菩提道次第广论手抄稿:旧版第八十卷A面
（手抄稿 第十册 p251）[00:03]
后面哪，又碰到了这个境界，然后呢，引发你的跟无明相应的触缘受，对吧？一个是你不了解嘛，一个是境界，触、受是什么？一个是境界，记得不记得那个触的定义呀？触的定义是“境界受用”，说你又触到那个境界了。受的定义呢？生果的。触了以后，然后你又感受上面，你又看见了，那些，这个汽车，它的确带给我们的很多好处，于是你想：“我也去要一个。”然后呢，你开始觉得满好，只是如此而已—爱、取。于是你下面紧跟着，为了要获得这个东西，做种种事情，你然后去买一个汽车。[00:58]
所以当你刚开始看见那个东西的话，这个因位识，也许你看过了就丢在那个地方，它并没有马上叫你去买汽车耶，对不对？这眼前我们所有的所对的境界，是，所以经论上面告诉我们，“一念一轮回”。这个是什么？起一个念头，就是一个念头的因位识就下去(p252) 了。所以我们一生哪从出生到现在，一直在这个境界当中，不晓得造多少的这个识—因位识。那么这个因位识怎么感果呢？哪！就是这个，所以它叫“能引”。那么它能引这个因位识，怎么才会生呢？怎么才会生呢？还要一个“能生”，使得这个能引的因位，产生它能现在这生起的力量来，这个什么？爱、取呀！现在清楚不清楚？现在清楚不清楚？所以这个地方，你们非听不可啊！[01:59]
我这个地方说一个闲话，前天有一位同修就一直说，哎呀，现在看了非常欢喜啊，他要把前面的补起来。是，补是要补的，因为你前面不补，现在跟不上。但是呢，这个他补了，重点都摆在补上面，这一堂课就不听了，这个时候是一个大损失！你听的时候，最清楚的时候；听完了，你马上去想一想，想得不懂，你弄清楚的话，这个概念就非常清楚了。所以我现在每一个地方解释的时候，把前后的关联都说得很清楚。现在我们继续说下去。[02:33]
说这个能引的因，经过这个能生的这个滋润，欸，这样就对了。这一下这个因位当中的识，就可以生起来了，所以结果呢—生、生支。所以生的状态呢？所生的状态，它所生支当中所指的那个生，就是现前生起的状态。现前生起的状态是什么？说现法，对吧！所以这个叫作现法苦。那我们说：“不苦嘛，满快乐！”前面记得不记得？乐是什么？坏 (p253) 苦啊，对不起！苦嘛是苦苦啊，不苦不乐嘛是行苦啊！所以一有生，这个就是现在的苦谛摄。但是那个生的过程当中是却有什么？名色、六入、触、受，这几样东西。这个名色这个东西，无所谓苦不苦。然后呢这个六入这个东西，它本身的确没有苦不苦。但是呢，这个生支当中，却也包含在这个里头的，对不对？[03:48]
所以这个我们刚才讲总相、别相来说。所以每一个地方，它那个次第，现在我把这个大纲都说得清楚，那么到这里我们现在了解了，啊！原来这样的。它所以能引分成四支，以及所生分成三支（编者按：疑是口误，“能引”三支，“所生” 十二支），以及引、生之间的大概的关系，在这个地方，有一个基本的概念，有这样的一个基本的概念。
我们现在不妨仍旧把这个能引来说一下。是能引是无明、行、识；所引，说“何为所引”哪？就是引的果位识，乃至于名色、六入、触、受，就这样。那么以什么引？我们现在看 184 页，刚才讲那个文，第四：[04:54]
p. 184 (5)
Projecting and being projected should be understood by way of four considerations:
1) What has been projected? The four-and-a-half factors beginning with resultant period consciousness and ending with feeling have been projected.
2) What has done the projecting? Compositional activity, which is dependent on ignorance, has done the projecting.
3) How has a projection occurred? Projection has occurred by means of latent karmic propensities being infused in the causal period consciousness.
4) "Projected" means having created the effects [resultant period consciousness, name-and-form, sources, contact, and feeling] conducive to actualization once the actualizers, such as craving, are present.
【◎ 四相当知能引所引，一何为所引，谓果位识乃至其受，共四支半。二以何而引，谓依无明之行。三如何而引。】
现在正讲这个。[05:10]
(p254) 【谓于因位识中薰业习气之理。】
这个怎么引法的？就是把因位当中这个识，不断地熏，那个习气去熏它，这个是这样引的。所引的呢，怎么引法呀？[05:27]
【四所引之义，谓若遇爱等能生，】
哦，就这样。这个因位识当中熏习，遇见这个能生的这个，就是那个能生的这个爱、取等等，就有一种引发的大的力量，所以就把这个因位识，[05:48]
【堪能转成如是诸果。】
就把前面本来这个因识，这是在因位当中，转成功当中的果，结了果了。现在了解了没有？那个，那一段话很清楚了，对吧？下面呢，
The actualizers and the actualized should be understood by way of three considerations:
1) What does the actualizing? It is done by grasping, which is caused by craving.
2) What is actualized? Birth and aging-and-death are actualized.
3) How does actualization occur? Actualization occurs by means of the empowerment of the latent karmic propensities that were infused in consciousness by compositional activity.
【三相当知能生所生，】
那第二重因果当中的这个：[06:11]
【一以何而生，谓以爱缘取。二何为所生，谓生老死。】
这个就是你为什么前面这因当中，现在要生起来的呢？喏，就是这个因位当中，本来 (p255) 潜在这个里头的，它有一天哪，它这个已经引发的果一现起的时候，当这个境界现起的时候，本身 — 譬如说，你眼睛看见一个东西，这个无所谓苦不苦啊，的确是。但是呢，的的确确是感得的，前面这个感得的果，所以“触、受”这个受用两样东西圆满了以后，那个时候，你又由“爱、取”引发滋润，这个是“以何而生”。由于这个，“所生”的呢？“生、老死”。然后他下面说如何生呀？这个道理怎么样的？[07:05]
【三如何而生，谓由行于识，所薰业习润此堪能令有大力之理。】
还是这句话，还是这句话。由于你现在这个爱、取以后的造的行为，然后呢，这个行为把这个因位当中的识不断地熏，熏就是就好像我们用火来烤一样，不断地去做，把这个力量增长它。就像一个种子种在那个地上，把那个太阳啊、水啊，不断地再滋润它，于是它就有一个力量生起来了，生起来了，那就是这个引、生两样东西。于是在整个的生死轮回当中辗转地转，你这样辗转地转的结果是什么？等到你一生下来，对不起，生完了以后他下面，背上就背一个死尸。一生，好了！注定就是这一条路，没有第二条路好走了。一生下来是背一个死尸，乃至于圣者，圣者他最后还要死，就是告诉我们这件事情。他那个东西，生下来的那个东西，还是要丢掉的，这是我们要了解的，就这样。[08:26]
(p256) 如果这样的话呢，最后既然要死的话，对不起，就是这个东西 — 阎罗王，就注定啊被他所吞食。而且这个阎罗王很有意思，你看看那个图，啊，他这个这么可怕！三只眼睛，然后睁得个圆圆地；这个两个牙齿，前面在吞食；两只手、下面两只脚，把你整个的抱得死死地，没有一个地方可以透脱出来，逃不出去，这就是。所以这个 十二缘起，这个图现在清楚了，然后呢，心理的行相清楚了。[09:08]
在进一步说明之前，现在我们不要看书，也不要看那个图。我们这个地方仔细地检查一下，前前后后我们所了解的，一生当中都是什么？喏，由于生了以后，这生的过程当中，它是个总相。那么生的过程当中呢一定什么？触、受。我们目前所遇见的一切事情，都是触、受—眼睛看，根对着境生的识；好看的起贪，所谓不离爱；你讨厌的，排斥，所以说是乖离爱。否则的话呢，舍受，就是还是一种状态，就是无记心。这个无记这个东西不是引业，却也是满业的因。这个就是触，触了以后受，我们一生当中，无非在这个上头。[10:10]
我们翻到前面182页，看，爱那一支。看说：“爱者，谓于乐受起不离爱，于诸苦恼起乖离爱。说‘由受缘生爱’者，是从无明和合触缘，所生之受而能生爱。”这几句话，刚才已经简单地说过了。现在清楚不清楚？为什么受缘生爱呀？那个受，触了以后是一定受。那么触跟受之间的两个受用的不同，我们现在也了解 (p257) 了。因为你虽然，这个是前面一重因果，但是当这个因到感果的时候，你如果了解了—到此为止，断掉了；如果是不了解，对不起，你又来了。所以它一定是无明和合的触缘而生的受，那个时候，又爱来了，又爱来了。[11:16]
这个是为什么佛就告诉我们“观受是苦”啊！现在我们这里真正要努力的，努力在这上面哪！因为这样的关系，我们不要说：“哎呀，这个营养呀！哎哟，这个医生怎么讲、这个怎么讲；这个少不了、那个少不了，这个……。”没有一个少不了的，实际上呢，没有一个真需要的。忙了个半天哪，到最后烧起来还得多花一点油，真可惜！让人家多哭几场、多耗一点钱，实在没有意思啊！实在没意思啊！我们要从这个地方痛切地认识，佛法是这样啊，这个才是佛法啊！[12:06]
所以我说这个十二因缘，不是把它乒乒乓乓背一遍哪！你当下要认得它，起心动念之间在什么境界当中，这样。所以的的确确的一定要这样，可是呢，“现在我们虽然懂得了这个道理啦，我们大家懂是懂啦，但是做不到怎么办哪？”对！这个是个问题。所以记得昨天晚上，我们讲那个温习的时候吧！欸，也正讲到这里。这个俞先生听见那个灶神讲了以后，说心里“哎哟，很警惕啊！”这第二天，大年初一，所以在佛菩萨前面磕头，说：“我一定要改过，从此以后发誓要改过！”然后呢，改名叫“净意道人”。我自己想(p258) 起来，当年也是这样，那个贪心这么重，我就跑出去跟我师父讲：“师父啊！我吃一餐，早晨不吃。”我师父就说：“唉呀，你不必啦，实际上你试试看哪！”这样。我现在也发现，有的人是自己禁不住说闲话，他跑得来跟我说：“哎呀！师父啊，我要禁语。”我也笑笑，啊，我笑笑—最好不要禁。[13:21]
实际上呢，佛在《四十二章经》上面告诉我们清楚明白，你不在形相上面，你要认得的根本在什么地方。所以我晓得，我们每一个人未尝不想向上努力，但是为什么不能努力？这是我们现在要真正注意的地方啊，真正注意的地方啊！所以以我们现在的地方，这个环境来看，我的的确确是越来越欢喜，大家每一个人都的的确确都在进步当中。不过有的人哪，的确是显得太慢了一点。有的人哪，啊！实在赞叹，我都不如他。你只要肯向上，自然见效。[14:03]
那么，向上的关键在什么地方呢？（时间得注意一下。）向上的关键在哪里呢？第一个正知见。还有呢？正精进。这最重要的！你没有精进不行。精进是什么？如理地行持。而把这个正知见 — 要获得正知见到正精进，中间有一样东西，必定什么？如理作意，就是思。所以你平常一定要深入地思，这是为什么我一直告诉你们，大家现在这个地方真正用功的，你不要说我要学打坐，我一天要坐多少， (p259) 我要拜多少拜，我要念多少佛。这种都是非常重要的，但是你一定要先懂得，怎么去坐、怎么去拜、怎么去念，怎么样转，这关键、功曹在什么地方？这样。那个时候，就先要如理作意。而眼前最重要的如理作意，必须要把空下来这个脑筋，不要让它放逸，这最重要啊！放逸，最重要，这个是所以我策励你们。慢慢地在温习当中，我会特别注意的，不久、很快就要告诉大家，在这个地方闲话不准说，这是放逸之门，这是放逸之门。那么我想时间到了，我们今天就到这个地方为止。[15:33]
请翻到《菩提道次第广论》184页。昨天已经把十二因缘流转的这张图解释了一下，当你们把这张图的内涵，有一个正确的认识了以后，那么现在我们这地方讲的那个文字的本身，也就很容易懂了，很容易懂了。否则的话，你单单看那个文字，真是个看个天书啊！我自己是这样，几位同修也是这样，你们没有看的人不晓得这个困苦。真正看的人，我摸索了这个东西，摸索了 十几年，始终不晓得它说什么！所以这一点我特别提醒大家，要珍惜这个教法。这个教法不是天上掉下来，还是你们宿生自己的善业培得的，所以很快就能得到这样，得到那样。[16:46]
现在我们重新把184页，第二段“四相当知”那一段，念一下那大家概念就很清楚了。这个在念的之前先说，这个十二支当中，总共对半、对半地分—六支是因， (p260) 六支是果。哪六支是因呢？无明、行、识，爱、取、有，这个六支是因。然后果呢？是名色、六入（或者是六处）、触、受，生、老死，这个六支是果支。一共这样的 十二支，分六因、六果。那么单从这个因到果是这样，可是这个因有两重，一个是引，一个是生。那么现在我们就把这个文重念一遍。把念过的文，跟昨天所了解的一对证，那你马上，文字也了解了；然后这个文字所指的内容，这个内容就是我们心理的行相、相状，乃至于为什么我们在生死当中流转的这个原因，就有个概念。现在看文：[18:31]
【四相当知能引所引，】
这个引，“能、所”当中一共有四个行相。[18:40]
【一何为所引，】
什么是所引的？[18:45]
【谓果位识乃至其受，共四支半。】
不过在前面这个，平常我们一般说的这个半支不算，只算四支，名色，这个有个原因的。因为实际上啊那个果位识，出现是怎么状态？一直到摄持这个名色那个时候一刹那开 (p261) 始，那是果位识，前面这个都是因位。前面因是无明、行、识这个因位，经过了爱、取、有的滋润，然后它现起中阴。那么究实说来，那个中阴身本身已经进入果位识了，但是还没有结生。所以他结生的时候是什么？就是看见这个父、母交合的时候那个精血。实际上这个精血，就是由于他的业力的原因，那么他的执着、爱着，所以这个时候，他有一种执取的力量。就像平常我们对我们所欢喜的，啊，我们欢喜吃的，全部精神，嘎嘎贯注在这上面。那个时候我们自己不觉得，但是这个力量非常强盛，这个力量。虽然你不觉得，却有个强盛的力量。[20:17]
有一个很善巧的方便，你可以感觉得到，你最欢喜吃的东西，人家把你拿走了，那个时候啊你简直无法忍耐。那我想我们体会得到的，在这个里面都是这样的。你最疼爱的、最心爱的东西，忽然之间被人家拿走了，或者你要失去了，那个时候你这个心理这种状态，那才可以显得出来，这个强盛的这种力量。所以说，这是一种非常坚强的摄持、执取的力量。所以这个识就是依靠着这个—这个识、第一个识，就是心识的“识”—依靠着这个颜色的“色”，这个物质的这个东西，执着它，也缘它，这两样东西呀就像撑起来一样。两根筷子绑在一块儿，你绑着我，我绑着你，结果两根筷子就撑起来了。钢筋跟水泥两个紧紧地捆在一块儿，这个柱子就行了！我们一切的都是如此。所以当它那个进入果 (p262) 位的时候这个状态，就是变成功这个名色当中的这个“名”了。[21:30]
所以通常我们这个，细分的时候，就晓得怎么是因位、怎么是果位。那么果位的状态，我这地方也提一下。什么是所引呢？那就是这个从果位识，当他结生的一刹那开始，名色，然后呢，六入或者是六处，触、受。那以何所引，拿什么东西来引的呢？“无明之行”，就是业，最主要的是惑，由于惑而造的业，由于造了业，业有一个力量，这个力量会推动你的，以这个来推动，现在是拉，拉跟推是同样一个力量。如何引发呢？怎么会引的呢？是“因位识中熏业习气之理”，这个昨天讲过了。所引的呢，怎么会引发起来的呢？“若遇爱等能生，堪能转成如是诸果。”哦，这个我们现在了解了。[22:45]
那么还有呢，生那一方面。那个生那一方面是能生跟所生，能生跟所生一共有三个行相。“以何而生”，拿什么东西才能够生起来？这靠什么力量呢？就是爱、取，靠爱、取的这个滋润 — 以何为生。生些什么呢？生、老死。“如何而生，谓由行于识，所熏业习润此堪能令有大力之理。”由于爱、取的关系，然后呢，你呀，这个爱、取就是一种烦恼，一种惑，由于这个惑，然后呢自然而然你就造业，这个业就不断地熏那个识。你做任何一件事情，那个识田当中就留下影响力量。以前留下来影响力量是因位，现在呢，你继续努力地把这个因位留下来的识就感果了，就这样。这个为什么会感果呢？因为它继续地 (p263) 熏习的话，这个力量越来越强大、越来越强大，强大到那个时候，它就产生了现行，这样。那么现在这个道理清楚了！[24:08]
Vasubandhu, in his 《Explanation of the Divisions of Dependent-Arising》, took the factor of birth as the only actualized factor and then taught aging-and-death to be the faults of these factors of projection and actualization.
【《缘起经释》中，以生一支为所生支，老死则为彼等过患。】
那么解释。这个生是所生，老死为彼过患。前面我们说，所生是生、老死，那么他为什么要在这个地方分开来呢？他有一个原因的，他有一个原因的。就是说，他为什么要讲那个经 — 佛？他所有的一切都有一个目的，要让我们正确了解生死的行相，然后呢，从这个地方跳出生死轮回。假定你不了解这个生死的真实行相，痛苦的原因，以及这个实际上的过患、祸害的话，你不会生起厌离心。欸，你觉得还快乐得很欸！还好得很欸！这个也放不下，那个也放不下，不要说世间上的放不下，修学了佛法，还是觉得，哎呀！这个道场要弄这个……。那真的为了弘法，那是很了不起，但是偏偏自己的心里面放不下。对不起，那个没有用啊，那个没有用啊！[25:32]
所以他告诉你，一旦生起来了以后，这个祸患无穷，痛苦无比啊！所以他把所生的那个生、老死，那一个分开来。生是很简单，就生；生完了以后剩下来的，一生就注定你背了个死，那个死一直在变化，一直在痛苦当中。所以说，老死就是所有的“彼等” (p264)—生完了以后的一切，一切都是过患，唉，没有一点是可以爱乐的地方。我们必定要对这个有所了解了，那个时候，你由于苦的逼切，才会追求，要想找这个苦的解脱。那么你才看看，那个苦是不是能解脱呢？你会找，欸，说有原因，只要因地上面灭除就可以。所以整个的前面已经说过了，佛说的时候，一定先说苦谛的原因在这地方。所以佛在这个《缘起经》解释当中，特别说明这一点，这个他的理由所在。换句话说，我们真正要想修行的话，必定要从这个地方下手。[26:58]
到这里我们了解，佛讲的经典，你千万不要单单看那个理论。不要“单单”看成哦！注意哦！这是一个理论，没错，可是这个理论呢，有它绝端重要的一个实质的内容在。如果你把握不住的话，那就变成功说空话，那个所谓学教的话，那教了个半天是戏论。现在说它的理论就是它实质上的内容的，在这种状态之下，如果你不修行则罢，要想修行的话，这个理论不通，请问你如何修法？所以短短的一句话，这个里面有这种含意，随时提醒我们。我们继续下去。[27:45]
This being the case, actualization should be understood as follows: nonvirtaous compositional activity that is motivated by ignorance about karma and its effects deposits latent propensities of bad karma in the consciousness. This makes ready for actualization the group of factors of a miserable rebirth that begins with the resultant period consciousness and ends with feeling. Through repeated nurturing by cravuzg and grasping, these latent propensities are empowered, and birth, aging, and so forth will be actualized in subsequent miserable rebirths.
【由是由愚业果无明起不善行，于识熏建恶业习气，令其堪成三恶趣中果时之识乃至于受。次以爱取数数润发，令彼业习渐有势力，于当来世恶趣之中感生老死。】
(p265) 这个道理前面说过，这个是对于业果不明白，但是呢我们不明白 — 这真实的意义的不明白有两重吧！一种就是因果的关系不明白，还有呢，就真实意义不了解。所以对因果不了解的人哪，他就造恶业，因为不了解如是因感如是果，他要找快乐，不晓得快乐的因在哪里，就乱搞，这样。那么有一种人呢，了解这个因果的关系，说你要找快乐，要找到快乐的因呀！要去掉痛苦，要从根上面切断哪！那时候他就不会造恶业了，然后呢他可以得到人天善趣，可是并不了解究竟意义。所谓这个因果的究竟的法则如何，对它真实意义不了解，他虽然造善事，但是还在人天当中。所以说，[29:11]
Alternatively, motivated by ignorance about the meaning of selflessness, meritorious compositional activity-such as ethical discipline within the desire realm —
【又由愚无我真实义无明，】
由于这个不了解，无明的话就是对真实的意义不了解。那么于是造了善业，[29:23]
【起欲界摄戒等福行，】
这个“戒等福行”很有意思！平常我们一般都是讲世间的世法，它这个善法当中，把戒开始，这个说明什么？说明哪你单单持戒，而不了解这个真实无我的意义的话，对不起，这个戒只是人天有漏之福，
80a Commentary
eNGLISH lr V1 P.67[00.03]
What is this? It is that you have encountered this sensory object again later. And this has brought about a contact and feeling that accord with ignorance. Isn't that right? One is you do not understand, one is the sensory object. What are contact and feeling? One part of it is the sensory object. Do you remember the definition for contact? The definition for contact is "the experiencing of the object." So you have contact with the same sensory object again. What is the definition for feeling? It is the effect of birth. After you have contact, you will have feeling. You have seen it again, and you think that these cars really bring us a lot of benefits. Therefore, you thought, "I need to get one as well." In the very beginning, you might have felt that it is pretty nice. That was all there was - craving and grasping. But immediately, in order to obtain this, you will do all sorts of things and then you'll buy the car. [00:58]
Therefore when you had seen that in the very beginning, for this causal period consciousness, you may perhaps have left it at that. You did not immediately go and buy a car. Isn't that right? For all the sensory objects that we come across now, yes, this is why the scriptures tell us, "There is one cycle of rebirth for every bought." What does this mean? Whenever you have a thought, it is a thought of causal period consciousness. From the time that we are born in our entire lives, we are constantly exposed to sensory objects. We have no idea how many causal period consciousness were produced. How does this causal period consciousness produce an effect? Nah! It is this. This is why it is called "projecting factors." Well for this projecting causal period consciousness, how will it be actualized? How will it be actualized? You will still need the "actualizing factors" to produce the powers that will actualize the projecting cause. What are these factors? Craving and grasping! Are you clear now? Are you clear now? This is why you must listen to this![01:59]
Therefore, I am just mentioning something in passing here. The day before yesterday, a fellow practitioner kept saying, ah-ya, he is very delighted by what he is studying now. So, he needs to make up for the earlier parts. Yes, you need to make it up. This is because if you do not make it up, you will not be able to follow what is going on now. However, if while he is making it up, he is only focusing on making it up, then he will not want to listen to this class. This becomes a great loss! When you listen, that is when you are the most clear. After you listen, you need to immediately think about it. If you cannot think through it and you try to make it clear, that is when this concept becomes even clearer to you. This is why I try to explain clearly how every segment is related to the previous and the next parts. [02:33]
The projecting cause will go through the nurturing of the actualizing factors, eh, there you go. All of a sudden, this causal period consciousness will be actualized. Hence the result is birth, the factor of birth. What is the condition for birth? The condition for birth, the birth that is indicated in the factor of birth is the exact state when rebirth takes place. What is the state of rebirth? It is this life, right!? Hence this is called suffering of this life. But we would say, "There is no suffering, it feels pretty happy!" Do you remember the earlier section? What is pleasure? It is the suffering of change. I am sorry! Pain is of course the suffering of pain. But when you feel neither pleasure nor pain, it is the suffering of conditionality! Therefore, once there is birth it becomes the suffering of this lifetime. But what happens in the process of birth? There will be name-and-form, the six sources, contact and feeling, these few things. For name and-form, suffering is irrelevant. For the six sources, indeed, they themselves do not have suffering. However, it is included in the factor of birth. Isn't that right? [03:48]
Therefore, we talked about the general and the particular characteristics. Therefore, at every place, for the sequence of things, I have now explained the general outline of it clearly. At this point, we now understand that, ah! This is how it works. Therefore, the projecting factors are divided into four factors, and the actualized factors are divided into three factors. (Editor's note: Perhaps Master has said it by mistake, he may actually mean that there are three projecting factors and two actualized factors.) I have also explained in general the relationship between projecting and actualizing. At this point, you have a general idea, a general idea.[04:20]
We might want to explain the projecting factors now. The projecting factors are ignorance, compositional activity and consciousness. The projected factors, "what has been projected?" It has projected the resultant period consciousness, and even name-and-form, the six sources, contact and feeling. Just like that. What has been used to do that? Let us now take a look at page 184. For the text that we had just explained, you can now take a look at page 184 (English text, page 322). Number four, [04:54]
[p320, English LR Vol 1]
Projecting and being projected should be understood by way of four considerations:
1) What has been projected? The four-and-a-half factors beginning with resultant period consciousness and ending with feeling have been projected.
2) What has done the projecting? Compositional activity, which is dependent on ignorance, has done the projecting.
[p321, English LR Vol 1]
3) How has a projection occurred? Projection has occurred by means of latent karmic propensities being infused in the causal period consciousness.
4) "Projected" means having created the effects [resultant period consciousness, name-and-form, sources, contact, and feeling] conducive to actualization once the actualizers, such as craving, are present.
This is exactly what we are explaining now.[05:10]
Projection has occurred by means of latent karmic propensities being infused in the causal period consciousness.
How has projection occurred? It is the latent karmic propensities being constantly infused in the causal period consciousness. This is how the projection has occurred. What has been projected? How has that been projected?[05:27]
1) "Projected" means having created the effects [resultant period consciousness, name-and-form, sources, contact, and feeling] conducive to actualization once the actualizers, such as craving, are present.
Oh, so that is how it goes. After the latent karmic propensity is infused in the causal period consciousness, when it encounters the actualizing factors which are craving and grasping, there will be an empowerment to this causal period consciousness.[05:48]
The causal period consciousness from before, it was still in the causal period. But it is now transformed into the effect. It has taken effect. Do you understand this now? This section is very clear to you now, right? Next,[06:05]
The actualizers and the actualized should be understood by way of three considerations:
In the second cycle of cause and effect,[06:11]
1) What does the actualizing? It is done by grasping, which is caused by craving.
2) What is actualized? Birth and aging-and-death are actualized.
Why would the previous cause be actualized now? Nah, it is because during the causal period, it was dormant. But one day, when this fruit comes into effect, when this sensory object arises, for instance, when you see something with your eyes, there is no such thing as suffering or not suffering. That is indeed true. However, it is indeed an effect that has taken place. It is an effect that is a result from the past. Therefore, once the experience is complete from both the "contact" and "feeling," you will continue to nurture it with "craving" and "grasping." This is "what does the actualizing." It is because of this. What is "actualized"? It is "birth" and "aging-and-death." And then the text will move on to explain how does actualization occur? What is the concept?[07:05]
3) How does actualization occur? Actualization occurs by means of the empowerment of the latent karmic propensities that were infused in consciousness by compositional activity.
It is still this sentence, still this sentence. From the actions that you have done through craving and grasping, your compositional activity will continue to infuse the causal period consciousness. Infusing is analogous to roasting with fire. You continue to do it and that would increase the power. It is much like a seed buried in the ground. If the sun shines on it and there is water that continues to nourish it, there will be enough power to make it grow, to make it grow. This is exactly what projecting and actualizing are. You will then whirl endlessly in all of cyclic existence. What is the result of you whirling endlessly? By the time one is born, I am sorry, after one is born, one will be carrying a dead corpse. That is one life. Alright! This is the destined path. There is no other path. The moment you are born, you will be carrying a dead corpse. Even for a noble being, the noble beings will finally die as well in order to tell us this. This thing that is born, one will still have to give it up. This is what we should understand. This is it.[08:26]
If this is the case that you will finally have to die, I am sorry, it is this thing - Yama who will surely swallow you. This Yama is very interesting. You can look at the drawing. Ah, he is fearsome! He has three eyes which are widely open. He has two teeth clenching down showing that he is swallowing. He has two hands and then
two feet on the bottom that completely envelops you in a tight grasp. There is not one place where you can be free from him. You cannot escape. That is it. This is the twelve factors of dependent arising. Now you are clear of this diagram. And you are clear of the associated subjective aspects.[09:08]
Before I explain this further, let us put away the text and the diagram for now. At this point, we should carefully examine ourselves based on what we have come to understand from the beginning of this section until now. What do we do throughout our lives? Nah, after birth, in the entire process, birth is the general characteristic. In the process of birth, there will certainly be what? Contact and feeling. For everything that we encounter now, they are all within the scope
of contact and feeling - when we look, this sensory faculty will encounter a sensory object and consciousness will be produced. For what is attractive, we will give rise to attachment. This is the so-called craving not to be separated from pleasant feelings. For what is unattractive to you, you will reject it. Hence it is called craving a separation from painful feelings. Otherwise, you will be in a state of neutral feeling. Therefore, it is still a certain state of the mind, a neutral mind. This neutrality is not projecting karma, but is a cause for completing karma. So, there is contact, and after contact there will be feeling. Throughout our entire lives, we do nothing but these things. But [10:10]
Thus, in the earlier section, let us go to the earlier part. Take a look at page 182 (English text, page 318), the factor of craving. It says, "Craving - This means both craving not to be separated from pleasant feelings and craving a separation from painful feelings. The statement in a sutra that "craving is caused by feeling"539
means that feelings accompanied by ignorance cause craving." These few sentences, we have already briefly explained this. Are you clear of this now? Why does feeling produce craving? This feeling, there will certainly be feeling after contact. For the two different experiences of contact and feeling, we now understand
them too. Even though you have them, but they belong to the first sequence of cause and effect. But once this cause produces an effect, if you can understand it - this will end here, stopped. If you do not understand it, sorry, you will do it again. Therefore, it is a contact accompanied by ignorance that has produced this feeling. At this time, craving will arise again, craving will arise again.[11:16]
This is why the Buddha told us, "view your feelings as suffering!" What we should really strive for is to strive at this! Because of this reason, we should not say, "Ah-ya, this is more nutritious! Ah-yo, the doctor says this and says that. You cannot leave this out and cannot leave that out. This..." You cannot leave anything out. But in reality, there is nothing that you really need. After all this commotion, your cremation will in the end cost a little bit more. What a waste! This only makes other people cry more for you and spend more money on you. It is indeed meaningless! It is indeed meaningless! This is what we must take pain to understand from this place. This is Buddhism. This is what Buddhism is! [12:06]
This is why I say that the twelve factors of dependent arising is not something that you just quickly recite through! You must recognize immediately what your thoughts are going through at the moment. Like that. You will indeed have to do that. However, you would say,"Even though we understand the principle, we do know it but we are unable to practice it. What should we do?" Right! This is a problem. Do you remember the review we did last night?! Eh, this is exactly what we were talking about. When Mr. Yu heard the Kitchen God's instructions, he thought to himself, "Ah-yo, I am greatly alarmed!" The next day, the first day of the New Year, he prostrated to the Buddha and said, "I must change. I swear that I will change from now on!" After that, he changed his name to "Practitioner of Purifying Intention." As I think of this for myself, I was just like that before. My attachments were so intense. So I ran to my master and said, "Master! I will only eat one meal. I will not eat breakfast." My master said, "Ah-ya, there is no need for that. But you can actually try it and see for yourself!" Just like that. I realized this myself now. There are some people who cannot stop themselves from chitchat. But they would come to tell me, "Ah-ya! Master, I need to keep the vow of silence." I would smile as well. Ah, I would smile - it would be best if he did not. [13:21]
Actually, the Buddha has clearly explained this in the Sutra of the Forty Two Sections. This is not a matter of appearance. You must know what the root is. This is why I know that it is not the case that everyone has not wanted to progress. But why is it that we cannot exert our efforts? This is what we truly need to pay attention to now. This is what we truly need to pay attention to! For where we are right now, in this environment, I am indeed more and more pleased because everyone is truly improving. But there are some people who seem to improve too slowly. There are others, ah! I truly commend them. I cannot even compare myself to them. As long as you are willing to progress, it will naturally happen.[14:03]
So, what is the key to progress? What is the key to progress? The first one is the correct view. It has been explained to us here, the correct view. And then, you will need correct joyous perseverance. This is most important! And it will not work without joyful perseverance. What is joyful perseverance? It is to conduct yourself properly. To be able to take this correct view - to go from the correct view to correct joyful perseverance, there is one thing in this process. What must you have? You must pay proper attention, this means reflections. This is why you must reflect in depth regularly. This is why I keep telling you what you should really work on here. You do not want to say, "I want to learn sitting meditation. I need to sit this many hours in a day. I need to prostrate this many times. I need to recite this many times of the Buddha's name." These are all very important. But you must first understand how to do sitting meditation, how to prostrate, how to recite and how to make a shift. What is the key, the instigator? Like that. At that time, you will have to initially pay proper attention. What is most important right now isto pay proper attention. When your mind has a break, you must not allow it to be lazy. This is most important! Laziness, this is the most important thing [to prevent]. This is why I want to exhort you. Gradually, in our review, I will pay particular attention to this. Pretty soon, I will be telling you that there should be no more chitchat. This is the way to laziness. This is the way to laziness. I think that the time is up. We will stop here for today.[15:33]
Please open The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment to page 184, page 184 (English text, page 322). Yesterday, I have already explained the diagram of the twelve factors of dependent arising. Once you have a correct understanding of the meaning of this diagram, then for the text that is explained here, it will be easy for you to understand, easy for you to understand. Otherwise, to just look at the text, it would be like deciphering a book from heaven! That was the way it was for myself and for some of the fellow practitioners. For those who have not studied this before, you will not be able to understand the difficulty. For those who have truly tried to understand this, this is something I have been trying to understand for more than 10 years. But I never knew what it was trying to convey! Therefore, I want to especially remind all of you to cherish this teaching. This teaching did not fall from the sky. It is still your good karma which has brought this to you. This is why you are able to quickly obtain this and obtain that.[16:46]
Now on page 184 (English text, page 322), let us go over this segment on the "four considerations" again. I will just read it through and you will be very clear of the concept. Before I read it, I will first explain that among the twelve factors of dependent arising, it is split exactly in half. Six of the factors are causes and six of thefactors are effects. Which of the six factors are causes? Ignorance, compositional activity, consciousness, craving, grasping and potential existence, these six factors are the causes. What about the effects? Name-and-form, the six sources, contact, feeling, birth, and aging-and-death, these six factors are effect factors. There are a total of these twelve factors which are divided into the six causes and the six effects. To just go from the cause to the effect is like this. But the causes are in two cycles, one is the cycle of the projecting and the other is the cycle of actualizing. Let us now read the text again. We can take what we read and match it against what we have understood from yesterday's instructions. Then you will immediately understand what these words mean. And the intended meaning in which the words are referring to is exactly the subjective aspects, the states of our minds, and even the reason why we whirl in this cyclic existence. You will have an idea of these. Now let us look at the text.[18:31]
Projecting and being projected should be understood by way of four considerations:
This is projecting. Between "projecting and being projected," there are four considerations.[18:40]
1) What has been projected?
What is projected?[18:45]
The four-and-a-half factors beginning with resultant period consciousness and ending with feeling have been projected.
However, for this part, we do not usually count this half factor. We would normally count four factors until name-and-form. There is a reason for that. That is because in actuality, what is the condition like when the resultant period consciousness arises? The moment the consciousness latches on and forms the name-and-form, it is [already] the resultant period consciousness. Everything before that is in the causal period. The previous causes were ignorance, compositional activity, and causal period consciousness. Through the nurturing of craving, grasping and the potential existence, the intermediate state will appear. Hence truthfully, by the time of intermediate state, one has already entered the time of the resultant period consciousness. One has however not taken rebirth yet. So, at which point does one take rebirth? That is when he sees the union of the father and a mother, the fertilized ovum. As a matter of fact, this fertilized ovum comes about from one's own karmic force. He will then become attached, become fond of it. Therefore, at this time, there is a force that propels him to cling onto it. This is much like how we are usually with things that we enjoy. Ah, for something that we enjoy to eat, our whole attention is devoted to it. We may not be aware of it ourselves. But this force is very powerful, this force. Even though you are not aware of it, there is a strong force. [20:17]
There is a very clever way to relate to this. If someone has taken away your favorite food, you will find it utterly unbearable. I believe we can all relate to this. This is exactly how it is. For something that you really care for, something that you cherish, if it is suddenly taken away or you are about to lose it, that is when this state of mind will reveal itself, this strong force. Therefore, this is a very powerful force that wants to grasp, to cling onto it. Therefore, this consciousness is dependent on this. This "consciousness," the first consciousness, the consciousness of the mental consciousness will depend on this "form" which is a physical matter. The consciousness will become attached to it, will focus on it. These two things will hold each other up. This is much like two chopsticks tied together. You tie me down and I tie you down. As a result, the two chopsticks are holding each other together. This is much like the concrete bars and concrete being sealed together to form a column! Everything of us is just this. Therefore when the consciousness enters the resultant period, it becomes the "name" of the name-and-form.[21:30]
Thus, when we usually want to distinguish it in more detail then we would know which part is the causal period and which part is the resultant period. The state of the resultant period, I will explain this more as well. What is projected? For this resultant period consciousness, the moment this takes rebirth, there will be name-and-form. And then there will be the six sources, contact and feeling. What has done the projection, what are used to project these? "Compositional activity, which is dependent on ignorance," is karma. But the primary one is the affliction. It is due to affliction that one creates karma. After one creates karma, there is a force to this karma. This force will propel you. This will propel you. Now this is pulling. To pull or to push is the same type of force. How has a projection occurred? How are they projected? "Projection has occurred by means of latent karmic propensities being infused in the causal period consciousness." I have explained this yesterday. For what is projected, how does it get projected? It is "having created the effects [resultant period consciousness, name-and-form, sources, contact, and feeling]conducive to actualization once the actualizers, such as craving, are present." Oh, we now understand this. [22:45]
And then, there is the part of the actualization. In regards to the actualization, there are the actualizing and the actualized factors. There are three considerations for the actualizing and the actualized factors. "What does the actualizing?" What do you need to actualize? What force will you have to depend on? It is craving and grasping. You will have to depend on the nurturing of craving and grasping - these do the actualizing. What are actualized? Birth, aging-and-death. "How does actualization occur? Actualization occurs by means of the empowerment of the latent karmic propensities that were infused in consciousness by compositional activity." It is through craving and grasping. And then, your craving and grasping is an affliction, a delusion. Due to this delusion, you will naturally create karma. This karma will continue to infuse the consciousness. For anything that you do, you will leave an influence in your consciousness. The influences that were left from before are the causal period ones. But now, if you continue to strive to add to this causal period consciousness, this will produce a fruit. It is exactly like that. Why would this produce an effect? It is because if you continue to infuse the consciousness, this power will become stronger and stronger until the point where it will manifest. It is like that. Now you understand this principle clearly![24:08]
Vasubandhu, in his Explanation of the Divisions of Dependent-Arising (Pratitya-samutpadadivibhanga-nirdesa ),542 took the factor of birth as the only actualized factor and then taught aging-and-death to be the faults of these factors of projection and actualization. [254]
This is the explanation. The factor of birth is the only actualized factor, aging-and-death is the fault. Earlier, we said that the actualized factors are birth and aging- and-death. Why does he divide them apart here? There is a reason for that. There is a reason for that. This is to say, why does he impart the sutra- the Buddha? He does everything with one goal in mind. It is for us to correctly understand the characteristics of cyclic existence. And then, you can escape cyclic existence from there. If you do not understand the true characteristics of cyclic existence, the causes of suffering, the actual faults and destructions, you will not be able to develop disenchantment. Eh, you will even feel pretty happy! You will feel that it is pretty nice! So, you will not be able to let this go or let that go. Not to mention being unable to let go of the mundane world things, even after you have trained in Buddhism, you will still feel, ah-ya! I need to have this for this monastery... If your true intention is to propagate the teaching, then that is excellent. However, the case is more like you finding it difficult to let go of those things yourself. I am sorry. [In that case,] it is useless, useless![25:32]
Therefore he tells you, once it is actualized, the faults are limitless and the sufferings are unbearable! This is why for the actualized factors, birth and the aging-and-death, he divided them. Birth is simple. It is just birth itself. After birth, what is left is an entire lifetime of carrying death on your back. Death means you are constantly changing, constantly suffering. Therefore, aging-and-death is "faults of these factors of projection and actualization" - for everything after birth, everything after that is faulty. Ah, there is not one thing that will bring you happiness. We must have an understanding of this. By that time, compelled by suffering, you will begin your search. You will want to find freedom from this suffering. So, you will be looking to see whether this suffering can be alleviated? You will look [and realize], eh, there is a cause for this and all you have to do is to eliminate it in the causal period. This was fully explained in the earlier section. When the Buddha imparts the teaching, this is the reason that he will always explain the truth of suffering first. Therefore, in the Divisions of Dependent Arising, theBuddha especially explained this one point. This is his reason. In other words, if we truly wish to cultivate, we must begin here.[26:58]
In regards to this, at this point we should understand that for the scriptures that the Buddha imparted, you should absolutely not look at it as only a theory. Do not "only" look at it as a theory! Pay attention to this! It is no doubt that this is a theory. But this theory has an extremely important and authentic substance to it. If you cannot grasp it, then to be learning the teaching for you, after much learning, it is still a mere elaboration of words. This theory represents the actual substance. In this case, unless you do not want to cultivate, but if you do, how will you cultivate without mastering the theory? Therefore, even though it is a short sentence, there is this embedded meaning that is always there to remind us of this. Let us continue.[27:45]
This being the case, actualization should be understood as follows: nonvirtuous compositional activity that is motivated by ignorance about karma and its effects deposits latent propensities of bad karma in the consciousness. This makes ready for actualization the group of factors of a miserable rebirth that begins with the resultant period consciousness and ends with feeling. Through repeated nurturing by craving and grasping, these latent propensities are empowered, and birth, aging, and so forth will be actualized in subsequent miserable rebirths.
This concept was explained earlier. This is a lack of understanding of understanding of karma. But this lack of understanding - there are two types of lack of understanding of reality! One type is the lack of understanding of cause and effect. Another one is to not understand the true reality. For those who do not understand cause and effect, they will create nonvirtuous karma. This is because they do not understand a certain cause will produce a certain effect. One wishes to find happiness but does not understand the cause of happiness. So he will do what he wants and make a mess. Like that. Another type of person will understand the relationship between cause and effect. If you want to have happiness, you will have to find the cause to happiness! If you want to eliminate suffering, you will want to sever it by the root! At that time, this type of person will no longer create nonvirtuous karma. He will then be able to be reborn in the happy realms, as humans or deities. But he does not understand the ultimate meaning [to life]. As for the ultimate rules of cause and effect, he does not understand the true reality. Therefore, this type of person may engage in virtues, but they will still be reborn as humans or deities. So, [29:11]
Alternatively, motivated by ignorance about the meaning of selflessness,
It is because of the lack of understanding of this. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of the true reality. Thus, as one creates virtuous karma,[29:23]
meritorious compositional activity—such as ethical discipline within the desire realm—
This "meritorious compositional activity—such as ethical discipline within the desire realm" is very interesting! We would in general talk about the mundane world matter. With regards to virtues, it begins with ethical discipline. What does this explain? This explains that for you to only maintain ethical disciplines without understanding the true meaning of selflessness, I am sorry, this ethical discipline will only bring you contaminated merit inside the human and deity realms. It is not ultimate. It will still set you to whirl in cyclic existence.