The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa

by Tsangnyon Heruka

  Does not hear the dharma that’s free of words;

  He does not ponder the true meaning of emptiness;

  Nor does he meditate on the unborn reality.

  He turns away from the ten nonvirtues.

  What benefit is generosity with hope for repayment,118

  Where you don’t loosen the knot of avarice?

  What benefit is there from pretentious discipline

  Where you’re not free of deceit and hypocrisy?

  What benefit is the patience of ambition for fame

  Where you can’t bear the weapons of others’ harsh words?

  What benefit is there in the striving for virtue

  That isn’t free from laziness and sloth?

  What benefit is there in forced meditation

  That is not free of the distraction of mind?

  What benefit is there in cultivating prajña

  Where appearances don’t arise as one’s friends?

  What benefit is there from extensive hearing

  Without understanding the profound permissions and prohibitions?

  What benefit is there in speaking of cause and effect

  When one’s practice isn’t harmonious with what to adopt and reject?

  What benefit is there in assuming a monk’s appearance

  When one’s own mind-stream isn’t in accord with dharma?

  You’ve a mistaken view if you want to have wisdom

  Without killing the poisonous snake of the afflictions.

  You’ve a mistaken view if you want bodhichitta

  Without taming the storm of jealousy.

  You’ve a mistaken view if you want honor and respect

  Without abandoning the harm of beings.

  You’ve a mistaken view if you want equality

  But don’t abandon the bias of clinging to an “I.”

  Without taming the demon of clinging to a self,

  The hammer of the afflictions will beat the yogi.

  Without transforming your actions into the accumulations,

  You will be a hindrance for others’ virtue.

  Without dharma having mixed with your mind-stream,

  Meaningless words will upset others’ minds.

  Not meditating in this life is meaningless—

  Be without regret at the time of your death!

  Thus he sang. Then the teacher Darlo said, “It seems you have indeed heard the name of the six paramitas. Well, how then should one practice the ten paramitas?” In reply, Milarepa sang this song of realization:

  Lord Marpa the Translator who is so kind,

  Please be a refuge for sentient beings of the polluted age.

  Grant your blessings that dharma may pacify jealousy.

  Listen, Darlo, you teacher wishing for fame:

  While never thinking that you will die,

  You’ve pondered over words’ connections or contradictions,

  Thirty-two years of your life have passed without your noticing.

  If you practiced right now, that would be excellent.

  The afflictions of beings in the polluted age are coarse,

  Impossible to bear for those with negativity.

  Now, on the other side,*10 self-clinging has been relinquished;

  “Generosity” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, deceit has been relinquished;

  “Discipline” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, there is no fear of reality;

  “Patience” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, practice is constant;

  “Diligence” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, one abides naturally;

  “Meditative concentration” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, one realizes the abiding nature;

  “Prajña” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, all activity becomes the accumulations;

  “Means” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, the four maras are vanquished;

  “Power” is nothing other than that.

  On the other side, the two benefits are accomplished;

  “Aspiration” is nothing other than that.

  If you’re aware of the afflictions, your own hidden faults,

  Wisdom” is nothing other than that.

  When you genuinely practice, this is how it is;

  The sound of empty words has little purpose.

  Thus he sang. Lotön said, “All you’ve said is in accord with what’s true. Yogi, it seems you have experience in meditation.”

  Darlo replied, “All of these are just words and metaphors. But they will not stand up. There are tirthikas who can perform qualified miracles and tricks, too. The ten paramitas you just described are nothing more than mere names and do not have the same meaning as these texts. Now I will teach you the meaning of what is in these texts. All knowable things should be determined with pramana. Therefore, pramana is important. If one understands pramana, one will understand all other texts implicitly.

  “First I’ll ask a question about pramana. If you can answer, then I will consider you worthy. Generally, in pramana, there is the definition of generalities, and in particular there are the definitions of direct and inferential valid cognition, as well as contradictory reasons, reasons with connection, and indefinite reasons.*11 Now, give an explanation of these tenets.”

  The Jetsun replied, “Teacher, the innermost part of your mind has been given over to demons. Since you don’t have any trust in yourself or your yidam, or even any belief toward the pure buddhas, how could you give any to me? The dharma that you are so happy with—the soup of pramana completely devoid of any seasoning and with the undesired consequences of compassion, renunciation, and pure vision*12—you drink while scorching the palate and tongue of your own mind-stream, and your belly becomes filled with pride. Then above, you let out the belch of self-praise and ignorance and vomit up jealousy. Down below, you fart out denigration of others and you defecate and urinate out contempt. I know nothing about this harmful bad medicine that makes everyone, self and others, sick, or this perverted dharma that makes them accumulate negativity.

  “But, I have determined that all appearances are mind. And since the luminosity and emptiness of mind is unhidden from me and I have confidence in that, I don’t have any of the dharma that requires inference. If the reasons of contradiction, connection, or that are indefinite are something you need, then the teacher’s mind-stream that is contradictory with the dharma is the contradictory reason; that very contradictory reason being afflicted is the reason of connection; and the appearing mirage of a dharma practitioner, replete with reasons of both contradiction and connection, is the indefinite reason.”

  Lotön rubbed his head with his robes and chuckled. Darlo, while shaking his head and hands, burst out, “Ha ha! Whatever you say! You don’t even know the head or tail end of your own shit. These here who accept that you are a buddha are laughable! Furthermore, you say that the innermost part of my mind has been given over to demons, but who is the judge of that? If it is with an understanding of pramana that one praises oneself and denigrates others, then by holding yourself as a buddha, and denigrating me, you too understand pramana! You are someone with no merit or karmic connection. Therefore, you don’t give answers with the necessary dharma language. Rather, you give useless explanations that are bigger than a donkey’s penis. You shouldn’t show anyone; you should hide them and just keep quiet.”*13

  The Jetsun said, “I tried to keep quiet, but you wouldn’t let me. You don’t have any use for my reasons, but these reasons have made me very happy, so I have a great use for them. My speaking of the basic nature has made you feel bad, and it seemed as if I was praising myself. But the mind of all of us sentient beings is luminosity-emptiness, untainted by the faults and qualities of samsara and nirvana. This is called ‘buddha of the all-base’; it is also called ‘buddha nature.’*14
The ignorance toward and lack of recognition of this within oneself is given the names ‘adventitious stains,’ ‘afflicted,’ and ‘sentient being,’ and through that one wanders in samsara. Being aware and recognizing one’s own mind is given the names ‘wisdom,’ ‘perfect purity,’ and ‘buddha,’ and through that one goes to nirvana. In accord with that intention, the Buddha also said:

  All beings are fully pervaded by buddha nature;

  All of these beings, without any left out, are buddhas.

  And:

  All sentient beings are buddha in essence.

  However, they are obscured by the adventitious stains.

  If those are cleared away, that is buddhahood itself.

  And:

  If one realizes mind, because it [itself] is wisdom, there is no buddha to be sought anywhere else. Meditate well with this understanding.

  “Someone who realizes that the mind is primordially luminosity-emptiness is a buddha. Moreover, my own realization of mind is the basic nature. But teacher, you do not have any trust in this. All who are gathered here can witness that the innermost part of your mind has been given over to demons. Although it is the basic nature, to point that out to you would hit you too hard, so I will not teach it.”

  The teacher said, “Incredible! If everyone has reason to believe my mind is given over to demons, then let them show it. I’m better than those who spend their lives in deceit, doing tricks, and singing dirges to deceive others.”

  The Jetsun smiled, “Well, if you say it’s okay to try and convince you, then I must. Listen and understand what I have to say! There is something besides this side of meat you brought that is in the hand of someone else. Is its purpose not a sign of your mind being given over to demons?”

  The teacher’s face turned black. Although the Jetsun told him not to, Rechungpa, without listening, went and laid out the meat. There was a beautiful young girl in the assembly who had little devotion toward the Jetsun but did have devotion toward Rechungpa. Rechungpa went to her and took a bracelet off her wrist. At this, the teacher Darlo was embarrassed and ashamed; he vehemently denounced the Jetsun and his sons, and then left.

  Rechungpa was pleased, showed everyone the bracelet, and then went over again to where the young lady worked. He took the teacher Darlo’s rosary off her wrist and brought it for the people to see, and then everyone believed in his corruptness. Lotön thought, “If Milarepa was not made aware of the situation by others, then he must be who he says he is. But, I should test him.” Then he said, “The debate is sufficient,” and with that, he took the texts and went back.

  That evening, Lotön poured blood into the Buddha’s begging bowl, filled the kapala with milk, and took the pictures of the Buddha and his retinue that sat on his shrine and turned them upside down. Then he thought, “If Milarepa knows about this, then I can be sure that he genuinely has the higher perceptions and can perform miracles.” The next day, he went to see the Jetsun. First he met Rechungpa, who said to him, “Well, teacher, since you have disgraced yourself and the teachings, have you come to have your faults brought to light?”

  “Since I have faith in the guru, I have come to meet the Jetsun,” he said, and then went in.

  The Jetsun, smiling, said, “Teacher, you do not have to test me like this. All of the dharma that you accept in a hidden, hypothetical way, I know directly. I know that you have poured the nectar of the five poisons in the bowl of the golden rupa, and poured what is to go in the begging bowl into the kapala. Disregarding the way you know to do things, you have also turned the pictures of the Buddha Shakyamuni and his retinue on their heads. Do not do such things that a dharma practitioner would never do. Don’t put contents in the wrong containers, and without disregarding what you know, put the Buddha’s picture back correctly.” Lotön was overwhelmed, shrunk with fear, and gave rise to special, uncommon faith in the Jetsun. He said, “Yogi, please teach some dharma from your own experience. I have truly become someone who has trust.”

  In reply, the Jetsun said, “It is excellent that you have trust and confidence. But to talk about my meditation experience to someone who is not a proper vessel would be very regrettable. Listen now to the reasons for that.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  I bow at the feet of Marpa the Translator:

  Grant your blessing that this beggar may keep the secret words.

  Boasting about the view of the Secret Mantra’s dharma,

  To debate with you, teacher, who have partiality and bias,

  Over conventional terms would be a regrettable loss.*15

  To have discussion and idle chatter

  Regarding undistracted meditation would be a regrettable loss.

  When keeping the conduct of Secret Mantra secret,

  To reveal the yogic disciplines in public would be a regrettable loss.

  For one attaining enlightenment through meditation,

  To engage in study would be a regrettable loss.

  When pouring the key instructions into an excellent vessel,

  To bestow them upon unsuitable ones would be a regrettable loss.

  To leave the solitary place taken up in the beginning

  Empty in the end would be a regrettable loss.

  To sing the yogi’s profound songs of experience

  Among assemblies of many would be a regrettable loss.

  If I tell of the regrets, there are too many;

  That should suffice to answer your question for now.

  Thus he sang. The teacher said, “Although you will not speak of your meditation experience, it seems that meditation has caused prajña and wisdom to be revealed in you. Please briefly speak about the view, meditation, and conduct of bestowing abhishekas and the graduated paths and bhumis.”

  The Jetsun said, “I don’t know anything about your tradition, but my tradition is like this.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  I bow at the feet of Marpa the Translator.

  In reply to this great teacher, I sing this song.

  Without positing contradictions and connections,*16 listen to the meaning:

  When there is nothing that is looked at, this is supreme seeing;

  This is mind itself, luminosity.

  When nothing is searched for, this is the supreme discovery;

  This is mind itself, the precious treasure-lode.

  When there’s nothing to eat, that is the supreme satiation;

  This is the food of samadhi that completely liberates.

  When there’s nothing to drink, that is the supreme quenching;

  This is the water of bodhichitta amrita.

  This wisdom that is merely self-aware

  Is nothing that can be expressed through speech.

  This is not an object of the shravakas or the immature;*17

  It is also not the domain of learned logicians.

  If you realize the reality that’s without bestowing and receiving,

  That is known as the supreme abhisheka.

  If you realize the reality that’s free of high and low,

  That is known as the supreme bhumi.

  If you realize the reality that’s free of traversing,

  That is known as the supreme path.

  If you realize the reality that’s unborn and undying,

  That is known as fulfilling the supreme need.

  If you realize the reality that’s incomprehensible,*18

  That is known as supreme pramana.

  If you realize the reality beyond greater or lesser,

  That is known as the supreme yana.

  If you realize the reality beyond good or bad,

  That is known as the supreme means.

  If you realize the reality free of duality,

  That is known as the supreme view.

  If you realize the reality free of reference point,*19

  That is known as the supreme meditation.

  If you realize the reality free of adopting and rejecting,

  That is known as sup
reme conduct.

  If you realize the reality that’s free of effort and exertion,

  That is known as the supreme fruition.

  Those who are devoid of having such meaning [include]

  Great teachers who have become arrogant through study,

  Scholars who boast with words,

  And meditators who are focused on adopting and rejecting.

  Though these three hope for liberation, they only remain bound;

  They are bound by the ropes of duality.

  Though they wish for freedom, they only stay caught;

  They’re caught by the hook of perceiver and perceived.

  Though they wish to get out, they sink into the mire;

  They sink into the mire of the three realms of samsara.

  Thus he sang. Lotön, abandoning his arrogance and pride, prostrated to the Jetsun. Though he requested the dharma, the Jetsun did not give any. He gained unwavering faith in the Jetsun and said, “The debates we have engaged in are the true debates. You have won, indeed,” thus offering his concession.

  He went home and said to Darlo, “As Milarepa said, I don’t know if all that we logicians know, lacking revulsion, disillusionment, and pure vision, is a help for attaining liberation or a hindrance. I have regret for thinking the higher perceptions and miraculous abilities of Milarepa, these signs of accomplishment in practice, were just tricks. I now have confidence in them.”

  Darlo said, “Your belief in him makes you truly gullible. You have become a lord of evil dharma. But as for me, I only think of his higher perceptions and miracle-working as the act of a great spirit to be accepted as a disciple and to be tamed; I don’t see him as someone who has a hair’s worth of dharma. Furthermore, I did not have inappropriate relations with that girl!” Holding such incorrect views, he died. Having attachment to his own errant views, he took rebirth as a fearsome great demon who acted as a witness to oaths.