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TheStoryofNyamaPaldarbum,SongofMilarepa

TheStoryofNyamaPaldarbum
FromthesongsofMilarepa
commentatedonbyKhenchenThrangu
Rinpoche
InthefourteenthchapterofTheOneHundredThousandSongsofMilarepacontainsthe
teachingsthatMilarepagaveinresponsetothequestionsofNyamaPaldarbum.Sheasked
MilarepamanyquestionsandtheanswersMilarepagaveherareprofoundandbeneficial
toourownpractice.
OneautumnMilarepacametoaplacenamedGepaLesum,wherethepeoplewerebringing
theharvestseason.HewasaskingthepeopleforfoodandayounggirlnamedNyama
Paldarbumsaid,GotothathouseoverthereandIwillcometoyousoon,andgiveyou
food.
Milarepawenttothedoorofthehouseandtappedonitwithhisstaff.Therewasno
response.Hetappedagainandanoldwomancameoutwhosaid,Yousocalledyoginsdo
alotofbeggingandwhentheresnooneathomeyougoinandsteal,whichisexactlywhat
youwereplanningtodo!
Milarepathensangherasongdescribingthesufferingofoldageandhowinthemidstof
thosesufferingswemustpracticetheDharmaandfollowadharmamaster.Whenhehad
finished,theoldwomanwasfilledwithregretandfaithinMilarepa.Withherhands
togethershesupplicatedhimwithtearsstreamedfromhereyes.
Paldarbumarrivedatthispoint,andthoughtthattheyogimusthavehither.Whatdo
youthinkyouredoing,hittinganoldlady?sheaskedhim.
Theoldladysaid,HedidnthitorinsultmeIinsultedhim.ThenhegavemeDharma
teachingswhichhasarousedgreatfaithintheDharmainme.ImcryingbecauseIfeel
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greatregretforwhatIsaidtohim.Imveryoldnow,butyourestillyoung,soyoushould
servethislama,Milarepa,andrequesttheDharmafromhim.
Paldarbumsaid,Youarebothamazing.IfyouareMilarepa,thenIamveryfortunateto
meetyou.Ihaveheardthatwhenpupilslistentotheaccountofyourlineagetheydevelop
greatfaithandtheirperceptionsaretransformed.Ihaveheardthatyouhavevery
profoundinstructions.Whatarethey?
Milarepacouldseethatthisgirlhadthekarmatobeanexcellentpupilandsohesanghera
spiritualsongthatdescribedtheprofundityofhislineage.Theusualdescriptionofhis
lineageisthesuccessionofgurus(Tilopa,Naropa,andMarpa).However,herehedescribes
hislineageastheDharmawhichbeginswiththeBuddha.Thereforethesourceofthe
vajrayanateachingsisdescribedtobethethreekayas(thethreebodiesoraspectsinwhich
theBuddhamanifests).
ThedharmakayaistheallpervadingwisdomoftheBuddhasmind,
theallpervadingSamantabhadrawhoisnotanindividualBuddha
butrepresentsthecompassionandwisdomofBuddhahood.
Thedharmakayagivesrisetothesambhogakayawhichisbeautified
bytheeightymajorandminorsignsphysicalsigns.Itisa
manifestationofformforpupils.ThisiscalledVajradharawhichis
nottobeconfusedwiththedharmakayaVajradhara.ThisVajradhara
isnotanindividualBuddhabutrepresentsthechangelesscontinuity
ofthesambhogakaya.
ThenirmanakayathatbenefitsbeingsistheShakyamuniBuddha
whohasmanifestedfromthesambhogakayatoguideimpurebeings.
Iamayoginwhopossessesthelineagewhichisexceptionally
superiorbecauseitoriginatesfromthethreekayas.
Paldarbumsaid,Thisisanexcellentlineage,butoneneedsarootgurufromwhomone
candirectlyreceivetheinstructions.Whatkindofrootgurudidyouhave?Milarepa
couldhaveansweredquitesimplythathisguruwasMarpaLotsawa,buthesanghera
songoftheouter,inner,andultimategurus:
Theouterguruistheonewhocommunicatesthecontinuityof
knowledgethroughsigns.Heorsheistheguruwhoteachesthe
instructionsthroughsymbolsandothervariousmethods.
Theinnerguruistheonewhoteachesthecontinuityofwisdomand
causesthedirectrecognitionofthetruenatureofthemind.
Theultimateguruistheonewhoteachestheultimatetruthby
increasingtheclarityofourwisdomuntilthefinalresultisattained.
Iamayoginwhopossessesthelineageofthesethreegurus.
Paldarbumthenasked,Oneneedstoreceiveanempowerment(abhisheka)fromagood
guru.Whatkindofabhishekahaveyoureceived?Milarepacouldhaveanswered,Ihave
receivedtheempowerments(abhishekas)ofHevajraandCakrasamvara,"twoyidam
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meditationaldeities,butinsteadhesangasonginwhichhesaid:
Ihavereceivedtheouter,innerandultimateabhisheka.
Theouterabhishekaisthevasebeingplaceduponthecrownofthe
headandisthesymbolicuseofritualobjects.
Theinnerabhishekaisthedemonstrationthatonesownbodyisthe
bodyofthedeity(suchastheBuddha).Itisthemeditationthatones
bodyisthebodyofthedeity,sothatonereceivestheblessingandthe
subtlechannels(Skt.nadi)andsubtledrops(Skt.bindu)ofthebody
areempowered.
Theultimateabhishhekaisthatwhichcausesthedirectrecognition
ofthenatureofthemind.
Iamayoginwhohasreceivedthesethreeabhishekas.
Paldarbumsaid,Thoseareverygoodempowerments.Buthavingreceivedthese
empowerments,oneneedsinstructionssothatonecanfollowthepath.Whatkindof
instructionsdidyoureceive?Milareparepliedwithasong:
Ihavereceivedtheouter,innerandultimateinstructions.
Theouterinstructionsaretolisten,contemplate,andmeditatein
ordertograduallyunderstandthemeaning.
Theinnerinstructionsaretoberesolute,haveintensediligencein
meditationwhichwillbethebasisfortheaccomplishmentofthefinal
result.
Theultimateinstructionsaretohavethecontinuouspresenceof
realizationandexperience,whichcomesfromdiligenceinmeditation.
Iamtheyoginwhohasthesethreeinstructions.

Paldarbumsaid,Youhavereceivedgoodinstructions.Butwhenonehasreceived
instructions,oneneedstogointothemountainstopracticetheDharma.Whatkindof
Dharmapracticehaveyoudone?
InreplyMilarepasangoftheouter,innerandultimategocarapractices,whichareforms
ofchdpractice(pronouncedchitsapracticeaimedtostopegoclingingandattachment
totheself)inwhichonecutsthroughonesattachmenttotheself:
Theexternalchdistowanderinfearfulplaceswherethereare
deitiesanddemons.Theinternalchdistoofferonesownbodyas
foodtothedeitiesanddemons.Theultimatechdistorealizethetrue
natureofthemindandcutthroughthefinestrandofhairofsubtle
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ignorance.Iamtheyoginwhohasthesethreekindsofchdpractice.
Paldarbumsaid,Thatisaverygoodchdpractice.Whenyoginsdothispractice,they
recitethesyllablePhatinordertotransformbadcircumstancesintothepath.Whatisthe
meaningofthisphat?TothisMilareparepliedwithasongabouttheouter,innerand
ultimatephat(pronouncedas"phay"inTibetan):
Theouterphatisthedispellingofthethoughtsthatpreventastable
meditationanditisalsothegatheringinofthesethoughts.Theinner
phatisclearingawaythedullnessoragitationthataffectstheminds
awarenessinmeditation.Theultimatephatisrestinginthetrue
natureofthemind.Iamtheyoginwhohasthesethreekindsofphat.
Paldarbumsaid,Thisphatisverygood.Whenyoupracticeinthisway,whatkindof
mentalstatesoccur?Milarepasangofthementalstatesoftheuncontrivedground,path,
andresult:
Theuncontrivedgroundisrestingintheallpervadingtruenature,
thetruenaturewhichpervadesallphenomena.Theuncontrivedpath
isnotagradualprogress,butadirectarrival.Theuncontrivedresult
isthetruenatureasmahamudra.
Iamayoginwhohasthosethreementalstates.
Paldarbumsaid,Thisismarvelous,itslikethesunshininguponme.Whatkindof
confidencehaveyougainedfromyourpractice?Milarepasangoftheconfidencesofview,
meditation,andresult:
Theconfidenceintheviewistherealizationofemptiness.Thisisthe
viewthattherearenodeitiesnoranydemonssothatonecannot
obtainbenefitfromdeitiesorreceiveanyharmfromdemons.
Theconfidenceinmeditationistheabsenceofanobjectof
meditation.Thismeansthattherecanbenodistraction.
Theconfidenceintheresultistheabsenceofhopetoachieveit.This
meansthereistheabsenceoffearoffailure.
Iamayoginwhohasthesethreeconfidences.
PaldarbumfeltgreatfaithinMilarepa.Sheprostratedtohim,invitedhimin,servedand
honoredhim,andsaid,IamdefinitelygoingtopracticetheDharma,sopleasekeepmein
yourcompassion.ThenshesangasongtoMilarepadescribinghermanyfaultswiththe
basicmeaningofthesongbeing,IwillsincerelypracticetheDharma.Pleasegivemea
practicethatissimpletounderstandandeasytodo.Milarepa,pleasedwithher,replied
withasong:
AlthoughyoutrulywishtopracticetheDharma,itisnotenoughto
giveupworldlyactivities.Youmustfollowmyexampleandpractice
withoutdistraction.
Paldarbumthendescribedinasongwhathernormallifeislike:"Inthedaythereisnever
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endingwork.InthenightIamfastasleep.MorningandeveningIamaslavetofoodand
clothes.IhaveneverhadthechancetopracticetheDharma."
Milarepathensangtoherasongonthefouraspectsofrenunciationnecessaryfortrue
Dharmapractice:
Thenextlifeisfarawayfromthislife.Haveyoupreparedforthis
journeywithfoodandclothes?Thewaytoprepareforthatjourneyis
topracticegenerosity.
Inordertoreceivefood,clothes,andwealthinfuturelives,you
shouldgivetotheminthislifetime.Thereis,however,anobstacle
thatpreventsthisgenerositytofuturelives:miserliness.Miserliness
orhoardingmayseembeneficialinthislifetimeinthatoneaccrues
foodandclothesandotherpossessions,butinthelongrunitharms
youbecausemiserlinesscausespovertyinthenextlifetime.Therefore
youmustrecognizethatmiserlinessisanenemyandcastitaway
behindyou.
Thenextlifetimeisdarkerthanthislifetime.Thereforeyoumust
prepareatorchtoilluminatethatdarkness.Thisisdoneby
meditationonthefundamentalclarityofthemind.Ignoranceisthe
obstacleandtheenemyofclarity.Ignorancemayseempleasantand
beneficialsuperficially,butitisactuallyharmfulandyoumust
recognizeitasanenemyandcastitawaybehindyou.
Thenextlifetimeismorefrighteningthanthislifetime,soyoumust
findaguardwillprotectyou.Thisguardisthepracticeofthe
Dharma.PeopleandrelativesdissuadingyoufromDharmapractice
aretheenemy.Theymaybehelpingandlovingtowardsyou,but
ultimatelytheyareharmingyou.Thereforeyoumustrecognizethese
relativestobeanobstacleandcastthemawaybehindyou.
Thenextlifetimeisalonger,moredesolateroadthanthislifetime.
Youwillneedahorsesothatyoucantravelalongiteasily.Thathorse
isdiligence.Theenemyofdiligenceislazinesswhichwilldeceiveyou
intothinkingitisbeneficial,althoughultimatelyitisharmful.
Recognizelazinesstobeanenemyandcastitawaybehindyou.
WhenMilarepahadsungthissong,PaldarbumfeltgreatfaithinMilarepa.Hetoldher,
Youdonthavetochangeyournameorcutoffyourhair.Apersoncanhavehairandalso
achieveBuddhahood.Then,Milarepataughtherhowtopractice.
TenTeachingsfromthe100,000SongsofMilarepa.
translatedbyPeterRoberts.
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