The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa

by Tsangnyon Heruka

The Jetsun said, “Through making a negative connection with me, Darlo has gone to the very end of samsara.” Those scholars who denigrated the Jetsun incurred great loss for themselves. Later, Lotön attended the Jetsun and through meditation became the greatest of the five close disciples of the Jetsun who were teacher-meditators, the stories of whom are elucidated below.

  This is the cycle of Milarepa winning the debate arisen through jealousy with power and magic.

  *1 “This refers to the original monastic tradition of rinsing one’s mouth out after a meal to ensure that one does not violate the precept of not taking solid food after noon. It was done before a dedication was chanted. Normally Milarepa, who was not a monk, wouldn’t have done this ritual, but he is doing so here out of respect for his monastic guests. (KTGR)” (Stories and Songs: 90).

  *2 “Milarepa is using these analogies of the earth quaking, rocks splitting, rivers stopping, to speak of the potent dangers of accepting offerings. For unsuitable recipients to accept offerings would be harmful to their practice and realization. (KTGR)” (Stories and Songs: 90).

  *3 S: kapāla; T: kapAla. Skull-cup; a ritual object used by practitioners of the Vajrayana tradition.

  *4 T: tshad ma; S: pramāṇa. The field of pramana in the Buddhist context covers the topics of logic and epistemology. This term is often translated as “valid cognition,” “validity,” or “genuine,” as it can refer to a valid type of consciousness or valid sources of knowledge, such as the “Valid Teacher,” the Buddha. Pramana provides the basic framework for debate in the Buddhist context.

  *5 “Valid” here translates the Tibetan tshad ma or pramana (see note above).

  *6 Here, the word “liberate” (T: bsgral) means to kill.

  *7 Presumably some other monks went in behind Rechungpa to request Milarepa to see the teachers.

  *8 Milarepa is pointing out that Lotön would even find the miracles that an enlightened Buddha could perform, which “fall like rain,” to be unsuitable. (DPR)

  *9 Milarepa is referring to Mahayana practitoners who do not go beyond their mere conceptual understanding of the teachings as is illustrated through Darlo and Lotön.

  *10 The Tibetan word for the Sanskrit pāramitā, which means “perfection,” literally means “gone to the other side” (T: pha rol tu phyin pa).

  *11 Generalities, direct and indirect valid cognition, and the three types of reasons (contradictory, connective, and indefinite) each are important topics in the pramana teachings.

  *12 “Undesired consequence” is a technical term used in pramana logic. Stating an undesired consequence of an opponent’s position is a way of pointing out its illogicality.

  *13 Darlo is making a pun. The Tibetan word here for “explanation” (’doms) has a completely different second meaning of “genitals.” The Tibetan word for “show” (ston) can also mean “teach.” T: mi dgos pa’i ’doms nas chas rtags bong bu bas che ba de ma ston par sbos la kha rog par sdod zer.

  *14 Sugatagarbha (T: bde gshegs snying po).

  *15 The word translated as “regrettable loss” here (T: phangs) has the sense of deep loss of something that is cherished, or deep regret over a missed opportunity.

  *16 Milarepa is telling the teacher not to engage in his usual manner of analyzing and criticizing as he would in debate. Contradictions and connections (T: ’gal ’brel ma bsdebs) are key components of the Buddhist system of logic (pramana).

  *17 “Immature” refers to ordinary beings. (KTGR)

  *18 The reality that cannot be comprehended by means of logic and reasonings employing terminology. (KTGR)

  *19 Reference point or focal object (T: dmigs gtad).

  35

  Rechungpa and Tipupa

  NAMO GURU

  The Jetsun Milarepa had ultimately been victorious in defeating the jealous debaters through his power and miraculous ability. However, his heart-son, Rechungpa, was not satisfied with this, as the Jetsun did not win by replying directly with words on the scholars’ terms.

  He thought, “These scholars who have no belief in miracles and were not satisfied must be defeated by countering them with words, or else they must be defeated through the use of fierce black magic. Although I received teachings from the Jetsun on such magic, it was probably just mere words.*1 That these scholars said these miracles were mere tricks is something that needs to be rectified, but the Jetsun will not do it. For the purpose of bringing one to buddhahood now, in a single lifetime, the instructions of the guru are, indeed, profound. But to defeat the scholars, I will need to go to India and train in logic.”

  Rechungpa conveyed his wishes in the presence of the Jetsun. The Jetsun said, “Rechungpa, if we had lost the debate, how could the scholars have given their respect? If you go to India to study logic in order to defend yourself in debate, you will only be going for the sake of this mundane world. If you forsake genuine practice and train in terminology, although you might learn something, it is far from certain that you would win every debate, nor will you ever have mastery over all words and logic. To know how to respond to all questions and debates you must attain buddhahood, and to attain buddhahood, you must meditate. Thus, relinquish this life, and remain and practice the meditation of recognizing your own true nature. Even if you have the power to kill others through black magic, without the power to guide them you just bring ruin to both yourself and others. Furthermore, because of the black magic that I performed, I had to undergo many hardships in the presence of Marpa. Therefore, you should remain and focus on contemplating the shortness of life and the uncertainty of the time of death.”

  Rechungpa insistently made his plea to go to India. The Jetsun said, “If you insist on not listening and go on to India, I will not send you there in order to study logic. When I came into the presence of Marpa from Lhodrak, he gave only four parts among the whispered lineage’s nine Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis. Thus, there are still five that remain in India. There is a prophecy that if a son of my lineage goes and receives them from the lineage of Naropa, he will bring them back and benefit sentient beings. Though this is so, because I previously could not forsake my meditation practice, I did not go to receive them myself. I am now old and have gained full confidence of mind, so I will not go. Now, you go and bring them back. To go to India you will need gold,” he said.

  Milarepa and Rechungpa collected together the gold that had been offered to them, which came to a large sum. Then, as a departing drink for Rechungpa, all of the students, including Shendormo and Leksé Bum, held a ganachakra. Within the assembly row where it was arranged, the Jetsun presented all the gold to Rechungpa.

  He said, “Son, Rechungpa, contemplate the meaning of this song. Go and receive these dharma teachings from India.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  I bow at the feet of Marpa the Translator:

  Grant your blessings that I carry on your example.

  My son with little hearing*2 has lost the debate,

  So doubts arise, and he’s giving up his practice.

  He wants to study, so he’ll wander to distant lands.

  Such is the treacherous path of the doubtful yogi.

  If you go to the land of India,

  Receive the Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis

  From the lineage of the great pandit Naropa.

  Do not lend yourself to strands of debating terms.

  In the beginning, my place of encounter was unmistaken:

  I encountered and served Marpa Lotsawa.

  In the middle, my place of meditation was unmistaken:

  I meditated at the White Rock Horse Tooth Peak.

  In the end, my place of alms-gathering was unmistaken:

  With no guide or friends, I’ve gathered alms throughout the land.

  Now I’m free of rejecting samsara and adopting nirvana.

  Thus, for this yogi, there is no turning back.

  When I had left the presence of Marpa from Lhodrak

  And was staying within the rugged mountains
,

  The Buddha Guru said this to me:

  “The chakravartin king, holder of the jewel;

  The birds of five families fly in dharmata’s expanse.119

  First is Awareness: The Torch of Wisdom;

  Second is the Nadis, Pranas, and the Lattice of Chakras;

  Third is Great Bliss: The Precious Jewel of Speech;

  Fourth is Equal Taste: The Mirror of Outer Phenomena;

  Fifth is Self-Liberation: The Mahamudra:

  In India all of these five dharmas

  Still remain and should be secured.”*3

  But now I’m old and cannot go,

  You, Son, a holder of Marpa’s lineage,

  Secure this from the land of India.

  Thus he sang. Happily, Rechungpa picked up a select offering of gold, tossed it toward the Jetsun’s body, and then offered this song:

  At the risk of my life, may I accomplish

  The intention and meaning of the guru’s command.

  May I receive, in accord with the prophecy,

  The warm breath of the dakinis, the key instructions.

  By the compassion of the one with wisdom and love,

  I pray you accept me to be inseparable from you.

  Bless me to remember and never forget

  The vajra garlands of your commanding words.

  Rechungpa, who is guideless and without any friend,

  Please protect him in whatever he encounters

  On the fearsome and treacherous paths of India;

  Wherever I travel, please look upon me.

  When wandering in this human land, without a guide,

  May I meet one with whom I have good karmic connection.

  May appearances that are obstacles on this path

  Be transformed and dawn as precious jewels.

  Then the Jetsun sang this song of realization to Rechungpa:

  To my son, Rechungpa, who is going to India,

  I’ll give some counsel in seven sets of three:

  First, is the great path of Secret Mantra;

  Second, are the guru’s great key instructions;

  Third, is your own great prajña:

  May you have these three things of greatness.

  First, you need to give service to the learned ones;

  Second, you need to have faith in the guru;

  Third, you need to have perseverance for yourself:

  May you have these three necessities.

  First, make prana-control penetrate the vital point;

  Second, penetrate into the expanse of dharmata;

  Third, penetrate the mastery of dharma:

  May you have these three ways of penetrating.

  First is to see the luminosity of bliss;

  Second is to see the myriad appearances;

  Third is to see the scriptures, logic, and upadeshas:

  May you have these three things to be seen.

  Cherish as a companion the qualified mudra;

  Cherish the mind of the experience of bliss;

  Cherish the conduct that is elephant-like:*4

  May you have these three things to be cherished.

  To propagate instructions to bad vessels is a regrettable loss;

  To sing of your experience in songs is a regrettable loss;

  For the yogi to wander in cities is a regrettable loss:

  May you consider these three regrettable losses.

  First, dharma friends gather in assemblies;

  Second, dakinis gather in assemblies;

  Third, daily provisions gather in assemblies:

  May you have these three things that gather.

  Contemplate this song’s meaning, and put it into practice.

  Thus he sang. Rechungpa prostrated to the guru and then set out for India. Accompanying him were fifteen monks along with a Dzogchenpa*5 named Khyitön as their leader.*6 In Nepal, Rechungpa and Khyitön were able to engage in a little bit of dharma activity, and along the way met a disciple of Tipupa*7 named Bharima.

  They asked the king of Khokhom for a permit to travel. He said, “You are the heart-son of the siddha who previously wouldn’t accept my invitation,” and according to his wish, Rechungpa received the permit and travel provisions. When he arrived in India, Rechungpa met Tipupa and received all of the dharma teachings that he had desired. Tipupa also developed faith in the Jetsun and entrusted Rechungpa with the gift of an agarwood staff.

  Rechungpa also met Machik Drupé Gyalmo,*8 received the key instructions on Amitayus, and trained in black mantra with the tirthikas. When he arrived in Nepal, Tipupa’s disciple Bharima clarified the faults of dharma of the jealous lotsawa and so forth. These stories of Rechungpa’s journey to India and Nepal can be found in detail in his biography.

  Through the illuminating samadhi, the Jetsun saw when Rechungpa had returned and went to greet him in the center of the Palkhü Plain. There, the father and son met again.

  This is the cycle of Rechungpa and Tipupa.

  *1 This implies Milarepa probably just spoke about the teachings of black magic to Rechungpa without giving the full transmission of them. (TN)

  *2 This means “who has studied little.”

  *3 These are the five Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis that Marpa did not receive from India and that Rechungpa went to retrieve at Milarepa’s command.

  *4 Yogic conduct that is fearless and unrelenting, and that makes efforts to benefit beings.

  *5 One who practices Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection.

  *6 Khyitön, which means “Dog Teacher,” is also known as Ra Lotsawa (Thrangu 2001: 12).

  *7 Rechungpa received the Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis from Tipupa, who himself was said to be an incarnation (through the practice of “entering the deceased”) of Marpas’s son Darma Dodé.

  *8 Literally, “One Mother, Queen of Accomplishment,” and known as Ekamatrika Siddharajñi in Sanskrit (T: ma gcig grub pa’i rgyal mo). Because of her mastery of the practice of long life, she was said to have lived to be over five hundred years old (Thrangu 2001: 15).

  36

  Mégom Repa

  NAMO GURU

  While the Jetsun Milarepa was staying at the Nyanang Belly Cave, a merchant of the Mé clan came to meet the Jetsun. The merchant developed unwavering faith toward him and offered all the material things he had to the father Jetsun and his sons. Then being instructed in how to enter the gate of dharma, he meditated, and outstanding experience and realization developed in his mind-stream. The Jetsun gave the pointing out of the view, meditation, and conduct in union, and immediately the merchant saw the natural state of his own face and attained immeasurable delight and joy. Following his receiving of this instruction, in the assembly rows of a ganachakra offering, Drigom Repa said to Mégom,*1 “Do you have confidence in the dharma and the key instructions? How have signs of experience developed for you?”

  Mégom said, “Yes, I do have confidence in the key instructions given out of compassion by the root and lineage gurus. Whatever arises, whether it is happiness or suffering, I have no need for anything other than the key instructions of the guru, and I have developed a strong and stable motivation never to abandon mountain retreats.”

  The Jetsun was pleased and said, “Yes, Mégom, that is it. If you have confidence in the guru and the key instructions, you will be powerless not to give rise to experience and realization. However, they will not develop quickly, so you must be able to meditate in mountain retreats.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  I bow at the feet of Marpa the Translator.

  All who are assembled here, Mégom and so forth,

  Contemplate and put into practice

  The song of this old man who has experience.

  Because my confusion has been cut from the root,

  Self-awareness has dawned as my guru.

  If self-awareness hasn’t dawned as your guru,

  Then you must never be parted from a siddha lord.

  All appearances have dawned a
s my texts.

  If appearances haven’t dawned as your texts,

  Then you must never be parted from the genuine teachings.

  Revulsion naturally arises for me.

  If revulsion hasn’t naturally arisen for you,

  Then you must never be parted from the antidote.

  I have realized the unborn reality.

  If you’ve not realized the unborn reality,

  Then you must maintain concern for karma, cause and effect.

  I’ve understood samsara and nirvana are not two.

  If you’ve not understood samsara and nirvana as not two,

  Then you must meditate on the union of the two truths.

  I’m fully trained in the inseparability of self and other.

  If you’re not fully trained in the inseparability of self and other,

  Then you must never be separate from bodhichitta.

  Realization naturally dawns for me.

  If realization hasn’t naturally dawned for you,

  Then you must never be separate from discriminating awareness.

  There is no meditation and postmeditation for me.

  If there is still meditation and postmeditation for you,

  Then you must practice the path of means in a solitary place.

  Experiences continually arise for me.

  If they do not continually arise for you,

  Then you must never be separate from the three nose-tips.*2

  I’ve realized the three kayas are intrinsically present.

  If you’ve not realized the three kayas are intrinsically present,

  Then you must join the stages of creation and completion.

  For me, the six consciousnesses are completely relaxed.

  If, for you the six consciousnesses aren’t completely relaxed,

  Then you must not be separate from your commitments and samayas!