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Milarepa
The
Four Renunciations
A very
beautiful girl about fifteen years of age, whose name was Bardarbom said
to Milarepa: "By merely meeting you I shall have accumulated a great
deal of merits" ad begged to be taken as his servant and disciple.
Milarepa replied, "If you seriously want to practise the Dharma,
you must learn that worldly affairs are your enemies and renounce them."
And he
sang a song called 'The Four Renunciations' :
Listen,
you fortunate girl,
You who have wealth and faith!
Future lives
last longer than this life -
Do you know how to make provision?
Giving with niggardly heart
As if feeding a strange watch-dog,
Only brings more harm than good -
Bringing nothing in return but a vicious bite,
Renounce parsimony, now that you know its evil.
Listen,
you fortunate girl!
We know less of this life than the next one.
Have you prepared and lit your lamp?
Should it not be ready,
Meditate on the "Great Light".
If you choose to help an ungrateful foe,
You will gain not a friend, but damage.
Beware of acting blindly:
Beware of this evil and discard it.
Listen,
you fortunate girl.
Future lives are worse than this life -
Have you a guide or escort for your journey?
If you have not the right companion,
Rely on the holy Dharma.
Beware of relatives and kinsmen;
They hinder and oppose (the Dharma).
They never help but only harm one.
Did you know that your kinsmen are your foes?
If this be true, surely you should leave them.
Listen,
you fortunate girl.
The journey in the future life
is more hazardous than this one -
Have you prepared a fine horse of perseverance for it?
If not, you should strive hard and work with diligence.
The excitement of the start will soon diminish;
Beware the foe, "Inertness" , which makes one go astray.
Of no avail are hurry and excitement, which only harm one.
Do you yet know that your enemies are laziness and caprice?
If you understand my words,
you should cast them both away.
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