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Milarepa (c. 1052 - c. 1135 CE), is one of Tibet's most famous yogis and poets. He was fond of singing, and composed songs spontaneously. In many of his songs and poems he teaches the path to Buddhahood and gives vent to many opinions, glorying in extreme penances - although the Gentle Middle Path teaches us not to go to extremes.
His teachings are characterized by a direct and spontaneous wisdom, best known through his Songs of Enlightenment. This version of his life, drawn from classical accounts, comes from a manuscript, “Milarepa the Great Magician,” by Julia Lawless and Judith Allan.
The Story of Milarepa. Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches on guru devotion, using Milarepa’s life story as an inspiring example, at Kopan Course No. 38, Kopan Monastery, Nepal, in Nov–Dec 2005. This teaching is excerpted from Lecture Three of the course.
Yet, in his instructions to his Tibetan audiences, Milarepa refers to the basic Buddhist teachings of "impermanence, the sufferings of saṃsāra, the certainty of death and the uncertainty of its arrival, the frightful rebirth that is the direct result of our benighted deeds."
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 ...
Practicing these teachings for many years in isolated mountain retreats, Milarepa attained enlightenment. He gained fame for his incredible perseverance in practice and for his spontaneous songs of realisation.
The Story of Milarepa. TIBET'S GREAT MYSTICS. Detail from a thangka in the Tibet House Repatriation Collection. To some a saint, to others a poet of 100,000 songs, the great yogi Milarepa (1040 — 1123) is one of the most revered figures in Tibetan history.
