60 Songs

B
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D
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B
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LIB
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E-mail: bdea@buddhanet.net
Web site: www.buddhanet.net
Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.
Translation by Garma C. C. Chang
Six+v Soos oi Mii.niv.
Translaled by Garma C. C. Chang
Selecled and inlroduced by
hikkhu Khanlialo
Irinled for free dislribulion
Sixly Songs of Milarea
Universily ooks Inc. Nev York
Iirsl Iublished by uddhisl Iublicalion Sociely (IS) in 1966.
Tis edilion (1;) vas ublished vilh ermission from IS
by Sukhi Holu Sdn hd
zV }alan Malang Kuching
11joo Air Ilam, Ienang, Malaysia
Tel o 8z;;118 / 8z;;zz8
Iax o 8z;;zz8
Imail: sukhihntumquantrum.cnm.my
Cover grahics and design
& book layoul and design
by }olika.
ISN 8-8z-o-
On prcticus pagc }elsun Milarea is shovn siuing al ease in

fronl of lhe cave al Ghadaya near lhe Tibel-Neal border.
Above him aears lhe form of his Guru, Mara lhe Transla-
lor, since medilalions visualizing a uddha or lhe Guru above
lhe head, are commonly raclised in Tibel (see also lhe jina-
panjara, a Iali comosilion). Around him lover rocks and
mounlains vhile valerfalls cascade belov. To his righl sils a
deer and lo his le a hunling dog. efore him kneels a hunls-
man vho has casl dovn his veaons as an oering lo lhe
}elsun (see Song 14). This illuslralion follovs lhe lradilional
iconograhy of Milarea, his siuing al ease indicaling lhal he
has already exerienced lhe slale beyond slriving. Wearing
couon from Neal and a medilalion-bell and vilh his hand
cued lo his ear as lhough lislening lo lhe 'long longue of
lhe Dhamma' vhich reaches everyvhere and all lhe lime,
lhe greal yogi reares lo inslrucl lhe erslvhile hunler.
Tnc piciurc cn inc prcticus pagc uas kin!|q prcti!c! |q inc Vcncr-
a||c Dnar!c Rinpccnc cj inc |n!c-Ti|ci Bu!!nisi Cu|iura| |nsiiiuic,
Ka|inpcng (W. Bcnga|).
j
lntroductlon
Oulside lhe land of Tibel vhere lhe slories and songs of
Milarea are very vell-knovn and loved, far loo liule is
knovn of lhis greal uddhisl sage. In Inglish
1
, Irench and
German, biograhies, arlial or comlele, have been ublished
bul a greal number of Milarea's Songs have remained inac-
cessible, excel lo lhose reading Tibelan, unlil very recenlly.
Il is ossible lo reroduce here sixly of his songs on lhe
Dhamma lhrough lhe kind ermission of lhe lranslalor, Irof.
C. C. Chang, and lhe courlesy of his ublishers, Universily
ooks Inc, Nev York.

2
Te songs rinled here all concern lhal Dhamma vhich is
common lo lhe vhole uddhisl lradilion. Iveryone vho has
read some of Lord uddha's Discourses in lhe Iali Canon
vill hnd lhe sub|ecl mauer here familiar lo lhem. The near-
esl aroach in Iali lileralure lo lhese Dhamma-songs of
Milarea are lhe insired uuerances of Lord uddha in lhe
Suua Niala, Udana and Ilivuuaka (and also in lhe Dham-
maada), and lhe oems of gnosis soken by lhe greal
bhikkhus and bhikkhunis of lhe Noble Sangha, nov collecled
inlo such books as lhe Theragalha and Therigalha. Among lhe
hikkhus living in lhe uddha-lime, Vangisa Thera vas oul-
slanding for his insired uuerances (see Samyuua Nik.I.viii,
Theragalha 395). The mind insired and illumined vilh lhe
knovledge of liberalion (vimuui) ours forlh ils visdom vilh
ease in lhe shae of verses of greal beauly and dee signif-
icance. Such vas lhe case vilh Lord uddha and some of
his immediale disciles, and laler, such vas lhe case vilh
Milarea.
His songs have been arranged here according lo sub|ecl,
lhough no rigid classihcalion is ossible since many of lhe
6
songs deal vilh more lhan one asecl of lhe Dhamma. Iirsl
come Milarea's descrilions of some of his hermilages, lhen
songs on renuncialion and lhe dangers of Samsara, folloved
by many more on imermanence. Aer lhem come songs
describing dierenl asecls of Samsara such as lhe Six
Realms of irlh, birlh, old age, sickness and dealh, and home
relalives and veallh. Nexl are songs relaling lo raclice
advice on hov lo raclise and varnings aboul vhal nol lo
do, lhen uon lhe Six Iaramila and olher such helful quali-
lies for raclice as Loving-kindness (Meua), Slriving (Viriya)
and Mindfulness (Sali). Lasl of all come songs describing
asecls of Milarea's realizalion his conlenlmenl, hainess
and non-auachmenl concluding vilh his blessings lo his
alrons.
Il vill be seen from lhe above sequence lhal lhe Teaching
here is nol al all slrange lo Theravada, including as il does
lhe Imermanence (anicca) of all lhings, slales, eole, laces,
lhal lhey are imermanenl since lhey arise deendenl uon
condilions (accaya), lhal vhal is condilioned, and lherefore
relalive, is also devoid of essenlial being (sabbe dhamma
anaua) and void of self (sua), and lhal by nol recognizing
lhese lrulhs and by lhinking in lerms of ermanence, self, elc.,
ve come lo exerience unending Unsalisfacloriness (dukkha).
Milarea also oinls oul lhe Way lo lranscend !ukkna and
emhasizes lhe keeing of Irecels (sila), concenlraling lhe
scauered mind (samadhi) and lhe develomenl of Wisdom
(aa).
In making comarisons of dierenl uddhisl lradilions many
similarilies are al lo come lo lighl. One lhal mighl be men-
lioned here is lhe immense resecl and honour aid lo Inlighl-
ened Teachers in any uddhisl lradilion, quile regardless of
lhe dierences of lime and lace. One vho has seen and
knovn lhe Way from his ovn exerience has alvays been
lauded as vorlhy of lhe highesl honour and lhe grealesl devo-
;
lion as in Iali: Ahuneyyo, Iahuneyyo, Dakkhineyyo, An|a-
likaraniyo. Indeed, ve hnd lhis as much in lhe ages of lhe
Iali Canon as from lhe Hundred Thousand Songs. Il is heard
as much in lhe exalled devolion of Iingiya (Suua Niala 1131
.) as in lhe ans of raise uuered by lhe rincile disciles
of Milarea, Rechunga and Gamboa. Il is found in modern
limes in seemingly diverse surroundings vhelher in a
|ungle monaslery in Thailand vhere a lhudong (dhulanga)
bhikkhu is resecling his Teacher, or vhelher il is Tibelan
bhikkhus or laymen receiving a medilalion lransmission from
lheir Lama. The same devolion here hnds exression, il is
called Saddha or haui (bhakli a vord hrsl occurring in
Indian lileralure in lhe Iali Canon), for lhis is lhe acl by one
slill unenlighlened, of seuing his hearl uon Inlighlenmenl
in lhe resence of one vho is Inlighlened.
Ten again, lhe Hundred Thousand Songs many limes men-
lion lhe Whisered Transmission of medilalion inslruclions
vhich are imarled by lhe Teacher, here Milarea, lo his dis-
ciles. y some lhis is conlrasled vilh lhe slalemenl of Lord
uddha lhal He vas nol a Teacher vho had a 'closed hsl', lhal
is, one vho kees some Teaching secrel or esoleric. Nonelhe-
less, He is vell-knovn for his remarkable abilily in reaching
exaclly lhe righl Dhamma lo hl lhe silualion and meel lhe
underslanding of lhose vho lislened. He did nol leach lhe
dee lrulhs of Dhamma lo lhose vho vere nol reared as
yel lo receive lhem and in a like fashion Milarea graded his
leachings for varying circumslances and inlelligences.
Medilalion inslruclions given by Lord uddha lo his disci-
les vere also hued lo lheir lemeramenls and abililies. Il
is lrue lhal one may nov read books exlaining lhe rinci-
les of medilalion in Theravada uddhism, bul vilh books
alone, even if one reads all lhe Iali Canon, lhe disadvanlage
remaining is very greal. In all uddhisl counlries, il is alvays
assumed lhal one musl have a Teacher if medilalion raclice
8
is lo be really successful. Il is lhis Teacher vho, like Lord
uddha in asl limes, imarls lo one lhe !ciai|s of lhe rac-
lice and ncu, moreover, il alies lo one's secial roblems
and circumslances. As hadanla Nyanaonika Mahalhera
has vriuen in his Hearl of uddhisl Medilalion: 'A brief
slalemenl on raclical medilalion, even if limiled lo lhe very
hrsl sles as is done here, cannol relace ersonal guidance
by an exerienced leacher vho alone can give due considera-
lion lo lhe requiremenls and rale of rogress of lhe individual
discile.' This is, if nol a Whisered Transmission, al leasl
an Oral Inslruclion.
Te 'grace' of lhe Teacher (guru) consisls of lhose merils vhich
he has galhered by his ovn raclice and vhich, il is believed,
may be lransferred lo lhe discile, lhus 'blessing' him. This
can only haen, hovever, rovided lhal lhe condilions (of
sirilual urily, failh, concenlralion, elc.) exisl belveen lhal
masler and discile. Il is a greal mislake lo suose lhal lhe
discile is geuing somelhing for nolhing, for in lhe absence of
lhese condilions he vill exerience no 'hel' from lhe leacher.
Ior lhe dramalic and very insiring life-slory of }elsun
Milarea as vriuen dovn by a greal-grand-discile in his
lradilion, ve have bul liule sace here. Those inleresled in
reading il may consull lhe book menlioned in lhe foolnoles
above. Suce lo say here lhal lhe }elsun vas born in ni 1596
(ci 1052) inlo a veallhy merchanl family. As a boy he vas
knovn as Tubhaga (delighlful-lo-hear), a name vhich eole
said vas arlicularly aroriale since he had a hne voice
and frequenlly sang lhe local ballads. His voice vas laler lo be
used for sreading lhe Dhamma, and lhose vho heard il vere
deely moved.
Iorlunalely, Milarea has given an oulline of his life in one
of lhe songs he laler sang for his disciles and ve cannol do
beuer lhan inlroduce an exlracl of il here.
1
I am Milarea blessed by his (Mara's) mercy.
My falher vas Mila Shirab }hanlsan,
My molher vas Nyanlsa Kar|an.
And I vas called Tubhaga (Delighlful-lo-hear).
ecause our merils and virlues vere of small accounl,
And lhe Cause-Iecl Karma of lhe asl sares no one,
My falher Mila assed avay (loo early in his life).
The deceiving goods and belongings of our household
Were lundered by my aunl and uncle,
Whom I and my molher had lo serve.
They gave us food hl only for lhe dogs,
The cold vind ierced our ragged clolhing,
Our skin froze and our bodies vere benumbed.
Oen I vas bealen by my uncle,
And endured his cruel unishmenl.
Hard vas il lo avoid my aunl's ill lemer.
I lived as besl I could, a lovly servanl,
And shrugged my shoulders (in biuer resignalion).
Misforlunes descended one aer lhe olher,
We suered so, our hearls desaired.
In deseralion, I venl lo Lamas

Yundun and Rondunlaga,

Irom vhom I maslered lhe magic arls of Tu,
Ser and Ded

.
Wilnessed by my aunl and uncle, I broughl
Greal disasler on lheir villages and kinsmen,
Ior vhich, laler, I suered dee remorse.
Then I heard lhe fame of Mara, lhe renovned Translalor,
Who, blessed by lhe sainls Naroa and Medria,
Was living in lhe uer village of lhe Soulh River.
1o
Aer a hard |ourney I arrived lhere.
Ior six years and eighl monlhs (I slayed)
Wilh him, my gracious Ialher Guru, Mara.
Ior him I buill many houses,
One vilh courlyards and nine sloreys,
Only aer lhis did he accel me.
(Iage numbers in lhe comlele lranslalion: . z6;8)
Ten Milarea lisls lhe medilalion-inslruclions vhich he vas
given by his Guru Mara aer he had lhus served a long
eriod of hard robalion and lells hov by lheir raclice he
reached Inlighlenmenl (see conclusion of lhis Inlroduclion).
Te name by vhich he is knovn in Tibel is }elsun Milarea.
'}elsun' is an honorihc meaning 'holy', vhile 'Rea' means
'clad in couon'. Mila vas a family name. Hence, in Inglish
he may be called Holy Mila lhe Couon-clad. He earned lhe
lauer name by his over lo live lhroughoul lhe biuer Tibelan
vinler vilh only one lenglh of couon clolh. Where olhers
vould have died, he lived haily immersed in lhe various
slales of samadhi roducing, by his conlrol of lhem, sucienl
body heal. Aer lvelve years of inlense medilalions in remole
mounlain caves far from lhe haunls of men in lhe valleys
belov, he succeeded in vinning Inlighlenmenl. Aer lhis
lime, disciles gradually galhered around him, lhe hrsl being
Rechunga, his 'moon-like' discile, vhile laler came his 'sun-
like' discile Gamboa
5
. His closesl disciles venl forlh from
lheir homes lo lake u homeless life vilh him. Gamboa and
some olhers vere already bhikkhus, vhile many more such
as Rechunga vere called 'Rea', lhal is, yogis clad in one
iece of couon.
Like Lord uddha, lhe }elsun laughl Dhamma lo all lo lhe
emissary of a king and lo sheherds, lo nuns and veallhy
ladies, lo bhikkhus and yogis, lo bandils and merchanls. His
11
conversion of lhe hunler, Chirava Gvumbo Dor|e, is as ou-
lar a slory in Tibel as is lhe acifying of Angulimala by Lord
uddha, in soulhern uddhisl lands.
Al lhe age of eighly, }elsun Milarea relinquished lhe body,
assing avay surrounded by disciles bolh human and celes-
lial. Ior 900 years lhe lradilions of medilalion in vhich he
lrained his disciles have been handed dovn in Tibel. Il has
come lo be knovn as lhe Ghagyua (somelimes seen as Kar-
gyula) vhich is lranslaled as lhe Whisered Transmission.
This school of uddhisl raclice has, of course, ils ovn se-
cial emhasis uon cerlain doclrines bul songs concerned
vilh lhem are nol included in lhis booklel and lhe inleresled
reader is requesled lo consull lhe Hundred Thousand Songs
of Milarea.
In lhe lime of Milarea, as is evidenl from lhese songs, many
bhikkhus senl long years in sludy bul never gave much
heed lo raclice. Thus is lhe divorce of aliaui-dhamma or
sila (moral recels) and samadhi (medilalion), from ariyaui-
dhamma or simly learning. Scholar-bhikkhus of Tibel vere
evidenlly, al lhal lime, very able in arguing lhe hner oinls of
uddhisl hilosohy and vell-equied vilh logic lo vorsl
oulsiders as vell as fellov uddhisls in debales. Somehov, in
lhe veller of lhis sludy (and lhe Tibelan Canon and ils Com-
menlaries are considerably more exlensive lhan lheir lenglhy
Iali counlerarls), lhe urge lo raclise medilalion, many of ils
foremosl exonenls vere maslers nol ossessing lhe monk's
robes. This vas lrue of lhe sirilual forebears of Milarea
(his immediale Guru, Mara and of lhe Indian yogis, Naroa
and Tiloa). In several laces he crilicizes lhose bhikkhus, and
indeed anyone, vho sludies lhe Dhamma |usl for inlelleclual sal-
isfaclion or even for vorldly advanlage. Many sincere bhikkhus
did aroach him for medilalion inslruclions and, lhereaer,
raclised vilh him as lheir Teacher. He vas, lherefore, a
source for lhe sirilual regeneralion of lhe Sangha in Tibel.
1z
Wilh his insislence uon lhe praciicc of Dhamma, Milarea's
life and leaching resenl slriking similarilies in many resecls,
lo lhe Way as raclised by lhe lhudong (dhulanga) bhikkhu.
The grealesl dierence is lhal a bhikkhu in any counlry is
bound lo observe his Iundamenlal Irecels (Ialimokkha)
vhich, as Milarea did nol have lhe bhikkhu ordinalion
(Uasamada), he did nol have lo kee. Neverlheless, even a
quick look al his life aer he began his raclice vould reveal
lhal he mainlained scruulously lhose in|unclions given him
by his Teacher, Mara lhe Translalor, as vell as cullivaling
lhose lvin bases of moral conducl in lhe Dhamma, Wisdom
and Comassion (aakaruna). Iar grealer lhan lhis are lhe
resemblances belveen him and lhe lhudong bhikkhu. Ior
inslance, bolh raise conlenlmenl vilh liule, living remolely
vilh uuer delachmenl from vorldly aairs, greal abilily in
medilalion, and so on.
Tough he had nol lhe formal ordinalion of a bhikkhu and
vore nol lhe monks' robes, yel Milarea vas lruly one gone
forlh (abba|ila). No one reading of his life and some of lhe
songs included here can ossibly doubl lhis. According lo
dehnilions given in lhe Dhammaada, he vas indeed a lrue
bhikkhu:
Nci |q a!cpiing inc cuiuar! jcrn !ccs cnc |cccnc
a |nikknu (266).
Hc unc nas nc auacnncni unaiscctcr icuar!s inc
nin!-an!-|c!q an! unc !ccs nci grictc jcr unai
nc nas nci, nc in!cc!, is ca||c! a |nikkku (367).
Wncsc ncrcin, nas a|an!cnc! |cin ncrii an!
!cncrii, nc unc is nc|q, nc unc ua|ks uiin un!cr-
sian!ing in inis ucr|!, nc in!cc!, is ca||c! a
|nikknu (267).
6
1
Tese various oinls, and erhas olhers, could be raised
lo oinl oul lhal il is in lhe raclice of Dhamma (aliaui)
lhal dierenl schools of uddhisl lhoughl are shovn lo have
many similarilies. Iinally, il is in realizalion of lhe Dhamma
(alivedha) vhere all divergence ceases, since all lhe melhods
raclised by all lhe schools are vilhoul excelion aimed al
lhe exerience of odhi, or Inlighlenmenl. If lhe Dhamma is
only sludied from books, lhen many dierences are seen se-
araling lhe many uddhisl lradilions bul in praciicc lhere is
very much in common. Since all uddhisls are urged lo prac-
iisc lheir Teachings, il is lhrough lhis lhal harmony belveen
lhe divergenl lradilions of Dhamma may be discovered.
Tis liule inlroduclion may be concluded vilh a slanza dravn
from lhe aulobiograhical song, arl of vhich is quoled above.
More lhan lhis need nol be said here, for il is beuer lhal lhe
}elsun sings lo you his insiring and Wisdom-insired Songs
of lhe Dhamma.
| rcncuncc! a|| a[airs cj inis |ijc,
An!, nc |cngcr |azq, !ctcic! nqsc|j ic Dnarna.
Tnus | natc rcacnc! inc Siaic cj |icrna| B|iss.
Sucn is inc sicrq cj nq |ijc.
Knaniipa|c Bnikknu,
Wal ovoranives Vihara,
angkok, Thailand.
6lh of lhe Waning Moon of Ciua zjo8
(zznd Aril 16j).
In lhe folloving lexl, lhe vriler of lhis inlroduclion is reson-
sible for lhe recis slories and lhe noles, excel vhere mauer
is found in arenlheses. The lauer has been dravn from lhe
Hundred Thousand Songs.
1
Ioem 1 vas inlroduced on pagc .
1j
z
One day, aer leaving his cave lo collecl hrevood, Milarea
relurned lo hnd hve Indian demons vilh eyes as large as sau-
cers vhom he lhoughl lo be aarilions of lhe deilies vho
disliked him. As he had never given lhem any oering, he
lhen began lo sing a.
CompIlmentur Song to the Deltles of
Red Rock ]eueI VuIIe
Tis lonely sol vhere slands my hul
Is a lace leasing lo lhe uddhas,
A lace vhere accomlished beings dvell,
A refuge vhere I dvell alone.
Above Red Rock }evel Valley
While clouds are gliding,
elov, lhe Tsang River genlly ovs,
Wild vullures vheel belveen.
ees are humming among lhe overs,
Inloxicaled by lheir fragrance,
In lhe lrees, birds svoo and darl,
Iilling lhe air vilh lheir song.
In Red Rock }evel Valley
Young sarrovs learn lo y,
Monkeys love lo lea and sving,
And beasls lo run and race,
While I raclise lhe Tvo odhi-minds

y
and love lo medilale.
Ye local demons, ghosls and gods,
All friends of Milarea,
Drink lhe neclar of kindness and comassion,
Then relurn lo your abodes.
(. j)
16
One day, Milarea's alrons from Dro Tang came lo visil him.
They asked him vhal benehls }unan Nanka Tsang had lo
oer. In rely, Milarea sang:
I ray lo my Guru, lhe Holy One.
Lislen, my alrons, and I vill lell you
lhe merils of lhis lace.
In lhe goodly quiel of lhis Sky Caslle of }unan
High above, dark clouds galher,
Dee blue and far belov ovs lhe River Tsang.
Al my back lhe Red Rock of Heaven rises,
Al my feel, vild overs bloom, vibranl and rofuse,
Al my cave's edge (vild) beasls roam, roar and grunl,
In lhe sky vullures and eagles circle freely,
While from heaven dris lhe drizzling rain.
ees hum and buzz vilh lheir chanling,
Mares and foals gambol and gallo vildly,
The brook chauers asl ebbles and rocks,
Through lhe lrees monkeys lea and sving,
And larks carol in sveel song.
Te limely sounds I hear are all my fellovs.
The merils of lhis lace are inconceivable
I nov relale lhem lo you in lhis song.
Oh good alrons,
Iray follov my Ialh and my examle,
Abandon evil, and raclise good deeds.
Sonlaneously from my hearl
I give you lhis inslruclion.
(. 686)
1;
One day, some villagers from Ragma came lo see lhe }elsun.
They asked him, Why do you like lhis lace so much` Why
is il lhal you are so hay here` Iray, lell us vhal you lhink
of all lhese lhings! In ansver, Milarea sang:
Here is lhe odhi-Ilace, quiel and eaceful.
The snov-mounlain, lhe dvelling-lace of deilies,
slands high above,
elov, far from here in lhe village, my failhful alrons live,
Surrounding il are mounlains neslling in vhile snov.
In lhe foreground sland lhe vish-granling lrees,
In lhe valley lie vasl meadovs, blooming vild.
Around lhe leasanl, sveel-scenled lolus, insecls hum,
Along lhe banks of lhe slream
And in lhe middle of lhe lake,
Cranes bend lheir necks, en|oying lhe scene,
and are conlenl.
On lhe branches of lhe lrees, lhe vild birds sing,
When lhe vind blovs genlly, slovly dances lhe veeing
villov,
In lhe lreelos monkeys bound and lea for |oy,
In lhe vild green aslures graze lhe scauered herds,
And merry sheherds, gay and free from vorry,
Sing cheerful songs and lay uon lheir reeds.
The eole of lhe vorld, vilh burning desires and craving,
Dislracled by aairs, become lhe slaves of earlh.
Irom lhe lo of lhe Reslendenl Gem Rock,
I, lhe yogi, see lhese lhings.
Observing lhem, I knov lhal lhey are eeling and lransienl,
Conlemlaling lhem, I realize lhal comforls and leasure
Are merely mirages and valer-reeclions.
18
I see lhis life as a con|uralion and a dream.
Greal comassion rises in my hearl
Ior lhose vilhoul a knovledge of lhis lrulh.
The food I eal is lhe Sace-Void,
My medilalion is Dhyana beyond dislraclion.
Myriad visions and various feelings all aear before me
Slrange indeed are Samsaric henomena!
Truly amazing are lhe dharmas in lhe Three Worlds,

8
Oh, vhal a vonder, vhal a marvel!
Void is lheir nalure, yel everylhing is manifesled.
(. 66j)
j
Tis song vas sung lo a young, vell-dressed girl vho aer
asking Milarea aboul his falher and molher, brolhers and sis-
lers, furlher enquired: ul do you also have any Samsaric
comanions, sons and belongings` Milarea lhen sang in
rely:
Al hrsl, my exeriences in Samsara

Seemed mosl leasanl and delighlful,

Laler, I learned aboul ils lessons,
In lhe end, I found a Devil's Irison.
These are my lhoughls and feelings on Samsara.
So I made u my mind lo renounce il.
Al hrsl, one's friend is like a smiling angel,
Laler, she lurns inlo a herce exaseraled voman,
ul in lhe end a demoness is she.
These are my lhoughls and feelings on comanions.
So I made u my mind lo renounce a friend.
1
Al hrsl, lhe sveel boy smiles, a abe of Heaven,
Laler, he makes lrouble vilh lhe neighbours,
In lhe end, he is my credilor and foe.
These are my lhoughls and feelings aboul children.
So I renounced bolh sons and nehevs.
Al hrsl, money is like lhe Wish-fulhlling Gem,
Laler, one cannol do vilhoul il,
In lhe end, one feels a enniless beggar.
These are my lhoughls and feelings aboul money.
So I renounced bolh veallh and goods.
When I lhink of lhese exeriences,
I cannol hel bul raclise Dharma,
When I lhink of Dharma,
I cannol hel bul oer il lo olhers.
When dealh aroaches,
I shall lhen have no regrel.
(. zo)
6
On his vay lo Shri Ri lo medilale, Milarea lodged al an inn
vhere a merchanl, Dhava Norbu (lhe Moon |evel), vas also
slaying vilh a greal relinue. Milarea begged alms from him
uon vhich lhe merchanl remarked lhal il vould be beuer
for him lo vork lo suorl himself. Milarea oinled oul lhal
en|oying leasures nov is lhe source for more suering in lhe
fulure. Then he said: Nov lislen lo my song.
zo
The Llght Remlnders
Caslles and crovded cilies are lhe laces
Where nov you love lo slay,
ul remember lhal lhey vill fall lo ruins
Aer you have dearled from lhis earlh!
Iride and vain glory are lhe lure
Which nov you love lo follov,
ul remember, vhen you are aboul lo die
They oer you no sheller and no refuge!
Kinsmen and relalives are lhe eole nov
Wilh vhom you love lo live,
ul remember lhal you musl leave lhem all behind
When from lhis vorld you ass avay!
Servanls, veallh and children
Are lhings you love lo hold,
ul remember, al lhe lime of your dealh
Your emly hands can lake nolhing vilh you!
Vigour and heallh
Are dearesl lo you nov,
ul remember, al lhe momenl of your dealh
Your corse vill be bundled u and borne avay!
Nov your organs are clear,
Your esh and blood are slrong and vigorous,
They vill no longer be al your disosal!
Sveel and delicious foods are lhings
Thal nov you love lo eal,
Your moulh vill lel lhe siule ov!
z1
When of all lhis I lhink,
I cannol hel bul seek lhe uddha's Teachings!
The en|oymenls and lhe leasures of lhis vorld
Ior me have no auraclion.
I, Milarea, sing of lhe Iighl Reminders,
Al lhe Guesl House in Garakhache of Tsang.
Wilh lhese clear vords I give lhis helful varning,
I urge you lo observe and raclise lhem!
(. 1jo1j1)
;
Milarea once said lo Shindormo, his alroness: ul if you
have a recious human body and have been born al a lime
and lace in vhich lhe uddhisl religion revails, il is very
foolish indeed nol lo raclise lhe Dharma. Milarea lhus
sang:
Al lhe feel of lhe Translalor Mara, I roslrale myself,
And sing lo you, my failhful alrons.
Hov sluid il is lo sin

1o
vilh recklessness
While lhe ure Dharma sreads all aboul you.
Hov foolish lo send your lifelime vilhoul meaning,
When a recious human body is so rare a gi.
Hov ridiculous lo cling lo rison-like cilies
and remain lhere.
Hov laughable lo hghl and quarrel
vilh your vives and relalives,
Who do bul visil you.
Hov senseless lo cherish sveel and lender vords
Which are bul emly echoes in a dream.
zz
Hov silly lo disregard one's life by hghling foes
Who are bul frail overs.
Hov foolish il is vhen dying
lo lormenl oneself vilh lhoughls of family,
Which bind one lo Maya's

11
mansion.
Hov sluid lo slinl on roerly and money,
Which are a debl on loan from olhers.
Hov ridiculous il is lo beaulify and deck lhe body,
Which is a vessel full of hllh.
Hov silly lo slrain each nerve for veallh and goods,
And neglecl lhe neclar of lhe inner leachings!
In a crovd of fools, lhe clear and sensible
Should raclise lhe Dharma, as do I.
(. )
8
A yogi vho had greal failh in Milarea came vilh olher
alrons, bringing coious oerings, and lhey asked Milarea
hov he had managed lo undergo lhe lrials of his robalion-
shi and had exerled himself. Milarea ansvered vilh.
The Slx ResoIutlons
When one has losl inleresl in lhis vorld,
His failh and longing for lhe Dharma is conhrmed.
To relinquish one's home lies is very hard,
Only by leaving one's nalive land
Can one be immune from anger.
z
Il is hard lo conquer burning assions
Tovards relalives and close friends,
The besl vay lo quench lhem
Is lo break all associalions.
One never feels lhal one is rich enough,
Conlenled, he should vear humble couon clolhes.
He may lhus conquer much desire and craving.
Il is hard lo avoid vorldly auraclions,
y adhering lo humbleness,
Longing for vain glory is subdued.
Il is hard lo conquer ride and egolism,
So, like lhe animals,
Live in lhe mounlains.
My dear and failhful alrons!
Such is lhe real underslanding
Thal slems from erseverance.
I vish you all lo raclise deeds lhal are meaningful,

1z
And amass all merils!
(. 1oo1o1)
Milarea venl oul one day for alms and coming lo a meeling
of Dharma-follovers, vas ridiculed. One of lhem, hovever,
recognized him and said: To insire lhose auending lhis
meeling, lherefore, lease nov sing for us. In resonse,
Milarea sang a song,
z
The Oceun of Sumsuru
Alas, is nol Samsara like lhe sea`
Draving as much valer as one leases,
Il remains lhe same vilhoul abaling.
Are nol lhe Three Irecious Ones like Mounl Sumeru,
Thal never can be shaken by anyone`
.
Are lhere Mongol bandils invading yogis' cells`
Why, lhen, do greal yogis slay in lovns and villages`
Are nol eole craving for rebirlh and ardo`

1
Why, lhen, do lhey cling so much lo lheir disciles`
Are voollen clolhes in lhe nexl life more exensive`
Why, lhen, do vomen make so much of lhem here`
Do eole fear lhal Samsara may be emlied`
Why, lhen, do riesls and laymen hanker aer children`
Are you reserving food and drink for your nexl life`
Why, lhen, do men and vomen nol give lo charily`
Is lhere any misery in Heaven above`
Why, lhen, do so fev lan lo go lhere`
Is lhere any |oy belov in Hell`
Why, lhen, do so many reare lo visil lhere`
Do you nol knov lhal all suerings
And Lover Realms are lhe resull of sins`
Surely you knov lhal if you nov raclise virlue,
When dealh comes you vill have eace of mind
and no regrels.
(. j: exlracl)
zj
1o
Uon lhe arrival of aulumn, Milarea decided lo leave Uer
Lovo vhere he had been reaching lhe Dharma during lhe
summer, and go lo Di Se Snov Mounlain. His alrons gave
him a farevell arly, circling round him, and made him oer-
ings and obeisance. They said: e kind enough lo give us,
your disciles, some inslruclions and advice. The }elsun lhen
emhasized lhe lransiency of all beings, admonishing lhem
lo raclise Dharma earneslly. And he sang.
The Song of Trunslence ulth Llght SlmlIes
Iailhful disciles here assembled (ask yourselves):
Have I raclised Dharma vilh greal earneslness`
Has lhe deeesl failh arisen in my hearl`
He vho vanls lo raclise Dharma and gain
non-regressive failh,
Should lislen lo lhis exosilion of lhe Mundane Trulhs
And onder vell lheir meaning.
Lislen lo lhese arables and melahors:
A ainling in gold,
Ilovers of lurquoise blue,
Iloods in lhe vale above,
Rice in lhe vale belov,
Abundance of silk,
A |evel of value,
The crescenl moon,
And a recious son
These are lhe eighl similes.
No one has sung before
Such casual vords (on lhis),
z6
No one can undersland lheir meaning
If he heeds nol lhe vhole song.
Te gold ainling fades vhen il is comleled
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
Te lovely overs of lurquoise blue
Are deslroyed in lime by frosl
Te ood svees slrongly dovn lhe vale above,
Soon becoming veak and lame in lhe lain belov
Rice grovs in lhe vale belov,
Soon vilh a sickle il is reaed
Ileganl silken clolh
Soon vilh a knife is cul
Te recious |evel lhal you cherish
Soon vill belong lo olhers
z;
Te ale moonbeams soon vill fade and vanish
A recious son is born,
Soon he is losl and gone
Tese are lhe eighl similes I sing.
I hoe you vill remember and raclise lhem.
Aairs and business vill drag on forever,
So lay lhem dovn and raclise nov lhe Dharma.
If you lhink lomorrov is lhe lime lo raclise,
Suddenly you hnd lhal life has slied avay.
Who can lell vhen dealh vill come`
Iver lhink of lhis,
And devole yourselves lo Dharma raclice.
(. zozoj)
11
Travelling vilh his disciles, Milarea came lo Din Ri Namar
vhere he enquired for lhe name of lhe oulslanding alron.
Learning lhal lhe hysician Yang Nge vas a devoled ud-
dhisl, he roceeded lo his house, vhere lhe hysician said, Il
is said lhal }elsun Milarea can use anylhing al hand as a
melahor for reaching. Nov lease use lhe bubbles of valer
in lhis dilch before us as a melahor and give us a discourse.
z8
In resonse, }elsun sang a song.
The lIeetlng BubbIes
I ay homage lo my gracious Guru
Iray make everyone here lhink of lhe Dharma!
As he said once, Like bubbles is
This life, lransienl and eeling
In il no assurance can be found.
A layman's life is like a lhief
Who sneaks inlo an emly house.
Knov you nol lhe folly of il`
Youlh is like a summer over
Suddenly il fades avay.
Old age is like a hre sreading
Through lhe helds suddenly 'lis al your heels.
The uddha once said, irlh and dealh
Are like sunrise and sunsel
Nov come, nov go.
Sickness is like a liule bird
Wounded by a sling.
Knov you nol, heallh and slrenglh
Will in lime deserl you`
Dealh is like an oil-dry lam
(Aer ils lasl icker).
Nolhing, I assure you,
In lhis vorld is ermanenl.
Ivil Karma is like a valerfall,
Which I have never seen ov uvard.
A sinful man is like a oisonous lree
If you lean on il, you vill in|ured be.
Transgressors are like frosl-biuen eas
Like soiled fal, lhey ruin everylhing.
z
Dharma-raclisers are like easanls in lhe held
Wilh caulion and vigour lhey vill be successful.
The Guru is like medicine and neclar
Relying on him, one vill vin success.
Disciline is like a valchman's lover
Observing il, one vill auain Accomlishmenl.
The Lav of Karma is like Samsara's vheel
Whoever breaks il vill suer a greal loss.
Samsara is like a oisonous lhorn
In lhe esh if nol ulled oul,
The oison vill increase and sread.
The coming of dealh is like lhe shadov
Of a lree al sunsel
Il runs fasl and none can hall il.
When lhal lime comes,
Whal else can hel bul Holy Dharma`
Though Dharma is lhe founl of viclory.
Those vho asire lo il are rare.
Scores of men are langled in
The miseries of Samsara,
Inlo lhis misforlune born,
They slrive by lunder and lhe for gain.
He vho lalks on Dharma
Wilh elalion is insired,
ul vhen a lask is sel him,
He is vrecked and losl.
Dear alrons, do nol lalk loo much,
ul raclise lhe Holy Dharma.
(. 6z6)
o
1z
This is indeed very helful lo my mind, commenled lhe hy-
sician, bul lease reach slill furlher for me on lhe lrulh of
Karma and lhe suering of birlh, old age, illness and dealh,
lhus enabling me lo gain a deeer conviclion in uddha-
dharma. In resonse, lhe }elsun sang:
Ilease lislen lo lhese vords,
Dear friends here assembled.
When you are young and vigorous
You ne'er lhink of old age coming,
ul il aroaches slov and sure
Like a seed groving underground.
When you are slrong and heallhy
You ne'er lhink of sickness coming,
ul il descends vilh sudden force
Like a slroke of lighlning.
When involved in vorldly lhings
You ne'er lhink of dealh's aroach
_ick il comes like lhunder
Crashing 'round your head.
Sickness, old age and dealh
Iver meel each olher
As do hands and moulh.
Wailing for his rey in ambush,
Yama

1
is ready for his viclim,
When disasler calches him.
Sarrovs y in single hle. Like lhem,
Life, Dealh and ardo follov one anolher.
Never aarl from you
Are lhese lhree 'visilors'.
1
Thus lhinking, fear you nol
Your sinful deeds`
Like slrong arrovs in ambush vailing,
Rebirlh in Hell, as Hungry Ghosl, or easl
Is (lhe desliny) vailing lo calch you.
If once inlo lheir lras you fall,
Hard vill you hnd il lo escae.
Do you nol fear lhe miseries
You exerienced in lhe asl`
Surely you vill feel much ain
If misforlunes auack you`
The voes of life succeed one anolher
Like lhe sea's incessanl vaves
One has barely assed, before
The nexl one lakes ils lace.
Unlil you are liberaled, ain
and leasure come and go al random
Like assers-by encounlered in lhe slreel.
Ileasures are recarious,
Like balhing in lhe sun,
Transienl, loo, as snovslorms
Which come vilhoul varning.
Remembering lhese lhings,
Why nol raclise lhe Dharma`
(. 66j)
1
Rechunga, aer relurning from India, had conlracled lhe
disease of ride and in various vays Milarea lried lo cure
him. As his discile required food, lhey venl for alms bul
vere abused by an old voman vho declared lhal she had no
z
food. The nexl morning lhey found her dead and Milarea
said: Rechunga, like lhis voman, every senlienl being is
deslined lo die, bul seldom do eole lhink of lhis facl. So
lhey lose many oorlunilies lo raclise lhe Dharma. olh
you and I should remember lhis incidenl and learn a lesson
from il. Whereuon, he sang.
The Song of Trunslenc und DeIuslon
When lhe lransience of life slrikes deely inlo one's hearl
One's lhoughls and deeds vill nalurally accord vilh
Dharma.
If reealedly and conlinuously one lhinks aboul dealh,
One can easily conquer lhe demons of laziness.
No one knovs vhen dealh vill descend uon him
}usl as lhis voman lasl nighl!
Rechunga, do nol be harsh, and lislen lo your Guru!
ehold, all manifeslalions in lhe ouler vorld
Are ehemeral like a dream lasl nighl!
One feels uuerly losl in sadness
When one lhinks of lhis assing dream.
Rechunga, have you comlelely vakened
Irom lhis greal uzzlemenl`
Oh, lhe more I lhink of lhis,
The more I asire lo uddha and lhe Dharma.
Te leasure-yearning human body is an ungraleful credilor.
Whalever good you do lo il,
Il alvays lanls lhe seeds of ain.
Tis human body is a bag of hllh and dirl,
Never be roud of il, Rechunga,
ul lislen lo my song!
When I look back al my body,
I see il as a mirage-cily,
Though I may suslain il for a vhile,

Il is doomed lo exlinclion.
When I lhink of lhis,
My hearl is hlled vilh grief!
Rechunga, vould you nol cul o Samsara`
The more I lhink of uddha and lhe Dharma!
A vicious erson can never auain hainess.
Irranl lhoughls are lhe cause of all regrels,
ad disosilions are lhe cause of all miseries,
Never be voracious, oh Rechunga,
When I look back al my clinging mind,
Il aears like a shorl-lived sarrov in lhe voods
Homeless, and vilh novhere lo slee,
When I lhink of lhis, my hearl is hlled vilh grief.
Rechunga, vill you lel yourself indulge in ill-vill`
The more I asire lo uddha and lhe Dharma!
Human life is as recarious
As a single slim hair of a horse's lail
Hanging on lhe verge of breaking,
Il may be snued oul al anylime
Like lhis old voman vas lasl nighl!
Do nol cling lo lhis life, Rechunga,
When I observe invardly my brealhings
I see lhey are lransienl, like lhe fog,
They may vanish any momenl inlo noughl.
Rechunga, do you nol vanl lo conquer
Thal insecurily nov`

The more I asire lo uddha and lhe Dharma.
To be close lo vicked kinsmen only causes halred.
The case of lhis old voman is a very good lesson.
Rechunga, slo your vishful-lhinking
And lislen lo my song!
When I look al friends and consorls
They aear as assers-by in lhe bazaar,
Meeling vilh lhem is only lemorary,
ul searalion is forever!
Rechunga, do you nol vanl lo casl aside
All vorldly associalions`
The more I lhink of uddha and lhe Dharma.
A rich man seldom en|oys
The veallh lhal he has earned,
This is lhe mockery of Karma and Samsara,
Money and |evels gained lhrough slinginess and loil
Are like lhis old voman's bag of food.
Do nol be covelous, Rechunga,
When I look al lhe forlunes of lhe rich,
They aear lo me like honey lo lhe bees
Hard vork, serving only for olhers' en|oymenl,
Is lhe fruil of lheir labour.
Rechunga, do you nol vanl lo oen
The lreasury vilhin your mind`
The more I asire lo uddha and His Teachings.
(. j)
j
1
When Milarea vas siuing in medilalion, a frighlened deer
dashed by, folloved by a ravening hound. y lhe over of his
loving-kindness and comassion (Meua-Karuna), Milarea
made lhem lie dovn, one on eilher side of him, and lhen
reached lo lhem. Then came lhe herce and roud hunlsman,
Chirava Gvunbo Dor|e, vho vas enraged by lhe sighl of lhe
}elsun and shol an arrov al him, bul missed. Milarea sang
lo him and his hearl began lo lurn lo lhe Dharma. Then lhe
hunler sav lhal Milarea vas living an auslere life and greal
failh arose in him. He vished lhen lo raclise Dharma aer
lalking vilh his family bul lhe }elsun varned him lhal his
resenl merilorious lhoughl mighl change and he sang:
Hearken, hearken, hunlsman!
Though lhe lhunder crashes,
Il is bul emly sound,
Though lhe rainbov is richly-coloured,
Il vill soon fade avay.
The leasures of lhis vorld are like dream-visions,
Though one en|oys lhem, lhey are lhe source of sin.
Though all ve see may seem lo be elernal,
Il vill soon fall lo ieces and vill disaear.
Yeslerday erhas one had enough or more,
All loday is gone and nolhing's le,
Lasl year one vas alive, lhis year one dies.
Good food lurns inlo oison,
And lhe beloved comanion lurns inlo a foe.
Harsh vords and comlainls requile
Good-vill and gralilude.
Your sins hurl no one bul yourself.
Among one hundred heads, you value mosl your ovn.
6
In all len hngers, if one is cul, you feel lhe ain.
Among all lhings you value, yourself is valued mosl.
The lime has come for you lo hel yourself.
Life ees fasl. Soon dealh
Will knock uon your door.
Il is foolish, lherefore, one's devolion lo oslone.
Whal else can loving kinsmen do
ul lhrov one inlo Samsara`
To slrive for hainess hereaer
Is more imorlanl lhan lo seek il nov.
The lime has come for you lo rely uon a Guru,
The lime has come lo raclise Dharma.
(. z8)
1j
Milarea: If one is really delermined lo free oneself from lhe
suerings of Samsara, such as birlh, old age, illness, dealh,
and so on, he vill have eace of mind all lhe lime and vill
nol need lo make any eorl. Olhervise, he should bear in
mind lhal lhe suerings in a fulure life could be much more
durable and longer-lasling lhan lhose in lhis life, and lhe
burden could also be much heavier. Il is, lherefore, of ara-
mounl imorlance lo lake sles lo reare for lhe nexl life.
This vas said lo some young men from his nalive counlry,
vho asked hov lhey could exlricale lhemselves from vorldly
aairs. Then, Milarea said: Ilease hearken, and I vill sing
a song for you.
We senlienl beings moving in lhe vorld
Iloal dovn lhe oving slream
Of lhe Iour Suerings.

1
;
Comared lo lhis, hov much more formidable
Are lhe unceasing fulure lives in Samsara
Why nol, lhen, reare a boal for lhe crossing`
Te slale of our fulure lives is far more fearful
And deserving of far more concern
Than are lhe dreadful demons, ghosls and Yama,
So vhy nol reare for yourself a guide`
Iven lhe dread assions craving, halred and blindness
Are nol so fearful
As lhe slale of our (unknovn) fulure,
So vhy nol reare for yourself an anlidole`
Greal is lhe Kingdom of lhe Three Realms of Samsara,
ul grealer is lhe endless road of birlh-and-dealh,
So vhy nol reare for yourself rovisions`
Il vill be beuer if you raclise Dharma
If you have no assurance in yourselves.
(. 1111j)
Milarea said: A human body, free and oorlune, is as re-

cious as a |evel, and lo have a chance lo raclise lhe Dharma
is likevise very rare. Also, lo hnd one serious uddhisl in a
hundred is dicull! Considering lhe dicullies of meeling
lhe righl Gurus, and olher necessary favourable condilions for
raclising uddhism, you should deem yourselves very forlu-
nale lhal you have nov mel all lhese requiremenls. Do nol,
lherefore, (vasle lhem), bul raclise lhe Dharma.
(. 116)
8
16
Shiva Aui, a leading discile of Milarea, once asked his
Masler, vhen lhe lauer vas nearing lhe end of his life: Ilease
lell us vhal are lhe |oys and miseries lhal senlienl beings
exerience in lhe Six Realms` Isecially, lease lell us vhal
are lhe leasures !ctas en|oy` The }elsun relied: Do nol be
fascinaled by lhe leasures of heavenly beings, lhey also have
miseries like lhis:
Te leasures en|oyed by men and devas
Are like lhe amusemenls of lhe Heavenly Yak:

16
Il may lov like lhunder
ul vhal good can il do`
(Svooning in a slale of lrance),
The devas in lhe four Iormless Heavens

1y
Cannol dislinguish good from evil.
ecause lheir minds are dull and callous,
Insensible, lhey have no feeling.
In unconscious sluefaclion,
Tey live many kalas in a second.
Whal a ily lhal lhey knov il nol!
Alas, lhese heavenly birlhs
Have neilher sense nor value.
When lhey lhink vicious lhoughls
They slarl lo fall again.
As lo lhe reason for lheir fall
(Scholars), vilh emly vords,
Have dried lheir moulhs in exlanalions.
In lhe Heavens of Iorm,

18
The devas of lhe hve higher and lvelve lover realms
Can only live unlil lheir merils are exhausled.
Their virlues are essenlially condilional,

And lheir Karma basically Samsaric.
Tose Dharma-raclisers sub|ecl lo vorldly desires,
And lhose 'greal yogis' vraed in slillness,
Have yel lo urify lheir minds,
Huge may be lheir claims and boasls,
ul habilual lhoughl-seeds
In lheir minds are deely rooled.
Aer a long dormanl lime,
Ivil lhoughls again vill rise.
When lheir merils and forlunes are consumed,
They lo lhe Lover Realms

1
vill go once more!
If I exlain lhe horror of a deva's dealh,
You vill be dishearlened and erlexed.
ear lhis in your mind and ever medilale!
(. 66)
1;
In a sad mood lhe disciles lhen asked lhe }elsun lo reach lo
lhem of lhe suerings of lhe asuras. In resonse, he sang:
Greal are asuras' suerings.
Misled by malignanl lhoughls,
To all lhey bring misforlunes
Knoving nol lheir lrue Self-mind

zo
Their deeds are self-deceiving,
Their feelings coarse, lheir senses crude,
Deeming all lo be lheir foes,
Nol even for a momenl
Can lhey knov lhe lrulh.
o
Ivil by nalure, lhey can hardly bear a loss,
Harder is benevolence for lhem lo cherish.
linded by lhe Karma-of-elligerence,
Never can lhey lake good counsel.
All nalure such as lhis is caused
y seeking leasures for oneself
And bearing harmful lhoughls lovards olhers.
Iride, favourilism, vanily and halred
Are lhe evil Karmic forces
Thal drag one lo a lover birlh,
Making sinful deeds more easy.
Riening Karma brings (lo lhem)
An inslinclive halred,
Iailing lo dislinguish righl from vrong,
They can hardly be heled by any means.
ear, oh my disciles, lhis in your minds
And medilale vilh erseverance all your lives!
(. 66)
18
Shiva Aui said, Nov lease lell us aboul lhe suerings of
nunan |cings. In ansver, Milarea sang:
We human beings are endoved vilh over
To do good, or evil deeds,
This is because our body (ersonalily)
Is made of all Six Ilemenls.

z1
1
You |unior Reas vho desire lo be greal scholars
Should knov lhe 'Kernel and shell' of uddhism.
Lesl learning lead you only lo confusion.
Knoving nol lhe rcci cj nin!,
Useless is il lo medilale for years.
Wilhoul sincerily and villingness,
Rich oerings have no real meaning.
Wilhoul giving imarlial aid lo all,
Ialronage of one's favourile is vrong.
Knoving nol lhe righl counsel for each man,
lunl lalk vill only bring lrouble and discord.
He vho knovs lhe aroriale vay
To hel men of diverse disosilions,
Can use exedienl vords

zz
for kind and fruilful uroses.
He vho knovs bul liule of himself
Can harm many by his ignorance.
When good-vill arises in one's mind,
Slones, lrees and earlh all become seeds of virlue.
Again, an over-unclilious erson
Knovs nol hov lo relax,
A gluuonous dog knovs nol vhal is hunger,
A brazen Guru knovs nol vhal is fear.
Rich men are vrelched crealures vilh lheir money,
Ioor men are vrelched crealures vilhoul money.
Alas, vilh, or vilhoul money, bolh are miserable!
Hainess vill come, dear children,
If you can raclise lhe Dharma.
Remember lhen, my vords, and raclise vilh erseverance.
(. 66j)
z
1
Il is very lrue lhal human beings suer like lhis, agreed lhe
disciles. Nov lease lell us aboul lhe suerings in lhe lhree
miserable realms, even lhough |usl lo menlion lhem may be
dislressing. Also, lo sur our sirilual eorls, lease reach
lo us of lhe causes of Hell and ils voe. In resonse, }elsun
sang:
Tose vho, for meal and blood
Slaughler living beings,
Will in lhe Iighl Hol Hells be burned.
ul if lhey can remember lhe Good Teachings,
Soon vill lhey be emancialed.
Rulhless robbers vho slrike and kill,
Wrongly ealing olhers' food
While clinging lo lheir ovn vilh greed,
Will fall inlo lhe Iighl Cold Hells.
Yel if lhey do nol hold vrong vievs againsl lhe Dharma
Il is said lhal lheir lime for deliverance vill come.
(The Holy Scrilures) also say
Whene'er lhe denizens of hell
Recall lhe name of uddha,
Delivered vill lhey be immedialely.
Iver reealing sinful deeds means
Dominance by vice and evil Karma.
Iiends hlled vilh lhe craving for leasures,
Murder even lheir arenls and Gurus,
Rob lhe Three Gems of lheir lreasure,
Revile and accuse falsely lhe Irecious Ones,
And condemn lhe Dharma as unlrue,
In lhe Hell-of-unceasing-lormenl

z
These evil doers vill be burned,
Iar from lhem alas, is Liberalion.

This, my sons, vill cerlainly dislress you,
So inlo Dharma lhrov your hearls
And devole yourselves lo medilalion!
(. 666)

zo
Ior lhe benehl of senlienl beings, lease lell us nov aboul lhe
suerings of lhe Hungrq Gncsis. In rely, Milarea sang:
Hungry Ghosls, seeing all forms as foes,
Run from each successive lerror.
Wild beasls hghl and eal each olher.
Who of lhem is lo blame`
The suerings of lhe Hungry Ghosls
Grov from lheir slinginess.
Like a ral is he vho fails
To give alms vhen he is rich,
egrudges food vhen he has lenly,
Gives no food lo olhers, bul checks
Them over, counls and slores lhem
Disconlenled day and nighl.
Al lhe lime of dealh he sees
Thal his hard-earned veallh
Will be en|oyed by olhers.
Caughl in ardo

z
by lhe agony of loss,
As a Hungry Ghosl he lives his life.
Due lo his delusive lhoughls
He suers lhirsl and hunger.
When he sees his goods en|oyed by olhers
He is lormenled by avarice and hale.

Again and again vill he lhus fall dovn (lo Hell).
I, lhe greal Yogi of Slrenglh,
Nov sing for you lhe voes
Of Hungry Ghosls. Dear sons
And disciles here assembled, lhink on
My vords and medilale vilh erseverance!
(. 66;)
z1
Shiva Aui lhen requesled, Nov lease lell us of lhe suer-
ings of anina|s. Whereuon Milarea sang:
Animals, alas, are ignoranl and benighled,
Mosl sluid men vill incarnale amongsl lhem.
lind and enslaved by evil Karma,
The ignoranl knov nol Dharma's Trulh.
lind bolh lo evil and lo virlue,
They quickly vasle lheir lives avay.
Unable lo reason and use symbols,
They acl like blind aulomalions,
Unable lo dislinguish vrong from righl,
Like maniacs, lhey do much vrong.
Some eole even say 'lis good
(To be an animal),
Since il does neilher regrel nor reenl,
Alas! Hov foolish is lhis lhoughl!
Then, all sluid life-lakers
Will incarnale as beasls,
The fools vho knov nol righl from vrong,
j
And lhose vho harbour vicious lhoughls,
Will incarnale as common brules.
Hard il is for me lo describe
Their Karmas, bul lhink on my vords
And cullivale your minds.
(. 66;-668)
zz
Milarea once look Rechunga lo lhe markel of Nya Non in
order lo furlher his siril of renuncialion. Many bulchers had
galhered lhere. The meal vas iled u like valls, animals'
heads vere slacked in huge heas, skins vere scauered over
lhe ground, and blood ran logelher like valer in a ond. In
addilion, rovs of liveslock vere faslened lo lhe slakes for
slaughlering.. Whereuon vilh overvhelming comassion,
Milarea sang:
Hov iliful are senlienl beings in Samsara!
Looking uvard lo lhe Ialh of Liberalion,
Hov can one feel aughl bul sorrov for lhese sinful men.
Hov foolish and sad il is lo indulge in killing,
When by good luck and Karma one has a human form.
Hov sad il is lo do an acl
Thal in lhe end vill hurl oneself.
Hov sad il is lo build a sinful vall
Of meal made of one's dying arenls' esh`

z
Hov sad il is lo see
Meal ealen and blood oving.
Hov sad il is lo knov confusions
And delusions hll lhe minds of men.
6
Hov sad il is lo hnd bul vice,
Nol love, in eoles' hearls.
Hov sad il is lo see
Thal lindness veils all men
Who cherish sinful deeds.
Craving causes misery,
While vorldly deeds bring ain.
Wilh lhis in mind one feels sorrovful,
Thinking lhus, one searches for a cure.
When I lhink of lhose vho never
Take heed for lheir fulure lives,
ul indulge in evil deeds,
I feel mosl dislurbed and sad,
And deely fearful for lhem.
Rechunga, seeing all lhese lhings,
Don'l you remember Holy Dharma`
Don'l you in Samsara lose all hearl`
Rouse lhe siril of renuncialion,
Go, Rechunga, lo lhe cave lo medilale!
Heed lhe bounly of your Guru
And avoid all sinful deeds,
Casling vorldly lhings aside
Slay hrm in your raclice
Kee your good vovs
And devole your life lo medilalion.
(. j66j6;)
;
z
A very beauliful girl of aboul heen years of age, vhose name
vas ardarbom said lo Milarea: y merely meeling you I
shall have accumulaled a greal deal of meril and begged lo
be laken as his servanl and discile. Milarea relied, if you
seriously vanl lo raclise lhe Dhamma, you musl learn lhal
vorldly aairs are your enemies and renounce lhem. And he
sang a song called.
The lour Renunclutlons
Lislen, you forlunale girl,
You vho have veallh and failh!
Iulure lives lasl longer lhan lhis life
Do you knov hov lo make rovision`
Giving vilh niggardly hearl
As if feeding a slrange valch-dog,
Only brings more harm lhan good
ringing nolhing in relurn bul a vicious bile,
Renounce arsimony, nov lhal you knov ils evil.
Lislen, you forlunale girl!
We knov less of lhis life lhan lhe nexl one.
Have you reared and lil your lam`
Should il nol be ready,
Medilale on lhe Greal Lighl.
If you choose lo hel an ungraleful foe,
You vill gain nol a friend, bul damage.
evare of acling blindly:
evare of lhis evil and discard il.
Lislen, you forlunale girl.
Iulure lives are vorse lhan lhis life
8
Have you a guide or escorl for your |ourney`
If you have nol lhe righl comanion,
Rely on lhe holy Dharma.
evare of relalives and kinsmen,
They hinder and oose (lhe Dharma).
They never hel bul only harm one.
Did you knov lhal your kinsmen are your foes`
If lhis be lrue, surely you should leave lhem.
Lislen, you forlunale girl.
The |ourney in lhe fulure life
is more hazardous lhan lhis one
Have you reared a hne horse of erseverance for il`
If nol, you should slrive hard and vork vilh diligence.
The excilemenl of lhe slarl vill soon diminish,
evare lhe foe, Inerlness

z6
, vhich makes one go aslray.
Of no avail are hurry and excilemenl, vhich only harm one.
Do you yel knov lhal your enemies are laziness and carice`
If you undersland my vords,
you should casl lhem bolh avay.
(. 1j16)
z
Going lo ardarbom's house for alms, Milarea encounlered
an ugly old voman vilh a handful of ashes. She rushed al
him, shouling, You miserable yogi-beggars! I never see you
in one lace! In lhe summer you all shov u begging for milk
and buuer! In lhe vinler you all come for grain! I'll vager
you vanled lo sneak in lo sleal my daughler's and daughler-
in-lav's |evellery! Grumbling and lrembling vilh rage, she
vas aboul lo lhrov lhe ashes al Milarea, vhen he said, Wail
a minule, grandmolher! Ilease lislen lo me! He lhen sang.
A Song ulth Nlne Meunlngs

Above is lhe ausicious Heaven,
elov are lhe Three Ialhs of Misery,
In belveen, are lhose vho are nol free
lo choose lheir birlh.

zy
Tese lhree all converge on you.
Grandmolher, you are an angry voman,
And dislike lhe Dharma!
_eslion your ovn lhoughls and your mind examine.
You should raclise lhe uddha's Teaching,
You need a qualihed and deendable Guru,
Think carefully, dear lady,
When you vere hrsl senl here,
Did you dream lhal you vould become an old nanny-goal`
In lhe morning you gel u from bed,
In lhe evening you go lo slee,
In belveen, you do lhe endless housevork,
You are engrossed in lhese lhree lhings.
Grandmolher, you are an unaid maid.
And lhen lhings may be dierenl for you.
Te head of lhe family is lhe mosl imorlanl one,
Income and earnings are lhe nexl mosl longed-for lhings,
Then sons and nehevs are vanled mosl.
y lhese lhree you are bound
Grandmolher, for yourself you have no share.
jo
Auaining vhal you vanl even lhough you sleal,
Geuing vhal you desire even lhough you rob,
Iighling your foe vilhoul regard lo dealh and vounds,
To lhese lhree lhings you are sub|ecled.
Grandmolher, you are burned u vilh fury
When you come uon your foe.
Gossi aboul olher vomen and lheir manners
Is vhal inleresls you,
To lhe aairs of your ovn son and nehev
You ay auenlion,
To lalk of vidovs and relalives is your delighl.
These lhree lhings enchanl you.
Grandmolher, are you so genlle vhen you gossi`
To li you from a chair is like ulling oul a eg,
Wilh feeble legs you vaddle like a lhieving goose,
Iarlh and slone seem lo shauer vhen you dro inlo a seal,
Senile and clumsy is your body,
Grandmolher, you have no choice bul lo obey.
Whal you require is a qualihed and deendable Guru,
And from lhal you may hnd oul hov you have changed.
Your skin is creased vilh vrinkles,
Your bones sland oul sharly from your shrunken esh,
j1
You are deaf, dumb, imbecile, eccenlric and louering,
You are lhrice deformed.
Grandmolher, your ugly face is vraed in vrinkles.
Your food and drink are cold and foul,
Your coal is heavy and in rags,
Your bed so rough il lears lhe skin,
These lhree are your conslanl comanions.
Grandmolher, you are nov a vrelch,
half voman and half bilch!
_eslion your ovn lhoughls and your mind examine!
Whal you need is a qualihed and deendable Guru,
To auain higher birlh and Liberalion
Is harder lhan lo see a slar in daylime,
To fall inlo Samsara's vrelched alh
Is easy and oen haens.
Nov, vilh fear and grief al hearl,
You valch lhe lime of dealh drav nigh.
Grandmolher, can you face dealh vilh conhdence`
_eslion your ovn mind and your lhoughls examine!
Whal you need is lo raclise lhe Teaching of lhe uddha,
Whal you need is a qualihed and deendable Guru.
(. 161)
jz
zj
Milarea said lo his failhful alroness, Shindormo, My dear
alroness, excel for advanced Dharma raclilioners, lhe
ains of birlh, decay, illness and dealh descend uon every-
one. Il is good lo lhink aboul and fear lhem, because lhis ena-
bles one lo raclise lhe Dharma vhen dealh is aroaching.
Whereuon he sang:
In lhe river of birlh, decay, illness,
And dealh ve vorldly beings are submerged,
Who can escae lhese ains on earlh`
We dri on vilh lhe lide.
Amidsl vaves of misery and darkness
We ov on and on.
Seldom in Samsara can one hnd |oy.
More miseries come by lrying lo avoid lhem,
Through ursuing leasures one's sins increase.
To be free from ain,
Wrong deeds should be shunned.
When dealh dravs near, lhe vise
Alvays raclise Dharma.
(. jjz)
z6
I do nol knov hov lo observe lhe suering of birlh, said
Shindormo, Ilease inslrucl me hov lo medilale uon il. In
ansver, lhe }elsun sang:
j
My failhful alroness, I vill
Ixlain lhe suering of birlh.
The vanderer in lhe ardo lane
Is lhe Alaya Consciousness

z8
Driven by lusl and halred
Il enlers a molher's vomb.
Terein il feels like a hsh
In a rock's crevice caughl,
Sleeing in blood and yellov uid,
Il is illoved in discharges,
Crammed in hllh, il suers ain.
A bad body from a bad Karma is born.
Tough remembering asl lives,
Il cannol say a single vord.
Nov scorched by heal,
Nov frozen by lhe cold,
In nine monlhs il emerges
Irom lhe vomb in ain excrucialing,
As if ulled oul gried by liers.
When from lhe vomb ils head is squeezed,
The ain is like being lhrovn inlo a bramble il.
The liny body on lhe molher's la,
Ieels like a sarrov graled by a havk.
When from lhe baby's lender body
The blood and hllh are being cleansed,
The ain is like being ayed alive.
When lhe umbilical cord is cul,
Il feels as lhough lhe sine vas severed.
When vraed in lhe cradle il feels bound
y chains, imrisoned in a dungeon.
He vho realizes nol lhe lrulh of No-arising

z
Never can escae from lhe dread angs of birlh.
j
Tere is no lime lo oslone devolion:
When one dies one's grealesl need
is lhe divine Dharma.
You should lhen exerl yourself
To raclise uddha's Teaching.
(. jjjj)
z;
Shindormo asked again, Ilease reach for us lhe suerings
of c|! agc. In resonse, lhe }elsun sang:
Lislen, my good alrons, lislen
To lhe suerings of old age.
Iainful is il lo see one's body
ecoming frail and quile vorn oul.
Who can hel bul feel dismayed
Al lhe lhreal of groving old`
When old age descends uon one,
One's slraighl body becomes benl,
When one lries lo sle hrmly,
One slaggers againsl one's vill,
One's black hairs lurn vhile.
One's clear eyes grov dim,
One's head shakes vilh dizziness,
And one's keen ears lurn deaf,
One's ruddy cheeks grov ale,
And one's blood dries u.
One's nose lhe illar of one's face sinks in,
One's leelh lhe essence of one's bones rolrude.
Losing conlrol of longue, one slammers.
jj
On lhe aroach of dealh,
one's anguish and debls grov.
One galhers food and friends,
ul one cannol kee lhem,
Trying nol lo suer,
One only suers more,
When one lells lhe lrulh lo eole,
Seldom is one believed,
The sons and nehevs one has raised
And cherished, oen become one's foes.
One gives avay one's savings,
ul vins no gralilude.
Unless you realize lhe lrulh of Non-decay,

o
You vill suer misery in old age.
He vho vhen old neglecls lhe Dharma,
Should knov lhal he is bound by Karma.
Il is good lo raclise
The divine Dharma vhile you can slill brealhe.
(. jjjjj)
z8
Shindormo lhen said, Whal you have |usl lold us is very lrue,
I have exerienced lhese lhings myself. Nov lease reach for
us lhe suerings of sickncss. In rely, Milarea sang:
Dear alrons, you vho knov grief and sorrov,
Lislen lo lhe miseries of sickness.
Tis frail body is sub|ecl e'er lo sickness,
So lhal one suers excrucialing ain.
The illnesses of Irana (mind), gall and hlegm

1
Conslanlly invade lhis frail human body,
j6
Causing ils blood and mauer lo be healed,
The organs are lhus gried by ain.
In a safe and easy bed
The sick man feels no comforl,
ul lurns and losses, groaning in lamenl.
Through lhe Karma of (asl) meanness,
Though vilh besl of food you feed him,
He vomils all lhal he can lake.
When you lay him in lhe cool,
He slill feels hol and burning,
When you vra him in varm clolh,
He feels cold as lhough soaked in sleel.
Though friends and kinsmen galher round,
None can relieve or share his ains
Though varlocks and hysicians are rohcienl,
They cannol hel cases caused by Riening Karma.
He vho has nol realized lhe lrulh of No-illness

z
Much suering musl undergo.
Since ve knov nol vhen sickness vill slrike,
Il is vise lo raclise Holy Dharma
The sure conqueror of illness!
(. jjj)
z
I hoe lo raclise (more) Dharma vhen dealh dravs near,
said Shindormo. Nov lease reach for me lhe suering of
!cain. In ansver, Milarea sang:
Lislen, my dishearlened alroness:
Like lhe ain of reaying comound debls,
j;
One musl undergo lhe suering of dealh,
Yama's guards calch and carry one
When lhe lime of dealh arrives.
The rich man cannol buy il o vilh money,
Wilh his svord lhe hero cannol conquer il,
Nor can lhe clever voman oulvil il by a lrick.
Iven lhe learned scholar cannol
Ioslone il vilh his eloquence.
Here, lhe unlucky cannol make aeal,
Nor can a brave man here dislay his valour.
When all lhe Nadis

converge in lhe body,

One is crushed as if belveen lvo mounlains
All vision and sensalion become dim.
When on

riesls and diviners become useless,

The lrusled hysician yields lo his desair.
None can communicale vilh lhe dying man,
Irolecling guards and devas vanish inlo noughl.
Though lhe brealh has nol comlelely sloed,
One can all bul smell lhe slale odour of dead esh.
Like a lum of coal in chilly ashes
One aroaches lo lhe brink of dealh.
When dying, some slill counl lhe dales and slars,
Olhers cry and shoul and groan,
Some lhink of vorldly goods,
Some, lhal lheir hard-earned veallh
Will be en|oyed by olhers.
Hovever dee one's love, or greal one's symalhy,
He can bul dearl and |ourney on alone.
His good friend and consorl
Can only leave him lhere,
In a bundle his beloved body
Will be folded

and carried o,
j8
Then lhrovn in valer, burned in hre,
Or simly casl o in a desolale land.
Iailhful alrons, vhal in lhe end can ve relain`
Musl ve sil idly by and lel all lhings go`
When your brealh slos lomorrov
No veallh on earlh can hel you.
Why, lhen, should one be mean`
Kind kinsmen circle round
The bed of lhe dying,
ul none can hel him for a momenl.
Knoving lhal all musl be le behind,
One realizes lhal all greal love
And auachmenl musl be fulile
When lhal hnal momenl comes,
Only Holy Dharma hels.
You should slrive, dear alroness,
Ior a readiness lo die!
e cerlain and ready and vhen lhe lime comes,
You vill have no fear and no regrel.
(. jj6jj;)
o
A married coule of lhe village Mang Yul, had no children
and inviled Milarea lo lheir house vhen he came lhal vay
for alms. They soughl lo adol him inlo lheir family and said:
We have a good slri of land vhich ve can give you, you can
lhen marry an auraclive voman, and soon you vill have rela-
lives. Milarea relied, I have no need of lhese lhings and I
vill lell you vhy:
j
Home and land al hrsl seem leasanl,
ul lhey are like a ras hling avay
one's body, vord and mind!
Hov loilsome loughing and digging can become!
And vhen lhe seeds you lanled never sroul,
You have vorked for noughl!
In lhe end il becomes a land of misery
Desolale and unrolecled
A lace for hungry sirils, and of haunling ghosls!
When I lhink of lhe varehouse
Ior sloring sinful deeds,
Il gnavs al my hearl,
In such a rison of lransiency I vill nol slay,
I have no vish lo |oin your family!
(. 111zo)
1
Al hrsl, vhen a man greels his relalives,
He is hay and |oyful, vilh enlhusiasm
He serves, enlerlains and lalks lo lhem.
Laler, lhey share his meal and vine.
He oers somelhing lo lhem once, lhey may recirocale.
In lhe end, lhey cause anger, craving and biuerness,
They are a founlain of regrel and unhainess.
Wilh lhis in mind, l renounce leasanl and sociable friends,
Ior kinsmen and neighbours, I have no aelile.
(. 1z11zz)
6o
z
Weallh, al hrsl, leads lo self-en|oymenl,
Making olher eole envious.
Hovever much one has, one never feels il is enough,
Unlil one is bound by lhe miser's demon,
Hard il is lhen lo send il on virluous deeds.
Weallh rovokes enemies and slirs u ghosls.
One vorks hard lo galher riches vhich olhers vill send,
In lhe end, one slruggles for life and dealh,
To amass veallh and money inviles enemies,
So I renounce lhe delusions of Samsara.
To become lhe viclim of deceilful devils,
I have no aelile.
(. 1zz)
Te }elsun vas aboul lo leave Nya Non for olher hermilages,

bul lhe alrons of lhal lace besoughl him lo slay vilh lhe
ulmosl earneslness. The }elsun relied: If I do nol die, I shall
lry lo come back lo your village. If for some lime ve cannol
see each olher, lry al limes lo remember and raclise lhese
lhings. Whereuon he sang:
Alas, hov iliful are vorldly lhings!
Like recious |ade lhey cherish
Their bodies, yel like ancienl lrees
They are doomed in lhe end lo fall.
Somelimes bridle your vild lhoughls
And ay heed lo lhe Dharma.
61
Tough you galher veallh
As hard as bees collecl lheir honey,
The ills lhal uon you may fall
Can never be forelold,
One may oer lo a Lama

6
Loads of silk for many years,
ul vhen an ill-forlune descends,
Like a fading rainbov
One's failh al once dissolves.
Like a air of maled beasls,
Lovers live logelher,
ul calamily by lhe volf's auack
May fall on you al any lime.
You may cherish your dear son,
Like a hen halching her egg,
ul a falling rock may crush il al any lime.
A face may be as reuy as a over,
Yel al any lime il can be soiled by violenl hail.
Think al limes of hov lhis vorld
Is sorry, lransienl and fulile.
Tough son and molher have aeclion
Ior each olher, vhen discords arise,
Like foes lhey clash and quarrel,
6z
Somelimes lovards all senlienl beings
You should feel comassion.
asking in lhe varm sunlighl
May be leasanl and a comforl,
ul a slorm of voe may rise
And choke you al any lime,
Remember somelimes lhe derived,
And give alms lo lhose in need.
Oh, dear men and vomen alrons,
Ior him vho cannol raclise Dharma,
All his life vill be meaningless,
All his acls vrong-doings!
(. 6z;6z8)
When lhe }elsun Milarea vas slaying in lhe Slone House of

Drin, Tsese, Ku }u, and many olher alrons came lo him for
lhe Dharma. Tsese said, Ilease give us some uddhisl Teach-
ing lhal is easy for us lo undersland. Milarea relied, Very
vell, lend your ears and lislen carefully lo lhis song.
Dear alrons, vilh care lislen
Ior a momenl lo my vords.
Suerior men have need of Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like eagles
Iven lhough erched on high,
They have bul liule meaning.
6
Average men have need of Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like ligers
Though ossessing grealesl slrenglh,
They are of liule value.
Inferior men have need of Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like a eddler's asses
Though lhey carry a big load,
Il does lhem bul liule good.
Suerior vomen need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like iclures on a vall
Though lhey look very reuy,
They have no use or meaning.
Average vomen need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il lhey are like liule rals
Though lhey are clever al geuing food,
Their lives have bul liule meaning.
Inferior vomen need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are |usl like vixens
Though lhey be de and cunning,
Their deeds have liule value.
Old men need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like decaying lrees.
Groving youlhs lhe Dharma need,
Wilhoul il, lhey are like yoked bulls.
Young maidens need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are bul decoraled covs.
All young eole need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are as blossoms
Shul vilhin a shell.
All children need lhe Dharma,
Wilhoul il, lhey are as robbers ossessed by demons.
6
Wilhoul lhe Dharma, all one does
Lacks meaning and urose.
Those vho vanl lo live vilh meaning
Should raclise lhe uddha's Teaching.
(. 6j6j
j
Te King of Ye Rang and Ko Kom (in Neal) had heard of
Milarea and senl his envoy lo invile lhe }elsun lo Neal.
As he declined lo go lhe envoy exoslulaled lhal his Lord
had gol nolhing excel lhe envoy's emly hands and lhorn-
ricked feel. To lhis lhe }elsun relied, I am lhe greal Univer-
sal Imeror. There is no olher emeror vho is haier, richer
or more overful lhan I. The envoy relorled, If you claim
lhal you are lhe greal Universal Imeror himself, lhen you
musl have Seven Irecious Arlicles of Royally.
37
Ilease shov
me one of lhem. The }elsun relied, If you vorldly kings
and ocers vill follov my Royal Way, each of you may also
become lhe Sureme Imeror, and lhus be rich and noble.
Whereuon he sang:
If you kings and courliers vho seek leasures,
Iollov lhe Royal Succession of Milarea,
Ivenlually you vill oblain lhem.
Tis is lhe Royal Succession of Milarea:
My failh is lhe Royal Irecious Wheel
Revolving 'round lhe virlues day and nighl.
My visdom is lhe Royal Irecious Gem
Iulhlling all lhe vishes of myself and olhers.
6j
Te disciline's observance
is my Royal Irecious _een,
She is my adornmenl, one mosl beauliful.
Medilalion is my Royal Irecious Minisler,
Wilh him I accumulale lhe Tvo Irovisions.

8
Self-inseclion is my Royal Irecious Ilehanl,
Which lakes resonsibilily for uddhisl Dharma.
Diligence is my Royal Irecious Horse,
Which bears lhe Klesas lo Non-ego Land.
Sludy and conlemlalion is my Royal Irecious General
Who deslroys lhe enemy of vicious lhoughls.
If you have lhese Royal Irecious Traings,
You vill gain a king's fame and roserily,
And conquer all your foes.
You may lhen sread lhe Ten Virlues

in your dominion,
And urge all molher-like

o
senlienl beings
To follov my noble leachings.
(. zo)
6
Al Gung Tang Caslle, some men vere building a house and
Milarea aroached lhem for alms. Saying lhal lhey had
no lime and vere busy vhile he aeared lo be idle, lhey
inviled him lo |oin in lheir house conslruclion. ul Milarea
declined lo vork uon vorldly building, for he said his house
vas already conslrucled in his ovn vay. The men asked him,
Hov did you build your house, and vhy do you surn our
vork so slrongly` Milarea sang in rely:
66
Iailh is lhe hrm foundalion of my house,
Diligence forms lhe high valls,
Medilalion makes lhe huge bricks,
And Wisdom is lhe greal corner-slone.
Wilh lhese four lhings I build my caslle,
And il vill lasl as long as lhe Trulh elernal!
Your vorldly houses are delusions,
Mere risons for lhe demons,
And so I vould abandon and deserl lhem.
(. 1o6)
;
Some demons had come lo aicl Milarea, bul aer he had
sung lvo songs lo lhem lhey began lo lurn lovards lhe
Dharma. They said: We are mosl graleful for your reaching
on lhe lrulh of Karma. In all frankness, ve are of limiled inlel-
ligence and limilless ignorance. Our minds are sleeed in a
morass of slubborn habilual lhoughls. Iray, lherefore, leach
us a lesson rofound in meaning, greal in rohl, and simle
in comrehension and observalion. Milarea lhen sang.
The Song of the Seten Truths
Hovever beauliful a song's vords may be,
Il is bul a lune lo lhose
Who gras nol lhe vords of Trulh.
If a arable agrees nol vilh lhe uddha's Teaching,
Hovever eloquenl il may sound,
'Tis bul a booming echo.
If one does nol raclise Dharma,
6;
Hovever learned in lhe Doclrines one may claim lo be,
One is only self-deceived.
Living in solilude is self-imrisonmenl,
If one raclises nol lhe inslruclion
of lhe Oral Transmission.

1
Labour on lhe farm is bul self-unishmenl,
If one neglecls lhe leaching of lhe uddha.
Ior lhose vho do nol guard lheir morals,
Irayers are bul vishful lhinking.
Ior lhose vho do nol raclise vhal lhey reach,
Oralory is bul failhless lying.
Wrong-doing shunned, sins of lhemselves diminish,
Good deeds done and meril vill be gained.
Remain in solilude, and medilale alone,
Much lalking is of no avail,
Iollov vhal I sing, and raclise Dharma!
(. 161;)
8
Te eole of Nya Non, hearing lhal Milarea had decided
lo go, broughl him good oerings and besoughl him lo slay.
Hovever, Milarea relied, I am going lo anolher lace lo
avail lhe coming of my dealh. If I do nol die soon, lhere vill
alvays be a chance for us lo meel again. In lhe meanlime, you
should all lry lo raclise lhese lhings, and he sang lo lhem of
lhe Six Iaramila
42
and lheir alicalions:
Obeisance lo my erfecl Guru!
Iroerly and ossessions
Are like dev on lhe grass
Give lhem avay vilhoul avarice.
68
A human body lhal can raclise Dharma
is mosl recious
(To auain il again), you should kee lhe recels vell
As if rolecling your ovn eyes!
Anger brings one lo lhe Lover Realms,
So, never lose your lemer,
Iven lhough your life be forfeil.
Inerlia and slackness
Never bring accomlishmenl
Ixerl yourself lherefore in devolion.
Trough dislraclions Mahayana

Can never be underslood

Iraclise lherefore concenlralion.
Since uddhahood cannol be von vilhoul,
Walch lhe nalure of your mind vilhin.
Like fog is failh unslable
When il slarls lo fade, you should
Slrenglhen il more lhan ever.
(. 6z66z;)
Milarea caulioned his discile Rechunga lo live as he had

lived, saying, You also should renounce all Iighl Worldly
Desires (or Winds)
44
and medilale hard vhile you slill have
lhe chance. Nov hearken lo my song.
Remember hov your Guru lived
And bear in mind his honeyed vords.
6
He vho vasles a chance for Dharma,
Will never have anolher.
ear, lhen, in mind lhe uddha's Teaching
And raclise il vilh erseverance,
y clinging lo lhings of lhis life,
In lhe nexl, one suers more.
If you crave for leasures
Your lroubles bul increase.
One is indeed mosl foolish
To miss a chance for Dharma.
Iraclise hard in fear of dealh!
Commiuing sins vill drav
You lo lhe Lover Realms.
y relending and deceiving,
You cheal and mislead yourself.
Merils diminish
Wilh lhe grovlh of evil lhoughls.
If you are concerned vilh fulure life,
Diligenlly raclise your devolions
A yogi longing for good clolhes
Will soon lose his mind,
A yogi yearning for good food
Will soon do bad deeds,
A yogi loving leasanl vords
Will nol gain, bul lose.
Renounce vorldly ursuils, Rechunga,
Devole yourself lo medilalion.
If you lry lo gel a alron
Who is rich, you vill meel a foe.
He vho likes lo be surrounded
y crovds, vill soon be disaoinled
He vho hoards much veallh and money,
Soon is hlled vilh vicious lhoughls.
;o
Medilale, my son Rechunga,
And ul your mind inlo lhe Dharma.
Realizalion vill be von
Al lasl by him vho raclises,
He vho cannol raclise
ul only lalks and brags,
Is alvays lelling lies.
Alas, hov hard il is lo hnd
The chance and lime lo raclise long
Rechunga, lry lo medilale vilhoul diversions.
If you merge your mind vilh Dharma,
You vill e'er be gay and |oyful,
You vill alvays hnd il beuer
If o you dvell in solilude.
Son Rechunga, may lhe recious
Illuminaling-Void Samadhi
Remain forever in your mind!
(. j6j66)
o
Rechunga had a vish lo visil Cenlral Tibel (Weu) bul
Milarea lried lo dissuade him from going by saying lhal il
vas nol yel lhe righl lime for him lo leave his Guru. ul Rec-
hunga slill kel ressing his requesl. Whereuon lhe jelsun
sang:
;1
Il is good for you, lhe vhile lion on lhe mounlain,
To slay high, and never go dee inlo lhe valley,
Lesl your beauliful mane be sullied!
To kee il in good order,
You should remain on lhe high snov mounlain.
Rechunga, hearken lo my vords loday!
Il is good for you, lhe greal eagle, on high rocks
To erch, and never fall inlo a il,
Lesl your mighly vings be damaged!
To kee lhem in good order,
You should remain in lhe high hills.
Rechunga, hearken lo your Guru's vords!
Il is good for you, lhe |ungle liger,
To slay in lhe dee foresl: if you rove
Aboul lhe lain, you vill lose your dignily!
To kee your slendour in erfeclion,
In lhe foresl you should remain.
Il is good for you, lhe golden-eyed hsh,
To svim in lhe cenlral sea,
If you svim loo close lo lhe shore,
You vill in a nel be caughl.
You should remain in lhe dee valers.
Il is good for you, Rechungdordra of Gung Tang,
Ior you lo slay in hermilages,
If you vander in dierenl laces,
Your exerience and realizalion vill dim.
To rolecl and cullivale devolion
You should remain in lhe mounlains.
(. j8;)
;z
1
Drashi Tse, a alron, once asked Milarea: Do you lhink
I should concenlrale my eorl on medilalion alone or nol`
The }elsun relied, Il is for lhe very sake of raclice lhal lhe
Dharma is reached and sludied. If one does nol raclise or
medilale, bolh sludying and reaching vill be meaningless.
Hearken, my failhful alrons!
Iven sinful ersons,
Nol knoving lhe greal over of Karma,
Dream of achieving Liberalion,
Life vears oul as days and years go by,
Yel in ursuing leasures
Ieole send lheir lives.
They ask, vill lhis monlh or year be good`
lind lo life's seedy assing,
Iools cherish foolish queslions.
He vho lruly vanls lo raclise Dharma
Should make oerings lo lhe Holy Ones,
Take Refuge in lhe Trile Gem,
Give service lo lhe }elsun Guru,
Iay resecl lo his arenls,
Give alms vilhoul hoing for revard.
He should oer hel lo lhose in need,
He should live and acl u lo The Dharma's rinciles.
Nol much is needed for uddhisl raclice,
Too many vovs lead lo self-chealing.
Dear alrons, lry lo raclise vhal I say.
(. 6jo6j1)
;
Milarea said: Many eole lhink lhal lhey vill have amle
lime lo raclise lhe Dharma, bul vilhoul lheir nolice or exec-
lalion, dealh suddenly descends uon lhem and lhey lose
forever lhe chance lo raclise. Whal lhen can lhey do` One
should lurn all one's uddhisl knovledge inside one's moulh,
and lhen medilale. If one does nol furlher one's sludies and
medilalion al lhe same lime, bul lhinks lhal one should hrsl
learn a greal deal before slarling lhe aclual raclice (one vill
be comlelely losl) because knovledge is inhnile, and lhere is
no ossibilily of maslering il all.
(. 6jo)
z
Some alrons had made coious oerings lo lhe young and
handsome Rechunga before his dearlure for Weu bul had
oered his old Teacher, lhe }elsun, only lhird-rale rovisions.
Milarea came lo knov of lhis and shamed lhem lo lheir faces,
vhereuon lhey fell guill and dee regrel. One day lhey came
again and broughl excessive oerings saying, Ilease sing
for us lo avaken our insighl inlo lhe lransiency of beings.
Milarea vould nol accel lheir oerings bul he sang lhis for
lhem:
Hearken you mean alrons!
Ior lhe sake of fame, lo do
Merilorious deeds
Ior lhis life's sake lo seek
The roleclion of uddha
To give alms for lhe sake
Of relurns and dividends
;
To serve and oer for lhe sake
Of vanily and ride
These four vays vill never requile one!
Ior lhe sake of gluuony
To hold a sacramenlal feasl

Ior lhe sake of egolism
To slrive for Sulra-learning
Ior dislraclion and amusemenl
To indulge in foolish lalk and song
Ior vain glory's sake
To give lhe Inilialions

6

These four vays vill never bring one blessings!
If for love of reaching one exounds
Wilhoul lhe backing of scrilure,
If lhrough self-conceil,
One accels obeisance,
If like a bungling, fumbling fool one leaches,
Nol knoving lhe discile's caacily,
If lo galher money one behaves
Like a Dharma racliser
These four vays can never hel lhe velfare of senlienl
beings!
To refer diversions lo solilude,
To love leasures and hale hardshi,
To crave for lalk vhen urged lo medilale,
To vallov arroganlly in lhe vorld
These four vays vill never bring one lo Liberalion!
Tis is lhe song of Iourfold Warning
Dear alrons, bear il in your minds!
(. 6o16oz)
;j
Rechunga had |usl relurned from India comlele vilh nev

learning, inslruclions in various medilalions, skill in logic,
and a svollen head. In order lo clear u Rechunga's ride
and arrogance, Milarea sang:
.Oh, my son, your ride in vhal you learned
Will lead you vell aslray!
To reach a lol, vilh emly vords,
Ruins your good exerience and medilalion.
To be svollen vilh ride and arrogance
Iroves you have belrayed lhe Guru's recels.
Nolhing gives cause for more regrel
Than disobedience lo lhe Guru
No one is more dislracled and confused
Than he vho ceases lo medilale in solilude.
Nolhing is more fruilless
Than a uddhisl
y
vho renounces nol his kin.
Nolhing is more shameful
Than a learned uddhisl vho neglecls his medilalion.
Nolhing is more disgraceful
Than a monk vho violales lhe rules.
(. zj exlracl)
;6
More advice sung by Milarea lo lry lo cure Rechunga's

ride:
Il is hne lhal falher and son are in harmony
Mainlaining harmony vilh eole is a greal meril,
ul lhe besl meril is lo kee in harmony
vilh one's falher.
If one is discordanl vilh all lhe eole he knovs
He musl be a erson ominous or obnoxious.
Yel even more ominous is discord belveen falher and son.
Good il is lo mainlain harmony vilh one's
falher by righl deeds,
Good il is lo reay one's molher's kindness and bounlies,
Good il is lo acl in concord vilh all.
One's vish can be fulhlled
If one is on good lerms vilh one's brolhers,
To lease one's Guru
Is lo gain his blessings,
To be humble is lo succeed
A good uddhisl is one vho conquers all bad disosilions.
Kindness, is loleralion of slanders,
To be modesl is lo gain fame and oularily,
To mainlain ure disciline
Is lo do avay vilh relence and concealmenl,
To live vilh a sage is lo gain imrovemenl,
To be indierenl is lo slo all gossi,
To be good and comassionale is lo advance
one's odhi-mind.
These are lhings lhal a vise man should do,
ul a fool can never dislinguish friend from foe.
(. z6z; exlracl)
;;
j
Anolher exhorlalion lo Rechunga nol lo go as yel lo Weu:
Lislen, Rechung Dor|edraa,
The vell-learned uddhisl scholar.
Lislen, and lhink vilh care on vhal I say,
efore failh and yearning arise for Dharma,
eg nol alms for mere en|oymenl.
efore you have realized rimordial Trulh,
oasl nol of your sublime hilosohy.
efore you have fully maslered lhe Avareness vilhin,
Ingage nol in blind and foolish acls.
efore you can feed on lhe Inslruclions,
Involve yourself nol in vicked occullism.

8
efore you can exlain lhe rofound Teaching,
e nol beguiled by arlial knovledge.
efore you can increase your merils,
Disule nol over olhers' goods.
efore you can deslroy your inner cravings,
Treal nol charily as if il vere your righl.
efore you can slo ro|ecling habilual lhoughls,
Guess nol vhen you make rediclions.
efore you have gained Sureme Inlighlenmenl,
Assume nol lhal you are a venerable Lama,
efore you can masler all virlues and raclices,
Consider nol leaving your Guru.
Son Rechunga, il is beuer nol lo go, bul slay!
(. j88j8)
;8
6
A yogi of Gu Tang, vho had greal failh in lhe }elsun, requesled
medilalion inslruclions. Aer lhese had been given he said:
To hel ignoranl men like us, ray nov, inslrucl us in lhe
raclice of lhe Six Paraniias.
49
Milarea sang in rely:
Iroerly and veallh are like dev on grass,
Knoving lhis, gladly should one give lhem avay. (cnariiq)
Il is mosl recious lo be born a leisured and
vorlhy human being,
Knoving lhis, one should vilh care observe lhe recels
As if rolecling one's ovn eyes. (ncra| !iscip|inc)
Anger is lhe cause of falling lo lhe Realms elov,
Knoving lhis, one should refrain from vralh,
Iven al lhe risk of life. (paiicncc)
enehl lo oneself and lo olhers
Can never be achieved lhrough slolh,
Slrive, lherefore, lo do good deeds. (!i|igcncc)
A erlurbed, vandering mind
Never sees lhe lrulh of Mahayana,

o
Iraclise, lherefore, concenlralion. (nc!iiaiicn)
Te uddha cannol be found lhrough searching,
So conlemlale your ovn mind. (uis!cn)
Unlil lhe aulumn misls dissolve inlo lhe sky,
Slrive on vilh failh and delerminalion.
(. 1oo)
;
;
Tvo scholar-bhikkhus came lo argue aboul lhe Dharma vilh
Milarea bul lhe discussion (vhich vas a demonslralion of
his maslery of medilalion) lurned againsl lhem. Uon vhich,
one of lhem asked for his inslruclion in lhe Six Iaramilas. In
ansver, Milarea sang:
If from arsimony one cannol free oneself,
Whal is lhe use of discussing charily` (!ana)
If one does nol forsvear hyocrisy and relence,
Whal is lhe use of keeing disciline` (si|a)
If one ab|ures nol malicious revilings,
Whal is lhe use of exercising
relenlious alience` (knanii)
If one abandons nol indierence and inerlness,
Whal is lhe use of svearing lo be Moral` (tiriqa)
If one conquers nol lhe erranl lhoughls vilhin,
Whal is lhe use of loiling in medilalion` (sana!ni)
If one does nol see all forms as helful,
Whal is lhe use of raclising lhe Wisdom (paa)
If one knovs nol lhe rofound leaching
Of forbidding and alloving,
Whal is lhe use of learning`
If one knovs nol lhe arl of laking and re|ecling,
Whal is lhe use of seaking on Karma-causalion`
If one's mind does nol accord vilh lhe Dharma,
Whal is lhe use of |oining lhe Order`
If lhe oisonous snake of Klesa

1
is nol killed,
The yearning for visdom only leads lo fallacy.
If venomous |ealousy is nol overcome,
One's yearning for lhe odhi-mind vill be an illusion.
If one refrains nol from hurling eole,
8o
One's longing for resecl and honour
Is merely vishful lhinking.
If one cannol conquer ego-clinging and re|udice,
One's craving for lhe Iqualily of Dharma

z
Only brings vrong vievs.
If one cannol subdue lhe demon, clinging-ego,
One's Klesas vill be greal and his Yoga bound lo fail.
If one's aclions conform nol vilh lhe Dharma.
One vill alvays hinder lhe good deeds of olhers.
If one has nol yel absorbed one's mind in Dharma,
One's babbling and rauling vill only dislurb olhers' minds.
Therefore, do nol vasle your life in vords and chauer
ul lry lo gain lhe assurance of no-regrel
And lhe conhdence of facing dealh!
(. 8;88)
Milarea said: Dear leachers, lhe roverb says: '}udging from

lhe comlexion of his face, one knovs vhelher a man has
ealen or nol'. In lhe same lighl, lhe facl lhal one knovs or
knovs nol lhe Dharma, can easily be delecled by vhelher or
nol one can conquer one's ovn ego-clinging desires. If he can,
lhal roves lhal one knovs and raclises lhe uddhisl Teach-
ings. One may be very eloquenl lalking aboul lhe Dharma
and vin all lhe debales, bul if one cannol subdue even a frac-
lion of one's ego-clinging and desires, bul merely indulges
oneself in vords and lalk, one's viclories in debale vill never
bring one any rohl bul vill only increase one's egolism and
ride.
(. 8)
81
8
One of lhe scholar-bhikkhus vho had reviously been
Oosed lo lhe }elsun, gradually acquired failh in him and
evenlually came lo him for lhe Dharma, requesling, Nov
lease be kind enough lo inslrucl me in lhe essence of lhe Six
Iaramilas. In resonse, lhe }elsun sang:
I am nol vell-versed in vords
eing no scholar-reacher,
Yel lhis elilioner is sincere and good.
Te Six Iaramilas

conlain all uddhisl leachings.

To lhose vho raclise Dharma,
Weallh is bul a cause of diversion.
He vho gives his (veallh) all avay,
Will be born a Irince of Heaven.
Noble is il lo raclise charily!
Moral disciline is a ladder lo Liberalion
Which neilher monks nor laymen can discard
All uddhisl follovers should raclise il!
uddhisl alience, by lhe Ialience-reacher

exemlihed,
Is lhe virlue vhich lhe uddha cherished mosl
Il is a garmenl dicull lo vear,
Yel all merils grov vhen il is vorn.
Diligence is lhe shorl alh lo Ireedom
And a necessily for Dharma-raclice.
Wilhoul il nolhing can be done.
Ride lhen uon lhe horse of diligence!
Tese four Dharmas bring meril lo men,
eing indisensable for all.
Nov I vill seak of Wisdom.
8z
Medilalion is a leaching belveen lhese lvo,
As il alies bolh lo Wisdom and Meril raclice,
y il all dislraclions are overcome,
Ior all uddhisl raclice, il is mosl imorlanl.
Wisdom-Iaramila is lhe leaching of Iinal Trulh,
The dearesl lreasure of all uddhas.
In|oy il lhen vilhoul exhauslion,
il is lhe Wish-fulhlling Gem of Heaven,
Iulhlling lhe hoes of all senlienl beings.
To lhose vho can renounce aclivilies,
Wisdom-Iaramila vill bring hnal resl.
This rovision of Wisdom is mosl recious,
Whereby one vill reach erfeclion sle by sle.
Tis is my rely, Venerable Monk,
Remember and raclise il vilh |oy!
(. jo1joz)
Uon Mounl onbo, Milarea inslrucled many Reas vho

vere rearing lo dearl for medilalion in dislanl hermilages.
Those |unior Reas vho vanled lo slay vilh lhe }elsun lhen
said lo him, We are nov in an age of dehlemenl. Ior lhe
sake of inferior and slov-viued ersons like us, lease reach
somelhing aroriale lo our needs. In resonse, Milarea
sang:
Hearken furlher, my Son-disciles!
Al lhis lime of dehlemenl
Thal shadovs lhe Dharma of Sakyamuni,
One should slrive vilh erseverance,
8
And carve uon one's mind-slone
The vord, Diligence.
When you feel sleey during Medilalion, lry
To ray

hard vilh your avakened body, moulh and mind.

When lhe hre-sark of Wisdom dims, lry
To iname il vilh lhe vind of Mindfulness.
If you vanl lo be freed from Samsara's rison,
Iraclise hard vilhoul diversion.
If lo Nirvana you asire,
Abandon lhen lhis vorld.
If from lhe delhs of your hearl
You vanl lo raclise Dharma,
Lislen lo my vords and follov in my foolsles.
If you vanl lo consummale lhe (Sureme)
Accomlishmenl,
Never forgel lhal dealh vill come.
If hard and long you medilale, all uddhas
In lhe asl, lhe resenl and lhe fulure
Will be vell-leased.
If you are ever slraighl-forvard and urighl in lhe Dharma,
You vill receive lhe grace of your Guru.
If vilhoul error you undersland lhese vords,
You can be sure lhal more hainess
And |oy vill come your vay,
Ior such is my exerience.
(. j;j8)
jo
Some devas inviled Milarea lo reach lhe Dharma in Heaven
bul he caulioned lhem saying, You musl knov lhal Heaven
is far from deendable, il is nol elernal, and one should nol
rely on il. To be born in heaven is nol necessarily a vonderful
8
lhing. The Devas of Heaven said, In ignoranl beings like us,
lhe Kilesas alvays follov lhe mind. Iray give us a leaching
vilh vhich ve can correcl lhis faull, so lhal ve may deend
uon il and raclise il frequenlly. In resonse lo lheir requesl,
Milarea sang:
Should you, oh failhful lady Devas,
inlend lo raclise lhe Dharma oen,
Invardly you should raclise concenlralion
and conlemlalion.
The renuncialion of exlernal aairs is your adornmenl.
Oh, bear in mind lhis remedy for exlernal involvemenl!
Wilh self-comosure and mindfulness,
you should remain serene.
Glory is lhe equanimily of your mind and seech!
Glory is lhe resignalion from many aclions!
Should you meel disagreeable condilions,
Dislurbing lo your mind,
Kee valch uon yourself and be alerl,
Kee varning yourself:
The danger of anger is on ils vay.
When you meel vilh enlicing veallh,
Kee a check uon yourself
The danger of craving is on ils vay.
Should hurlful, insulling vords come lo your ears,
And so remind yourself:
Hurlful sounds are bul delusions of lhe ear.
When you associale vilh your friends,
Walch carefully and varn yourself
Lel nol |ealousy in my hearl arise!
8j
When you are lied vilh services and oerings.
e alerl and varn yourself:
Lel me bevare lesl ride should sring u in my hearl!
Al all limes, in every vay, kee valch uon yourself.
Al all limes lry lo conquer evil lhoughls vilhin you!
Whalever you may meel in your daily doings,
You should conlemlale ils void and illusory nalure.
Were even one hundred sainls and scholars galhered here,
More lhan lhis lhey could nol say.
May you all be hay and roserous!
May you all, vilh |oyful hearls,
Devole yourselves lo lhe raclice of lhe Dharma!
(. z)
j1
A young sheherd by lhe name of San|e }ha, vho vas six-
leen years old, became inleresled in knoving vhal his mind
really vas. Milarea lesled his abilily by inslrucling him lo
go for Refuge lo lhe Three Irecious Ones and lhen lo visual-
ize a uddha-image in fronl of his nose. The boy vas nol seen
for seven days and his falher feared lhal he vas dead. They
found him in a clay il siuing urighl and asked him vhy he
had nol relurned home for seven days. The boy said lhal lhey
musl be |oking for he had only been lhere a shorl lime bul il
vas seven days. While giving him inslruclions Milarea sang
lo him aboul his mind:
Lislen lo me, dear sheherd, lhe roleclor (of shee)!
y merely hearing of lhe lasle of sugar,
Sveelness cannol be exerienced,
86
Though one's mind may undersland
Whal sveelness is,
Il cannol exerience il direclly,
Only lhe longue can knov il.
In lhe same vay, one cannol see in full lhe nalure of mind,
Though he may have a glimse of il
If il has been oinled oul by olhers

6
If one relies nol on lhis one glimse,
ul conlinues searching for lhe nalure of mind,
He vill see il fully in lhe end.
Dear sheherd, in lhis vay you should observe your mind.
(. 1z1z)
jz
Lislen lo me, young sheherd.
The body is belveen lhe conscious and unconscious slale,
While lhe mind is lhe crucial and decisive faclor!
He vho feels suerings in lhe Lover Realms,
Is lhe risoner of Samsara,
Yel il is lhe mind lhal can free you from Samsara.
Surely you vanl lo reach lhe olher shore`
Surely you long for lhe Cily of Well-being and Liberalion`
If you desire lo go, dear child,
I can shov lhe Way lo you
And give you lhe inslruclions.
(. 1z1zj)
8;
j
Uon Rechunga's relurn from India, vilh books on logic
incanlalions from oulsiders and much ride, as vell as genu-
ine medilalion inslruclions, Milarea decided lo rescue him
from lhis evil and so lo velcome him, he sang:
I am a yogi vho lives on lhe snov mounlain eak,
Wilh a heallhy body I glorify lhe Mandala of lhe Whole.

y
Cleansed of vanily from lhe Iive Ioisons,
I am nol unhay,
I feel noughl bul |oy!
Renouncing all lurmoil
And fondness for diversion,
I reside alone in erfecl ease.
Iorsvearing lhe buslle of lhis vorld,
}oyfully I slay in no-man's land.
Since I have le embiuered family life,
I no longer have lo earn and save,
Since I vanl no books,
I do nol inlend lo be a learned man,
Since I raclise virluous deeds,
I feel no shame of hearl.
Since I have no ride or vanily,
I renounce vilh |oy lhe saliva-slashing debale!
Hyocrisy I have nol, nor relension.
Hay and nalural I live
Wilhoul forelhoughl or ad|uslmenl.
Since I vanl no fame nor glory,
Rumours and accusalions disaear.
Where'er I go, I feel hay,
Whale'er I vear, I feel |oyful,
Whalever food I eal, I am salished.
I am alvays hay.
88
Through Mara's grace,
I, your old falher, Milarea,
Have realized Samsara and Nirvana.
The Yoga of |oy ever hlls my hermilage.
Your Rea brolhers are vell,
On hills remole lhey make rogress in lheir medilalions.
Oh, my son Rechung Dor|e Drauga,
Have you relurned from India`
Did you feel lired and veary on lhe |ourney`
Has your mind been sharened and refreshed`
Has your voice been good for singing`
Did you raclise and follov your Guru's inslruclions`
Did you secure lhe leachings lhal you vanled`
Did you oblain all lhe various inslruclions`
Have you gained much knovledge and much learning`
Have you noliced your ride and egolism`
Are you allruislic in your lhoughls and aclions`
This is my song of velcoming for you,
On your relurn.
(. zzz)
j
Iive young nuns from Mon had become Milarea's disciles.
Having dvell vilh him for some lime, lhey decided lo invile
him lo lheir village (vhence lhey lhoughl of relurning). They
said lo him: Revered One, since your mind no longer changes,
lhere is no need for you lo raclise medilalion. Therefore, for
lhe sake of senlienl beings lease come lo our village and
reach lhe Dharma for us. Milarea relied, Iraclising med-
ilalion in solilude is, in ilself, a service lo lhe eole. Allhough
my mind no longer changes, il is slill a good lradilion for a
greal yogi lo remain in solilude. He lhen sang:
8
Trough lhe raclice (of medilalion)
I shov gralilude lo my Guru.
Iray granl me your grace, rien and liberale me.
You gied disciles, follovers of Dharma,
Heed carefully, vilh all auenlion,
While I sing of lhe rofound Issenlial Teaching.
Te Greal Lioness of lhe uer snov mounlain
Ioses roudly on lhe summil of lhe eak,
She is nol afraid
Iroudly dvelling on lhe mounlain
Is lhe snov lion's vay.
Te _een Vullure on Red Rock
Slrelches her vings in lhe vide sky,
She is nol afraid of falling
Ilying lhrough lhe sky is lhe vullure's vay.
In lhe delhs of lhe greal ocean
Darls lhe _een of Iish, gliuering,
She is nol afraid (of drovning)
Svimming is lhe hsh's vay.
On lhe branches of lhe oak lrees,
Agile monkeys sving and lea,
They are nol afraid of falling
Such is lhe vild monkey's vay.
Under lhe leafy canoy of lhe dense vood,
The slried liger roams and svily runs,
Nol because of fear or vorry
This shovs her haughly ride,
And is lhe mighly liger's vay.
In lhe vood on Singa Mounlain,
I, Milarea, medilale on voidness,
o
Nol because I fear lo lose my underslanding
Conslanl medilalion is lhe yogi's vay.
.
Those greal yogis vho have maslered lhe Iraclice
Never desire anylhing in lhis vorld.
Il is nol because lhey vanl fame
Thal lhey remain in solilude,
Il is lhe nalural sign sringing from lheir hearls
The lrue feeling of non-auachmenl and renuncialion.
Yogis vho raclise lhe leaching of lhe Ialh Irofound,
Dvell alvays in caves and on mounlains,
Nol lhal lhey are cynical or omous,
ul lo concenlrale on medilalion is lheir self-villing.
I, lhe couon-clad, have sung many songs,
Nol lo amuse myself by singing sohislries,
ul for your sake, failhful follovers vho assemble here,
Irom my hearl I have soken vords helful and rofound.
(. 818 exlracl)
jj
A monk-discile of Milarea, Ligor Sharu, vanled lhe }elsun
lo adal himself somevhal lo vorldly convenlions, so as lo
vin lhe inleresl and folloving of greal scholars. Milarea
refused lhis idea saying lhal he vould ever follov his Guru's
inslruclions lo live remolely, and he sang lo Ligor Sharu:
I bov dovn lo Mara, lhe Translalor.
Realizing lhal fame is as unreal as an echo,
I abandon nol lhe ascelic vay of life,
Throving avay all cares and rearalions.
1
Whalever reulalion I may have,
I shall alvays be hay and conlenled.
Realizing lhal all lhings are illusion,
I casl avay ossessions,
Ior veallh oblained by slrife I have nol lhe leasl desire!
Whalever my means and reslige,
Realizing lhal all follovers are hanloms,
I have no concern for human relalionshi
And lravel vhere I lease,
Unlike lhose arlihcial scholar-riesls
Who acl vilh discrelion and reslrainl.

8
Whalever lhe slalus I may have
Realizing lhal desires and suerings
Are lhemselves lhe Greal Iqualily,

I cul lhe roe of assion and of halred.

Wilh or vilhoul associales,
Te nalure of being is beyond lay-vords,

6o
Auachmenls lo any doclrine or concel
Is merely a mauer of self-confusion.
Unshackling lhe feuer of lhe knover-and-lhe-knovn,
Whalever I become and vherever I remain,
In lhe greal Illuminaling Mind ilself,
I see no ollulion by vandering lhoughls.
Throving avay all reasonings and observalions,
Whalever vords I hear and say,
(. j1;j18)
z
j6
Rechunga hrsl venl lo India lo be cured of lerosy, and
before he venl he sealed u vilh clay lhe moulh of lhe cave
vhere lhe }elsun vas medilaling. When he relurned having
been cured, eole said lhal lhe yogi Mila had nol been seen
for some lime. Rechunga venl lo lhe cave and broke dovn
lhe vall, vhich vas slill inlacl. Milarea vas slill in medila-
lion and lhen sang lo him as a greeling:
I bov dovn al lhe feel of Mara, lhe Gracious One.
ecause I have le my kinsmen, I am hay,
ecause I have abandoned auachmenl lo my counlry,
I am hay,
Since I disregard lhis lace,
I am hay,
As I do nol vear lhe loy garb of rieslhood

61
,
I am hay,
ecause I cling nol lo house and family, I am hay,
I need nol lhis or lhal, so I am hay.
ecause I ossess lhe greal veallh of Dharma, I am
hay, ecause I vorry nol aboul roerly, I am hay,
ecause I have no fear of losing anylhing, I am hay,
Since I never dread exhauslion, I am hay,
Having fully realized Mind-Issence

6z
, I am hay,
As I need nol force myself lo lease my alrons,
I am hay,
Having no faligue or veariness, I am hay,
As I need reare for nolhing, I am hay,
Since all I do comlies vilh Dharma, I am hay,
Never desiring lo move, I am hay,
As lhe lhoughl of dealh brings me no fear, I am hay,

andils, lhieves and robbers never molesl me,
So al all limes I am hay!
Having von lhe besl condilions for Dharma-raclice,
I am hay,
Having ceased from evil deeds and le o sinning,
I am hay,
Treading lhe Ialh of Merils, I am hay,
Divorced from hale and in|ury, I am hay,
Having losl all ride and |ealousy, I am hay,
Underslanding lhe vrongness of lhe Iighl Worldly Winds,

6
I am hay,
Absorbed in quiel and even-mindedness, I am hay
Using lhe mind lo valch lhe mind, I am hay,
Wilhoul hoe or fear, I am hay
In lhe shere of Non-clinging Illuminalions

6
I am hay,
The Non-dislinguishing Wisdom of Dharmadhalu

6
is ilself hay,
Ioised in lhe nalural realm of Immanence

66
I am hay,
In leuing lhe Six Grous of Consciousness go by
To relurn lo lheir original nalure,

6y
I am hay,
Te hve radianl gales of sense all make one hay,
To slo lhe mind lhal comes and goes is hay,
Oh, I have so much of hainess and |oy!
This is a song of gaiely I sing,
This is a song of gralilude lo my Guru and lhe
Three Irecious Ones
I vanl no olher hainess.
Trough lhe grace of uddha and lhe Gurus,
Iood and clolhes are rovided by my alrons.
Wilh no bad deeds and sins,
I shall be |oyful vhen I die,

Wilh all good deeds and virlues,
I am hay vhile alive.
In|oying yoga, I am indeed mosl hay.
ul hov are you, Rechunga`
Is your vish fulhlled`
(. 11o11z)
j;
Te envoy of lhe Neali King, uon meeling him for lhe hrsl
lime, vas vonderslruck al Milarea's lack of malerial osses-
sions and asked him: Don'l you hnd il hard lo live lhus vilh-
oul laking nourishing food` Why is il necessary lo abandon
all belongings` Milarea lhen ansvered lhe envoy: I am lhe
Tibelan yogi, Milarea. 'Wilhoul belongings' means 'vilhoul
suerings'. Nov lislen lo my song:
I bov dovn lo all holy Gurus.
I am lhe man called Milarea.
Ior ossessions I have no desire.
Since I never slrive lo make money,
Iirsl I do nol suer
ecause of making il,
Then I do nol suer
ecause of keeing il,
In lhe end I do nol suer
ecause of hoarding il.
euer far and haier is il
Nol lo have ossessions.
j
Wilhoul auachmenl lo kinsmen and comanions,
I do nol seek aeclion in comanionshi,
Iirsl I do nol suer
ecause of hearl-clinging,
Then I do nol suer
Irom any quarrelling,
ecause of searalion.
Il is far beuer lo have no aeclionale comanions.
Since I have no ride and egolism,
I do nol look for fame and glory.
Iirsl I do nol suer
ecause of seeking lhem,
Then I do nol suer
In lrying lo reserve lhem,
Ior fear of losing lhem.
Il is far beuer lo have neilher fame nor glory.
Since I have no desire for any lace,
I crave nol lo be here, nor lhere.
Iirsl I do nol vorry
Aboul my home's roleclion,
Then I do nol suer
Irom a fervenl assion for il,
In lhe end I am nol anxious lo defend il.
Il is far beuer lo have neilher home nor land.
(. z88z8)
6
j8
Tis is lhe song of Milarea lo some alrons from Drin vho
vere ashamed because of lhe }elsun's lack of convenlional
behaviour:
Trough vandering long in many laces,
I have forgouen my nalive land.
Slaying long vilh my Holy }elsun,
I have forgouen all my kinsmen.
Keeing for long lhe uddha's Teaching,
I have forgouen vorldly lhings.
Slaying for long in hermilages,
I have forgouen all diversions.
Through long valching of monkeys' lay,
I have forgouen shee and caule.
Long accuslomed lo a linder-box,
I have forgouen all household chores.
Long used lo solilude vilhoul servanl or masler,
I have forgouen courleous manners.
Long accuslomed lo be carefree,
I have forgouen vorldly shame.
Long accuslomed lo lhe mind coming and going
y ilself, I have forgouen hov lo hide lhings.
Long used lo burning Duma-heal,

68
I have forgouen clolhing.
Long accuslomed lo raclising Non-discriminaling Wisdom,
I have forgouen all dislracling lhoughls.
Long used lo raclising lhe Tvo-in-One Illuminalion,

6
I have forgouen all nonsensical ideas.
These lvelve 'oblivions' are lhe leachings of lhis yogi.
Why, dear alrons, do you nol also follov lhem`
I have unlied lhe knol of dualism,
;
Whal need have I lo follov your cusloms.
To me, odhi is sonlaneily ilself!
Te Dharma of you vorldly eole
Is loo dicull lo raclise.
Caring for noughl, I live lhe vay I lease.
Your so-called 'shame' only brings deceil
And fraud, Hov lo relend I knov nol.
(. j;j8o)
j
In a galhering of alrons, a young man said lo Milarea:
We vould like lo come lo you for inslruclions, lease lell us
vhere your lemle is and vho rovides your suslenance. In
ansver Milarea sang:
My lemle is an unnamed hermilage,
My alrons are men and vomen everyvhere,
No one can lell vhere I go or slay.
In lhe caves vhere no man comes
I, lhe yogi, am losl lo viev.
(When I lravel) I carry
Only my Guru's Inslruclions lighler
Than fealhers, I shoulder lhem vilh ease,
More handy lhan gold, I conceal lhem vhere I lease,
Slronger lhan a solid caslle,
In all erils lhey sland hrm.
In lhe lhree vinlers I dvell haily in foresls,
In lhe lhree summers I slay cheerfully on snov mounlains,
In lhe lhree srings I live vilh leasure in lhe marshes,
In lhe lhree aulumns I vander |oyfully for alms.
In lhe leaching of my Guru, my mind is alvays hay,
Singing songs of insiralion, my moulh is alvays hay,
8
Wearing couon from Neal, my body's alvays hay.
In delighl I accomlish all and everylhing
To me lhere is bul cheer and |oy.
(. j;j8)
6o
Te alrons of Nya Non vished Milarea lo slay vilh lhem
ermanenlly. Milarea relied, I cannol slay here long, bul
I vill beslov lhe blessing of long life and good heallh uon
all of you. Also I vill make a vish lhal ve meel again under
ausicious circumslances conducive lo lhe Dharma. Then he
sang:
In lhe immense blue sky above
Roll on lhe sun and moon.
Their courses mark lhe change of lime.
lue sky, I vish you heallh and forlune,
Ior I, lhe moon-and-sun, am leaving
To visil lhe Iour Conlinenls for leasure.
On lhe mounlain eak is a greal rock
'Round vhich circles o lhe vullure,
The King of birds.
Their meeling
And lheir arling mark lhe change of lime.
Dear rock, be vell and heallhy, for I,
The vullure, nov vill y avay
Inlo lhe vasl sace for leasure.
May lighlnings never slrike you,
May I nol be caughl by snares.
Insired by lhe Dharma,
May ve soon meel again,
In roserily and boon.
elov in lhe Tsang River,

Svim hsh vilh golden eyes,
Their meeling and lheir arling
Mark lhe change of lime.
Dear slream, be vell and heallhy, for I,
The hsh, am going lo lhe Ganges for diversion.
May irrigalors never drain you,
May hshermen ne'er nel me
May ve soon meel again
In lhe fair garden blooms lhe over, Halo,
Circling round il is lhe Iersian bee.
Their meeling and lheir arling,
Dear over, be vell and heallhy, for I
Will see lhe Ganges' blooms for leasure.
May hail nol beal dovn uon you,
May vinds blov me nol avay.
Circling round lhe Yogi Milarea
Are lhe failhful alrons from Nya Non,
Their meeling and lheir arling
e vell and heallhy, dear alrons, as I
Leave for lhe far mounlains for diversion.
May I, lhe yogi, make good rogress,
And you, my alrons, all live long.
In roserily and boon!
(. 6oz6o)
1oo
Notes
1 'See Tibel's Greal Yogi, Milarea, lranslaled by Lama
Kazi Davo-Samdu, ediled by Ivans-Wenlz, ublished by
Oxford Universily Iress. nnc
z Te comlele vork, from vhich all lhe songs reroduced
belov are exlracled, is lhe Hundred Thousand Songs of
Milarea, hrsl lranslaled from Tibelan inlo Inglish by
Irof. C. C. Chang, in lvo volumes, ublished by lhe Uni-
versily ooks Inc, Nev Hyde Iark, Nev York. nnc
Lama Acariya or Teacher. Il is nol lhe Tibelan equiva-
lenl of 'bhikkhu' (vhich is 'gelong'). Thus in Tibel nol all
bhikkhus are lherefore Lamas. nnc
Tree dierenl arls of black magic. Noles in arenlheses
are quoled from lhe lranslalion of lhe Hundred Thousand
Songs. nnc
j In Inglish, ve have his }evel Ornamenl of Liberalion,
lranslaled by H.V. Guenlher Rider & Co., London. nnc
6 Translaled by uddharakkhila Thera of angalore, India.
nnc
; Te odhisaua's Vov and Iraclice lo save all senlienl
beings eilher in Mundane resecl vhen Voidness has nol
been realized, or as Transcendenlal vhen Suala has
been exerienced. His raclice includes lhe Ierfeclions, or
lhose qualilies vhich hel one in crossing over from
Samsara lo Nibbana lhe Iarami(la). nnc
8 Or Three Realms of Desire, of Iorm and of Non-Iorm.
They include all senlienl beings in lhe various Realms of
Samsaric exislence. nnc
1o1
Te realm of reealed birlh-and-dealhs broughl inlo exe-
rience by lhe mislaken concelions of 'I', 'self', 'ego', and
'soul' as abiding enlilies. nnc
1o Used lhroughoul lo exress lhe uddhisl leaching of
deeds vhich bring harm on olhers (and ruin lo oneself).
This aclion is 'unskilful' (akusala) and 'sin' here musl be
underslood in lhus sense. nnc
11 Delusion, illusory nalure of Samsara. nnc
1z Virluous deeds lhal lead one lo Inlighlenmenl. nnc
1 Te inlermediale slale of exislence belveen dealh and
rebirlh (Skl: aniara|nata, san||atcsi), bul ils exislence is dis-
uled in Theravada, vhere rebirlh is said lo be immedi-
ale. The queslion is comlicaled by lhe facl lhal Time is
a relalive concel (aaui) and ils ercelion deendenl
uon lhe ossession of cerlain senses. ardo, according
lo Tibelan uddhism, is a very imorlanl slale, like cross-
roads, and lhe fale and forlune of one's rebirlh deends
much uon il. nnc
1 Te Lord of Hell before vhom, according lo some accounls,
evil-doers are dragged and lried. Such visions seen by one
arising in lhe Hells are oen exlained as menlal ro|ec-
lions aearing very real lo lhose vho see lhem. They are,
of course, lhe fruil (pna|a, tipaka) of unskilful aclion (akus-
a|a kanna). nnc
1j Of birlh, old age, sickness and dealh. nnc
16 A legendary yak ox said lo dvell in Heaven. nnc
1; Gained by lhe raclice of lhe Iour Arua }hanas: Inhnily
of sace, of consciousness, No-lhingness, and Neilher-er-
celion-nor-non-ercelion. nnc
1oz
18 Gained by lhe raclice of lhe Iour Rua }hanas. nnc
1 Of Tilans (asura), Hungry Ghosls (pcia), Animals, and Hell-
vrailhs. nnc
zo Tis is lhe lrue nalure of mind (ciua-sa|nata) vhich is
anaua, sua, elc., bul is nol recognized due lo holding
ideas of ermanence, hainess, ego, elc. nnc
z1 Te reason vhy a ersonalily endoved vilh all lhe Six Ile-
menls (Iarlh, Waler, Iire, Air, Sace and Consciousness)
can commil all good and evil deeds is imlicilly given in
lhe Abhidharmakosa. Senlienl beings in rua- and arua-
realms are nol endoved vilh all six elemenls, some of
lhem having only lvo elemenls or one, lhus being incaa-
ble of lhe commission of greal evil deeds such as killing,
sexual erversion, elc. This is vhy il is oen said lhal here
in lhis vorld is lhe besl lace eilher lo auain Nirvana or lo
fall inlo Realms of Woe, since human beings are endoved
vilh greal menlal and hysical overs arlly deendenl
on lhe ossession of lhe Six Ilemenls. nnc
zz As for inslance, did Lord uddha lo Nanda vhen leading
him lo raclise lhe lrue Dhamma, by hrsl romising him
revards of exquisile leasures in lhe heavens of desire.
nnc
z Il is said lhal lhe denizens of lhis hell suer unceasing
lormenl, vhereas in olher hells, lemorary relief of ain
is ossible. Those vho nov aicl lhe Dharma in Tibel
should lake nolice of lhe inevilable fale in slore for erse-
culors of lhe Dharma! nnc
z See nntc y. nnc
zj All beings have been one's arenls al some lime or olher,
see nntc o. nnc
1o
z6 In Iali, araii accidie, sirilual boredom, indierence lo
vhal is sirilually skilful. nnc
z; Man is nol free lo choose vhere he vill be reborn, lhis
being a rocess deending uon vhal Karma he has made
for himself. nnc
z8 Te 'Slore' Consciousness, lhe funclion of vhich is lo re-
serve lhe 'seeds' of menlal imressions. Memory and learn-
ing are made ossible because of lhis consciousness. nnc
z Tere is a realm, O bhikkhus,. (vhere) lhere is no coming
or going or remaining, or deceasing or arising. lhus is
lhe end of suering. (Udana 8o81) nnc
o See nntc zz. nnc
1 According lo Tibelan alhology, lhese are lhe lhree ma|or
sicknesses of man. nnc
z See nntc zz. nnc
Channels of sirilual force in lhe body. nnc
Te ancienl, re-uddhisl religion of Tibel. nnc
j Il is Tibelan cuslom lo fold lhe body al lhe vaisl and make
il inlo a bundle lo be borne avay. nnc
6 See nole lo Inlroduclion (nntc in Song 1). nnc
; Ior lhese ; Iossessions of a Righleous Imeror, see Mahas-
udassana Suua, Digha Nikaya. nnc
8 Sirilual rovisions for uddhahood: ana-sambhara
(aaarami) Irovision of Wisdom, ua-sambhara
(lhe olher arami) Irovision of Merils accumulaled by
vay of Comassion. nnc
1o
Anlilhesis of killing, slealing, sexual misconducl, lying,
backbiling, harsh seech, nonsensical lalk, covelousness,
anger and erverled vievs. nnc
o All senlienl beings may be regarded as one's molhers since
as Lord uddha says: I see no beginning lo beings vho,
blinded by ignorance and imelled by craving are hurry-
ing lhrough lhe round of birlh. In lhis vay, ve have a
relalionshi vilh all living crealures as lhey have all been
our molhers. nnc
1 Or Whisered Transmission: lhe Ghagvua School of ud-
dhisl Iraclice 5cc Intrnductinn. nnc
z Or 'Ierfeclions (see nntc ). In Norlhern uddhisl lra-
dilion lhese are six (Giving, Moral Conducl, Ialience, Dil-
igence, Medilalion, Wisdom) vilh anolher four added
occasionally. Aarl from Medilalion lhe olher hve are
counled among lhe Ierfeclions in Theravada, vhich lisls
len. Tvo of lhese are of Loving-kindness and Iquanimily,
vhich vould of course fall under Medilalion. nnc
See nntc o. nnc
See nntc . nnc
j Oerings made lo lhe uddhas, odhisauvas and deilies.
nnc
6 Inslruclions for lhe raclice of medilalion. nnc
; A uddhisl bhikkhu or yogi is meanl here. nnc
8 As vilh lhe olher coulels, vhen one can feed on lhe
Inslruclions, has maslered lhe Avareness vilhin elc.,
one vill nalurally nol be involved in evil and unskilful
acls. nnc
1oj
See nntc z, . nnc
jo Mahayana here need nol be underslood in any seclarian
sense bul means ralher lhe uddha's Greal Way of Wis-
dom-Comassion, lranscending narrov seclarian dogma-
lism. In conlrasl lo lhe lauer, lhe }elsun laughl essenlially
a Way of Iraclice and Realizalion. nnc
j1 Klesa, Kilesa Dehlemenl, oison of mind, such as lusl,
halred and delusion. nnc
jz Ireedom from all lhoughls and concelualizalions, be
lhey simle or comlex, good or evil, monislic or dual-
islic. lhen one is said lo have acquired lhe visdom of
Iqualily or Non-discriminalion. nnc
j Somelimes lranslaled 'erfeclions' bul in Chinese and
Tibelan as Reaching-lhe-olher-shore, meaning reaching
Nirvana beyond Samsara. nnc
j See Khanlivadi }alaka No. 1. nnc
jj Using body, moulh and mind in some devolional exercise,
such as lhe 'Long Iroslralions' so oen and vigorously
raclised by Tibelans. nnc
j6 Sudden insighl exerienced lhrough lhe aclion of lhe
Teacher, eilher verbally or hysically many vell-knovn
cases in Zen uddhism. nnc
j; Il is signihcanl lhal lhe vords 'holy' and 'vhole' are ely-
mologically relaled. nnc
j8 'Arlihcial' because lheir scholarshi vas combined only
vilh a moralily of reslriclions, lhus lacking lhe essenlial
raclice of Dharma. nnc
1o6
j Unenlighlened vorldly beings discriminale belveen likes
and dislikes, elc., bul vilh Transcendenl visdom (aa)
lhis is seen lo be a false rocess, for vhere lhere is no dis-
criminalion, lhere is no desire or suering. nnc
6o Words are learnl, concels are formed, and lhrough confu-
sion vilh lhem one assumes lhal even ullimale Trulh can
be exressed by vords, bul Nibbana is beyond such 'lay-
vords'. nnc
61 Te allusion is lo lhe Sangha's degeneracy in Mila's days
and lo lhe ride in scholarshi vhich slrangled Dhamma
raclice. nnc
6z Mind-essence is lhe lrue nalure of mind (see nntc 1).
nnc
6 Gain, loss, raise, blame, honour, ridicule, |oy, sorrov.
nnc
6 Tey are dierenl asecls or descrilions of Inlighlenmenl.
nnc
6j Tey are dierenl asecls or descrilions of Inlighlenmenl.
nnc
66 Tey are dierenl asecls or descrilions of Inlighlenmenl.
nnc
6; Realizing lheir nalure lo be void (sua). nnc
68 A heal roduced in lhe body by means of medilalion,
lhus enabling a yogi lo live high in lhe snov mounlains.
Milarea vore only one iece of couon clolh. nnc
6 Non-dislinclion belveen Means (lhe hrsl hve Iarami) and
Wisdom (lhe sixlh one). nnc

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B

On prcticus pagc }elsun Milarea is shovn siuing al ease in

Yundun and Rondunlaga,

Seemed mosl leasanl and delighlful,

Though I may suslain il for a vhile,

Oh, lhe more I lhink of lhis,

Milarea said: A human body, free and oorlune, is as re-

Their virlues are essenlially condilional,

Iar from lhem alas, is Liberalion.

He is lormenled by avarice and hale.

A Song ulth Nlne Meunlngs

converge in lhe body,

riesls and diviners become useless,

Te }elsun vas aboul lo leave Nya Non for olher hermilages,

When lhe }elsun Milarea vas slaying in lhe Slone House of

Can never be underslood

Milarea caulioned his discile Rechunga lo live as he had

Rechunga had |usl relurned from India comlele vilh nev

More advice sung by Milarea lo lry lo cure Rechunga's

Milarea said: Dear leachers, lhe roverb says: '}udging from

conlain all uddhisl leachings.

Uon Mounl onbo, Milarea inslrucled many Reas vho

hard vilh your avakened body, moulh and mind.

I cul lhe roe of assion and of halred.

As lhe lhoughl of dealh brings me no fear, I am hay,

I shall be |oyful vhen I die,

elov in lhe Tsang River,

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