The girl said, “If what you say is true, then both of you are truly wondrous! If you really are the great lord Milarepa, then just by meeting you I will have accumulated merit. It is said that when you tell the story of your lineage of dharma practitioners, your disciples gain conviction and it changes their outlook. Please tell us about your lineage.”
Then the Jetsun thought, “This girl is a disciple with a karmic connection.” He sang this song of realization on the way of meeting the lineage:
First is Samantabhadra, the pervasive dharmakaya;
Second is great Vajradhara, the sambhogakaya of marks and signs;
Third is Shakyamuni, the nirmanakaya that benefits beings.
I am a yogi who holds these three lineages.
Is there a female student32 with faith in these three?
When Milarepa had sung this, she said, “These lineages are indeed marvelous; they are like the example of a river that flows from the source springs in the snow-mountains. It is said that you dharma practitioners gain certainty in the inner birthless dharmakaya in reliance on the outer symbolic guru of the continuum of consciousness. Please tell us what kind root guru you rely upon.”
The Jetsun replied, “My root gurus are like this.” Then he sang this song of realization about how to rely on qualified gurus:
The outer guru portrays the external as the continuum of consciousness.
The inner guru shows the internal as the continuum of awareness.
The ultimate guru shows mind is the ultimate continuum.
I am a yogi who has these three gurus.
Is there a female student with faith in these three?
When Milarepa had sung this, she said, “These gurus are extraordinary, like turquoise strung upon a golden chain. Before requesting teachings from them, what kind of abhisheka should one receive?” Then in reply, Milarepa sang this song of realization:
Placing the vase on the head is the outer abhisheka.
Showing one’s body to be the deity’s form is the inner abhisheka.
Mind’s recognition of itself is the ultimate abhisheka.
I am a yogi who has these three abhishekas.
Is there a female student here who will request these three?
When Milarepa had sung this, again she spoke: “These abhishekas are extremely profound. They are like the lion, the king of beasts, who overthrows all others with his claws. Once one receives these abhishekas, it is said there is something called the ‘ultimate guiding instructions’ that allow one to bring awareness to the path. Please explain how they guide one along.” In reply, Milarepa sang this song of realization:
The outer guiding instruction is hearing, contemplation, and meditation.
The inner guiding instruction is letting rock meet bone with awareness.*2
The ultimate guiding instruction is experience and realization free of meeting or parting.
I’m a yogi who has these three guiding instructions.
Is there a female student here who will request these three?
He sang this and the girl replied, “These guiding instructions are like the appearing reflection in a rust-free mirror. Once one has received these instructions, it’s said that one must roam in mountain retreats and practice Chö.*3 What kind of Chö practice do you do?” In reply, he sang this song:
Roaming in rugged mountain retreats is the outer Chö.
Casting the body away as food is the inner Chö.
Cutting to the root of the unique is the ultimate Chö.
I’m a yogi who has these three kinds of Chö.
Is there a female student here who will request these three?
The girl said, “These kinds of Chö are like a garuda, the most glorious of birds, who overpowers all other birds when he flies in the sky. They are extremely wondrous! When the yogi practices Chö there is something called ‘PHAT’*4 to enable him to bring adverse conditions onto the path. Tell me, what is the meaning of ‘PHAT’?” Then he sang this song:
Collecting scattered thoughts is the outer PHAT.
Rousing dull awareness is the inner PHAT.
Resting in the abiding nature is the ultimate PHAT.
I’m a yogi who has these three cycles of PHAT.
Is there a female student who will utter these three?
Thus he sang. Then she said, “These kinds of PHAT are extremely wondrous! They demand swift and firm action like a great king’s battle trumpet or command. Through practicing this way, what kinds of manifestations have dawned for you?” In reply, he sang this song of realization:
The uncontrived ground dawns as great all-pervasiveness;
The uncontrived path dawns as the great unimpededness;
The uncontrived fruition dawns as the Great Seal (Mahamudra).
I’m a yogi who has these three experiences.
Is there a female student who will accomplish these three?
Thus he sang. Then she said, “These manifestations are like when the sun is shining in a cloud-free sky; everything is illuminated and clear. They are extremely wondrous! In practicing with such dawning manifestations, what kind of confidence have you attained?” In reply, he sang this song of realization:
Being free of devas and ghosts is my confidence in view.
Being free of focal object and distraction is my confidence in meditation.
Being free of hope and fear is my confidence in fruition.
I’m a yogi with these three kinds of confidence.
Is there a female student who wants these three?
When Milarepa had sung this, great faith arose in the girl and she prostrated to him. Taking his feet to her head, she invited him inside where she offered him respect and abundant service.
“Lama, before, because I was obscured with ignorance, I never thought of the dharma. Now, Lama, I would like to follow you as an attendant. Please, with your compassion, guide me in the dharma.” Thus seeing her own faults, she requested him to teach the dharma in this way:
O Precious Guru!
Nirmanakaya, supreme among beings,
I’ve no understanding, no awareness, and am confused:
These three faults have been exposed in my mundane life.
The southern clouds were so thick in these three summer months
That I did not sense the sunrise at all.
The cold wind of the three winter months was so strong
That I did not sense that the flowers had bloomed.
My own negative latent tendencies were so strong
That I didn’t recognize that you were a siddha.
I’ll tell you the story of this immature lady:
Because of negative karma I took an inferior body.
Because of the thick obscurations of my lower birth,
I did not sense that I was a buddha.*5
Having no perseverance, I never thought of the dharma.
And when I knew I should do dharma, I was carried away by laziness.
If a woman has a nice face, then her freedom is lost.
If she has an ugly one, she can’t find a companion.
We leave our kind parents behind
And sacrifice ourselves for our husband’s sake.
Being so sensitive, we have little patience.
We quarrel so much and are adept at arguing.
We collect all the gossip of the land.
At home we must act as the watchdog.
Though our food and wealth are to be shared by all,
Ill-temper and greed are our actual lot.
We never think of death and impermanence.
Our obscurations follow us like a shadow.
Now, from my heart, I wish to practice dharma.
I request a teaching that’s easy to understand and put into practice.
Pleased by what she had sung, the Jetsun sang this song of realization in reply to her request:
O my disciple Paldarbum!
This story you told of a woman’s life
If I praise it, you may th
ink too highly of yourself.
If I admonish it, you may become very angry.
If I say how it is, it will expose your faults.
Now listen to what this old man says:
If you want to practice dharma from your heart,
It’s time to put off scrubbing your belongings
And start scrubbing your own mind.
It’s time to give up your vanity and pretension
And take a lower, humbler position.
It’s time to give up your servitude of husband and son
And follow a fully qualified guru.
It’s time to abandon work for the good of this life
And accomplish great benefit for the next.
It’s time to abandon avarice and desire for wealth
And give generously to all without any bias.
If you understand these points, then you’re a clever girl.
Child, you’re like a little lark:
You speak very well, but you’re bereft of dharma.
Child, you’re like a forest peacock:
You’ve a beautiful form, but you’re bereft of dharma.
Child, you’re like a marketplace peddler:
Though you’re quite shrewd, you’re bereft of dharma.
If you wish to practice dharma well,
You should follow after me and do as I do.
Meditate on the key instructions in mountains without distraction.
Thus he sang. Then the girl offered this song in reply to the Jetsun:
O Precious Jetsun,
Yogi with whom any contact is so meaningful:
In the day, I’m busy with work that never ends,
And at night I fall into a sleep of stupidity.
From dawn to dusk, the work of food and clothing enslave me.
Thus, I’m never free to practice the dharma.
At this, the Jetsun said, “If you want to practice the dharma purely, you must understand worldly activity to be an enemy and leave it all behind.” In reply to her song, he sang his song of realization on the four things to leave behind:
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Listen, you wealthy one with faith.
Your future lives extend far beyond this one,
But have you prepared provisions for them?
If you haven’t prepared provisions for them,
That provision is generosity; you should be generous!
This enemy, the guard dog called avarice,
Though you think it’s beneficial, will only bring harm.
Have you understood that avarice is an enemy?
If you understand, then you should leave it behind!
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Your future lives will be even darker than this one.
Have you prepared a lamp for yourself?
If you haven’t prepared a lamp for yourself,
That lamp is luminosity; you should familiarize with it.
This enemy, a corpse-like sleep called ignorance,
Though you think it’s beneficial, will only do harm.
Do you understand that ignorance is an enemy?
If you do, then you should leave it behind!
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Your future lives will be more fearful than this one.
Have you prepared a guide and protector?
If you haven’t prepared a guide and protector,
That guide is sublime dharma; you should practice it well.
This enemy who dissuades you, called relatives,
Though you think they’re beneficial, will only do harm.
Do you know that relatives are enemies?
If you do, then you should leave them behind!
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Your future lives’ path is more long and treacherous than this one.
Have you prepared your stallion to ride?
If you haven’t prepared your stallion to ride,
That stallion is diligence; please practice it well.
This enemy that deceives you, called laziness,
Though you think it’s beneficial, will only bring harm.
Do you know that laziness is an enemy?
If you do, then you should leave it behind!
Thus he sang. Again the girl fervently pleaded, “Lama, I haven’t prepared any kind of provisions for the next life. With your compassion, please give me some guiding instructions on how to meditate and make these preparations.”
The Jetsun was extremely pleased and said, “In my tradition, you don’t have to change your name in order to practice dharma sincerely. Since you can attain buddhahood with a full head of hair, you don’t need to cut it or change your clothes in order to practice dharma.”*6 Then he sang this song of realization containing four examples along with their meaning, making five, which describes the meditation instructions for the practice of mind:
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Well then, you wealthy one with faith:
Take the sky as your example:
Meditate free of center or edge.
Take the sun and moon as your example:
Meditate beyond brightness or darkness.
Take this mountain as your example:
Meditate free from any movement.
Take the great sea as your example:
Meditate free of surface or depth.
These examples illustrate your mind;
Meditate on it, free from worry or doubt.
Once he had sung this, he taught her the essential points of body and mind and had her meditate. The girl gave rise to excellent experience and realization. Then, in order to clear away doubts and hindrances, she offered this song to Milarepa.
O Precious Jetsun,
Nirmanakaya, supreme among beings:
I can easily meditate on the sky,
But meditating on southern clouds is not so easy.
Please give the key instruction for meditating on clouds.
I can easily meditate on the sun and moon,
But meditating on stars is not so easy.
Please give the key instruction for meditating on stars.
I can easily meditate on the mountain,
But meditating on plants is not so easy.
Please give the key instruction for meditating on plants.
I can easily meditate on the sea,
But meditating on the waves is not so easy.
Please give the key instruction for meditating on waves.
I can easily meditate on my mind,
But meditating on thoughts is not so easy.
Please give the key instruction for meditating on thoughts.
When she sang this, the Jetsun thought, “She has really started to meditate,” and was extremely pleased. In reply to her request, he sang this song of realization on clearing obstacles and enhancing the practice:
O student, Lady Paldarbum!
Listen, you wealthy one with faith:
If meditating on the sky is easy to do,
Southern clouds are the magical display of the sky.
Just rest in the nature of the sky itself.
If meditating on the sun and moon is easy to do,
The stars are the magical display of the sun and moon.
Just rest in the nature of the sun and moon themselves.
If meditating on the mountain is easy to do,
Plants are the magical display of the mountain.
Just rest in the nature of the mountain itself.
If meditating on the ocean is easy to do,
Waves are the magical display of the ocean.
Just rest in the nature of the ocean itself.
If meditating on one’s mind is easy to do,
Thoughts are the magical display of the mind.
Just rest in the nature of the mind itself.
She meditated according to this instruction and gained certainty that the nature of mind is dharmata. Later, in that very body, she went to the celestial realms accompanied by
music.
This is the cycle of meeting the female student Paldarbum, one of the four disciple-daughters of the Jetsun, at the site of Gepa Lesum in Chung.
*1 North Horse Gate Snow Mountain (T: byang rta sgo’i gangs).
*2 “Letting rock meet bone” means to have unremitting perseverance.
*3 Chö (T: gcod), sometimes written “Chod,” literally means to “cut” or “sever,” and this takes on different levels of meaning as is illustrated in Milarepa’s song here.
*4 PHAT is a Sanskrit syllable that is uttered in some Mantrayana practices to dispel various obstacles and negativity.
*5 All sentient beings inherently possess buddha nature and therefore fundamentally are buddhas, but due to obscurations they are not able to perceive that this is so.
*6 Milarepa is making reference to the monastic tradition of cutting hair, wearing dharma robes, and taking on a monastic name.
15
Meeting Seben Repa
NAMO GURU
The Jetsun Milarepa, after meditating at Jang Tago, went to meditate at Shri Mountain. Along the road, he stopped at an inn in the northern part of Yeru. At the inn, there was a geshe named Yakru Tangpa who had come with a retinue of monks. The merchant Dawa Norbu was also staying there with many goods and livestock along with a large retinue.
The Jetsun went to the merchant Dawa Norbu and his retinue to beg for provisions.
“If you yogis would make a living yourselves instead of begging from other people, you would be much happier,” the merchant said, scolding him.
The Jetsun replied, “Right now, you all are happy with all you have. But what you don’t consider is that in the future, it will cause you to suffer. Listen to my song.” Then he sang this song of realization about eight things to remember:
The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa Page 18