Marpa - His Life

Marpa

Eleventh Chapter : Marpa returns to Tibet. 

Having offered farewell prostrations to Maitripa, Sri Santibhadra, Jnanagarbha and his other kind gurus, Marpa thought he would rest and stay in Nepal for the winter. He departed toward Tibet and went to Phamthing in Nepal.

At that time, Chitherpa, who possessed the eye of dharma, had died there and the many dharma brothers and sisters led by Paindapa held a ganacakra to welcome Marpa. During the ganacakra, Paindapa said, “You, the translator! From the very first, the compassion of the master and the devotion of the student were in harmony. Therefore I told you that you would certainly find Naropa, and later I heard the wondrous news that you did. Besides where we previously searched together for the guru, where else did you look? And where did you meet the guru? What wondrous signs and great virtues of his did you see? Besides both Naropa and Maitripa, how many gurus did you attend?

“We have given this small ganacakra as a celebration of your arrival here without obstacles. In return, please sing a song in answer to these questions.”

In answer, Marpa sang in the melody of the whistling song of the dharmapalas, which removes the sadness of fervent longing. He offered this grand song of the eight wondrous signs of meeting his guru to the guru Paindapa and his dharma brothers and sisters:

Leader, glorious Kanakasri,
Brothers and sisters sitting here, listen to me!

If you ask who I am,
I am the famed Marpa the Translator.
My umbilical cord was cut in U in the land of Tibet.
I was educated in southern Nepal and India.

I travelled to India three times.
This last time, I truly made persistent request.
Touching their lotus feet to my head,
My gurus bestowed on me the amrta of true speech.

Generally, I have many gurus with whom I have a dharmic connection.
Led by glorious Simhadvipa,
They have completely mastered insight and the higher perceptions,
And thirteen of them can transform one's perception of the world.

Amongst all of them, the most worthy of offering
Is the unrivalled Lord Naropa,
Who is great Vajradhara in human form.
There is no way to repay this lord's kindness.

Though deeply missing the father Nirmanakaya,
I could not find him anywhere.
Whatever face I saw, it was not his.
Finally, in the foothills of Dark Forest mountain,
I saw on a boulder of wondrous crystal,
Like a symbol carved in relief,
Footprints left by the father jetsun.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

Above a medicinal sandalwood tree,
Through a miraculous display of Naropa's compassion,
The nine emanation devis of the Hevajra mandala appeared.
In the heart center of the coemergent consort,
The astamantra wheel
Appeared as if drawn with the tip of one hair,
With a variety of light rays streaming forth.
Thus, Naropa granted me the permission-blessing.
O wondrous, how great indeed!

Helplessly, I burst into tears.
Filled with yearning, I felt like crying forever.
Overwhelmed completely, I wailed aloud.
I supplicated him with one-pointed mind.
He looked on me with compassion and came before me.
Joy arose in me, like on the path of seeing.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

I offered rare and precious gold dust.
He said, “I do not want that”
Again and again, I asked him to accept.
He said: “Offer it to the father gurus and the three jewels”,
And casually tossed it into the forest.
I was stunned with loss.
Saying, “If you want it, here it is again”
He opened his joined palms.
Not lost, unspoiled, it was there just as before.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

Striking his big toe on the ground,
Rocks and pebbles became gold.
He said “Everything is a land of gold”
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

He gazed into the sky,
And from the stomach of a white-bellied fish,
He set out the offerings of a ganacakra
With food of a hundred flavours.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

As I bathed in a pool of eight qualities,
A crow snatched away my protection yantra.
Naropa made the threatening yogic gaze and mudra.
At that very moment, the crow was paralyzed and fell to the earth.
Naropa said, “You are victorious over the obstacles of Mara!”
Oh how wondrous, how great indeed!

“You should not stay here, but to go to Tibet.
In that northern Land of Snow
Is a disciple who is worthy vessel”
Thus, he gave this prophecy to me.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!

These are the eight wonders I saw
Of the Nirmanakaya, Mahapandita Naropa.
Besides you vajra brothers and sisters,
If I repeated this to anyone, they would not believe it.
In this dark age of the teaching,
People with perverted views and great envy
Will slander you if you speak of virtue.
Therefore, please keep this secret
And do not discuss these words with others besides yourselves.
I present this song of offering to the lord guru.
May it gladden your minds, my heart friends.

Thus he sang and pleased the hearts of all.

That evening, at the memorial service for Chitherpa that coincided with the tenth day ganacakra, about twenty yogins and yoginis led by the bhiksu Abhayakirti assembled together. The bhiksu Abhayakirti then said to Marpa, “In general, you are the Tibetan skilled in song. In particular, you, the translator, stayed in India for a long time and completely accomplished your studies without obstacle to your life. Therefore, we would like you to sing an auspicious song. Your guru Maitripa is said to emphasize the view in his teaching. Please tell us what his approach is.

In answer, Marpa sang this song of his realization of Maitripa's approach and expositions:

Blessed by the glorious and venerable Hermit
Who has completely mastered the ultimate wisdom, the essential truth,
The pith instructions of the dharma of Mahamudra,
Great lord Master, I pay homage to you.

Vajra brothers and sisters, my heart friends,
We cannot be separated by any means.
Brothers and sisters, though our bodies are separate,
Our minds are one.
Are you not the glorious Abhayakirti?

I, who came from the land of India,
And you, who dwell in central Nepal,
Since the conditions for our long lives have not waned in strength,
Now on this holy day
At this ganacakra of the dakinis,
We meet together again.
It must be that there is no hypocrisy in our samaya.
I feel completely joyful.
Do you, who are sitting here, feel joyful too?

Though I am a stupid novice from Tibet,
You call me the famous translator.
You said, “Translator, sing a Tibetan song.”
Though my voice is not good,
I cannot refuse your request, honourable ones.
Here is a song recalling the kindness
Of both Lord Naropa and Maitripa.
There are various ways of seeing their wonders.
Listen carefully, brothers and sisters!

The realized Lord Maitripa
Is famed far and wide
As a Nirmanakaya who lives in India.
In a city in the valley of Vaisali,
The king, the protector of the earth, attended the lord,
Touching his crown
To the anthers of the lord's lotus feet
Among the mahapanditas of the five sciences
Maitripa is known as the Master, the crest jewel
The banner of his fame is renowned in the ten directions
In the month of miracles of the Bird year,
Through his mastery in making offerings to the Sugata,
His name became universally renowned as the Master.
This lord Buddha gave the transmission
Of the perfection of the yanas, the pith instructions,
The dharma of Mahamudra:

“Outer grasping, the appearance of sense objects,
Continuously flows as great bliss.
Realize it as unborn Dharmakaya.

“Inner fixation, the mind-consciousness
Is discursive, which cannot be grasped as real.
Therefore, see it as naked insight without foundation.

“Generally, all dharmas of apparent existence
Are primordially nonexistent and unborn.
Realize them as the essence of simplicity.

“Do not desire to abandon samsara
And there is no nirvana to attain.
Samsara and nirvana are the self-liberated innate state.
Realize this unity as great bliss.

“Even if you emptied out the minds of the Buddhas of the three times,
There is nothing more ultimate than this,” Maitripa sang.
I have cut all doubts with this.
This is the approach of the great Lord Maitripa.
If you express the view, do it this way.

I present this offering song to the three jewels.
May it gladden the hearts of you sitting here.

Thus he sang. Everyone there was struck with further wonder at Lord Marpa.

At Mejadvipa, there was a guru named Atulyavajra who was one of the dharma brothers gathered around the Master Maitripa. He was also an acarya who had once given teaching in kriya yoga to Lord Marpa himself. One day, Marpa went to pay his respects to Atulyavajra. Atulyavajra and others were consecrating a mandala of Sri Guhyasamaja made by a friend, a Kashmiri artist. When Marpa arrived at this ganacakra, they said, “You, the translator, went to India and stayed a long time. Your guru Naropa is extremely famous. How long did you stay with him? What teachings did you hear and how much confidence have you gained in your understanding of them? Please sing a song as a gift from India.”

In answer, Marpa sang this song of how he met Naropa:

I prostrate to the lord siddhas.
Grant your blessings to me, a fortunate one.
Guide me, your yearning son, on the path.
Though I have no skill in singing,
I cannot refuse your request, my honourable dharma brothers and sisters.
Now I will sing this song of pride untouched even by death.
You, who are assembled here, take this to heart
And practice the dharma properly.

I, Marpa the Translator from Tibet,
And Mahapandita Naropa of India
Met in a city in a valley blooming with flowers,
At the mountain monastery of the Golden Land .
This seemed to be the result of pure aspiration in former lives

At this famous and blessed place,
I attended the renowned jetsun
For sixteen years and seven months.
I received the full four abhisekas seven times.
He granted me the blessing of Sri Cakrasamvara.
He taught me the profound Tantra of Hevajra.
He gave me the yidam, the coemergent consort.
Again and again, I requested oral instructions.
I grabbed the path of the nadis and prana,
And Buddha was in the palm of my hand.

One day, when so-called death is revealed,
I will be freed from the trap of my inherited body,
I will have the confidence of the profound teachings on the moment of death,
I will join the techniques of mixing and ejecting,
And I will be received by dakas and dakinis.
Accompanied by the victory banners and symphony of music,
I will go to the celestial realm of great bliss.
There I am certain to meet glorious Naropa.
Now, even if I die, I feel proud.

All you lords and trantikas sitting here,
If you do not receive the transmission of the hearing lineage,
Do not hope to attain the enlightenment in one lifetime.
Through the sophistry of the scholastic lineage.
However, if you intend to practice the holy dharma wholeheartedly,
Take hold of the lineage of Naropa and Maitripa.
Later disciples will be even better than previous ones.
They go from bliss to bliss.

Did my song agree with you, you who are sitting here?
Please forgive me if the meaning is confused.

Thus Marpa sang.

Then they asked Marpa, “You, the translator! In general, how many gurus did you have beyond Nepal? Whom do you regard as your principal guru? When you stayed at the feet of the Master, what virtues of his greatness did you see? What principal oral instructions did you request?”

In reply, the lord translator sang this song:

Successor of the Great Brahman,
He has realized the innate truth free from extremes,
And is therefore the yogin of space, beyond analogy.
His name is renowned as Maitripa.
I am a follower of the tradition of this father jetsun.
He is a yogin for whom meditation is inseparable from the path.

This Marpa the Translator
Was born in an inferior place, but the place he visited is supreme.
I went to India three times,
Without consideration for life and limb, I sought the holy dharma.
I met the lord Nirmanakaya Buddhas.
Who accepted me with the abhisekas along with their oral instructions
Now I will repay their kindness.

You asked me, “How many gurus do you have?”
I am linked with thirteen gurus by dharmic aspiration.
In particular, there are five siddhas.
Among them, there are two lords unrivalled by anyone,
Chiefly, Mahapandita Naropa.
And after him, Prince Maitripa.

The kindness of Maitripa is even greater than a mother's.
Missing him more and more,
I went to the Ganges river in the East.
At the monastery of Blazing fire Mountain,
In the cool shade of a nyagrodha tree,
I saw the great lord Master sitting there.
Joy like that of the first bhumi arose.
I presented an offering to please the guru,
I set out flowers of pure gold.
I joined my palms and offered a full prostration
Longing with one-pointed mind, I supplicated him.

I requested the profound Tantra Manjushri-nama sangiti,
And the yidam Hevajra.
He gave me the ultimate Mahamudra.
He is Sri Advaya Avadhuti

Thus the father jetsun kindly accepted me,
He empowered me with the four profound inner sign abhisekas.
He blessed me, completely purifying my being.
The germ of motivation sprouted deep within.
Inwardly, the character of insight-mind
Is luminosity, free from arising and ceasing.
Thus he showed me the unfabricated, innate essence.
Momentary thoughts dissolved into space
And undefiled bliss arose within.
The stream of alaya, primordially pure,
Was resolved as the ground of trikaya.
I met mind as mother dharmata, face to face.

At that time, there were wondrous signs:
A cedar torch the size of a finger's length
Burned for seven days.
A tree, though inanimate,
Became unbearably agitated and moved.
There emanated seven red jackals
Whom I actually saw receive torma.
Dakinis dwelling at the three levels,
Though invisible, proclaimed the sounds of mantras.
Ksetrapalas filled the sky,
And I heard the sounds of various musical instruments.
“ After three births,
You will attain the supreme siddhi,”
Thus I heard from the great lord Master.
Even though I am unworthy, my guru is good.
Thus, I solved the final point of the view of dharma
And have no fear of falling into inferior views.
This is the approach of the great Lord Maitripa.
Gladden your hearts and practice in this way.

This song was given as an arrival gift to the dharma brothers and sisters led by the guru Atulyavajra.

That winter, Lord Marpa rested in Nepal as he had planned. At the charnel ground of Ramadoli, the guru from Yerang was performing an abhisekas and ganacakra. He invited Marpa to take part in the assembly. Marpa came and the guru from Yerang asked him, “You, the translator, met the guru Naropa many times. It is a great wonder that you have received so many ritual traditions and teachings. By practicing these, what kinds of experiences and realizations have arisen in you? What kind of wondrous virtues did you see in Naropa? Please give a short account of how you first met with the dharma and so forth.”

In answer to this request, Lord Marpa sang this song:

Blessed by the lord forefathers,
I am a translator from Tibet.
Born on the border of Mon and Tibet,
My karmic connection was reawakened in the place of Mangkhar.

From the translator Drogmi
I learned the colloquial and literary languages and grammars.
I sought the holy dharma in the land of India.
With a gait like a wheel of wind
I travelled from the land of Tibet.

The Buddha, Mahapandita Naropa,
And I, Marpa the Translator of Tibet,
Met as Buddha and sentient being.
I received the full abhisekas seven times.
Overall I have thirteen gurus.
Naropa and Maitripa are like the sun and moon;
Mahapandita Naropa is the chief one.

I saw great wonders like these:
Above a medicinal sandalwood tree
I saw the nine emanation devis of Hevajra.
In the heart centre of coemergent consort
I saw the astamantra wheel.
From the stomach of a white-bellied fish
I received food of a hundred flavours.

Thus I saw the self-born Sambhogakaya
I saw the inner mind as Dharmakaya.
I saw the outer appearances as Nirmanakaya.
Emanations of Buddha Naropa
I saw filling all space.
In natural boulder of crystal
I saw the footprint left by Naropa.
There is no greater wonder than this.

When the Master, Prince Maitripa,
Gave an abhisekas in the forest,
I saw jackals roaming in the cemetery
Actually receiving the torma.
I saw the dakinis of the three levels.
Actually performing their activities.
This illusory contrivance of outer appearance
Was locked in the house of still space.
Appearance, this dream of habitual patterns,
Dissolved and disappeared into luminosity.
A cedar torch a finger's length in size
Burned for seven days.
I touched the feet of the great Maitripa,
The yogin for whom meditation is inseparable from the path.
I hold the lineage of the great Brahman.
I saw great wonders like these.

If I explain all of my realization,
Some of you will not be able to contain it in your mind.
If I explain just a corner of it, it is like this:
Having confidence in luminosity
Is indeed the view free form bias or partiality.
Meditation is continuous, like flowing of a wide river.
By not regarding meditation as limited to the four periods
And by abandoning hypocritical thoughts,
There is no distinction between meditation and post meditation.
By obtaining the power of both prana and mind,
The fear of samsara disappeared long ago.
These are my realizations.

Thus Marpa sang. All the assembly saw Lord Marpa as a guru. In the charnel ground, the jackals howled and other noises resounded. Everyone assembled there became very afraid and said, “We should make sure to finish our ganacakra by evening. This charnel ground is very sensitive and there is the danger that obstacles from spirits will arise.”

Lord Marpa thought, “If it were my gurus Naropa and Maitripa, they would prefer to actually sit on a corpse and acquire human flesh in the charnel ground. If they could not acquire these, they would visualize then through Samadhi, and so, enjoy them. Even when rows of ksetrapala dakinis lined up in person to receive torma, they would not be afraid. But tonight these people are afraid of the howls of the jackals in this empty valley and the natural sounds of the elements.”

Suddenly he remembered the virtues of Naropa and Maitripa.He regretted that he had come back from India and decided he would go back again. Then he sat down and cried and cried.

In the early hours before dawn, Marpa dreamt that a beautiful woman dressed in clothes made of leaves came and put her hand on top of his head. “Now, rather than going to India , if you return to Tibet , it will be of greater benefit to beings. You will have many worthy disciples. On your return to Tibet there will be no obstacles.” Thus she prophesised. Marpa awoke and decided that the ksetrapala dakinis sent through the kindness of Naropa and Maitripa. He felt very happy and decided to go on to Tibet .

Later, Lord Marpa was staying at the Rinchen Tsul vihara in Nepal . There he received from guru Paindapa a few selected instructions on the abhisamaya of Ekajati, on the Amrtaprabhasadhana and on sampannakrama.

One night, Marpa dreamt of the lord Master Maitripa travelling through the sky riding on a lion. Marpa cried and wailed, saying, “ Father jet sun, kindly accept me!”

Maitripa arrived in the sky before him, showed him a sign teaching. He uttered the dharma beyond analogy, and Marpa achieved realization free from extremes. Thus, in this dream, Marpa had a meditation experience that he had never before. Then, awakening from his dream at daybreak, he remembered the guru and shed many tears.

The next evening, Marpa arranged an excellent ganacakra to thank guru Paindapa for the teaching he had received and to supplicate Maitripa. During ganacakra, Paindapa said, “Tonight, at this ganacakra, we wish to hear whatever song arises form your heart.”

Thus, Lord Marpa sang this grand song proclaiming the dream prophecy in the melody of sparkling water, which clears away slothfulness.

Lord who has realized the essential truth,
The dharmakaya,
Your name is renowned as Maitripa.
When I think of you and your kindness,
I miss you greatly.
I continually yearn one-pointedly for you.
Father nirmanakaya, grant your blessings.
You, kind guru, are the guide
Headed by Sri Paindapa,
You yogins and yoginis sitting here,
Listen a while to this song.
This song possesses the blessings of the dakinis.
I, the teacher Marpa Chokyi Lodro,
Spent one-third of my life in India.
For forty years, I have learned and studied.
Last year, the dangerous Snake year,
In the Hawk month of miracles,
I was on the road.
I crossed the terrifying river Ganges.
Two low-caste bandits, happy to die,
Dove into the water like fish,
And raced toward me like horses across a plain.
Thinking of past and future lives, I panicked.
I meditated on the Father jet sun on the top of my head.
They looked at me again and again, stopped and turned around.
Like rescuing a drowning man, his kindness saved my life.
Father, it is impossible to repay your kindness.
In the first part of last month,
On the tenth day of the waxing of the moon,
At the Ramadoli charnel ground,
I presented offerings to please the gurus.
I conducted a ganacakra to please the dakinis.
When I saw the yogins assembled there,
I suddenly recalled Lord Naropa and Maitripa.
Inseparable from their loving kindness, I am protected.
Therefore, I called to mind the actions of the father.
Overwhelmed with yearning, I burst into tears.
Then I thought, “Should I return to India again?”
In a dream at the break of day,
A woman dressed in clothes made of leaves
Stretched out her right hand
And touched my head with her fingers,
Saying, “You should not return to India ,
But to go to U in the land of Tibet .
You will arrive in the Land of Snow
Without any outer or inner obstacles arising.
There are students there who are worthy vessels.”
She gave me this blessing and prophecy.
Surely, she was a ksetrapala dakinis.
Then, through the kindness of the jet sun,
Last night, after my dreams born from habitual patterns,
I saw the lord Master, Prince Maitripa,
Travelling through the sky riding a lion.
He arrived in front of me
And showed three signs revealing the unborn.
He spoke the dharma without letter.
I realized an inexpressible truth.
An unprecedented experience dawned.
At daybreak, as soon as I woke up,
I remembered Lord Maitripa again and again.
I could not separate him from my mind.
I wailed and cried, covering my face with tears.
I could not breathe, my lungs were blocked.
Father, in my heart, I long for you, like thirsty man for water.
Do you know of my longing?
Father nirmanakaya, guide me on the path.
Although generally dreams are born form habitual patterns,
The father jet sun appeared; O wondrous, how great indeed!
The greatest joy and deepest sorrow arose.
You are sitting here, this is what I say to you.

Thus Marpa sang.

Then guru Paindapa inspired Lord Marpa to feel proud by singing this song to show how, form his point of view, the one essence of the guru in Marpa's dream manifested various virtues:

You, the translator, are a heart friend.
I have profound faith in you, my son,
I have great respect for your attainment of fundamental mastery,
And I have the greatest love and compassion for you.
We hold the vows which purify our being.
You are the noble son of an excellent family.
In your former lives, you did not despise the guru.
Therefore, you have now met the real siddhas.
This was through the kindness of me, your friend.
Since you are grateful for this,
You also see me as a crest jewel.
Son, what a great wonder that you know what I have done!

You have the superior samaya,
The supreme path, the imperial mantrayana,
Which is the foundation of all journeys.
The teachings granted by the devas and dakinis.
And the oral instructions of the guru have entered into your heart.
It is certain that you will obtain bliss in this life.

Of all the Buddhas of the three times,
The lord guru is the root of all siddhas.
As for this supreme nirmanakaya, the jet sun
If you recognize him as space,
You will realize the unborn truth.

If you recognize him as the sun,
All-pervading great compassion will arise.

If you recognize him as the moon,
You will dispel the anguish of the klesas.

If you recognize him as the ocean,
You will acquire supreme, unwavering Samadhi.

If you recognize him as a jewel,
Needs, desires, and hopes are spontaneously fulfilled.

If you recognize him as a captain of a ship,
He will convey you to the jewel island of liberation.

If you recognize him as a general,
He will quell the attack of the enemies, perverted views.

If you recognize him as a sword,
You will cut the bonds of fixation.

If you recognize him as a wheel,
You will realize the truth of not dwelling in extremes.

If you recognize him as a lion,
You will overpower the wild animals of grasping and fixation.

If you recognize him as an elephant,
You will be freed from dreadful maras.

If you recognize him as a steed,
He will carry you to the realm of nirvana.

If you recognize him as a king,
All will honour you and make offering.

O you of noble family, however you see him,
You recognize him as the kind father.
Therefore, the kingdom of dharma is continuous.
My son, after your dreams born from habitual patterns,
The great lord Master appeared.
He showed a sign revealing the unborn
And spoke the dharma without letter.
Having realized the truth beyond extremes,
An experience dawned, never before arisen.
It would be good if you would speak about these truths.

Thus Paindapa sang.

Then Lord Marpa offered his realization of what he saw in his dreams and what he experienced in his mind to the dharma brothers and sisters headed by guru Paindapa:

Lord Paindapa, you who practice yogic discipline!
Your name had been prophesised by the devas; O how wondrous, how great indeed!
Under the hand of glorious Advayalalita
Are the vajra brothers and sisters, whose minds do not differ.
Headed by Sri Gunamati,
Dakas, who are sitting in the right hand row, listen to me!

After them the secret yoginis,
Headed by the consort Sukhavajri,
Dakinis who are sitting in the left hand row, listen to me!

Generally, all dharmas are illusion.
Dreams are exalted as special illusion.
Early in the night, dreams arise born from habitual patterns.
There is nothing whatsoever to rely on there.
At midnight, the deceptions of Mara appear.
One should not trust in these.
At dawn, there are prophecies by the devas.
O how wondrous, how great indeed!
At the break of dawn this morning,
The great lord Master appeared.
And taught the dharma which revealed the ultimate.
This is the unforgettable memory of what Maitripa said:

“In general, all dharmas are mind.
The guru arises from one's mind.
There is nothing other than mind.
Everything that appears is the nature of mind.
Which is primordially nonexistent.
The natural state, unborn and innate,
Cannot be abandoned by the effort of thought.
So rest at ease, naturally, without restriction.

“This can be shown by signs:
A human corpse, an outcaste, a dog, a pig,
An infant, a madman, an elephant,
A precious jewel, a blue lotus,
Quicksilver, a deer, a lion,
A Brahman, and a black antelope; did you see them?”
Maitripa said.
The realization of the truth was shown by these signs:
Not fixated on either samsara or nirvana,
Not holding acceptance or rejection in one's being,
Not hoping for fruition from others,
Mind free from occupation and complexity,
Not falling into four extremes,
Nonmeditation and nonwandering,
Free from thought and speech,
Beyond any analogy whatsoever.

Through the kindness of the guru, I realized these.
Since the experience of these realizations has dawned,
Mind and mental events have ceased,
And space and insight are inseperable.
Faults and virtues neither increase nor decrease.
Bliss, emptiness and luminosity are unceasing.
Therefore, luminosity dawns beyond coming or going.

This transmission of the innate, the pith of the view,
Through the sign meanings which reveal the unborn,
I heard from the great lord Master.
The reason why I sing these words
Is the insistent request of the honourable lord.
I could not refuse the dharma brothers and sisters.
Dakinis, do not be jealous!

Thus this song was sung for the dharma brothers and sisters headed by Paindapa, at the Rinchen Tsul vihara in Nepal to show the meaning of the signs of Mahamudra as revealed by Maitripa's appearance in a dream.

Lord Marpa did not give this song to anyone in Tibet except Jet sun Mila and Marpa Golek. These two lord brothers gave it to Changchup Gyalpo, the teacher of Ngen Dzong. For the benefit of all sentient beings, this song was then proclaimed to all.

Lord Marpa offered farewell prostrations to his Nepalese gurus and went back to Tibet.

At that time, the disciples at Lhotrak hoped with great yearning that the guru would return soon. They wondered whether they could meet him in Nepal, but even if they could not do this, they hoped to hear news of him and felt very impatient. Thus Marpa Golek decided to go to Nepal, and left. The master and disciple met when the guru arrived at the monastery known as Masangmam at Kiytrong. Marpa Golek served as Marpa's attendant and they left together. At Langpokhar in Mangyul, some disciples offered Marpa hospitality and requested teaching. While he stayed to rest for several days, the disciples offered many gifts of turquoise and other things. Then Marpa and Marpa Golek went to Tsang and arrived at a monastery of Meton Tsonpo at Taktsal in upper Nyang. When a good welcoming feast offering had been arranged, Meton requested, “O guru, since you have arrived at this ganacakra tonight after a long journey, you must be weary. However, since you have great knowledge of the ways of the secret mantra, please perform a feast ritual and full sadhana so that future generations may benefit by this example.” Thus Lord Marpa performed the full ritual of a sadhana. Even though already devoted, Meton's outlook was transformed during the feast gathering. Afterward, he said, “O guru, though you have performed many ganacakras previously, tonight my mind was powerfully transformed. Precious lord, since you have seen and performed many ganacakras in India, please sing of the times when a ganacakra is necessary and of the great and wondrous sights you have seen.” Thus he supplicated. In answer, Lord Marpa sang this song of the times when feast offerings are necessary and of what he had seen:

As for that which is called a ganacakra:
When one performs the four abhisekas, the path that ripens,
A ganacakra is necessary.
When one performs consecration,
A ganacakra is necessary.
When one requests the blessings of the dakinis,
A ganacakra is necessary.
When there is teaching of and listening to the tantras,
A ganacakra is necessary.
When one requests profound oral instructions,
A ganacakra is necessary.
This Marpa the Translator
Has gone to India three times.
In general, ganacakras are inconceivable.
In particular, I have seen great wonders like these:
To the Mahapandita Jet Sun Naropa,
A royal sovereign ruler
And Kundali, the daughter of a tavern owner,
Made an offering of karsapana coins
Arranged on a mandala of precious bell metal.
They had supplicated a year in advance
And great Lord Naropa had accepted.
Then at a charnel ground in a teak forest,
Naropa performed a ganacakra three times.
With immeasurable wealth and enjoyments,
Elaborate feast offerings and torma were arranged.
By the blessing of glorious Naropa,
The divine assembly of Sri Cakrasamvara,
An equal number of yogins and yoginis of the secret mantra,
Altogether sixty-two and women-
Conversed in profound code language.
Emanating from the heart center of the great Lord Naropa,
The divine assembly of Cakrasamvara,
Resided splendidly in the center of the mandala.
Performing the full sadhana,
The great Jet sun Naropa,
Held the vajra and ghanta in his hands,
And wore the six bone ornaments.
In space, a cubit above the ground,
He stood in the dance posture with his right leg extended.
The other yogins and yoginis
Sounded damarus with their right hands
And held cymbals in their left.
Thus I saw them enjoying and performing the dances.
I, Marpa the Translator,
Saw the co emergent dharmakaya,
The essence of the profound fourth abhisekas.
I met a lord like this.
I saw a ganacakra like this.
This is not for the ordinary, nor for the way of the ordinary.
Isn't this a great wonder, teacher of Tsang?

Thus Marpa sang. Further faith arose in Meton, and said, “O guru, now I have witnessed the fruition of your journey. This time you certainly must have received special abhisekas and instructions you had not received previously. Please accept me with kindness.”

Thus Meton requested. Because there was a command-seal of secrecy on the dakinis hearing lineage, Marpa did not give these teachings to Meton. But he did stay and give Meton many teachings he had not previously given to others. At the time of Marpa's departure, since Marpa had returned from India for the third time, Meton made the first of three great offerings, a great and pleasing offering of wealth. He requested, “This gift, given in your presence, you have now returned by giving teachings. Precious lord, though you have grown old, you have returned from India safely and your disciples' wishes have been fulfilled. Please accept this celebration and thanksgiving gift and sing a song of praise to the guru forefathers.”

In answer to this supplication, Lord Marpa sang this song in praise of the gurus:

Lord Aksobya, mahasukhakaya,
United with Vajradakini,
Chief of Dakas,
Sri Heruka, I praise you and prostrate.
Collector of all commands and secret mantras,
Possessor of the Secret,
Propagator of the holy dharma in the world of men,
Lord Nagarjuna, father and son, I praise you.
You who bring down the overwhelming vajra thunderbolt,
The kind one who protects from fear,
Tilopa, lord of the three levels,
Who has attained supreme siddha, I praise you.
Undergoing twelve trials attending the guru,
All the pitakas and tantras,
You realized in an instant;
Lord Buddha in human form, I praise you.
Indestructible form of Mahamudra,
Possessing the uncontrived primordial essence,
Realizing the truth of the bliss of simplicity,
Lord Prince Maitripa, I praise you.

Expounding the doctrine of the command lineage,
Attaining the siddha of profound Guhyasamaja,
You are endowed with compassion and wisdom,
Venerable Jnanagharbha, I praise you.

Dwelling in charnel grounds, solitudes and under trees,
A Kusulu savouring potency,
Possessing the miracle of travelling in space,
Kukkuripa, I praise you.
Having realized the truth of abundance,
Possessing the potency of moonbeams,
You satisfy and bring bliss to those who see you,
Yogini, I praise you.

Resting in the shade of the excellent umbrella,
Adorned with golden ribbons,
Seated in the sky, attaining mastery over the sun and moon,
Jet Sun of Nepal, I praise you.

Overcoming the worldly attachment of grasping and fixation,
Possessing the benefit of attending the guru,
Holding principally to the practice of enlightenment,
Preserving the learning of Mahayana,
Clearing away obstructions as well as obstacles caused by agents of perversion,
The friend who introduces one to the good guru,
Guiding masters, I praise you.

The merit of praising the guru,
Is equal to that of offering to the Buddhas of the three times.
By this merit of praising the masters,
May all beings attend spiritual friends.

Thus Marpa sang. Meton and his disciples rejoiced with delight.

While Lord Marpa was giving teachings to Meton, Marpa Golek went ahead to Lhotrak to bring the good news. Arriving in Lhotrak, Golek then made welcoming preparations, using his own wealth. Many other disciples escorted Marpa from upper Nyang. When Marpa Arrived safely in Lhotrak, Marpa Golek had arranged a good feast offering of thanksgiving.

Earlier, while they had been travelling together, Marpa had given full detailed account of his experiences to Marpa Golek. However, for the sake of the general gathering's understanding, Marpa Golek said to Lord Marpa, “ O guru, you met Jet Sun Naropa and have returned here safely. There is no greater wonder than this. Please accept us further with your immeasurable kindness. After meeting the guru, what is the difference between the former oral instructions and those now? What kind of wonders did you see? In order to bring joy to those of us gathered here, please sing to us.”

In answer to this request, Lord Marpa sang of how he met with glorious, great Naropa, how he was given the oral instructions without exception, and how he mastered them. In a melody that overpowers phenomena and transforms the outlooks of the Dakas, Marpa sang this grand song of wondrous actions, miracles and virtues:

Lord nirmanakaya who dwells in the land of India ,
In the valley of Vaisali in Magadha ,
You defeated the attacks of heretics
And were appointed the great guardian of the gate.
You are famed as Lord Naropa.
Father nirmanakaya, I pay homage at your feet.

At the palace in a city of outlaws in the East,
While I was looking through the profound Havajra-tantra,
My mind was uncomfortable and agitated.
Though I drew it like a bow, it flew away like an arrow.
Suddenly, I remembered Mahapandita Naropa
And overwhelming yearning filled my mind.

I was looking for Naropa in a forest near the border
When, unknowingly, I was trapped in a town of barbarous people.
Through his tyranny, the king held me in a prison.
In a palace heaped with glorious flowers,
I acted as the king's officiating priest for three days.
In the hearth of blazing fire offerings,
I saw whatever food and drink I desired miraculously arise.
I thought, “O how wondrous, how great indeed!”

I set out to search again.
I carried three dre of white rice for staple
And for meat a white-bellied fish.
Lord Paindapa who practices yogic discipline
Knew the land and so accompanied me as a guide.

For half a month I wandered in the four directions.
Roaming through the forests and charnel grounds.
I could not find the jetsun anywhere.
Though I did not find Mahapandita Naropa,
I saw signs of great wonder:

Above a medicinal sandalwood tree,
The nine emanation devis of Hevajra,
Almost touching the branches,
Appeared in the sphere of a rainbow.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

In the heart center of the coemergent consort,
The astamantra wheel,
Like a reflection in a mirror,
Clearly appeared, unobscured by her outer form.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

On a white crystal boulder,
A very hard and solid vajra rock,
I saw the footprint of great Lord Naropa,
Complete in detail with even the imprint of his hair.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

I thought, “it won't be long now,”
And supplicated for a week.
Since the father clearly knows the minds of others,
The jetsun arrived before me in person.
I cried and wept with great joy.
Lowering myself, I placed the soles of his feet on the top of my head.
Wailing, I said, “You have been so unkind.”
My tears of longing flowed like blood.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

I embraced his body like a consort.
I touched my head to his heart.
At that time he bestowed the complete abhiseka on my mind,
Pouring the essence of mind into me, thus completing the teachings.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

Generally, both Mahapandita Naropa of India
And I, the teacher Lodro, Marpa of Tibet,
Met as Buddha and sentient being.
There is no doubt that I will become a siddha.
A wondrous sign, how great indeed!

You who keep samaya are like my heart son.
Basically, when I went to India ,
Whenever I felt poor in wealth and possessions,
I filled a bowl with precious gold.
Such a story is worthy of fame; O wondrous,
How great indeed!

Since you are not stingy with your wealth,
You collected the last of your shoes and clothing,
And sent me away with all that I needed.
This was burying treasure, provisions for your next life.
Again I thought, “O wondrous, how great indeed!”

The son's mind is more tender than the father's.
Isn't this you, Marpa Golek?
What need to speak of your generosity with illusory wealth?
Your way is not to be concerned with this life.
A wonder greater than this is impossible.

How could I forget this long journey?
In the forest of Lhokha at the border of Tibet and Nepal ,
Even in winter at the New Year, a ridge blooms with flowers.
In that land where white salu rice is sown,
In that country of Mon where the language is different,
The heat makes it difficult to survive any sickness,
But I risked my life without fear of death.
Son, in order to keep the difficult samaya,
Keep this in mind; I, the father, won't forget this either.
At this time, it is certain that we will not meet in the next life.
In the presence of yidams and dakinis,
Let us, father and son, aspire together.

In order to express my gratitude for what you have done
I have sung this song for your benefit.
Please do not proclaim this to others; keep it a secret.
Now I have given you these teachings to repay your kindness.
Keep this confidential; we will speak of it privately.
We have met before and are the best of friends.
From now until we die, let us be together.

Thus Marpa sang.

This song of the wondrous appearance of vision of the five qualities of body, speech, and mind was sung to repay the kindness of Marpa Golek, a chief son-disciple.

Marpa gave to Marpa Golek great Lord Naropa's practice mala of one hundred and eight rubies, as well as a pair of vajra rings from Master Maitripa. He said, “ Son, you have done great deeds for me. You should stay with me until I die. We have aspired together; so it is impossible that we will not meet in the next life. Because we have been brought together by the essence of samaya, we, father and son, will be born and live in the same place.” Never leaving him for even one day, Marpa Golek served as his attendant until the guru died.

This song of the wondrous signs of how Marpa met Naropa was sung three times in different words, but with one meaning.

One should know that this song has one meaning, but was sung in reply to the requests of three different people.

Then guru Ngokpa, Tsurton, and many son-disciples gathered together. They offered a thanks giving feast to the guru, who had returned safely and with great fame. They came to request teachings and, during the feast, two of them gave offerings and made this request, “O guru, now that the lord has arrived here safely, the many wishes of the disciples and attendants have been fulfilled and the sun of happiness has risen. Precious lord, we heard it said that you endured many hardships and illnesses.”

Marpa said, “Now listen, and I will sing a song about the hardships I endured searching for Lord Naropa, and tell the story from when I first entered the dharma until now.” In the melody that gathers wild, scattered, and discursive thoughts in meditation, the iron hook of insight, the dakinis wail, Marpa sang this grand song of the hardships he endured for the sake of the dharma:

Lord Vajradhara whose essence is Aksobhya,
Please dwell as the crest ornament on the crown of my head.
Once I relate the examples of my difficult labours,
You lords, great teachers staying here,
Should practice the dharma properly, not regarding it as easy.

This Marpa the Translator
Was born in the center of Lhotrak.
My karmic connection to the white dharma was reawakened.
At the glorious monastery in Nyugu valley,
Under the translator Drogmi Lotsawa.
I learned the colloquial and literary languages and grammars.
His kindness certainly is great, not small.

I sought the holy dharma in the land of India .
While travelling the path in Nepal ,
I crossed over endless precipices and rivers,
Went through endless thick forests,
And travelled a long, endless road.
I was alone, like a solitary tree or a human corpse.
Enduring all the suffering on this path,
Even the wings of a soaring bird would tremble.
Nevertheless, it was worth the price of such fatigue.

I saw Nepal , heaven descended on Earth.
Seeing such sense pleasures, one could never get enough.
I thought, “This is a land of demigods in the desire realm.
This must be golden age.”
Through the way was difficult to travel, it was best to keep going.
While going there to India ,
In the barbarous regions I encountered bandits, happy to die.
There seemed no hope that my life would be saved.
When I heard the roars of the beasts of prey,
Little did I think that this body would reach a comfortable place.
When I saw the breath of a giant serpent,
Though my mind was steady, my steps faltered.
All these dangerous things, I saw upon the path.
Even remembering them now, my heart and lungs tremble.

Finally, I crossed the famous Ganges River .
Nevertheless, it was worth the price of such hardship.
I saw the magnificent sights of Magadha .
Beginning with glorious Vajrasana,
I made offerings to wondrous shrines.
I thought, “I have arrived too late.”
Anxiously, I searched for the dharma with all my heart.
Like a river, I wandered East and West through the land of India .
On a plain so vast it was difficult to cross,
I thought, “I have arrived on a plain of fire.”
Though I thought of the dharma, my heart swelled with depression.
I was overcome by the heat and a fever, which made it difficult to survive.
I came near to death thirteen times.
There was no one with whom to leave a will of three words.
Three times I passed into a coma.
Seeing all the suffering of that time,
Even hateful enemies should shed tears.
Nevertheless, it was worth the price of risking my life.

Headed by the lord, Mahapandita Naropa,
There were five siddha gurus I met.
In general, I studied the four orders of tantra.
In particular, I learned the complete mother tantra
As well as the Guhyasamaja of the father tantra.

I went to the bank of the river Ganges in the East.
By the blessings of Lord Maitripa,
I attained the realization of the ground, unborn dharmata,
Grabbed the sunyata-mind,
Saw the innate essence, the truth of simplicity,
Met the mother trikaya in person,
And resolved my own complexity at the time.

When I returned again to U in the land of Tibet ,
I thought, “I have the greatest oral instructions.”
I thought, “Some disciples will become siddhas.”
I thought, “Many benefits for beings have been accomplished.”
These are my profound confidences
This is the way I endured hardship.
Think of how difficult it is to obtain the dharma;
Please do not be lazy, but practice!

Thus Marpa sang. Many shed tears at this feast led by the great sons.

This was the last time that Marpa went to India.

go to Twelth Chapter: Life of Marpa