The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa

by Tsangnyon Heruka

  *11 Generally, those who have achieved the common siddhis (the ability to perform miracles) are bound by oath not to display them to others unless it is genuinely for a greater benefit.

  *12 Tirthikas are non-Buddhists. The term sometimes carries the same negative connotation as “heretics” (T: mu stegs).

  23

  The Later Visit to Drakya Vajra Fortress

  NAMO GURU

  After the master Jetsun and his disciples spent time at and circumambulated Tisé Snow Mountain, they again went to Drakya Vajra Fortress in Kutang. At that time, the students from before came to meet Milarepa.

  Inquiring after the Jetsun’s health, they asked, “Are you well?”

  “I’m extremely well. Are you all well?” he replied.

  “Thanks to the kindness of the guru, we have had no poverty nor any sickness or deaths amongst us. We are so pleased that the guru has been able to circumambulate Tisé without any obstacles and has met us here. Guru, please tell us of the way in which you are so happy.”

  The Jetsun replied, “This is how I’m happy.” Then he sang this song of realization, on the twelve kinds of yogic happiness:

  Like a criminal who is freed from his dungeon pit,

  The yogi who’s abandoned his homeland is happy.

  Like a fine horse who’s been released from chains,

  The yogi free of perceived or perceiver is happy.

  Like an animal who’s been wounded stays where she is,

  The yogi who stays all alone is happy.

  Like the king of birds who soars in the sky,

  The yogi who has resolve in the view is happy.

  Like the wind that moves throughout the sky,

  The yogi without any obstruction is happy.

  Like a shepherd who cares for his flock of white sheep,

  The yogi who sustains his experience of clarity-emptiness is happy.

  Like Mount Meru, the central king of mountains,

  The yogi who is free of movement and change is happy.

  Like the flowing of a great and vast river,

  The yogi with unbroken flow of experience is happy.

  Like a human corpse in a charnel ground,

  The yogi who abandons activity is happy.

  Like a stone that’s thrown into the ocean,

  The yogi who doesn’t turn back is happy.

  Like the sun that shines up in the sky,

  The yogi who illuminates everything is happy.

  Like a palm tree sheared of all its leaves,*1

  The yogi without any later births is happy.

  May these twelve kinds of yogic happiness

  Be a dharma gift for all of you students in answer to your question.

  Thus he sang. Then the students departed with great faith.

  To see what kind of renunciation, revulsion, experience, and realization Rechungpa had, the Jetsun sang this song of realization, about the twelve things that tend to be misleading:56

  The phenomena of the world will only deceive;

  I strive only for what is genuine.

  The distractions of material things will only deceive;

  I bring nonduality into my experience.

  Servants and retinues will only deceive;

  I roam, all alone, in mountain retreats.

  Material goods and wealth will only deceive;

  If I have something, I give it away for the dharma.

  Objects appearing outside only deceive;

  I look at the mind that is inside.

  Conceptual thinking only deceives;

  Therefore it is wisdom that I pursue.

  Dharma’s provisional meaning only deceives;

  I gain certainty in the definitive meaning.

  Texts with their black letters only deceive;

  I meditate on the whispered lineage instructions.

  Explanations with conventional terms only deceive;

  I rest naturally, uncontrived.

  Both birth and death only deceive;

  I look at unborn reality.

  Ordinary consciousness only deceives;

  I train in the natural expression of awareness.

  The techniques for holding the mind only deceive;

  I rest within the abiding nature.

  Thus he sang. Then Rechungpa thought, “It is certain that the guru is an actual buddha free of any of these things that deceive. He sang this song considering the faults of us disciples, who are not able to practice.” Then Rechungpa offered this song that summarizes the key points of his own view, meditation, and conduct:

  Father Jetsun guru, please kindly listen.

  My deluded mind—oh, how unfortunate!

  With your noose of compassion, please accept me.

  At the juncture of eternalism and nihilism,

  The view of extremes has been lost.

  I have no certainty in the abiding nature.

  At the juncture of agitation and dullness,

  The meditation of bliss and clarity has been lost.

  I’m reluctant to put a stop to my mind of attachment.

  At the juncture of adopting and rejecting,

  Spontaneous conduct has been lost.

  I’m reluctant to do away with mistaken confusion.

  At the juncture of phoniness and deception,

  Pure samaya has been lost.

  I’m reluctant to fully get rid of hypocrisy and deceit.

  At the juncture of samsara and nirvana,

  Seeing my own mind is Buddha has been lost.

  I’m reluctant to realize the dharmakaya.

  At the juncture of hope and fear,

  The four kayas’ result has been lost.

  I do not recognize my own true face.

  Precious father, Jetsun Guru,

  Before, you cared for me with your kindness and compassion.

  I pray we remain inseparable; please protect me.

  Having supplicated in this way, the Jetsun said, “Rechungpa, you have experience and realization besides what you just told me. It is not suitable to keep it secret from me; therefore offer it forthrightly.” Through the compassion of the Jetsun, right away, Rechungpa’s experience and realization grew. Then Rechungpa offered this song, on the seven things to be found:

  By the kindness of the father Jetsun guru,

  I’ve realized the meaning of seven things to be found:

  I’ve found emptiness within appearances,

  So now I don’t think there are truly existent things.

  I’ve found dharmakaya within emptiness,

  So now I don’t think there are any actions or efforts.

  I’ve found nonduality in the myriad appearances,

  So now I don’t think there’s any meeting or parting.

  I’ve found equality between the white and the red,

  So now I don’t think there’s any adopting or rejecting.

  I’ve found great bliss within the illusory body,

  So now I don’t think there’s any suffering.

  I’ve found the ultimate within the relative,

  So now I don’t think there is any confusion.

  I have found buddhahood within my own mind,

  So now I don’t think that samsara exists.

  Thus Rechungpa sang. Then the Jetsun said, “Rechungpa, what you have is a mere meditative experience; it is not fully qualified. This is what a fully qualified experience in meditation consists of.” Then he sang this song of realization, on the eight kinds of mastery:

  When appearances and emptiness are not separate,

  This is mastery of the view.

  When waking and dreaming are not distinct,

  This is mastery of meditation.

  When bliss and emptiness are not distinct,

  This is mastery of conduct.

  When this life and next are not distinct,

  This is mastery of the abiding nature.

  When mind and space are not distinct,

  This is mastery of the dharmakaya.


  When happiness and suffering are not distinct,

  This is mastery of the key instructions.

  When afflictions and wisdom are not distinct,

  This is mastery of realization.

  When one’s mind and buddha are not distinct,

  This is mastery of fruition.

  Thus he sang. Again, through the compassion of the guru, Rechungpa’s realization gradually grew. Then he offered this song of his own mind’s ultimate realization [attained through his] practice, which summarizes the six bardos:

  I prostrate to the exalted gurus.

  In the bardo between appearance and emptiness,

  There is no view of eternalism or nihilism.

  I do not hold any conceptual tenets.

  Now I understand nonarising and what is beyond intellect.

  That is the view of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of realized friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  In the bardo between bliss and emptiness,

  There’s no continual reference point for shamatha practice.

  I don’t rigidly force my mind to focus.

  I rest, undistracted, in the primordial state.

  That is the meditation of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of experienced friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  In the bardo between attachment and nonattachment,

  There is no bliss that is defiled.

  I don’t practice wrong livelihood with pretense.

  Now, all appearances arise as friends.

  That is the conduct of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of yogi friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  In the bardo between having faults and being faultless,

  There is no purity or impurity.

  I don’t have any hypocrisy or phoniness.

  Now, I take my own mind as my witness.

  That is the samaya of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of disciplined friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  In the bardo between samsara and nirvana,

  Sentient beings and buddhas are not different things.

  I’ve no desire for results that come from hopes and fears.

  Now, any suffering dawns as bliss.

  That is the fruition of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of siddha friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  In the bardo between words and their meaning,

  There are no conventional terms that scholars use.

  I don’t have uncertainties or any doubts.

  All phenomenal existence dawns as dharmakaya.

  That is the realization of this mendicant.

  Even in a gathering of learned friends, I won’t feel ashamed.

  When Rechungpa had offered this song, the guru was very pleased. “Rechungpa, that is a true, qualified experience. You are what is called a disciple who is a worthy vessel. There are three ways to please the guru: the first is to please the guru with faith and prajña; in the middle, one should, with the unmistaken entryway of study and contemplation, enter into the gate of the Mahayana’s [Secret] Mantra and develop perseverance in its practice; and then through having meditated, finally, one should gradually give rise to special experience and realization. Without delighting in empty words and lip service, in order to bring the key point into your experience, look inwardly and meditate as much as you can.

  “My guru Marpa said it is okay if you do not know the full extent of the sutras and tantras. Therefore, without following after conventional terminology, you should look inwardly while meditating according to the guru’s command. I practiced without forgetting that special instruction he taught. By doing that, my mind turned from samsara, and all of these good qualities arose in my mind-stream. You should also do as my guru Marpa taught.”

  Rechungpa said to the Jetsun, “Please tell me what the guru Marpa said to the Jetsun.”

  The Jetsun sang this song of realization, “Thirty Instructions the Guru Taught”:

  Son, for reliance, the jewels are excellent, he said.

  Keep to faith as your friend, he said.

  Concepts are a great demon, he said.

  Pride is a great mara, he said.

  Slander is a great negative action, he said.

  Jealousy is harmful on the path, he said.

  Alcohol brings one to ruin, he said.

  If you don’t confess misdeeds through the four powers,*2

  You’ll wander among the six realms of beings, he said.

  If you don’t make efforts in the accumulation of merit,

  You won’t attain the happiness of liberation, he said.

  If you don’t abandon the ten nonvirtues,

  You must experience the sufferings of the lower realms, he said.

  If you don’t meditate on emptiness and compassion,

  You won’t attain ultimate buddhahood, he said.

  If you want to attain buddhahood in this life,

  Look undistractedly at your mind, he said.

  For the ultimate condensed meaning of the tantras,

  Meditate on the Six Dharmas, he said.

  For the ultimate condensed meaning of the instructions,

  Meditate on Secret Mantra, the path of means, he said.

  If you wish for respect, renown, and gain,

  You’ll be delivered to the mouth of Mara, he said.

  If you praise yourself and disparage others,

  You’ll fall off a frightful precipice, he said.

  If you don’t tame the elephant of mind,

  Then you’ll be deceived by the key instructions’ words, he said.

  To rouse bodhichitta is the greatest crop, he said.

  The view of birthlessness is excellent, he said.

  For practice, the path of means is profound, he said.

  Apply it with the nadis and pranas, he said.

  Recognize coemergence, he said.

  Follow a noble lord, he said.

  Don’t let your life be carried by distraction, he said.

  Look at the unborn nature of your mind, he said.

  Don’t hope for happiness in samsara, he said.

  Don’t see suffering as a fault, he said.

  If you realize the mind, that is buddhahood, he said.

  There is no need for many elaborations, he said.

  There are no more profound points than these, he said.

  Put them into practice, he said.

  When Milarepa had sung this, Rechungpa’s experience and realization were enhanced immensely.

  Then the master Jetsun and his disciples, while keeping to asceticism, all engaged in practice. When they did this, many dakinis performed a ganachakra and said, “Milarepa, when you are practicing the view, meditation, and conduct, if you partake of just a bit of the food and clothing of humans as well as a bit of the samaya substances of the dakinis, your virtuous activity will be greatly enhanced. Therefore, you should partake of them. We will obtain them for you.”

  The Jetsun replied, “The food and wealth of other ordinary ones cannot compare with the good qualities of experience and realization. Since I have such qualities, it is fine not to have provisions of food and wealth.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  I prostrate to the father guru.

  I, the yogi Milarepa,

  From within the abiding nature will sing you a song.

  I’ll do a dance in the space free of true existence.

  Listen, assembly of mamos and dakinis.

  This reliance on confidence in cause and effect

  Is faith with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  Staying alone in solitary places

  Is samadhi with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This resting evenly, free of perceiver and perceived,

  Is view with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This postmeditation that’s free of forgetting

  Is meditation with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This mindf
ulness without perceiver or perceived*3

  Is conduct with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This union of compassion and emptiness

  Is fruition with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This clothing that’s free of any feeling of cold*4

  Has softness and excellence with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This samadhi that’s without any hunger

  Is meat and beer with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  This drinking from the river of enlightenment

  Is drinking with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  Giving rise to contentment from within

  Is food and wealth with which ordinary ones’ cannot compare.

  Marpa Lotsawa, the translator,

  Is a siddha with whom ordinary ones cannot compare.

  The view of one’s mind as the face of the deity

  Is the yidam with which ordinary ones cannot compare.

  I, the yogi Milarepa,

  Am a meditator with which ordinary ones cannot compare.

  This body that’s without any sickness

  Is a doctor with which ordinary ones cannot compare.

  Now listen once more, assembly of dakinis:

  Where nothing is clear, it is clear for me.57

  This very luminosity is clear.

  Where there is no heat, I feel warm.

  This very single cloth is warm.

  When there’s nothing comfortable, I feel good,