Lecture No. 0390
Great Ocean of Lamrim
Lecture No. 0390
Lamrim Volume 1: P947-L16 ~ L23
Date: 29 Dec 2021
Topic: Sravaka Practitioners Are Eager for Renunciation, however, Mahayana Practitioners Aspire to Liberate All Beings
In the sutra of the precepts, it says that sravaka practitioners, since they are eager for renunciation, they would avoid many various engagements. What would they engage instead? Lessen involvements and activities, and lessen their lingering in hopes. That is, they should disregard everything except filling the stomach with food, regardless of the taste or nutrition. What is the best nutrition for them? It is the mind. When they can purify the mind, it would be even better if they can discard the physical vessel. Nothing else should be a bother. For Mahayana practitioners, however, this is not the case! They want to rescue all beings. To liberate all beings, they need to apply suitable means for each living being with various predispositions; practitioners cannot disregard any other living beings. Thus, as the sutra of the precepts points out, sravaka practitioners are eager to achieve personal liberation, so their goal is to lessen involvements and activities and lessen their lingering in hopes and dreams. Right! However, for Mahayana practitioners, since their goal is to help liberate other living beings, when they lessen their involvements and activities, that will be incorrect! Since the goal is to liberate other living beings, the more the better. Their aim is to rescue all beings in the infinite Dharma-realms and throughout the entire universe. Now, with such attitude as: this is not what we should do and that is not what we need to get involved, how are we going to liberate beings? This is the fundamental difference between the two vehicles. [01:06]
Question, when Master said: “In the sutra of the precepts, it says...”, which sutra of the precepts does it refer to? It is the Bodhisattva-sila, [or The Book of the Bodhisattva Precepts]. It specifies clearly the reason that the precepts the sravaka practitioners take is different from what Mahayana practitioners observe. That is, “sravaka practitioners are eager for renunciation.” These words appeared: “eager for renunciation”; the word “eager” suggests something very urgent – having a strong yearning for renunciation. From where to renounce? It is from the endless round of birth and rebirth; therefore, their determination for renunciation is extremely, tremendously intense. [01:55]
Because of their strong yearning for renunciation, “they would avoid many various engagements.” Then, what are the things they ought to do? They are “lessen involvements and activities, and lessen their lingering in hopes and dreams.” Master even said sravaka practitioners have achieved .... Oh! It would be even better if they could get rid of this physical vessel. And then Master explained that how the food taste matters little for them; they do not mind whether the food is nutritious or not. The most nutritious is their mind. This is why sravaka practitioners are said to disregard everything; what they desperately want is renunciation – they are devoted to this goal single-mindedly. [02:51]
Then, what did Master say next? “Mahayana practitioners”; take notice! They are not rushing into personal renunciation. Instead, Mahayana practitioners “want to rescue all beings” – to liberate all living beings. Would there also be eagerness in such aspiration? The Mahayana practitioners are eager to liberate all living beings! Nevertheless, one issue appears; not all living beings would take Bodhisattvas’ advices, saying what needs to be done would be done. It is because all of these living beings have their individual propensities, habits, and root natures. If the Bodhisattvas disregard beings of various individual root natures, the rescuing aspiration will not work. So, what are the options for the Bodhisattvas? They have to learn! From whom do they have to learn? They have to learn from the Buddha! As we have studied earlier, they have to “knowing the paths of the three vehicles ... to achieve the goal they have set.” [V.1 p. 47] Therefore, Bodhisattvas should earnestly study all the teachings with joyous perseverance. [03:54]
So, the sutra of the precepts teaches us that: sravaka practitioners would be to lessen involvements and activities, and lessen in their lingering in hopes and dreams. [However, since] Mahayana practitioners are inspired to liberate all living beings, if their attitude is to lessen involvements and activities, and lessen their lingering in hopes and dreams – take heed, does this mean they are not taking the path properly? In order “to rescue all living beings,” then it is evident that “to rescue all living beings, the more the better”, instead of the other way around! For how big is our goal? Our goal is to “liberate all beings in the infinite Dharma-realms and throughout the entire universe”. If our attitude is: we cannot carry out this task or will not be able to handle that matter either, how can we liberate others? Take notice! Is this the most fundamental difference between Mahayana and Hinayana? Yes, it is! Let us contemplate: isn’t that so? [04:51]
Great! We will continue listening to the commentary [from Master]. [04:57]
Speaking of this, one point needs to be differentiated. In the sutras, the systematic order of each stage is clearly specified. Though our aspiration is correct – we want to liberate all living beings; however, to perfect this aspiration in its entirety, what do we need to rely on? It is up to us to put in our own effort, meaning each one of us needs to safeguard this aspiration and to reinforce such effort. Considering the conditions we are in, it does not mean that we have to do it all at one stride; rather, it is better for us to steadily strengthen this mentality right from the beginning. It is like a child who was born as the son of the emperor – he will be the heir to the kingdom. However, it does not mean that he will be put on the throne right after he was born and perform the suitable role as the king; how could it be possible! Rather, precisely because he is promised to be the future king, his education will be different. But the training process is pretty much the same as that of an ordinary civilian, and that is to gradually enhance his abilities. The difference between the abilities as a king and that of an ordinary civilian is that the former is groomed to become a king whereas the latter is to prepare for making a living. Thus, this is the importance of the systematic order. Once we have this systematic order in place, we can perfect the aspiration – the quality and quantified-measurement – that we focus on in the beginning. So, what we mentioned above is the differences between Mahayana and Hinayana. As for the minute differences, they will be elaborated later in the text. [06:14]
Very well! After mentioning the differences between Mahayana and Hinayana in terms of their precepts, Master followed by saying: “one point needs to be differentiated.” After listening to this section of Master’s commentary, which point needs to be clarified? Do you still remember? Are you able to answer this question? Is it the “systematic order”? It is the systematic order. Master said: “In the sutras, the systematic order of each stage is clearly specified. Though our aspiration is correct – we want to liberate all living beings. However, to perfect this aspiration in its entirety,” pay attention! From the initial stage of making the aspiration to rescue all living beings and to fulfil such aspiration, Master said here, “It is up to us to put in our own effort.” Do you agree with it? We have to rely on putting in our own effort. Are we able to accomplish it on our own? Why did Master put it this way? [07:14]
Bodhisattvas are inspired to liberate all living beings; each one of us with such aspiration should take on our share of responsibility. So, what should we do? Master said: “we need to safeguard this aspiration and to reinforce such effort.” Those who are inspired to make this aspiration all have this same experience before: if we do not keep an eye on our mind, if we do not safeguard the Bodhisattva vows, then many various arising conditions will bring us a lot of hardship, and such hardship arises from practising according to the teachings. Some people would even think about pulling back from the practice. In other words, when they face arising conditions, their aspiration is weakened rather than strengthened. Would this jeopardize our practice? It can even be detrimental! Hence, we need to depend on ourselves to safeguard such precious aspiration, and be mindful of our Bodhisattva vows; besides, we need to continuously strengthen it while facing various arising conditions. [08:14]
【广海明月 讲次: 0390】
讲次 | 0390 (2021-12-30 ~ 2022-01-02)
标题 | 声闻急求出离，大乘却要救济一切
《广论》段落 | P9-L10 ~ P9-L12 趣入大乘道者……其因相者亦即此也。
音档 | 6A 20:50 ~ 6A 23:08
手抄页/行 | 第1册 P173-L6 ~ P174-LL6 ( 2016 南普陀版：P173-L8 ~ P174-LL6 )
手抄段落 | 它那个戒经上面就告诉我们……到后面他会有详细说明
(更新日期: 2021年12月21日)
00:00
它那个戒经上面就告诉我们，说这个声闻乘人是急求出离，为了急求出离，所以有很多事情他不应该做。他应该做的什么？是少事、少业、少希望住。你什么都不要管，你只要吃饱了，不管味道如何，不管有没有营养。最好的营养是什么？就是你的心，你能够把这个净化了以后，那个身体丢掉了正好，什么都不管。大乘人不是的呀！你要救济一切人，要救济一切人，要适应他的根性，那个时候你不管的话是不可以。所以戒经上面告诉我们，声闻乘人急求自利，是少事、少业、少希望住，对！大乘人为了救别人，那个时候你少事、少业，那就错！你要救别人，救得越多越好嘛，你的目的要救尽法界、虚空界一切众生，现在这个事情不行，那个事情不行，那你怎么救人哪？这个是两个的根本的差别。01:06
请问师父说：“它那个戒经上面就告诉我们”，是哪一本戒经呢？《菩萨戒》。说明声闻乘人他的戒律为什么和大乘人不一样的原因，就是“声闻乘人是急求出离”。出现了这四个字──急求出离，这个“急”，是非常急切、非常急迫地希求出离。从哪里出离呀？从生死中出离，所以他的出离心非常非常地炽热。01:55
因为急求出离的原因，“所以有很多事情他不应该做”；那应该做什么？就是“少事、少业、少希望住”。师父甚至说他们已经做到了──哎呀！连这个身体都会觉得丢掉了正好。然后在这里边谈到了：吃什么东西也不用管味道，甚至有没有营养也不用管了，最好的营养就是自己的心。这是为什么说声闻乘人急求出离就顾不了其他的事情，只有一心要出离。02:51
可是接着出现了什么呀？“大乘人”，大乘人，注意！后面就不是急求出离，大乘人“要救济一切人”──就是救济一切众生。这里边会不会也有一种急切呢？因为他要急切地救济一切众生呀！但是，问题出现了，就是这一切众生不会听这个菩萨的、说要怎么样就怎么样，因为大家各自有各自的习性、各自的习惯，他们有各自的根性，那个时候如果不管各种各样的根性是不行的。那菩萨的出路是什么呀？就要学呀！跟谁学啊？跟佛学啊！我们在前面学习了“道种智成办世间利”，所以菩萨就要勇猛精进地学习了。03:54
那么戒经上告诉我们：声闻乘人是要少事、少业、少希望住，大乘人为了救别人，那如果少事、少业、少希望──注意──是不是就错了呀？因为“要救别人”，开始出现了──“救得越多越好”，是不能少呀！因为我们的目的是多大的呀？是“要救尽法界、虚空界一切众生”。如果说这个事情不能做、那个事情也做不来，那我们怎么样去救人啊？注意！这是不是大、小乘最根本的差别呀？是的！我们思考一下是不是这样？04:51
好！我们接着往下听。04:57
不过说到这里，有一点要辨别，它佛经上面的每一个地方的次第说得清楚，你的发的心是没有错，你要救一切人，但是，你要圆满发那个心的话，靠什么？靠我们自己，我们每一个自己。你那个时候要保护这个心，增强这个力量，在这种状态当中，不是一口气叫你什么事情都去做，要开始的时候增强这个心。就像小孩子一样，这个小孩子天生来，说皇帝的儿子，他要做国王的，但是并不是说生下来好的，捧到他国王的位子让他做国王，那怎么可能呢！正因为他要做国王，所以开始的教育不一样，至于说过程跟平常人还是一样的，一步一步增长他的能力。不过他这个能力是要做国王的能力，你这个能力是自己糊口的能力，这个才是它的差别。所以这个次第的重要，那么有了这个次第，才能够圆满我们开始所定下来的质跟量。所以，这个上头所以成为大乘、小乘两个的差别。这个差别究竟怎么样，到后面他会有详细说明。06:14
好！师父讲到这个大、小乘在戒律上的差别之后，说：“有一点要辨别”，听完了这一点之后，觉得哪一点要辨别？还记得吗？你们能答上来吗？是不是“次第”呀？次第。师父说：“佛经上面的每一个地方的次第说得清楚，你的发的心是没有错，你要救一切人，但是，你要圆满发那个心的话”，注意！从开始发心要救一切人，到圆满那个心，师父在这里边说“靠我们自己”，你们承许吗？要靠我们自己。靠我们自己完得成吗？那师父为什么要这样说呢？07:14
因为菩萨他要救众生，每一个发心的人要靠自己，自己要做什么呢？说：“保护这个心，增强这个力量。”大家凡是努力想发心的都有过这个体会，你如果不保护自己这个心，不去保护自己的菩萨戒，那很多、很多的境界都会让我们很辛苦，这种苦就是由于修行而产生的。有的人就萌生退意，一碰到境界的时候，他那个发心没有增长反而削弱，这是不是很危险啊？甚至是很致命的！所以我们要靠自己好好地守护这个珍贵的发心，守护我们的菩萨戒，而且不停地在各种境界中增广它。08:14