Marpa - His Life

Marpa's second journey to India

Marpa

Fifth Chapter : Marpa goes looking for gold and meets with disciples.

Thinking that he should bring along some arrendants in his search for gold, Marpa gave instructions on the words and meaning of various sadhanas, as well as on their ritual traditions, to some students in Lhotrak who had requested teaching from him. He brough these students along as attendants and also brought some fine abhiseka implements and shrine objects.

Riding on a horse, he went to Central Tibet south of the Tsangpo river. He had stopped by a river bank dor a meal when two tantric priest who looked like teachers came by. The chief one said, “Reverends, where do you come from and where are you going?”

One of the students who was eloquent answered, “Your reverences might have heard of this lord, he is the close disciple of the siddha, Mahapandita Naropa of India. This guru is known as the translator Marpa Lotsawa. We, master and disciples, are here to ripen and free those worthly ones who have fortunate karma and to establish a virtuous karmic connection to those who are less fortunate. In order to benefit the teachings and sentient beings, Lord Marpa is collecting offerings of gold and provisions to return to India again.” Continuing in this way, the student gave a complete and detailed account.

The priest said. “Yes, I have heard of the fame of this guru before and thought of meeting him. Please come and stay at my house tonight.”

In this way, he invited them to the monastery Soaring Garuda Mountain in the region of Shung. This priest was the first of Marpa's chief disciples. He was known as Ngokton Chodor of Shung. Ngok received Marpa at Shung and served him well. He requested teachings and Marpa gave him the abhiseka and sadhana of the bhagavat Hevajra according to the teacher Pad-mavajra. Ngok made many offerings of good clothing and other things. Moreover, he urged his own disciples and many patrons to request teachings. They supplicated the guru and received abhiseka. Marpa taught the dharma for two months. He received many gifts and his fame spread.

Then Marpa stayed at Sesamar in the region of Phen. He healed nine women of the condition of "infant death" by means of the Kila, and received eleven sho of gold for each cure. He performed the permission-blessing of the devi Remati as well as several yogic applications. He taught several dharma courses and all present became very devoted.

One day, Marpa gave the abhiseka of Hevajra to many people at Sesamar. At that time, from Nyingtrung in the Damsho district in the North, the merchant Marpa Golek arrived in Central Tibet on business. He asked who the many people milling about on the hillside were and what they were doing. They said, "Jetsun Naropa's disciple, Marpa Lotsawa, has conducted an abhiseka and is now performing a ganacakra."

Marpa Golek thought, "He might be my relative and a good guru as well. I should receive teachings from him." Thus he offered Marpa four sides of yak meat and one sack of rock salt.

While they were conversing, faith arose in Marpa Golek and he thought, "I should invite this guru to my house." He told Marpa, "If you are looking for gold to offer to the gurus of India, you won't find it in the region of Phen. According to the proverb: 'In the dry region of Phen they count the portions of poultry. In the eight districts to the North they count the quarters of a wild yak. ' The people of the region of Phen are not honest. They have little faith and they are crude and thick headed. If you go with me to the North, you will ride on horseback, wear a fine robe, and sit on fine cushions. You will have plenty of meat, butter, and cheese."

"Well then, I should go with you," said Marpa.
"When you receive our invitation, please come," Marpa Golek said.

Marpa Golek finished his business and departed again for the North. There he sent back a welcoming party to meet Marpa, with a horse for the guru to ride and with dzos loaded with fine clothing and provisions. When he heard Marpa was near, Golek himself mounted his horse and went to receive him. He met the gum at the border near Tsul in Dam. He noticed that Marpa was wearing his old clothes and had packed away the new clothes that Golek had given him. "For us Highlanders in the North," Golek said, ' 'physical appearance is very important. I would like to request you to put aside your old clothes and put on the new ones."

Marpa replied, "In general, it is said that demons do not harm what you really own. In particular, the great and glorious Naropa blessed these clothes of mine. It would be a great loss if I threw them away, so I will save them to bring back to Lhotrak. ' ' He then packed them away in his baggage. "I will please you," he said, and he put on the new clothes offered by Ngok, and by Golek as well.

Golek offered him his own saddled horse. As they were going along the road, Golek thought, "Besides all the clothes I offered him, he has other new ones he hasn't worn. He seems to be miserly. Generally, the actions of a holy person cannot ultimately be fathomed; however, if this is greed for material wealth, it is a great fault. Therefore, I must test this guru."

Golek asked, "Besides the new clothes I offered you, you have others. Why did you not wear them from the start?"

"It would be very inconvenient to take all these clothes to India and when they get old they can't be exchanged for gold. Exchanging these new clothes for gold, I plan to offer the gold to glorious Naropa. Now, in order to please you, I have worn them. If I do not have gold in India, I cannot obtain teachings," Marpa answered.

Marpa Golek thought, "Such desire for material wealth is not a fault but a virtue," and his karmic connection was awakened further. He burst into tears, his hairs trembled, and extraordinary faith was born in him. In the presence of the guru, he took a vow to practice wholeheanedly and to attend him constantly.

Then they arrived at Nyingtrung in the Damsho district. At the urging of Golek, who was the chief of this province of Highlanders, his family and servants gave Marpa a good welcome. In accord with his vow, Marpa Golek entered the gate of dharma and requested abhiseka and oral instructions. He urged his servants, relatives, and friends also to receive teachings. Marpa healed the condition of "infant death" many times, and received much gold. About ninety people received teachings and offered him gold and much wealth. All the gifts that were not gold were exchanged for gold.

Then Marpa went to the gold rock of Mera in the North and received much gold. In particular, Golek himself gave eighteen sang of gold, many dzos, horses, cattle, sheep, suits of armor, and his own horse, called White Headed Turquoise Dragon. When Marpa was content with the gifts of gold and other things, he thought, "Now I should go to India."

With Golek and some other dharma practitioners following as attendants, guru Marpa departed for Lhotrak. When they were north of the Tsangpo river, Tsurton Wang-nge of Tol invited them to his house. Thus, the master and disciples went to Tol and were welcomed. Tsurton supplicated for the abhiseka and oral instructions of Guhyasamaja.
Marpa gave him the abhiseka and said, ' 'I'll give you the oral instructions later; now I'm in a hurry." After Tsurton had made many offerings, he followed the guru as an attendant in order to receive the oral instructions.

Ngokpa invited Marpa again to Shung and gave him many gifts of gold and other things. Then he also departed with Marpa, as his attendant. As soon as the master and disciples arrived in Trowo valley, Bawachen of Parang invited them to South Layak. He received the abhiseka ofMahamaya and offered many gifts. Marpa accepted the gifts, and those who had received teachings attended him.

In Trowo valley, the gum gave the abhiseka of Hevajra in order to repay the disciples for their service and devotion. Marpa gave the Hevajra especially to Ngokpa. To Tsurton and Marpa Golek, he gave the Guhyasamaja according to the root text and the direct instructions of the five stages. To Bawachen of Parang, he gave the explanations on the Mahamaya.

For the farewell feast, Marpa invited his older brother and organized an excellent ganacakra. At the feast the students asked, "Precious guru, how many gurus did you have in India? Among them, who possessed the wondrous mark of siddhi? What abhisekas and oral instructions did you receive from them? What kind of companions did you travel with?"

In response, Lord Marpa gave them an extensive account. Then, being more concise, he sang this song in verse:

Lord Vajradhara of this age of strife,
Supreme being who has accomplished ascetic discipline,
Carried by everyone like a crown on his head,
Glorious Naropa, I respectfully pay homage at your feet.
This Marpa Lotsawa of Lhotrak
Met with dharma when twelve years old.
This certainly reawakened the predispositions from former training.
First I learned the letters of the alphabet.
Then I learned the translation of words.
Finally I went south to Nepal and India.

I stayed three years in central Nepal.
From blessed Nepalcse gurus
I heard the Catuhpitha, renowned as a powerful tantra.
I received the devl Vetall as a protector.

Not satisfied by this alone,
I went to India for further teachings.
I crossed poisonous and deadly rivers.
My skin shed like a snake's.

Daring to abandon my life for the sake of dharma,
I arrived at that wonderful place prophesied by the dakinis,
Phullahari in the North.
At this monastery imbued with siddhi,
From the gatekeeper Mahapandita Naropa
I received the tantra of Hevajra, renowned for its profundity,
And the oral instructions of the union of mixing and ejecting.
I especially requested the karmamudra of candall
And received transmission of the hearing lineage.

At the monastery of Laksetra in the West
I touched the feet of glorious Jnanagarbha.
I listened to the father tantra, the Guhyasamaja,
Received the instructions of the illusory body and luminosity,
And learned the meaning of the path of five stages.
I went to the island in the boiling poison lake in the South.
In the middle of the day, it grew as dark as midnight.
Sometimes the path was clear and sometimes it disappeared.
Abandoning my fear of death, I searched for the jetsun.
I met glorious Santibhadra in person.
He gave me the mother tantra, the Mahamaya.
I learned the meaning of the three yogas, form and so on,
And received the instructions of the tantra of three illusions.

In the East I crossed the Ganges, the river of siddhis.
At the monastery of the quaking mountain
I touched the feet of the lord, Master Maimpa,
And received the profound tantra, the
Manjusri- nama-sangiti.
Living in the realization of the dharma of mahamudra,
The nature and workings of actual mind were resolved.
I saw the essence of the meaning of ground dharmata.

Renowned throughout all Jambudvipa,
These are the lineage gurus of the four directions.

Also from wandering yogins in charnel grounds
And kusulus dwelling under trees,
Some of whom are completely unknown,
I received many short instructions in sampannakrama,
Wondrous sadhanas,
And countless oral instructions of yogic applications.

On the way back to Tibet, Nyo of Kharak accompanied me.
When we arrived in central Nepal
I, Marpa Lotsawa of Lhotrak,
And Nyo Lotsawa of Kharak
Discussed which lotsawa was more learned and had greater oral instructions.

When crossing the border from Nepal to Tibet,
Nyo was richer in wealth and material goods.
When I arrived in the four parts of Lato,
I had attained equal renown as a translator.
When I came to the center of U and Tsang in Tibet,
I was famed for oral instructions.
Since I have met siddha gurus,
There is no question as to the greatness of these oral instructions.
Since I do not hope for enlightenment from sophistry,
Those expounders of texts may do as they please.

Thus Marpa sang.

Even his older brother felt great devotion and offered Marpa any property or valley he desired. Thus Marpa's dignity, wealth, property, and renown increased greatly. When he had gathered many disciples and much wealth, he married Dagmema and took other authentic consorts possessing good qualities, and Tar-ma Dode and other sons were born.

go to Sixth Chapter: Life of Marpa