Tag: Master Milarepa

Karma cannot be Seen or Touched. Does It Really Exist?

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What is karma?

Karma, in Sanskrit known as ‘karma,’ is the creator of deeds of body, speech, and mind, producing both good and evil without forgetting. It is also like the causes created by the three activities, which manifest as their results.

The force of karma leads to the consequences of suffering or happiness based on its nature, whether good or evil. Therefore, there is also the doctrine of karma and its consequences. Karma accumulated in the past is referred to as past karma; karma in the present is referred to as present karma.

The law of karma is a special instance of the law of cause and effect, according to which all our actions of body, speech and mind are causes and all our experiences are their effects. Certainly, perhaps some people might ask, “This ‘karma’ you speak of, I can neither see it nor touch it. Does it really exist?”

The law of karma explains why each individual has a unique mental disposition, a unique physical appearance and unique experiences. These are the various effects of the countless actions that each individual has performed in the past. We cannot find any two people who have created exactly the same history of actions throughout their past lives, and so we cannot find two people with identical states of mind, identical experiences or identical physical appearances. Each person has different individual karma. Some people enjoy good health while others are constantly ill. Some people are seen as very beautiful while others are seen as very ugly. Some people have a happy disposition that is easily pleased while others have a sour disposition and are rarely delighted by anything. Some people easily understand the meaning of spiritual teachings while others find them difficult and obscure.

Master Milarepa’s Story

Milarepa on Mount Kailash | The Art Institute of Chicago

Master Milarepa was renowned for his profound spiritual practice amidst the snowy plateaus of Tibet.

In his youth, Milarepa engaged in regrettable actions that resulted in negative karma. He resorted to sorcery, causing a house to collapse and resulting in the deaths of 35 people, including his adversaries. Additionally, he summoned hailstorms that devastated his uncle’s crops and the entire village.

There are accounts of Master Milarepa experiencing the consequences of his actions. In the later stages of spreading the Dharma for the benefit of all beings, a monk observed the reverence and admiration directed towards Venerable Milarepa by the crowd. Although outwardly respectful, the monk harbored intense jealousy and disdain, viewing the Venerable as understanding nothing and merely a hypocritical, arrogant, and conceited individual.

Once when the Venerable Milarepa fell seriously ill, this monk, pretending to be concerned, went to visit him and said:

“A great master like you who has attained enlightenment should not be so gravely ill, yet here you are sick! If there were a way to share this illness, to distribute some of it among your disciples. If there were a method to transfer it, for example, I could share some of it, but unfortunately, there seems to be no solution. What can be done?”

The Venerable smiled gently and replied, “I should not be ill by nature, but illness is beyond my control.”

The monk continued, “If only I knew the cause of your illness. I suppose no reason can be found? If it could be transferred, I would willingly take on some of it.”

The Venerable responded, “I could indeed share some of this illness with you, but you would not withstand it even for a moment. Therefore, it’s better not to transfer it.”

The monk thought to himself that perhaps the illness couldn’t be transferred, so he persisted more earnestly, saying, “Please, in any case, transfer the illness onto me!”

The Venerable then said, “Very well, but you will not bear it.”

Subsequently, the Venerable transferred the illness onto the door of the silent room, causing the door to creak and shake as if it were about to collapse. Despite this display, the monk remained skeptical, wondering if it was all an illusion, and he once again requested, “This is truly extraordinary! Please transfer it onto me.”

The Venerable agreed, warning him, “You will not endure it.”

He then withdrew the illness from the door and transferred it onto the monk. Instantly, the monk collapsed in pain, unable to move, breathe, or nearly fainting. Seeing this, the Venerable quickly withdrew the illness back, telling the monk, “I only transferred half of the illness to you.”

At that moment, the monk felt profound remorse and sincerely placed the Venerable’s feet on his forehead, tears streaming down in genuine emotion…

Thus, in the realm of karma, distinctions of wealth, poverty, status, or identity dissolve; there are only individuals confronting the unfiltered repercussions of their actions, whether virtuous or malevolent. Like an ever-present shadow, karma unfailingly trails behind, and when it matures, one experiences the consequences firsthand, feeling both its warmth and coldness.

Every action we perform leaves an imprint, or potentiality, on our very subtle mind, and each imprint eventually gives rise to its own effect. Our mind is like a field, and performing actions is like sowing seeds in that field. Virtuous actions sow seeds of future happiness and non-virtuous actions sow seeds of future suffering. These seeds remain dormant in our mind until the conditions for them to ripen occur, and then they produce their effect. In some cases, this can happen many lifetimes after the original action was performed.

The compassionate teachings of the contemporary Buddha, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, instruct us to accumulate wholesome karma and avoid unwholesome karma; through practice, we can transform causes and effects. Only in this way can we allow our good karma to ripen first, keep evil deeds at bay, break free from the bondage of karmic forces, and truly escape the ocean of suffering. The supreme practice method taught by the Buddha, in “What is cultivation“, when followed diligently, brings boundless benefits.

Therefore, only through genuine repentance from the heart and earnest adherence to the teachings, can we eliminate karmic obstacles and allow the fruits of our wholesome actions to mature swiftly. Conversely, if we do not follow this path, we will only confirm the truth of the saying “We can’t take anything with us, only karma accompanies us,” and thus cycle endlessly in samsara.

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2024/04/25/karma-cannot-be-seen-or-touched-does-it-really-exist/

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Master Milarepa Manifested the True Meaning of Emptiness in Heart Sutra

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Milarepa was the most famous disciple of the Kagyu lineage patriarch, Great Master Marpa, in Tibetan Buddhism. Renowned for his ascetic practices, Milarepa was celebrated as a prominent yogi, master of tantra, ascetic monk, and poet.

Milarepa was born in 1052 in Gongtang, Tibet, with the secular name Milarepa Tönpa. His family was very wealthy. However, at the age of seven, his father passed away due to illness, and the family’s estate was seized by his uncle and aunt, plunging them into poverty. Milarepa, his mother, and his three-year-old sister were treated as slaves by his relatives, going from being wealthy to destitute beggars, subjected to the cold stares of former friends and relatives.

This turn of events filled his mother with resentment. When Milarepa grew older, she sent him to learn sorcery for revenge. After mastering his skills, at his uncle’s wedding feast, Milarepa used sorcery to cause the house to collapse, killing 35 people, including his enemies. Later, he also summoned hailstorms that destroyed the crops of his uncle and the entire village. However, instead of finding satisfaction in revenge, Milarepa felt deep remorse for his actions, experiencing sleepless nights filled with regret. Eventually, he vowed to seek liberation through studying Buddhist teachings.

Later on, guided by others, Milarepa sought out Marpa as his teacher. To test Milarepa’s resolve to repent and to help him cleanse his negative karma, Marpa intentionally subjected him to various forms of arduous labor as a form of “torture.”

Marpa Lotsawa repeatedly instructed Milarepa to build houses on different mountains, and all the building materials—stones and wood—had to be carried by Milarepa himself. Then, intentionally, when the houses were nearly completed, Marpa would order them to be demolished, and all the materials had to be carried back to their original places. Due to the prolonged carrying of stones, Milarepa’s back was rubbed raw, covered with scars that would heal and then be rubbed raw again.

The arduous labor caused Milarepa immense suffering, but due to his intense desire for teachings, he continued to obey his teacher’s orders with gritted teeth. During this time, whenever Milarepa sought teachings, he would often be scolded by his master, which left him feeling hopeless. Yet, it was in this seemingly painful torment that Milarepa’s karmic obstacles were gradually purified.

About six years later, Milarepa finally received teachings from his master and, following his instructions, began to meditate in a mountain cave. Having learned the technique of “Tummo Concentration” from his master, Milarepa could withstand the cold wearing only a single piece of cloth in winter. Hence, people called him “Milarepa,” meaning “the one from the Mila family who wears a cloth garment.” After nine years of austere meditation in a mountain cave, Milarepa finally attained enlightenment. He became a highly acclaimed practitioner of actual realization in the snowy plateau of Tibet.

At that time, there was a venerable master who had been lecturing on scriptures and teachings in a temple for many years. Upon hearing the revered name of Milarepa, this master was unimpressed and insisted on inviting Milarepa to come for a debate.

Milarepa said, “Let’s not debate yet. Do you understand what emptiness is?” The master immediately began eloquently explaining various theories of emptiness. At that moment, Milarepa pointed to a pillar in the temple and sighed, “All that you are saying is theoretical. Tell me, is this pillar empty or substantial?” The master replied, “The pillar is substantial; how could it be empty?” Milarepa responded, “You say it’s substantial, but I say it’s empty.” With that, he used his hand to gesture through the pillar as if the pillar didn’t exist at all. The master was astonished.

Milarepa then pointed to the empty space and asked the master, “Is this empty space substantial or empty?” The master quickly answered, “It’s empty.” However, Milarepa countered, “I say it’s substantial,” and proceeded to walk into the empty space to demonstrate. He confidently walked step by step as if on solid ground, moving around in the empty space effortlessly.

The master was at a loss for words, feeling deeply ashamed of his arrogance and ignorance.

This encounter helps us understand that theoretical discussions or worldly-wise understandings of emptiness are entirely different from the realized emptiness of the enlightened beings. There is a fundamental distinction. Whether one can demonstrate the realm of “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” signifies the difference between the sacred and the mundane. Milarepa, revered as a great saint who realized emptiness, established the profound wisdom of “form is emptiness, emptiness is form” based on actual realization of the unity of appearance and emptiness.

The Venerable Milarepa has long departed this world, and we are unable to personally receive his teachings. However, we are incredibly fortunate to have witnessed the emanation of the primordial Buddha – Dorje Chang Buddha III, who descended to this saha world, bringing forth the correct and unbiased true Dharma for all sentient beings.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III expounded the Dharma with profound clarity and precision. “The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation” and “The Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra” represent the first appearance of such excellent treasures of Buddhist scriptures, the supreme essence classics, in thousands of years of Buddhist history.

“The Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra” elucidates the teachings based on the phrases and principles of the Heart Sutra, as expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. It clarifies the relationship between mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, explaining the definitions of the impermanent and non-impermanent nature of life, the universe, and sentient beings, as well as the truth of form, dwelling, decay, and emptiness. What is a Buddha? What is the connection between sentient beings and Buddhas? What does liberation from birth and death entail?

The Buddha Dharma spoken by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is presented in the most direct, accessible language, elucidating the profound truths of the Buddha Dharma for everyone to understand. During the inaugural empowerment ceremony for “The Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra,” Buddhas manifested in the empty sky and bestowed three-colored nectar, confirming that this teaching is the true Dharma spoken by the Tathagata. Those who sincerely practice “The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation” and thoroughly understand “The Absolute Truth Through the Heart Sutra” can truly embark on the swift path to liberation and accomplishment.

Link:https://peacelilysite.com/2024/04/19/master-milarepa-manifested-the-true-meaning-of-emptiness-in-heart-sutra/

Source: https://www.jinbodhi.org/cn/67702

Thoughts During Chinese New Year

linda chang1 Comment

Thoughts During Chinese New Year

There is a common Chinese saying: An inch of time is an inch of gold, but you can’t buy that inch of time with an inch of gold. When I was a child I often heard the grown up say, ”Time really goes by quickly, it’s already been a year!” I didn’t agree with them. I always felt that the days passed by so slowly. I always wished that time would go faster, so that the holidays could be closer to me. I especially couldn’t wait for the Chinese New Year, and it seems that it would take so long for the Spring Festival to come. I would look forward to the delicious food and delicacies Candy. Sometimes I even got new clothes, a truly wonderful new year presents.  I could play with my friends all day long, we shared holiday treats and exchanged the beautiful candy wraps ( those were our treasure collections)……

Time seems to get shorter and shorter with age. Now I am already in my fifties, and it feels like several decades have passed in the blink of an eye. Looking back, everything seems just like a dream, I can’t go back to those time anymore. The past will never come back, and all I have left are fragmented memories. My grandparents, my father, my older and younger relatives, passed away one by one. They could never come back to the world again.

 Through the years, I have gradually begun to understand what the Buddha said in the Diamond Sutra: All events are like a dream, an illusion, as fleeting as morning dew….. It took me so long to understand the truth of impermanence.

I remember once reading a story about Master Qinluan. He was a famous Japanese Zen master. At the age of nine, he made up his mind to become a monk and asked Zen Master Cizhen to shave his ordination for him. Zen Master Cizhen asked him, “Why do you want to become a monk when you are so young?” Qinluan said: “Although I am only nine years old, my parents have both died. I don’t understand why people must die. Why must I be separated from my parents? Therefore, I must become a monk and explore these truths.” Zen Master Cizhen said: “Very well. I’m willing to accept you as a disciple. However, it’s too late today, so I’ll shave you tomorrow morning.” Qin Luan said, “Master! Although you said that you will shave me early tomorrow morning, I am still young and ignorant. I can’t guarantee whether my determination to become a monk will last until tomorrow. Besides, Master, you are so old, you can’t guarantee that you will even wake up tomorrow morning!” After listening this words, Zen Master Cizhen was surprisingly happy, and said joyfully, “Yes! What you said is absolutely right. Now I will shave for you!”

I really admire the wisdom Master Qinluan’s displayed at age 9. Transcending the cycle of life and death is the most difficult thing in the world. It requires tremendous effort and unshakable determination.

Master Milarepa was a man of great accomplishment within Tibetan Buddhism. His Master – Great Venerable Marpa made him went through all the torture and abusive testing. In the end, Master Milarepa became a person within Vajrayana Buddhism who attained enlightenment by truly undergoing hardship and suffering.

One time as complying with the instructions given to him by Vajrayogini, Master Milarepa  traveled from the Himalayan mountains to the interior of Tibet to save living beings. On the way, he met a husband and wife who were unable to conceive a male offspring. This couple heard that Master Milarepa was Great Accomplished One who had learned tantra. They thus showed him great respect and had great confidence in him.

They invited the Venerable One, Master Milarepa, to their home. They asked the Venerable One not to continue his life of wandering in all directions, a life in which the basic necessities could not even be guaranteed. They asked him to stay with them and be their son. They said that they would provide him with a vast amount of wealth for his use and enjoyment. They said that they would find him a beautiful, virtuous, wise, warm and tender women to marry. He and this wife would then live in the most opulent and beautiful house, which would be tall and large. They would have much fertile land, which they could never use up. This couple hoped that Master Milarepa would, together with his future close family members, share in the joys of family life. They hoped that he would lead a harmonious, stable, and happy life.

Hearing the promises of this extremely kind couple, Master Milarepa remained totally unmoved. He told them that he could not renounce all of those things soon enough, let alone embrace them. The Venerable One imparted his teachings to them by way of songs. Master Milarepa taught them the truly disadvantageous effects one’s worldly family members have on one’s cultivation and worldly life. He taught them the suffering involved with worldly things, how worldly things are impermanent, and how they are like dreamy illusions and empty bubbles. He taught them how all conditioned phenomena preempt and how such phenomena are ultimately subject to the law of cause and effect.

After hearing these teachings, this husband and wife each gave rise to a resolute mind. They became disenchanted with impermanent things and worldly life. They understood that all of the different kinds of worldly emotions and love must ultimately vanish into emptiness, like smoke or clouds that pass before one’s eyes. They therefore gave up all their worldly possessions and wealth. They cut off their attachment to the concept of self and diligently cultivated themselves. In the end, they realized the state of enlightenment.

At this Dharma ending age, it is extremely difficult to find a Dharma Master as Master Milarepa. However the living Buddha Namo H.H. Dorje Chang III has promised: As long as you thoroughly learn either The Xiaman Most Excellent Oceanic Mind Essence (暇滿殊勝海心髓) or The Ultimate Bodhicitta for Attaining Dharma-Nature True-Thusness Oceanic Mind Essence (最勝菩提空行海心髓) in The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation and have put into actual practice what you learn, you can be assured that the highest, holiest great Dharma will be available to you for achieving perfect good fortune and wisdom, liberation, and accomplishment! 

Thoughts During Chinese New Year

Link: https://peacelilysite.com/2022/02/11/thoughts-during-chinese-new-year/

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