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Global Lamrim II

Lecture No. 0314

Lamrim Volume 1:  P42-L9 ~ L15

Date: 28 Mar 2022

Topic: Three Ideal Qualifications to Compose Commentaries/Treatises (1): Should Have Mastered the Five Topics of Knowledge and Should Possess Instructions

Greetings to all! Today we will resume our study of  Master’s commentary on the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment; we will start from [V.1 P.42], “Furthermore, there are three ideal qualifications for an author of texts that elucidate the intent of the Sage in this way,” everyone, please listen well and attentively to Master’s explanation. [00:21]

[5A 01:32 ~ 03:59]

Furthermore, there are three ideal qualifications for an author of texts that elucidate the intent of the Sage in this way.

To compose a commentary and to reveal all of Buddha’s intent requires three ideal qualifications. Only after one is endowed with these qualifications thus one can clearly convey the true meaning of the scriptures. What are these three qualifications? [00:57]

[For this part,]  Master explained it in three lines. Then, I’d like to ask you all: what is the purpose of composing the commentaries/treatise? [The purpose] is to elucidate and reveal all of Buddha’s intents faithfully. Why is there a need to unveil and reveal all of Buddha’s true intent truthfully? Why is that the [eminent] lineage masters [in the past] wanted to compose such commentaries/treatises? Why is that Master Atisha wanted to do so? Because the intent of Shakyamuni Buddha was to liberate all sentient beings from the sufferings/samsara of cyclic existence, and even [guide us] to attain Buddhahood – that is to eliminate sufferings and attain happiness. Thus, if after we have understood such intent and implement the guidance/practice according to such intent, then [we] are fulfilling Buddha’s wishes, i.e. [all of] us realize liberation from all sufferings and attain happiness. Therefore, this aspiration is very compassionate and full of loving-kindness – wishing all living beings to be free from suffering and obtain happiness. [01:53]

Here, Master even specifically emphasized: “… requires three ideal qualifications. Only after one is endowed with these qualifications thus one can clearly convey the true meaning of the scriptures.” So, to thoroughly elucidate all of Buddha’s intended meaning, it requires three [specific] qualifications, what are these three prerequisites? [02:19]

The author (1) should have mastered the five topics of knowledge

This is the first qualification. What does this mean, “mastered the five topics of knowledge?” [V.1, P.380, #43] The five topics refer to all the knowledge, both secular and spiritual. Logic, grammar, craftsmanship and arts, and medicine are categorized as secular. Grammar, in other words, is the knowledge of writing, phonetics, rhetoric etc. In our contemporary terms, it is the subjects such as language, history and the like. As for logic, it includes reasoning and philosophy. Then, for arts, it is related to craftsmanship and technology. Medicine is the science of medicine. To master them all, wow, it is not easy! Whereas for us now, mastering one field of knowledge is already very remarkable; studying extensively and mastering [the four fields] of knowledge is phenomenally outstanding! Is this enough? Not at all; one also needs the mastery of “inner” knowledge – Dharma. To master skillfully these five fields of knowledge means that not only does one understand them, but one also needs to be proficient in them all. Only by mastering all the five fields of knowledge could one be qualified [to compose]. This is the first substantial cause. [03:31]

Let’s read what the text says: the author should have “mastered the five topics of knowledge.” In this paragraph [expounded by] Master, let [me] illustrate an example, science of medicine, to master it alone would take up some people lifetime worth of energy [and time] to follow many teachers; yet even [with so much time and energy invested], there is no guarantee that they will be able to master the chosen field proficiently. However, such master of the five topics of knowledge must master the five topics of knowledge, above all still have specific knowledge of Buddhism – Buddha Dharma.  Master pointed out that nowadays people can master one field and that will do, [but] for those virtuous teachers who are endowed with qualifications to compose the treatises, they have to study extensively and become proficient in logic, grammar, craftsmanship and arts, and medicine wherein any of these knowledge will require [them] to devote lots of energy and time, [not to mention that] they need to follow the guidance from their individual virtuous and adept teachers. Understandably, it takes a very diligent and earnest student to learn [and master] the five topics of knowledge! As for the inner knowledge – Buddha Dharma, it alone may take practitioners their entire life, or, even life after life, to achieve certain degree of mastery. Hence, this is definitely a very huge undertaking which is hard to achieve! [What demonstrates here] is [for us] to realize how well-learned/erudite and [extraordinarily] brilliant [Master Atisha] was, and this is the first ideal qualification [for an author] to elucidate the intent of the Sage. [04:46]

Besides, there is another qualification – “possess instructions”, everyone, let’s continue listening on. [04:53]

(2) should possess instructions

What does it mean by specifying that the author must possess instructions? It explains in the text:

that are the key points for practicing the meaning of the topics of Buddhist knowledge which have been transmitted in an unbroken lineage through excellent beings from perfect Buddha; [V.1 P.42]

What is said in the text is an important concept of the encompassing teachings of Buddha: the teachings are passed down personally from the Buddha, and this lineage is unbroken. Not only do the teachings passed down have to be so, but what requires is the corresponding cultivation and experience. This is not easy; actually, it is quite difficult! The encompassing instructions are oral transmissions from Buddha and [the author] must have the commensurate experiential attainment. [The author] with such qualification is certainly ready to compose the treatise. [05:39]

When initially we started to study Lamrim together and read about this “possess instructions”, [we perhaps have] listened attentively with [our] eyes widely opened, [very anxiously wanting to know]: what kind of instructions one should possess? It is “the topics of Buddhist knowledge which have been transmitted in an unbroken lineage through excellent beings from perfect Buddha”. The instructions transmitted from the perfect Buddha are the encompassing teachings –  Master prefixed “encompassing” in front of the teachings of Buddha, that is, the instructions were passed down personally from Buddha. Everyone please think about it, [the instructions] passed down from Buddha in the long and distant past all the way till now; and it is “in an unbroken lineage through excellent beings”, meaning that [the lineage] has totally never been interrupted. In other words, the teachings should have been passed down from one lineage master to another lineage master in this tradition for thousands of years until now. Besides, not only are the teachings [well-grounded] with the scriptural knowledge in the lineage, they are also [well established] with the experiential knowledge in the lineage. Only endowed with such instructions can the author start to compose the treatise. [Thus,] as everyone knows, how precious and hard to come by it is to have such causes and conditions to possess corresponding instructions [passed down personally from Buddha]. If [we] are able to encounter the virtuous teachers who possess the instructions, then that will be indeed extremely fortunate! [07:02]

讲次 | 0314(2021-04-01 ~ 2021-04-04)

标题 | 造论三因（一）：善知五明及具教授

《广论》段落 | P7-L4 ~ P7-L5 如是造论……未断修持彼义扼要教授

音档 | 5A 01:32 ~ 03:59

手抄页/行 | 第1册 P132-L3 ~ P133-L8　( 2016 南普陀版：P132-L2 ~ P133-L7 )

手抄段落 | 如是造论……他也的的确确能够造论了。

(更新日期: 2022年3月28日)

00:00

大家好！我们今天要继续学习《菩提道次第广论》师父的手抄稿，就是“如是造论，光显能仁所有密意，复有三种圆满胜因”，从这儿开始，请大家认真地听师父的讲解。00:21

如是造论，光显能仁所有密意，复有三种圆满胜因，

造论能够把释迦世尊真正的密意和盘托出的，要有三种圆满因。他具足了这个条件，才能够把释迦世尊的这个经论当中的真实的意趣，交代得清清楚楚的，需要这个条件。哪三种？00:57

师父解释了三行。那我想问一下大家：造论的目的是什么呢？就是能够把释迦佛真正的密意和盘托出。为什么要把释迦佛真正的密意和盘托出呢？祖师为什么要写这样的论？阿底峡尊者为什么要这样呢？因为释迦佛的密意，就是令所有的有情都从痛苦的轮回中解脱出来，乃至究竟成佛，就是拔苦与乐。所以如果我们了解了这样的密意之后，沿着这样的密意修行，那么就是实现了佛陀的愿望我们都离苦得乐了。所以是非常慈悲的一个愿望——希望众生离苦得乐。 01:53

这里边师父还特别强调说：“要有三种圆满的因，具足了这个条件，才能够把释迦世尊经论当中的真实的意趣，交代得清清楚楚的”。所以能够把能仁所有的密意光显出来的，还要具足三个条件，那么是哪三个条件呢？ 02:19

谓善所知五种明处

这第一个。什么叫善知五种明处啊？就是五明，五明是世、出世间一切学问；因明、声明、工巧明、医方明，这世间的。声明，换一句话说，就是文字、音韵等等学问，拿我们现在来说的话，换句话说，什么，这个国文、历史这一类。然后因明的话，就是理则学、哲学方面的东西；然后呢工巧明的话，就是技术方面的东西，科技方面的东西；医方明就是医学。这个每样东西学通，喔唷，这不简单喔！现在我们不是，学一样东西已经是，钻到里边已经了不起了，广学这个，不简单！够不够？不够，还要内明——佛法。说对这个五样东西，每一样东西要善巧，不但懂得，而且要非常圆满地懂得，具足这个，可以了！这是第一种圆满因。 03:31

我们看看，说：“善所知五种明处”，在这一段里边师父讲了，单举一个例子，比如说医方明，单学一个医学的话，有人就要倾尽毕生的精力、追随很多的老师，但是也未必能够学得精通。但是这五明大师要善知五种明处，尤其是还要有内明——佛法。师父说现在的人学一样就可以了，像对这种具足能够造论条件的善知识，他要广学因明、声明、工巧明、医方明，这任何一个明处，都要花下很多的体力、时间，然后要跟随着各自善巧的善知识来学。所以是非常勤奋好学的人，才能够学到五明啊！内明有可能要倾尽毕生的心血，乃至生生世世，才能够达到一定的成就。所以是非常不容易的一件事情！就是看起来他是多么地博学和聪慧，这是造论的第一种圆满的因。04:46

那么还有“具教授”，大家再接着往下听。04:53

第二呢？

及具教授，

什么叫教授？喏，这里解释了：

谓从正遍知展转传来，于其中间善士未断修持彼义扼要教授，

他说这个圆满佛法的重要的概念，从佛亲自传下来的，而且中间没有断过；不但是这个教法，而且还要修、证相应的，这点就不容易喔，这点就很不容易喔！要佛亲口传下来的圆满的教法，以及跟这个教法相应修持验证的，要具足这个，他也的的确确能够造论了。05:39

在最初我们一起学《广论》的时候，看到这一条“具教授”，可能都睁大了眼睛看，然后侧耳倾听：具教授是什么呢？原来是“从正遍知展转传来，于其中间善士未断修持彼义扼要教授”。从正遍知展转传来，就是这个圆满——师父在佛法前面加了“圆满”的佛法，是从佛亲自传下来的。大家可以想一想，它的时间的悠远，从佛传下来的；然后从佛那个时候传到我们现在，是“于其中间善士未断”，就是完全没有间断过的，应该就是祖师传祖师、祖师传祖师这样，传了好几千年传到现在的。而且它不仅仅是教正法，还要有证正法的传承。要具足这样的教授，然后才能造论。大家都知道这是一个多么珍贵难得的因缘，能够具教授，如果能够值遇具教授的善知识，那真是太幸运了！ 07:02