Gordon - The Hundred Thousand Songs : Selections from Milarepa Poet?Saint of Tibet

It was during the time of staying in meditation in the place called the Great Symbol of the Pure Light. At a time when he needed materials to prepare foodlike flour, salt, water, and so onthere was no wood in front of the door, no water, and no fire in the fireplace. He thought: "I will pay no attention. I should go to collect wood, about an armful." Suddenly, when he was holding the wood, a great wind arose, and the rags he was wearing blew away. "Even though I stayed so long in the hermitage, still I cling to my ego," he thought. "What is the use of practicing the doctrine if I do not give up clinging to my ego? If you like the rags, take them away.

If you like the wood, take it away," he said to the wind. "Here I stay, and I give up both." Because of bad food and cold weather he fainted. When he awoke, the wind was mild, and the rags were fluttering on the tip of a tree branch. Feeling heart-weary, he saw in front of him a rock looking like the body of a sheep. At the end of meditation in the easterly direction of Gro Valley, a white cloud was floating below the hermitage. He thought: "There abides my Lama Marpa, the Translator." He thought of his Lama and the Lama's wife and the offering-people [patrons] and friends and their associatesall brothers of the secret doctrine [the teaching and the baptism].

He was thinking of his Lama in this manner: "No matter how, I would like to go and see him." He thought strongly of his Lama with a sorrow which was immeasurable. He sang a song of his Lama, who could relieve all suffering. I am thinking of my Father Marpa, who can relieve suffering. At his feet, I, poor man who tries to relieve suffering, Make obeisance. In the east is the Red Rock of Chong Valley, Rain clouds and river floating slowly by, White clouds beneath. The back of the mountain looks like a big powerful elephant, The front of the mountain like a powerful lion.