His Holiness Ratna Vajra Rinpoche at The 26th Monlam @Bodhgaya delivered

a teaching on Parting from 4 Attachments on 3 Jan 2018

~~ [translated by Venerable Tenzin Choephak]
[Sakya Paṇḍita’s unerring instruction on the ‘Parting from the Four Attach-
ments’, the enlightened intent of the glorious Sachen Kunga Nyingpo.]
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Today we are gathered here under the Bodhi tree where Lord Buddha attained
enlightenment.. The topic of my discourse for today is ‘Parting from the Four
Attachments.’

今天我們齊聚於菩提樹下，這是佛陀的證悟之處。今天我的教授主題是
《遠離四種執著》。

The source of all positive qualities is the dharma. So, we must know the impor-
tance of dharma. The Great Dorjechang Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo said that
dharma alleviates sufferings and delivers goodness.

所有良善的特質源於佛法，所以我們必須了解佛法的重要性。偉大的金剛
持哦千貢噶桑波曾經說過，佛法減輕苦難，傳播善行。

Parting from 4 Attachments was direct teaching from Lord Manjushri to Sachen
Kunga Nyingpo. The commentary that we are referring today was written by
Sakya Pandita. The four lines of the root text is basic and yet profound. Our ac-
tivities of the 3 doors: body, speech and mind should be guided by these 4 Part-
ings.
《遠離四種執著》是文殊師利菩薩給予薩千貢噶寧波的直接教授。今天所
談的論著，作者是薩迦班智達。本論的四句根本偈頌雖然很簡單，涵義卻
相當深刻。我們的身、語、意三門，都應遵循此遠離四執的教導。

First Motivation - we must listen to the teaching with the right intention, no ill
intention will yield good karma. Best motivation is to gain ultimate Enlighten-
ment for the sake of all sentient beings. The cause that would lead to such a mo-
tivation is through generating renunciation of the Samsaric world. Rare is the
Buddha’s teaching, and even more rare is us possessing the pre-requisites, so
we must make use of it. Apply in daily life and make it meaningful. Even if you
have dharma and you contemplate but if you do not practise, there is no use.
Parting from 4 attachments is the essence of Mahayana teaching:

首先談動機。我們應當以正確的動機聽聞教法。不好的動機無法產生好的
業果。最好的動機是為了利益一切有情而獲得證悟。生起這種動機的原因，
來自於對輪迴世間的出離心。佛陀的教授很稀有，我們所持有的暇滿人身
更稀有，因此我們要善用其身，在日常生活中加以運用，令此生過得有意
義。就算你有了佛法，也對佛法加以思惟，如果不去真正地實修，則一點
用處也沒有。《遠離四種執著》是大乘教法的精華。

1. It is futile to be attached to this life, since it is like a bubble on water, and the
time of our death is uncertain. This life is fleeting and transient. We cannot be
certain if our next moment or the next life is earlier, therefore we need to under-
stand impermanence, preciousness of this life through few view points: number
point of view; probability point of view and causal point of view.

1.執著此生毫無益處，它就像水上的泡沫，而且我們的死期不定，這一世
短暫即逝。我們無法確定下一剎那或下一世何者先至，因此我們需要從幾
個角度：數量、機率、因緣等的觀點。來了解無常及此生的可貴。

Discipline of morality should be stainless, pure, without lapses and without any
fault. It must be completely clear, devoid of any fault (like in Samathabhadra
verse “May I follow all the victorious Buddhas and completely perfect all noble
deeds. Pure in the immaculate deeds of morality, may my conduct always be
flawless and without lapses.”). Understanding our present life as similar to pa-
per cups, which are to be used and thrown away, our practice (eg prostration,
sadhana etc), must not be dedicated for the benefit of something very transient
and fleeting. Therefore we should practise without attached to this life.

戒律的持守應該沒有垢染、清淨、沒有過失，沒有任何的過患。持戒應該
全然地清淨、遠離一切的過患，（如同《普賢行願品》云：願我追隨勝者
諸佛，圓滿諸善行，清淨無暇戒律願持守，願我的行為永無過瑕疵與過患。
要了解，這一世彷彿是個紙杯，用過即丟，我們的修持（例如頂禮、修持
儀軌等等），也不應當只為了稍縱即逝的利益而迴向。因此，我們應當練
習不要執著此生。

2. If you are attached to Samsara, then you do not have renunciation. These
three realms of saṃsāra are like a poisonous fruit, delicious at first, but ulti-
mately harmful. Anyone who is attached to them must be deluded.

There is wrong perception that outer material facilities can bring happiness,
however it is only mental qualities that can provide genuine and lasting peace
and happiness. High lamas and great beings, their peace and happiness in not
from outer conditions. Through realizing the nature of Samsara as suffering
(that outer materials cannot bring happiness) we can have conviction to gener-
ate renunciation.
As supplementary to this verse also covers Law of Karma. Buddhist teachings
are fundamentally based on this law, and it applies to everyone equally, includ-
ing me. Although I have all the privileges in life, if I do not abide by this law I
will have to undergo same unfavourable consequences.

2.如果你執著輪迴，你就沒有出離心。輪迴三界就像有毒的水果，一開始
嚐起來很美味，最終帶來苦果，任何執著輪迴的人，都會受到毒害。

認為外在的物質條件能帶來快樂，是一種錯誤的投射，唯有心靈的品德能
帶來真正而持久的寧靜與安樂。對偉大的上師與聖者來說，他們的寧靜與
安樂不是來自外在的條件。透過瞭解輪迴的本質是痛苦（外在的物質條件
不能帶來快樂），我們能夠產生確信，生起出離心。

這一偈頌的弦外之音是涵蓋了業果法則。佛法的教授在根本上，奠基於這
個法則，它對每個人一適同仁，也包括了我。雖然在生活中我擁有種種的
特權，但如果我不遵守這個法則，我也同樣必須歷經不好的後果。

3. If you have self-interest, then you do not have Bodhicitta. This also covers
loving kindness and compassion. Attachment to your own self-interest is like
nurturing the child of an enemy. It may bring joy at first, but in the end only
leads to ruin. Just so, attachment to your own welfare brings happiness in the
short term, but eventually leads you to the lower realms.

As in Samathabhadra prayer “may all beings of the ten directions be happy and
free of sickness. May their aspirations be in harmony with the Dharma, and may
they fulfil their hopes.” we must have loving kindness to all sentient beings. We
pray that all beings be free of sufferings and the causes. This is primary essence
of Bodhicitta mind. The scope of all sentient being for Bodhicitta must not be
restricted to one group of people or any particular being. It must be all encom-
passing without holding any socially constructed biased attitude towards one
group or the other. It includes beings of animal realm etc, all to be included.
Our practice will be more fruitful, when we extend loving kindness to all beings
with compassion, and prayers must be for all sentient beings.
Just as the Samathabhadra prayer says “the limit of living beings is as limit of
open space. May the limit of my aspirations be equal to the limit of their activi-
ties and defilement,” we will practise the 6 paramitas with the right view, right
intention for all sentient beings and dedicating through bodhicitta.

如果你有一己之私，你就沒有菩提心。這個偈頌涵蓋了慈愛與悲心。執著
自己的利益就像替孩子養育了一位敵人，一開始可能會帶來些許喜樂，但
最終只會導向毀滅。就像如此，執著你自己個人的福利，帶來的快樂是很
短暫的，最終會引領你墮入下三道。

如同《普賢祈願文》中所說：「願十方一切眾生安樂，遠離疾病。願他們
的祈願符合佛法，願他們圓滿他們的祈願。」我們必須對所有的眾生慈愛。
我們祈願所有的眾生都遠離痛苦及苦因，這是菩提心的首要精義。菩提心
指涉的所有眾生，範圍不該侷限於某個團體或任何特定的個體。它應該含
攝一切，不該對某個團體或其他人，帶有社會建構偏見的態度，這也包含
了畜生道的眾生等等，所有的眾生都包含其內。當我們以悲心將慈愛延伸
至所有的眾生，為了所有的眾生而祈願，我們的修持將會更有成效。

如《普賢行願品》所云：「眾生無盡如同虛空無盡，願我的祈願與他們的
行為與垢染一樣無盡。」我們要以正確的見地，正確的動機，為了一切友
情眾生來修持六度波羅蜜，以菩提願心做迴向。
4. Clinging to true existence in things and their characteristics is like perceiving
water in a mirage. For a moment it looks like water, but there is nothing there to
drink. This saṃsāric existence does appear to the deluded mind, yet when it is
examined with discriminating awareness, nothing, nothing at all, is found to
have any intrinsic existence. So, having come to an understanding where your
mind does not dwell in the past, the future, or the present, you should recognize
all phenomena as naturally free from any conceptual complexity.
If we have self grasping, we do not have right view. We have defilement and af-
flictive emotion. Without mental elaboration, ultimate reality can uproot any
mental clinging and proceed on path to Enlightenment.
We can get temporary and ultimate benefits if we put 4 Partings into practice.

4.執著事物及其性相真實存在，就如同看待海市蜃樓中的水。在某個時刻
中，它看起來像水，但是那裡沒有任何能喝的水。對於染污的心來說，這
個輪迴的顯現的確真實存在，但是用妙觀察智去檢驗時，找不到任何實存
的自性。因此，了解到你的心不住於過去、現在或未來，你應當視一切諸
法為從複雜的概念中自然解脫。
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Rejoice rejoice.
Special thanks to the Translator Venerable Tenzin Choepakla and his English
translation at Bodhgaya and his efforts in editing this transcript.
May the merits arising from this teaching be the cause of Enlightenment for all
sentient beings.
May His Holiness and all the supreme Lamas live long and healthy life and
continuously turning the wheel for all sentient beings.
May all your noble aspirations be fulfilled swiftly without any obstacles.