菩提道次第广论手抄稿:旧版第四十一卷B面
（手抄稿 第六册 p19）[00:08]
p 88 (8)
为什么要这样提呢？我们所以现在造种种恶业不能修行的原因，为什么？找快乐嘛！对不起，你要找快乐，结果前面是地狱等在这里。所以你要找快乐，找到地狱的原因哪—没有别的，阎罗王、任何人乃至佛也莫奈何，绝不可能他把那个苦加在你身上，还是你自己造的业。那你为什么要造那业呢？无明。要想真正地对治只有一个办法—学习佛法，依靠善知识，得到正知见，然后就转过来，这个概念很重要。所以他下面告诉我们，那些有情下去的时候，他说或者找住的地方，要找快乐的地方，结果跑下去，啊！一跑进去，就完了！这是第一件事情，在这地方一提。第二个呢，他们在那地方的寿命有多长呢？请你们翻到第八十八页，第二段，就是第八行。[01:25]
The duration of these sufferings
【◎ 此诸大苦，要经几时而领受者，】
(p20) 说上面这样的那个大的苦，要经过多少时候呢？[01:37]
is explained in the 《Friendly Letter》: Even though you experience such horrible sufferings for a billion years, you do not die until the nonvirtue is spent.
【如《亲友书》云：“如是诸苦极粗暴，虽受经百俱胝年，乃至不善未尽出，尔时与命终不离。”】
下面这个解释看一下。[01:53]
Thus, you must experience these sufferings until the force of your karma is exhausted.
【谓其乃至能受业力未尽以来，尔时定须受彼诸苦。】
说这个地方的苦啊，不得了地苦，它的年代之长，唉呀，不得了地长！长到什么程度啊？你的业，不善的业没有尽之前哪，对不起！他一直在这个地方。所以说一直要到跟你的业相应的时间完了，你造多少业，就得遭受多少苦。去，固然完全是看个人造的业，而停留在那边的时间，也是看你的业。所以我们眼前哪为了贪一点点小苦，然后呢，受长劫的这个恶报啊，真划不来，人就是这么愚痴，人们就是这么愚痴！唉！眼前贪一口之食，将来跑到地狱里面哪，烊铜热铁灌口啊，受不晓得多长的时间。[03:06]
有的人这么说：哎呀，说这个经上面这样，是讲的方便哪，策励我们的呀！实际上这个话，毒药！这个话最可怕！现在有好多人说这个话，乃至于很多善知识。《涅槃经》 (p21) 上面说得清清楚楚，说不要以为佛所说这个话方便啊！佛告诉你，说出家人犯一吉罗罪，要堕落，要受这么多苦，这个绝对不是方便，千真万确的事实！你们好好地去翻。为什么在《涅槃》上面说？就是说佛临走的时候，这个像遗嘱一样特别叮咛教诫，这个最重要的啊！它为什么叫扶律谈常？原因就是这样。你真正修行的话，这个是基本。开始是如此，他最后叮嘱你的还是从这个地方来说起来，所以这是我们要了解的。[04:08]
在地狱当中啊，最好的地狱，算一下，我曾经算了一个数字。这个大地狱一共有八个大地狱，那个最后那个地狱是无间地狱，啊！那个不谈。然后呢，从无间地狱一个一个上来、上来、上来，上来第一个叫等活地狱。等活地狱这个寿命等于多少？我现在念一下给你们听，你们想一想哦！一六二零、零零零、零零零、零零零，是我们人间的寿命。那我现在算算看，千、百万、亿，然后呢千亿，壹仟陆佰贰拾亿年。壹仟，是不是啊？千、百万、十亿、不是！万亿。壹万亿陆仟贰佰亿年呀！等活地狱，一旦进去了，这么长，这么长！但是我们出了家以后啊，很多时候不知不觉就造了这个罪。[05:28]
请问：你眼前再大的快乐，值得吗？我们为了求快乐，为了避免痛苦，唉！所以我想想，真不值得啊！真不值得啊！所以我在这地方真欢喜，大家不要看这个人偷懒哪，你 (p22) 好像是吃了苦了，我一点都不这样想。我看见那偷懒的人，我说这是个大善知识告诉我，喏、喏、喏，他这个愚痴的结果啊，摆在这个地方，我可不要这样子啊！他偷懒，正好这个功德让我去，我好高兴，我去做去了。反过来这个地方，还是有勤俭的人，哎哟！我看了真很感动。所以在这地方我常常非常赞叹某某法师，你别看他这么年纪大，他在这里我们唯一的他有条件坐在那里吃，什么都不做的。昨天我们大家完了以后休息的时候，他一个人在下面，看见了树枝掉下来，他就扫，我在上面看见了，我真是感动得流眼泪。啊，善知识！我们现在年轻力壮的小伙子，弄完了以后，不在那儿说闲话，就是在那儿睡大觉。啊，我看了真是心惊肉跳！所以这个时候，我们的的确确应该自己好好地，自己多策励自己多看的。[06:51]
所以我这地方说一下，寿命这么长哦，寿命这么长哦！而他进去的时候都是什么？要找快乐，要找快乐。是的呀！你要找快乐呢，这个就是你的快乐，你不得其法的快乐，一旦下去，啊，这个人间我们不要说一亿多少年呢，乃至一亿年都不行。一百万年，一千年，不要说一千年哪，叫你一天你受得了吗？受不了啊！不要叫你一天哪，叫你委屈的时候，哎呀，这个稍微苦几分钟你受不了。不要苦一个，今天吃饭叫你少吃一顿你就受不了。不要少吃一顿，稍微吃得不好，你都受不了。想想看，这种苦我们受得了吗？所以我 (p23) 们人真愚痴啊！今天吃得不好了，心里面嘀咕个半天。唉，这个人哪实在是不晓得做些什么，所以他愚痴啊，太愚痴啊！那么这个上面是特别说明了这件事情，这个是热地狱。然后呢寒冰地狱，那么我也不再说了。[08:03]
然后下面呢，一部、一部分，我想这个里边有几样东西呀，我要特别地说一下。请翻到九十二页，第七行，“《亲友书》云”，第七行的下半段。[08:32]
p 92 (7)
The《Friendly Letter》: Just as among all kinds of happiness the cessation of craving is the king of happinesses,
【《亲友书》云：“如于一切安乐中，永尽诸爱为乐主，】
说所有的快乐当中，什么最快乐？“永尽诸爱”，这个是快乐当中最最快乐的事。什么是永尽诸爱啊？哪！就是我们如果能够把我们的贪爱，能够真正地贪爱去掉了，这个快乐才是最最快乐。所以呀我们常常说空空空，刚开始修学佛法的人我不大欢喜讲空的，我还是讲苦乐。正因为你要苦乐，你要修行，最最大的快乐，就是把我们世间的贪着，三世间的快乐统统去掉了，净除掉了，这个快乐才是永尽诸爱，这个最最安乐的，才是这个。靠什么？修行啊！所以你眼前啊虽然苦一点，是的，将来得到的快乐可是不得了，修行这个事情，就是这样。眼前是你要花本钱的哟！你花个十万八万本钱，将来得到那个代价呀是无量无边；不修行呢，眼前得到的快乐的，哎哟，得到的快乐假定说可以衡量的话，得 (p24) 到三佰、伍佰，付出来的代价，哎呀，无量无边！这是我们现在应该了解的。那么快乐是这样，痛苦呢？[09:53]
So among all kinds of suffering the suffering of the Unrelenting Hell is most fierce.
【如是一切众苦中，无间狱苦极粗猛。】
无间地狱的苦最厉害。[10:00]
The suffering of being viciously pierced with three hundred lances for a full day cannot compare, cannot even be mentioned, with the least sufferings of hell.
【此间日以三百矛，极猛贯刺所生苦，比于地狱轻微苦，非喻非能及少分。”】
说每天有三百个矛，最快的刀，在你身上“咔咔！”猛刺，一直不停地刺。唉！那个我们没有一个人能够受得了。不要说三百个矛，拿一把刀往我们身上刺，不要说猛刺，轻轻地刺一下。不要矛嘛，拿了一根针刺一下，哎哟，这个受不了！打针的时候，哎哟，是皱了眉头，对于我们自己有好处的哟！然后呢这么厉害的，但这个痛苦比起地狱里边啊，比起地狱里边最轻微的苦啊，“非喻非能及少分”！你没办法比，绝对没办法比于地狱里边的苦于百千万分之一，这么大的苦！这么个厉害法！[11:02]
所以在这地方大家注意哟，它这个地狱的苦啊非常严重、非常严重啊！所以我常常说，假定出了家以后，自己没办法真正地深入，这个便宜千万不能贪哦！在家人还不一定 (p25) 堕落，出家人你如果不如法修行的话，那这个堕落是容易极了，而且一定会堕落，这是第一个。然后呢这个无间罪啊，在家人还不一定容易造。虽然在家人大部分会造地狱，这个无间地狱的罪，我们出家人最容易造，最严重的是谤法。这个谤法我们还不知道的咧，对不起！我们往往自己觉得懂得这个道理呀，然后呢我们大乘谤小乘，小乘又否定大乘，然后呢念佛的又毁谤学禅，学禅的又毁谤他。现在又更多了一个了，南传跟北传大家混在一块儿，大家又说他，他说他好。前天有一个人给我看一本南传比丘写的书，唉！我看了心里面真痛心。在我来感觉的话，我一心，我的愿望总希望把佛的遗下来的教法，固然我们北传的要统摄起来，南北传乃至于藏传，多多少少都统摄起来。然后呢把好的都能够看别人，以想办法改善自己，这样。然后自己坏的尽量地改善，千万不要轻易地随便是非，这个轻轻地一是非的话，我们造下这个谤法罪不得了！这是随便这个地方一提。[12:44]
尤其现在有很多人为了自己的利益，哦！他说的时候，他会强调“这个很重要！”实际上他所以强调是为了什么？为了他自己利益，这个是更可怕！像这种事情大家只要一检查、一注意，很容易、很容易，是为了得到一点利养，然后呢赞叹：“啊，这个供养有很好、好处！”你真正赞叹供养，好，当然好嘛！但是呢它的目的要检查得很清楚，你为什么赞叹。然后呢他来供养你，这种赞叹，千万不要赞叹！这个很清楚、很明白。所以我说 (p26) 我们讲法的人，开口的时候啊，自己先要检查心里面存着什么心，这个概念很重要。我们继续下去。[13:34]
Know that the sole cause of such sufferings is your physical, verbal, and mental wrongdoing.
【能感如是众苦之因，唯是自内三门恶行，】
喏！上面讲的种种的这种大苦，什么原因哪？不是别的，还是我们自己的身口意种种恶业，这是我们自己的事情，这是我们自己的事情。[14:03]
Strive with whatever human skill you have not to be defiled by even the slightest wrongdoing.
【如是知已应尽士夫力用策励，轻微恶行，莫令染着。】
了解了这个，就把自己的最大的努力都用出来，策励自己再小的罪千千万万不要去染着，千千万万不要去染着。这个说一下。那么再下面呢就是旁生苦。旁生苦这地方也不去说它。然后再下面是饿鬼苦，这个同样的，饿鬼苦就翻到这个第四卷。请你们现在翻到九十五页第六行。下面 [15:10]
菩提道次第广论卷三终
菩提道次第广论卷四
p. 95 (6)
Also contemplate what Candragomin's 《Letter to a Student》 says: Tormented by a terrible thirst, they see a pure stream from afar and desire to drink it. When they arrive, it changes into a river filled with a mixture of oyster shells, strands of hair, and putrid pus, a cesspool of blood and excrement.
【《弟子书》亦云：“猛渴遥见无垢河，欲饮驰趣彼即变，杂发青污及烂脓，臭泥血粪充满水，】
他这个是讲饿鬼，饿鬼的渴是—啊！长劫不闻江水之名。他渴得喉咙里面一直火 (p27) 烧，然后呢老远地看见那地方，啊！有一条河，然后跑得去。那一跑得去，变掉了，唉呀！种种这种脏东西。继续：[15:57]
If they go to the top of a cool hill with moist spring breezes and a grove of verdant sandalwood trees, it becomes for them a forest fire enveloped in leaping flames and heaped with falling, burning logs.
【风扬浪洒山清凉，檀树青荫末拉耶，彼趣猛焰遍烧林，无量株杌乱杂倒。】
它这地方又渴又热又……啊！种种的困扰。然后呢他看见那地方有河，跑得去—噢！这地方啊这么又臭又烂的这种东西不能喝。然后呢看见那地方，唉呀！看见那地方很欢喜吧，风浪，这地方啊真是非常好的树荫，等到他跑得去的话，遍地燃烧，枯木，这个地方。继续下去。[16:42]
When they go to a seashore covered with clear, glittering foam from crashing waves, It becomes for them a wasteland Blasted by hot sand, dark mist, and a searing wind. Dwelling in that place, they long for rain clouds to appear, Whereupon there issues from the clouds a rain of iron arrows, Smoking cinders, and sparkling, diamond-hard boulders, And, one after the other, gold and orange lightning bolts fall on their bodies like rain. For those afflicted by heat even a snowstorm is hot, for those tormented by wind even fire is cold. This entire universe appears upside down to these hungry ghosts confused by the fruition of terrible karma.
【若奔畏浪高翻滚，泡沬充溢大水藏，彼于此见热沙雾，红风猛乱大旷野。此住其中望云雨，云降铁箭具炭烟，流飞炽炎金刚石，金色电闪降于身。热逼雪纷亦炎热，寒迫虽火亦令寒，猛业成熟所愚蒙，于此种种皆颠倒。】
四个四句话。先看一个实际的情况。他说在地狱里边有两种，或者是—我们不一定说地狱了，反正是这个都是，一切都是啊业力所感得的。他受种种的苦，有一种苦呢热得不得了。这个热得不得了的时候，欸，妙了！这个身上飘，碰到雪……要我们的话，说热得不得了的话，碰到雪的话觉得有冰凉之感。他怎样啊？嘿，碰到雪，他也热得受不了。 (p28) 反过来呢，寒冷的时候，我们寒冷的时候，弄点火烤烤就暖和了。他寒冷的时候，你火烤，烤到火啊，他也寒得受不了！为什么这样啊？是“猛业成熟”，这个业力成熟的时候啊，对不起！什么东西都颠倒，什么东西都颠倒，一点办法都没有。[18:36]
到这个地方，也许我们会想：会这样吗？会这样！我们没有这么粗猛的业，但是我们可以用种种的迹象来体会。前天哪我曾经叫你们做一个试验。说你们看那个蚂蚁的时候，它们咚咚咚在那儿爬，你不妨拿蚂蚁欢喜吃的东西啊，在它的前面给它吃吃，试试看。你们有没有人试过？有试过的人请举手，有没有？真遗憾！唉，一个都没有试！啊？有试啊？试了以后感觉怎么样啊？我告诉你们哪，所以我告诉你们的，绝对不是说空话呀，但愿你们好好认真地去学。你们要好好地听啊，不要当做耳边风啊！你自己晓得的。[19:31]
这个蚂蚁嘟嘟嘟在那儿跑的时候，它有几种情况：有一种心安理得地跑，你在它的眼前放一下的话，它跑过去，那个时候它跑过去，一定会吃那个东西，因为它正在找那个吃的东西。所以那个时候它的现行的业—找吃的东西，看见了，吃。还有一种情况呢，你先逗它一下，它一逗，欸，它就拿着那两个角，就准备跟你斗了。然后呢你再拨它一下，它就“嘣嘣”，哇，拼命地跑！这个时候，它心里面的现行是什么？它要嘛准备逃，要嘛准备打架，所以你再好的东西摆在那里，一前面一碰到，它就马上转身就走；然后你再到 (p29) 前面一挡，它一碰见，马上转身就走。你们自己去做那个试验，我告诉你们试验都是有道理在的啊，要你们好好地学习呀！[20:24]
然后你看见了蚂蚁，你不妨回过头来看看你自己。平常你最欢喜吃的东西，就是你要吃的，如果说那个时候我就骂了你一下说：“你这个家伙，就像畜生一样，修行不行！贪吃懒做！”到那时候啊，刚开始的时候，你骂，啊，骂骂算了。到后来，骂得你发了脾气了，到那时候交给你吃的话，你拿起来甩掉！你相信不相信？对不对？我想我们人人有这个，你再要吃的东西，你就是甩掉。尤其是我给你的，你绝对不吃！为什么？就是这个业成熟的时候，千真万确的事实摆在这里。然后你今天脾气非常盛的时候，再好的人跑得来劝你的话，你一定回答他：“去去去去去！你在这儿啰嗦什么东西！”对不对？为什么？猛业成熟啊！这个业还不是地狱业，地狱的苦比起我们现在，不晓得大上百千万倍，所以这个业力是不晓得厉害多少倍啊！我们现在这种业，这么小，尚且是如此啊！现在信得过吗？[21:31]
所以这个经上的话，绝对不会骗我们。我们现在愚痴，所以拿我们自己的想法，总觉得：哎呀，这个经上讲的话呀，吓吓你啊，那策励你啊！没有这样的事情！如果是吓吓你、策励你的话，佛就不是如语者，不是实语者；佛太多的地方说得清清楚楚。这个是我(p30) 们千真万确要了解的，所以这种地方是我们真正着眼的地方。[22:05]
那么他的寿量呢？寿量也不必说啦！反正啊一跑下去的话，那是天文数字。不管是跑到恶道当中哪一道，一到，一去……唉！所以我们人道啊，是唯一的能够修行的地方，就偏偏只有几十年，就是这样啊！所以你想到这个地方，你了解得越多，是你越认真去努力，越认真去努力啊！这个是我们在这地方应该了解的一件事情。
现在请翻到九十六页，看第二行，上面所说的说过了，第二行当中第二句，第二句是：[23:00]
p 96 (2)
Thus, when you contemplate these sufferings of the miserable realms, think like this: "At present it is difficult to endure sitting for merely a single day with my hand stuck in burning coals, or to remain naked for that long in a cave of ice during the winter winds,
【若思如是恶趣众苦，应作是念，现在探手煻煨之中住一昼夜，或于严冬极寒冰窟，裸而无衣，住尔许时，】
一个一个来。思惟上面的那个众苦，第一个。然后呢，思了它这个苦以后，不妨现在这样地想：说我把我的手啊伸在那个煻煨—不要说那个地狱这个煻煨，你把那油锅啊，煎得咕噜咕噜滚了，然后你把手伸下去，放它一昼夜，试试看什么味道。不要叫我们放一昼夜啊，我自己晓得，叫我是绝没有这个本事，绝不可能！叫我往那个油锅里面这么放一下，马上拿出来，我绝对不肯！你们有人愿意吗？有人愿意吗？我想没有一个人愿意。所以现在不要看，说哎呀！没有什么事啊，提不起来啊！万一你提不起来，最好的办法，你 (p31) 就这样去做一下，我保证你提得起来，保证你提得起来。[24:18]
所以我自己告诉你们一个故事。因为我自己是一个很愚痴、很差的人，所以当年听见了这个道理，要修行啊，的的确确，啊，这个修行不是很简单的事情，提不起来。那怎么办？就用这个办法。冬天，那个时候在纽约，哦，这个纽约到了冬天气温很冷的喔！都是依华氏来说的话，大概是五、六度，摄氏来说的话是零下，零下，大概零下十几度。不要说零下十几度，零度，零度都受不了，那冷得不得了，怎么办？洗冷水澡，洗一个冷水澡。把衣服脱掉了以后，然后呢它房子里都有这个暖气的，我下面那个暖气还保留，上面这个暖气不放。上面已经很冷，唉呀，跑到那地方脸已经发白，然后跑到洗手间里边，然后呢脱掉了衣服，拿那个水冲，“啊虎！啊！”然后跑出来，那时候抖啊、跳啊！不不不，不要来了！不要来了！然后想想看：不行！不行！这个还不够苦，再进去！这样。那真是冲了两下以后，那身上冻得啊……然后说修行啊，这时候再坐下去的话，也不打瞌睡，也不打妄想了。你们不妨试试看，这是千真万确的事实。不要说现在受了一点点小小的苦就委屈啊！你们要从这地方。所以他现在叫我们也不必受那个苦，怎么办呢？你好好地思惟一下。[25:51]
然后呢另外一个方法就是到寒冰里边去。现在不要说寒冰哦，我让你们试一下，夏天— (p32) 现在的时间过去了，买两块冰来，你拿着这块冰，或者手上拿着，或者一个冰的盆里面，手伸在那个冰的盆里面，你试它一个钟头试试看，你受得了吗？你们不妨试试看。夏天吃冰是欢喜的事情喔，你都受不了喔！这个啊，那真是在地狱里边，那比天堂还舒服啊！我们也不必说那么厉害了，[26:29]
or to go for a few days without food and drink,
【或数日中不用饮食，】
让你不吃一餐，不要几天啦！让你少吃一点，你受得了吗？还有呢，蚊虫 [26:41]
or for my body to be stung by a bee and the like. If even these are difficult to endure, how will I bear the sufferings of the hothells, the cold hells, the hungry ghosts, or the animals devouring each other alive?"
【或蚊虻等，哳咬其身，尚且难忍，何况寒热诸那落迦，饿鬼旁生互相吞啖，是等众苦，我何能忍。】
能忍耐吗？的确不能忍耐。那么从这个地方，[27:01]
After you have assessed your current condition, meditate until your mind is filled with fear and dread.
【度现在心，乃至未能转变心意，起大怖畏，应勤修习。】
他每个地方都这样的，他一定说出它的特质，然后呢要我们去修行。他最后那句话指出来，叫“量”，要到什么情况可以了？就是说，你心里面要生起这样的量来。这个地方告诉我们，你照着前面的去思惟、观察，如果说再不行，你不妨自己把那个手啊，伸在那个— (p33) 也不要油锅啦！就是烧开了开水，你试试看，你就那么试一下。然后呢你拿那个寒冰试一下；然后你洗澡的时候，那蚊虫都打开来让它咬一下，你这种方式看看自己能不能忍受？用这个情况，策励自己修这个苦，然后呢使得自己心转变过来，说：“哎呀，这个痛苦受不了啊，你赶快要修行啊！”要到什么时候才可以？当你随便一想，一提起来，然后呢这个就非常强有力的这个恐怖，推动你一心想修的这个心情生起来了。那你可以进一步，继续下面的了。否则的话，你就停下来，从这个地方好好努力地修行。他前面每一个地方都是这样告诉我们的，这个我们应该了解。[28:49]
曾经在破除邪执的时候，说过一个道理。说你不是要修定吗？是的。定有什么障碍呢？昏沈、掉举，就这样。掉举就是胡思乱想，你就是挡不住；现在呢如果你想：想来想去，忙了半天，到那时候受这么大的苦，你一想到的苦啊，你还愿去想那个胡思乱想吗？你所以胡思乱想，无非是想什么东西啊？喔唷！这个事情也放不下，那个事情也放不下。你发现放不下的结果，受这么大的大苦，到那时候送给你都不要。[29:37]
41B Commentary
ENGLISH LR V.1 P164 (COMMENTARY V.6 P19) [00:08]
Why do I bring this up? What is the reason for creating all kinds of bad karma and not being able to practice, why? You are pursuing happiness! Sorry! You want to pursue happiness!
Yet, in the end, it is hell that is waiting for you. Therefore, the reason you’ve been pursuing happiness but end up finding hell is due to nothing other than the karma you’ve created for yourself. Even Yama, anyone, even Buddha cannot do anything about that. They absolutely cannot add sufferings to you. Well then why do you create that kind of karma? Ignorance. To really remedy this, there is only one method for it. Learn the teachings, rely on the excellent Teacher, obtain the correct view, then you are able to turn it around. This concept is very important. Therefore, he tells us later that for the beings that fall into the realm, they may be looking for a place to live, or looking for a place of happiness, but when they enter, ah! As soon as they enter, it’s over! This is the first thing I want to bring up here.
The second one, what’s the life span of the beings in those places? Please open to the second paragraph on page 88; the second paragraph on page 88, line 8. (English text is Page 164, the 13th line from the last line.) [01:25]
The duration of these sufferings is explained
It says that for such immense suffering of this magnitude, what’s the duration of it? [01:37]
in the Friendly Letter:279
Even though you experience
Such horrible sufferings for a billion years,
You do not die
Until the non-virtue is spent.
Let’s read the following explanations. [01:53]
Thus, you must experience these sufferings until the force of your karma is exhausted.
The suffering in this place, it is extreme and long in duration, ah, terribly long! How long is it? It depends on your karma. For your karma, until your non-virtuous karma is exhausted, sorry! One would have to stay in this place until then. Therefore, one would have to stay for a length of time as dictated by the karma. With however much karma you’ve created, you would have to endure as much suffering. Though going there completely depends on the karma that an individual creates, but the duration of stay also depends on the karma. Thus, we are greedy for a little suffering now, and later, we will have to endure long eons of non-virtuous effects. That is so not worthwhile. People are just so foolish, people are just so foolish! Ah! One is greedy for one bite of food now, yet when one enters the hells in the future and be filled with liquid copper and hot iron, one will have no idea how long of a period that would be. [03:07]
Some people would say, “Ah, what’s written in the sutra is just a convenient method to exhort us! Actually, this kind of saying is like poisons! This kind of saying is most terrifying! Nowadays, many people would say this, even many Teachers. The Great Final Nirvana Sutra clearly states this, the Great Final Nirvana Sutra clearly states this, do not mistaken what Buddha said as a convenient method! Buddha told us that once a monk commits duskrta sins, he will fall [into the miserable realms] and suffer greatly. This is definitely not just a convenient method but the absolute truth! You should thoroughly read [the sutra]. Why was this stated in the Great Final Nirvana Sutra? Just before Buddha left, this was like a final will, a special advice and explication. This is most important! Why is it called the teaching which supports the rules and speaks of the eternal, i.e., the Great Final Nirvana Sutra? The reason is exactly this. If you really want to practice, this is the fundamental. It was so at the beginning and when he gave you his advice at the end, he still spoke of this. Therefore, this is something we should understand. [04:09]
Well then within the hells, in the best hell (meaning the hell of the least harm), you can calculate it. I had calculated this number before. There are a total of eight great hells and the last one is the Unrelenting Hell. Ah! We won’t talk about that. Then, to go up the levels from the last Unrelenting Hell, one by one, until the first one, it
would be the Reviving Hell. How long is the lifespan in the Reviving Hell? I am going to read the number to you and you think about it! One six two zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero (1,620,000,000,000) human years. Then, let me count it, thousand, million, a hundred million, and then hundred billion, so it’s one hundred six two billion. One hundred? Am I right? Thousand, million, billion, no! It’s one trillion. One trillion six hundred twenty billion years! The Reviving Hell, as soon as you fall into it, it takes so long, so long! However, after we become ordained, there are many times that we commit sins without realizing it. [05:29]
May I ask, no matter how great your happiness is now, is it worth it? For the pursuit of happiness and evasion of suffering, ah! So, when I think about it, it’s really not worthwhile! It’s really not worthwhile! That’s why I feel so happy here. Everyone shouldn’t be looking at someone else being lazy and as if you have to suffer for it instead. I don’t think like that at all.
When I see people being lazy, I would think that this is a great excellent Teacher telling me, nah, nah, nah, look at this result of his foolishness, it is stated right here. I don’t want to be like that! When he is lazy, then it’s just right for me to do this to gain merit. I’m really happy and will go ahead to do the task. On the other hand, there are very diligent people here. Ah! When I see them, I am really touched. That’s why I often praise so and so monk very much. Don’t just look at his senior age, he would be the only person who qualifies to sit, eat and do nothing. Yesterday, after we ended the session and took a rest, he was the only person downstairs. When he saw the branches fall from the tree, he swept them away. I was upstairs when I saw this and it touched me so much that it brought tears to my eyes. Ah, an excellent Teacher! Now, for our strong and able-bodied young men here, after the session, they were either chatting nonsense or sleeping. Ah, when I saw that, I shuddered with fear! Therefore, at these times, we should really exhort ourselves to read more. [06:51]
Thus, here I wanted to say that the lifespan is so long, the lifespan is so long! When he entered the place, what was it like? He was looking for happiness, was looking for happiness. Yes! If you are
looking for happiness, this is your happiness, a happiness which came from the wrong way. Once you fall, ah, we don’t even have to mention 100 million something human years, even 100 million human years will be hard for you. Even one million years, one thousand years, no need to say one thousand years, even one day of it, do you think you can take it? You can’t take it! Needless to say. One day, when you feel that you’ve been wronged, ah, you can’t even take just a few minutes of sufferings. If we ask you to eat one meal lesser today, you couldn’t take it. No need to mention eating one less meal. Even if your food is slightly worse off today, you can’t take it. Think about it, can we then take this kind of suffering? Therefore, we people are really foolish! If we didn’t eat as well today, we would be bickering in our mind. Ah, people really don’t know what they are doing. That’s why they are foolish, too foolish! Well then, the above portion explained this thing in particular. This is the hot hells [portion]. Then there are the cold hells. I won’t go into them.
Then, for the following section, I think there are a few things here that I want to explain in particular. Please open up to page 92, the 7th line, starting from the Friendly Letter, second half of the 7th line. (English text is Page 169, Line 5.) [08:32]
The Friendly Letter:291
Just as among all kinds of happiness
The cessation of craving is the king of happinesses, [124]
It says among all kinds of happiness, which is the happiest? “The cessation of craving” is the happiest among all kinds of happiness. What is the cessation of craving? Na, that means if we can really eliminate our cravings, this is the happiest kind of happiness. Thus, we would often talk about emptiness, emptiness, emptiness. I don’t really like to talk about emptiness to those who just started learning Buddhism, [but instead] I prefer to tell them about happiness derived from suffering. Precisely due to your needs of happiness derived from suffering, you have to practice. The greatest happiness is to be rid of, to be purified of all of our cravings of the mundane world, the happiness of the three worlds. This happiness is the cessation of craving, it is then the happiest. This is it. But what does it depend on? Cultivation! Therefore, though you have a little hardship now, yes, the happiness you will obtain in the future is incredible. Cultivation is just like this. You have to invest some capital now! You may put down one hundred thousand or eighty thousand now but your return in the future will be immeasurable. If you don’t cultivate, for the happiness you obtain now, ah, if it can be measured, you would have [only] obtained three hundred or five hundred. However, the cost you will pay for this, ah, immeasurable! This is what we should understand. Well then happiness is like this, how about suffering? [09:53]
So among all kinds of suffering
The suffering of the Unrelenting Hell is most fierce.
The suffering of the Unrelenting Hell is the most fierce. [10:00]
The suffering of being viciously pierced
With three hundred lances for a full day
Cannot compare, cannot even be mentioned,
With the least sufferings of hell.
This says that there are three hundred lances, the sharpest blades, and they “ka-ka!” They viciously pierce your body, continuously piercing. Ah! none of us can bear this. Not to mention three hundred lances. Even if we just pierce ourselves with a knife, it does not have to be viciously, but just doing so lightly. Perhaps not even using a lance, but to just use a needle to prick ourselves, ah, we can’t bear that! When we get a shot, ah, we would wrinkle up. [Yet] this benefits us! Then with something so painful [as described in the text], when you compare this suffering to ones in hell, if you compare it to the least suffering of hell, “Cannot compare, cannot even be mentioned, with the least sufferings of hell!” You can’t even make the comparison. It is not even comparable to one ten thousandth suffering of hell. The suffering is that immense! It is that severe! [11:02]
Therefore, everyone pay attention here. The suffering in hell is very serious, very serious! Therefore, I often say if you cannot seriously practice in depth after you are ordained, do not take it up! Lay practitioners may not fall [into miserable realms], but if a renunciate does not practice, it’s extremely easy for you to fall [into miserable realms]. You will certainly fall. This is number one. Then with sins which would put you in the Unrelenting Hell, the lay men may not necessarily commit them. Though most lay men will create karma that lead to hell, but it’s the easiest for renunciate to commit karma that lead to the Unrelenting Hell, the worst case being slandering the teachings. We don’t even know when we are slandering the teachings. Sorry! We often think that we understand this principle, and then we the Mahayana deride those in Hinayana. Those in Hinayana deride ones in Mahayana. Those who recite Buddha’s name deride those who learn Zen. People who study Zen slander them back. Now there is one more. People of the Southern and Northern traditions are mixed together now and each would say their teaching is better. The day before yesterday someone gave me a book written by a Bhikshu from the Southern tradition. Ah! After I read it my heart ached. Personally, I wholeheartedly wish to gather all of the teachings Buddha left behind, of course this includes our Northern tradition, both the North and South traditions, and perhaps even the Tibetan traditions. Then we will always observe the merits of others, and think of improving ourselves. Like that. Then about our own shortcomings, to the best of our abilities, we ameliorate. We absolutely do not want to engage in telling others’ faults. Even just the casual mention of others’ faults would have committed the sin of deriding the teaching! I just want to bring this up while we are here. [12:45]
Especially now there are many who are out for their own benefit. Oh! When he instructs, he would place great emphasis and say, “This is very important!” But in fact, why did he emphasize it? For his own benefit. This is even more horrendous! For things like this, as soon as everyone examines himself, and pay attention, one will see that it’s very easy, very easy to engage in this. It is for gaining a little profit, and you so praise this act. “Ah, offering is very good, much benefit!” If you truly praise the act of offering, it’s good, of course it’s good! But you must clearly examine your purpose, why do you praise this. If it’s for them to come and offer to you, then this kind of praising, you absolutely do not want to engage in this kind of praising! This is very clear and obvious. Therefore, this is
why for us who instruct the teachings, when we open our mouths, we must first examine what kind of attitude we have. This concept is very important. Let us continue. [13:35]
Know that the sole cause of such sufferings is your physical, verbal, and mental wrongdoing.
Na! All kinds of great sufferings mentioned above come from what cause? Nothing else but our physical, verbal, and mental wrongdoing, this is something we do by ourselves, something we do by ourselves. [14:03]
Strive with whatever human skill you have not to be defiled by even the slightest wrongdoing.
Once you understand this, then you will want to give your best effort to exhort yourself to never be defiled by even the slightest wrongdoing, never ever be defiled. I just wanted to explain this part. Then the following next is on the sufferings of animals. We will not go over the part on sufferings of animals. Then the next section is the suffering of hungry ghost. [We’ll treat it in] the same fashion. So please open up to the fourth scroll. Please open up to page 95, line 6. (English text is Page 172, Line 8.) [15:11]
Also contemplate what Candragomin's Letter to a Student says:299
Tormented by a terrible thirst, they see a pure stream
From afar and desire to drink it. When they arrive,
It changes into a river filled with a mixture of oyster shells,
Strands of hair, and putrid pus, a cesspool of blood and excrement.
This is referring to the hungry ghost. This thirst of the hungry ghost, ah! For eons, they do not even hear the mention of rivers. They are so thirsty that their throats burn continuously. Then from far away they [finally] see it. Ah! There is a river but when they run there, it (the river) changes. Ah! [It is filled with] all sorts of filth.
Let’s continue. [15:57]
If they go to the top of a cool hill with moist spring breezes
And a grove of verdant sandalwood trees,
It becomes for them a forest fire enveloped in leaping flames
And heaped with falling, burning logs.
This place makes you so thirsty and it’s so hot. Ah! Many torments. Then when he sees a river there and runs to it…oh! This thing is too foul-smelling and rotten, you can’t drink it. And then he sees some place, ah! This place seems very pleasant with some breeze and very good shades from the trees but when he runs there, this place flames up all around, leaving burned logs. Let’s continue. [16:43]
When they go to a seashore covered
With clear, glittering foam from crashing waves,
It becomes for them a wasteland
Blasted by hot sand, dark mist, and a searing wind.
Dwelling in that place, they long for rain clouds to appear,
Whereupon there issues from the clouds a rain of iron arrows,
Smoking cinders, and sparkling, diamond-hard boulders,
And, one after the other, gold and orange lightning bolts fall on their bodies like rain.
For those afflicted by heat even a snowstorm is hot; [128]
For those tormented by wind even fire is cold.
This entire universe appears upside down to these hungry ghosts
Confused by the fruition of terrible karma.
These 4 sets of verses, each has 4 phrases. We first see the actual conditions. He said that in hell there are two kinds, or…we don’t necessarily have to talk about hell, anyway, all of these things are the effects of karma. One has to endure all sorts of sufferings. There is one kind of suffering which makes you extremely hot. When you are extremely hot, eh, here is an interesting effect! When the snow floats down and touches the body, if this happened to us when we are really hot, we would feel the coolness and iciness. But what does he feel? Hey, when he touches snow, he is still unbearably hot. On the contrary, when it’s really cold, such as when we feel really cold, we would make a fire and obtain warmth. But when he is cold, even if he uses the fire, he is still unbearably cold! Why is that? It is “the fruition of terrible karma.” When the karma ripens, I’m sorry! Everything is reversed, everything is reversed. You can do nothing about it. [18:37]
So up to this point, we might think, could it be like that? It could very well be like that! We don’t have such terrible and coarse karma [now] but we can look for many signs and traces [of karma] to understand it. I’ve asked you to do an experiment the day before yesterday. I asked you to take a look at the ants, when they are crawling around, “dong, dong, dong,” you might want to try taking some food that ants like and give to them. Have any of you tried this? Raise your hand if you have, have you? Oh what a pity! Ah, no one has tried this! Ah? You have tried? After you tried it, how did you feel? Let me tell you, this is why with what I’ve told you, they weren’t just empty words. I hope you will learn diligently. You want to listen well and don’t just let it go in one ear and out the other! You know how you are yourself. [19:32]
When an ant is running around, “dong, dong, dong”, there can be a few types of situations. One is that it is comfortably running around. Then when you put something in front of it, it will run to that thing. When the ant does run to the food, the ant will eat the food because that’s what the ant has been looking for. Thus, the karma being manifested at that moment in the ant is looking for something to eat. When the ant sees it, the ant eats it. Another type of situation is if you tease the ant first. Once the ant is teased, eh, it will raise the two antennas and be ready to fight you. Then if you pushed it aside, it will run away in a hurry! At this time, what is manifesting in its mind? It is preparing to either escape or fight. Therefore, no matter how good the food is in front of the ant, as soon as it touches the food, the ant will immediately turn around and leave. Then when you try to block the ant [with the food], as soon as the ant sees the food, the ant will immediately turn around and leave. You can do this experiment yourself. There are always reasons for me to be telling you to do these experiments. Do learn well! [20:25]
Then when you see ants [behave this way], you might in turn want to look at yourself. Usually with your favourite food if at the moment of eating, I scold you and say, “You act just like an animal. Your cultivation is poor! You just like to eat and are lazy!” At the time, perhaps at the beginning of the scolding, you think, ah, some scolding is fine but at the end, when you’re scolded enough where you’ve developed anger, if you are being offered food to eat at this point, you will pick it up and throw it down! Do you believe that? It’s true right? I think every one of us knows this. No matter what you wished to eat before, you will throw it down at this point. In particular, if it’s something that I’m giving you at this point, you will absolutely refuse to eat it! Why? That is the time the karma has matured. This is absolutely a truth that’s in plain sight. Then when you are in the midst of your anger, even when the nicest person comes to try to talk to you, the only response you have is, “Go, go, go, go, go away! Don’t bother being long winded here!” Isn’t it like this? Why does this happen? The fruition of terrible karma! Yet this karma is not quite like the karma of hell. When you compare the sufferings of hell to what we experience now, we don’t know how many thousands of times greater [are the sufferings of hell]. Therefore, this karma is stronger by so many folds! Our karma now is so little [in comparison], and we are already feeling like this! Now do you believe me? [21:32]
Therefore, what is written in the sutras, absolutely do not deceive us. We are foolish now, that’s why we would use our own way of thinking, and always feel, “Ah, what’s written in the sutras is to scare you [in order] to exhort you!” There is no such thing! If it is used to scare you and then exhort you, then Buddha is not the one who speaks the truth. Yet, Buddha has clearly told us these things in many places. This is something we absolutely need to understand. Thus, these are the areas where we should really pay attention to. [22:06]
How about the life span of hungry ghost? No need to mention the life span! Anyhow, as soon as you fall in there, [the life span] is an astronomical figure. No matter which one of the miserable realms you fall into, as soon as you arrive, as soon you go there…eh!
Therefore, the realm of human is the only place where one can practice and you only have a few decades there. That’s all there is! Therefore, as you think about this, the more you understand, the more you will strive diligently, the more you will strive diligently! This is something we should understand here.
Now please open up to page 96, the 2nd line. The first half was explained previously, [we’re now at] the 2nd sentence of the 2nd line. (English text is Page 173, Line 10.) [23:01]
Thus, when you contemplate these sufferings of the miserable realms, think like this: "At present it is difficult to endure sitting for merely a single day with my hand stuck in burning coals, or to remain naked for that long in a cave of ice during the winter winds,
Let’s take it one at a time. Contemplate the sufferings mentioned earlier, this is the first one. Then, after contemplating on the sufferings, you might want to think like this: what if I stick my hand in the burning coals. No need to mention the embers in hell. You can heat a pot of rumbling boiling oil and put your hand in it for one day and night, see what it feels like. No need for one day and night, I know for myself that I absolutely won’t be able to tolerate it, absolutely not! If you ask me to put my hand in a pot of burning oil for just a second and then immediately take it out, I definitely wouldn’t want to do that! Would any one of you be willing to do that? Would anyone be willing to do that? I think no one would be willing to do that. Therefore, don’t just say ah, there is no such thing and you are unable to summon the motivation [to practice]! If you cannot bring up the motivation [to practice], the best remedy is for you to do something like this for a short while and I guarantee you will be motivated, I guarantee you will be able motivated. [24:19]
Therefore, let me tell you a story of mine, because I am a very foolish and inferior person. Therefore, though I wanted to practice when I heard the principles then, yet it truly wasn’t so easy to engage in practice and so I could not bring up the desire. Well then what to do then? I used this method. It was in the winter and I was in New York at the time. Oh, winter time in New York is really cold!
The temperature is around 5 to 6 degrees in Fahrenheit, and that would be about minus 10 degrees or more in Celsius. No need to mention minus 10 degrees, it’s already unbearable at 0 degree. It is extremely cold. So what did I do then? I took a cold water shower, took a cold water shower. I took off my clothes. Since the heater is switched on inside the house, I kept the heater on for the ground floor, but switched the heater off in the upper floor. Therefore, the upper floor was very cold. Ah, by the time I got upstairs, my face had already turned pale. Then, when I went to the bathroom, took off my clothes and splashed water on myself, “Ah! Ah!” When I came out of the bathroom, I was shivering and jumping! No, no, no, don’t want to do this anymore! Don’t want to do it anymore! Then I thought about it, “No! No! This is not enough suffering. I need to go in again!” Just like this! After splashing with cold water, the body felt frozen. Then I thought I need to practice, and so when I sat down in meditation again, I didn’t doze off or get distracted. You might want to try this for yourself. This is absolutely the truth. Don’t feel aggrieved when you have to take a little suffering! You have to begin like this. However here he tells us that we don’t need to go through these sufferings, but instead what should we do? You should just thoroughly contemplate on this. [25:52]
Another method is to go to an icy place. Needless to mention an icy place, you can just try this. In the summer time, which is already gone, buy two blocks of ice. You take this ice, then either you hold it with your bare hands, or you put it in a bucket with your hands in it. Try this for an hour. Can you take it? You might want to give it a try. To eat ice in the summer is a pleasant thing, but you wouldn’t be able to tolerate this! This means, [in contrast to the sufferings we have to endure] in the hells, this [suffering here] would seem better than being in heaven! Ok, so we won’t even have to talk about these fierce sufferings. [26:30]
or to go for a few days without food and drink,
Even just to go without eating one meal, not even a few days! If we make you eat less, can you take it? What else? [26:40]
or for my body to be stung by a bee and the like. If even these are difficult to endure, how will I bear the sufferings of the hot hells, the cold hells, the hungry ghosts, or the animals devouring each other alive?"
Can you endure this? Absolutely not. Therefore, begin your practice from here. [27:02]
After you have assessed your current condition, meditate until your mind is filled with fear and dread.
Every place is like this. He will always describe its characteristics. Then we will want to practice. This last sentence describes the “measurement” (the quantity). You will have to practice up to what point? That is, within your mind, you will have generated such measurement of this attitude. This place tells us that you should follow the earlier section to contemplate and analyze. If it doesn’t work, then you might want to take your hand, put it in….no need to mention a pot of hot oil! Even if you just boil some water, try it out, you can just try it. Then try being icy cold. And when you take a shower, let the mosquito bite you. Try these things and see if you can endure them? Use these things to exhort yourself to cultivate this feeling of suffering and make your mind change. You will then say, “Ah, I can’t even take this kind of suffering, and so must quickly practice!” Up until what point can you say it’s enough? When you even casually think of it, as soon as the thought arises, this strong and powerful fear will compel you to engage in practice; this kind of mental state has arisen. If so, then you can advance onward to the next sections. Otherwise, you need to stop and diligently strive to practice this portion. In every section earlier, he tells us this. This is something we should understand. [28:50]
In the section on refuting misconception, there stated a principle. It said, don’t you wish to train in concentration? Yes. What are the obstacles to achieving concentration? Laxity and excitement, these are it. Excitement is thinking all sorts of thoughts and you can’t stop yourself from doing it. Now, if you think like this: after thinking of all
sorts of things, after being busy for a long time, at the end you will have to endure such great suffering. As soon as you contemplate these sufferings, will you still be willing to get distracted with all sorts of thoughts?
What sort of thoughts are in your mind, none other than what? Oh! You can’t let this go, can’t let that go. The result of being unable to let go will give you such great suffering. Then by that time, even if I were to give you what you want, you would refuse it. We now understand this principle now. [29:37]