Milarepa’s song of advice to Gompopa
Teaching by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje

From Tibet, the land of snow, comes a song by the Powerful Yogi, Milarepa. He had two main heart disciples, who were like the sun and the moon. This vajra song is advice to his sun like disciple, Jetsun Gompopa, also know as the teacher from Tsang or Dakpo Lhaje. The first verse states:

My son, when the mind arises free of mental constructs,
Don’t bring forth conventional language.
There is a danger of making friends with the eight worldly concerns.
Rest in a state free of pride. Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow Dakpo Lhaje?

When the mind arises free of mental constructs refers to the time when the nature of mind, radiant clarity, is evident. Now, in the world of relative truth, we operate with our intellect those functions with mental constructs, or elaborations. If we purify the intellect of these, the mind free of elaborations will appear, since it is not something separate from the intellect itself. If we gradually apply antidotes, when this intellect is effaced, them mind free of constructs will naturally appear. And we do not have to wait for this to happen in the future; primordial wisdom free of constructs is present within us aright now.

At the time when primordial wisdom free of elaborations is appearing, Milarepa advises, Don’t bring forth conventional language. Why? These everyday words are imputed on the basis of the pleasurable objects that appear to the five sense faculties: forms, sounds, tastes, tangible objects, and mental phenomena. When the mind free of mental constructs appears, there is no attachment to these five objects: not attachment to forms, no attachment to sounds, no attachment to smells and so forth.

When we cling to the pleasurable objects of the five senses, even if the mind free of constructs briefly appears, it will not benefit us, because we are bound by the eight worldly concerns, and, in particular, by desire permeated with attachment. When we are not free of this attachment, we will not be able to attain liberation, the level of omniscience of full awakening.

It is the chain of attachment, whether to people or things that keeps us bound in samsara. The lamas of the past have taught that there is no difference between attachment to full awakening and attachment to samsara. Both are forms of attachment and should be discarded, since attachment for anything at all keeps us bound in samsaric existence. In a similar way, it is also said that there is no difference between a golden chain and an iron chain; both bind our hands and remove our freedom.

Therefore, when freedom from elaboration, or simplicity, is dawning in our mind, we should be free of attachment and, in particular, attachment to self.

If we can rest free of ego fixation, the mind free of elaborations can arise. While it is present, fixating upon it will prevent it from emerging. And not only this, attachment will grow; we will be more anchored in samsara and many faults will appear. And so the song states, Rest in a state free of pride, where pride translates literally as “the victory of the “I”.
 
When natural liberation arises from the wisdom within, Don’t set up logical reasonings.

There is a danger you will work hard for nothing.
My son, rest in a state free of concepts,
Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow, Dakpo Lhaje?

How is this nature of mind? It is liberated from all that is to be given up and taken up. Milarepa, advises, therefore, “When natural liberation arises from the wisdom within,

Don’t set up logical reasonings”. For an individual who has seen the nature of mind, there is no need for various reasonings to establish certainty, nor is there a need for scriptures. If such an individual were to say, “it is like this.” Or “It is like that.” Then the mind would be involved in numerous activities; many concepts would appear, and doubts arise.

There is no need to activate the conceptualizing mind, because the nurture of the mind has already been seen, and there is no need to establish it again. If we would try to do so, concepts and doubts would proliferate and though we would have seen the nature of mid, it would not become manifest. The verse stated, “There is a danger you will work hard for nothing.”

While we are seeing thee nature of mind, we should rest evenly in meditation, free from all conceptual elaborations. If we do not do this, but work at citing scriptures and building up reasonings, this effort will simply make our minds numb to reality.

Therefore Milarepa counsels, My son, rest in a state free of concepts.” Once you have seen mind’s nature, rest evenly within what you have seen and your practice will develop. If not, with proliferating concepts, your practice will not deepen and realization will not manifest.

When you realize that your mind is emptiness,
Don’t tack on thoughts about phenomena as one or many.
There is a danger of arriving at the void of nihilism.
Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow, Dakpo Lhaje?

The first line of this stanza, When you realize that your mind is emptiness mentions one person’s mind, but actually, this implies all others as well, since there is no mind that is separate. When we and all others are realizing the empty nature of mind, Milarepa counsels, Don’t tack on thoughts about phenomena as one or many. This means that we should not apply Madhyamika reasonings, such as analyzing to see if phenomena are a
single unit or multiple, if they are the same or different, or examining to see how they are dependently arisen.
 
Through the power of resting evenly in meditation, the practitioner has come to realize the emptiness of all phenomena and therefore does not have to follow after reasonings. If at this point, we apply reasonings, they will not take us on the correct path. There is a danger of arriving at the void of nihilism.

If we have come to the place of seeing the empty nature of mind and then we try to make it emptier than that, we are in danger of falling into the view of emptiness as a vacuum, a blankness, a mere nothingness. We could think, “There is nothing at all.” “All phenomena are just void.” This is the view of nihilism or extinction. Another nihilistic way of thinking is to consider that previously, phenomena were not empty and meditating
has made them newly so. Seeing emptiness as annihilation is also mistaken.

In sum, through meditation, the practitioner has realized emptiness and at this time, there is no need to apply Madhyamika reasonings, because it is the power of resting in meditation that has brought the realization of the empty nature of all phenomena.

If we insist on applying reasonings at this point, they would not lead us on the right path. We would fall into a nihilistic view and could think that phenomena were made empty for the first time through these reasonings. Therefore, while realizing emptiness, the practitioner should rest evenly within the depth of meditation.

“When you are meditating on Mahamudra,
Don’t engage in virtuous activity through your body and speech.
There is danger that wisdom free of concept will vanish.
My son, rest in a natural way without contrivance.
Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow, Dakpo Lhaje?

One of the special traits of our Kagyu tradition is Mahamudra, and so the stanza begins: When you are meditating on Mahamudra. From the two accumulations of merit and wisdom, we are gathering the accumulation of wisdom at this time.

Further, on the paths of seeing and meditation, there are many stages, which have two aspects: the giving up of what is to be given up at that level and the path free of obstacles. Here, the verse is referring to the path free of obstacles, where wisdom functions to allow us to give up what is to be given up.

During the time we are meditating on Mahamudra, Milarepa counsels, Don’t engage in virtuous activity through your body and speech. If we are gathering the accumulation of wisdom by practicing, we remain attached to the accumulation of merit, this activity will not be virtuous. Why? Because these actions create an obstacle to the accumulation of wisdom, which is superior and instantaneous. Milarepa warns, There is danger that wisdom free of concept will vanish If our minds are distracted by accumulating merit through our body and speech, this activity will block the wisdom of Mahamudra, which functions as an antidote, allowing the elimination of what is to be eliminated on the path of seeing. This wisdom arises in one instant; and therefore, if the mind is diverted to other activity, it cannot appear.

For all these reasons, while we are gathering the accumulation of the wisdom, we should focus all our efforts on that meditation and this will allow the instantaneous wisdom to appear. If we do not, then this wisdom will remain distant and far away. With this caveat, Milarepa continues, My son, rest in a natural way without contrivance. We rest evenly in meditation, staying right in the very nature of Mahamudra. This abiding is
without artifice, which means, “not affected by adventitious or temporary flaws,” so we do not follow after other concepts nor do we try to accomplish other kinds of merit. We rest relaxed and spacious within mind’s nature.

“When signs and prophecies arise, do not grasp onto happiness or become inflated;
There is danger these prophecies are given by maras.
Rest in a state free of deliberate fixation.
Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow, Dakpo Lhaje?

The Buddhist scriptures describe the various signs that arise previous to the attainment of the first or the subsequent bodhisattva levels. When such signs arise, we should avoid becoming elated and thinking, “I have gotten such good signs.” Or being inflated and thinking , “My view and practice are superior.” If we become attached to these signs and think ourselves superior, Milarepa warns, There is a danger these prophecies are given by maras.

Why is this holding of ourselves above others so counter production? It prevents us from discarding the afflictions to be given up, so that we can attain the first bodhisattva level.

In other words, we have been captured by the maras, or negative spirits and will not be able to achieve what we set out to do. In truth, when we have actually attain the level of a bodhisattva, these kinds of grasping and fixation do not arise; they happen before the actual level is attained when the signs are appearing we are think, “I had good signs.” “ My view and practice are flawless.”

In brief, if we are struck to our superiority and become overjoyed and inflated, this resembles being captured by negative spirits, because it creates obstacles to our realization of higher levels. Therefore, Milarepa concludes, Rest in a state free of deliberate fixation.

“When you have determined the nature of your mind,
Don’t live in hopes for higher forms of perception.
There is danger the mara will carry off this inflated mind.
Do you understand, teacher from Tsang?
Do you follow, Dakpo Lhaje?

At the time we have determined that the nature of our mind is emptiness, or the lack of self, we should be free of great expectations for the higher forms of perception, for the ability to perform miracles, for deep experience and high realization, or for creating new, special things. When we practice, we should focus on becoming certain that there is no entity or permanent self and also focus on generating pure love, compassion and bodhicitta within our mindstreams. This should be our aspiration.

Once these have been realized, then the qualities of stable concentration, such as the higher forms of perception, demonstrating miracles, and so forth, will naturally appear.

Therefore, when we area abiding within the nature of our minds, free of a self, and when pure love and compassion have arisen in our mindstream, we should have no hopes for less important attainments.

On the other hand, we should not be afraid of great emptiness. If we do not see no self, we will not see emptiness. And even if some qualities of stable contemplation should arise, we will not be able to liberate ourselves from samsara, but fall back into it.

Therefore, if we really wish for liberation from samsara, we must know what no self means.

Further, without meditating on bodhicitta, it is not possible to attain liberation, omniscience, or full awakening. What is important is a stable joy, and no self and bodhicitta which are the roots of Dharma. However, if you harbour hopes such as “I want precognition.” “I must have signs of realization.” “I want to perform miracles.” I need powerful meditation.” Then such things will not come to you. This is what Milarepa means when he cautions, There is a danger the maras will carry off this inflated mind.

We may have special, powerful experiences, but if we cling to them, we will not be able to practice Dharma authentically. Ultimately, demonstrating miracle, and so forth, will not liberate your from samsara. Therefore, Milarepa concludes with this advice, My son rest in a state free of hope and fear.

It is my wish for you that you, too, will be able to practice following this counsel of Milarepa to his heart son, Gompopa, and thereby be able to develop your practice and benefit numerous other living beings.