Songs of Milarepa

by Milarepa, Ronald Herder (Editor)

A Buddhist holy man whose songs have been sung and studied since the twelfth century, Milarepa exchanged a life of sin and maliciousness for one of contemplation and love, eventually reaching—according to his disciples—the ultimate state of enlightenment. His thousands of extemporaneously composed songs communicate complex ideas in a simple, lucid style. This volume features the best and most highly esteemed of the religious leader's songs of love and compassion that include lessons on the negative aspects of ambition and the importance of finding inner peace. In addition, he stresses the briefness of life: ". . . so apply yourself to meditation. Avoid doing evil, and acquire merit, to the best of your ability, even at the cost of life itself. In short: Act so that you have no cause to be ashamed of yourselves and hold fast to this rule."

Genres: Poetry, Buddhism, Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Classics

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2003

About the author

Jetsun Mila Shepa Dorje (Tibetan: རྗེ་བཙུན་མི་ལ་རས་པ, Wylie: Rje-btsun Mi-la-ras-pa), (c. 1052 – c. 1135 CE) is one of Tibet's most famous yogis and buddhas, and generally held—with his guru Marpa the Translator—to be the founder of the Kagyu school of Vajrayana Buddhism.

Reviews

[Bruce Macdonald]

One of the great spiritual treasures and something unique even in Tibetan culture. The stories were recorded by villagers when he would come out of the hills in the spring to meet with people, offer teachings, and sing his songs, which were written down. It also expels the idea that Christ was the only spiritual figure to vanquish demons, as the first quarter of the book deals a lot with the demons who visited Milarepa.

This guy began with the study of black magic and then killed 40 members of his extended family at the behest of his mother (so the lore suggests) and then repented, took initiation with a revered Buddhist teacher, and commenced his path to liberation from the wheel of karma and the bondage of the human condition. For the polytheist, the person with a unique, self-cultivated spiritual path, and with the inclination to draw strength and wisdom from a myriad of sources, including the Gospels, I suggest this book in times of fear and uncertainty.

[Zane]

Some of these songs are good, but a lot is lost in translation. Not sure what “bitch Red Lightning” means but it’s fun to read!

[Boris Gregoric]

I know I read this years ago. I know I've ordered it from Amazon, but, somehow, never made much sense at all. A Tibetan outlaw and a cuthroat bandit wrought with the sense of guilt who becomes a revered saint, living in a cave—sounds like a good storyline. But, again, the songs, the poetry, and the ignorant me not speaking Tibetan, did not amount to much. Admittedly, Milarepa must have been quite a character.

[James Violand]

Platitudes by an Egoist who paints himself as a soon-to-be-divine being.
“For true contemplation contemplate thine own mind.” The preface equates Milarepa to St. Francis of Assisi, and the Greater Vehicle’s numerology reminiscent of the Trinity. The writer of the preface is obviously ignorant of Christianity: one promotes one’s soul in serving others. Milarepa? Isolate yourself and depend upon the alms of others for existence while eschewing living among men. Sheer hypocrisy.

[Vibhu]

Beautiful songs- especially the metaphors and the imagery planted along the pages.

However, translations are poor and unnecessarily made complicated.

Go ahead with this volume only after having been exposed to basics of Buddhism, key ideas and conceptual frameworks.

[Grettel Perez]

Los versos del viaje de iluminación del sabio monje tibetano que incluyen “canto a la alegría del yoga”.
https://www.facebook.com/307140129310...

[Avinash Singh]

I Think the Translation was poor and did not do justice with the songs

[Chris]

This is a fluid and readable translation. There are some challenges with links and for,acting in the ebook version.

[Lisa Maliga]

Essential reading. Will review book later.

[Alfons]

Bad translation (Holy Trinity, come on!)