Milarepa

Milarepa

4 Items

Set Ascending Direction
per page

4 Items

Set Ascending Direction
per page

GUIDES

Doha and Gur: Indian and Tibetan Songs of Realization

Doha and Gur: Indian and Tibetan Songs of Realization

Bhtanese Painted Thanka of Milarepa
Bhutanese painted thanka of Milarepa (1052-1135) from the late 19th-early 20th Century, Dhodeydrag Gonpa, Thimphu, Bhutan

Doha and Gur

Doha (Sanskrit) or Nam Gur (Tibetan, Gur for short), is often translated as "Songs of Realization." This form of poetry is often sung or recited spontaneously and is characteristic of Vajrayana Buddhism. Dohas are often used as a means of transmitting wisdom and spiritual aphorisms, but also function as songs of praise and enjoyment especially in the context of ganachakra (tantric feast).

There are various forms of Doha with themes ranging from bliss and rapture to admonishing samsaric lifestyles to praising the lives of great masters. While a great number of Doha from both the Indian and Tibetan tradition are attributed to the Kagyu and Mahamudra tradition (as we'll see below), with the great sage, Milarepa, being the most widely known, Doha are found in all schools of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Our selection of books on Doha range from academic research-based explorations of the poetic genre to translations of traditional texts as well as biographical accounts of several famous Buddhist masters and writers of doha from our Lives of the Masters (LOM) series. Continue reading below or jump to a section of interest to explore this topic.

Songs of Realization in Mahamudra and the Kagyu Tradition

Tilo, Naro, Marpa, Mila: Doha and the Masters of Mahamudra

The Kagyu, or "Oral Lineage," school is one of the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism and can be traced back to the 10th India. There are several lines of lineage including the Shangpa Kagyu which traces it's lineage from the two dakini's Niguma and Sukhasiddhi as well as the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu, and Taklung Kagyu. The principle Kagyu lineage found today stems from the the spiritual lineage of Gampopa, which can be traced back to Tilopa, the 10th century Indian Mahasiddha.

Regarding Songs of Realization, or Doha, the Kagyu lineage is well known for transmitting spiritual teachings through these spontaneous songs. Among the masters of the Kagyu Mahamudra lineage, Milarepa is best known for his remarkable devotion and willingness to tread along the spiritual path despite difficult circumstances in addition to his style of teaching in spontaneous verse or doha. In fact, versified expressions of wisdom and pith instruction is common among Kagyu masters and is reflective of the spiritual prowess associated with Mahasiddhas (Great Spiritual Adepts) whose spiritual abilities gain them immediate access to the nature of reality and an ability to express wisdom teachings spontaneously and oftentimes outside of conventional means (for example, through song and dance).

The following books stem from the Kagyu tradition connected to Milarepa beginning with Tilopa (10th century) followed by his disciple Naropa (cira 1016–1100 CE), followed by Marpa (1012–1097), and finally, Milarepa (circa 1040-1123). Additional sources from other Kagyu linages are included below.

Tilopa's Wisdom

Tilopa's Wisdom: His Life and Teachings on the Ganges Mahamudra

By Khenchen Thrangu

Most traditions of Mahamudra meditation can be traced back to the mahasiddha Tilopa and his Ganges Mahamudra, a “song of realization” that he sang to his disciple Naropa on the banks of the Ganges River more than a thousand years ago. In this book, Khenchen Thrangu, a beloved Mahamudra teacher, tells the extraordinary story of Tilopa’s life and explains its profound lessons. He follows this story with a limpid and practical verse-by-verse commentary on the Ganges Mahamudra, explaining its precious instructions for realizing Mahamudra, the nature of one’s mind. Throughout, Thrangu Rinpoche speaks plainly and directly to Westerners eager to receive the essence of Mahamudra instructions from an accomplished teacher.

Naropa's Wisdom

Naropa's Wisdom: His Life and Teachings on Mahamudra

By Khenchen Thrangu

As the disciple of Tilopa and the guru of Marpa the Translator, Naropa is one of the accomplished lineage holders of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He expressed his realization in the form of spiritual songs, pithy yet beautiful poems that he sung spontaneously. In this book, Khenchen Thrangu, a contemporary Karma Kagyu master, first tells the story of Naropa’s life and explains the lessons we can learn from it and then provides verse-by-verse commentary on two of his songs. Both songs contain precious instructions on Mahamudra, the direct experience of the nature of one's mind, which in this tradition is the primary means to realize ultimate reality and thus attain buddhahood. Read More

The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa: A New Translation

Translated by Christopher Stagg
By Tsangnyon Heruka
By Milarepa

Powerful and deeply inspiring, there is no book more beloved by Tibetans than The Hundred Thousand Songs, and no figure more revered than Milarepa, the great eleventh-century poet and saint. An ordinary man who, through sheer force of effort, faith, and perseverance, overcame nearly insurmountable obstacles on the spiritual path to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime, he stands as an exemplar of what it is to lead a spiritual life. Read More

Milarepa: Lessons from the Life and Songs of Tibet's Great Yogi

By Chogyam Trungpa
Edited by Judith L. Lief

He went from being the worst kind of malevolent sorcerer to a devoted and ascetic Buddhist practitioner to a completely enlightened being all in a single lifetime. The story of Milarepa (1040–1123) is a tale of such extreme and powerful transformation that it might be thought not to have much direct application to our own less dramatic lives—but Chögyam Trungpa shows otherwise. This collection of his teachings on the life and songs of the great Tibetan Buddhist poet-saint reveals how Milarepa’s difficulties can be a source of guidance and inspiration for anyone. His struggles, his awakening, and the teachings from his remarkable songs provide precious wisdom for all us practitioners and show what devoted and diligent practice can achieve.

Opening the Treasure of the Profound: Teachings on the Songs of Jigten Sumgon and Milarepa

By Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche
By Milarepa
By Jigten Sumgon

Spiritual teachings in the form of songs—spontaneous expressions of deep wisdom and understanding that reveal the nature of reality—have been treasured since the dawn of Buddhism in India. In Opening the Treasure of the Profound, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen translates nine such songs, by Milarepa and Jigten Sumgön, and then explains them in contemporary terms. His insights take the Buddha’s ancient wisdom out of the realm of the intellectual and directly into our hearts. Here, we are invited into the world of transmission from master to disciple in order to discover truth for ourselves—to open the treasure of profound wisdom that fully realizes the nature of reality.

Collected Works

The Rain of Wisdom: The Essence of the Ocean of True Meaning

Translated by Nalanda Translation Committee

The art of composing spontaneous songs that express spiritual understanding has existed in Tibet for centuries. Over a hundred of these profound songs are found in this collection of the works of the great teachers of the Kagyü lineage, known as the Practice Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

Many readers are already familiar with the colorful life of the yogin Milarepa, an early figure in the Kagyü lineage, some of whose songs are included here. Songs by over thirty other Buddhist teachers are also presented, from those of Tilopa, the father of the lineage, to those of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, as well as several songs by Chögyam Trungpa, the noted teacher of Buddhism in America who directed the translation of The Rain of Wisdom.

The diversity of the songs mirrors the richness of Tibetan Buddhism and gives us clear portraits of some of its most eminent teachers. Their longing for truth, their heartfelt devotion, and their sense of humor are all reflected. These poems share a beauty and intensity that have made them famous in Tibetan literature. With its vivid imagery and deep insight, The Rain of Wisdom communicates a profound and timeless understanding.

The Supreme Siddhi of Mahamudra: Teachings, Poems, and Songs of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage

Translated by Sean Price
Translated by Adam Kane
Translated by Gerardo Abboud
Foreword by Tsoknyi Rinpoche

The Drukpa Kagyu lineage is renowned among the traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism for producing some of the greatest yogis from across the Himalayas. After spending many years in mountain retreats, these meditation masters displayed miraculous signs of spiritual accomplishment that have inspired generations of Buddhist practitioners. The teachings found here are sources of inspiration for any student wishing to genuinely connect with this tradition.

These translations include Mahamudra advice and songs of realization from major Tibetan Buddhist figures such as Gampopa, Tsangpa Gyare, Drukpa Kunleg, and Pema Karpo, as well as modern Drukpa masters such as Togden Shakya Shri and Adeu Rinpoche. This collection of direct pith instructions and meditation advice also includes an overview of the tradition by Tsoknyi Rinpoche.

Songs of Spiritual Experience: Tibetan Buddhist Poems of Insight and Awakening

Translated by Jas Elsner
Translated by Thupten Jinpa
Foreword by H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

The first major anthology of Tibetan spiritual poetry available in the West, Songs of Spiritual Experience offers original translations of fifty-two poems from all the traditions and schools of Tibetan Buddhism, spanning the eleventh to the twentieth centuries. These poems communicate spiritual insight with grace and precision, addressing the themes of impermanence, solitude, guru devotion, emptiness, mystic consciousness, and the path of awakening. Also included here is a thorough introduction exploring the characteristics of Tibetan verse and its role in Buddhism, and a glossary containing notes on the poems.

Marpa Kagyu, Vol. 1: Methods of Liberation

Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 7 (The Treasury of Precious Instructions)

By Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye
Translated by Elizabeth M. Callahan

Although not specifically a book on doha, Marpa Kagyu, Volume 1 includes select texts from the Mahasiddha Saraha called Treasury of Dohās: Esoteric Instructions on Mahāmudrā and Doha for the People: Song That Is a Treasury of Dohās. Saraha, also known as Sarahapa or Sarahapdāda, was an 8th century Indian master and is known as the first Mahasiddha as well as one of the first founds of the Mahāmudrā tradition.

More about this volume: 

The seventh volume of the series, Marpa Kagyu, is the first of four volumes that present a selection of core instructions from the Marpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This lineage is named for the eleventh-century Tibetan Marpa Chokyi Lodrö of Lhodrak who traveled to India to study the sutras and tantras with many scholar-siddhas, the foremost being Naropa and Maitripa. The first part of this volume contains source texts on mahamudra and the six dharmas by such famous masters as Saraha and Tilopa. The second part begins with a collection of sadhanas and abhisekas related to the Root Cakrasamvara Aural Transmissions, which are the means for maturing, or empowering, students. It is followed by the liberating instructions, first from the Rechung Aural Transmission. This section on instructions continues in the following three Marpa Kagyu volumes. Also included are lineage charts and detailed notes by translator Elizabeth M. Callahan. Read More

 

Timeless Rapture: Inspired Verse of the Shangpa Masters

By Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye
Edited and translated by Ngawang Zangpo

Throughout history awakened ones have celebrated the rapture of mystical states with inspired verse sung extemporaneously. This book offers a rare glimpse into the mysticism of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage a tradition based mainly on the profound teaching of two women. This compendium of spontaneous verse sung by tantric Buddhist masters from the tenth century to the present includes translations as well as short descriptions of each poet's life and a historical overview of the lineage.

From the Sakya Lineage

Treasures of the Sakya Lineage: Teachings from the Masters

By Migmar Tseten
Foreword by H.H. Sakya Trizin

Though not specifically a book on Doha, Treasures of the Sakya Linage includes several Doha including The Great Song of Experience by Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsten

More about this book:

Treasures of the Sakya Lineage is a rich collection of teachings by both contemporary and ancient Sakya masters, showing a thousand years of lineage continuity. It provides an overview of the history, view, key lineage figures, and crucial teachings of the oldest continuously operating institution among the four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Learn More

From the Lives of the Masters Series

Our Lives of the Masters Series (LOM) provide a much needed glimpse into the lives of some of the most creative thinkers in history. Each volume, as Kurtis Schaeffer, the series editor puts it, "tells the story of an innovator who embodied the ideals of Buddhism, crafted a dynamic living tradition during his or her lifetime, and bequeathed a vibrant legacy of knowledge and practice to future generations."

In terms of Songs of Realization, though not explicitly focused on Doha the following volumes from LOM include select translations of Dohas from three notable Indian and Tibetan masters.

Maitripa: India's Yogi of Nondual Bliss

By Klaus-Dieter Mathes

Maitripa was a student of Naropa and prominent Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha known for his remarkable teachings on emptiness and non-duality. He composed numerous treatise in addition to a great number of Dohas. Maitripa includes A Treasure of Dohās and other verses such as The Ten Verses on True Reality.

More about this volume: 

Maitripa (986–1063) is one of the greatest and most influential Indian yogis of Vajrayana Buddhism. The legacy of his thought and meditation instructions have had a profound impact on Buddhism in India and Tibet, and several important contemporary practice lineages continue to rely on his teachings.

Early in his life, Maitripa gained renown as a monk and scholar, but it was only after he left his monastery and wandered throughout India as a yogi that he had a direct experience of nonconceptual realization. Once Maitripa awakened to this nondual nature of reality, he was able to harmonize the scholastic teachings of Buddhist philosophy with esoteric meditation instructions. This is reflected in his writings that are renowned for evoking a meditative state in those who have trained appropriately. He eventually became the teacher of many well-known accomplished masters, including Padampa Sangyé and the translator Marpa, who brought his teachings to Tibet. Read More

The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi: Tibetan Mahasiddha

By Charles Manson

Karma Pakshi was recognized as a as a reincarnation of the First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa at a young age and underwent extensive studies and practice. He authored several texts some of which have survived and is known for his systemization of the Kathok tradition. The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi includes a number of his musings and reflections including Song for a Disciple and Deathbed Song.

More about this volume: 

Karma Pakshi is considered influential in the development of the reincarnate lama tradition, a system that led to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. Born in East Tibet in the thirteenth century, Karma Pakshi himself was the first master to be named Karmapa, a lineage that continues to modern times and has millions of admirers worldwide. During his lifetime, Karma Pakshi was widely acknowledged as a mahāsiddha—a great spiritual adept—and was therefore invited to the Mongol court at the apogee of its influence in Asia. He gave spiritual advice and meditation instructions to the emperor Möngke Khan, whom he advised to engage in social policies, to release prisoners, and to adopt a vegetarian diet. After Möngke’s death, Karma Pakshi was imprisoned by the successive emperor Kubilai Khan, and much of Karma Pakshi’s writing was done while he was captive in northeast China. He was eventually released and returned to Tibet, where he commissioned one of the medieval world’s largest metal statues: a seated Buddha sixty feet high.

Centuries later, two Buddhist meditation masters, the First Mingyur Rinpoche and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, were inspired by Karma Pakshi to write meditation practices that are profoundly important to contemporary Tibetan Buddhist practitioners: respectively, the Karma Pakshi Guru Yoga and the Sādhana of Mahāmudrā. Read More

Gendun Chopel: Tibet's Modern Visionary

By Donald S. Lopez Jr.

Gendun Chopel was a great scholar, poet, and artist known for his creative and unconventional thinking. Gendun Chopel includes a selection of poetry in addition to his writing about India and Tibet and his more controversial teachings from his Treatise on Passion.

More about this volume: 

Visionary, artist, poet, iconoclast, philosopher, adventurer, master of the arts of love, tantric yogin, Buddhist saint. These are some of the terms that describe Tibet’s modern culture hero Gendun Chopel (1903–1951). The life and writings of this sage of the Himalayas mark a key turning point in Tibetan history, when twentieth-century modernity came crashing into Tibet from British India to the south and from Communist China to the east. For the first time, the astonishing breadth of his remarkable accomplishments is captured in a single, definitive volume.

Here is an exploration of Gendun Chopel’s life as a recognized tulku, or incarnation of a previous master, from becoming a monk and soon surpassing the knowledge of his teachers, to his travels and discoveries throughout Tibet, India, and Sri Lanka. His exposure to the wider world brought together his philosophical training, artistic virtuosity, and meditative experience, inspiring an incredible corpus of poetry, prose, and painting. While Gendun Chopel was known by the Tibetan establishment for his vast learning and progressive ideas—which eventually landed him in a Lhasa prison—he was little appreciated in his lifetime. But since his death in 1951, his legacy, fame, and relevance across the Tibetan cultural landscape and beyond have continued to grow. Read More

Modern Visionaries

The tradition of spontaneous instruction and Songs of Realization continues today through modern visionaries. Likewise, Tibetan poetry continues to gain interest among readers and practitioner alike as translations of these meaningful texts become available. The following are just a couple examples of modern Tibetan Buddhist songs and poetry.

Timely Rain: Selected Poetry of Chogyam Trungpa

By Chogyam Trungpa
Edited by David I. Rome
Foreword by Allen Ginsberg

Newly selected poetry from previously published and unpublished works, Timely Rain is the definitive edition of poems and sacred songs of the renowned Tibetan meditation master, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

First Thought Best Thought: 108 Poems

By Chogyam Trungpa
Introduction by Allen Ginsberg

Here is a unique contribution to the field of poetry: a new collection of works by America's foremost Buddhist meditation master, Chögyam Trungpa. These poems and songs—most of which were written since his arrival in the United States in 1970—combine a background in classical Tibetan poetry with Trungpa's intuitive insight into the spirit of America, a spirit that is powerfully evoked in his use of colloquial metaphor and contemporary imagery. Read More

Research on Tibetan Literature

Lastly, we are delighted to present this collection of essays edited by Jose Cabezon and Roger R. Jackson which exemplifies the great many styles of Tibetan Buddhist Literature including Doha and Gur.

Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre

Edited by Jose Cabezon
Edited by Roger R. Jackson

Tibetan Literature addresses the immense variety of Tibet's literary heritage. An introductory essay by the editors attempts to assess the overall nature of 'literature' in Tibet and to understand some of the ways in which it may be analyzed into genres. The remainder of the book contains articles by nearly thirty scholars from America, Europe, and Asia—each of whom addresses an important genre of Tibetan literature. These articles are distributed among eight major rubrics: two on history and biography, six on canonical and quasi-canonical texts, four on philosophical literature, four on literature on the paths, four on ritual, four on literary arts, four on non-literary arts and sciences, and two on guidebooks and reference works.

Related Books on Buddhist Poetry

...
Continue Reading >>

Milarepa: A Reader's Guide to Tibet's Great Yogi

milarepa

There are few figures more beloved in the Buddhist Himalayas than the 11th century yogi-hero Milarepa.

His story of hardship, errant paths, disciplined training, heartbreak, devotion, and ultimate liberation have been told in many places. Stories of his life, as well as teachings on his songs, abound—dozens of Shambhala Publications and Snow Lion books feature him. His example and teachings appear across all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

Milarepa's wisdom has likely reached more people through Pema Chödron's When Things Fall Apart than all these books combined. In one section, Ani Pema relates:

"Over the years, as I read and reread Milarepa’s story, I find myself getting advice for where I am stuck and can’t seem to move forward. To begin with, Milarepa was a murderer, and like most of us when we blow it, he wanted to atone for his errors. And like most of us, in the process of seeking liberation, he frequently fell flat on his face. He lied and stole to get what he wanted, he got so depressed he was suicidal, and he experienced nostalgia for the good old days. Like most of us, he had one person in his life who continually tested him and blew his saintly cover. Even when almost everyone regarded him as one of Tibet’s most holy men, his vindictive old aunt continued to beat him with sticks and call him names, and he continued to have to figure out what to do with that kind of humiliating squeeze."

This is a great example of how Milarepa matters to us practitioners today.

Below you will find a set of other resources to learn more about Milarepa, and be inspired by his example.

 

Milarepa's Life

Jetsun Milarepa was first introduced widely to the English-speaking world in 1928 by Walter Evans-Wentz, an anthropologist and theosophist, through his idiosyncratic translation of Milarepa's life. Since then there has been a sizeable body of work devoted to him.

Two superb guides are the recent Penguin Classics translated by Andrew Quintman of Tsangnyon Heruka's biography, The Life of Milarepa, and its companion volume, The Yogin and the Madman, which dives into the rich and fascinating story behind this biography. Quintman also wrote an excellent biography on Milarepa on the Treasury of Lives site.

milarepa cover image
Paperback | Ebook 

$19.95 - Paperback

Milarepa: Lessons from the Life and Songs of Tibet’s Great Yogi

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche taught extensively using Milarepa's life and songs. In Milarepa: Lessons from the Life and Songs of Tibet’s Great Yogi, these teachings have been collected. As teacher Judy Lief, who edited this volume, put it:

"Although this book is filled with stories about Milarepa’s life as a student, a practitioner, and a teacher, Trungpa Rinpoche emphasized that he did not tell these stories simply because they are colorful and entertaining (though they are). He pointed out that his approach was not that of a historian, a biographer, or an academic; he was focused on bringing out the relevance of Milarepa’s life and teachings for modern-day dharma practitioners."

Trungpa Rinpoche reveals how Milarepa’s difficulties can be a source of guidance and inspiration for anyone. His struggles, his awakening, and the teachings from his remarkable songs provide precious wisdom for all us practitioners and show what devoted and diligent practice can achieve.

The focus of the first half of this book is on Milarepa's teachings of Mahāmudrā, the second half on the songs and commentaries.

Great Kagyu
Paperback | Ebook 

$22.95 - Paperback

The Great Kagyu Masters: The Golden Lineage Treasury

Compiled by Dorje Dze Öd, translated by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche

The Golden Lineage Treasury was compiled by Dorje Dze Öd a great master of the Drikung lineage active in the Mount Kailasjh region of Western Tibet.  This text of the Kagyu tradition profiles and the forefathers of the tradition including Vajradhara, the Buddha, Tilopa, Naropa, the Four Great Dharma Kings of Tibet, Marpa, Milarepa, Atisha, Gampopa, Phagmodrupa, Jigten Sumgon, and more.

The chapter on Milarepa is 23 pages long.

Milarepa
Paperback | Ebook 

$16.95 - Paperback

Milarepa: The Magic Life of Tibet's Great Yogi

By Eva Van Dam

From avenging evil sorcerer to devoted Buddhist ascetic to enlighted being—the story of Milarepa’s spectacular life is a powerful testimony to self-knowledge, transformation, and liberation. This artistically rendered graphic novel captures all the grit and drama of Milarepa’s story. It is the year 1050, and Milarepa is seeking vengeance on unscrupulous relatives for mistreating his mother and sister. Trained in sorcery, he commands a rain of scorpions, snakes, and lizards to attack the villains. But when his teacher rebukes him for his evil deeds, Milarepa renounces evil magic to seek mystic truth. He retreats to a cave where, after years of intense meditation, he acquires the the power to shape-shift. But most importantly he achieves the greatest victory of all—mastery over himself.

The chapter on Milarepa is 23 pages long.

marpa
Hardcover | Ebook 

$49.95 - Hardcover

Marpa Kagyu, Part One: Methods of Liberation: Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 7

The Treasury of Precious Instructions

By Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye

The seventh volume of this series, Marpa Kagyu, is the first of four volumes that present a selection of core instructions from the Marpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This lineage is named for the eleventh-century Tibetan Marpa Chokyi Lodrö of Lhodrak who traveled to India to study the sutras and tantras with many scholar-siddhas, the foremost being Naropa and Maitripa. The first part of this volume contains source texts on mahamudra and the six dharmas by such famous masters as Saraha and Tilopa. The second part begins with a collection of sadhanas and abhisekas related to the Root Cakrasamvara Aural Transmissions, which are the means for maturing, or empowering, students. It is followed by the liberating instructions, first from the Rechung Aural Transmission. This section on instructions continues in the following three Marpa Kagyu volumes. Also included are lineage charts and detailed notes by translator Elizabeth M. Callahan.

There are the following works by Milarepa included:

  • The Root Text for Mahāmudrā: The Illumination of Wisdom
  • The Three Cycles of Illumination and Other Instructions
  • The Instruction Manual for the Shared Wish-Fulfilling
    Gems: The
    Practices Connected with the Vase Abhiṣeka from the Glorious Saṃvara Aural Transmission
  • The Instruction Manual on the Six Dharmas, Which Liberate through the Upper Door: The Perfection Process of the Saṃvara Aural Transmission

The Songs of Realization

There is a large corpus of songs, or poems, of realization, many included in the collection The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. The “Hundred Thousand” is a gloss of the Tibetan word “bum,” which can mean 100,000 or just a collection, as is the case for this work, which includes not only songs but lots of dialogue that are themselves profound teachings.

See several authors discussing these songs below.

Mila
Paperback | Ebook 

$45.00 - Paperback

The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa: A New Translation

By Milarepa, Tsangnyon Heruka, translated by Christopher Stagg

Powerful and deeply inspiring, there is no book more beloved by Tibetans than The Hundred Thousand Songs, and no figure more revered than Milarepa, the great eleventh-century poet and saint. An ordinary man who, through sheer force of effort, faith, and perseverance, overcame nearly insurmountable obstacles on the spiritual path to achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime, he stands as an exemplar of what it is to lead a spiritual life.

Milarepa, a cotton-clad yogi, wandered and taught the dharma, most famously through spontaneously composed songs, a colorful and down-to-earth way to convey the immediacy and depth of the Buddhist teachings. In this work, the songs are woven into a narrative that tells the stories of his most famous encounters with his students, including Gampopa and Rechungpa, and recount his victories over supernatural forces in the remote Himalayan mountains and caves where he meditated.

In this authoritative new translation, prepared under the guidance of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Christopher Stagg brilliantly brings to life the teachings of this extraordinary man. This classic of world literature is important for its narrative alone but is also a key contribution to those who seek inspiration for the spiritual path.

Opening the Treasure
Paperback | Ebook 

$26.95 - Paperback

Opening the Treasure of the Profound: Teachings on the Songs of Jigten Sumgon and Milarepa

By Milarepa, Jigten Sumgon, and Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche

In Opening the Treasure of the Profound, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen translates nine such songs, by Milarepa and Jigten Sumgön, and then explains them in contemporary terms. His insights take the Buddha’s ancient wisdom out of the realm of the intellectual and directly into our hearts. Here, we are invited into the world of transmission from master to disciple in order to discover truth for ourselves—to open the treasure of profound wisdom that fully realizes the nature of reality.

While most of this collection are songs by the founder of the Drikung Kagyu order, Jigten Sumgon, the first two, “Distinguishing Happiness from Suffering” and “The Eight Bardos,” are by Milarepa.

Stars of Wisdom
Paperback | Ebook 

$26.95 - Paperback

Stars of Wisdom: Analytical Meditation, Songs of Yogic Joy, and Prayers of Aspiration

By Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, translated by Rose Taylor Goldfield and Ari Goldfield
Foreword by The Seventeenth Karmapa, afterword by H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

Tibetan Buddhist master Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso is known for his joyful songs of realization and his spontaneous and skillful teaching style. In this book he explains how to gain clarity, peace, and wisdom through step-by-step analysis and meditation on the true nature of reality. He also introduces readers to the joy and profundity of yogic song, and reveals the power of aspiration prayers to inspire, transform, and brighten our hearts.

Milarepa is featured throughout. In particular, there is a long section where Rinpoche explains Milarepa’s songs “The Seven Ways Things Shine Inside” and “Out and The Eighteen Kinds of Yogic Joy.” This includes step-by-step instructions on how to meditate on the true nature of mind.

Rain of Wisdom
Paperback | Ebook 

$39.95 - Paperback

The Rain of Wisdom: The Essence of the Ocean of True Meaning

Translated by Nalanda Translation Committee under the guidance of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

The art of composing spontaneous songs that express spiritual understanding has existed in Tibet for centuries. Over a hundred of these profound songs are found in this collection of the works of the great teachers of the Kagyü lineage, known as the Practice Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

The 50 page chapter on Milarepa is focused on the songs.  Sections include taking leave of the Guru, the futility of samsara as he contemplates his mother's bones, virtues that arose as signs in his dreams, the three vows, and more.

Songs of Spiritual Experience
Paperback | Ebook 

$22.95 - Paperback

Songs of Spiritual Experience: Tibetan Buddhist Poems of Insight and Awakening

Introduced and translated by Thupten Jinpa and Jas Elsner
Foreword by H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

The first major anthology of Tibetan spiritual poetry available in the West, Songs of Spiritual Experience offers original translations of fifty-two poems from all the traditions and schools of Tibetan Buddhism, spanning the eleventh to the twentieth centuries. These poems communicate spiritual insight with grace and precision, addressing the themes of impermanence, solitude, guru devotion, emptiness, mystic consciousness, and the path of awakening. Also included here is a thorough introduction exploring the characteristics of Tibetan verse and its role in Buddhism, and a glossary containing notes on the poems.

Poems by Milarepa include:

  • The Red Rocky Mountain
  • A Beggar and His Guru
  • A Response to a Logician

Thubten Jinpa Discusses the Book

Paperback | Ebook 

$49.95 - Paperback

Straight from the Heart: Buddhist Pith Instructions

Translated by Karl Brunnhölzl

Several works by and stories of Milarepa are included in Straight from the Heart: Buddhist Pith Instructions.

This collection, in your author's opinion, is one of the best anthologies of teachings of this type available in English. It is edited and translated by Karl Brunnhölzl and includes several sections.

“Padampa Sangyé’s Meetings with Milarepa” tells of the extraordinary meeting between these two accomplished yogis and the spiritual fireworks that followed, which involved Milarepa severing his own head.

In “Lord Milarepa’s Instructions to Master Gampopa,” with a commentary by the Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje recounts one of the final songs sung to Gampopa. There is a wonderful story that follows the song included here:

Milarepa called him back again. Gampopa returned to the feet of the guru and Milarepa said, “If I don’t give this precious instruction to you, to whom should I give it then? So I will teach it to you.” Gampopa was very happy and asked, “Do I need a mandala to offer?” “No, you don’t need a mandala, but never waste this pith instruction! Here it is!” Milarepa turned his back to Gampopa and lifted his cotton cloth, thus revealing his buttocks, which were completely covered with hard calluses from all his extensive sitting on the stony grounds of caves. He said, “There is nothing more profound than meditating on this pith instruction. The qualities in my mind stream have arisen through my having meditated so persistently that my buttocks have become like this. You must also give rise to such heartfelt perseverance and meditate!” This final instruction remained in the depths of Gampopa’s mind forever.

This anthology also includes works by Milarepa’s students Gampopa and Rechungba, and their teacher features prominently throughout.

Hardcover| Ebook 

$49.95 - Hardcover

The Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa: Volume Five: Crazy Wisdom; Illusion's Game; The Life of Marpa (Excerpts); The Rain of Wisdom (Excerpts); The Sadhana of Mahamudra (Excerpts); Selected Writings

By Chogyam Trungpa

In addition to the dedicated volume on Milarepa above, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche wrote about him extensively in other places. In Volume V of his Collected Works, he has three pieces:

"Milarepa: A Warrior’s Life”: This includes the last instructions given by Milarepa to his students as he lay on his deathbed.

"Milarepa: A Synopsis”:

From the Translator's Introduction: "[This section] presents a series of scenes from Milarepa’s life, with little commentary on their significance. The writing is quite vivid, however. Excerpts from a number of Milarepa’s songs are included, based on the translation of The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa by Garma C. C. Chang. Although it was impossible to definitively confirm this, it is likely that this article is actually an early treatment prepared by Chogyam Trungpa for a movie on the life of Milarepa, which he began filming in the early 1970s. He and several of his students, including two filmmakers from Los Angeles—Johanna Demetrakas and Baird Bryant—traveled to Sweden to film some exquisite thangkas of the life of Milarepa, which were to be featured in the movie. More information about the film itself—which was also to be an exploration of the qualities of the five buddha families—appears in the introduction to Volume Seven, which presents Rinpoche’s teachings on art and the artistic process.
“The Art of Milarepa”:

From the Translator's Introduction:

"The title is somewhat misleading in that the article has little to do with Milarepa’s artistic expression—his songs—in and of themselves and more to do with his art of life. The opening part of the article is a discussion of how the secret practice of Buddhist yoga evolved in India, especially in the ninth century in the great universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila. The connection that Marpa (Milarepa’s main teacher) had to this tradition is also discussed. In this article, one sees Trungpa Rinpoche’s brilliant insight into Milarepa’s journey through life, the obstacles he encountered, and his final attainment. Throughout, Rinpoche brings together immense appreciation for Milarepa as a highly developed person on the one hand, with a down-to-earth insight into the humanness and ordinary quality of his practice on the other.

After he met his guru, Milarepa lived an austere, ascetic life and spent many years in solitary retreat in caves in the wilderness of Tibet. His lifestyle might seem distant from that of most people, especially in this modern age. Yet Trungpa Rinpoche makes Milarepa’s experience accessible by demystifying it, while maintaining his tremendous appreciation for the attainment of his forefather. He tells us that Milarepa remained an ascetic simply because ‘‘that physical situation had become part of his makeup. Since he was true to himself, he had no relative concept of other living styles and did not compare himself to others. Although he taught people with many different lifestyles, he had no desire to convert them.’’ Milarepa’s asceticism is treated here as an ordinary but very sacred experience, one that really does not have much to do with embracing austerity per se. As Rinpoche concludes, ‘‘Simplicity is applicable to the situation of transcending neurotic mind by using domestic language. It becomes profound without pretense, and this naturally provokes the actual practice of meditation."

Dharma Rain image
Paperback | Ebook 

$34.95 - Paperback

Dharma Rain: Sources of Buddhist Environmentalism

Edited by Stephanie Kaza & Kenneth Kraft

A comprehensive collection of classic texts, contemporary interpretations, guidelines for activists, issue-specific information, and materials for environmentally-oriented religious practice. Sources and contributors include Basho, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Gary Snyder, Chögyam Trungpa, Gretel Ehrlich, Peter Mathiessen, Helen Tworkov (editor of Tricycle), and Philip Glass.

They include one of the Hundred Thousand Songs from Garma CHang's transpation, the Hunder and the Deer.  The edtirs make the case that "the revered Tibetan master Milarepa uses Dharma teachings, sung in poetic verses, to pacify a violent hunter and his ferocious dog. This account infers that the natural world responds in some mysterious way to human intention and morality."

Chogyam Trungpa on Milarepa's Songs

Translator Christopher Stagg on his work on Milarepa's Songs

Additional Resources on Milarepa

Lotsawa House hosts at least fourteen works by Milarepa as well as several where he features.  lotswa house

BDRC has a set of associated works related to Milarepa

...
Continue Reading >>

Who Is Milarepa?

Milarepa, the famous Tibetan yogi, lives on through his joyous, instructional songs and poetry. Both the new translation of The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, from Christopher Stagg, and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s exploration of his life in Milarepa: Lessons from the Life & Songs of Tibet's Great Yogi bring new light to the resonance Milarepa’s story still carries centuries later.

Milarepa is remembered for his remarkable determination and personal growth. His inspiring story traces the very familiar, human progression from confusion to clarity. Early in his life, Milarepa came to understand tenents of both privilege and oppression. Though born to a wealthy family, the death of Milarepas father left him and his mother at the mercy of his aunt and uncle, who put them to work as servants for their own family. At his mothers request, Milarepa studied the craft of black magic to be better able to retaliate against their cruelty. Not only was he successful in mastering these magical abilities, he promptly used his skills to take the lives of his aunt and uncles entire family. In this way, Milarepa had invited an immense amount of negative karma into his life as a young adult. Soon after committing these crimesMilarepas joy at having aided his mother began to fade, making way for inescapable remorse. This transformation led Milarepa to seek out a master teacher. 

“Milarepa’s life story shows how one can progress from being caught in the cycle of confusion, known as samsara, to becoming a student entering and practicing the path of dharma, to eventually becoming a teacher oneself and taking on the responsibility of training others.” 

Bhutanese Painted Thanka of Milarepa

It was not long before Milarepa found Marpa the translator, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. Marpa was able to see Milarepa’s potential, but knew that the young man would have to process his remorse and uncertainty before beginning his time as a student of the dharma. In order to guide him to a place of preparedness, Marpa set Milarepa to his legendary task of building, destroying, and rebuilding stone towers. This process was intended “to purify the negativity of his past actions, so that Milarepa could begin his studies with fewer obstacles.”

Marpa’s challenge pushed Milarepa “almost to the point of suicide before he agreed to take him on as a student.” Thus began Milarepa’s journey to becoming the yogi and poet that he is remembered as today. He began his simple, solitary lifestyle, living in caves. He often wore little clothing, even in the winter months, and became known as “the cotton-clad one.” Though he did not seek students, word of his practice traveled, and he was sought out by many. It is said that Milarepa “engaged with whoever approached him,” and it is through his teaching that his spontaneous songs and poetry were shared.

“Milarepa sang hundreds of such songs. The standard collection, The One Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa (Tib. Mila Grubum) is said to have been compiled by Tsang Nyön Heruka, the “Mad Yogi of Tsang,“ based on transcriptions of the songs that up to then had been only transmitted orally. In this collection, every song comes with a story about how it came about. The collection also includes many descriptions of how Milarepa worked with people, not only through song but in nonverbal ways. We can see how he interacted with his students and how he created situations that challenged them and woke them up. That is, Milarepa did not just sing [songs about] the dharma but he fully embodied the dharma. Because of that, he was able to teach freshly, spontaneously, and with great humor using a variety of skillful means.”

Milarepa's poetic teachings have touched the hearts of his students and admirers for nearly a thousand years. His life represents that of an ideal Bodhisattva, as his deep compassion created the wish of Bodhicitta and motivated him to obtain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

The Song of the Snow

On this auspicious, glorious day,
You male and female benefactors who welcome me with
prostrations,
Along with myself, the yogi Milarepa:
We didn’t perish, and have met. Oh how joyful!
I’m an old man with a treasury of songs,
So I’ll answer your query of my health with this tune;
Listen carefully with focused, attentive minds.

At the very end of the tiger year
And at the beginning of the year of the hare,
On the full moon of the Wagyal month,
Disillusioned with the things of samsara,
I went seeking a secluded retreat
In the remote pastures of the Lachi snowy range.
The land and sky conferred together
And sent down a messenger, a strong wind.
With the elements of water and wind astir,
Black southern clouds gathered in front.
The sun and moon were put into prison.
The twenty-eight constellations were strung on a wire.
The eight planets were put into shackles by edict.
The great Milky Way was tethered down.
The morning star was completely wrapped in mist.
Wind with sleet blew, and finally,
Snow fell for nine days and nine nights;
With the days and nights together totaling eighteen.
The big flakes were big; they fell like thick layers of wool,
Like birds in flight that plummet down.
The small flakes were small; they fell like tiny wheels,
Like bees flying around, then dropping down.
Other small flakes the size of mustard seeds and beans,
Lumped together and fell like balls of sleet.
Snow fell in more sizes than one could count.

High above, the snowy white peaks touched the sky.
Below, the plants and trees were matted and pressed.
The mountains of black donned a blanket of white,
An ocean with waves that were frozen over.
The blue rivers’ waters were put in a shell.
The contour of the land was evened to a plain.
Because this snowfall was so great,
The black-haired people became socked in.
The four-legged creatures were stricken with famine:
Especially the old, weak ones’ sustenance was cut.
Above, the birds’ food source was depleted.
Below, the pikas and mice hid in their stores.
The meat-eating animals were unable to eat.

As for the fate of such sleet and strong wind
And particularly the fate of me, Milarepa:
That blizzard that came down from above,
The strong winter wind of the new year,
And I, the yogi Milarepa’s cloth, these three,
All fought on the side of the high snow mountain.
But I was victorious over the snowfall, and it melted to water.
Though the wind roared powerfully, it naturally subsided,
And my cloth, like fire, was blazing strong!
Two wrestlers contended there in a life-or-death match.
I gave it the edge of my kingly sword.
I was victorious in that fight where the valiant ones were overthrown;
Thus, all dharma practitioners earned some clout
Especially meditators, twice as much;
In particular, my single chandali cloth showed its greatness.
The four gatherings of illness were put on the scale.

Then, inner disturbances were completely vanquished.
Both cold and hot pranas were fully cast out.
Later, the [elements] listened and heeded what was said.
The demon of snow and sleet was suppressed.
Then, all was resolved and completely still.
Though samsara’s brigade tried, it didn’t succeed.
Thus, this yogi won the fight.

I’m my grandfather’s descendant, with the coat of a tiger;
I’ve never fled wearing the coat of a fox.
To my father was born a son of the class of champions;
I’ve never lost in the face of a foe.
I’m of the family of lions, the king of beasts;
I’ve never lived in a snowless land.

Fate has once again played its joke.
If you trust that what this old man says has any power,
The practice lineage teachings will spread in the future,
A few siddhas will also come,
And I, the yogi Milarepa,
Will be renowned throughout the lands.
You disciples will have faith
And fame of you will later spread.

I, a yogi, am very well.
You benefactors, how are you?

RELATED BOOKS

Milarepa

$19.95 - Paperback

By: Judith L. Lief & Milarepa & Chogyam Trungpa

The Life of Marpa the Translator

$34.95 - Paperback

Quotes from Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Text excerpt from Tsangnyon Heruka, translated by Christopher Stagg.

...
Continue Reading >>

SNOW LION NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

History of the Sakya Order and Lam Dre Teachings

The following article is from the Spring, 2000 issue of the Snow Lion Newsletter and is for historical reference only. You can see this in context of the original newsletter here.
Sakya Trinzin

H.H. the Sakya Trizin (photo by Dolkar Sangmo)

His Holiness the Sakya Trizin

Visits North America

The summer of 2006 Buddhists of all traditions had the rare opportunity to receive teachings, blessings, and empowerments from one of the world's preeminent leaders and masters of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness Sakya Trizin. His Holiness is the head of the Sakya Order, the second oldest of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.


His Holiness envisions yet another responsibility in disseminating Dharma well beyond the cultural difference, geographical distance, and spiritual adherence within an ancient Sakyan tradition of thorough studies, contemplation and meditation

This is the first time that His Holiness has visited North America in ten years. In addition to teachings and empowerments in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, His Holiness will give a transmission of the Lam Dre(“The Path and Its Result”) body of teachings in Vancouver, B.C.


The history of the Sakya Order can be traced back to the 9th century and is inextricably bound up with the Tibetan royal clan of Khon.

The Venerable Lama Pema Wangdak, who is the head of the Sakya centers in the New York area, writes the following article.

The History of the Sakya Order

Sakya Lineage Tree, Tibetan Buddhism

Sakya Lineage Tree. Attribution: uploaded by Panchito, Transferred from de.wikipedia to Commons. Link to license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

The history of the Sakya Order can be traced back to the 9th century and is inextricably bound up with the Tibetan royal clan of Khon. The founders of the Sakya Order, the Gongma Nam Nga (Five Exalted Ones), were known as the descendants of the ancient Khon family, which was believed to have stemmed from an ancient race born in conflict between earthly demons and the descendants of the Clear Light Gods.


the ancient Khon family. . .  was believed to have stemmed from an ancient race born in conflict between earthly demons and the descendants of the Clear Light Gods.

Historically, the Khons rose as a holy family during the reign of King Trisong De'u Tsen (790-845 CE.). Khon Lu'i Wangpo Sungwa became one of the first seven Tibetans to receive monastic training under the abbacy of Shantarakshita.

The Sakya tradition derives its name from the Sakya Monastery in central Tibet where the Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034-1102) founded the monastery in 1073. The present head of the Sakya Order, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, is the 41st master of the seat of Sakya and the direct descendant of the Khon Lu'i Wangpo Sungwa.

Khons are perhaps the greatest religious family throughout the entire history of Buddhism in Tibet. They are the longest in line of leadership of the social and spiritual life and have contributed much in shaping and sustaining the Tibetan civilization as a whole.


Khons. . . . the greatest religious family throughout the entire history of Buddhism in Tibet.

 

Lam Dre Teachings

The Sakya order is the second oldest of the four principal traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. At its heart is the lineal transmission of Lam Dre (The Path and Its Result), a system of knowledge of practicing the entire range of sutric and tantric teachings of the Buddha that was first enunciated by the 9th-century Indian tantric master and saint Mahasiddha Virupa, and was brought to Tibet from India by Gayadhara and Drogmi Shakya Yeshe the translator (990-1074).


a system of knowledge of practicing the entire range of sutric and tantric teachings of the Buddha

In the beginning of the second phase of Buddhism in Tibet (953), following Lang Dharma's near-destruction of the faith, there was a period of intense and active interchange between Indian and Tibetan spiritual centers. Lha Lama Yeshe O, a Ngari king, sent twenty-one young Tibetans to study sutras, tantras, logic, language, and medicine in Kashmir, India. Among them were Lochen Rinchen Sangpo (958-1055), the great monk who pioneered the second-phase translation, and Ngog Legpei Sherab.

At the request of Yeshe O's nephew Jangchub O, Nagtso Lotsawa then invited Dipamkara Shrijnana Atisha to come to Tibet from Vikramashila Monastery, the major center of Buddhist learning in India Ngog's young nephew Loden Sherab, one of the translators of thousands of scriptures into Tibetan, also made a journey to study in India where he found himself accompanied by four other major pioneers of transmission, Lotsawa Tsen Khawoche, Khyungpo Chotson, Ra Lotsawa, and Nyen Lotsawa.


following Lang Dharma's near-destruction of the faith, there was a period of intense and active interchange between Indian and Tibetan spiritual centers.

It was during this great spiritual revival, inspired by the teachers of that time and need for the further introduction of Buddhism into Tibet, that the great Drogmi Shakya Yeshe, accompanied by Taglo Zhonnu Tsondru and Leng Yeshe Zhonnu, set out to India through Nepal on a momentous journey that would end in the dissemination of the Lam Dre in Tibet.

Vikramashila University, established at the end of the eighth century by King Dharmapala of Bengal (783 to 820 AD), Atisha Dimpakara was one of Vikramashila abbots

Vikramashila University

They studied Hevajra, Samvara, Guhaysamaja, Yamantaka, and Mahamaya tantras for a year under Shanta Bhadra in Nepal. Escorted by their teacher's brother, Mahapandita Abhayakirti, they traveled to Vikramashila Monastery, with a stopover in Bodhgaya for their initial prayer and salutations to the Mahabodhi shrine.

For eighteen years, Drogmi studied monastic disciplines, Prajnanaparamita, and Samvara and Hevajra tantras from Shantipa. Drogmi mastered the root, narrative, instructive, and the supplemental fragmental tantras. Among his other teachers were Vagendra Kirti, Prajiiakara Gupta, Narotapa, Jnanashri, and Ratnavajra.

When the great Master Viravajra realized that Drogmi was a most able and worthy student, he introduced Drogmi to the teachings of the great 9th-century adept Virupa. The entire instruction on Triple Tantra of Hevajra Root, along with its exegesis, was given.

When the time finally approached for Drogmi's return to Tibet, his master instructed him in about eighty major tantras along with exegetical commentaries, numerous meditative manuals with their rites, and about fifty dharanis in connection with sutras.

As a going-away dharma-gift, Drogmi received a Lam Dre teaching (without the root text), its auxiliary instructions, and profound teachings on the transference of consciousness.

"Rejoice, for I have successfully transmitted all the teachings I have to give. Now go to Tibet and integrate your practice and teaching. I will come sometime to help clear up your doubts. Since you are the holder of the teachings of the Yogeshwara (Virupa), there will come a master who will bring the entire teaching to your doorstep."–Viravajra, Drogmi Lotsawa

 

With these words from Viravajra, Drogmi Lotsawa left India for the last time.


early one morning the sound of a ram's horn. . . . heard at the great master's residence in Mukhulung, proclaiming the arrival of a pandita or Indian master.

Drogmi's Return to Tibet

Drogmi's return to Tibet and his teachings inspired numerous scholars and saints, among whom were the Great Maxpa Lotsawa and Go Khugpa Letse. A monastic university was established in Mukhulung in Mangkhar, and students poured in from upper, central, and eastern Tibet.

As Drogmi's teacher Viravajra had prophesied, early one morning the sound of a ram's horn was heard at the great master's residence in Mukhulung, proclaiming the arrival of a pandita or Indian master.

Pandit Gayadhara was on his way to Purang. He and Drogmi proposed a rendezvous some time in the coming two or three years, when Gayadhara would accomplish his "visit to Purang and chores in Nepal." After two years, two messengers arrived with news of Gayadhara's arrival.

The Teaching of the Lam Dre

The entire Lam Dre was taught, including the root verses, for a period of three years. The initiations, instructions, and commentaries of the Triple Tantras were simultaneously translated.

Mukhulung was thus firmly established as the seat of Lam Dre teachings and practices. Before Gayadhara left, he prophesied Drogmi as the one who "will traverse the divine realm of Khechara within this very life without having to leave his body behind."


Drogmi. . . . will traverse the divine realm of Khechara within this very life without having to leave his body behind.

Although tantric and sutric teachings were well established in Tibet before Drogmi, the corpus of the Lam Dre system of Mahasiddha Virupa was not known until he began to teach it.

Twelve different major schools of transmission of Lam Dre arose in Tibet. Preeminent among these was that of the Great Sakyan Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), who studied with Zhangton Chobar.

The Great Sakyan's line of transmission is also called the "direct line," because Virupa, Damarupa, and Gayadhara appeared to him in visions and gave a month-long transmission on seventy-two Anuttarayoga tantras and the four profound Dharmas of Sakya that until recently was known to be transmitted only within the confines of the first monastery at Sakya.


Through a successive line of teachers of the Lam Dre system, it has passed down to the present in an unbroken line of transmission.

In the 15th century, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382-1457), the founder of the Ngor school of the Sakya Order, caused Lam Dre to become widespread during his life-long career of transmitting its teaching.

Later the Lam Dre developed into two major lines of transmission: Ts'og She, the general presentation, and Lob She, the esoteric presentation. The latter was enunciated by Muchen Sempa Chenpo (1448-1530) to teach the most uncommon and detailed aspects of the system to his chosen disciple Dagchen Lodro Gyaltsen. Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502-1556), the founder of the Tsar school, and his two foremost disciples, Khyentse Wangchug and Lhundrub Gyatso, became the prominent expounders of Lob She.

As Lam Dre teachings spread throughout Tibet, Mongolia, and China, and were eventually written down, the volume of Lam Dre scriptures grew to encyclopedic proportions (a single collection of the Lam Dre alone comprises thirty volumes).

Through a successive line of teachers of the Lam Dre system, it has passed down to the present in an unbroken line of transmission. Among the eminent living masters of the Lam Dre tradition are His Holiness Sakya Trizin (born in 1945), the present leader of the Sakya Order, H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche, H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, and H.E. Luding Khen Rinpoche.


A unique and systematic teaching of the entire Buddhist path

Lhakhang Chenmo, The Great Sakya Monastery, Sakya, Tibet (Founded 1269 C.E.)

Lhakhang Chenmo, The Great Sakya Monastery, Sakya, Tibet (Founded 1269 C.E.)

 

The Lam Dre system is derived from the Hevajra Root Tantra. A unique and systematic teaching of the entire Buddhist path, it presents the essence of the tripartite Buddhist Canon, comprising ethical discipline (vinaya), the Buddha's original discourses (sutra), and psychology/cosmology/ metaphysics (abhidharma). It is a complete and gradual system of exoteric (sutric) and esoteric (tantric) methods that constitute a viable spiritual path for the aspiring devotee.

Its teachings have been passed down in an unbroken line of transmission of empowerments and blessings, with special emphasis on the "four authenticities"—authentic teachers, experiences, scriptures, and treatises. Central to the Lam Dre system is its unique and profound view of the "non-difference of samsara and nirvana," within which perfect enlightenment or Buddhahood is to be realized. There the nature of mind, for its practical implication, is explained both as the "root of samsara and nirvana," and the "union of luminosity and emptiness."


the nature of mind, for its practical implication, is explained both as the "root of samsara and nirvana," and the "union of luminosity and emptiness."

Sakya Order

After the era of Rinchen Zangpo, Drogmi, Marpa, and Go, Tibet entered a period when fewer panditas visited Tibet and the teachings and literature inherited from India were consolidated; the Sakyans in Tibet took to writing, meditating, and teaching. The masters of the Sakya were at the forefront of Buddhist propagation and contributed much to enhance the spread of the later phase of Tibetan Buddhism.

By the end of the eleventh century, there were clusters of great Sakyan spiritual masters in Tibet. Khon Konchog Gyalpo (1034-1102) excelled in both the old and new tantras. His son, Great Sakyan Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), was already an accomplished saint at the age of twelve, when he received the famous Lojong, the four-line teaching of "Parting from the Four Desires," and countless others directly from Manjushri. His era was the heyday of spiritual learning. There were occasions when the Great Milarepa or the Great Sakyan Kunga Nyingpo would be teaching in the same area at the same time.


the heyday of spiritual learning

Great Sakyan's sons Lopon Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182) and Jetsun Dagpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216) succeeded the holy throne of Sakya respectively. Dagpa Gyaltsen's fame even reached India due to his learning and realizations on the Vajrayana teachings, and he was unequaled in all time in his studies of the tantras.

Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen (1182-1251) became Tibet's all-time great teacher. He was a saint, scholar, translator, poet, artist, and erudite in the fields of logic, language, and drama, besides being a statesman. His classic works, Three Codes of Discipline, Treasury of Logic and Reason, and Treasury of Elegant Sayings, became thematic writings of the Tibetan renaissance.

Drogon Chogyal Phagpa (1235-1280), while still at the age of seventeen, became the next successor of the seat of Sakya, the temporal leader of Tibet. In China alone he ordained thousands of Hans, Koreans, Indians, Uygurs, Xixia, and Dali peoples.

Masters of the Teachings

The Sakyas became masters of the teachings of the Samyaka and Vajrakilaya of Padmasambhava, Lam Dre of Virupa and Drogmi, the Guhyamantratilaka of Pandita Guhyaprajna, Samvara of Purang Lotsawa, the new transmission of Guhyasamaja and Chakrasamvara of Ma Lotsawa, the Madhyamika and Pramana of Ngog Lotsawa, the Abihidharmas of Kawa Pal-tsek, Chokro Lu'i Gyaltsen, and Zhang Gyalwa Pel, the Vinaya of Jhim Lotsawa, and the teachings of Shije, Dzogchen and Chod.

The Great Sakya Monastery

The Lhakhang Chenmo (the great Sakya monastery in Sakya) remained the center of the teaching after its foundation in 1268 by Chogyal Phagpa. Ma Lotsawa, Pang Lotsawa, Shongton Lotsawa and other great translators worked in translating the tantric texts of Hevajra and Kalachakra, Pramanavartika; Kalapa, the Sanskrit grammar Kavyadarsha, and Nagananda. The seat of Sakya sometimes is referred to as the "spring of wisdom."

The spiritual legacy and the cultural and social contribution of Sakya have had a permanent impact on Tibet, Mongolia, and China.

Sakya Pandita propagated a new transmission of the monastic ordination from the Kashmiri abbot Shakyashry Bhadra, one of the last great Indian masters to visit Tibet. This monastic lineage was later known as the Panchen Dom-gyun or "Vow Transmission of the Great Pandita."


Sakya Pandita's teachings spread the Dharma throughout Tibet . . . lead[ing] the Tibetans towards a politically and culturally conscious society.

The Mid-13th Century

In the mid-13th century Sakya Pandita's teachings spread the Dharma throughout Tibet and also lead the Tibetans towards a politically and culturally conscious society. His masterly statesmanship, at the risk of his own life, saved Tibet from invasion at a time when few countries could survive the Mongolian domination of Asia.

His Letter to the Tibetans was instrumental in the fate of Tibet, and helped Tibetans to contain confrontation with the Mongols. It was he who, through his skill and wisdom, "conquered" the invading Mongols, leading to the eventual unification of Tibet for the first time since Lang Darma's fall.

It was this unparalleled event in the history of Tibet, and the unexceptional ingenuity of Sapan's spiritual and social leadership, that continues to shape Tibetan culture to this day.


Sakya Pandita's. . . .masterly statesmanship, at the risk of his own life, saved Tibet from invasion

Tibetan Buddhism in Mongolia and China

For the first time Tibetan Buddhism was formally established in Mongolia and China, where Sakya Pandita himself remained for the last six years of his life, from 1246 to 1252. As a creative writer and innovative thinker he gave Tibet and inspired a literary world of poetry, drama, medicine, astrology, art, language, and logic.

In 1260, Chogyal Phagpa formally led Tibet toward a unified social structure by assuming its spiritual and temporal leadership. For the first time in three hundred years, Tibet came together under one leadership. Phagpa's vision of a spiritually oriented society remains a model of administration up to the present day in Tibet.

Many reforms were made in the Mongols' court at the advice of young Chogyal Phagpa. He devised a new Mongolian script for Kublai Khan (1215-1294) and initiated the translation of Tibetan Buddhism into the Mongolian language. His wisdom, compassion, and skillfulness in the teachings won the confidence of the emperor and people there.

His broad vision reversed the Mongol king's sectarian proposition of one religion i.e., the Sakya for all of Tibet and China.


Chogyal Phagpa's. . . . wisdom, compassion, and skillfulness in the teachings won the confidence of the emperor and people there.

Great Saints and Masters from the Sakya Order

Numerous other great saints and masters appeared from the Sakya Order: Lama Dampa, Choje Kunga Tashi, Salo Jampal Dorjee, A-myes Shap of the holy Khon family; U'yugpa Rigpei Senge, Yagton, Rongton, Jetsun Rendawa, Je Tsongkhapa, Khedrup Je, Gyalts'ab Je, Gorampa, Shakya Chogden, Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo, Sasang Mati Panchen, Taktsang Lotsawa, Bodong Panchen, Kunga Namgyal, Zungpal, Sangye Phel, Panchen Bumtrak Sumpa, Kunga Chosang, Ludrup Gyatso, and Tsarchen Losal Gyatso.

Rendawa Zhonnu Lodo (1349-1412) was renowned as the promoter of the Prasangika-Mad-hyamika philosophy of Nagarjuna. He introduced the formal degrees of Kachupa, Kashipa, and Rab-jampa into the Buddhist philosophy curriculum.

Rongton (1367-1449) founded Nalanda University in Tibet. It is said that at no other time in history was there a greater number of students studying philosophy than under Chapa Choseng, Chomden Rigrel and Rongton.


no other time in history was there a greater number of students studying philosophy

The Founding of Monasteries

Ngorchen Kunga Sangpo founded the monastery of Ngorin 1429. Monasticism prospered in his lifetime after he ordained twelve thousand monks. The Ngor monastery, the seat of Ngor School of the Sakyas, became the major center of monastic and tantric training. The annual Lam Dre teaching continued since its foundation.

Thupten Namgyal Ling monastery in Tanag was founded by Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429-1489).

Throughout Tibet monastic schools of the Sakya Order were established, especially in the eastern province of Kham. Important centers arose at Dege Gonchen, Dzongsar, Dokho, Kyegu, and De'uchoje. The sub-schools of Ngor, Tsar, and Gangkar have flourished up to the present.

Although the Jonang-pa, the Bulug-pa, and the Bodon-pa have ceased to exist as separate traditions, they left monumental works on Tantra and other literary, scientific, and philosophic writings that were to profoundly influence other schools of Tibetan Buddhism.


the Sakyas have contributed a rime (ecumenical) consciousness to Tibetan Buddhism

Under the inspiration of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Loter Wangpo, Ngawang Legpa, and the late Dezhung Rinpoche (1904-87), the Sakyas have contributed a rime (ecumenical) consciousness to Tibetan Buddhism. Loter Wangpo's monumental Collection of Classes of Tantras and Collection of Sadhanas exemplify the spirit of the rime movement in Tibet.

Sakya Order at Present

The Sakya tradition flourished under the leadership of His Holiness Sakya Trizin [until March 2017], who is the forty-first in a line of throne holders of the seat of the Sakya Order, and His Holiness Dagchen Rinpoche, head of the Phuntsok Podrang, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, and His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche.

Ever since he left Tibet at the age of fourteen, His Holiness Sakya Trizin's works have spread well beyond the Himalayan range. To sustain and nourish this spiritual heritage, the seat of Sakya Order has been reestablished in Northern India along with the two sub-orders Ngor in India, and the Tsar in Nepal. Centers for Buddhist studies have been established in Southeast Asia, Europe and in North America. New schools, monasteries, meditative retreats, and the monastic trainings and colleges have been established in India for higher studies.

The activities of outstanding teachers such as the late Khen Rinpoche Rinchen (1926-85) and Khenpo Appey Rinpoche, and more recently Khenpo Kunga Wangchug have heralded the spread of the various branches of Buddhist learning and practice: Vinaya (ethical discipline), Abhidharma (psychology/cosmology/metaphysics), Prajnaparamita (the heart wisdom of Buddhist teachings), Pramana (logic and epistemology), Madhyamika (the philosophy of the Middle Way), and above all the tantric studies in some of the higher study centers of Sakya College, Sakya Institute, and Dzongsar Institute.


the saviors of the land of the snows. . . .preserving and sustaining the Buddha's teachings of peace, happiness and liberation for all sentient beings. 

The New Generation of Sakya

A new generation of Sakya are growing up, ever ready to follow the tradition of the saviors of the land of the snows in preserving and sustaining the Buddha's teachings of peace, happiness and liberation for all sentient beings. Many worldwide centers for the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism have been established.

His Holiness envisions yet another responsibility in disseminating Dharma well beyond the cultural difference, geographical distance, and spiritual adherence within an ancient Sakyan tradition of thorough studies, contemplation and meditation, that we in the West had the good fortune to share especially during His Holiness' visit with us.

For more information:

...
Continue Reading >>