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Milarepa
Milarepa's
Reply to Gampopa's Magnificent Dream
Having
heard Gampopa's report of his 'magnificent dream', Milarepa explained
the symbolism and meaning of his dream :
Physician,
this is my reply,
Listen closely to what I say.
Son, you
have learned Chakrasamvara according to Zang Kar,
And trained in the Kadampa tradition of Upper U.
You have the continuous river of good demeanor,
You have mastered and stabilized good samadhi.
I have always thought you were wonderful and outstanding.
Now, because you thought, 'All these omens are very wondrous,'
You have been caught by your dreams,
And regard them as special.
Son, either
you have not learned enough or you are faking.
Have you not studied the many sutras, tantras, and shastras?
In the Prajnaparamita of True Meaning
Buddha himself said that dreams are deceptive and are not real,
They are empty, vain, and hollow.
To collect, record and study them brings little gain.
This is why Buddha used dreams as one of the eight parables,
To show the illusory nature of all things.
Haven't these warnings entered your mind?
Haven't these injunctions occurred to you?
And
yet, in this case at least,
Your dreams truly were wondrous omens,
Foretelling marvellous things to come in the future!
I, the yogi who has mastered the art of dreams,
Will interpret their magical meaning for you.
The white long-pointed hat you wore
Shows that just as the point of the hat was very high,
Your tradition and view will transcend the higher and lower vehicles.
(note 1)
The silken
pleat trim on the brim
Means that you will be adorned with the essence of Dharma,
The subtle yet profound union of wisdom and compassion.
The red
and black colours of the fox-fur trim
Are a sign that you will expound on the various teachings
Of the different schools,
Yet will keep them distinct, without mixing them.
The vulture
feather on the top
Means that just as the vulture soars to the greatest heights,
You will soar with the realization of Mahamudra, the highest view,
And with vision as keen as the vulture's eye
You will see its stainless unborn essence.
The pair
of immaculate Mongol boots you wore
Is a sign of your exemplary pure and unbroken samaya,
An example for all,
As you progress through the three vehicles.
The
'pair' means that you have gathered
The two accumulations of merit and wisdom.
The four brass studs and colour blue
Foretell you attainment of the four bodies of a Buddha in this lifetime.
(note 2)
The shining
rings imply
That you'll be free of wrong practices.
You will not act heedlessly nor selfishly,
But like a young prince,
Your actions will be graceful, humble, and considerate,
An example of how a Buddhist should behave.
The white
silk shirt you dreamed you wore
Shows that your mind will be free from stain or fault.
The pure gold threads in your lapel
Show your unchanging kindness and good will towards all beings.
The design of red dots means
You'll serve all sentient beings with compassion and skilful means.
The
sash you wore of cloth from Mon,
Which wrapped around your waist three times,
Means that you kept and you will purely keep
The vows of all three vehicles,
And that you'll transcend the three realms. (note 3)
The fringe of white flowers, silks, and pearls
Show that you are adorned with the mastery of the three trainings,
And will transmit these by word and example
To your disciples, who will delight in your pure presence.
The cape
of uncut white kid's felt
Means that whatever you may be doing,
Your mind will never be separate from
The essential unstained dharmakaya.
The cape
being uncut, unstiched, and untailored,
Means that your dharmakaya realization
Is pure, natural, free from doubt, and uncontrived.
The silver
clasp that fastened your cape
Is a sign that your realization of dharmakaya
Is a complete realization of unchanging truth,
Not greater nor less than that of Shakyamuni Buddha.
The
strong sandalwood staff in your right hand
Means that you have found your true and perfect guru.
The seven inlaid precious stones
Symbolize the merits and virtues that adorn your guru.
The golden lattice-work filigree lines on the handle
Are a sign that having received the ear-whispered lineage teachings,
You will realize their essence, just as your guru did.
That the lines are interwoven
Means that in the future you will spread
This lineage transmission to many disciples.
Holding it in your right hand
Means that striving forward with great bliss,
You will reach the Buddha fields, (note 4)
As will those who follow you.
The
magnificent vajra kapala you held
Signifies that essential emptiness of all dharmas,
And that you will fully realize this emptiness.
It's filling up, brimful, with amrita,
Symbolizes that, filled with great bliss,
You will continuously deepen and increase your realization.
The brilliant golden hue of the amrita
Is the luminosity of all appearances,
And signifies that you will realize this luminosity,
And be able to remain in the natural state of clear light,
Brightening all forms around you.
The desire to use this kapala as your personal drinking cup
Signifies the merging of the previous three delights,
And your attainment of the three kayas. (note 2)
Holding the kapala in your left hand
Shows that these inner experiences will never leave you,
Indeed they will be inseperable from you.
The beautiful
multi-coloured bags
Show that you will bring your myriad experiences into the path.
Slinging the two bags over your right shoulder
Is a sign that with the provisions of understanding and skilfull means,
You will travel the Mahayana path.
The white rice inside the bags,
And your thoughts to use it for your Dharma provisions,
Are signs that you will enjoy long life and good health,
And be nourished by the food of meditation.
The
black antelope's pelt on your left shoulder
Symbolizes your unwavering mindfulness.
Its head and four hooves still intact
Means that with your perfection of bodhichitta, (note
5)
And your accomplishment of the four immeasurables, (note
6)
You will relieve the suffering and pain of the six realms.
Thinking to use the pelt for your meditation mat
Means that realization has already arisen in you
Through the union of emptiness and compassion,
And will ripen in your followers, too.
The
beautiful golden grassy meadow
That you saw off to your right
Shows the increase of both your outer and inner virtues. (note
7)
The lambs
and young yaks grazing there
Are a sign that through your practice of the four generosities
You will benefit others and fulfil the wishes of countless beings.
Your wish to watch them like a shepherd
Is a sign that you will protect with kindness and compassion
Those helpless and suffering beings with no protector.
The turquoise
blue meadow on your left,
With grass of very even height,
Means that your samadhi will be unshakably steady and pure,
And thus you will taste the state of wisdom and bliss.
The many-coloured flowers in bloom
Mean that the many various meditative experiences,
And signs of accomplishment of the different stages of the path,
Will, step by step, arise in you.
The countless attractive women prostrating to you
Means that by keeping pure and unbroken samaya
You will magnetize and master all the dakinis
Dwelling in your channels and drops.
The garden
of lovely yellow flowers in the centre of the meadow
Means that with your ornaments of realization, strong samadhi,
And perfect observance of discipline,
You will gather great assemblies around you, effortlessly,
Like clouds gather in the sky.
The luxuriant
golden 1,000 petaled lotus seat
In the centre, above the yellow flowers,
Is a sign that through the superior strength of your wisdom
You will not remain in samsara.
You will rise above the three worlds, unsullied, with pure mind,
Just as a lotus is not sullied in the midst of the mud.
Sitting
in bodhisattva posture
Is a sign that in the future, because of your great compassion,
You will not rest in nirvana,
But like a youthful bodhisattva,
You will emanate in countless pure forms
To benefit living beings in the six realms,
Who in past lives have all been our very mother. (note
8)
The water
fountain that gushed forth before you
Is a sign that the Dharma will stream from you,
As an ever flowing source, you will spread the kingdom of Dharma.
The brilliant
white aura shining behind you
Is a sign that just as the sun gives light and warmth to all,
Your virtue and teaching will purify the land of Tibet.
The great
fire blazing from your body
Is a sign that through the blissful wisdom-fire of tummo,
You will melt the ice of discursive thinking.
The
sun and moonlight radiating from your heart
Symbolize that you will always remain
In the state of clear light, beyond coming and going. (note
9)
My son,
this dream was very good, not bad.
To prophesy by interpreting signs correctly
Is good, and is allowed in the Dharma.
But in general, it is harmful
To become too attached to dream interpretation.
No matter what experiences you have,
Whether in dreams or while awake, whether good or bad,
If you cling to them as real, they become an obstacle.
If you know that they are but illusion,
You can bring them to the path.
If you do
not thoroughly know the art and meaning of dreams,
How can you tell if you have interpreted them accurately?
Some bad omens may appear as good dreams
And only an expert can discern their evil meaning.
However, if you have mastered the practice of dreams,
You can see bad dreams as auspicious and positive.
Generally, dreams are neither good nor bad,
So, son of good family, do not cling to auspicious dreams,
Nor take negative dreams seriously.
Good monk, keep these words in mind.
Notes
:
Note
1 : transcend
the higher and lower vehicles - This refers to the superiority
of the skilfull means of the Vajrayana over the Hinayana and the Mahayana
sutra teachings.
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Note
2 : Four Bodies of a Buddha - The four bodies or four kayas of
the Buddha are :
1) The Dharmakaya, or ultimate truth body, corresponding to the mind aspect
of the Buddha;
2) The Sambhogakaya or complete enjoyment body, corresponding to the speech
and prana aspect of the Buddha;
3) The Nirmanakaya, the emanation body, corresponding to the physical
human body of the Buddha; and
4) The Svabhavikakaya, the essential or nature body, representing the
inseparability of the first three Bodies.
Sometimes
only two kayas are mentioned: the Dharmakaya, and the Rupakaya or form
body. In this instance, the Rupakaya encompasses both the Sambhogakaya
and the Nirmanakaya. These are sometimes spoken of in the context of the
'two benefits' : one realizes the ultimate non-dual truth body of Dharmakaya
for one's own benefit; and one realizes the relative manifestations of
the Rupakaya in order to benefit all sentient beings.
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Note 3 : Three Realms - The Desire, Form, and
Formless Realms.
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Note
4 : Buddha fields - The realm or abode of a Buddha
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Note
5 : Bodhichitta - Bodhi means awakening, while chitta means mind.
Thus bodhichitta means 'the awakening mind.' There are two types of bodhichitta,
absolute or ultimate bodhichitta, and relative bodhichitta. According
to Gampopa, absolute bodhichitta is the non-dual realization of emptiness
inseparable from compassion, which is radiant, unshakable and beyond concepts.
Relative bodhichitta is the compassionate mind of the bodhisattva, which
aspires and works to liberate all sentient beings from samsara through
the practice of the six paramitas.
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Note
6 : The Four Immeasurables - The four immeasurables are :
1) loving kindness, the desire to see all beings happy;
2) compassion, the desire to see all beings free from suffering;
3) joy in the joy of others;
4) equanimity, caring equally for all beings without partiality.
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Note
7 : Outer and Inner virtues - The inner virtues are mastery of
meditation, and realization of emptiness and compassion. His outer virtues
were his pure samaya in keeping the vows of the three vehicles, and his
knowledge and mastery of the various traditions.
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Note
8 : Have all been our very mother - One of the ways of cultivating
compassion used in Mahayana Buddhism is to reflect upon the kindness and
self-sacrifice of one's parents, and of one's mother in particular. Then
one contemplates that from beginningless time until now, all beings in
the universe have, at one time or another, been our mother in the cycle
of death and rebirth. Considering that all beings have once shown us such
nurturing kindness, and that they are now caught in the net of samsaric
suffering, one resolves to repay their kindness by attaining Buddhahood
oneself, and then leading all beings out of confused existence.
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Note
9 : You will always remain in the state of clear light, beyond coming
and going - This symbolized that Gampopa would never again experience
hindrances in his sleep or dream state, and that he would be able to transform
his sleepig state into luminous clear light, the highest attainment of
dream yoga.
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