地點：印度 菩提迦耶 德噶寺 Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya
時間：2009年12月6日 December 6, 2009
報導：Lhundup Damcho
攝影：Tashi Paljor

作為今天本屆冬季辯經法會的第二堂課的開始，法王噶瑪巴親自領眾唱誦梵文皈依文與其它祈願文。法王指出梵文與西藏的大乘法教之間有著緊密的關聯，而他本人即學習過一些梵文。接下來法王轉入第七世大寶法王噶瑪巴所著「三戒律略述」(Brief Notes on Difficult Points of the Three Vows)的教本。此教本以皈依佛、法、僧三寶為開章，因此法王今日的課程教授主題即是皈依。法王一如在此課程中漸趨成形的開示風格，將感人至深的建議融入到此皈依的教授當中。
The second session of the winter debate teachings opened today with His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa himself leading the chanting in Sanskrit of refuge and other prayers. His Holiness noted the intimate connections between the Sanskrit language and the Mahayana teachings preserved in Tibet, commenting that he himself had undertaken some study of Sanskrit. His Holiness then turned to the text, Brief Notes on Difficult Points of the Three Vows by the Seventh Karmapa Chödrak Gyatso. This text opens with an homage to the three jewels—Buddha, Dharma and Sangha—and His Holiness devoted the day’s session to the topic of refuge. In a style that is becoming the hallmark of his winter debate teachings, His Holiness’ wove deeply moving personal advice into a scholarly presentation of refuge.

法王首先強調瞭解所皈依之對象的重要性，並且詳述了聲聞乘、大乘、與金剛乘各自對三寶的界定。法王接著討論到恐懼與信心是令人皈依三寶的因。法王說道，促使我們尋求皈依的那種恐懼，基本上，是對痛苦的恐懼；但是，每個人對痛苦的理解各異，能令人生畏的痛苦也多樣。而各式的痛苦則能導致不同根器的各乘行人皈依三寶，對此法王善巧地給予了詳述。例如，在「菩提道次第廣論」（lam rim）中將修行者分為上、中、下三種根器；其中，最劣的下根器行人，是出於對來生的痛苦，尤其是對墮入三惡道（畜生道，餓鬼道及地獄道）的恐懼，而尋求皈依的。法王說，為了生起對三寶的真誠皈依之心，我們至少也需要為墮入惡道所面臨的痛苦而感到擔憂。
Emphasizing the importance of understanding what our sources of refuge are, His Holiness provided concise explanations of the various ways that each of the three jewels is identified in the Listener-Disciples’ Vehicle, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana. Moving on to the topic of fear and faith as causes that lead us to generate refuge in the three jewels, His Holiness commented that while the fear that motivates us to seek refuge is basically fear of suffering, nevertheless there are different understandings of suffering, and different forms of suffering that might be feared. He then deftly mapped out the sorts of fear that induce practitioners in different vehicles and of different capacities to take refuge in the three jewels. For example, lam rim teachings following divide practitioners into three types, according to capacity, the lowest of which is moved to seek refuge out of fear of suffering in future lives, and especially the fear of falling into the three lower realms, of animal, preta and hell beings. At the very least, His Holiness said, to generate sincere refuge in the three jewels, we should have a concern for the sufferings that await us in the lower realms.

法王指出，但如今有許多人，雖選擇了佛法之道，但仍對前世和來生的存在甚感懷疑。若是不相信有來世，也就自然很難生起對墮入三惡道的真正擔憂。而事實上，許多人也不太相信三惡道的存在。若只是畏懼今生的痛苦，而不畏懼來世的痛苦的話，我們所有的行為將不可避免的只為今生著想，而對佛法的修持也很可能受世間八法所驅使，若是如此，我們的修持是否夠格稱為是佛法的修持都值得懷疑。因為，正如法王所指出的，皈依的八種利益中的首要利益是，皈依之後，即入佛家成為佛弟子。但是這裡就引發了一個問題，如果一個人不具足最基本的下根行人的皈依之因——對來世的擔憂，那他是否夠格被稱為一個佛弟子呢？
Yet nowadays, His Holiness pointed out, there are many who have adopted the Buddhist path but still harbor serious doubts about the existence of past and future lives. With no conviction in future lives, naturally there is no genuine concern about falling into the lower realms. Indeed there are many who lack conviction in the very existence of these lower realms. If our fear of suffering does not extend to future lives, but is merely limited to the sufferings of this life, all our actions are inevitably bound up with the concern for this life. Our practice of the Dharma itself is likely to be motivated by the eight worldly concerns, and if that is the case, it becomes doubtful whether our practice actually qualifies as a Dharma practice. As His Holiness indicated, the first of the eight benefits of taking refuge is that this makes one a Buddhist. This raises the question whether those who lack the minimal concern for future lives that serves as a cause for refuge for the lowest capacity practitioners can actually be considered Buddhists.

因此，修持皈依的最低要求是，我們不能只關心今生，而是必須奠基於對來世痛苦的擔憂。我們每一個人都必須捫心自問：是否對來世的存在有基本的確信？是否對惡道的痛苦心懷畏懼？等等這些能夠真誠皈依三寶的因。在說到這段話時，法王的目光來回地注視著外國弟子的座位區，而許多的這些弟子經常會將法王如此的開示，視為是直接針對他們個人的建議。
Thus at an absolute minimum, our practice of refuge must look beyond this life and be based in a concern for the suffering of future lives. It is up to each of us to sincerely search within ourselves to see whether we have the minimal conviction in future lives and fear of sufferings in the lower realms to produce sincere refuge in the three jewels. As he made these comments, His Holiness’ gaze frequently scanned the section where his foreign disciples were seated, and many among them took these words as personal advice addressed directly to them.

法王補充說，雖然許多自認為是佛教徒的人尚未達到下根行者的層次，但佛法本身卻能隨值遇佛法的眾生根器而予以教化，依眾生希翼進步的意願而應機攝受扶持。
Nevertheless, His Holiness added, even if not all who consider themselves Buddhists are yet at the level of this lowest scope of being, the Dharma itself is able to address people at whatever level they are when they encounter it, and offers a path to support us all in our wish to progress from there.

法王進一步討論了領受皈依的方法，強調皈依並非是接受一個外來的東西，像是我們去拜見上師，然後他給我們一個「皈依」那樣；而應該是我們自己做的一個追求自身的解脫與成就遍知的決定。
His Holiness further discussed the way to take refuge, underscoring that refuge is not something we simply receive from the outside, as if we could go to a lama and he could hand us refuge. Rather, we need to make the determination within ourselves to strive for our own liberation and omniscience.

法王接著以一個容器的形象，來比喻領受法教的方法。一個堪受法教的行者，就好比是一只無漏、無垢、不受倒置的容器。這是一個許多修行者都很熟悉的比喻，但是法王信手拈來，將它講得鮮活意新——這是法王開示風格的又一獨特之處。此時，法王給在場的聽眾安置了一項功課：檢視自心是否是堪受清淨法教的法器。法王指出，我們必須積極努力地淨除自心的障垢、調伏自心，並確保自心如正置的法器，得以接受和保存所領受的法教。
Describing the way to receive Dharma teachings, His Holiness took up the image of a vessel free of the three faults—of having holes in it, being dirty or being placed upside down. He managed to take this analogy, well known to many Dharma practitioners, and make it come suddenly alive and replete with new meaning—another characteristic feature of his teaching style. His Holiness assigned the audience the task of examining for themselves whether their minds were worthy recipients for the pure Dharma. We ourselves must take steps to ensure that our minds are suitable vessels to hold the Dharma, he said. We must actively work to remove any stains in our minds, and see to it that our minds are sound, and held upright to receive and retain the Dharma offered.

法王談到，如果抱著隨便的態度聽聞具德上師的開示，仿佛參加稀鬆平常的日常活動一樣，這即是我們不夠重視佛法的一個表現。而如果僅僅坐在那裏，滿不在乎的伸出自己的盤子，來者不拒地通通收下，也是不夠的。聽聞佛法時，我們應滿懷饑渴，熱切的舉起自心的空缽，來領受清淨法教的甘露。
Going to attend the teachings of a high lama casually, as if we were going to an ordinary, everyday event, is a sign we are not properly valuing the Dharma. Nor is it adequate to simply sit, nonchalantly extending our plate for whatever might be dished onto it, His Holiness said. Instead, we should go to teachings with a deep hunger, and eagerly hold up the empty bowl of our minds to receive the nectar of the pure Dharma.

法王接著將主題切換到佛法哲學見地的學習。法王告誡說，對我們各人追隨的教派，不要養成教派分別或固執己見的態度。為使佛法真正成為有情眾生的利益和安樂之源，各教派間的內在和諧是必不可少的。法王說到，他本人既然被授予噶瑪巴的名號，便擔負著存續某一特定傳承的特定責任。但法王也認為，學習其他教派的見地並加以比較，是十分重要的。總的來說，法王敦促在座的眾人，除了對自身教派的學習之外，也應至少學習另一個教派的見地，以獲得兩個教派之間見地的對比瞭解。
Turning to the topic of the study of philosophical views, His Holiness cautioned against allowing a partisan or bigoted attitude to develop for the particular school we each follow. For the Dharma to truly serve as a source of benefit and happiness for sentient beings, it is essential that we maintain a sense of the inner harmony among the different Buddhist schools. His Holiness commented that since he himself had been given the name of Karmapa he had a particular responsibility for sustaining one particular lineage. Yet he stated that he thinks it important to study the views of other schools and compare them. In general, His Holiness urged those present to study the views of their own and at least one other school, to have a comparative understanding of two schools.

法王指出，總的來說，我們所有聞、思、修等活動，應是為了他人的利益和安樂，而非為了使自己成為學者，或贏得博學的美譽。我們積累的知識，不應成為美化自己的飾物，或是為了顯示自己比他人多聞而獲得讚美。正如當我們得到一塊寶石時，我們的心願應為：將寶石供養給他人，來莊嚴美化他們；因此，我們學習的目的，應是和他人分享我們的收獲。
In general, His Holiness commented, our aim in engaging in activities of study, contemplation and meditation should be for the benefit and happiness of others, not to become scholars ourselves or to gain a reputation as learned. The knowledge we develop should not be a sort of ornament that beautifies us and earns us the admiration of others, while others remain with comparatively less. When we gain a jewel, our wish should be to offer that jewel to others, so that it may beautify them. Thus the purpose of our study should be to share what we have gained with others.

法王直指人心的說到，他近來的想法是：在其本質上，皈依需要我們的睜眼明察。需要我們看清現實，並在環顧四周時，能直接看到他人的苦與樂。需要睜開我們的肉眼與慧眼，清晰地去看到痛苦是如何產生的。有了信心，自信和睜大的雙眼，當我們看到痛苦而發願採取行動改善情況時，我們方能全心地皈依。如果我們只是閉著眼睛、重複念誦著制式的皈依文，那麼，不過是從一個無明走向另一個無明，從一處黑暗走向另一處黑暗罷了。
Speaking directly to the hearts of those present, His Holiness said that his thinking of late is that in essence refuge entails opening our eyes. We need to open our eyes to reality, and to look around us and see the suffering and the happiness of others directly. Opening our eyes of wisdom as well as our physical eyes, we need to see clearly how that suffering arises. With faith and confidence and eyes wide open, once we see that suffering and are moved to do something about it, then we can fully go for refuge. If we are simply closing our eyes and repeating the words of the refuge formula, we may just be going from one ignorance to another, from one form of darkness to another.