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THE LIFE AND HYMNS OF MlLAREPA
Milarepa's Belief
" My Guru said, My
son, what beliefs or convictions hast thou arrived at
regarding these Truths; what experiences,what insight, what
understanding hast thou obtained? And he added, Take thy
time and recount them to me.
1
To the impure eyes of them Thou seekest to liberate, Thou manifestest Thyself in a variety of shapes;
But to those of Thy followers who have been purified, Thou, Lord, appearest as a Perfected Being; obeisance to
Thee.
2
With Thy Brahma-like voice, endowed with the sixty vocal perfections,
Thou preachest the Holy Truths to each in his own speech,
Complete in their eighty-four thousand subjects; Obeisance to Thy Word, audible yet inseparable from
the Voidness.
3
In the Heavenly Radiance of Dharma-Kaya Mind, There existeth not shadow of thing or concept,
Yet It pervadeth all objects of knowledge;
Obeisance to the Immutable, Eternal Mind.
4
In the Holy Palace of the Pure and Spiritual Realms, Thou Person illusory, yet changeless and selfless,
Thou Mother Divine of Buddhas, past, present, and future,
0 Great Mother Damema, to Thy Feet I bow.
5
(0 Guru), to Thy children spiritual,
To Thy disciples who Thy word obey,
To each, with all his followers, Obeisance humble and sincere I make.
6
Whate'er there be, in all the systems of the many worlds,
To serve as offerings for the rites divine,
I offer unto Thee, along with mine own fleshly form;
Of all my sins, may I be freed and purified.
7
In merits earned by others, I rejoice;
So set the Wheel of Truth in motion full, I pray;
Until the Whirling Pool of Being emptied be,
Do not, 0 Noble Guru.. from the world depart.
I dedicate all merit from this Hymn,
Unto the Cause of Universal Good.
Having, as a prelude, sung this hymn of seven stanzas, I then continued: Inseparable from Dorje-Chang Himself art thou, my Guru.. with thy consort, and thine offspring. In virtue of thy fair and meritorious deeds, and of the power of the waves of grace proceeding from thy boundless generosity, and of thy kindness beyond repayment, I, thy vassal, have imbibed a little knowledge, in the sphere of understanding, which I now beg to lay before thee. Out of the unchanging State of Quiescence of Eternal Truth, be pleased to listen unto me for a little while.
I have understood this body of mine to be the product of Ignorance, as set forth in the Twelve Nidanas.. composed of flesh and blood, lit up by the perceptive power of conscious-ness. To those fortunate ones who long for Emancipation, it may be the great vessel by means of which they may procure Freedom and Endowments; but to those unfortunate ones, who only sin, it may be the guide to the lower and miserable states of existence. This, our life, is the boundary-mark whence one may take an upward or downward path. Our present time is a most precious time, wherein each of us must decide, in one way or the other, for lasting good or lasting ill. I have under-stood this to be the chief end of our present term of life. Here, again, by holding on to Thee, 0 powerful Lord and Saviour of sentient beings like myself, I hope to cross over this Ocean of Worldly Existence, the source of all pains and griefs, so difficult to escape from. But to be able to do so, it is first of all necessary for me to take refuge in the Precious Trinity, and to observe and adopt in a sincere spirit the rules prescribed. In this, too, I see the Guru to be the main source and embodi-ment of all good and happiness that can accrue to me.
Therefore do I realize the supreme necessity of obeying the Guru's commands and behests, and keeping my faith in him unsullied and staunch. After such realization, then deep medi-tation on the difficulty of obtaining the precious boon of a free and well-endowed human birth, on the uncertainty of the exact moment of death, on the certain effect of one's actions, and on the miseries of sangsaric being, cannot fail to compel one to desire freedom and emancipation from all sangsaric ex-istence; and to obtain this, one must cleave to the staff of the Noble Eightfold Path, by which only may a sentient being ob-tain that emancipation. Then, from the level of this Path, one must pass on, by degrees, to the Higher Paths, all the while observing one's vows as carefully as if they were one's own eyes, rebuilding or mending them should they become in the least impaired. I have understood that one who aimeth at his individual peace and happiness adopteth the Lower Path (the Hinayana). But he, who from the very start, devoteth the merit of his love and compassion to the cause of .others, I un-derstand belongeth to the Higher Path (the Mahayana). To leave the Lower Path and to enter upon the Higher Path, it is necessary to gain a clear view of the goal of one's aspira- tions, as set forth by the unexcelled Immutable Path (the Vajra-Yana).
Again, to gain a clear view of the Final Goal, it is essential to have a perfectly well-accomplished Guru, who knoweth every branch of the four kinds of initiatory rites without the slightest misunderstanding or doubt regarding them; he alone can make the Final Goal thoroughly explicit to a shishya. The ceremony of initiation conferreth the power of mastering abstruse and deep thoughts regarding the Final Goal. In meditating on the Final Goal, step by step, one hath to put forth all one's en-ergies, both of grammatical and logical acumen; as well as, through moral and mental reasoning and internal search, to discover the non-existence of the personal Ego and, therefore, the fallacy of the popular idea that it existeth. In realizing the non-existence of the personal Ego, the mind must be kept in quiescence. On being enabled, by various methods, to put the mind in that state as a result of a variety of causes, all (thoughts, ideas, and cognitions) cease, and the mind passeth from consciousness (of objects) into a state of perfect tranquil- lity, so that days, months, and years may pass without the per- son himself perceiving it; thus the passing of time hath to be marked for him by others. This state is called Shi-nay (Tran- quil Rest). By not submitting oneself to the state of total oblivion and unconsciousness (of objects), but by exerting one's intellect or faculty of consciousness in this state, one gaineth the clear ecstatic state of quiescent consciousness. I
Although there be this state, which may be called a state of superconsciousness (Lhag-tong), nevertheless, individuals, or ego-entities, so long as they are such, are incapable of experi- encing it. I believe that it is only experienced when one hath gained the first (superhuman) state on the Path to Buddha-hood. Thus, by thought-process and visualization, one treadeth the Path. The visions of the forms of the Deities upon which one meditateth are merely the signs attending perseverance in meditation. They have no intrinsic worth or value in them- selves.
To sum up, a vivid state of mental quiescence, accompanied by energy, and a keen power of analysis, by a clear and in- quisitive intellect, are indispensable requirements; like the low- est rungs of a ladder, they are absolutely necessary to enable one to ascend. But in the process of meditating on this state of mental quiescence (Shi-nay), by mental concentration, either on forms and shapes, or on shapeless and formless things, the very first effort must be made in a compassionate mood, with the aim of dedicating the merit of one's efforts to the Uni- versal Good. Secondly, the goal of one's aspirations must be well defined and clear, soaring into the regions transcending thought. Finally, there is need of mentally praying and wish- ing for blessings on others so earnestly that one's mind-processes also transcend thought. These, I understand, to be the highest of all Paths.
Then, again, as the mere name of food doth not satisfy the appetite of a hungry person, but he must eat food, so, also, a man who would learn about the Voidness (of Thought) must meditate so as to realize it, and not merely learn its definition. Moreover, to obtain the knowledge of the state of supercon-sciousness (Lhag-tong) , one must practice and accustom one-self to the mechanical attainment of the recurrence of the above practices without intermission. In short, habituation to the contemplation of Voidness, of Equilibrium, of the Inde-scribable, and of the Incognizable, forms the four different stages of the Four Degrees of Initiation,-graduated steps in the ultimate goal of the mystic Vajra-Yana (or Immutable Path). To understand these thoroughly, one must sacrifice bodily ease and all luxuriousness, and, with this in mind, face and sur- mount every obstacle, being ever willing to sacrifice life itself, and prepared for every possible contingency.
As for myself, I have not the means to a recompense thee, my Guru and the Reverend Mother,-my benefactors; your loving kindness is beyond my power to repay by any offer of worldly wealth or riches. So I will repay you by a lifelong de- votion to meditation,and I will complete my final study of your Teachings in the 'Og-min Heaven.
To my Guru, the Great Dorje-Chang,
To Damema, the Mother of all Buddhas,
And to all Princes Royal, the Avataras,
I make as offering, to Their ears, this essence learning gleaned.
If there be heresy or error in my speech,
I pray that They will kindly pardon it,
And set me then upon the Righteous Path.
Lord, from the sun-orb of Thy Grace,
The radiant Rays of Light have shone,
And opened wide the petals of the Lotus of my Heart,
So that it breatheth forth the fragrance born of Knowl-edge,
For which I am for ever bounden unto Thee;
So will I worship Thee by constant meditation.
Vouchsafe to bless me in mine efforts,
That good may come to every sentient being.
Lastly, I ask forgiveness, too, for any lavishness of words.
Then my Guru replied, I have conferred upon thee the Su-preme, Mystic, Ear-Whispered Truths, as revealed by the Deities and transmitted to me by my Lord Naropa. To no other of my disciples have I imparted them; nay, nut even to the foremost. To thee I have handed them on in an entire and perfect manner, like unto a vessel filled to the very brim.
Then he invoked the Tutelary Deities to bear witness to the truth of these statements.
The Guru having delivered this deeply impressive discourse sang the following song extempore:
To desire much, bringeth a troubled mind;
(So) store within thy heart (these) precepts wise: Many seeming Thats are not the That;
Many trees bear nought of fruit;
All Sciences are not the Wisdom True;
Acquiring these is not acquiring Truth.
Much talking is of little profit.
That which enricheth the heart is the Sacred Wealth; Desirest thou wealth? then store thou this.
The Doctrine which subdueth passions vile is the Noble Path;
Desirest thou a safe path? then tread thou this.
A contented heart is the noblest king;
Desirest thou a noble master? Then seek thou this.
Forsake the weeping, sorrow-burdened world;
Make lonely caves thy home paternal,
And solitude thy paradise.
Let Thought riding Thought be thy tireless steed,
And thy body thy temple filled with gods,
And ceaseless devotion, thy best of drugs.
To thee, thou energetic one,
The Teaching that containeth all of Wisdom I have given;
Thy faith, the Teaching, and myself are one.
And may this Perfect Seed of Truth, thus to my son entrusted,
Bring forth its foliage and its fruit,
Without corruption, without being scattered, without withering.
Having sung this, the Guru placed his hand upon my head, and said, My son, thy going away breaketh my heart; but since all composite things are alike liable to dissolution it can-not be helped. Yet remain with me a few days more; examine thy texts, and if thou find in them uncertainties, have these cleared. I obeyed, and on my remaining for some days my un- ertainties touching the texts were cleared up.
Then my Guru asked me, Son, hast thou seen, and dost thou believe? I replied, Yes, Lord and Guru, impossible is it not to believe; I myself will emulate Thee in devotion, till I, too, obtain these powers.
He answered, That is well, my son. And now thou art fit- ted to take thy departure, for I have shown to thee the mir- age-like nature of all existing things. Realize this fact for thy. self, going into retreat in mountain recessess, lonely caves, and the solitudes of wildernesses.
Having done this, I paid him due worship, and expressing a wish for a future meeting started home. I reached there after three days, feeling somewhat elated at the development in the art of controlling the breath which this betokened.
Thus did all come about-mine obtaining the Truth in its entirety, my thorough study of it, and, while thus engaged, my being impelled by a significant dream to take leave of my Guru and return home.
The above is taken
from pages 561/ 2/ 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 /
7
Dwight Goddard 1966
CITY
OF REVELATION
John
Michell 1972
Hermes,
353, the Roman Mercurius, is the principle that may be
considered as a universal magnetic field, within which the
action of
/ Page 130 /
cosmic
forces becomes apparent. In this sense Hermes is the creator
of all that is manifest, this being apparent in the gematria
of his name. The ruler of this world is" "...1791, the
cosmo-krator, and 1791 is also the number of "...thrice-
greatest Hermes. This spirit is now often referred to as the
life essence, the medium that binds and unifies all nature,
known in the East as the kundalini or serpent current, which
irrigates the nervous centres of the body, and corresponds
in the macrocosm to the inter- galactic flow of cosmic
energy. Mercury is behind every. type of flux or motion, in
currents, lines of communication and along roads. The number
of " "...the Way, is 352; the Greeks dedicated paths and
crossroads to Hermes and, like the Romans, erected Mercury
stones at the intersection of ways and in the market
centres." "... goddess of the three ways, has the number
1004, and this is also the number of " "...Dionysus the mad
god, who represents the wild, ecstatic side of Mercury's
character. The same spirit enters the body at baptism, for
which the Greek word is ..." "...1004. The principle of
Mercury has no qualities of itself, but is influenced by
both positive and negative forces so that, like quicksilver,
it is notoriously fickle and unstable. The alchemists
recognised Mercury as the god of divine revelation and also
of madness and delusion, for he will readily assume any form
wished upon him by human imagination. He is thus familiar to
all mystics, scholars and inventors as the purveyor of
glamorous thoughts in the flash of intuition that can bridge
chasms in the path of logic or lead its follower deep into
the wilderness.
The
many facets of Mercury are reflected in the multitude of
symbols that have been invented to convey his nature. These
vary between the two extremes of the solar winged disc and
the worm or earth serpent, and are usually formed as a
combination of both. In his positive aspect, Mercury is
associated with lightning, volcanic forces, magnetic storms,
cataclysms in nature. Under the opposite influence Mercury
retires into the earth, activates the dark intuition of the
female and may become the valuable but two-faced friend of
the philosopher. These categories are merely relative and
will not stand a rigorous examination by the intellect,
which, being a char- acteristically solar or positive
quality, is unable to comprehend its opposite, and must
therefore always remain blind to an essential aspect of the
mercurial nature. Better than words, a study of the geometry
and numerology in the ancient Temple can provide an
understanding of the god, Hermes, and his place within the
cosmic hierarchy.
Thomas Mann 1933
Page
914
At On, Amenhotep entered his palace in the temple district and slept there dreamlessly the first night, exhausted from the journey. The following day he began by sacrificing to Re Horakhte with bread and beer, wine, birds, and incense. After that he listened to the Vizier of the North, who spoke before him at length, and then, regardless of the headache that had brought on, devoted the rest of the day to the much-desired talks with the priests of the God. These conferences, which at the moment greatly occupied Amenhotep's mind, had been taken up with the subject of the bird Bennu, also
/ Page 915 /
9 x 1 x 5 = 45 4 + 5 = 9 /
called
Offspring of Fire, because it was said that he was
motherless, and moreover his own father, since dying and
beginning were the same for him. For he burned himself up in
his nest made of myrrh and came forth from the ashes again
as young Bennu. This happened, some authorities said, every
five hundred years; happened in fact in the temple of the
sun at On, whither the bird, a heron-like eagle, purple and
gold, came for the purpose from Arabia or even India. Other
authorities asserted that it brought with it an egg made of
myrrh as big as it could carry, wherein it had put its
deceased father, that is to say actually itself, and laid it
down on the sun-alter. These two assertions might subsist
side by side - after all, there sub-sists so much side by
side, differing things may both be true and only different
expressions of the same truth. But what Pharaoh first wanted
to know, what he wanted to discuss, was how much time had
passed out of the five hundred years which lay between the
bird and the egg; how far they were on the one hand from the
last appearance and on the other from the next one; in
short, at what point of the phoenix-year they stood. The
majority opinion of the priests was that it must be
somewhere about the middle of the period. They reasoned that
if it was still near its beginning, then some memory of the
last appear-ance of Bennu must still exist and that was not
the case. But suppose they were near the end of one period
and the beginning of the next; then they must reckon on the
impending or immediate return of the time-bird. But none of
them counted on having the experience in his lifetime so the
only remaining possibility was that they were about the
middle of the period. Some of the shiny pates went so far as
to suspect that they would always remain in the middle, the
mystery of the Bennu bird being precisely this: that the
distance between the last appearance of the Phoenix and his
next one was always the same, always a middle point. But the
mystery was not in itself the important thing to Pharaoh.
The burning question to be discussed, which was the object
of his visit, and which then he did discuss for a whole
half-day with the shiny-pates, was the doctrine that the
fire-bird's myrrh egg in which he had shut up the body of
his father did not thereby become heavier. For he had made
it anyhow as large and heavy as he could possibly carry, and
if he was still able to carry it after he had put his
father's body in it, then it must follow that the egg had
not thereby increased in
weight.
That
was an exiting and enchanting fact of world-wide
impor-tance. In young Pharaoh's eyes it was worthy of the
most circum-stantial exposition. If one added to a body
another body and it did not become heavier thereby, that
must mean there were immaterial bodies - or differently and
better put, incorporeal realities, immaterial as sunlight;
or, again differently and still better put, there was the
spir-itual; and this spiritual was etherally embodied in the
Bennu-father,
Page 916
9 x 1 x 6 = 54 5 + 4 = 9 /
whom the myrrh egg received
while altering its character thereby in the most
exciting and significant
way. For the egg was altogether a definitely female kind of thing; only the
female among birds laid eggs and nothing could be more mother-female than the
great egg out of which once the world came forth. But Bennu the sun-bird, motherless
and his own father, made his own egg himself, an egg against the natural order,
a masculine egg, a father-egg, and laid it as a manifestation of fatherhood,
spirit, and light upon the alabaster table of the sun-divinity.
Pharaoh could
not talk enough with the sun calendar men of the temple of Re about this event
and its significance
for the developing
nature of Aton.
