Tag: Milarepa

Milarepa is one of the most famous yogis of Tibet. He was born to a rich family in the first autumn month, on the twenty-fifth day of A.D. 1052 under the influence of an auspicious star. His father gave him the name Mila Thopaga (which means "delightful to hear").

When Milarepa reached the age of seven, his father died. His uncle was in charge of the estate of Milarepa. He deceived Milarepa and his mother and ill-treated them. At his mother's request, Milarepa left home and studied black magic. While his aunt and uncle were having a party to celebrate the impending marriage of their son, he took his revenge by summoning a giant hail storm to demolish their house, killing 35 people, although the uncle and aunt are supposed to have survived. The villagers were angry and set off to look for Milarepa, but his mother got word to him and he sent a hailstorm to destroy their crops.

Knowing that his revenge was wrong, Milarepa set out to find a lama and was led to Marpa the translator. Marpa proved a hard task master. Before Marpa would teach Milarepa he had him build and then demolish three towers in turn.

When Marpa still refused to teach Milarepa he went to Marpa's wife, who took pity on him. She forged a letter of introduction to another teacher, Lama Ngogdun Chudor, under whom he began to practice meditation.

However when he was making no progress, he confessed the forgery and Ngogdun Chudor said that it was for vain to hope for spiritual growth without the guru Marpa's approval. Milarepa returned to Marpa, and after practicing very diligently for twelve years Milarepa attained the state of Vajradhara (complete enlightenment). He is said to be the first to achieve this state within one lifetime.

He then became known as Milarepa, which means the "Mila, the cotton clad one" (the suffix "repa" is given to many tantric yogis since they wear white robes).

At the age of forty-five, he started to practice at Drakar Taso (White Rock Horse Tooth) cave - 'Milarepa's Cave', as well as becoming a wandering teacher. In the cave, he lived on nettle tea, making his skin green, hence the greenish color he is often depicted as having in paintings and sculpture.

Milarepa had many disciples, which include Rechung Dorje Drakpa (Ras-chung Rdo-rje Grags-pa), Gampopa (Sgam-po-pa) or Dhakpo Lhaje. It was Gampopa who became his spiritual successor who continued his lineage and became one of the main lineage masters in Milarepa's tradition.