THE SONGS AND STORY OF JETSÜN LOREPA

Carrying a pair of shoulder bags full of tsampa, Jetsün Lorepa journeyed to the great lake of Namtso in the north, which surrounds the island of Semo. The ice on the lake had melted, and so he had to stay on the shore near where many fishermen were living. Although he had made a strong resolution to practice on the island, since the ice had melted, there was no way to get to the island. So he supplicated the guru and wept.

One of the fisherboys said, “Young monk, why are you weeping?”

Lorepa replied, “I made a vow to meditate on that island but since the ice has melted, my practice is hindered; therefore, I am sad.”

The fisherboy exclaimed, “How wonderful that you have such faith! I will ferry you to the island.”

But the boy’s father said, “This lake is brackish. There is no water to sustain you during your ascetic practices, and if the lake does not freeze, your two years’ provisions will not be enough. There is no history of anyone living there except glorious Galo and the Ācārya Padmākara. This boy is my only son and I dare not send him. I know this lake better and I am stronger than my son. Since you have such great faith, I will take you now, but we both might die. Even so, I have committed evil by killing many fish and you might liberate me.”

They tied three pieces of wood together as a base. Underneath that, they attached three inflated leather bags. On top of that, they made a latticework of rope and sticks. Then, they put the two full tsampa bags on the raft. The fisherman sat on one side and the lord of dharma sat on the other. On the eleventh day as the stars came out, they launched their raft. At midnight the lake roared and crashed about, making a great tumult. The waves of the lake rose to the height of a man. Lightning flashed in the sky and a great hailstorm came down. Frogs as big as goat-kids leapt onto the raft.

The boatman became extremely frightened and said, “It’s unfortunate that you want to meditate on the island; both of us are going to die. Don’t you have someone like the Kagyü gurus to supplicate? Can’t you give a command to the local deities?”

With intense yearning and longing, Lorepa made a supplication to the Kagyü gurus, asking for help. He sang this secret song:

Dharmakāya Samantabhadra and consort, inseparable from guru Vajradhara,

Your emanation, guru Tilo, protector of beings,

Guru Nāropa, free of faults and perfected in virtue,

From the dharmadhātu of great bliss, please protect sentient beings.

Teacher Marpa Chökyi Lodrö, kind guru,

Great lord of yogins, guru Milarepa,

Guru Physician, who realized compassion-emptiness,

From the realm of unconditioned luminosity-emptiness, please protect sentient beings.

Omniscient protector of beings, guru vajra-king,

Supreme heruka, glorious guru Lingchenrepa,

Lord of the four kāyas, lord of dharma, protector of beings, honorable Drukpa,

Please protect sentient beings with your compassion free of concepts.

Authentic lord of dharma who accomplishes benefit for himself and others,

Kind rinpoche who mercifully accomplishes benefit for beings,

Merciful guru, wise in the ways of kindness,

Please protect sentient beings of this dark age.

Thus, Lorepa supplicated.

From the direction of Semo island they saw a mass of rainbow light shaped like a pitched tent. In the middle of this, they saw a vision of Tsangpa Gyare in sambhogakāya aspect holding a vase of eternal life in his hand.

Again Lorepa supplicated:

O gurus, victorious ones of the three times and their sons,

Please hear the lamentations from my heart.

Gurus and hosts of vajra brothers and sisters,

Learned and disciplined meditators who have attained unsurpassable enlightenment,

Decent dharma practitioners who have entered the gate of the teachings,

Please join your minds together and protect sentient beings.

In this terrifying fire pit of saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings who are as naive as moths.

In this fathomless and boundless ocean of saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings who are as fragile as a cobweb.

In this pitch-black abyss of saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings who are blind and have lost their way.

In this great prison of saṃsāra without escape,

Please protect sentient beings who are defenseless captives.

In this poisonous pit of great suffering, saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings who are blind and mad.

In this futile mirage of saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings who are hot and thirsty wild animals.

In this deceptive dream and illusion of saṃsāra,

Please protect sentient beings, long tormented through lack of realization.

O protector, lord of dharma, be a refuge for all, both high and low.

Please protect sentient beings with your great kindness and supreme consideration.

Gurus, victorious ones and their sons, peaceful and wrathful deities throughout the universe,

Samaya-bound protectors who delight in the side of the white,

Quell obstacles and hosts of māras and establish sentient beings in happiness.

You gurus who do not discriminate

Between sentient beings and buddhas,

Please protect sentient beings who suffer.

Pacify obstacles and perfect virtues.

Cause the teachings to flourish and purify the realms.

Through the blessings of this supplication, the chaos was pacified instantly, and they easily arrived at dry land. The fisherman saw that the lord of dharma was the Buddha in person and he prostrated, circumambulated, and requested his blessings.

Before the fisherman returned, the lord of dharma said, “Surrender your mind, heart, and chest to the three jewels and they will certainly not deceive you. You will meet your son easily without obstacles.” The fisherman then easily returned to the other shore.

The lord of dharma inspected the qualities of that place. He saw that the lake was naturally clear and the color of vaiḍūrya. As the sun rose and set, it seemed to rise and set from the depths of the lake. It was the palace of Lady Dorje Küntragma. In the middle of the island there was a field that was not very large, but flat like the palm of a hand. In the middle of this field, rock formations were piled up like jewels. To the right and left of the field there were hills that looked like the outstretched wings of a vulture. At the south end of the field there was a nāga cave and a maṇḍala cave, clean and clear, naturally pleasant, and giving rise to samādhi. He saw that this was a place for practice, free from bustle and distraction, where experience and realization would increase like the waxing moon. He was very pleased.

Lorepa set aside one-half of a full bag of tsampa for the next year and the other half for the first year’s provisions. He made the deva offerings and tormas regularly. He made the deva offerings the size of a small rodent’s ear, the middle torma the size of sheep pellets, and the one hundred tormas the size of small rodent’s pellets. He made the stock of his gruel from the torma water of these. He said that he never experienced more joy than in that year. For the offering of the twenty-fifth day, the lord of dharma would dissolve a piece of rock-crystal sugar in a small offering bowl, and then would perform the long Cakrasaṃvara-sādhana. He said it was very satisfying.

At that time, both the great Nyenchen Thanglha, in the garb of a young sorceror, and the Lady Dorjie Küntragma, in the garb of a nobleman’s daughter, surrounded by a great assembly of lake goddesses and local deities, came from time to time to listen to the lord of dharma’s teachings and songs. Because all the gods and demons enjoyed his songs, they assembled in turns and said, “Yogin, please either sing or expound the dharma.” So Lorepa expounded the dharma and sang many songs.

One day he went to view the scenery. He saw that on the far shore the fishermen had placed some fish in heaps and had spread out others. He sang the song of seven compassions.

In the following year, the Dritak nomads who lived on the shore said, “Last year a young Drukpa monk went to Semo island without many provisions. We should see if he is still alive.” Two of them went to see. They heard the voice of the lord of dharma making supplications in his practice cave and they said, “He has gone mad.”

But as they approached, they saw that although the lord of dharma had not used more than half of that full bag of tsampa, he looked extremely healthy and his practice was prospering. They were amazed and their faith was aroused. They requested him to leave the island at that time, but he said, “I still have half a bag of tsampa and I will stay here.”

Lorepa stayed for a whole year. Then he thought that in the winter, when the ice had formed on the lake, he would go to Shamo island. However, the local deity manifested as a scorpion. At the entrance to the cave she placed one sting on the floor and one sting on the roof, and blocked his way. So he sang the song of nine resolutions, ways of transcending conceptual mind.

The local deity then transformed herself into a twenty-year-old maiden, prostrated, and said, “I was not really trying to harm you, but I do not like your leaving. Now that I see that you are not to be diverted, I will serve you during your stay at Shamo island.” Then she vanished, and the lord of dharma went to Shamo island and stayed there.

The lord of dharma’s father and mother went to the refuge of beings, Tsangpa Gyare, who gave them his own attendant, Gendündar, as a guide. They joined together and traveled to the north. As there was ice on the lake, they were able to meet with the lord of dharma on Shamo island. Both mother and father embraced the lord of dharma and cried. As it is said, “Where there is great joy, there are many tears.” For several days, he contented his parents with expounding the dharma, singing songs, and performing miracles. He then sent them back to Ü.

Lorepa told Gendündar, “Live in the eastern rock cave, cook the food, and practice. Now wall up the entrance to my rock cave.” The lord of dharma stayed sealed up inside. Each time Gendündar would offer him food, he would eat just a portion of it, and leave the rest to dry.

After seven years passed, Gendündar said to the lord of dharma, “The tsampa is completely consumed and ice has not formed on the lake.”

The lord of dharma gave him the dry food and said, “Make this into a soup; bring it here to me, and drink some yourself.” The attendant did this and offered it to him. The lord of dharma thought to himself, “What if the ice still does not form?” He saved the dregs of the soup and left them to dry.

Again Gendündar said, “The dry food is consumed.”

The lord of dharma said, “Cook this.” He gave him the soup dregs and said, “Make this into soup; bring it to me and drink some yourself.”

Later on, Gendündar said, “Again the food is consumed and ice has not formed.”

The lord of dharma said, “Shake out the bags and roll it into dough.” When it was rolled, there was only as much as the size of a thumb. The lord of dharma performed a gaṇacakra and a visualization. He then realized that a local deity had brought the corpse of a deer to the beach, and he told Gendündar that there was something wondrous on the beach. Gendündar went to the beach and cut up the corpse that he found there. He offered some to the lord of dharma and ate a little himself. In this way, they were able to pass the eighth year.

Later on, Gendündar said, “The meat is now consumed.”

The lord of dharma said, “Boil my shoes and meditation belt, your shoes and meditation belt, and the tsampa bags,” and he threw his shoes and meditation belt out to his attendant. Immeasurable suffering arose in Gendündar. He boiled them well and offered them to the lord of dharma.

Later on, Gendündar thought, “These also are consumed. If I were to die, that would be sustenance for the guru.” He said, “Guru sir, there is a human corpse down on the beach. Is it alright to eat it or not?”

The lord of dharma said, “It is all right.”

Then the attendant tied one end of his sash to a bush, and the other end around his neck. However, the lord of dharma knew that Gendündar had made preparations to drown himself, and he quickly went out to him. The lord of dharma took him by the hand and brought him back up, saying, “Son, it is not necessary to make such a mistake. Although I may die, I have no regrets. For the sake of the dharma, I have practiced asceticism.” He then sang the song of four nonregrets.

That night, the lord of dharma dreamt that the refuge of beings, Tsangpa Gyare, was on the beach in a white pitched tent, surrounded by a retinue of many local deities. At dawn, the sound of a ḍamaru was heard in the sky. The lord of dharma thought, “What is that?” He looked and he had a vision of the five jñānaḍākinīs.

The ḍākinīs said, “Brother, you have been overburdened for a long time. Now you may go to Ü. We request you to walk on the surface of the ice.” Then they vanished like a rainbow.

The lord of dharma said, “Gendündar, get up and see if it is possible that ice has formed on the lake in accordance with the omen in my dream.”

Gendündar thought, “Are we going to Ü? It has been nine years since the lake has frozen. Since ice has not formed in the winter months, it is impossible for it to form during the summer.” Nevertheless, since it was the command of his guru, he went and looked. On the lake there was ice, an arrow’s flight in width, and a cubit in depth. On its surface there was a moderate snowfall, in which lay the footprints of a fox. Intense joy and immeasurable faith and devotion for the lord of dharma arose in him and he said, “Since the ice has formed, please let us be off.”

The lord of dharma said, “Go and put the books and personal belongings in the bag and bring them along.” They then departed.

The lord of dharma said, “Gendündar, you go first.” Just as he reached the shore, Gendündar wondered if the lord of dharma was coming behind him, and he turned around to look. The ḍākinīs quickly gathered up the silk scarf on which they both walked, but since the lord of dharma had not reached the shore, the lower part of his body was immersed in the water.

The lord of dharma said, “If you had not looked back, it would have been better. The sight of the local deities is poisonous; therefore, your life will be short. If I bless you, you will have a long life, but you will not meet with me in the next life. Son, would you like a long life, or would you like to be with me in the next life?”

Gendündar said, “What joy is there in this life? I would prefer the joy of being with the guru in the next life.” Therefore, his life was short, but in his next life, he was born as the son of a potter and met with his guru.

The lord of dharma and his disciple were seen coming from the middle of the lake by three herdboys. Each one saw them in a different form, and the herdboys were amazed. When the lord and his disciple arrived on the shore, the herdboys prostrated, offered them their tsampa and leeks, and said, “Both of you, master and disciple, must be siddhas. What a great wonder that you have now come across the water in this season. We request you to teach the dharma.” The lord of dharma then sang a song called “The Five Buddha Fields” for the boys.

The boys said, “If you cross this hill, you will find our camp. Please go there. We will round up our sheep and cattle earlier than usual and come there.”

So the master and disciple went toward the large encampment called Kyangpa, but they stayed in a field at a distance from the tents. The attendant asked if he could go into the encampment.

The lord of dharma said, “If you are hungry, eat the tsampa and leeks. Practice.”

Gendündar replied, “Lord of dharma, even if you will not go, I must go.”

“If you must go, do not say that we came from Shamo island.”

When the attendant arrived at the encampment, he found many dogs. There was also a group of young toughs who demanded, “Where do you come from?” Nervously, Gendündar blurted out that he was from Shamo island. They said, “The lake has not frozen for many years. You must be a bandit chief,” and they beat him.

When Gendündar returned, the lord of dharma asked him if he had gotten any alms. He said, “I did not get any alms. I got a beating.”

The lord of dharma said, “I told you before to stay and practice. Now practice.”

The three boys arrived at the camp at sunset and told their parents about the lord of dharma. So the parents went over and invited them both back to their camp. “Come to our camp, and we will serve you,” they said. “Earlier on, we did not realize that you were the attendant of the lord of dharma. Please forgive us.”

The lord of dharma and his attendant stayed there about seven or eight days. Then, their patrons again requested the dharma, saying, “For the past few days, you have constantly and naturally taught the dharma to us. But since we are highlanders, we have not understood very much. Therefore, please put the holy dharma into a melodious song.”

Then, the lord of dharma sang this song of the six encouragements to practice, which bring impermanence to mind:

This workable mind

Is like mist on white glacier mountains.

One never knows when the mist will disappear, so resort to practice.

It is certain that it will disappear, so resort to the holy dharma.

This illusory body composed of the four elements

Is like a tree root rotting.

One never knows when the tree will fall, so resort to practice.

It is certain that it will fall, so resort to the holy dharma.

This property built up by competitive ancestors

Is like the illusion of a magician.

One never knows when the illusion will be destroyed, so resort to practice.

It is certain that it will be destroyed, so resort to the holy dharma.

These objects of wealth collected through avarice

Are like honey collected by bees.

One never knows who will enjoy the honey, so resort to practice.

It is certain that others will enjoy it, so resort to the holy dharma.

Agreeable and loving relatives

Are like travelers gathered in a marketplace.

One never knows when the travelers will disperse, so resort to practice.

It is certain that they will disperse, so resort to the holy dharma.

These sons of your own flesh

Are like hundred-year-old dotards.

One never knows if they will help you, so resort to practice.

It is certain that they will not help you, so resort to the holy dharma.

Thus, the lord of dharma sang.

Great faith arose in their patrons. They said, “Let us find out where the precious lord of dharma lives, so that we may practice the dharma.”

Later, when the lord of dharma was living at Uri in the north, the patroness known as Karlek, the three herdboys, and a few others came there, cut their hair, changed their names, and became monks and nuns. They requested teaching and received transmission. In particular, they were given the view of the holy dharma of mahāmudrā, and the meditation of emptiness and stainless luminosity. Thus, the play of unobstructed experience arose in them. By doing just this practice, some of them, both male and female, wandered carefree from retreat to retreat, and became realized, establishing confidence in the wisdom of the ālaya.