The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa

by Tsangnyon Heruka

  Son, Rechungpa, whom I’ve raised since you were small,

  You were sent to gather key instructions.

  But with so many textbooks on debate,

  I feared you’d become someone who just talks about scripture.

  You hope to lay out the seat of a meditator.

  But with so much of this mere talk,

  I fear you will lay out the shoes of some great teacher.

  You hope that by knowing the single point, all will be liberated.

  But with so many conventional terms,

  I fear that by knowing much, you’ll not understand the single point.

  You were sent to seek out the genuine dharma.

  But with the accumulation of so much karma,

  I fear you’ve become someone with attachment and aggression.

  The dharma that I sent you to find

  Has flown in between the rocks.

  Now it is in the hands of the dakinis.

  If you supplicate, then they will bestow it.

  All the black mantra, the magic and so forth,

  I threw into the fire’s blaze.

  It is offered to the Bhagavan Agnideva.*7

  Since this benefits everyone, self and other, I am satisfied.

  Son, don’t have great anger; it will scorch your mind-stream.

  Don’t suffer too much; your body and mind will be wasted.

  Don’t fabricate too much; just rest, relaxed.

  Repay the kindness of your guru.

  Thus he sang. Rechungpa supplicated, thinking, “The speech of the guru is the Buddha’s speech and thus is certainly true.” All of the texts, such as the Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis, that were of benefit to sentient beings and the teachings fell into Rechungpa’s hand and he was delighted beyond measure. He never was separated from the view that the guru was the Buddha in person. “Previously, I paid much respect and service to the guru, but I still need to do more,” he thought, and made a promise to do so, which he carried out fully.

  Then, calling his dharma brothers and other students, they all gathered and held a ganachakra as a welcoming gift for Rechungpa’s return. In the row of that assembly, Seben Repa said to Rechungpa, “It seems you went to India to get the key instructions and knowledge of the Jetsun’s prophecy. Now if someone debates us, how shall we defeat them?”

  The Jetsun said, “Rechungpa, tell of the manner of defeating the debaters according to your Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis.” Then Rechungpa offered this way of defeating the debaters as a melody:*8

  With the lineage of the great Vajradhara,

  Defeat the debaters of lineages to be rebuked.

  With the Guru Buddha Repa,

  Defeat the debaters who are desirous gurus.

  With the whispered lineage key instructions of the path of means,

  Defeat the debaters who are demons fabricated by mind.

  With Equal Taste: The Mirror of Outer Phenomena,

  Drive out to all ends the faults that lie hidden.

  With Great Bliss: The Precious Jewel of Speech,

  Scorch concepts with the fire of wisdom.

  With Nadis, Pranas, and the Lattice of Chakras,

  Carry away to all ends, dullness, agitation, and vacant mind states.

  With Self-Liberation: The Mahamudra,

  Tame the demon of clinging to the five gates as “I.”

  With Awareness: The Lamp of Wisdom,

  Dispel the darkness of ignorance and sloth.

  With Conduct: Striking the Water with the Sword,

  Loosen the knot of the eight concerns in its own place.

  Thus he sang. The Jetsun said, “This way of defeating the debaters is excellent, indeed. In addition to that, you need these key points of view and meditation.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  The view is wisdom, which is empty.

  The meditation is luminosity free of fixation.

  The conduct is the continual stream of nonattachment.

  The fruition is nakedness free of stains.

  With this view, the wisdom that is empty,

  There’s the danger of straying into mere talk.

  If you don’t develop certainty in reality,

  Words will not liberate the clinging to a self.

  Therefore, certainty is extremely important.

  With this meditation, luminosity free of fixation,

  There’s the danger of straying into mere abiding.

  If wisdom does not dawn from within,

  Though you may abide stably, there is no liberation.

  Wisdom won’t develop from dullness and agitation;

  Thus, undistracted mindfulness is very important.

  With this conduct, the continual stream of nonattachment,

  There’s the danger of straying into improper behavior.

  If the view and meditation don’t dawn as its companion,

  Then yogic discipline becomes a friend of the eight concerns.

  Therefore, being free of attachment and obscurations is very important.

  The fruition that is nakedness free of stains

  Has the danger of being clothed in the garments of characteristics.

  If confusion doesn’t collapse from within,

  You just meditate with a mental aspiration; it’ll be of little meaning.

  Therefore, the collapse of confusion is very important.

  Thus he sang. The entire assembly gave rise to certainty and rejoiced with great delight.

  This is the cycle of the Song of the Wild Asses.

  *1 According to DSD this type of song (shugs glu) could either be a love song or a “mountain song.”

  *2 His body.

  *3 The three sattvas (or “beings”) are the samayasattva, the jñanasattva, and the samadhisattva.

  *4 The ability to transfer consciousness into other bodies such as corpses (T: yul la grong ’jug).

  *5 This refers to the samadhi called “the ayatana of the exhaustion of the elements” in which one gains control over the outer elements of fire, water, etc.

  *6 There’s no way to understand the true nature of mind with ordinary dualistic thinking.

  *7 Of the guardians of the ten directions, Agnideva (T: me lha, literally, “Fire Deity”) is the guardian of the southeast.

  *8 This song gives six of the nine Dharma Cycles of the Formless Dakinis, the first five of which Rechungpa brought back from India.

  40

  Lengom Repa

  NAMO GURU

  After the Jetsun Milarepa’s heart-son Rechungpa had returned from India, while in the rows of a feast gathering of most of Milarepa’s disciple-sons and students at Poto Red Rock, the Jetsun had sung a song of realization prophesying the future arrival of the incomparable Gampopa.

  Then students from Chuwar invited Milarepa to come to their land, and so he stayed there. A meditator of the Len clan from Dakpo, captivated by what he had heard of the Jetsun’s renown, came to meet Milarepa in person. At the moment he saw the Jetsun’s face, an excellent samadhi of bliss, clarity, and nonthought arose. He developed supreme faith.

  He said to the guru, “I am a meditator from Dakpo. I have previously received various instructions from several gurus, such as some instruction on the Great Perfection.*1 I have also done analytical meditation that uses discriminating prajña; and I have some experience in the practice of equal taste. However, aside from a mere basic understanding of these, I have not gained138 any confident experience in any of them. Guru, since I heard of your renown, I have come to request the dharma from you. Please grant me dharma.”

  The Jetsun replied to him, “Have you had experiences like these in your practice?” Then he sang this song of realization:

  Have the guru’s genuine key instructions

  Not strayed into becoming mere words?

  Has your discriminating prajña

  Not strayed into clinging to duality?

  Has the view that is to be realized

  Not been taken by
the enemy—perceiver and perceived?

  Has your meditative concentration without reference point

  Not been undone in the treacherous path of characteristics?

  Has your conduct of the practice of equal taste

  Not strayed into having doubts?

  As for the fruition of nirvana,

  Have you not hoped to get it from somewhere else?

  Has experience disconnected from your mind-stream

  Not become like water in a stagnant pond?

  Has the innate emptiness of the nature of mind

  Not been sullied by imputations?

  Do all yogis who wander in the mountains

  Not get taken by the demon of trying to please others?

  Thus, this vicious cycle of ignorance and confusion

  Turns round and round like a potter’s wheel!

  Thus he sang. Then the man said, “That is, indeed, how it has been for me. But now, I ask you to give me the abhishekas and key instructions so that it will not be like that.” Accordingly, the Jetsun gave him the abhishekas and key instructions and put him to meditate. Due to the man’s previous latent tendencies, he was not able to relinquish his virtuous activity encumbered with characteristics. He also had many thoughts of going into places where people lived. The Jetsun knew this, and when the meditator came to offer his realization in Milarepa’s presence, the Jetsun said, “Lengom, if you do not meditate one-pointedly, abandoning the frenzied thoughts of wishing to go to places where people are and the virtuous activity encumbered with characteristics, there is a danger that you will remain in the three realms of samsara.” Cautioning him in this way, he sang this song of realization:

  Holding a lineage that is genuine,

  Purifying confusion into space,

  And seeing the right time for what should be done:

  One endowed with these is a yogi.

  When meditating on Mahamudra

  There’s no need to concentrate with characteristics.

  When freedom from elaborations arises from within,

  What’s the use of refuting with analysis?

  For all yogis who wander into towns,

  Who try to please their friends and relatives

  And engage in conduct that is pretentious and improper,

  The inseparability of awareness and emptiness is left hidden.

  Abandon your concepts: they bring such affliction.

  At death you’ll have regret; thus, before you die,

  Through remembering death and impermanence,

  Be cautious of the enemy of the afflictions.

  There’s a danger you’ll fall into the abyss of the six realms.

  While always roaming in mountain retreats,

  If you don’t look directly at your mind,

  There’s a danger you’ll fall into neutral activity.

  If you don’t supplicate the guru lord

  With great devotion and great faith,

  There’s a danger your experience will be obscured.

  If you don’t meditate on the profound path of means

  With fierce diligence and effort,

  There’s a danger the enemy—the afflictions—will win.

  Always roam in mountain retreats as your monastery.

  If you do, it’s certain the qualities will grow.

  Thus he sang. These words penetrated Lengom’s hidden flaws, and he thought of how true what the Jetsun said was. He stayed alone in mountain retreats meditating, and a special realization arose. Lengom went to offer his realization to the Jetsun, who was pleased and said, “That is excellent. Since you still must have these things to adopt and abandon until you attain enlightenment, understand them.” Then he sang this song of realization:

  A son, a wife, and trying to please,

  These three are the bonds of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must abandon these.

  Goods, wealth, and arrogance, these three,

  These three are the obstacles of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must abandon these.

  Close ones, benefactors, and disciples, these three,

  These are what discourage the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must abandon these.

  Liquor, fatigue, and sleep, these three,

  These three are the bandits of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must abandon these.

  Chatting, laughing, and entertainment, these three,

  These three are the distractions of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must abandon these.

  The guru, key instructions, and faith, these three,

  These three are foundations for the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must adopt these.

  Solitary places, good companions, and provisions, these three,

  These three are the walking stick of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must adopt these.

  Nondistraction, nonthought, and bliss, these three,

  These three are the spouse of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must adopt these.

  Relaxation, spontaneity, and naturalness, these three,

  These three are the demeanor of the yogi.

  Dharma practitioners must adopt these.

  Nonattachment, nonaggression, and higher perceptions, these three,

  These three are the yogi’s signs of the path.

  Dharma practitioners must adopt these.

  Thus he sang. Lengom said, “By the kindness of the Jetsun, I have abandoned all of these things to be abandoned, and by so doing, I have implicitly adopted those things to be adopted. Thank you for making it so that I am always happy.”

  The Jetsun replied, “Son, that is it. A yogi who maintains everything that should be abandoned and adopted is always happy and well. If you turn from them, you will always suffer. The dividing line between happiness and misery is in what to adopt and abandon.” Then he sang this song of realization on the dividing line between happiness and misery:

  The yogi who knows his own face and is in contact with the true nature’s reality is always happy.

  The practitioner who follows after confusion and produces suffering is always miserable.

  The yogi who rests within noncontrivance and is unchanging and pure with whatever happens is always happy.

  The practitioner who follows whatever feelings arise, letting attachment and aversion come as they please, is always miserable.

  The yogi who realizes appearances are dharmakaya and cuts through hopes, fears, and doubts is always happy.

  The practitioner who acts improperly and rashly and doesn’t keep the eight concerns in check is always miserable.

  The yogi who, knowing everything is mind, takes whatever appears as a friend is always happy.

  The practitioner who wastes this life and has regret at the time of death is always miserable.

  The yogi who has mastered realization fully and seizes his own place in the abiding nature is always happy.

  The practitioner who indulges in desire and seeks out attention is always miserable.

  The yogi for whom characteristics are liberated in their own place and who has continuous experience is always happy.

  The practitioner who, following after words and terms, has no resolve about mind is always miserable.

  The yogi who abandons worldly deeds and is free of objectives and reference points is always happy.

  The practitioner who struggles to collect provisions and works to protect his wife and family is always miserable.

  The yogi who has revulsion from within and realizes everything is an illusion is always happy.

  The practitioner who takes the path of distraction and binds his body and speech in servitude is always miserable.

  The yogi who, riding the horse of diligence, traverses the path of liberation is always happy.

  The practitioner who enters the shackles of laziness, the foundation stone of samsara, is always miserable.

  The yogi who cuts the impu
tations of hearing and contemplating and watches the show of mind is always happy.

  The practitioner who accepts the dharma but always engages in negative conduct is always miserable.

  The yogi who cuts through hopes, fears, and doubts and continually rests in the innate state is always happy.

  The practitioner who gives his leash to other people, trying to please and be harmonious, is always miserable.

  The yogi who leaves everything behind and practices the sublime dharma is always happy.

  Thus he sang. Then excellent motivation emerged for Lengom, and the other disciple-sons greatly rejoiced. During meditative equipoise, they were able to abide without wavering from the state of Mahamudra; in postmeditation, appearances dawned for them as illusions, and they made efforts in abandoning negativity and practicing virtue. The Jetsun became very pleased with Lengom Repa, who later became the close dharma friend of Dakpo Rinpoche [Gampopa] and was the first among his benefactors and disciples.

  This is the cycle of Milarepa’s close son Lengom Repa.

  *1 Dzogchen, or Mahasandhi (T: rdzogs pa chen po).

  41

  The Noble Gampopa

  NAMO GURU

  Noble Gampopa, the supreme heart-son of the Lord of Yogis, Shepa Dorje, was foretold in the matchless prophecy made in Guru Marpa of Lhodrak’s song of realization explaining the omen of four pillars that appeared in the Jetsun’s dream. The yidam Vajrayogini also prophesied to the Jetsun that he would have twenty-five close disciples who were siddhas, and that they would be like the sun, moon, and stars. Among those, that prophecy said that Gampopa would be supreme, like the orb of the sun.