Milarepa
Milarepa is one of Tibet’s most beloved yogis. He was born in 1052.
When his wealthy father died, Milarepa’s uncle stole the family’s inheritance. At his mother’s request, Milarepa learned the “black arts”, killing many people associated with his uncle.
Later, Milarepa repented and sought a spiritual teacher. He found Marpa the Translator who treated him very harshly as a means of purifying Milarepa’s previous karma of bringing so much harm to others.
For a long time Marpa refused to give any teachings to Milarepa, giving him instead a series of increasingly difficult and frustrating tasks. For instance, he ordered Milarepa to build a house by hand and when it was completed, ordered him to tear it down.
Finally, Marpa gave Milarepa many teachings and initiations and Milarepa practiced with great energy while living alone in a cave and eating only nettles. Under Marpa’s guidance he reached enlightenment.
Milarepa composed many spiritual songs that revealed his realisations. This is one of his famous verses:
"Meditate in the unborn nature of the mind:
Like space, no centre, no limit;
Like the sun and moon, bright and clear;
Like a mountain, unmoving, unshakeable;
Like the ocean, deep, unfathomable."
- Milarepa
Relic and Source
- Milarepa’s relics were offered to Lama Zopa Rinpoche by his student, Wu Wen Yuen in Taiwan, in 2001.
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