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Milarepa
The
Sufferings of the Gods
Shiwa
Aui, a leading disciple of Milarepa, once asked his Master when the latter
was nearing the end of his life: "Please tell us what the joys and
miseries that sentient beings experience in the Six Realms? Especially,
please tell us what are the pleasures devas enjoy?"
The Jetsun
replied: Do not be fascinated by the pleasures of heavenly beings; they
also have miseries - like this:
The pleasures
enjoyed by men devas
Are like the amusements of the Heavenly Yak:
It may low like thunder
But what good can it do?
(Swooning
in a state of trance),
The devas in the four Formless Heavens
Cannot distinguish good from evil.
Because their minds are dull and callous,
Insensible, they have no feeling.
In unconscious stupefaction,
They lived many kalpas in a second.
What a pity that they know it not!
Alas, these heavenly births
Have neither sense nor value.
When they think vicious thoughts
They start to fall again.
As to the reason for their fall
(Scholars), with empty words,
Have dried their mouth in explanations.
In the Heaven
of Form,
The devas of the five higher and twelve lower realms
Can only live until their merits are exhausted.
Their virtues are essentially conditional,
And their Karma basically Samsaric.
Those Dharma-practisers
subject to worldly desires,
And those 'great yogis' wrapped in stillness,
Have yet to purify their minds;
Huge may be their claims and boasts,
But habitual thought-seeds
In their minds are deeply rooted.
After a long dormant time,
Evil thoughts again will rise.
When their merits and fortunes are consumed;
They to the Lower Realms will go once more!
If I explain
the horror of a deva's death,
You will be disheartened and perplexed.
Bear this in your mind and ever meditate!
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