You have given many teachings, and clearly
understand
the nature of the mind, so why have you become a demon?
Khenchen-Thrangu-Rinpoche-The-Life-Spiritual-Songs-of-Milarepa
He said, "Staying in the middle ofvillages is depressing.
I must go on my own to a place of solitude where I can accomplish my practice and my guru's instructions.
Living in a village is not a very good thing anyway, so I shall go to stay on Lachi mountain for a second time.
"
17
? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Milarepa's pupils made a request, saying, "Great lord, your only concern is the welfare of beings, therefore give us teachings. Ifyou remain here with us for the winter it will be ofvery great benefit. You must please stay here. Winter on Lachi mountain is very difficult with so much snow and cold. " Milarepa replied, "I am a pupil in the lineage of Naropa, so I am not afraid of such
things. Marpa Lotsawa commanded me to avoid distractions and to practice in solitude. "
As Milarepa had decided to leave some ofhis pupils requested to escort him to the mountain. All Milarepa took with him was a little tsampa, rice, meat and butter. He was escorted to Lachi mountain where he took up his residence in Dundul Purnoche (The great cave ofthe subjugation ofMara) cave. His escort started their return journey to the village but the weather turned bad. It snowed heavily and they reached the village with great diffic~lty. It snowed continuously for nine days and nine nights19 so that the route between the village and where Milarepa was staying
became cut off for six months. Milarepa's pupils were certain that he must have died and that there was no way he could have survived, so they made funeral offerings to him in the fourth Tibetan month (about May to June). They decided that they should at least go and collect his body so that they will be able to make offerings to it. Therefore, some of them forced their way through the snows to reach Lachi mountain.
When they neared Milarepa's cave they saw a snow leopard upon a rock and thought, "Milarepa's body will have been eaten by that snow leopard and we are not even going to be able to bring back his body. " When they reached the spot where the snow leopard had been they saw human footprints. They wondered, "What is this? Is it some deity or spirit? " When they carne close to Milarepa's cave they heard him singing and then calling out, "Hurry
18
? Songs ofthe Snow
up! Where have you been that you're so late getting here? " When they got to the cave they discovered that Milarepa had already prepared a meal for them.
The pupils then asked, "How did you know we were coming? " Milarepa replied, "I saw you when I was sitting on that big rock over there. " But they said, "But all we saw was a snow leopard on that rock, so what do you mean? " Milarepa then said, "That was an emanation of myself. I have meditated for so long that I have mastery over my mind and subtle winds,20 so I can manifest many emanations. "
Milarepa was in good health but he hadn't had enough food to keep him alive, so they asked him how he had survived. Milarepa said, "I don't need much food because ofmy practice ofmeditation and sometimes dakinis bring me a portion of their ganachakras. Therefore I only need to eat a spoonful of tsampa to keep myself alive. But also, in the fourth month, I had a vision of you surrounding me and offering me a great deal of food, after that I didn't need to eat at all. " They said that was the time when they had made the funeral offerings to him, thinking he was dead. Milarepa said, "This proves that when people do good actions for the sake ofsomeone who has died, it really does help them. "
Then the pupils requested him to return to the village. At first Milarepa refused, saying, "My meditation is going well here, so I'm not going to leave. " The pupils insisted, saying, "People will accuse us of leaving you here to die and they will be very angry with us, so you must come back this one time to the village with us. " Milarepa agreed to come and so they set off together with some going on ahead to tell the villagers that Milarepa was alive and on his way. A great number ofvillagers came to welcome him and escort him to the village. When they asked Milarepa's how he was, he replied with a song:
19
? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
I am happy that today we have met here and all are still alive. This old man has many songs, so I am singing in answer to your question. Listen well.
Saddened by samsara, I did not stay in the village, but went to Lachi snow-mountain. It was as if the sky and the earth had planned a snowstorm. So many clouds gathered and the sun and moon could not be seen, the stars and planets could not be seen, it was as if they had been thrown into prison. The snow fell for nine days and nine nights with snowflakes coming down as large as birds and snowflakes as small as sesame seeds. I was in a high place and the dark
mountains around me were all turned white.
When this great snow fell, all people's homes were changed into prisons because they could not leave. Animals, deprived of food, suffered a famine. The wild animals also had no food. Neither did the birds in the sky. Mice hid under the ground like a treasure
and animals of prey had nothing to eat.
The blizzard that fell upon me, the winter wind
and my thin cotton robe competed with each other to see who could make the winter coldest for me. As I am one ofa lineage ofheroes, I didn't run away and all ended well. Therefore I believe that in the future the teachings o f the Practice Lineage will spread, there will be many siddhas, and I, Milarepa, will be famous for my accomplishment of the dharma. You my pupils will have faith in me and the future will be good and the Buddha's teachings will spread. That's how I am.
How are you?
20
? Songs ofthe Snow
The villagers danced with joy. Milarepa's experience and realization intensified and he danced too, leaving his footprints and imprints from his staff all over the rock beneath him.
When he arrived in Nyanang village, his pupils said, "You are in good health and must have developed exceptional realizations and experiences in your meditation. Please tell us about them. " In reply Milarepa sang a spiritual song about his experiences and realizations in which he describes his view, meditation, conduct and commitment:
My view is the realization of the true nature of the mind exactly as it is; the mind is seen to be unborn, empty. There is nothing to be viewed. There is the destruction and disappearance ofthe viewed and the viewer. I have obtained such an excellent view.
My meditation is an unbroken continuity of clarity, like the constant flow of a river. This is meditation on the true nature ofthe mind. The true nature of the mind never changes; the meditation is unceasing, with no difference between periods of meditation and periods of non-meditation. It is as if one has lost the capacity to distinguish between meditation and meditator. Everything is meditation, so that meditation has great diligence.
My conduct is that there is no change in the mind's fundamental clarity, in whatever I do. The interdependence of phenomena is empty. All distinction between acts that are done, and the individual who acts, are destroyed.
My commitment is free of hypocrisy, artifice, hope, and worry. The distinction between a
21
? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
commitment that is kept and the keeper of a commitment is ended and destroyed. I have this excellent commitment.
The result of this is that the mind is seen as the dharmakaya. There is a spontaneous achievement of benefit for myselfand others. There is no distinction between a result that is achieved and one who achieves. I have this excellent result.
This is an old man's song about the happy time he has had. In my retreat I was cut off by the snow. I was looked after by dakinis. I had the best of drinks - the water of melted snow.
Milarepa's pupil, Shakya Guna, expressed his joy that Milarepa had. returned without harm, that none ofhis pupils had died, and that they have all met again. He requested Milarepa to give them a dharma teaching on the six months that he had spent in retreat. Milarepa replied with a song on the signs ofaccomplishment from his six months of practice:
Saddened by worldly activities I went to Lachi mountain, where I stayed in the solitude of the Dundul Pukpa cave, practicing for six months, here I experienced the six signs of accomplishment.
The six external objects are:
If it obstructs, it is not space. If they are countable, they are not stars. If it moves, it is not a mountain. If it diminishes or increases, it is not the sea. Ifit can be crossed by a bridge, it is not a great river. If it can be grasped by the hand, it is not a rainbow.
22
? Songs ofthe Snow
Six inner faults are:
Looking up at the planets is not the view. This means that the view should be free ofconceptualization and identification.
Mec. litation on the view should be free ofstupor or the agitation of thoughts, otherwise, it is not a valid meditation.
When we arise from meditation and engage in conduct, that conduct should be free from the distinction of good conduct to be adopted and bad conduct to be rejected.
One who has the true view, meditation, and conduct is a yogin. A yogin should always be free from. thoughts, otherwise he or she is not a true yogin. That yogin must have wisdom that does not fluctuate between clarity and obscuration. Ifit does, that is not true wisdom.
The ultimate result is freedom from suffering, birth, and death. Ifthere is birth and death, then the result is not Buddhahood.
The six kinds of bondage that bind one to non- liberation from samsara are:
Anger causes one to fall into and remain in the hell realms. Anger is a bondage that binds one to hell. Miserliness is a bondage that binds one to the realm ofthe hungryghosts. Stupidity is a bondage that binds one to the world ofanimals. Desire is a bondage that binds one to the world ofhumans. Envy is a bondage
that binds one to the realm of the Jealous gods. Pride is a bondage that binds one to the realm of the gods.
23
? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Thesesixkleshal1 arebondagesthatbindonetonon- liberation from the six realms of existence.
There are six aspects to the path that leads to liberation from these bonds, from samsara:
If there is great faith, one will be able to enter the valid path~ therefore faith is the path to liberation.
If witn great faith one follows a guru who is learned and self-controlled, one will go along the path to liberation.
If while following the guru one keeps one's commitments to the guru, this is the path to liberation. If one has faith, relies on a guru, and keeps unbroken commitments, and then one wanders in the mountains, one will be able to truly accomplish
the path to liberation.
If wandering through the mountains one stays
alone avoiding distractions, one will be able to practice the dharma properly, and therefore this is the path to liberation.
If remaining in solitude one practices, that is the path to liberation.
There are sixprofundities:
The innate natural profundity is the mind at rest in an uncontrived state. This natural state is not newly created, but is primordially innate within us.
When there is no distinction between internal and external, and everything is pervaded by the mind, and by knowledge, this is called the profundity of knowledge.
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? Songs ofthe Snow
When the all-pervading knowledge is free from fluctuation in its clarity, and is ever-present, it is called the profundity ofwisdom.
When that wisdom pervades everything, this great pervasion is the profundity of the true nature of phenomena.
When that expanse of the true nature of phenomena is free ofloss and change, when it is always present, that is called the profundity of the essential drops (Skt. hindu. )
When that state is free of loss or change and is continuous, that is the profundity of experience, the experience o f meditation.
These are the six profundities possessed by the confident.
There are the six kinds of bliss that are the results of the path of means such as tummo:
When the heat of the tummo practice blazes in the body, there is bliss.
When the karmic winds that move through the left channel (the lalana) and the right channel (the rasana), and enter the central channel (the avadhuti) are transformed into wisdom-air, there is bliss.
When the flow of bodhichitta descends in the upper body, there is bliss.
When the lower body is pervaded by the hindu, there is bliss.
When the white and red elements come together in the middle ofthe body, there is bliss.
25
? TheLife& SpiritualSongsofMilarepa
When the body is permeated by immaculate bliss, there is bliss.
These are the six kinds of ultimate bliss in yoga.
26
? 4
The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
( / / ( arpa had told Milarcpa that he should meditate on J . J ~ Palbar mountain. Milarepa went there and discovered the Lingpa Cave to be very pleasant, and so he meditated in that cave. 22 One day he heard a loud voice coming from a crack in the rock. Milarepa got up and looked but decided it was just a meditator's illusion and sat down again. Then a bright light shone out from the rock. Inside the light there was a, red man astride a musk-deer that was being led by a woman. The
man gave Milarepa a slight blow and then disappeared in a gust of air. The woman changed into a red female dog that seized Milarepa by the big toe of his left foot and would not let go. Milarepa, understanding that this was a manifestation of a Rock Sinmo23 sang her a song.
Rahula, who is the deity ofthe eclipse, please do not be an enemy to the sun and moon that shine their light from the sky down onto beings.
Snow blizzards, please do not attempt to harm the white lion when he is wandering on the snow- mountains.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Concealed pit filled with pointed stakes, do not harm the tigress who dwells within the jungles, who is. the champion amongst the beasts of prey.
Hooks, do not harm the golden fish that swim in lake Mapam.
Hunter, do not harm the vulture in the sky that seeks for food without killing anything.
I am Milarepa, practicing for my benefit, and the benefit of others. I have forsaken this life's wealth and possessions, food, and clothes. I have developed the bodhichitta and I am attaining Buddhahood within one lifetime. Therefore, Rock Sinmo, do not harm me.
The Rock Sinmo still wouldn't release Milarepa's foot and replied to Milaiepa with a song delivered by a disembodied voice using practically the same poetic images, and concluding with:
You say that you accomplish the welfare of yourself and others, that you have developed the bodhichitta, and that you are achieving Buddhahood within one lifetime so that you will become a guide for all the beings in the six realms of existence.
However, when you meditate one-pointedly, strong tendencies from your previous lives cause illusions to appear. The tendencies are causes, the illusions are conditions, and the result is that your own thoughts appear to you as enemies, as demons. If your own thoughts did not appear as your own enemies, I, the Rock Sinmo, could not appear to you.
28
? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
The demons and spirits appear due to negative tendencies, and come from the mind.
Ifyou do not know the nature ofyour own mind, even though you tell me to leave, I won't.
Milarepa thought that what the Rock Sinmo had sung was very true. He replied to her with a song using eight images:
Your words are very true. Nothing could be more true. . I have wandered through many places but have never heard anything as beautiful as your song. Even if I questioned many scholars, I would never hear a higher meaning. The eloquent words from your mouth are like a golden needle that pressed onto the heart dispels the heart-air24 and dispels the darkness of delusion and ignorance, causing the lotus of the mind to blossom, causing the torch ofself-knowledge to blaze, and causing wisdom to awaken.
When I look up into the sky, I think of emptiness that is the true nature of phenomena. Therefore I have no need to be afraid of material phenomena.
When I look at the sun and moon, I think ofthe fundamental clarity of the mind. Therefore stupor and agitation cannot harm me.
When I look at a mountain's peak, I think of the stability of meditation. Therefore loss or change in meditation cannot harm me.
When I look at a river, I think of the unbroken continuity ofmeditation experience. Even ifa sudden condition appears, it can cause no harm.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
When I look at a rainbow, I think of the unity of appearance and emptiness, in which emptiness does not harm appearance, and appearance does not harm emptiness. As I have realized the union ofappearance and emptiness I am not afraid of eternalism and
nihilism.
When I look at the reflection of the moon on wa~er, I think of ungraspability, so that thoughts of grasped and grasper cannot harm me.
When I look inwards at my own mind, I think of a naturally radiant butter-lamp in a bowl. Therefore the dullness of ignorance cannot harm me.
Because I listened to your instructions my meditation and self-knowing wisdom has become clear. I am free of obstacles from demons and obstructing spirits.
You have given many teachings, and clearly understand the nature of the mind, so why have you become a demon? Y. ou have become a demon because you harmed beings and ignoring the law ofkarma. Therefore you should now contemplate karma and the harmfulness ofsamsara, and abandon
all evil actions. I was only pretending to be afraid of demons. I was playing a trick on you. Don't think that it was real.
The Rock Sinmo now had faith in Milarepa, and stopped trying to harm him. She answered him with a song in which she says:
30
? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
I am fortunate to have met Milarepa. It has been good to hear the Dharma being taught. I am what I am because I harmed many people.
Milarepa, deciding that she must be bound to an oath, replied to her with a song in which he said:
These elevated words you speak will be of no use to you. You are in this body because you have harmed others. You must abandon those negative actions, practice what is good, and be of assistance to yogins.
What you need now is to pay careful attention to cause and effect, and you must promise to support all dharma practitioners, and be a friend to all yogis in particular.
The Rock Sinmo, now that she had true faith in Milarepa, manifested her body to him and sang a song in which she said:
I have committed many negative actions, I had strong deftlements and extreme malevolence and intolerance. I am fortunate to have met you and to have received the dharma from you. I repent creating an illusion and attacking you. I vow that I shall no longer harm others and that I will be a friend to yogins practicing dharma in retreat.
Milarepa then taught her the dharma and in particular he sang a song in which he said:
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
There is a demon that is greater than y o u - attachment to the sel? There is a demon that is more evil than you - evil intent. There is a demon that is wilder than you - thoughts.
Take an oath to subdue them and enter the dharma. If you do not break your word all will be well with you.
When Milarepa had completed his song, the Rock Sinmo took that vow and disappeared. At dawn the Rock Sinmo, with her entourage of beautiful males and females wearing beautiful jewellery, appeared to Milarepa, bringing him many offerings. The Rock Sinmo said, "I have a spirit's body because I harmed beings in a previous life. I request that you to teach me the dharma'' singing the following song:
I have met many siddhas, but you are the one who had the greatest kindness and blessing for me. I request the dharma from you. Some give the teachings containing theprovisionalmeaningand some give the Hinayana teachings, but these are unable to subjugate the mind's defilements. Others speak many words and give many teachings, but cannot provide refuge from suffering and the conditions for suffering. You are a
nirmanakaya of the Buddha, and therefore you have realized the true nature ofphenomena. Please bestow upon us the profound teachings that come from your own mind.
In reply, Milarepa sang her a song with twenty-seven images (three for each of nine verses) in which he said:
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
I don't usually sing on the ultimate truth, but as you have asked me to, I shall.
(1) Thunder, lightning, and clouds appear from the sky and merge back into the sky.
(2) Rainbow, mists, and fog appear from the air and merge back into the air.
(3) Honey, fruit, and crops arise from the earth and merge back into the earth.
(4) Forests, flowers, and leaves arise from the hillside and merge back into the hillside.
(5) Rivers, foam, and waves arise from the ocean and merge back into the ocean.
(6) Latencies, clinging, and atta. chment arise from the ground consciousness and merge back into the ground consciousness.
The mind has latencies25 that have been laid down throughout beginningless time. These latencies result in our perceptions. The mind also clings to the perceptions of things that we desire. Finally, there is an attachment to phenomena which mind takes as being truly real. These latencies originate and arise from the ground consciousness.
The seventh consciousness is the ajflicted consciousness, which is a continuous attachment to the self whether we consciously think ofit or not. Whether these seven consciousnesses are present or not, the continuity of the mind never ceases. There is always a non-apparen_t consciousness, that is, the ground consciousness from which all the latencies of appearances originate. Therefore, latencies, clinging, and attachment arise from the ground consciousness, and when they disappear, they then merge back into the ground consciousness. Z6 Milarepa continues:
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? TheLife& SpiritualSongsofMilarepa
(7) Self-knowledge, self-clarity and self-liberation arise from the mind and merge back into the mind.
When meditating on the true nature ofmind, the mind knows itself, it has natural clarity, and it naturally liberates itselffrom the kleshas. These three qualities of the self-awareness of mind, the natural clarity or luminosity of mind, and the natural liberation of mind are not newly created from meditation, but arise from
the nature of the mind itself and then merge back into the nature ofthe mind.
(8) Non-arising, non-cessation and indescribability arise from the true nature of phenomena (Skt. dharmata) and merge back into it.
First there is non-arising, at the end there is non-cessation, and in-between these there is indescribability. These are the characteristics of the true nature of phenomena.
(9) The appearance of demons, the belief, and the concept of demons, arise from yoga and merge back into yoga.
The appearances, belief, and concepts ofdemons may arise on the conventional Level or relative level and from the practice ofyoga they merge back into it. Obstacles and obstructing spirits are just manifestations ofthe mind. Ifone doesn't realize that they are empty,27 one will believe them to be demons. Ifone does realize that they are empty, there is a natural liberation from demons.
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
There are many delusions that occur in samsara: outer delusions, inner delusions, defilement delusions, and so on. The mind is the source of all these delusions. 28 All delusions naturally cease when there is the realization of the nature of the mind. The true nature of the mind is a natural fundamental clarity
that is empty, beyond coming or going. Though we perceive numerous external phenomena, they are all delusions manifested by the mind. They are empty by nature, but nevertheless appear. Though they appear, their nature is empty. This is the inseparability of emptiness and appearance.
Even meditation is just a thought, even non- meditation is just a thought. Whether one meditates or not, the nature of the mind does not change. Therefore, even a belief in meditation and non- meditation is a cause of delusion.
Phenomena have no reality, they are like space. Their emptiness must be understood. If you wish to have the correct view, you must see the emptiness that transcends the intellect. If you wish to have correct meditation, you must meditate without distraction. If you wish to have correct conduct, it
must be effortless and natural. Ifyou wish to gain the full result, hope and fear must be abandoned.
This is my teaching to you.
This ends the teaching of Milarepa on the absolute or ultimate view.
35
? Chogyal Namkhai Norbu demonstrating the yogic posture ofMilarepa.
? 5
Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
g have chosen this chapter9 from the collected songs of Milarepa because Yolmo mountain is very near to Kathmandu, and there are persons here (in Kathmandu where the seminar is being given) who feel a strong connection
with Yolmo.
Marpa had told Milarepa what places he should practice in.
One of these was Yolmo snow-mountain, and so Milarepa came to Yolmo and stayed in a cave called Tapuk Senge Dzong (Tiger cave at Lion castle) in the forest ofSingaling (The Land ofLions). While he was there local deities caused him no obstacles; they manifested themselves in peaceful forms and took an oath to serve and honor him. Milarepa's meditation progressed well.
One day five young men and women came to see him and asked him to teach them the dharma. They said, "This is such a terrifYing place, the quality ofsomeone's practice would be bound to be very unstable. Has this happened to you? " In answer to their question, Milarepa sang them a spiritual song in which he said:
Yolmo has pastures, flowers, trees, forests, monkeys, birds, bees, in summer and winter, autumn and spring.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Here I meditate on emptiness. Sometimes many thoughts arise, and these aid my meditation. This is very good.
I do not accumulate bad karma, and therefore I have good health. I will have thoughts that will disturb my body and make me uncomfortable. Nevertheless, that is beneficial for my meditation experience and so this is very good. I am therefore free from the defilements and free from birth and
death, and this is good.
Though deities and spirits are malevolent and
create illusions, it only increases my realization. This is very good.
I am free from sickness, but ifsuffering occurs, it appears as bliss, which is very good.
I have the pleasure ofdifferent kinds ofmeditation experiences, but sometimes when I jump, run or dance, I am even more blissful.
The five pupils felt great faith on hearing Milarepa's song. He then gave them instructions, which they then meditated on and attained good qualities, which pleased Milarepa. He sang them a song about the kind of conduct they should have, in which he said:
There are many Dharma practitioners, but you are very fortunate to meditate upon this path. You are practicing to attain Buddhahood within one lifetime using one body. Therefore do not have attachment to this life. Many good and bad actions are done for the
38
? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
sake of this life, and this prevents you from properly following the path of the dharma.
In serving the guru, you should not feel proud that you have done so well, as this prevents the accomplishment o f the goal.
In keeping your commitments, you should not associate with ordinary people, which brings the danger of your breaking your commitments.
When you are studying you should not feel proud that you have understood the meaning of the words, as this will cause the disturbing emotions to blaze up like fire and ruin your good activities.
When you meditate with your companions in the dharma, you should not have many tasks to perform, as they will cause distraction and be an obstacle to the dharma.
After those general instructions, Milarepa gave specific instructions on how his students were to conduct themselves on the path of means involving such profound practices as the Six Yogas ofNaropa by giving them the profound instructions of the oral transmission:
In doing these meditations, you should not use the powers developed from the oral transmission for the subjugation of demons or for the giving of blessings. If you do, your own being will become demonic, many obstacles will occur, and you will fall into worldly activities.
When practicing the dharma there will sometimes be meditation experiences and realizations of the true
39
? The Life & Spiritual Songs oJMilarepa
nature ofyour own mind. When these occur, do not hrag that you are doing well and do not display clairvoyant powers. Ifyou talk about signs ofprogress that you have attained, you will develop pride, envy, anger, and the signs will diminish. You need to
understand and abandon all these faults.
Then Milarepa's students asked him how they could practice self-sufficiency, and Milarepa sang some general instructions saying that they must practice well, have firm faith and devotion, and so on. They did practice well, and with great faith in Milarepa they offered him a mandala ofgold and a. Sked for an instruction on the essence ofview, meditation, and conduct. Milarepa said that their practice was better than an offering ofgold, and returned the gold
to. them. Then he sang a song in which he said:
The view, meditation, conduct and result are the foundation ofthe mantrayana.
The view of the mantrayana is how we should understand the true nature ofphenomena. Intellectual knowledge of the view, however, ,is not sufficient to reach enlightenment because we have to meditate on what we have to understand.
Just engaging in meditation is also not sufficient to gain enlightenment because we have to know if our meditation is correct or not. Finally, to reach enlightenment we have to engage in pure conduct when we are not meditating.
The essence ofthe mantrayana is engaging in the correct view, proper meditation, and pure conduct. Each of these has three objects.
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? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
TheBuddha'sviewhastwoaspects: thesutraandmantraviews. In the surra path we engage in understanding the true nature of phenomena by primarily engaging in logical arguments. In the mantra path, however, we engage in the understanding of the nature of phenomena through direct perception of mind.
There are three aspects to this mantrayana view:
(1) All appearances and existences are subsumed within the mind. All external forms, sounds, tastes, smells, and tactile sensation arise within the mind. The mind's sensations of happiness, suffering, defilements, thoughts, and anything else are also derived
from the mind itsel?
(2) What is mind? It is clarity and knowledge. It is not a material
thing. It can think and change, it can engage with lucidity in all kinds ofthoughts.
(3) However, the mind itselfcannot be identified, as its nature is emptiness. While some teachers first introduce their pupils to emptiness and then to clarity, Milarepa introduces the clarity of the mind first and then introduces emptiness by pointing out that this clarity cannot be identified.
These are the three aspects of the mantrayana view of the true nature of the mind.
The three aspects of meditation are:
(1) Many thoughts appear in meditation. If the nature of mind is not identified, the thoughts become a problem; they become solid and an obstacle. However, when the true nature of the mind is realized, although thoughts arise, they are liberated as the dharmakaya.
(2) When thoughts are naturally realized to be the dharmakaya, the clear knowledge of the mind is a state of bliss that is free from suffering. Meditation is then accompanied by the experience of bliss.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
(3) This meditation is not the creation of something new. Delusion has been dispelled by the mind resting in its own natural state, without alteration or artifice. The mind must rest, be relaxed in the nature of the mind itsel?
The three aspects of conduct are:
(1) In the mantrayana one does not need to deliberately
accomplish the ten good actions. The practice ofgood actions will occur spontaneously from the realization that comes from meditation.
(2) Similarly, the ten unvirtuous actions will be spontaneously avoided without any need to deliberately control one's actions. With the realization of the nature of mind one does not need to have contrived conduct.
(3) There will also be no need to deliberately contrive remedial actions, to engender realization through effort. Ifone rests relaxed in the natural state of the mind, the realization of clarity and emptiness will naturally arise.
Finally, the three aspects of result are:
(1) According to the Buddha's exceptional view of the mantrayana, nirvana and Buddhahood are not located in some other place so we have to go someplace to get them. They are also not newly created or achieved.
(2) Samsara is not like garbage that has to be thrown away. There isn't anything that can be thrown away. The very nature of samsara is nirvana, whether we realize it or not.
(3) Nirvana is not something to be created and samsara is not something to be eliminated because our mind is Buddhahood. There is no Buddhahood that is other than us; it is the nature of our own mind.
When we have gained the elimination of all the negative qualities and gained all the positive qualities of realization, it is
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? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
the unchanged nature ofour own mind, exactly as it is, which is Buddhahood. While we ? do not realize this, we are under the power ofthe defilements and wander in samsara. When we realize the true nature of the mind, there is the conviction that the mind is Buddhahood.
In this way view, meditation, conduct, and result have three aspects each, making twelve aspects in all, or as Milarepa says, the twelve nails hammered into them. There is an additional nail that is hammered in, a thirteenth nail, which applies equally to view, meditation, conduct, and result and that is the nature of phenomena, which is ungraspable. It is an emptiness that transcends all extremes, all conceptualization.
Who is it that hammers in these thirteen nails? It is the guru who introduces the pupil to recognition of the ungraspable nature. 30 If we analyze too much, the mind becomes confused and the nails will not go in. However, when we understand the innate nature exactly, the nails will be hammered in. These thirteen nails are the wealth that belongs to all dharma practitioners. Milarepa says, "They have arisen in my mind. Take pleasure in them and practice them. "
Then Milarepa sang them another song:
You must have diligence and faith when you practice. You must practice in solitude. Yolmo mountain is an excellent place to practice.
Having followed my own advice in my own practice of meditation, I enjoy the most perfect happiness.
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? 6
The Story of Nyama Paldarbum
( 7 he fourteenth chapter31 of The Hundred Thousand Songs J ofMilarepa contains the teachings that Milarepa gave in response to the questions ofNyama Paldarbum. She asked Milarepa many questions and the answers Milarepa gave her are
profound and beneficial to our own practice.
One autumn Milarepa came to a place named Gepa Lesum,
where the people were bringing in the harvest. He was asking the people for food and a young girl named Nyama Paldarbum said, "Go to that house over there and I will come to you soon and give you food. "
Milarepa went to the door ofthe house and tapped on it with his staff.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Milarepa's pupils made a request, saying, "Great lord, your only concern is the welfare of beings, therefore give us teachings. Ifyou remain here with us for the winter it will be ofvery great benefit. You must please stay here. Winter on Lachi mountain is very difficult with so much snow and cold. " Milarepa replied, "I am a pupil in the lineage of Naropa, so I am not afraid of such
things. Marpa Lotsawa commanded me to avoid distractions and to practice in solitude. "
As Milarepa had decided to leave some ofhis pupils requested to escort him to the mountain. All Milarepa took with him was a little tsampa, rice, meat and butter. He was escorted to Lachi mountain where he took up his residence in Dundul Purnoche (The great cave ofthe subjugation ofMara) cave. His escort started their return journey to the village but the weather turned bad. It snowed heavily and they reached the village with great diffic~lty. It snowed continuously for nine days and nine nights19 so that the route between the village and where Milarepa was staying
became cut off for six months. Milarepa's pupils were certain that he must have died and that there was no way he could have survived, so they made funeral offerings to him in the fourth Tibetan month (about May to June). They decided that they should at least go and collect his body so that they will be able to make offerings to it. Therefore, some of them forced their way through the snows to reach Lachi mountain.
When they neared Milarepa's cave they saw a snow leopard upon a rock and thought, "Milarepa's body will have been eaten by that snow leopard and we are not even going to be able to bring back his body. " When they reached the spot where the snow leopard had been they saw human footprints. They wondered, "What is this? Is it some deity or spirit? " When they carne close to Milarepa's cave they heard him singing and then calling out, "Hurry
18
? Songs ofthe Snow
up! Where have you been that you're so late getting here? " When they got to the cave they discovered that Milarepa had already prepared a meal for them.
The pupils then asked, "How did you know we were coming? " Milarepa replied, "I saw you when I was sitting on that big rock over there. " But they said, "But all we saw was a snow leopard on that rock, so what do you mean? " Milarepa then said, "That was an emanation of myself. I have meditated for so long that I have mastery over my mind and subtle winds,20 so I can manifest many emanations. "
Milarepa was in good health but he hadn't had enough food to keep him alive, so they asked him how he had survived. Milarepa said, "I don't need much food because ofmy practice ofmeditation and sometimes dakinis bring me a portion of their ganachakras. Therefore I only need to eat a spoonful of tsampa to keep myself alive. But also, in the fourth month, I had a vision of you surrounding me and offering me a great deal of food, after that I didn't need to eat at all. " They said that was the time when they had made the funeral offerings to him, thinking he was dead. Milarepa said, "This proves that when people do good actions for the sake ofsomeone who has died, it really does help them. "
Then the pupils requested him to return to the village. At first Milarepa refused, saying, "My meditation is going well here, so I'm not going to leave. " The pupils insisted, saying, "People will accuse us of leaving you here to die and they will be very angry with us, so you must come back this one time to the village with us. " Milarepa agreed to come and so they set off together with some going on ahead to tell the villagers that Milarepa was alive and on his way. A great number ofvillagers came to welcome him and escort him to the village. When they asked Milarepa's how he was, he replied with a song:
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
I am happy that today we have met here and all are still alive. This old man has many songs, so I am singing in answer to your question. Listen well.
Saddened by samsara, I did not stay in the village, but went to Lachi snow-mountain. It was as if the sky and the earth had planned a snowstorm. So many clouds gathered and the sun and moon could not be seen, the stars and planets could not be seen, it was as if they had been thrown into prison. The snow fell for nine days and nine nights with snowflakes coming down as large as birds and snowflakes as small as sesame seeds. I was in a high place and the dark
mountains around me were all turned white.
When this great snow fell, all people's homes were changed into prisons because they could not leave. Animals, deprived of food, suffered a famine. The wild animals also had no food. Neither did the birds in the sky. Mice hid under the ground like a treasure
and animals of prey had nothing to eat.
The blizzard that fell upon me, the winter wind
and my thin cotton robe competed with each other to see who could make the winter coldest for me. As I am one ofa lineage ofheroes, I didn't run away and all ended well. Therefore I believe that in the future the teachings o f the Practice Lineage will spread, there will be many siddhas, and I, Milarepa, will be famous for my accomplishment of the dharma. You my pupils will have faith in me and the future will be good and the Buddha's teachings will spread. That's how I am.
How are you?
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? Songs ofthe Snow
The villagers danced with joy. Milarepa's experience and realization intensified and he danced too, leaving his footprints and imprints from his staff all over the rock beneath him.
When he arrived in Nyanang village, his pupils said, "You are in good health and must have developed exceptional realizations and experiences in your meditation. Please tell us about them. " In reply Milarepa sang a spiritual song about his experiences and realizations in which he describes his view, meditation, conduct and commitment:
My view is the realization of the true nature of the mind exactly as it is; the mind is seen to be unborn, empty. There is nothing to be viewed. There is the destruction and disappearance ofthe viewed and the viewer. I have obtained such an excellent view.
My meditation is an unbroken continuity of clarity, like the constant flow of a river. This is meditation on the true nature ofthe mind. The true nature of the mind never changes; the meditation is unceasing, with no difference between periods of meditation and periods of non-meditation. It is as if one has lost the capacity to distinguish between meditation and meditator. Everything is meditation, so that meditation has great diligence.
My conduct is that there is no change in the mind's fundamental clarity, in whatever I do. The interdependence of phenomena is empty. All distinction between acts that are done, and the individual who acts, are destroyed.
My commitment is free of hypocrisy, artifice, hope, and worry. The distinction between a
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
commitment that is kept and the keeper of a commitment is ended and destroyed. I have this excellent commitment.
The result of this is that the mind is seen as the dharmakaya. There is a spontaneous achievement of benefit for myselfand others. There is no distinction between a result that is achieved and one who achieves. I have this excellent result.
This is an old man's song about the happy time he has had. In my retreat I was cut off by the snow. I was looked after by dakinis. I had the best of drinks - the water of melted snow.
Milarepa's pupil, Shakya Guna, expressed his joy that Milarepa had. returned without harm, that none ofhis pupils had died, and that they have all met again. He requested Milarepa to give them a dharma teaching on the six months that he had spent in retreat. Milarepa replied with a song on the signs ofaccomplishment from his six months of practice:
Saddened by worldly activities I went to Lachi mountain, where I stayed in the solitude of the Dundul Pukpa cave, practicing for six months, here I experienced the six signs of accomplishment.
The six external objects are:
If it obstructs, it is not space. If they are countable, they are not stars. If it moves, it is not a mountain. If it diminishes or increases, it is not the sea. Ifit can be crossed by a bridge, it is not a great river. If it can be grasped by the hand, it is not a rainbow.
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? Songs ofthe Snow
Six inner faults are:
Looking up at the planets is not the view. This means that the view should be free ofconceptualization and identification.
Mec. litation on the view should be free ofstupor or the agitation of thoughts, otherwise, it is not a valid meditation.
When we arise from meditation and engage in conduct, that conduct should be free from the distinction of good conduct to be adopted and bad conduct to be rejected.
One who has the true view, meditation, and conduct is a yogin. A yogin should always be free from. thoughts, otherwise he or she is not a true yogin. That yogin must have wisdom that does not fluctuate between clarity and obscuration. Ifit does, that is not true wisdom.
The ultimate result is freedom from suffering, birth, and death. Ifthere is birth and death, then the result is not Buddhahood.
The six kinds of bondage that bind one to non- liberation from samsara are:
Anger causes one to fall into and remain in the hell realms. Anger is a bondage that binds one to hell. Miserliness is a bondage that binds one to the realm ofthe hungryghosts. Stupidity is a bondage that binds one to the world ofanimals. Desire is a bondage that binds one to the world ofhumans. Envy is a bondage
that binds one to the realm of the Jealous gods. Pride is a bondage that binds one to the realm of the gods.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Thesesixkleshal1 arebondagesthatbindonetonon- liberation from the six realms of existence.
There are six aspects to the path that leads to liberation from these bonds, from samsara:
If there is great faith, one will be able to enter the valid path~ therefore faith is the path to liberation.
If witn great faith one follows a guru who is learned and self-controlled, one will go along the path to liberation.
If while following the guru one keeps one's commitments to the guru, this is the path to liberation. If one has faith, relies on a guru, and keeps unbroken commitments, and then one wanders in the mountains, one will be able to truly accomplish
the path to liberation.
If wandering through the mountains one stays
alone avoiding distractions, one will be able to practice the dharma properly, and therefore this is the path to liberation.
If remaining in solitude one practices, that is the path to liberation.
There are sixprofundities:
The innate natural profundity is the mind at rest in an uncontrived state. This natural state is not newly created, but is primordially innate within us.
When there is no distinction between internal and external, and everything is pervaded by the mind, and by knowledge, this is called the profundity of knowledge.
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? Songs ofthe Snow
When the all-pervading knowledge is free from fluctuation in its clarity, and is ever-present, it is called the profundity ofwisdom.
When that wisdom pervades everything, this great pervasion is the profundity of the true nature of phenomena.
When that expanse of the true nature of phenomena is free ofloss and change, when it is always present, that is called the profundity of the essential drops (Skt. hindu. )
When that state is free of loss or change and is continuous, that is the profundity of experience, the experience o f meditation.
These are the six profundities possessed by the confident.
There are the six kinds of bliss that are the results of the path of means such as tummo:
When the heat of the tummo practice blazes in the body, there is bliss.
When the karmic winds that move through the left channel (the lalana) and the right channel (the rasana), and enter the central channel (the avadhuti) are transformed into wisdom-air, there is bliss.
When the flow of bodhichitta descends in the upper body, there is bliss.
When the lower body is pervaded by the hindu, there is bliss.
When the white and red elements come together in the middle ofthe body, there is bliss.
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? TheLife& SpiritualSongsofMilarepa
When the body is permeated by immaculate bliss, there is bliss.
These are the six kinds of ultimate bliss in yoga.
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? 4
The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
( / / ( arpa had told Milarcpa that he should meditate on J . J ~ Palbar mountain. Milarepa went there and discovered the Lingpa Cave to be very pleasant, and so he meditated in that cave. 22 One day he heard a loud voice coming from a crack in the rock. Milarepa got up and looked but decided it was just a meditator's illusion and sat down again. Then a bright light shone out from the rock. Inside the light there was a, red man astride a musk-deer that was being led by a woman. The
man gave Milarepa a slight blow and then disappeared in a gust of air. The woman changed into a red female dog that seized Milarepa by the big toe of his left foot and would not let go. Milarepa, understanding that this was a manifestation of a Rock Sinmo23 sang her a song.
Rahula, who is the deity ofthe eclipse, please do not be an enemy to the sun and moon that shine their light from the sky down onto beings.
Snow blizzards, please do not attempt to harm the white lion when he is wandering on the snow- mountains.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
Concealed pit filled with pointed stakes, do not harm the tigress who dwells within the jungles, who is. the champion amongst the beasts of prey.
Hooks, do not harm the golden fish that swim in lake Mapam.
Hunter, do not harm the vulture in the sky that seeks for food without killing anything.
I am Milarepa, practicing for my benefit, and the benefit of others. I have forsaken this life's wealth and possessions, food, and clothes. I have developed the bodhichitta and I am attaining Buddhahood within one lifetime. Therefore, Rock Sinmo, do not harm me.
The Rock Sinmo still wouldn't release Milarepa's foot and replied to Milaiepa with a song delivered by a disembodied voice using practically the same poetic images, and concluding with:
You say that you accomplish the welfare of yourself and others, that you have developed the bodhichitta, and that you are achieving Buddhahood within one lifetime so that you will become a guide for all the beings in the six realms of existence.
However, when you meditate one-pointedly, strong tendencies from your previous lives cause illusions to appear. The tendencies are causes, the illusions are conditions, and the result is that your own thoughts appear to you as enemies, as demons. If your own thoughts did not appear as your own enemies, I, the Rock Sinmo, could not appear to you.
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
The demons and spirits appear due to negative tendencies, and come from the mind.
Ifyou do not know the nature ofyour own mind, even though you tell me to leave, I won't.
Milarepa thought that what the Rock Sinmo had sung was very true. He replied to her with a song using eight images:
Your words are very true. Nothing could be more true. . I have wandered through many places but have never heard anything as beautiful as your song. Even if I questioned many scholars, I would never hear a higher meaning. The eloquent words from your mouth are like a golden needle that pressed onto the heart dispels the heart-air24 and dispels the darkness of delusion and ignorance, causing the lotus of the mind to blossom, causing the torch ofself-knowledge to blaze, and causing wisdom to awaken.
When I look up into the sky, I think of emptiness that is the true nature of phenomena. Therefore I have no need to be afraid of material phenomena.
When I look at the sun and moon, I think ofthe fundamental clarity of the mind. Therefore stupor and agitation cannot harm me.
When I look at a mountain's peak, I think of the stability of meditation. Therefore loss or change in meditation cannot harm me.
When I look at a river, I think of the unbroken continuity ofmeditation experience. Even ifa sudden condition appears, it can cause no harm.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
When I look at a rainbow, I think of the unity of appearance and emptiness, in which emptiness does not harm appearance, and appearance does not harm emptiness. As I have realized the union ofappearance and emptiness I am not afraid of eternalism and
nihilism.
When I look at the reflection of the moon on wa~er, I think of ungraspability, so that thoughts of grasped and grasper cannot harm me.
When I look inwards at my own mind, I think of a naturally radiant butter-lamp in a bowl. Therefore the dullness of ignorance cannot harm me.
Because I listened to your instructions my meditation and self-knowing wisdom has become clear. I am free of obstacles from demons and obstructing spirits.
You have given many teachings, and clearly understand the nature of the mind, so why have you become a demon? Y. ou have become a demon because you harmed beings and ignoring the law ofkarma. Therefore you should now contemplate karma and the harmfulness ofsamsara, and abandon
all evil actions. I was only pretending to be afraid of demons. I was playing a trick on you. Don't think that it was real.
The Rock Sinmo now had faith in Milarepa, and stopped trying to harm him. She answered him with a song in which she says:
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
I am fortunate to have met Milarepa. It has been good to hear the Dharma being taught. I am what I am because I harmed many people.
Milarepa, deciding that she must be bound to an oath, replied to her with a song in which he said:
These elevated words you speak will be of no use to you. You are in this body because you have harmed others. You must abandon those negative actions, practice what is good, and be of assistance to yogins.
What you need now is to pay careful attention to cause and effect, and you must promise to support all dharma practitioners, and be a friend to all yogis in particular.
The Rock Sinmo, now that she had true faith in Milarepa, manifested her body to him and sang a song in which she said:
I have committed many negative actions, I had strong deftlements and extreme malevolence and intolerance. I am fortunate to have met you and to have received the dharma from you. I repent creating an illusion and attacking you. I vow that I shall no longer harm others and that I will be a friend to yogins practicing dharma in retreat.
Milarepa then taught her the dharma and in particular he sang a song in which he said:
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
There is a demon that is greater than y o u - attachment to the sel? There is a demon that is more evil than you - evil intent. There is a demon that is wilder than you - thoughts.
Take an oath to subdue them and enter the dharma. If you do not break your word all will be well with you.
When Milarepa had completed his song, the Rock Sinmo took that vow and disappeared. At dawn the Rock Sinmo, with her entourage of beautiful males and females wearing beautiful jewellery, appeared to Milarepa, bringing him many offerings. The Rock Sinmo said, "I have a spirit's body because I harmed beings in a previous life. I request that you to teach me the dharma'' singing the following song:
I have met many siddhas, but you are the one who had the greatest kindness and blessing for me. I request the dharma from you. Some give the teachings containing theprovisionalmeaningand some give the Hinayana teachings, but these are unable to subjugate the mind's defilements. Others speak many words and give many teachings, but cannot provide refuge from suffering and the conditions for suffering. You are a
nirmanakaya of the Buddha, and therefore you have realized the true nature ofphenomena. Please bestow upon us the profound teachings that come from your own mind.
In reply, Milarepa sang her a song with twenty-seven images (three for each of nine verses) in which he said:
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
I don't usually sing on the ultimate truth, but as you have asked me to, I shall.
(1) Thunder, lightning, and clouds appear from the sky and merge back into the sky.
(2) Rainbow, mists, and fog appear from the air and merge back into the air.
(3) Honey, fruit, and crops arise from the earth and merge back into the earth.
(4) Forests, flowers, and leaves arise from the hillside and merge back into the hillside.
(5) Rivers, foam, and waves arise from the ocean and merge back into the ocean.
(6) Latencies, clinging, and atta. chment arise from the ground consciousness and merge back into the ground consciousness.
The mind has latencies25 that have been laid down throughout beginningless time. These latencies result in our perceptions. The mind also clings to the perceptions of things that we desire. Finally, there is an attachment to phenomena which mind takes as being truly real. These latencies originate and arise from the ground consciousness.
The seventh consciousness is the ajflicted consciousness, which is a continuous attachment to the self whether we consciously think ofit or not. Whether these seven consciousnesses are present or not, the continuity of the mind never ceases. There is always a non-apparen_t consciousness, that is, the ground consciousness from which all the latencies of appearances originate. Therefore, latencies, clinging, and attachment arise from the ground consciousness, and when they disappear, they then merge back into the ground consciousness. Z6 Milarepa continues:
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? TheLife& SpiritualSongsofMilarepa
(7) Self-knowledge, self-clarity and self-liberation arise from the mind and merge back into the mind.
When meditating on the true nature ofmind, the mind knows itself, it has natural clarity, and it naturally liberates itselffrom the kleshas. These three qualities of the self-awareness of mind, the natural clarity or luminosity of mind, and the natural liberation of mind are not newly created from meditation, but arise from
the nature of the mind itself and then merge back into the nature ofthe mind.
(8) Non-arising, non-cessation and indescribability arise from the true nature of phenomena (Skt. dharmata) and merge back into it.
First there is non-arising, at the end there is non-cessation, and in-between these there is indescribability. These are the characteristics of the true nature of phenomena.
(9) The appearance of demons, the belief, and the concept of demons, arise from yoga and merge back into yoga.
The appearances, belief, and concepts ofdemons may arise on the conventional Level or relative level and from the practice ofyoga they merge back into it. Obstacles and obstructing spirits are just manifestations ofthe mind. Ifone doesn't realize that they are empty,27 one will believe them to be demons. Ifone does realize that they are empty, there is a natural liberation from demons.
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? The Rock Sinmo in the Lingpa Cave
There are many delusions that occur in samsara: outer delusions, inner delusions, defilement delusions, and so on. The mind is the source of all these delusions. 28 All delusions naturally cease when there is the realization of the nature of the mind. The true nature of the mind is a natural fundamental clarity
that is empty, beyond coming or going. Though we perceive numerous external phenomena, they are all delusions manifested by the mind. They are empty by nature, but nevertheless appear. Though they appear, their nature is empty. This is the inseparability of emptiness and appearance.
Even meditation is just a thought, even non- meditation is just a thought. Whether one meditates or not, the nature of the mind does not change. Therefore, even a belief in meditation and non- meditation is a cause of delusion.
Phenomena have no reality, they are like space. Their emptiness must be understood. If you wish to have the correct view, you must see the emptiness that transcends the intellect. If you wish to have correct meditation, you must meditate without distraction. If you wish to have correct conduct, it
must be effortless and natural. Ifyou wish to gain the full result, hope and fear must be abandoned.
This is my teaching to you.
This ends the teaching of Milarepa on the absolute or ultimate view.
35
? Chogyal Namkhai Norbu demonstrating the yogic posture ofMilarepa.
? 5
Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
g have chosen this chapter9 from the collected songs of Milarepa because Yolmo mountain is very near to Kathmandu, and there are persons here (in Kathmandu where the seminar is being given) who feel a strong connection
with Yolmo.
Marpa had told Milarepa what places he should practice in.
One of these was Yolmo snow-mountain, and so Milarepa came to Yolmo and stayed in a cave called Tapuk Senge Dzong (Tiger cave at Lion castle) in the forest ofSingaling (The Land ofLions). While he was there local deities caused him no obstacles; they manifested themselves in peaceful forms and took an oath to serve and honor him. Milarepa's meditation progressed well.
One day five young men and women came to see him and asked him to teach them the dharma. They said, "This is such a terrifYing place, the quality ofsomeone's practice would be bound to be very unstable. Has this happened to you? " In answer to their question, Milarepa sang them a spiritual song in which he said:
Yolmo has pastures, flowers, trees, forests, monkeys, birds, bees, in summer and winter, autumn and spring.
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Here I meditate on emptiness. Sometimes many thoughts arise, and these aid my meditation. This is very good.
I do not accumulate bad karma, and therefore I have good health. I will have thoughts that will disturb my body and make me uncomfortable. Nevertheless, that is beneficial for my meditation experience and so this is very good. I am therefore free from the defilements and free from birth and
death, and this is good.
Though deities and spirits are malevolent and
create illusions, it only increases my realization. This is very good.
I am free from sickness, but ifsuffering occurs, it appears as bliss, which is very good.
I have the pleasure ofdifferent kinds ofmeditation experiences, but sometimes when I jump, run or dance, I am even more blissful.
The five pupils felt great faith on hearing Milarepa's song. He then gave them instructions, which they then meditated on and attained good qualities, which pleased Milarepa. He sang them a song about the kind of conduct they should have, in which he said:
There are many Dharma practitioners, but you are very fortunate to meditate upon this path. You are practicing to attain Buddhahood within one lifetime using one body. Therefore do not have attachment to this life. Many good and bad actions are done for the
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? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
sake of this life, and this prevents you from properly following the path of the dharma.
In serving the guru, you should not feel proud that you have done so well, as this prevents the accomplishment o f the goal.
In keeping your commitments, you should not associate with ordinary people, which brings the danger of your breaking your commitments.
When you are studying you should not feel proud that you have understood the meaning of the words, as this will cause the disturbing emotions to blaze up like fire and ruin your good activities.
When you meditate with your companions in the dharma, you should not have many tasks to perform, as they will cause distraction and be an obstacle to the dharma.
After those general instructions, Milarepa gave specific instructions on how his students were to conduct themselves on the path of means involving such profound practices as the Six Yogas ofNaropa by giving them the profound instructions of the oral transmission:
In doing these meditations, you should not use the powers developed from the oral transmission for the subjugation of demons or for the giving of blessings. If you do, your own being will become demonic, many obstacles will occur, and you will fall into worldly activities.
When practicing the dharma there will sometimes be meditation experiences and realizations of the true
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs oJMilarepa
nature ofyour own mind. When these occur, do not hrag that you are doing well and do not display clairvoyant powers. Ifyou talk about signs ofprogress that you have attained, you will develop pride, envy, anger, and the signs will diminish. You need to
understand and abandon all these faults.
Then Milarepa's students asked him how they could practice self-sufficiency, and Milarepa sang some general instructions saying that they must practice well, have firm faith and devotion, and so on. They did practice well, and with great faith in Milarepa they offered him a mandala ofgold and a. Sked for an instruction on the essence ofview, meditation, and conduct. Milarepa said that their practice was better than an offering ofgold, and returned the gold
to. them. Then he sang a song in which he said:
The view, meditation, conduct and result are the foundation ofthe mantrayana.
The view of the mantrayana is how we should understand the true nature ofphenomena. Intellectual knowledge of the view, however, ,is not sufficient to reach enlightenment because we have to meditate on what we have to understand.
Just engaging in meditation is also not sufficient to gain enlightenment because we have to know if our meditation is correct or not. Finally, to reach enlightenment we have to engage in pure conduct when we are not meditating.
The essence ofthe mantrayana is engaging in the correct view, proper meditation, and pure conduct. Each of these has three objects.
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? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
TheBuddha'sviewhastwoaspects: thesutraandmantraviews. In the surra path we engage in understanding the true nature of phenomena by primarily engaging in logical arguments. In the mantra path, however, we engage in the understanding of the nature of phenomena through direct perception of mind.
There are three aspects to this mantrayana view:
(1) All appearances and existences are subsumed within the mind. All external forms, sounds, tastes, smells, and tactile sensation arise within the mind. The mind's sensations of happiness, suffering, defilements, thoughts, and anything else are also derived
from the mind itsel?
(2) What is mind? It is clarity and knowledge. It is not a material
thing. It can think and change, it can engage with lucidity in all kinds ofthoughts.
(3) However, the mind itselfcannot be identified, as its nature is emptiness. While some teachers first introduce their pupils to emptiness and then to clarity, Milarepa introduces the clarity of the mind first and then introduces emptiness by pointing out that this clarity cannot be identified.
These are the three aspects of the mantrayana view of the true nature of the mind.
The three aspects of meditation are:
(1) Many thoughts appear in meditation. If the nature of mind is not identified, the thoughts become a problem; they become solid and an obstacle. However, when the true nature of the mind is realized, although thoughts arise, they are liberated as the dharmakaya.
(2) When thoughts are naturally realized to be the dharmakaya, the clear knowledge of the mind is a state of bliss that is free from suffering. Meditation is then accompanied by the experience of bliss.
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? The Life & Spiritual Songs ofMilarepa
(3) This meditation is not the creation of something new. Delusion has been dispelled by the mind resting in its own natural state, without alteration or artifice. The mind must rest, be relaxed in the nature of the mind itsel?
The three aspects of conduct are:
(1) In the mantrayana one does not need to deliberately
accomplish the ten good actions. The practice ofgood actions will occur spontaneously from the realization that comes from meditation.
(2) Similarly, the ten unvirtuous actions will be spontaneously avoided without any need to deliberately control one's actions. With the realization of the nature of mind one does not need to have contrived conduct.
(3) There will also be no need to deliberately contrive remedial actions, to engender realization through effort. Ifone rests relaxed in the natural state of the mind, the realization of clarity and emptiness will naturally arise.
Finally, the three aspects of result are:
(1) According to the Buddha's exceptional view of the mantrayana, nirvana and Buddhahood are not located in some other place so we have to go someplace to get them. They are also not newly created or achieved.
(2) Samsara is not like garbage that has to be thrown away. There isn't anything that can be thrown away. The very nature of samsara is nirvana, whether we realize it or not.
(3) Nirvana is not something to be created and samsara is not something to be eliminated because our mind is Buddhahood. There is no Buddhahood that is other than us; it is the nature of our own mind.
When we have gained the elimination of all the negative qualities and gained all the positive qualities of realization, it is
42
? Songs on Yolmo Snow-Mountain
the unchanged nature ofour own mind, exactly as it is, which is Buddhahood. While we ? do not realize this, we are under the power ofthe defilements and wander in samsara. When we realize the true nature of the mind, there is the conviction that the mind is Buddhahood.
In this way view, meditation, conduct, and result have three aspects each, making twelve aspects in all, or as Milarepa says, the twelve nails hammered into them. There is an additional nail that is hammered in, a thirteenth nail, which applies equally to view, meditation, conduct, and result and that is the nature of phenomena, which is ungraspable. It is an emptiness that transcends all extremes, all conceptualization.
Who is it that hammers in these thirteen nails? It is the guru who introduces the pupil to recognition of the ungraspable nature. 30 If we analyze too much, the mind becomes confused and the nails will not go in. However, when we understand the innate nature exactly, the nails will be hammered in. These thirteen nails are the wealth that belongs to all dharma practitioners. Milarepa says, "They have arisen in my mind. Take pleasure in them and practice them. "
Then Milarepa sang them another song:
You must have diligence and faith when you practice. You must practice in solitude. Yolmo mountain is an excellent place to practice.
Having followed my own advice in my own practice of meditation, I enjoy the most perfect happiness.
43
? 6
The Story of Nyama Paldarbum
( 7 he fourteenth chapter31 of The Hundred Thousand Songs J ofMilarepa contains the teachings that Milarepa gave in response to the questions ofNyama Paldarbum. She asked Milarepa many questions and the answers Milarepa gave her are
profound and beneficial to our own practice.
One autumn Milarepa came to a place named Gepa Lesum,
where the people were bringing in the harvest. He was asking the people for food and a young girl named Nyama Paldarbum said, "Go to that house over there and I will come to you soon and give you food. "
Milarepa went to the door ofthe house and tapped on it with his staff.
