Treat them politely and try to make them happy. Disputes are alien to our school.
They are incompatible with its spirit.
SUTRA SPOKEN BY THE SIXTH PATRIARCH 557 To be bigoted and to argue with others in disregard of this rule Is to subject one’s Mind-essence to the bitterness of this mundane existence.”
* * « On the 8th day of the 7th Moon, the Patriarch suddenly gave an order to his disciples to get a boat ready for his return to Sun-chow, (his native place). They entreated him earnestly to remain where he was, but in vain.
“It is only natural,” said the Patriarch, “death is the inevi- table outcome of birth. Even the Buddhas as they appear in this world must manifest an earthly death before they enter Parinirvana. There will be no exception with me; my physical body must be laid down somewhere. Fallen leaves go back to the place where the root is.”
# # # On the 3rd day of the 8th Moon of the Year Kwai Tsau, the 2nd year of the Sin Tan Era, after eating with his disciples at the Kwok-yen Monastery (Sun-chow), the Patriarch spoke as follows: — “Please sit down in order of seniority; I am going to say good bye to you. After my passing away, do not follow the worldly custom of crying and lamenting. Neither should mes- sages of condolence be accepted, nor should mourning be worn. These things are contrary to orthodox teaching; he who does them is not my disciple. What you should do is to know your own mind and realise your own Buddha-nature, which neither rests nor moves, neither becomes nor ceases to be, neither comes nor goes, neither affirms nor denies, neither remains nor departs. I repeat this to you that you may surely realise your Mind- essence. If you carry out my instructions after my death and practise them, then my going away will make no difference with you. On the other hand, if you go against my teachings, even if I remained with you, no benefit would be yours.” Then he uttered this stanza: — “Undisturbed and serene, the wise man practises no virtue; Self possessed and dispassionate, he commits no sin; Calm and silent, he gives up seeing and hearing; Even and upright his mind abides nowhere.”
558 SELECTIONS FROM CHINESE SOURCES Having uttered the stanza, he sat reverently until the third watch of the night, then he said abruptly, “I am going now,” and in a moment passed away. At that time, a peculiar fra- grance pervaded the room and a lunar rainbow appeared to link the earth and heaven; the trees in the grove turned pale and the birds and animals cried mournfully.
« * « In the nth Moon of that year, the question of the Patri- arch’s resting place gave rise to a dispute among the govern- ment officials of Kwong-chow, Shiu-chow and Sun-chow, each party being anxious to have the remains of the Patriarch re- moved to his own district. The Patriarch’s disciples together with other Bhikkhus and laymen, took part in the controversy. Being unable to come to any agreement, they burnt incense and prayed to the Patriarch to indicate by the drift of the smoke the place he himself would like to rest. As the smoke turned directly to Tso-kai, the sacred shrine together with the inherited robe and bowl were accordingly removed back there on the 13th day of the 11th Moon.
Next year on the 25th day of the 7th Moon, the body was taken from the shrine and re-embalmed and placed in the stupa, and by imperial order, tablets were erected to record the life of the Patriarch.
The Patriarch inherited the robe when he was 24; he was ordained at 39; and died at the age of 76. For thirty-seven years he preached to the benefit of all sentient beings. Forty- three of his disciples inherited the Dharma; while those who attained (a measure of) enlightenment and thereby got out of the rut of the ordinary life were too many to be numbered. The robe transmitted by the First Patriarch, Bodhidharma, as the insignia of the Patriarchship, the Mo La robe and the crystal bowl presented by the Emperor Chung Chung, the Pa- triarch’s image carved by Fong-pin, and other sacred things, were given into the care oF the keeper of the stupa. They were to be kept permanently at Po-lam Monastery to guard the wel- fare of the temple. The Sutra spoken by the Patriarch was pub- lished and circulated to make known the principles of the Dhy- ana School. All these steps were taken for the prosperity of the “Three Jewels,” Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, as well as for the general welfare of all sentient beings.
SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES Metier is it to live the solitary life of a monk Than to return again and again to the dreary round of life's distractions.
The true disciple of the Buddha, having freed himself from the fetters of sense, Seeks in solitude that serenity of mind Which is necessary to the attainment of Wisdom.
; # # # I pray Thee, O gracious Lord, Grant that this mendicant may cling successfully to solitude, Making solitude his paradise.
THE LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA Milarepa’s Belief M Y Guru said, My son, what beliefs or convictions hast thou arrived at regarding these Truths; what experiences, what insight, what understanding hast thou obtained? And he added. Take thy time and recount them to me.
Upon this, with deep and sincere humility, I knelt, and joining the palms of my hands, with tears in mine eyes, ex- temporaneously sang to my Guru a hymn of praise, offering him the sevenfold worship — as a prelude to submitting the nar- rative of mine experiences and convictions: i To the impure eyes of them Thou seekest to liberate. Thou manifestest Thyself in a variety of shapes; But to those of Thy followers who have been purified. Thou, Lord, appearest as a Perfected Being; obeisance to Thee.
2 With Thy Brahma-like voice, endowed with the sixty vocal perfections, Thou preachest the Holy Truths to each in his own speech.
Complete in their eighty-four thousand subjects; Obeisance to Thy Word, audible yet inseparable from the Voidness.
3 In the Heavenly Radiance of Dharma-Kaya Mind, There existeth not shadow of thing or concept.
Yet It pervadeth all objects of knowledge; Obeisance to the Immutable, Eternal Mind.
562 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES In the Holy Palace of the Pure and Spiritual Realms, Thou Person illusory, yet changeless and selfless.
Thou Mother Divine of Buddhas, past, present, and future, 0 Great Mother Damema, to Thy Feet I bow.
5 (O Guru), to Thy children spiritual.
To Thy disciples who Thy word obey.
To each, with all his followers.
Obeisance humble and sincere I make.
6 Whate’er there be, in all the systems of the many worlds. To serve as offerings for the rites divine, 1 offer unto Thee, along with mine own fleshly form; Of all my sins, may I be freed and purified.
7 In merits earned by others, I rejoice; So set the Wheel of Truth in motion full, I pray; Until the Whirling Pool of Being emptied be.
Do not, O Noble Guru, from the world depart.
I dedicate all merit from this Hymn, Unto the Cause of Universal Good.
Having, as a prelude, sung this hymn of seven stanzas, I then continued: Inseparable from Dorje-Chang Himself art thou, my Guru, with thy consort, and thine offspring. In virtue of thy fair and meritorious deeds, and of the power of the waves of grace proceeding from thy boundless generosity, and of thy kindness beyond repayment, I, thy vassal, have imbibed a little knowledge, in the sphere of understanding, which I now beg to lay before thee. Out of the unchanging State of Quiescence of Eternal Truth, be pleased to listen unto me for a little while.
I have understood this body of mine to be the product of Ignorance, as set forth in the Twelve Nidanas, composed of flesh and blood, lit up by the perceptive power of conscious- LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 563 ness. To those fortunate ones who long for Emancipation, it may be the great vessel by means of which they may procure Freedom and Endowments; but to those unfortunate ones, who only sin, it may be the guide to the lower and miserable states of existence. This, our life, is the boundary-mark whence one may take an upward or downward path. Our present time is a most precious time, wherein each of us must decide, in one way or the other, for lasting good or lasting ill. I have under- stood this to be the chief end of our present term of life. Here, again, by holding on to Thee, O powerful Lord and Saviour of sentient beings like myself, I hope to cross over this Ocean of Worldly Existence, the source of all pains and griefs, so difficult to escape from. But to be able to do so, it is first of all necessary for me to take refuge in the Precious Trinity, and to observe and adopt in a sincere spirit the rules prescribed. In this, too, I see the Guru to be the main source and embodi- ment of all good and happiness that can accrue to me.
Therefore do I realize the supreme necessity of obeying the Guru’s commands and behests, and keeping my faith in him unsullied and staunch. After such realization, then deep medi- tation on the difficulty of obtaining the precious boon of a free and well-endowed human birth, on the uncertainty of the exact moment of death, on the certain effect of one’s actions, and on the miseries of sangsaric being, cannot fail to compel one to desire freedom and emancipation from all sangsaric ex- istence; and to obtain this, one must cleave to the staff of the Noble Eightfold Path, by which only may a sentient being ob- tain that emancipation. Then, from the level of this Path, one must pass on, by degrees, to the Higher Paths, all the while observing one’s vows as carefully as if they were one’s own eyes, rebuilding or mending them should they become in the least impaired. I have understood that one who aimeth at his individual peace and happiness adopteth the Lower Path (the Hinayana). But he, who from the very start, devoteth the merit of his love and compassion to the cause of others, I un- derstand belongeth to the Higher Path (the Mahayana). To leave the Lower Path and to enter upon the Higher Path, it is necessary to gain a clear view of the goal of one’s aspira- tions, as set forth by the unexcelled Immutable Path (the Vajra-Yana).
Again, to gain a clear view of the Final Goal, it is essential 564 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES to have a perfectly well-accomplished Guru, who knoweth every branch of the four kinds of initiatory rites without the slightest misunderstanding or doubt regarding them; he alone can make the Final Goal thoroughly explicit to a shishya. The ceremony of initiation conferreth the power of mastering abstruse and deep thoughts regarding the Final Goal. In meditating on the Final Goal, step by step, one hath to put forth all one’s en- ergies, both of grammatical and logical acumen; as well as, through moral and mental reasoning and internal search, to discover the nonexistence of the personal Ego and, therefore, the fallacy of the popular idea that it existeth. In realizing the non-existence of the personal Ego, the mind must be kept in quiescence. On being enabled, by various methods, to put the mind in that state as a result of a variety of causes, all (thoughts, ideas, and cognitions) cease, and the mind passeth from consciousness (of objects) into a state of perfect tranquil- lity, so that days, months, and years may pass without the per- son himself perceiving it; thus the passing of time hath to be marked for him by others. This state is called Shi-nay (Tran- quil Rest). By not submitting oneself to the state of total oblivion and unconsciousness (of objects), but by exerting one’s intellect or faculty of consciousness in this state, one gaineth the clear ecstatic state of quiescent consciousness.
Although there be this state, which may be called a state of superconsciousness (Lhag-tong), nevertheless, individuals, or ego-entities, so long as they are such, are incapable of experi- encing it. I believe that it is only experienced when one hath gained the first (superhuman) state on the Path to Buddha- hood. Thus, by thought-process and visualization, one treadeth the Path. The visions of the forms of the Deities upon which one meditateth are merely the signs attending perseverance in meditation. They have no intrinsic worth or value in them- selves.
To sum up, a vivid state of mental quiescence, accompanied by energy, and a keen power of analysis, by a clear and in- quisitive intellect, are indispensable requirements; like the low- est rungs of a ladder, they are absolutely necessary to enable one to ascend. But in the process of meditating on this state of mental quiescence (Shi-nay), by mental concentration, either on forms and shapes, or on shapeless and formless things, the very first effort must be made in a compassionate mood, with LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 565 the aim of dedicating the merit of one’s efforts to the Uni- versal Good. Secondly, the goal of one’s aspirations must be well defined and clear, soaring into the regions transcending thought. Finally, there is need of mentally praying and wish- ing for blessings on others so earnestly that one’s mind-processes also transcend thought. These, I understand, to be the highest of all Paths.
Then, again, as the mere name of food doth not satisfy the appetite of a hungry person, but he must eat food, so, also, a man who would learn about the Voidness (of Thought) must meditate so as to realize it, and not merely learn its definition. Moreover, to obtain the knowledge of the state of supercon- sciousness (Lhag-tong), one must practice and accustom one- self to the mechanical attainment of the recurrence of the above practices without intermission. In short, habituation to the contemplation of Voidness, of Equilibrium, of the Inde- scribable, and of the Incognizable, forms the four different stages of the Four Degrees of Initiation, — graduated steps in the ultimate goal of the mystic Vajra-Yana (or Immutable Path). To understand these thoroughly, one must sacrifice bodily ease and all luxuriousness, and, with this in mind, face and sur- mount every obstacle, being ever willing to sacrifice life itself, and prepared for every possible contingency.
As for myself, I have not the means to a recompense thee, my Guru and the Reverend Mother, — my benefactors; your loving kindness is beyond my power to repay by any offer of worldly wealth or riches. So I will repay you by a lifelong de- votion to meditation,and I will complete my final study of your Teachings in the ’Og-min Heaven.
To my Guru, the Great Dor j e-Chang, To Damema, the Mother of all Buddhas, And to all Princes Royal, the Avataras, I make as offering, to Their ears, this essence of my learning gleaned.
If there be heresy or error in my speech, I pray that They will kindly pardon it.
And set me then upon the Righteous Path.
Lord, from the sun-orb of Thy Grace, The radiant Rays of Light have shone, 566 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES And opened wide the petals of the Lotus of my Heart, So that it breatheth forth the fragrance bom of Knowl- edge, For which I am for ever bounden unto Thee; So will I worship Thee by constant meditation.
Vouchsafe to bless me in mine efforts.
That good may come to every sentient being.
Lastly, I ask forgiveness, too, for any lavishness of words.
Then my Guru replied, I have conferred upon thee the Su- preme, Mystic, Ear-Whispered Truths, as revealed by the Deities and transmitted to me by my Lord Naropa. To no other of my disciples have I imparted them; nay, not even to the foremost. To thee I have handed them on in an entire and perfect manner, like unto a vessel filled to the very brim.
Then he invoked the Tutelary Deities to bear witness to the truth of these statements.
The Guru having delivered this deeply impressive discourse sang the following song extempore: To desire much, bringeth a troubled mind; (So) store within thy heart (these) precepts wise: Many seeming Thats are not the That; Many trees bear nought of fruit; All Sciences are not the Wisdom True; Acquiring these is not acquiring Truth.
Much talking is of little profit.
That which enricheth the heart is the Sacred Wealth; Desirest thou wealth? then store thou this.
The Doctrine which subdueth passions vile is the Noble Path; Desirest thou a safe path? then tread thou this.
A contented heart is the noblest king; Desirest thou a noble master? Then seek thou this.
Forsake the weeping, sorrow-burdened world; Make lonely caves thy home paternal.
And solitude thy paradise.
Let Thought riding Thought be thy tireless steed.
And thy body thy temple filled with gods.
And ceaseless devotion thy best of drugs.
LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 567 To thee, thou energetic one, The Teaching that containeth all of Wisdom I have given; Thy faith, the Teaching, and myself are one.
And may this Perfect Seed of Truth, thus to my son entrusted.
Bring forth its foliage and its fruit.
Without corruption, without being scattered, without withering.
Having sung this, the Guru placed his hand upon my head, and said, My son, thy going away breaketh my heart; but since all composite things are alike liable to dissolution it can- not be helped. Yet remain with me a few days more; examine thy texts, and if thou find in them uncertainties, have these cleared. I obeyed, and on my remaining for some days my un- certainties touching the texts were cleared up.
Then my Guru asked me, Son, hast thou seen, and dost thou believe? I replied, Yes, Lord and Guru, impossible is it not to believe; I myself will emulate Thee in devotion, till I, too, obtain these powers.
He answered, That is well, my son. And now thou art fit- ted to take thy departure, for I have shown to thee the mir- age-like nature of all existing things. Realize this fact for thy- self, going into retreat in mountain recessess, lonely caves, and the solitudes of wildernesses.
Having done this, I paid him due worship, and expressing a wish for a future meeting started home. I reached there after three days, feeling somewhat elated at the development in the art of controlling the breath which this betokened.
Thus did all come about — mine obtaining the Truth in its entirety, my thorough study of it, and, while thus engaged, my being impelled by a significant dream to take leave of my Guru and return home.
Milarepa’s Visit to Old Home The news of the death of my mother and the disappearance of my sister filled my heart with despair and sorrow. I hid 568 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES myself in a nook till past sunset, where I wept bitterly. After sunset I went to the village, and lo! I beheld my house exactly in the condition I had seen in my dream. The fine house, which used to be like a temple, was in a most dilapidated and ruinous condition. The set of sacred volumes had been damaged by the rain leaking in, and thick layers of dust and earth fal- len from the (ruined) roof covered them; they were serving as nests and sleeping-places for birds and mice. Wherever I looked, desolation and ruin met me, so that I was overwhelmed with despondency. Then groping my way towards the outer rooms I found a heap of earth and rags, over which a large quantity of weeds and grass had grown. On shaking it up I found it to be a heap of human bones, which instinctively I knew to be my mother’s. A deep and unutterable yearning seized me. So unbearable was the thought that I should never more see my mother that I was about to lose consciousness, when I remembered my Guru’s Teachings; and, communing spiritually with my mother’s spirit and the divine spirits of the saints of the Kargyutpa Sect, I made a pillow of my moth- er’s bones and remained in an undistracted state of tranquil- ity, in clear and deep meditation, whereby I realized that it was indeed possible to save both my father and mother from the pain and miseries of sangsaric existence. After passing seven days and nights thus, I rose from the samadhi.
Thence, upon reflection, I came to the conclusion that there was no permanent benefit to be obtained in any state of sang- saric existence. So I made up my mind to dispose of my moth- er’s bones in the approved way, namely, to have them pulver- ized and mixed with clay and then moulded into miniature reliquaries, called tsha-tshas. I would offer the volumes of Scrip- ture in payment for having this done; and, as for myself, I would go away to the Dragkar-Taso Cave and there pass my whole time in constant meditation. I determined to sit there night and day, till death should put an end to my life. I vowed that if any thought of worldly ambition should allure me, I would commit suicide rather than allow myself to be overcome by it. I prayed to the Tutelary Deities and Dakinis to cut short my life if ever I should come to think of an easy sort of devotion.
Making these mental resolves over and over again, I gath- ered up my mother’s bones; and then, upon removing the heap LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 569 of dust and dirt that had accumulated upon the volumes of Scripture, I saw that their letters were still clear. Carrying the volumes on my back and my mother’s bones in my lap, I started forth. An unutterable anguish wrung my heart to its very core. Henceforth, the world had nothing to tempt me or to bind me to it. I repeated my vows to devote my life to a rigid course of asceticism in the realization of the Truth, and resolved to adhere to them firmly. In an almost frenzied mood I sang the following verses of firm resolution to myself: O Gracious Lord, Thou the Immutable, O Marpa the Translator, according to Thy Words Prophetic, A teacher of the transitoriness of things I’ve found Within my native land — prison of temptation; And by Thy Blessing and Thy Grace, may I From this noble teacher, experience and faith obtain.
All phenomena, existing and apparent.
Are ever transient, changing, and unstable; But more especially the worldly life Hath no reality, no permanent gain (in it).
And so, instead of doing work that’s profitless.
The Truth Divine I’ll seek.
First, when my father lived, the (grown-up) son lived not; * Next, when I was born (and grown), my father did not live.
Had both together met, little would have been the profit, even then; So T will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practise meditation.
When my mother lived, myself, the son, was long away; When I come home, I find my mother dead.
Had both together met, little would have been the profit, even then; So I will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practise meditation.
570 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES When my sister was at home, myself, her brother, was away; When I, her brother, come back home, I find my sister gone astray.
Had both together met, little would have been the profit, even then; So I will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practise meditation.
When the Scriptural Texts were there, no veneration had they; When the veneration came, they lay damaged by the rain.
Had both together (earlier) met, little would have been the profit, even then; So I will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practise meditation.
When the house stood firm, the master was away; When the master came, the house was fallen in ruin.
Had both remained together, little would have been the profit, even then; So I will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practise meditation.
When the field was fertile, the farmer was away; When the farmer came, the field was choked with weeds.
Had both remained together, little would have been the profit, even then; So I will go to gain the Truth Divine, To the Dragkar-Taso Cave I’ll go, to practice meditation.
Native land, and home, and all possessions, I know you all to be but empty things; Any thoughtless one may have you.
As for me, the devotee, I go to win the Truth Eternal O Gracious Father, Marpa the Translator, May I succeed in meditation in the solitude.
LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 57 1 Milarepa’s Temptations in Solitude Zesay (to whom I had been betrothed in my childhood), hearing about my being there, came with some nice food and drink to meet me. She wept copiously and embraced me. When she had told me of the manner of my mother’s death and about my sister’s straying, I was greatly saddened, and wept bitterly. I said to her, How constant thou art, that thou shouldst not have married yet. She said. People were so afraid of thy Deities that no one dared to ask my hand in marriage, nor would I have married even had any one proposed to me. That thou hast taken to this religious life is admirable; but what dost thou intend doing with thy house and field? I understood her desire, and thinking that since, by the grace of my Guru (Marpa the Translator), I had given up worldly life altogether, praying for her might suffice from a religious point of view, but that I should say something to her which might settle her doubts from a worldly standpoint. So I said to her. If thou meet my sister, give them to her; until she cometh, thou mayst enjoy the field thyself; and, if my sister be dead, then thou canst have both the house and the field for thine own. She asked me, Dost thou not want them thyself? And I replied, I shall find my food as the mice and birds do theirs, or I shall fast and starve, therefore I need not the field; and, as I shall dwell only in caves and lonely solitudes, I have no need of a house. I realize that even though I should possess the whole world, at my death 1 should have to give up every- thing; and so it will confer happiness in this and the next life if I give up everything now. I am thus pursuing a life which is quite opposite to that followed by the people of the world. Give up thinking of me as a living person.
She then asked me. Is thy practice also opposed to that of all other religious persons? And I replied, I am of course op- posed to those hypocrites who have assumed a religious garb only for the sake of the honour attending it, and — their aim being merely the acquisition of wealth, fame, and greatness — have succeeded in getting by heart the contents of a volume or two; and who, having strong party feelings, strive for victory for their own party and defeat for the opposite party. But as 572 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES for those who are sincere devotees, although they be of differ- ent sects and creeds, if their principle be not like the one men- tioned above, then there cannot be much disagreement between the aim of the one or the other, so I cannot be opposed to any of them. On the whole, if they are not as sincere as myself, then they must, of course, be opposed to my creed.
On this, she said. Then how is it that thy practice is so poor and miserable — much worse than that of the meanest beggar? I have never seen anyone like this before. To what particular doctrine of the Mahayana Sect dost thou belong? I told her that it was the highest creed of the Mahayana; that it was called the Path of Total Self-Abnegation, for the purpose of attaining Buddhahood in one lifetime; and that to attain Bud- dhahood thus we must scatter this life’s aims and objects to the wind.
She said. Indeed, I see that the practice of thy doctrine and theirs is quite opposite; and from what I hear and see of thee it appeareth that the practice of the Dharma is not altogether a very easy matter; theirs would have been an easier path to tread. I replied. The yogi who still retaineth a love of the world would not attain to mine ideal of a sincere devotee. I am of opinion that even those sincere Truth-seekers who still cling to the yellow robe retain a little love of worldly fame and honour; and even though they do not retain it, yet I am con- vinced that there is (between me and them) a vast difference in regard to the speed and efficacy of attaining Buddhahood. This, however, thou wilt not comprehend just now. So, if thou think thou canst, thou shouldst devote thyself to a religious life; but if thou feel unequal to the task, then thou canst en- joy the house and field as I have already said, and hadst bet- ter go home. She replied, I cannot accept thy house and field which thou shouldst give to thy sister. I should like to be a devotee, but such a devotee as thou art I cannot be. Having said this she went away.
Mine aunt, coming to learn that I did not care about my house and field, after a while began to think that since I pro- fessed a determination to adhere to my Guru’s command, she might perhaps be able to obtain them for herself. So she visited me, bringing with her a quantity of barley-flour, butter, chhang, and other food, and said, Some time ago I treated thee unkindly, being steeped in ignorance; but as thou, my nephew.
LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 573 art a religious person, thou must pardon me. If thou wilt al- low me, I will cultivate thy field, and supply thee with food. To this I agreed, saying. So be it; please supply me with the flour of twenty measures of barley per month; the rest thou canst enjoy; thou mayst cultivate the field. She went away delighted with the bargain. For two months she supplied the flour as agreed; then she came again and said. People say that if I cultivate thy field perhaps thy Tutelary Deities may injure me because of thy magical power. When I satisfied her, saying, Why should I practice sorcery now? Rather wilt thou be ac- quiring merit if thou continue to cultivate the field and supply me as thou art doing, she at once said. In that case, wilt thou kindly reassure me by taking an oath that thou wilt not prac- tice sorcery any more. Thou canst have no objection to doing so. I was not sure what she intended doing; But, as I con- sidered it consistent with my calling to please others, I reas- sured her by taking the oath in accordance with her wish, at which she went away quite pleased.
All this while, in spite of mine unremitting perseverance in meditation, I was unable to obtain signs of any improvement or growth in my knowledge or experience of Ecstatic Warmth; and I was becoming anxious as to what I should do next. One night I dreamt that I was engaged in ploughing a very stiff and hardened plot of land, which defied all mine efforts; and, despairing of being able to plough it, was thinking of giving up the task. Thereupon, my beloved Guru Marpa appeared in the heavens and exhorted me, saying, Son, put forth thine energy and persevere in the ploughing; thou art sure to suc- ceed, despite the hardness of the soil. Then Marpa himself guided the team; the soil was ploughed quite easily; and the field produced a rich harvest. The dream gave me great pleas- ure on my waking up.
Thereby the thought arose in me that dreams, being illusory reproductions of one’s own thoughts, are not regarded as real even by stupid and ignorant boors, and that when I thus al- lowed a dream to affect -my temper I must be more silly than the greatest fool. But as it seemed to be a sign that if I con- tinued to meditate with zeal and perseverance mine efforts would be crowned with success, I was filled with pleasure and in that mood I sang this song to impress the true interpretation of the dream clearly on mine own memory: 574 SELECTIONS FROM TIBETAN SOURCES I pray to Thee, O Gracious Lord!
Grant that this mendicant may cling successfully to solitude.
I put upon the field of Tranquil Mind The water and manure of a constant faith.
Then sow it with unblemished seed of a heart immacul- ate.
And over it, like pealing thunder, reverberateth sincere prayer; Grace of itself upon it falleth, like a shower of rain.
Unto the oxen and the plough of Undistracted Thought I add the ploughshare of (Right) Method and of Reason.
The oxen, guided by the undeluded person.
And with firm grasp of undivided purpose.
And by the whip of zeal and perseverance goaded on, Break up the hardened soil of Ignorance, bom of the Evil Passions Five, And clear away the stones of the hardened, sin-filled nature, And weed out all hypocrisies.
Then, with the sickle of the Truth of Karmic Laws, The reaping of the Noble Life is practised.
The fruits, which are of Truths Sublime, Are stored within the Granary to which no concepts can apply.
The gods engage in roasting and in grinding this most precious food.
Which then sustaineth my poor humble self Whilst I for Truth am seeking.
The dream I thus interpret: Words bring not forth True Fruit, Mere expositions do not yield True Knowledge.
Yet those who would devote themselves unto the life religious.
In meditation must exert their utmost zeal and persever- ance; LIFE AND HYMNS OF MILAREPA 575 And if they will endure hardships and strive most zeal- ously.
And seek with care, the Most Precious can be found.
May all who are sincerely seeking Truth Untroubled be by obstacles and interruptions on the Path.
Having sung this, I made up my mind to go and carry on my meditation in the Dragkar-Taso Cave. As I was about to start, mine aunt came up with sixty measures of barley-flour, a ragged dress of skins, one piece of good cloth, and some but- ter and grease mixed up into a ball, and said. My nephew, these are in payment of thy field, which thus is disposed of. Take them and go away to a place far beyond my sight and hearing, for the neighbours are saying to me, Thopaga hath wrought much mischief upon us before this; and if thou must still have dealings with him and serve him, we are certain that he will do us more harm and perhaps kill the remaining people of the place. Rather than this, we will kill both of you. So it is safer for thee to flee away into some other country. If thou do not go, why should they sacrifice me? But there is not the least doubt that they will kill thee.