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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0299

Lamrim Volume 1:  P39-LL5 ~ P40-L3

Topic: Boundaries of the ethical discipline are the boundaries of the Human Life of Leisure and Opportunity

Greetings to all! It is time for us to discuss Lamrim again. Today we will continue to learn the good qualities of Master Atisha in observing his ethical discipline. Everyone, please turn to the Introduction of the Four Interwoven Annotations, Chinese text, page 122. We will start from the blue print in the middle section of the page: [00′20″]

[*color scheme of annotations: blue: Master Jamyang Zhepa]

 This section says we have to emulate Master Atisha, this is Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s exhortation, to guard our ethical discipline as Master Atisha did, this is very critical. So, what is the first prerequisite? Receiving initiation should not be the only purpose we have in mind, we need to know about the ethical discipline and vows we are taking, such as what those stipulations are, what is the boundary line determining whether we transgress the vows, and to what extent we should guard the vows. We need to learn and understand these boundaries. [02′30″]

Here, Rinpoche explained: “they totally have no idea what ethical discipline and vows should be observed after taking the initiation”. This aspect, I believe it happens very often in our Chinese Buddhist community. One reason is that sometimes while receiving the initiation, we have no idea what the preceptor is talking about if there is no translation. Fortunately, translations are available now. When the monastics in our monastery began to do translation, we have a better sense of the Bodhisattva vows we are observing, and what the teachings are and what the objects of meditation are. I find that the situation of being clueless as to what vows we are taking is improving. This sentence [Rinpoche’s exhortation] is meant for us to take the precepts seriously and while beseeching any type of vows, we should know what they are. [03′14″]

And Rinpoche followed by saying: “we should not cross the boundary of root infractions that ethical discipline has laid down”. Take note of the word “boundary”. Here Rinpoche brought up that we should not cross the boundary of root infraction. As we all know, once we committed root infraction, the vow we took is broken. So, this boundary is whether we have or do not have the ethical discipline in our mental stream, a form of limit. Once we cross the boundary of root infraction, the vows we have taken would be broken. Not only do we lose our ethical discipline, but we also have to endure a very grave retribution. [Why?] Because all these are deemed as forsaking the vows and ethical discipline. Hence, we must be very familiar with all the boundaries of root infractions. [04′05″]

This boundary actually could be the dividing line between the miserable realms and happy realms. For instance, if one does not properly guard one’s ethical discipline, one would not be able to attain the human form in the next rebirth. Hence, it is also the determinant whether we can attain the human form. This also applies to the boundary of ethical discipline as well. Then, why is it so important to properly guard it? Because only with the human form can we study Buddha Dharma. When we properly observe the boundary, what exactly are we guarding? In fact, it is the human form of ours, or the human life of leisure and opportunity. [04′37″]

This point, don’t forget what we often said, to have this human form arises from what? Upholding precepts, it arises from upholding precepts. If we don’t properly abide by the ethical discipline, factually, we would not be able to obtain the human form. If Buddha had not expounded this concept, how would it be possible for us to have this understanding. For example, how can I secure a future rebirth of leisure and opportunity? To resume the study of Lama Tsong-kha-pa’s teaching and continue with this wonderful journey. Even though we are in the cyclic existence, we met the teaching, met our teachers, how would we be able to meet them again? This task may sound pretty difficult, but we must first obtain this human form. So, what is the method to obtain the human form? It is to abide by the precepts properly, upholding pure ethical discipline. Therefore, Rinpoche said these few words, “this is very crucial”. To what degree is it crucial? If we do not abide by the precepts properly, then there is no human form, that is how crucial it is! [05′35″]

Let’s continue reading, “first leave aside the offenses as grave as cardinal transgression or root infraction, ‘even when he slightly transgressed,’, even if it is a very minor infraction, ‘he immediately purified that infraction with the appropriate rite for restoring the vow’. This is praising Master Atisha. It indicates that there are certain purification rituals for restoring the monastic vows, there are certain purification rituals for restoring the Bodhisattva vows, and there are certain purification rituals for restoring the Tantric vows. We should apply these rites immediately to repent and restore them, which is extremely important. In this statement here, it explains that Master Atisha would not commit any slight transgression, and even if he did, he would immediately repent and restore the vow. This is how Jowo Je upheld the vows.” [06′24″]

In this section, we can see that it is praising Master Atisha for not creating cardinal transgression or committing offenses as grave as root infraction. Even for any minor transgression, he would immediately apply purification rite to restore the vow. “He immediately purified that infraction with the appropriate rite for restoring the vow. “Purified that infraction with the appropriate rite for restoring the vow” appears here, there are different types of rites for restoring the vows. There are certain purification rites for restoring the monastic vows, there are certain rites for Bodhisattva vows, and the Tantric vows respectively. “Immediately…restoring the vow,” meaning applying these purification rituals to repent and restore the vow immediately. Then Rinpoche said: “This is very crucial!”. [Rinpoche used this phrase twice] In the earlier part of this teaching and again here. [07′10″]

讲次 0299 (2021-02-08 ~ 2021-02-10)

标题 | 律仪的界限，即是暇身的界线

《广论》段落 | P5-L7 ~ P5-L9 如是于诸三种律仪……随诸正士应当修学。

入门段落 | 第1册 P122-L4 ~ P123-L4 理应如是守护三律仪......这就是觉窝杰的行谊。

    (更新日期: 2022年4月7日)

00:00

大家好！又到了我们研讨《广论》的时间，今天我们继续学习阿底峡尊者的戒的功德。请大家把书翻到《四家合注入门》122 页，请看中间蓝字的部分：00:20

 这一段说我们要像阿底峡尊者一样——这宗大师的教诲——像他那样守护律仪，这是很重要的。那么首先要具备的是什么呢？不仅仅是好像去求受灌顶，我们要知道我们所受的律仪与誓言，比如说条目是怎样的？违犯的界限是怎么样？守护到什么程度？那个边界我们要去学习和了解。02:30

这里边仁波切讲到“在灌顶后要守什么律仪与誓言却毫不知情”，这个我会觉得在我们汉人中间很常发生的，因为有的时候受灌顶，如果没有翻译的话其实也不知道是说什么。还好现在都有翻译，我们僧团开始有法师翻译的时候，我们比较知道我们在受菩萨戒，乃至后面要遵守一些什么学处、要修什么修法。我觉得我们所受的什么都不知道这种状况正在改善。这一句是希望我们要好好地学戒，在求受的时候要去了解那是什么。03:14

然后接着说：“不应该违越根本堕等所有律仪制定的界限”，注意“界限”这两个字，这里边上师提到了不应该违越根本堕等所有律仪制定的界限。大家都知道犯了根本堕之后这个戒律就会失去了，所以这个界限就是我们的心续里有这个戒律和没有这个戒律的一种界限，一旦违越了根本堕之后，就会失去这个律仪了。不仅仅是失去律仪，我们还要领受很可怕的果报，因为这都是属于违背誓言、违背戒律。所以我们一定要非常熟悉地知道根本堕等所有律仪制定的这个界限。04:05

这个界限，其实可能就是恶趣与善趣的界限，比如说如果没有好好守护律仪的话，来世就得不到人身，所以它也是一个能否拥有人身的界限。律仪的界限也是这样的。所以好好守护为什么很重要呢？因为得到人身才能学习教法。好好守护这个界限守护的是什么呢？其实就是我们的一个人身，或者暇满人身。04:37

这一点，别忘了我们常常说的——能够得到人身这个善趣从哪里出啊？持戒，从持戒出。如果不好好守持律仪的话，实际上会得不到人身的。像这件事如果佛陀不为我们宣说的话，我们也是不了解的。比如说那我怎样才能够拥有一个来世的暇满呢？再能够续学宗大师教法，继续这种美妙航程。虽然在轮回里，但是我们值遇了教法、值遇了上师，如何再次地能值遇呢？这件事听起来是很困难的，但是一定是要得到人身。那么得到人身的方便到底是什么呢？就是要好好持戒，清净持守律仪。所以上师说“这是很重要的”这几个字，重要到什么程度呢？不好好守护那个界限，就没有人身了，就这么重要！05:35

接下来再看，说：先不论产生像他胜罪或根本堕这么大的罪，“设少违犯”，即使是稍微违越恶作等罪，“亦以各各还出仪轨，疾疾令净”，这是赞美阿底峡尊者。说就像别解脱戒有别解脱戒的还净仪轨，菩萨戒有菩萨戒的还净仪轨，密乘戒有密乘戒的还净仪轨，就应该立刻用这些仪轨悔除防护来还净，这是很重要的。这里所说一点点也不违越制限，就算是犯了也立刻还净，这就是觉窝杰的行谊。06:24

这一段我们会看到赞美阿底峡尊者都没有产生像他胜罪或根本堕这么大的罪，就是像恶作这样少违犯的，马上各各还出仪轨，疾疾令净。“亦以各各还出仪轨，疾疾令净。”这里边出现了“各各还出仪轨”，对于各各还出仪轨，后面解释说别解脱戒有别解脱戒的还净仪轨，菩萨戒乃至密乘戒都有各自的还净仪轨。“疾疾令净”，就是立刻用这些仪轨悔除防护来还净。然后仁波切又讲一句：“这是很重要的！”前面有一个，这边又有一个。07:10