Milarepa was born in 1052 and named Thopaga, which means “delightful to hear”. His wealthy father died when Milarepa was very young and his uncle stole the family’s inheritance. At his mother’s request, Milarepa learned the “black arts”, killing many people associated with his uncle.
Later, Milarepa repented and sought a spiritual teacher. He found Marpa the Translator who treated him very harshly. For a long time Marpa refused to give any teachings to Milarepa, giving him instead a series of increasingly arduous and frustrating tasks as a means of purifying Milarepa’s previous karma of bringing so much harm to others. For instance, he ordered Milarepa to build a house by hand and when it was completed, ordered him to tear it down. Milarepa built and demolished a number of houses in this way.
Finally, Marpa gave Milarepa many teachings and initiations and Milarepa practised with great energy while living alone in a cave and eating only nettles. Under Marpa’s guidance he reached enlightenment in a single lifetime.
Milarepa composed many songs that revealed his spiritual realisations.
“Meditate in the unborn nature of the mind, like space, no centre, no limit, like the sun and moon, bright and clear, like a mountain, unmoving, unshakeable, like the ocean, deep, unfathomable.”
Later, Milarepa told his own disciple, Gampopa that he had taught him all that he knew; only one secret remained. He turned around and lifted his robe exposing his posterior. “Do you see?” demanded Milarepa. Gampopa looked and saw so many calluses on the skin that he was astonished.
Milarepa said, “This is how I reached enlightenment; by sitting and meditating. If you want to reach it in this life, make the same effort. This is my final teaching.”
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