慈尊第十二世廣定大司徒巴關於八蚌寺的談話(12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa’s talking about Palpung)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3_SVFGGSWg

八蚌智慧林寺在大約三十年前建立。原始的八蚌聖教法輪寺是由第八世大司徒巴於十八世紀所建立的。

八蚌聖教法輪寺一直以來是噶瑪噶舉與香巴噶舉傳承的重要法座，同時也是金剛乘佛教八大傳承的重要法座，八蚌聖教法輪寺的重要性不僅僅只侷限於宗教上的意義，更涵蓋文學、歷史、藝術、占星學以及醫藥；不僅僅只侷限於藏文，也包含梵文。也因此，八蚌聖教法輪寺成為金剛乘佛教復興以及所有相關的文化遺產的重要法座。舉語言為例，有梵文翻譯成藏文、藏文翻譯成梵文、藏文翻譯成尼泊爾文、尼泊爾文翻譯成藏文、藏文翻譯成中文、中文翻譯成藏文。因為這樣，過去的三百年，八蚌聖教法輪寺一直是超越宗教與單一語言的一個重要法座，它是一個象徵復興的普世法座 (universal seat)。

現今，由於八蚌聖教法輪寺幾乎完全被毀壞而無法扮演其角色，因此建立一個代表相同精神的法座，成為我不可逃避的責任。因為當我十八個月大的時候，我被陞座為第十二世大司徒巴。不管我喜不喜歡，我的責任就是維護並延續這來自第八世大司徒巴、第九世大司徒巴、第十世大司徒巴、第十一世大司徒巴的偉大遺產。不僅於此，在第八世大司徒巴之前，大司徒巴的法座是在噶瑪貢，那是從第一世大司徒巴到第八世大司徒巴。甚至在第一世大司徒巴之前，在佐貢瑞千的年代，他是噶瑪貢非常重要的上師，在此之後，他的轉世成為噶瑪貢寺之首。在佐貢瑞千之前，偉大的西藏上師，如馬爾巴丘吉羅卓三次前往印度，在印度停留超過二十一年的時間，從偉大的印度成就者，如那洛巴與梅傑巴，領受並學習非常殊勝的法教傳承。包含喜金剛密續在內，馬爾巴帶回了十三個主要密續，及其所有的修持法門、灌頂、禪修指導、壇城及儀軌等等所有內容，他將這些從印度帶回西藏。這也就是馬巴噶舉傳承。在馬爾巴大譯師之前，還有由釋迦牟尼佛授記將自兜率天降生至人道而成為賢劫千佛第五佛的彌勒菩薩，被釋迦牟尼佛授記的彌勒菩薩現在是兜率天天王。

這些都是我必須維護的，我知道自己是誰。但在此同時，我對彌勒怙主有責任、還有蓮花生大士、馬爾巴大譯師、所有偉大上師，從佐貢瑞千以降，至第一世大司徒巴，從十五世紀的第一世大司徒巴到十八世紀的第八世大司徒巴；從第八世大司徒巴到第十一世大司徒巴迄今。這是我的責任。

當我二十二歲來到這裡時，由於我的能力有限，處境十分艱難。那時這裡沒有路、沒有電力、沒有水、沒有人煙。我們必須從零開始，從那時到現在，已經過了三十年，從實際動工到現在，大約二十九年。在印度政府與當地人民，和善熱誠地協助下，以及整個喜馬拉雅山區的流亡藏人和印度佛教團體慷慨、虔誠且忠實地支援下，這個佛法社群慢慢的發展了起來。還有，全世界來自歐洲、美洲、東南亞國家及大洋洲，如澳洲、紐西蘭等其他國家以及非洲的佛教徒與支持者、個人、團體，在他們的慷慨體貼的支持下，漸漸地，八蚌智慧林寺今天能夠有一些非常基本的設施。我們現在有男眾僧團與尼眾僧團共約六百人，在印度、東南亞、歐洲、美洲，如加拿大與美國有一些分支的佛法中心。這些佛法中心有些是直接為八蚌智慧林寺的分支機構，有更多則是與八蚌法幢有關者，而他們並非完全也不必須直屬八蚌智慧林寺管轄，但在歷史上有其關連。他們是由出自於八蚌寺的偉大上師們所建立，特別是在第八世大司徒巴、第九世大司徒巴、第十世大司徒巴、第十一世大司徒巴的時期。

因此，我非常榮幸承擔這個責任，非常榮幸能承事佛陀，服務眾生。在我看來，承事佛陀與服務眾生並無差別。我對眾生及他們所認知的一切的本質有信心。依循我的傳承，一切都是殊勝的。因此，當我看待其他的宗教，例如印度教、基督教、猶太教、回教等等，我不可能說他們不是來自同樣的源頭。我認為每個宗教都是因為人的需要、由人所建、為人而建。因為神是由人類所描述，人類發現了神，也是人類成佛。是人類接受了神的啟示；也是人類由佛陀處領受教法，因此，總是由人類當作是一個接收者，接收訊息之後再加以傳揚，以利一切有情眾生。是為了讓每一位人類過得更好，也是為了每一個有情。這利益是非常單純的，真正利益一切有情是解脫、快樂，離苦得樂。你和我不可能在整體宇宙中會發現任何一個生物喜歡痛苦，不喜歡快樂。找不到的。我們要的是沒有任何限制的究竟的快樂與究竟的解脫，也就是我們佛教徒所說的成佛。我想也可稱之為救世。

之所以建立寺院，像我們這一個，也是為了這個目的，不為其他的任何目的。我也很有興趣興建醫院、學校，提供教育給人們，使他們有更多的創新與創意的商業交易，如此一來，他們可以賺錢同時不破壞環境，這對每個人是有利的。我對這些都有興趣。但我的興趣是一回事，我的責任是另一回事。我的責任是興建寺院以保存殊勝的傳承。當然，當我的責任圓滿的時候，我一定會花精力在可以在相對上暫時協助眾生的事務上。例如，如果你興建醫院，你可以使人們在病痛時少受些苦，可以幫助他們延長十年或二十年的壽命；如果你興建醫院，這是你能達到的。當你興建學校，你可以提供人們教育，可以使人們抬頭挺胸、自立更生，不必靠人接濟。他們會變得獨立，自給自足，有自主能力；這就是教育所能提供的。使人成為一個好人、有用的人；講到經濟時，也是同樣的道理，因為人類是有需求需要被滿足。但是一個負責任的企業家，應該要想清楚，人類想要的是不是真正他們需要的。產品是真的對人類有利，還是有害。企業家創造服務滿足需求，應該有助並有利於人類，而非對人類有害，且不會耗用環境資源。整個人類將因此而受益，不僅僅是使用這服務的人、產品的提供者、而且要包含我們的後代。我們也必須為他們準備好一切，我們不能耗盡所有的資源，使得下一代什麼也沒有。這就是責任。

因此，我稱此為 “積極的和平”，因為我不相信 “消極的和平”。什麼事都不做就會天下太平，我不相信。因為如果你沒有任何作為，那麼別人就會做所有的事，那什麼事情都會發生。如果你什麼事都不做，那就完了。“積極的和平”是指我們盡自己一份力，以堅強、清明、有良心、負責任的態度與原則來守護資源，如此將真的能夠利益人類，同時個人也會有非常成功的人生。我之所以說這些是因為，我常常有衝動要去興建醫院、學校、孤兒所等等，有很強烈的念頭。但首先我必須完成我的責任。也就是延續偉大的大司徒巴的傳承。不管我喜不喜歡，當我十八個月大的時候，就已經陞座為第十二世大司徒巴。這就是我的人生。我必須將我的一生投注於傳承。

非常謝謝你們所有的人為支持我的工作所做的一切，我也由衷地為所有其他偉大上師的佛行事業的支持者祈願。我並不是說我是個偉大的人，但我代表一個偉大的人，我從事著一個偉大的人的工作。我努力維護並珍惜在偉大傳承中偉大上師的職責。在佛教與其他的宗教中，有許多偉大的人從事著偉大的事業。我真誠地代表所有獲得利益者感謝你們。我由衷感謝你們使偉人們的宏願成真，最後，但不是最不重要的，我也要感謝你們給我的幫助，非常感謝大家。


Palpung Sherabling Monastery and all of its various aspects are started almost thirty years back, because the original Palpung Thubten Choekhor Ling Monastery which was started at the eighteen century by the eighth Tai Situ. Since this monastery, Palpung Thubten Choekhor Ling, became a very important seat not only for Karma Kagyu but also for entire Marpa Kagyu as well as Sangpa Kagyu, And it is not only Kagyu but all of the eight major lineages of Vajrayana Buddhism. Not only the Vajrayana Buddhism in the religious sense but in the literature, history, art, and also astrology and medicine. And not only in Tibetan language but also in Sanskrit language. And this way, the Palpung Thubten Choekhor Ling became a very important seat for renaissance of Vajrayana Buddhism and all the culture and heritage which is related with it, such as language, translation from Sanskrit to Tibetan, from Tibetan to Sanskrit, from Tibetan to Nepalese, and Nepalese to Tibetan and also from Tibetan to Chinese and from Chinese to Tibetan. So for all of these, past almost three hundred years, the Palpung Thubten Choekhor Ling has been very important seat and it is actually beyond religion and beyond one language. It became universal seat for renaissance.

Now since this seat, the Palpung Thubten Choekhor Ling has been disabled and almost totally destroyed, then the need for constructing a seat which represent the same thing became inevitable responsibility of me, because when I was eighteen months old, I am enthroned as the twelfth Tai Situpa. So it is whether I like it or not, it is my duty to uphold and continue the great legacy which is contributed by eighth Tai Situ, ninth Tai Situ, tenth Tai Situ, eleventh Tai Situ. And not only that, before eighth Tai Situ, the seat of Tai Situpas are Karma Gon, and that is from the first Tai Situ to eighth Tai Situ. But even before the first Tai Situ, during the time of Drogon Rechen, then he became a very important master of the Karma Gon. And later his incarnation became the head of the Karma Gon Monastery. And before Drogon Rechen, then great Tibetan master such as Marpa Chokyi Lodro who went to India three times and who spent more than twenty one years in India learning very sacred teachings, transmissions from great Indian Mahasiddhas, such as Naropa and Matripa etc. And including Hevajra tantra, he brought thirteen main tantras and all of its practices, empowerments and all the various aspects of those tantras such as empowerments and meditation instruction, mandala, the sadhana all of that he brought from India to Tibet. And this became the Marpa Kagyu lineage. And now prior to Marpa Lotsawa, great Bodhisattva Maitreya was coronated by Buddha Shakyamuni, when he descend from Tusita Heaven to earth to be the fifth Buddha of this eon among the thousand Buddha. And since then in Tusita heaven, the Lord Maitreya who is enthroned by Buddha Shakyamuni is the Lord of Tusita.

And so all of these became something that I have to uphold. I am what I am, I know. But at the same time, it is my duty towards Lord Maitreya, my duty towards Guru Padmasambhava, my duty towards Marpa Lotsawa, my duty towards all great masters from Drogon Rechen to first Tai Situ, and from first Tai Situ that is in fifteen century until eighth Tai Situ, that is in eighteen century; from eighth Tai Situ to the eleventh Tai Situ up to today. So it became my responsibility.

With my capacity in all aspects, it has been very difficult, because when I came here I was twenty two years old. And that time there was no road, no electricity, no water and nobody is here. We have to start from absolute zero. And from there up to today, it is about thirty years. And actual construction work is actually about twenty nine years. And slowly, slowly then this Dharma community has developed due to the very kind and very helpful hospitality of the people of India and government of India and local people, here the local Indian people, and also with very generous and dedicated and devoted support from Tibetans in India as well as Indian Buddhist communities. All the Himalayas, as well as Buddhist followers and friends through out of the world, from Europe, European continent, from American continent, from Southeast Asian countries, and then also Oceania, such as Australia, New Zealand and other places, and also people from Africa. And all the generosity and kind support from all these individuals and also some organizations. Then slowly slowly the Palpung Sherabling is able to have some very basic facilities which we have today. What we have today is communities of monks and nuns about six hundred here and then also we have several branches in different parts of India and also several branches, Dharma centers in some of the Southeast Asia countries as well as some European countries as well as American countries partly Canada and United States. And these centers are directly affiliated with Palpung Sherabling Monastery and there are many other centers which are related with the Palpung Congregation which is not exactly and not necessarily under the administration of the Palpung Sherabling Monastery but historically connected, established by great masters who originated from the Palpung Monastery especially since the eighth Tai Situ and ninth Tai Situ, tenth Tai Situ and eleventh Tai Situ.

So I take this responsibility with great honor, great honor to serve the Buddha and also great honor to serve the humanity. I don't see there is any difference between serving Buddha and serving humanity.I believe in the essence of every living beings as well as everything that is perceived by them. For me, according to my lineage, everything is sacred. Therefore when I look at other religion, such as Hinduism, Christian, Judaism, Islam all of these religions, actually it is impossible for me to say they are not coming from the same sources. I describe every religion as of the humanity, by the humanity, for the humanity. Because it is human being who described the God. And he discovered the God. And it is the human being who became the Buddha. It is the human being who received the message from the God and also it is human being who received the teachings from the Buddha. And therefore, always it involves in human being as a recipient who receive it and then who heard it and then spread it for the benefit of all the living creatures by the human being. So it is for the betterment of every single human being as well as every single living creature. It is for the benefit of all of them. The benefit is very simple. The true benefit for all living being is to be free, to be happy, to be free from suffering. You and I can never find one single living creature in the entire existence who don't like to be happy and who like to suffer. You can never find. Therefore, it is the ultimate happiness and ultimate freedom which has no limitation that is what we as Buddhist call Buddhahood. And I think that can be described as also salvation.

And everything that is involved in building a monastic community, such as this one, it is for this purpose. Not for any other purposes. I also have great interest in building hospitals and schools and also providing people ideas so that they can have a better innovative, creative commerce. So that people would make money as well as they would not destroy the environment. And it would benefit everyone. I have interest in all of these. But my interest is one thing, and my duty is another thing. My duty is to build monastery to preserve the sacred lineage and that is my duty. And of course, when my duty is fulfilled then I definitely want to also put efforts in the other direction which is to assist humanity in a relative, temporary sort of manner. For example, if you build a hospital, you can make people have less pain when they are sick and you can help them to live another ten years longer or twenty years longer. When you built a hospital, that is what it is. And when you build a school, then you can provide people education. So the persons would be able to hold his or her head high and take care of themselves rather than become a dependent person. The person becomes independent, self-sufficient. Person can function by herself or himself. And that is what education provides. You make a good human being, able human being. And when it comes to economy, it is also the same thing. Because entire humanity is in need of something all the time. But as responsible entrepreneur, one should really think very clearly that what they want is really what they need. And is it realy good for them, is it realy good for them or is it harmful to them. So you create some kind of service for demand which would be helpful and beneficial for the humanity, not harmful to the humanity and which would not exploit the environment and resources. So that the entire humanity can benefit from it, not just one group of humanity, the one who uses it and one who provide it and others who are going to be there in the future when we are gone. And we have to have everything for them as well. We cannot use up everything and then next generation have nothing. That is thus responsible.

So this way, I describe this as active peace because I don't believe in passive peace. Do nothing and everything would be OK. I don't believe in that. Because if you do nothing, then others would do everything. So everything will happen. And you do nothing, that's all. So active peace means if we do necessary things, put effort and safeguard with very strong, clear, conscientious, responsible perception and principle then one can really benefit the humanity, at the same time oneself also would have very very successful life. But I am telling you this because many times I have this strong urge to do things such as build hospitals, build school, build orphanages and all these things. I have very strong urge but first I have to complete my responsibility. That is to continue the legacy of all the great Tai Situpas. Because I like it or not, when I was eighteen months old, I am enthroned as twelfth Tai Situ. And that is what my life is all about. And I have dedicated my entire life for this legacy. And thank you very much for all of you for doing every thing that you have done to support my work and I am also very very sincerely wishing to express all of you who have supported all of the great works of other great persons. I am not saying I am a great person; but I represent a great person. And I do the job of a great person. And I try to uphold and cherish the duty of great person and great lineage. But there are so many great people doing lots of wonderful things in Buddhism as well as in other religions. I really thank you all on behalf of everybody who gets the benefit. From my heart, I want to thank you all for making all of their great aspirations come to reality and then last but not least, I want to thank you all for helping me also. Thank you, thank you very much.