Mt. Kailash

Milarepa’s Song on Mt. Kailash
The renowned snowy white Tise Mountain (Mt. Kailash):
Those who haven’t seen it still hear of it from afar.
Some say, “It’s like a white crystal stupa.”
When one approaches and is able to see,
The head of the mountain is wrapped in snow. Continue reading »

As he was saying these words, Milarepa was full of joy.

1 – The Magic Life of Milarepa: Youth, Seeking the Dharma, Meeting his Guru Marpa, Hardships Serving His Guru, Ordeals, Seeking a new Teacher, Meeting Marpa Again, Initiations and Instructions

Mila Sherab Gyaltsen, Milarepa’s father, married Nyangtsa Kargyen,the noble family of Nyang, when he was 21. The couple lived happily and prosperously in the village of Kya Ngatsa. Continue reading »

Milarepa replied: " I do not know when I shall die”

2 – The Magic Life of Milarepa: Undertaking an arduous journey to India, Dream of Four Great Pillars, Farewell to his Guru Marpa, Meeting his aunt and uncle while asking for alms, Ascetic Diet of Nettles.

Undertaking an arduous journey to India

Marpa told him to meditate with perseverance. He provided him with ample supplies and directed me to meditate in a cave called Tiger Nak at the Southern Cliffs. Then Milarepa filled an altar lamp with butter, lit it, and placed it on my head. he meditated day and night in this way, without moving, until the butter in the lamp was exhausted. Eleven months passed. Then the lama and his wife came to visit him, Marpa said, ” My son open an entrance and came home for a rest so you may talk with me, your old father, about your inner experience.” Just then Dagmema returned and said, “There is nothing wrong. Continue reading »

Milarepa replied: " My life is over and my mission has been completed”.

3 – The Magic Life of Milarepa: Perceiving the inherent simplicity of the Dharmakaya, Renouncing the Eight Worldly Reactions and Meditating, The conquest of non-human beings, Meeting His Spiritual Sons, Poisoning Milarepa with Curdled Milk, Geshe Making Confession, Leaving The Final Will To His Spiritual Sons, Nirvana.

Perceiving the inherent simplicity of the Dharmakaya

They left, and Milarepa ate the good food they had brought. The sensation of pleasure and pain and the feelings of hunger increased so much that he could no longer meditate. Continue reading »

Milarepa: When in one's own mind one ponders On the original state of Mind, Illusory thoughts of themselves dissolve

Milarepa: The Song Of Perfect Assurance (To The Demons)Obeisance to the perfect Marpa.

I am the Yogi who perceives the Ultimate Truth.
In the Origin of the Unborn, I first gain assurance;
On the Path of Non-extinction, slowly
I perfect my power;
With meaningful symbols and words
Flowing from my great compassion,
I now sing this song
From the absolute realm of Dharma Essence.

Because your sinful Karma has created
Dense blindness and impenetrable obstruction,
You cannot understand the meaning
Of Ultimate Truth.
Listen, therefore, to the Expedient Truth.

In their spotless, ancient Sutras,
All the Buddhas in the past, repeatedly
Admonished with the eternal Truth of Karma —
That every sentient being is one’s kinsman. Continue reading »

Milarepa:Both Samsara and Nirvana Are neither existent nor non-existent;

Milarepa: Upon this earth, the land of the Victorious OnesUpon this earth, the land of the Victorious Ones,

Once lived a Saint, known as the second Buddha;
His fame was heard in all the Ten Directions.
To Him, the Jewel a’top the eternal Banner of Dharma
I pay homage and give offerings.
Is He not the holy Master, the great Midripa?

Upon the Lotus-seat of Midripa
My Father Guru places his reliance;
He drinks heavenly nectar
With the supreme view of Mahamudra;
He has realized the innate Truth in utter freedom.
He is the supreme one, Jetsun Marpa.
Undefiled by faults or vices,
He is the Transformation Body of Buddha. Continue reading »

Milarepa: The common mind is in every way misleading; And so I practice how to animate Awareness.

Milarepa: The Song Of The Twelve Deceptions

Worldly affairs are all deceptive;

So I seek the Truth Divine.

Excitements and distractions are illusions;
So I meditate on the Non-dual Truth.

Companions and servants are deceptive;
So I remain in solitude.

Money and possessions are also deceptive;
So if I have them, I give them away.

Things in the outer world are all illusion;
The Inner Mind is that which I observe.

Wandering thoughts are all deceptive;
So I only tread the Path of Wisdom. Continue reading »

Milarepa: May the dark shadow of all men's sorrows Be dispelled by my joyful singing.

Milarepa: The Song Of Food And Dwelling

I bow down at the feet of the wish-fulfilling Guru.

Pray vouchsafe me your grace in bestowing beneficial food,
Pray make me realize my own body as the house of Buddha,
Pray grant me this knowledge.

I built the house through fear,
The house of Sunyata, the void nature of being;
Now I have no fear of its collapsing.
I, the Yogi with the wish-fulfilling gem,
Feel happiness and joy where’er I stay.

Because of the fear of cold, I sought for clothes;
The clothing I found is the Ah Shea Vital Heat.
Now I have no fear of coldness.

Because of the fear of poverty, I sought for riches;
The riches I found are the inexhaustible Seven Holy Jewels.
Now I have no fear of poverty. Continue reading »

Milarepa: Arrange to enter into undisturbed meditation. And be mindful of the Unceasing Intuitive Sensation!

Milarepa: SongTo The Rock Demoness

River, ripples, and waves, these three,
When emerging, arise from the ocean itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the ocean itself.

Habitual thinking, love, and possessiveness, these three,
When arising, arise from the alaya consciousness itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the alaya consciousness itself.

Self-awareness, self-illumination, self-liberation, these three,
When arising, arise from the mind itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the mind itself.

The unborn, unceasing, and unexpressed, these three,
When emerging, arise from the nature of being itself.
When disappearing, they disappear into the nature of being itself. Continue reading »

Milarepa: Don’t you know that pleasures are just a dream?

Milarepa’s Song to Shakya Guna

Salutation to the teacher of the sacred.
Jetsün Milarepa then went from Happy Valley in Mang-Yül to Nyanang and his former benefactors we overjoyed. “Please stay always here in Nyanang,” they begged. There was a cave below a belly-shaped boulder between some old trees, and while he resided there, the monk-teacher Shakya Guna and some laypeople of Nyanang came before him.
“While elsewhere in meditation in mountain retreats, please tell us about the progress you reached and the confidence that you attained,” they asked. In reply, the Jetsün sang this song.

I bow at the feet of Marpa the Translator.

While meditating at other mountain retreats, Continue reading »

Milarepa: Since it was easy to meditate with your mind, The thoughts are the mind’s magical display, So let them be as the very state of your mind.

Milarepa: Song to the girl Paldarbum

Milarepa said to the girl Paltarbum, “If you sincerely wish to practice the Dharma, in my tradition you don’t need to change your name. Since one can awaken to buddhahood as either a monk or layperson, you don’t need to shave your hair off or change your dress.” Then he sang this song on meditation guidance in training the mind with four meaningful analogies.

Listen here, you lay girl Paldarbum,
Listen well, you rich and dedicated maiden.

Take this sky as your example,
And train in the meditation state without center or edge.

Take the sun an moon as your example,
And train in the meditation state without increase or decrease.

Take this mountain as your example,
And train in the meditation state without shifting or change.

Take the great ocean as your example,
And train in the meditation state without surface or base. Continue reading »

Milarepa: Unless one realizes the Truth of non-decay, He has to suffer old-age and not be gay.

Milarepa: Suffering of Old-Age

When one’s body has been brought
To be frail and all worn out,
It dislikes old-age,
There is of this no doubt.
One’s straight body becomes bent,
Steps are not firm and patent.
Black hairs turn white, Arms have no might.
One’s eyes grow dim, Ears are not keen.
The head shakes, Pale are cheeks.
Blood becomes dry, One feels to die.
One’s nose will sink in,
Teeth can’t chew anything.
Losing control of tongue,
Sweet sugar isn’t fun.
One gathers foods and wine,
But one can’t keep them fine.
Trying not to suffer anymore,
One only gets suffering in store.
When one is told the Truth,
But one’s faith is not growth,
Though one has some kinsmen, Continue reading »

Milarepa

Milarepa: Suffering of Birth

In the Bardo state the wanderer
Is the Alaya. It stays nowhere,
Driven by one’s own sorrow,
It enters a womb unknown.
Therein it feels like a fish
Caught into crevice of rock,
Sleeping in blood red and pus yellow,
In all discharges it must pillow.
Crammed in filth, it suffers pain,
From bad karma one is to gain,
Though remembering past lives,
It cannot count four or five.
Now scorched by heat,
Now cold it does meet.
For nine months it remains,
In the womb with all pains,
From womb by pliers as if pulled out,
Head is squeez’d but safety is nought,
Like being thrown into a bramble,
When it bears all of a-tremble,
Its body on mother’s lap with sorrow,
It feels gripped by a hawk like a sparrow.
When his body blood and dirt is cleansed,
Like flayed alive its pains increas’d,
When umbilical cord is being cut,
It feels as if the spine does jut, Continue reading »