Milarepa - His Life

Jetsun Milarepa

Twelfth Chapter : Nirvana (part 2)

At that time Retchung was residing at the monastery of Loro Dol in Southern Tibet. One morning, in the early dawn, while he was in a mixed state of contemplation and sleep, he perceived a host of dakinis who were about to carry away to another realm a crystal stupa radiating light throughout the heavens. He saw the crystal stupa being praised in song and worshipped with offerings beyond imagination by the comnrunity of the Vajrayana tradition and lay benefactors who filled the earth, and by the celestial beings and dakinis who permeated the sky.

Retchung prostrated himself on seeing Jetsun leaning from the stupa and heard the Master say, 'Retchung, my son, even though you did not arrive in time as I asked you, my mind is full of joy that we, father and son, are together at last. It is uncertain when we shall meet again, so let us treasure this rare occasion.' Radiating a joyful smile, the Master repeatedly touched Retchung's head. Retchung realized the uniqueness of this meeting and a faith arose in him such as he had never known.

Retchung awoke. He recalled the Master's previous words. Hoping that his lama had not yet died, he felt he must go quickly to see him even though he might not reach Chuwar in time. As he was invoking Jetsun with a faith of unbearable intensity, two women appeared before him in the sky and said, 'Retchung, your lama has passed into the Pure Land of the dakinis. If you do not go quickly you may never see him again in this life. Go now, without delay.' The warning in the dream and seeing the sky filled with rainbows and lights aroused in him a memory of the lama and a yearning to go to him.

He left Loro Dol at early dawn as the cocks were crowing. Maintaining harmonious unity with the purest awareness of the lama, Retchung, in an act of devotion, drew air into his body and, retaining it, with the force of a well-shot arrow covered in one morning a distance that for ordinary travelers would take two months. At sunrise, arriving at the pass on the ridge of Mount Podzi between Dingri and Drin, he rested a moment. He saw signs of inconceivable wonders which filled the entire space of the heavens, the mountains, and the surface of the earth. He was overjoyed. Over the sumit of Mount Jowo Razang he saw innumerable celestial sons and daughters amid the domes of lights and rainbows, bearing innumerable offerings of the five sensory ecstasies, worshipping fervently and prostrating themselves toward Chuwar.

Seeing these signs, Retchung was filled with apprehension. He asked the celestial beings the significance of these spectacular signs, and particularly who was being worshipped. Some goddesses said, 'Have you been cut off from the world, seeing nothing and hearing nothing? These offerings are being made by celestial beings of higher realms to the holiest Master on "this earth, Mila Laughing Vajra, who is being worshipped by both gods and men at Chuwar as he enters into the Pure Land of the dakinis.'

Hearing this, Retchung felt as if his heart were being torn out. He hurried on his way. When he was very near Chuwar he saw Jetsun sitting on a big rock shaped like the square base of a stupa. Just as in the dream, the Master showed his joy and greeted him, saying, 'My son, now you are here.'

Thinking that the Master had not really died, Retchung felt an inconceivable joy arising in him. He bowed at the Master's feet and spoke with veneration. The Master answered all his questions.
'Retchung, my son, I will lead the way, follow me.' So saying, the Master went ahead and instantly disappeared!

Retchung continued his journey and arrived at Chuwar. At the Master's cave he saw the great disciples, monks, and lay followers mournfully worshipping the Master's body. Not knowing who this man was, some new monks stopped Retchung and prevented him from going toward the body. Saddened by this, Retchung sang in an aggrieved tone this Song of Sevenfold Devotion:

'O Master, protector of sentient beings,
O Master, Buddha of the Three Ages.
While in the realm of your Dharmakaya wisdom and compassion,
Hear this song of lamentation
From your unfortunate disciple Retchung.

O Venerable Lama! Miserable and tormented, I cry out through this song,
Longing to be near your body I went forward
But this unfortunate son could not see your face.
Look at me with compassion, O Gracious Father.

To you, the Buddha of the Three Ages
Who possesses Wisdom, Compassion, and Power,
I, a mendicant, prostrate myself through the three entrances of body, speech, and mind,
And make the offering of meditation according to your teaching.
I purify the harmful deeds arising from imperfect and distorted perceptions
And take a great delight in all your perfect actions.
May you continue to turn the Wheel of the Sacred Law,
May you be ever-present and not dissolve into nirvana.
May I dedicate the virtues of my meditation and realization to the fulfillment of your intention.
May I realize the result of this dedication, and
May I see your face.
I, whom you first treated with compassion,
Am now being prevented from seeing your body.
Unfortunate am I, not to see the living Master;
Yet may I behold your face in death,
And after seeing your face
May I receive directly or through visions your most valuable instruction for overcoming obstacles in the two higher stages of meditation.
This is the content of my invocation.
Master, if you do not act out of compassion for your son,
Whom else will you protect with your fatherly wisdom and love?
O Father, do not take away from me the hook of your compassion.
Look at me from the expanse of the invisible realm.
May the Master, Seer of the three modes of time, look at Retchung, your servant who is ignorant of wisdom.
Your son, Retchung, is tormented by the five poisons.
Look down on me, O Father, possessor of the Five Supreme Awarenesses.
Look with compassion on all sentient beings.
Look at Retchung out of your love."

So Retchung sang in sorrow. At the sound of Retchung's voice. the radiance in the face of the Master's corpse faded out, and at the same time a fire emerged from the body.

Upon hearing the voice of Retchung, Calm Light Repa, Master Repa of Ngandzong, Seban Repa, and several others of the Vajra brethren with the lay devotees came to welcome Retchung. Resenting the action of the young Repas who had prevented him from seeing Jetsun's body, Retchung would not move forward until his song was finished.

At that time, though the Great Master had passed into the crystal clarity of the Dharmakaya, he came back and said to the young Repas, 'Do not behave like that toward Retchung. "One live lion is better than a hundred masks!" Let him come to me.'

To Retchung, he said, 'My son, do not feel frustration. Do not be overcome by resentment. Come before your father!'

Everyone was astounded and filled with immense joy. Retchung embraced Jetsun's body, weeping with such joy that he fainted. When he came to himself, he found the great disciples, monks, and lay devotees all seated in front of the cremation cell. The Master was completely free from any illness. Appearing as an indestructible manifestation which united form and emptiness into one, and enthroned upon an eight-petaled lotus, the Master radiated like the anthers of a flower. Sitting in the asana of royal ease, his right hand extended in the preaching mudra, pressing down the flame, the left hand in a supporting mudra at the left cheek, he said to all disciples and devotees, 'Listen to this answer to Retchung's song and to the final words of this old man.'

The Master sang from the cremation cell this indestructible song called Six Essential Principles:

'Listen, Retchung, dearest to my heart, to this Song of My Last Will of Instructions.
In the ocean of three samsaric levels
The illusory body is the great culprit,
Striving toward fufillment of material aims,
With little time to renounce worldly efforts.
O Retchung, renounce worldly endeavor.

In the city of the illusory body,
The illusory mind is the great culprit,
Enslaved by the flesh and blood of the body,
With little time to realize the Ultimate Reality.
O Retchung, discern the true nature of mind.

On the border between mind and matter, inner consciousness is the great culprit,
Drawn into the realm of conditioned perceptions,
With little time to realize the uncreated nature of reality.
O Retchung, capture the fortress of unborn emptiness.

On the border between this world and the next, consciousness in the intermediate state of the Bardo (note 19) is the great culprit,
Seeking a body even though deprived of body,
With little time to realize Ultimate Reality.
O Retchung, work your way toward that realization.

In the deceptive dty of the six classes of beings,
There is a great accumulation of defilements and evil karma following impulses of desire and hatred,
With little time to perceive the All-Encompassing Emptiness.
O Retchung, abandon desire and hatred.

In the invisible realm of the heavens,
There is a Buddha who skillfully uses falsehoods, (note 20)
Guiding sentient beings toward relative truth.
Little time have they to realize ultimate truth.
O Retchung, abandon concepts.

Lama, yidam, and dakinis, three united in one -
Invoke them!
Perfect seeing, contemplation, and practice, three united in one –
Master them!
This life, the next, and the intermediate, three united in one-
Unify them!

This is my final instruction and my very last will.
O Retchung, there is nothing more to say.
My son, devote yourself to this instruction."

Having thus spoken, Jetsun dissolved himself into the All-Embracing Emptiness. The funeral pyre was instantly transformed into a celestial mansion, square in shape, having four entrances with ornate porticos. Above it gleamed a rainbow and a canopy of light. The parapet of the roof was surmounted by parasols, banners, and other ornamental offerings.

The flame at the base took the form of an eight-petaled lotus blossom, and the curling tips of the fire unfolded into the eight auspicious emblems (note 21) and the seven royal insignia. (note 22) Even the sparks took the form of goddesses bearing many offerings. The chants of worship and the crackling of the dazzling fire sounded like the melodious tones of various musical instruments, such as iolins, flutes, and tambourines. The smoke permeated everything with the fragrance of perfume and, in the sky above the funeral pyre, young gods and goddesses poured a stream of nectar from the vases they held, and offered abundant delights for the five senses.

The lamas and the venerable lay people were filled with joy. All the disciples, monks, and lay devotees saw the funeral pyre in the form of a resplendent celestial mansion, while the corpse itself was seen variously as Hevajra, Chakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja, or Vajravarahi. Then the dakinis sang with one voice:

'After the passing away of the Master - the Wish-fulfilling Gem -
Some weep and others lament.
At this time of their grief and mourning
There springs up by itself a dazzling fire,
The flame in the form of an eight-petaled lotus blossom,
Eight auspicious emblems, seven royal insignia, and many other delightful offerings.
The roar of the flames is orchestrated into melodious tones
Resembling the music of conch shells, cymbals, violins, flutes, miniature cymbals, tambourines, and hand drums.
Out of the glittering sparks emerge dakinis of three levels - outer, inner, and inmost,
Worshipping and bearing offerings of a myriad kind.
Amidst the smoke, rainbows, and light, there are clouds of offerings,
Such as parasols, banners, glorious knots, and swastikas. (note 23) Innumerable dakinis of enchanting beauty carry away the relics of bone from the funeral pyre,
Astonished that the Master's body is being cremated even though it has been rendered formless, leaving no residuum.
In the expanse of the Lama's Dharmakaya, there gathers the cloud of Sambhogakaya through his resolute will and compassion,
Producing actions of Nirmanakaya like an unceasing rain of flowers.
He thereby brings the crop of seekers to their fruition.
The Dharmadhatu, the ultimate nature of all things, is empty, unconditioned, and devoid of becoming.
The emptiness is without coming to be and passing away.
Even the conditioned arising and dissolution are empty in their innate nature.
So cast away your doubts and misgivings.'

After this song, day passed into evening. The form of a dazzling flame disappeared. Everyone saw the creamtion cell as completely transparent. Disciples, and lay people, looked at the relics of the corpse. Some saw a huge stupa of light standing in the cremation cell, while others saw such forms as Hevajra, Chakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja, or Vajravarahi. Some others saw sacred implements, such as a vajra, bell, vase, and seed syllables (note 24) of mantras representing enlightened body, speech, and mind. Others saw in the cremation cell a white light with its golden rays, a placid pool of water, a burning flame, a swirling wind, and invisible offerings delightful to the senses and beyond imagining. Yet others saw the expanse of empty space.

The disciples opened the entrance of the cremation cell, and then all slept beside it in the joyful expectation that a great quantity of sacred relics and evolved crystals (note 25) would appear in many wonderful forms.

In the early dawn Retchung dreamed of five dakinis in colors of blue. yellow, green, red, and white, draped in silken robes and adorned with ornaments, some made of bone and others of jewels. They were surrounded by their female-retinues in similar colors. All were carrying innumerable offerings of the five sensory ecstasies and were worshipping the cremation cell. The chief dakinis were carrying away a sphere of white light from the cell, draped in a curtain of white silk.

Retchung was fascinated by the spectacular scene. Then he moved toward the cell wondering if the dakinis were taking away the relics and the evolved crystals. The dakinis flew upward into the sky. He awakened all his Vajra brethren. As they began examining the cell, they saw that the dakinis had carried away all the sacred relics, leaving nothing, not even the ashes. Saddened by this, Retchung demanded from the dakinis a portion of the relics as the due share of human beings. The dakinis replied, saying, 'If you, great son of Jetsun, are not content with the direct awakening of your consciousness

'O Master, when you were with your Lama Marpa
You strove faithfully to fulfill all his commands.
Because of that you were given teachings bearing the profound truth.
Then you awakened and liberated all fortunate seekers.
Embrace us and all sentient beings with your compassion, and
Grant us your relics for our devotion.

O Master, when you lived in mountain solitude,
Through your persevering meditation
You achieved the power to cause miraculous manifestations
As the sign of your realization,
And your fame spread throughout the land.
Embrace us who have seen you or heard you, and
Grant us your relics for our devotion.

O Master, when you were amidst your disciples
You were compassionate for all without partiality.
In you we beheld the complete flowering of insight and foreknowledge.
You were filled with loving kindness for sentient beings.
Embrace us, the fortunate seekers, with your compassion, and
Grant us your relics for our devotion.

O Master, when you were among the multitudes you mercifully evoked in them the unfolding of an enlightened attitude.
You led all who sought you to the path of liberation.
To those in misery you were particularly compassionate.
Embrace us, the fortunate seekers, with your compassion, and
Grant us your relics for our devotion.

O Master, when you abandoned your illusory body you were fully awakened to inmost truth.
Inwardly you perceived all phenomena as the 'Dharmakaya and became supreme among all dakinis.
Embrace us, the fortunate seekers, with your compassion, and
Grant us your relics for our devotion.
Embrace us, your children, who are assembled here.'

Retchung thus invoked his Master by singing tearfully in a mournful tone. Thereupon the chief dakini cast from her hand a sacred object, as large as a hen's egg, which projected a stream of light in five colors and descended toward the cremation cell. All the chief disciples stretched out their hands, each claiming it for himself. Then the object ascended again and was absorbed into the light which the chief dakini was holding. The light then split in two, one part becoming a lion throne with a lotus cushion surmounted by moon and sun. A crystal stupa took shape from the other part of the light and came to rest upon the throne. Lights in five colors began to shine forth from the stupa. The stupa was one foot high and was surrounded by the Thousand and Two Buddhas. (note 26) Its four terraces were occupied by resplendent yidams of the four classes of the Tantra in their natural order. Seated inside its spherical chamber was the form of Milarepa, about six inches in height.

The dakinis who were prostrating themselves and worshipping him sang this song, supported by two others who were guarding the stupa:

"Oh sons! Dewa Kyong (Sustainer of Joyful Peace), Shiwa O (Calm Light), Master of Ngandzong, and other blessed disciples clad in cotton.
With the intensity of your veneration and yearning you call upon the name of your spiritual father, that he may grant you, and all human beings, the relics and the evolved crystals as objects of your devotion.

By the force of your invocations coming from the depths of your hearts, and by the power of Milarepa's compassion, you have seen the emanation of his Trikaya and thus you need not return to the cycle of birth and death.
If you devote yourselves faithfully you will attain full Enlightenment.

From the unique sphere of the Dharmakaya emerged the sacred relic as big as a hen's egg.
It is an object of devotion for all human beings.
Yet you cannot get it by seizing it.
Why should it remain amidst profanity?
But if you earnestly invoke Jetsun again, his compassion for you will never diminish, for there is a solemn commitment of all Buddhas for your sake.
Through their ever-unfolding actions arising out of the Dharmakaya, earthly manifestations emerge in their diverse forms.

Your Yidam Chakrasamvara appeared together with his consort in. the posture of union, adorning themselves magnificently with ornaments of sepulchral bones.
The sky was filled with a mandala of deities.
(note 27)
The offerings of the dakas and dakinis spread like a cloud.
The supremely manifested Sambhogakaya gave the initiation which enables you rapidly to achieve realization.
If you are capable of invoking them, their spiritual influences will never diminish, for there is a solemn commitment of all dakinis for your sake.

By the ever-unfolding actions of the Buddhas in the Dharmakaya their reincarnations take on diverse forms.
Therefore, there appeared a crystal stupa one foot in height, surrounded by the Thousand and Two Buddhas, as depicted in the Sutras, and ornamented with the yidam described in the four classes of the Tantra.
What a wonderful vision before our eyes!
If you are capable of invoking them without being distracted, their unfolding actions will never diminish, for there is a solemn commitment of all guardian deities for your sake.

The lama who has unified all three aspects of Enlightenment acts by appearing in many miraculous forms.
It is indeed wonderful that he manifests himself in this small but visible form as an object for our devotion.
If you are capable of invoking him from the recesses of your heart with an intense veneration and yearning,
His influence on your direct realization will never diminish, for there is a solemn commitment of all awakened Masters for your sake.

If you sincerely abide by your own spiritual vows, all guardian deities will support you.
If you can live in mountain solitude, the upholders of wisdom, dakas and dakinis, will naturally gather around you.
Applying yourself sincerely to the Dharma is the advance sign of your rapid realization.
If you are free from desire for pleasure, you have removed the root of your mental defilements.
If you do not cling to the notion of personal self and universal substance as true reality, obstacles and disruptive forces will be banished.

If you no longer cling to duality, your insight has reached its perfection.
If you can perceive samsara and nirvana as empty, your meditation has reached its perfection.
If self-denial springs forth from the depths of your consciousness your practice has reached its perfection.
If your lama foretells your destined task, your commitment has reached its perfection.
If you seek to serve all sentient beings, your aim has reached its perfection.

If Master and disciples achieve a spiritual harmony, their relationship has reached its perfection.
If you recognize the signs and state of your realization, your perceptive visions have reached their perfection.
The quality of your communal harmony, your awakened experience with its inner warmth and all its signs, let these, my children, serve as your share of the relics.'

After this song, the dakinis showed the stupa to all disciples. When the dakinis were about to depart to other realms, they placed the stupa upon a throne of precious jewels. Wishing to beg of the dakinis, who were holding the stupa, that they leave it as an object for human devotion, Shiwa O (Calm Light) Repa invoked them with this song:

'O Father, you assumed the Nirmanakaya form in order to serve others.
You are the awakened seer as the Sambhogakaya.
As the invisible Dharmakaya you embrace the expanse of the cosmic universe.
I invoke you, the ultimate state of reality.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when encountering other enlightened saints,
You were like a casket filled with precious jewels,
You are the priceless seer, O Venerable One.
I offer my devotion to you, who achieved the perfect knowledge.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were serving your lama,
You were like the wool of white sheep,
You, the awakened seer, bestowed benefits on all beings.
I offer my devotion to you, the Compassionate One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were renouncing worldly pursuits,
You, immutable seer, were like the king of all ascetics.
I offer my devotion to you, the Indomitable One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were meditating upon your lama's instructions,
You were like a tigress feeding upon the flesh of a corpse.
An awakened seer, you were free from all doubts.
I offer my devotion to you, the Persevering One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were in complete solitude,
You were like a block of flawless iron,
Never wavering, the awakened, seer.
I offer my devotion to you who are free from falsity.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were producing signs of your inner power,
You, the awakened seer, were like the elephant and snow-lion,
Free from all frailty.
I offer my devotion to you, the Fearless One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

When you were gaining illumination with joyful warmth,
You, the awakened seer, were like the full moon permeating the whole earth.
I offer my devotion to you, the Selfless One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were guiding your foremost disciples,
The encounter was like a fire-glass under sunlight,
You, the great seer, brought them to the awakened state.
I offer my devotion to you, the Gracious One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you encountered material wealth,
You, the awakened seer, were like mercury fallen on the ground,
You, the awakened seer, were never stained.
I offer my devotion to you, the Perfect One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were guiding a multitude of people,
You, the awakened seer, were like the sun rising over the earth, dispelling darkness.
I offer my devotion to you, the Wise and Merciful One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you encountered a vast multitude,
You, the awakened seer, were like a mother meeting her only son,
Seeking to do your utmost for their good.
I offer my devotion to you, the Most Loving One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when proceeding toward the realm of the dakinis,
You, the awakened seer, are like a wish-fulfilling vase, satisfying the wishes of all.
I offer my devotion to you, the Marvelous One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when giving prophetic directions,
You, the awakened seer, were like a finger pointing, never erring.
I offer my devotion to you, Knower of the Three Modes of Time.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.

O Venerable One, when you were giving instructions to hasten our realization,
You, the awakened seer, were like a father giving away riches to his son, free from attachment.
I offer my devotion to you, the Compassionate One.
The stupa the dakinis are holding in their hands,
Give it to us, your children.'

To this invocation of Calm Light Repa came the answer in a song from the form of Jetsun in the stupa, dispelling errors of judgment about things that appear to be alike.

'O you who are faithful and well-destined,
Who invoke me in resounding tones of distress,
Listen, excellent disciples, clad in cotton,
I am Milarepa.

In the emptiness of my all-pervading Dharmakaya,
There is neither gain nor loss.
My earthly body was dissolved into All-Embracing Emptiness.
All its ordinary relics and the evolved crystals became a single stupa emitting lights.
For all sentient beings who seek to earn merit this is the sacred object.
Its seat of dwelling will be the Buddha realms and its guardians the five classes of dakinis.
Celestial beings and dakinis will revere and worship it.
It will vanish if left behind in the realm of human beings.
As for your share, my disciples,
I awakened your inmost awareness, identical with the Dharmakaya.
For this is the holiest of all sacred relics and evolved crystals.
In your striving toward illumination, you will face errors of judgment regarding similarities and differences.
Absorb them without forgetting, and discriminate accordingly.
Associating yourself with a spiritual father who is a perfect lama, and
Associating with a person of good quality resulting from his past karma,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Perceiving the innate emptiness of your awareness, and
Dwelling in a non-conceptual state induced by mind,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Reaching an original state of naturalness in meditation, and
Clinging to a mere shell of quietude which mind has enforced,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

The inward dawning of a spontaneous self-release, and
Being mentally aware of concepts that seem right,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Perceiving the stainless nature of mind in its nakedness, and
Serving others out of kindness for their benefit,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Signs of attainment emerging from one's efforts in inward realization, and
Gaining material wealth in abundance owing to one's past karma,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Prophecies of the dakinis, upholders of supreme wisdom, and
The resounding call of supernatural forces,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Unfailing support of the guardian dakinis, and
Tempting obstacles schemed by the forces of Mara,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

The stainless sphere of the Dharmakaya, and
The relics of earthly substance,
Even though the two appear equally worthy of veneration, beware of misjudgment.

The blossom of the Nirmanakaya arising out of All-Encompassing Emptiness, and
The celestial flower from the heavenly realm of sensory ecstasy.
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

A stupa contrived by obstructive forces, and
Another created through the miraculous acts of the yidam,
Even though the two appear to be alike, beware of misjudgment.

The cosmic mansion with its dome of light and rainbow arch. and
The rainbow and light of natural phenomena,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Faith originating from past karmic links, and
Faith induced by circumstances,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Veneration arising from the depths of the heart, and
Veneration produced out of modesty and concern for conformity,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Striving most earnestly toward Enlightenment, and
Hypocritically pleasing one's lama for the material pursuit of this life,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

Seeking to realize one's aim through perseverance, and
Throwing verbal resolutions to the wind,
Even though the two appear alike, beware of misjudgment.

This stupa in the custody of dakinis, keepers of wisdom,
Being in the realm of Enlightened Ones, past, present, and future,
Is the celestial mansion for awakened dakas and dakinis
And is the meditation cell of your Lama Jetsun.

There is in the east a Buddha realm where a mandala of dakinis is gathered.
In this supremely joyful realm dwell the glorious Chakrasamvara, Avaloketsvara, (note 28) and Tara.
In this absolutely peaceful realm awaits the multitude of dakinis to welcome this stupa.

If you make invocations from the recesses of your heart,
Then do so with spontaneous tears of joy.
This object of veneration is so wonderful, shower it with wisdom,
Sprinkle it with water of enlightened attitude and
Let your excellent and unwavering faith be your protection.
If you wish to receive initiation into the non-dual illumination,
Place your head directly beneath the stupa.'

When the song was over, the dakinis moved the stupa through the space above the foremost disciples. Projecting downward a stream of light that touched each head, the stupa thereby endowed each one with power. Most people saw a form of Milarepa emerge from the stupa and ascend to the space above. Each group saw him differently. Some saw him as Hevajra, others as Chakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja, or Vajravarahi. Each yidam was surrounded by a mandala of emanations, male and female, which were then absorbed into the chest of the principal yidam. The mandala itself was transformed into a mass of light in the sky, and moved toward the east. Everyone present saw the dakinis adorn the stupa with silken attire of various kinds, put it in a jeweled casket, and then carry it away to the east.

Some of the disciples saw Milarepa in the form of a Sambhoga-kaya Buddha adorned with jeweled ornaments and seated upon a lion, whose four feet were being supported by four dakinis while Vajravarahi was leading the lion on a halter. They were proceeding toward the east, attended by innumerable dakas and dakinis carrying an assortment of celestial offerings such as parasols and banners, and giving forth a great sound of music. Others saw the stupa being carried away by a white dakini in a palanquin lined with white silk. And there were other wonderful visions of many kinds.

The disciples, monks, nuns, and lay people were heartbroken at having no share of the sacred relics. Mournfully they cried out in heart-stirring prayer. Though his form was invisible, out of space came a voice resembling that of Jetsun, saying, 'O sons, do not allow yourselves to be overcome with so much grief and despair. As for your share of the sacred objects, there is a marble slab on which have appeared four sacred syllables carved in relief. Go and search for it below the rock base of the cremation cell.'

The disciples accordingly searched the rock and found exactly what had been foretold. All were relieved of their grievance about the lack of sacred relics. This wonderful stone slab is enshrined for the devotion of human beings at the solitary temple of Chuwar.

The chief disciples were certain that they would be born among the foremost future disciples of Jetsun wherever he attained his Supreme Enlightenment, even though for the time being they were aggrieved at his departure to another realm. They were also certain that all aspects of Jetsun's life would fulfill the great purpose of the Dharma and satisfy the need of sentient beings. The foremost disciples were even confident of achieving their goals for themselves and for others through their dedication to the path of liberation.

The disciples reached a unanimous agreement that they should search for gold beneath the hearth as directed by Jetsun in his will, even though, judging from his way of living, the gold as such might not exist. On digging up the hearth they found a square piece of white cloth. Wrapped in this was a knife with a cutting blade, the point being an awl, and the back arranged as a steel for striking fire. There was also a piece of raw sugar, together with a note which read as follows: "When cut with this knife, the cloth and sugar will never be exhausted. 'Cut as many strips from the cloth and as many bits from the sugar as you can, and distribute them among all the people. Everyone who tastes the sugar and touches the cloth will gain liberation from the lower realms, because these things, being the food and clothing of Milarepa throughout his meditative awakening, were blessed by the Buddhas who appeared in the past. Any sentient being who has heard the name Milarepa even once, and in whom it produced veneration, will not go through the cycle of rebirth in the lower realms for seven lifetimes. These things were prophesied by the Buddhas of the past. Whoever says that Milarepa had possessed gold, "stuff his mouth with shit." ' This particular expression of Milarepa's caused laughter among the foremost disciples, even though they were aggrieved by his death. At the bottom of the note the disciples saw this message:

'This was my yogin's food throughout my meditation,
It has sustained me all my life.
It is the food of compassion which produces yogic power and Enlightenment.
Sentient beings who eat this food will close the door of rebirth
Into the realm of hungry ghosts.

The white cotton cloth is the robe of Tummo-Wisdom.
All those who wear it on their body or around the neck
Will close the door of rebirth Into the burning and freezing realms.

Those who receive my blessing through my relics
Will gain liberation from the three lower realms.
All those who already have a spiritual bond with me
Will henceforth never be reborn into the lower realms,
And will gradually attain to Complete Enlightenment.

Those who are capable of responding with trust
Even when they only hear the name of Milarepa
Will remember their past names and family lineage through seven past lives.

To Milarepa, your undaunted father, the whole universe is gold.
What need have I for a packet of gold dust?
My children, strive to live according to my instructions and
You will fully realize your immediate and ultimate goals.'

The piece of raw sugar was then sliced with the knife into countless pieces. Each part was as big as the original piece. Similarly, as the white cloth was cut into many pieces, each square became the same size as the original. They were then distributed to all who partook of the sugar and touched the cloth. The sick and miserable were relieved of their sufferings; those who were full of evil intent, of passions and prejudices, found themselves possessing the qualities of faith, striving, wisdom, and compassion, and finally even achieved their liberation from the realms of misery. The sugar and the cloth each person received lasted his lifetime without being exhausted.

On the occasion of the funeral, when the disciples were worshipping the corpse of Milarepa, there fell a shower of four-colored and five-colored blossoms. The blossoms, descending nearly within the reach of man, re-ascended toward the sky and disappeared. A few that landed vanished when touched by human hands, but the blossoms that lasted were of exquisite beauty. Those in three colors, being as delicate as the wings of bees, lay ankle deep at Chuwar, and in other places the ground was covered by them, giving a different hue to the earth. After the cremation the spectacular signs, such as lights and rainbows, slowly grew dimmer and dimmer until they all disappeared.

n every anniversary of Milarepa's death all the phenomenal signs such as rainbows and lights, the smell of celestial fragrances, and the sound of music appeared in the clear sky in the same way as on the day of Jetsun's passing. The wonderful signs appearing on each occasion were so fantastic that they could not be identified in terms of our concepts or be expressed through our speech. For example, even in freezing winter, flowers bloomed, the region enjoyed abundant harvests and prosperity, and no violence or epidemics ravaged the earth. These signs were not recorded for fear of appearing exaggerated.

In summary, after the final departure for the Buddha realm of Milarepa, the greatest of saints, the story of his life became a clear example of supreme liberation, and the result of his infinite compassion and universal concern was seen in the emergence of his spiritual descendants. Those disciples who achieved Complete Enlightenment were as numerous as the stars in the night; those who achieved non-return to samsara were also many, as particles of dust on the face of the earth. Those men and women who had entered the path of liberation were too numerous to be counted. He caused the teachings of Buddha to blaze forth like bright sunshine and guided these sentient beings away from temporary and permanent miseries toward happiness and the root of happiness.

This is the twelfth chapter of the life of the great saint Milarepa, dealing with the dissolution of his earthly body into All-Encompassing Emptiness on his having completed his enlightened tasks, in order to arouse a spiritual urge and awakening in sentient beings. Furthermore, it deals with how, through his unceasing and ever-unfolding actions, he will serve sentient beings till the end of samsara throughout cosmic space!

Translators Notes:

Note 19: Bardo. The intermediate state of the life-cycle between the present and future lives, The events of the Bardo state are said to begin at the final phase of death when disintegration of the elements and forces within man’s psycho-physical aggregate takes place. Tibetan tradition considers the understanding of death and Bardo as an equally indispensable element in the transformation of one’s living experiences.
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Note 20: A Buddha who skillfully uses falsehoods. Here is a case, one of many in this text, where a translator even with the best intention can easily make a serious mistake through a literal or arbitrary interpretation. An enigmatic stanza such as this has to be examined thoroughly on the basis of both a sound knowledge of exoteric Mahayana teachings and the intricate Buddhist system of elucidating texts in terms of eigher apparent or actual meaning – just as the esoteric teaching of Vajrayana needs to be elucidated in terms of the six modes and four methods

This refers to the four methods of explanation and the six modes of elucidating the Buddhist tantric doctrine. The four are: (1) the literal meaning, including that of symbolism and mantra; (2) the general meaning; (3) the hidden meaning (allusions to certain omitted crucial explanations); and (4) the ultimate meaning. The six modes are: (1) and (2) teachings given with or without concealed intention or insight; (3) and (4) those that have apparent or ultimate meanings; (5) and (6) those that have literal etymological meanings and those that have a meaning different from the literal.

The reference in the song to ‘Fully Enlightened in the Invisible Heaven’ is an allusion to Maitreya – who in reality is a Buddha, considered to be the Buddha of the coming age. According to the Sutras, he presides over the Joyous Heaven (Gadan Lhainey). Milarepa is here gauging the level of the audience, the celestial beings who can understand only the teaching concerning relative truth. His reference to ‘Buddha who speaks falsehood’ is no doubt an allusion to the skillful means enlightened teaches are capable of employing in order to effect the fullest benefit for their disciples.
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Note 21: The eight auspicious emblems. They are (1) a parasol, (2) a pair of goldfish, (3) a conch shell with a rightward spiral, (4) the knot that has no end, (5) the banner of supreme excellence, (6) the Wheel of the Law, (7) the vase of great treasure, (8) the lotus.
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Note 22: The seven royal insignia. The precious queen, the minister, the warrior, the wish-fulfilling gem, the wheel, the elephant, and the horse. They symbolize the Seven Jewels of the Awakened Ones.
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Note 23: Swastikas are and ancient Buddhist symbol of truth and eternity. The term means, literally ‘that which is eternal’.
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Note 24: Seed syllables of mantra. This refers to what is called ‘the root mantra’ (Tsa-ngak). It is the basic mantra associated with every yidam. The root mantra is so called because a few simple syllables can unfold a vast and varied teaching concerning the complete transformation of man’s inbred conditions.
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Note 25: Evolved crystals. The evolved crystals are generally called ‘bodily relics’ – kudoong ringsel. They are of tiny pill size, pearl colored, and are found in the ashes of the corpses of highly attained men and women. It is widely held that the original evolved crystals multiply if preserved in a proper manner. Hence the name ‘multiplying bodily relics’ – phel doong. Among the types of crystals is that called ‘Sharirum’, which is said to shine in five hues.
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Note 26: The Thousand and Two Buddhas. This reders to the thousand Buddhas of this aeon.
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Note 27: A mandala of deities. Meaning here a conclave of deities.
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Note 28: Avaloketesvara refers to the yidam who embodies the infinite compassion of Buddhas. Chief among the present-day incarnations of Avaloketesvara are the Dalai Lama and Gyalwa Karmapa.
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