大乘人不要学习小乘的话，你这个因是做错了，这个就不对，所以他这个地方用那个字──相违“因”。注意！很多处处的地方注意，我之所以这个地方特别一提，因为当时我就犯了这个错误，人家也给他说：哎呀，这本书看起来好难看，我自己也有这个感觉。所以我就傻里傻气地用我自己的想法，有很多地方觉得这个文字不顺，改了，我现在一直为这个事情忏悔！01:40
所以我说到这个地方特别告诉你们一点，同样对你们也有很多地方很用得上。现在我们平常动不动就跟人家讲道理，就是我这个有道理，他这个没有道理。对不起！我们凡夫的道理，你讲凡夫可以，跟人家打官司你可以打胜，讲佛法的话你会下地狱，原因就在这里。这个很重要的一个概念！所以说我这个地方随便一提。02:09
这一段肯定是大家会注视在“相违因”对吧？相违因这个部分，师父说：“这个地方很奇怪”，什么奇怪？怎么会“相违”后面有个“因”？就是相违就可以了，对不对？为什么要有个相违“因”？为了解释这个相违因，接着师父阐述了一个草图，对吧？一个是草图，后边是一个精细的，可能是建设的那个图纸，对不对？一个草图和一个精细的建设图纸。那么在这个草图的时候，你马马虎虎大概就是画个意象就可以了，可是真正要去行持的话，就涉及到佛法“讲修持的时候”，注意喔！“做任何事情必定”怎么样？认识因、果，或者说业感缘起，或者是中道，如是因，感如是果。什么叫作“任何事情必定认识因、果”？这句话是基于什么说的？基于要真正讲修持对吧？真正开始修行的时候就是“任何事情必定认识因、果”。03:23
先问大家一个问题：“做任何事情必定认识因、果”容易不容易？不容易在哪里？我们是认识因果难吗？是不是？重点是认识因果难，对不对？但是前边呢？做任何事情，注意喔！它有个连接性──做任何事情，必定认识因果。先提第一个部分，做任何事情我们会想认识因果吗？我们也会找个原因对不对？找个原因干什么？跟别人吵，对不对？我认为就是因为你错了，所以我要说你。我们就是这样找原因的。我们找的是因果吗？我们找的是看起来是那样的东西。不会在做任何事情的时候一定要认识因果、认识业感缘起──因果见，业果见。这件事是会被忽略的。你们有在认真听吗？04:30
所以“做任何事”，还有一个“必定”，还有一个“认识”，认识什么？因和果。这个字你要慢慢地细读，对师父解释的你要慢慢地细读。我们会发现：我们真正讲修行的时候，做任何事情首先是不会想要认识因果；然后想要认识因果的时候也认识不清楚，多半都会迷惑于表面上的现象──眼睛看到的、耳朵听到的，或者道听途说的；甚至有的人也不是要靠眼睛看到的、也不是要耳朵听到，他就自己想一想觉得大概就是这样了，然后就根据自己的想像去处理问题。所以根本没有“任何事情一定要认识因、果”，这样的一个意乐都没有的。05:22
【作业】
师父说：“做任何事情必定认识因、果，或者说业感缘起，或者是说中道，如此因，感如此果”，为什么？有周遍的必要性吗？
观察自己，我们做任何事情的时候，是一定会认清什么？
对比自己的现行与师父所说的，下脚处是什么？