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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-
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
.
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
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
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
Te ood svees slrongly dovn lhe vale above,
Soon becoming veak and lame in lhe lain belov
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
Rice grovs in lhe vale belov,
Soon vilh a sickle il is reaed
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
Ileganl silken clolh
Soon vilh a knife is cul
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
Te recious |evel lhal you cherish
Soon vill belong lo olhers
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
z;
Te ale moonbeams soon vill fade and vanish
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
A recious son is born,
Soon he is losl and gone
This shovs lhe illusory nalure of all beings,
This roves lhe lransienl nalure of all lhings.
Think, incn you vill raclise Dharma.
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,
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)
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
;
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
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)