The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa - Volume One

THE HUNDRED THOUSAND

SoNGs oF

jv1ilarepa Volume I

The life'story and teaching of the greatest Poet' Saint ever to appear in the history of Buddhism.

SHAMBHALA

BOULDER & LONDON

1977

~(.~).1 . . . . akini was very frightened and immediately clutched Milarepa's feet and said, "We are blind and wicked beings. Because of our ignorance we have spread illness in this region. But please do not talk to us like this! As a rule, if the pure Devas and spirits from the higher ranks do not affiict us, we will never attack them first. Expecially, in consideration of your [former] admonishment, I have not harmed any people or sent others to affiict them. In the last month of this summer the river here overflowed, and all the narrow and precipitous places were flooded. [Taking advantage of this], some of our retainers, associates, and kinsmen, together with many flesh-eating and blood-drinking servants of ours, went about affiicting people. I will stop all the contagious diseases as soon as I get better. Therefore, please look after me and have pity on me." Thus she earnestly besought the Jetsun.

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THE HUNDRED THOUSAND SONGS OF MILAREPA

Milarepa then performed for her the Hundred-Words Cleansing Ritual 4 and prayed for her to the Gurus and the Precious Ones many times. He also increased her longevity by performing the ritual of the Victorious Mother of the Crown. 5 The next morning she was able to get up from her bed and make obeisance to him. During the next seven days the Jetsun continuously blessed her with the power of Illuminating-Awareness, and the girl was then completely cured. She became even more healthy and vigorous than before. After this Milarepa said to her, "Fair lady, as you have completely recovered, now is the time for you to go to the villages and help the people. Tell me what offerings you would like them to make to you?· What rituals should be performed to cure the sick?" She replied, "According to the reciprocal-relation principle of the Law-of-Causation, when we recover from a disease, so will the people. It is the common oath of all wordly l_)akinis 6 that if one of us has been made unwell or unhappy, we are all offended and the Devas and spirits support us, throwing the world into confusion. Therefore, if one wants to convalesce quickly, he should recite the quintessential Mantra of Buddha Tsudor many times, read the profound Mahayana Siitras, perform the Ritual of Cleansing with Vase-\Vater, mark a circle round the village and confine people in it, offer white and red oblations and huge Dormas, 7 deck the altars, dedicate the merits to all, and then make his wish. He who does all these things will soon be cured." Milarepa then went to Drin and said to the villagers, "I have had indications from a dream that the pestilence now prevailing in this area was caused by the local goddesses who are angry with you because you offended and injured them by the fires you kindled. In revenge they have spread the diseases. You should now perform suitable rituals and make various offerings." Thereupon, the villagers all prayed to the Gurus, the Buddhas, and the Guards of Dharma, offering them many oblations and huge Dormas, and dedicating these merits to the Devas and spirits. Through the infallible power of these prayers and blessings, the pestilence completely disappeared within a short time. On the 29th day of that month, the five Auspicious Ladies of Long Life, together with many of their followers and local deities, came to visit the Jetsun. They brought delicious food and excellent wine in jeweled beakers and offered them to Milarepa. After they had made obeisances to him and circled him many times, they stood in a row and said, "It is you, the Jetsun, who have saved our lives and cured our illnesses. You have been most gracious to us." Whereupon, with sweet voices they sang:

Guiding Instructions on the Bardo He who can foretell the fall of rain Knows how to observe the sky. When one sees that dark clouds gather, And the dragon thunders, He knows that the Dragon King will soon give rain To nourish all sentient beings. When slowly the rain drizzles, It shows that moisture and heat Are in balance on the earth. When the deafening thunder peals, It indicates the clashing conflict Between heat and cold. Under the flying clouds Stands a great snow mountain with three peaksThe central one is highest. A crown of crystal Is her head ornament; Starlight, soft and glimmering, Surrounds her in the serene night; The rays of sun and moon gleam upon her. Beauteous and resplendent was she fashioned. There our noble castle stands! By the left slope of the snow mountain Are the wondrous pastures of Medicine Valley. A canopy of rainbows ever hangs above it, Reflecting beams of glowing light. Lovely are the herbs grown in the valley, Here dance and play the local gods, Here lies the land of crops and fruitA garden full of lovely flowers. Your hut stands by the river bank, A place of great blessing, Where the great Yogi Mila dwells. Through the merits of your previous lives You receive a precious human body. By sloth unhindered You meditate without diversion. Thus, you have realized Mind-nature, the Unborn, And mastered the magic gestures.

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No obstacles and distractions can frighten you. Unshakeable as a mountain, You are a yogi of stability. Having mastered PraQa to perfection, You have no need of clothing, Exposing your body freely. By your grace and your devotions Many beings have been saved. At a time of defilement and distress You came to the red-faced country [of Tibet]! You are the glory of the world, Our shelter and our pride! [The leader of the four Oakinls continued to sing]: On the eleventh of this month I was hurt and sullied by smoke and fire. With great pain was my body wracked The unbearable torment tore at me. So I became most angry and malignant. Then I asked your help, and graciously you blessed me, Performing the Ritual of Cleansing. Also, you enlightened me On the Mind-Essence which is beyond both life and death. Of a sudden, I came to realize the Truth. Like clouds that vanish in the sky Ail my hurt was cleared away, My mind became fresh and alert, My body light as wool, So comfortable and well. The fevers left, health was restored, And my failing breath regained its strength. Thus the peril of death was overcome! Failing to complete their missions The agents of Death went back with shame. A great debt of gratitude I owe you, oh great Yogi! Though my birth is low and great my ignorance, My compassion small and inferior my mind, How can I forget he who saved my life? Tiii the end of it,

Guiding Instructions on the Bardo

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I shall ne'er forget this boon! Showing my deepest thanks I now offer you my magic powers. With loyalty confirmed I shall obey your teaching. From now until I win perfect Buddhahood I will consort with you; By the power of this sincere wish May I never leave you even for a second. As a shadow, may I follow in your steps. Like the five first disciples of Gauta~a Buddha, May we be the first disciples in your Pure Land, When you reach perfect Buddhahood. May we be the first to drink your nectar And become the children of Dharma. May we gather the clouds of the Four Actions 8 And rain down heavenly waters To nourish ignorant beings! Thus, in making their pure wishes, the Auspicious Fair Lady of Long Life led her four Oakini-sisters in singing this song. The Jetsun thought, "Now these malicious goddesses have shown their gratitude to me for healing their sickness. If I give them the preliminary Instructions of the Arising and Perfecting Yoga, they may be able to practice them." Then he said, "Fair ladies, with great sincerity you have now shown me your deep gratitude for the recovery of your health. Your words and attitude seem to have met the requirements for Tantric teaching. I intend to give you an Instruction, through which you may forever free yourselves from sufferings on the perilous path of Saf!lsara. But will you be able to practice it?" Milarepa then sang them a song, "The Growth of Joyfulness": Under the canopy of sunlight in the East Towers the propitious peak of Mount Menlha; 9 Like the head of a crystal eagle It reflects the glowing golden beams. The floating clouds are like a roof, And arched above it shines the rainbow. On the mountain's waist The gem-like rocks are girdled in dense fog. Is this not the great snow mountain, Queen of the Azure Heights?

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Residing on it are there not five wondrous ladies? In an enchanting voice One has just sung divinely. Is she not the Fair Lady of Long Life, Most sparkling and most glamorous? This time you are really frightened, For you have lost your pride! Your body was tom with agonizing pain, And your mind was full of grievances! Your breath was failing like a thinning mist, And your life was nearly at an end. All this was due to your past sinful deeds A bitter retribution of the Ripening Karma. If from these sinful deeds you do not refrain, Into the great Hell you may fall perchance. That is more dreadful than any sickness! That you did not die is fortunate, Praiseworthy that your seed of faith has grown. With great compassion have I blessed you. Through the great power of Tantra Have I saved you from the hand of Death. All despair and misfortune Has turned to good and boon. In joy you thanked me with deep gratitude, Which in many others would be lacking. In a charming voice You have sung sweetly with good meaning. Hearing it, I too feel glad and joyful.

If you would follow my instruction Please listen and remember well: Painful is the path of Saf!lsara, Perilous and hard to cross Are the Four Rivers. 10 Dismal is the "forest" of Eight Strivings, Hard to escape are the triple Bardo's dangers. To live under the constant threat Of Four Devils 11 is distressing. But here is a path of no-fear-

Guiding Instructions on the Bardo An escape from all miseries, Leading to the Land of Bliss Eternal. I may not be superb, But my Lineage is supreme. From the great Dorje-Chang, the Sixth Buddha, 12 To my teacher, the Translator Marpa, All the Transmission Gurus are Nirmal)akayas. Never has a commoner corrupted the Lineage. Cherish then and value all my teachings! The stories of Medripa and Naropa are well known; You also must have heard their names before, As their fame is known all over India. Blessed by these two accomplished beings Is my father Guru, Marpa. Like a shadow to its body, I stayed close to him for six years and eight months. By following his orders faithfully, Joy and aspiration filled my heart. The profound Tantra Hevajra, the gracious Dem-Chog, The quintessential Tantra of Mahamaya, The lofty Tantra of Sungdue, The concealed Tantra of Den Yi, And the Nirmal)akaya of the SkullAll these vital Tantras And their commentaries, deep as the ocean, Were bestowed on me, A gift of precious gems. The Key-Instructions, essential and most pithy, Must be taught intimately, face to face. To master them one also needs to practice; Like an apprentice to a master goldsmith, One must learn the art of melting and alloying Gold, and how to stoke the fire. The vital teachings of Tantra Are also taught by word of mouth. Witnessed by Oakinis, I was given The Pith-Instructions of the Lineage.

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To my father Guru, I am forever grateful! To repay him, I practice meditation. By hard and steady work I have mastered the Five Pra!)as; With confidence I can perform the Action of Equality. 1:1 No longer do I fear the pains of sickness. Oh my daughter-disciples, If you also want to attain such joy Follow my words and footsteps. Enter now the Path, And you will soon be happy! The human body is beset with sickness, And trying to free one's mind from grief Often leads to more distress. By the force of Karma and the senses All self-made confusions are created. They are but dreams passing in a flash; Even Hell with all its torture through the aeons, Does not exist. From evil and habitual thoughts [within] Arise the pains without. This is the Final Truth Buddha Gautama preached to Dorje Ninpo. The whole Universe is but "imagination," All in all, it is but a shadow-show Of one's own mind. If one knows not this truth He may possess the world of Brahma But never can he win true happiness. The Four Dhyanas 14 that for kalpas last Are on the lower path; Never can they bring one to Omniscient Buddhahood. Only through cultivating Bodhi-Mind And contemplating on the Void Can Karmas, troubles, hindrances, and habitual thoughts be killed. Oh well-endowed fair ladies, It is our lot to meet here today. Wear the armor of zeal

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And abjure distraction! Your wishes for good soon will be fulfilled. Milarepa then said to the Oakinis, "Please think carefully about this song and its meanings and practice Dharma at once. You may think that the Four Bodies of Buddha are something beyond yourself, an exterior object or goal that you should strive to reach. But, in fact, there is no Buddha to be found outside of one's own mind. The Light-of-Death [or, the Light that shines at the moment of death] is the Dharmakaya; the [pure manifestation of] Bardo is the Sambhogakaya; the different births one takes are the Nirmlil)akayas; and the inseparable unity of the Trikaya is called the Body-of-Essence. 111 They are with us all the time, yet we are unaware of them. To unfold them, one must rely on the profound Pith-Instructions from an ac· complished Guru of an uninterrupted Lineage." The Fair Lady of Long Life then said, "When our Guru Padmasaqlbhava first came to Tibet from India, we all went to affiict him, but we were subdued by his powers and mighty gestures. Then we obeyed his orders and offered him our lives and service. We also besought him for the essential teachings of Tantra. From him we received instructions on the truth of Karma and other Dharmas and Siitras. At the Dark Noisy Cemetery18 in India we received great Initiations and Vajrayana teachings from Guru Shojigocha, 11 and the Black Performer. 18 Therefore, perhaps we may consider ourselves to be qualified to receive esoteric instructions. This time we have suffered greatly from illness. This painful lesson was so real and so frightening that we are convinced once and for all that never would we be able to endure the torment of Hell for a moment. The warnings in your song also impressed us deeply. So, pray protect us from these fears, cleanse us from all sins, and show us the way to Buddhahood." Whereupon, they sang: Floating in the bright firmament, The golden clouds by magic and wonder are created To adorn the Nagas' crowns. Under them, the lesser Devas, the Non-men, And the Fragrance-eating She-ghosts Dance and gaily sing, enjoying Sensuous pleasures with much laughter. Beneath those flying clouds Lies the lucky valley of Dinma. Its upper region is circled by snow ranges,

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Its lower part abounds in springs and brooks. In the center of this valley Grows a luxuriant meadow Where Devas sport and play. This brilliant Medicine Valley Is the Nagas' treasure house, Filled with fruit and honey. This is where four-footed creatures thriveA land of pastures, quiet and delightful. Near the river bank is a hut Wherein a wondrous yogi dwells. By merely hearing of his name, Or seeing his splendrous body, One's hindrances and sins are cleared. He works all miracles and Mudras. Having realized the Omniscient Mind, With mastership of Dharma-Essence, He preaches Voidness with compassionate voice. To him all Devas and spirits Should pray and give homage. Trust and reliance should one place in him. He is the son of Buddha, Who grants us all our wishes. Driven by deep-rooted ignorance, We worldly, magical ])akin is Wander in Saq1sara from time without beginning. First, we must take an earthly birth We have no other choice. Then we think we can live for long, But suddenly we hear the call of Death And our hands are tied We cannot escape. Dizzy are our heads and dark our thoughts. Without freedom from death, we must fade, And with us all our beauty and our splendor. When the living organs cease to function The awesome play of Bardo must begin. Along the fearful Bardo path Wanderers, confused and desolate,

Guiding Instructions on the Bardo Are chased by merciless demons. They are tom apart By anxiety and fear; By sinful acts and habitual thoughts They are driven away. Then, regardless of their wishes, They are reborn in a strange and foreign land. In the rolling ocean of Saqtsara we repeat The round of birth, old-age, sickness, and of death; No one yet has rescued us from drowning. Today you have given us the raft of Bodhi-Mind On which we shall escape the witch-land of desires, And elude the dreadful monster of the deep. Riding the gale of wrong thoughts We shall arrive safely In the Happy Land. From despair and weariness We shall revive; With hope and guidance, Will our wishes be fulfilled. In Saqtsiira's dark and fearful woods Roam ghostly beasts, our passions. Seeing them, in panic do we tremble. In this dark and thorny forest We have lost our way; Pray show us the path And deliver us in safety. As the bright. autumn moon Illumines the great earth, Enlighten, pray, our ignorance And grant us your guidance. In the dread Bardo path, Perilous and inescapable, Point out the dangerous traps. We have been enslaved by the Devil's band, And fettered in a dungeon by our acts; From this dread imprisonment We could not escape. But today we have met you, The Savior Guru whom none dare dispute.

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With your guidance and protection We will surely cross the road. Pray show us the way to Dharmakaya Through recognizing the Death Light. 19 Pray show us the way to Samboghagakaya Through recognizing Bardo's phantom forms. Pray show us the way to Nirmal)akaya, Thus letting us incarnate at our will! Beyond the fearful realm of the Three Bardos20 Lies the Pure Land of No-rcgression. 21 Much have we heard of it But we have never been there. Oh compassionate Guru, savior merciful, Pray guide us to it now! Pray answer the cry for help From those in despair and grief. Pray now reveal to them The Fourfold Body of Buddhahood! Then they offered the Jctsun a silver mirror Mal)c;lala decorated with a golden lotus and various gems. The Jetsun said, "Since you have petitioned me so earnestly, I shall now bless you in the tradition of my Lineage. Please prepare a sacramental feast for the occasion." That evening the five Oakinis offered a Manc;lala filled with sixty different kinds of food to the Jetsun. He blessed and initiated them into 'the order of the Inborn Mother22 of the Whispered Lineage, and then sang a song in which he gave them the instruction for identifying the perilous Bardo with the Trikaya, by means of which one delivers himself [forever from Saq~sara] to the Pure Land of Great Bliss: In the land of India, In the center of this earth, There is a great monastery, Bidrama 23 called. A university is found therein Whence springs the fountain of all learning. There the professor of the Northern School Is the peerless Pal)c;lita, lion of men, A mighty champion who has Defeated every heretic. Is he not the great Naropa, Master of the four Tantras,

Guiding Instructions on the Bardo

Master of both the mundane and the ultimate Accomplishment? The foremost son of this great PaQ