一切皆為通向實現願景之路:大眾禪修 之 《佛子行三十七頌》開示 第十一期

在祝願諸位羅薩扎西德勒,藏曆木蛇年(準確來說是女性木蛇年)新年快樂之後,我們如往常一樣以開場祈請以及止禪練習開始了我們的修習。隨後,阿闍黎拉帕策林對無著賢菩薩所著《佛子行三十七頌》第十三和第十四頌發表了他的見解。當他人做出或說出不利於你的言行時,你該如何應對?

正式禪修:進入殊勝寂靜狀態

在進行止禪修習時,我們應當著重注意我們的身、語、意。身體端坐但保持放鬆狀態,我們向內觀且單純地覺察我們的思維,不加評判或分別。

論及語言的「姿態」,我們可以把正式禪修理解為進入殊勝寂靜狀態。在這一刻,我們遠離日常事務,不使用任何語言。

在這樣的身體姿態和殊勝寂靜環境下安坐,我們與覺醒之心——菩提心相應:尋求真正的自由、安樂、幸福以及利益一切眾生之佛果。

銘記我們的宏大願景

在開始討論法本時,阿闍黎拉帕策林提到無著賢菩薩所著的《佛子行三十七頌》濃縮了大乘修行的要義。簡而言之,我們踏上菩薩的無畏修行之路,發願獲得證悟,以解脫一切有情眾生於輪迴迷惑之中。

帶著這個宏大的願景或夢想,我們一路追尋,直到實現為止。這對我們的修行意味著什麼?我們可以通過什麼方式,將我們的經歷視為一條修行之路?第十三和第十四偈分別指向我們生活的某一方面,並告訴我們如何將其作為我們旅程的一部分。第十三偈的內容如下:

吾雖無有少罪過,何人若斷吾之頭;
然以悲心於諸罪, 自身代受佛子行。

佛子行三十七頌導引英譯 克里斯托弗·史塔格 《佛子行三十七頌》中譯 索達吉堪布)

化苦難為前行之路

毫無疑問,我們每天所生活和經歷的世界充滿了各種困難和傷害我們的人。阿闍黎拉帕策林開玩笑說,如果我們中的任何一個人能找到一個沒有這些困境的平靜地方來修行佛法,請務必給他發封郵件或告訴他!

雖然法本中所講的是一種特定的巨大痛苦——我們自身的死亡——但它其實是在講我們如何利用困苦和痛苦,使其成為獲得證悟的因緣。它並不是在說有人真正在砍掉我們的頭,而是強調我們應該如何回應對我們造成的任何傷害,無論大小。無著賢菩薩寫道,菩薩的修行之路就是通過慈悲的力量,回報他們對我們所施加的負面行為。

我們該如何(以及為何這樣)做呢?阿闍黎拉帕策林解釋道,施加任何傷害於我們的人,只是被貪、嗔、癡等內心煩惱情緒所控制或壓倒。此外,因為我們生活在一個從無始以來就相互依存的世界中,那麼他/她/他們在某些時候肯定也曾對我們有所幫助。然而,最重要的是,我們已承諾為所有眾生的利益而尋求證悟。這一發願包括任何可能傷害我們的人。我們不以同樣的方式回報傷害,而是生起慈悲,產生菩提心。

日積跬步

阿闍黎拉帕策林進一步評論道,我們可能無法立即以慈悲回應痛苦,並生起覺悟心。然而,我們至少可以從反思自己的行為開始,學習如何在修行的道路上與痛苦共處。如果我們做不到這一點,繼續由於煩惱情緒而墮入不善的行為,我們將永遠無法找到一個與修行佛法和實現願景相和諧的地方。

了解不善行為源於內心煩惱情緒,而傷害我們的人因而積累了負面業力後,我們可以修習自他交換法(給與與接受)。這意味著我們承接他/她/他們的負面業力,並將我們自己所積累的善業回贈給對方。這是我們可以在日常生活中逐步修習的法門。例如,阿闍黎說,當有人在超市插隊時,我們可以不作負面反應,選擇放下。

將不愉快的話語融入修行之路

第十四頌體現了相同的思維方式:

何人百般誹謗吾,雖已傳遍三千界;
吾猶深懷仁慈心,讚嘆他德佛子行。

(《佛子行三十七頌導引》英譯 克里斯托弗·史塔格 《佛子行三十七頌》中譯 索達吉堪布)

我們的常駐老師分享說,他認為這一偈經文在我們二十一世紀尤為有幫助,特別是在考慮到如今新聞傳播的速度時。無論有人說了關於我們、我們親近的人、我們的國家,還是任何我們認為不愉快的事情,我們都不應該以負面的方式回應,也不應執著於這些事情。基本上,這段偈頌教導我們將任何讓我們感到不愉快的事物都融入修行之路。

堪布竹清嘉措仁波切要訣教言

通常,我們都喜歡聽悅耳的言辭或讚美,而當別人說些不愉快的話或指責我們時,我們很容易感到不安。阿闍黎拉帕策林分享道,他曾有幸從堪布竹清嘉措仁波切——即他恩師竹慶本樂仁波切的導師——那裡得到一條與此相關的要訣教言。「堪布仁波切曾賜予我這條要訣教言,它至今仍然清晰地存在於我的心中,並且對我極其有益。我希望它也能同樣深遠地利益到你們所有人。」

簡而言之,堪布仁波切教導我們,不要執著於別人對我們的讚美,也不要糾結於他們的負面評價。這些只是他們意識的投射。讚美或指責皆源自他人的分別念,而分別念又受內心煩惱情緒所驅使。因此,當有人稱讚或指責我們時,那只是他們自身心識構造和煩惱情緒的顯現罷了。

此外,我們從自身的經驗中也知道,這些言辭並不可靠,也毫不穩定。一個人可能在早上對你心生好感而稱讚你,而到了同天晚上又因負面念頭而指責你。因此,執著於任何一種(言論)都毫無意義。

當你上了「熱搜」

無著賢菩薩在這節偈頌中寫道,我們應該修習慈悲,「即使有人在三千大千世界中宣揚關於我的負面言辭(阿闍黎特別強調)。」[Acharya’s emphasis].阿闍黎拉帕策林評論道,這肯定是非常令人不悅的事情。他將其比作有人對你說出負面言論,並迅速傳播開來,言辭傳遍了世界的每個角落。

與其因我慢而做出負面反應,使之成為實現我們為眾生利益而獲得證悟之夢想的障礙,不如以正面和善意的言辭回應對方。這將幫助我們破除我慢,從而使我們離目標更近。「我慢是通向圓滿菩提的障礙之一。如果有我慢,就沒有菩提。因此,為了實現我們的目標,我們應該擺脫一切我慢。」

無著賢菩薩在這裡所傳的要訣教言,以及堪布仁波切的話語,都在於讓我們放下對愉悅事物的執著與對不愉快事物的排斥。阿闍黎拉帕策林總結道:

「如果我們的夢想是達到無上的智慧,如果這是我們真正尋求實現的目標,那麼我們需要放下所有執著,不被任何負面情緒所影響。通過清除這些障礙,我們將能實現無上的智慧。」

最後,阿闍黎拉帕策林強調,不要迷失在經文中所提到的極端暴力或不愉快的事物。

「請盡力理解這裡傳達的訊息或教導,並思考如何將其應用於我們的修行道路上。我們不需要完全應用所有的教誨,而是可以從中提取出一條在日常生活中有用的立場或言辭。如果這能給你帶來啟示,我認為那就足夠了。」

隨著以上結語,我們迴向功德,且阿闍黎祝願我們度過美好的一天、下午,或是晚上,並邀請大家下週日同一時間繼續我們的學習。

The Parinirvāṇa of Khenchen Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

Karmapa Center 16 offers its heartfelt condolences to all the nunneries, students, and all who are mourning the passing into parinirvāṇa of Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche on June 22, 2024. 

I remember the great kindness of Khenpo Rinpoche for teaching us the buddhadharma in general, and in particular, instructing us in the Kagyü tradition. Practicing in accordance with Rinpoche’s wishes and instructions, I offer my prayers and devotion – may all of them be accomplished. 

On behalf of Karmapa Center 16,

Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche 

28th Story Update: Taking Refuge with the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa

Karmapa Center 16 is grateful to have longtime Buddhist practioner Lynne Conrad Marvet now serving on its Board of Directors as secretary.



An artist, performer, teacher and professional fundraiser, Lynne grew up in Chattanooga, TN, and began meditating when she was 16 years old. But it wasn’t until she met His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, four years later, that she connected with Tibetan Buddhism and the Karma Kagyu lineage of His Holiness. In 1980, while living in New York City, Lynne’s friend suggested they attend the Black Crown ceremony held in the city during His Holiness’ third, and what would be his final, tour of the United States. So, they went, and the connection for Lynne was made.  

“The strongest connection to my heart was the description given for the Refuge Ceremony,” Lynne said. “At the time, I was not well versed in what taking ‘refuge’ meant. But the way His Holiness described it, I remember having a very strong feeling of ‘Yes, Yes’ this is what I want to do. I still get chills. (It was a) powerful experience: It was the principle of compassion, the power of his speech, his presence, and the message that this is a path to help transcend confusion and help all sentient beings. Because of meeting His Holiness, I felt very connected to the Karma Kagyu lineage.”  

Shortly after the ceremony, Lynne met her first Tibetan teacher, Khyabje Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche who served, from 1978 until his death in 2019, as abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock, New York, the first Karma Kagyu monastery established in the United States and the North American Seat of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa. Her current and longtime teacher is Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, acknowledged as a heart son of the 16th Karmapa.  

Lynne shared with us a special description of the life of the 16th Karmapa spontaneously spoken by Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, guru of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, during an interview in Seattle in 1999. She had supplicated Khenpo Rinpoche for his words about His Holiness, which were then translated from Tibetan into English by Ari Goldfield.

THE WONDERFUL, MIRACULOUS LIFE STORY OF HIS HOLINESS THE 16TH GYALWANG KARMAPA
By Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

In the glorious valley of Gurum, there is a monastery called Tsurphu. It is the palace of glorious Chakrasamvara. The all-pervasive lord is Rangjung Rigpe Dorje himself. Simply meeting him causes faith to expand. Simply listening to his speech vanquishes the darkness of doubt. Receiving pith instructions from him causes dualistic appearances to be self-liberated. This is his wonderful, miraculous life story. He brings outer, inner and other together in Mahamudra and causes all of existence to shine as the infinite expanse of purity. His practice of the rituals of the four classes of tantra is uninterrupted. This, too, is his wonderful, miraculous life story…

Listen to Lynne read the rest of the story:


When asked about the stupa for Karmapa Center 16, Lynne said in many ways, it is incredible that the stupa doesn’t already exist.

“His Holiness had such a huge impact on people,” she said. “And, because he passed away (in Zion, IL), that place is blessed. To continue to share that with many generations to come, it is important to have a physical representation of his sacred body, which is what the stupa is: his enlightened body, speech, and mind. To have a stupa there will be a great blessing to not just those in close proximity but to the entire United States.”

“Recently, I’ve been thinking about the importance of blessings and what that does for one’s practice. I can’t say enough of adhisthāna or blessings that can be received as a result of the physical presence of the teacher or the representations of enlightened beings… It is something very real even though it is intangible. The Karmapa Center 16 is already that place, but it will increase, I have no doubt. It is important for us to invest in this dream.”


If you’d like to share your memories or photos of His Holiness with us, please send them to: media@karmapacenter16.org.

As always, we offer our heartfelt thanks for your continued interest and support of KC16. May the Center be of great benefit to all beings!