【The End of Milarepa's Life】
【The End of Milarepa's Life】
By his early sixties, Milarepa
had attained enlightenment.
He spent the rest of his life
teaching his disciples,
including a few women, how to
achieve liberation.
But his cave-dwelling lifestyle
and lack of academic or
monastic credentials
sometimes caused jealousy
among other teachers and
brought him ridicule.
On a cool autumn day,
Milarepa
was invited to be the guest
of honor at a
wedding celebration
attended by his disciples and
many other guests.
➊道教 ➋佛教 ➌天主教
In the audience was the man
who would become Milarepa's
assassin.
His name was Gesha Tsakpuwa.
The Gesha (a scholarly monk)
had no use for what he viewed
as Milarepa's pretense to wisdom.
Wanting to embarrass him in
front of the crowd, he asked
Milarepa a number of
intellectual questions about the
Dharma.
Milarepa responded that to
understand the nature of
reality one should fast and
meditate in the mountains.
This felt like an insult to the
Gesha, who kept challenging
Milarepa on an
intellectual basis.
But the crowd booed the Gesha
and told him to hush.
Humiliated, the Gesha plotted a
murderous revenge.
And now we've come full circle
in the story: revenge started
this spiritual saga and
reappears at the end of
Milarepa's life.
Not wanting to kill Milarepa
himself, the Gesha induced his
girlfriend to poison him.
To get her cooperation, he
promised to marry her and gave
her a beautiful piece of
turquoise to sweeten the deal.
They hatched a plot to bring Milarepa
some tainted food.
The minute the Gesha's lover showed
up with poisoned food as an offering, Milarepa knew
what they were up to.
Through his clairvoyance, he saw their devious scheme.
When the woman offered
Milarepa the food, her
conscience took over, and she had a
sudden change of heart.
She begged him not to eat it, confessing
that it was poisoned.
But Milarepa believed his life's mission
had come to an end and that his death could be used as
a teaching on impermanence.
He offered to purify her evil intentions
and suggested that if she were to meditate, she could transcend the limits of
her mind.
He then told her the poisoned food could
not hurt him and ate it.
The implication is that Milarepa was
choosing to die and that while the body would disappear, he would not.
When Milarepa showed signs of sickness,
the Gesha came to see him, feigning concern.
Believing that Milarepa had no spiritual
power, he urged him to send the illness to his own body.
Instead, Milarepa transferred the
illness to the door of his retreat cell, which broke into pieces and crashed to
the floor.
Still not persuaded, the Gesha again
asked Milarepa to send the sickness to him.
Milarepa did so.
The Gesha crumpled to the floor,
writhing in pain, and nearly died before Milarepa withdrew the poison back to
his own body.
Finally convinced of the yogi's
greatness, the Gesha wept uncontrollably and begged for forgiveness.
He vowed to practice meditation
and to serve others.
Pleased by the Gesha's sincerity,
Milarepa offered to give him his teaching.
When the great yogi died, there was a
miraculous display of light in the heavens with hosts of celestial beings
honoring the saint.
The air filled with fragrance, and
beautiful flowers dropped to earth.
Then Milarepa's body disappeared in a
blaze of light that became a beautiful rainbow.
Francis Tiso summarizes Milarepa's
voluntary death this way:
"The choice to die becomes
emblematic of the Kagyu tradition: to turn negative circumstances into skillful
means; to identify oneself with ordinary humanity in order to liberate; and to
emphasize spiritual practice and experience over scholarship and verbal
expressions of Buddhist views."
We may never know all the facts about
the historical Milarepa, and perhaps it doesn't matter.
It was his relentless pursuit of
spiritual realization in the face of his frightening past that gives his story
a powerful transformative resonance that has endured for nine centuries and
reaches far beyond the borders of Tibet.
In Milarepa's life, we can see shades of
our own dysfunctional lives coexisting with our highest spiritual longing, and
we can find inspiration to keep our own inner work alive.
His arduous spiritual journey
illuminates the sacred and the profane as one continuum in an ever-evolving
human story.
Sources
Chang, Garma C.C. The Hundred Thousand
Songs of Milarepa. Boston: Shambhala, 1999.
Evans-Wentz, W.Y. Tibet's Great Yogi
Milarepa. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1928.
Heruka, Tsangnyön. The Life of Milarepa. Translated by
Andrew Quintman. New York: Penguin, 2010.
The Milarepa Meditation Center.
www.milarepacenter.org.
Tiso, Francis V. Liberation in One
Lifetime: Biographies and Teachings of Milarepa. Berkeley, Calif.: North
Atlantic,-
CYNTHIA OVERWEG is a journalist, writer,
and teacher who has presented programs at the
Krotona School of Theosophy in Ojai,
California. Her study has focused on H.P. Blavatsky, Ramana
Maharshi, and Christian mystics. During
the Balkan war, she traveled as a photographer with United
Nations relief organizations. Her images
of war-traumatized children won awards from the National
Endowment for the Arts and the American
Film Institute. In 1985, her play Madame Blavatsky was
produced in Los Angeles. Recent articles
for Quest include profiles of Joy Mills and Ravi Ravindra.
密勒日巴受毒害
密勒日巴尊者為密乘白教祖師。
錄自＜密勒日巴傳記＞ （張澄基譯）
密勒日巴尊者經過了無量利生的事業，最後在亭日地方，遇到一位名叫操普博士的行者。
操普愛財如命，可是因為他是學者，亭日地方的老百姓很恭敬他；每逢有宴會的時候，總是讓他坐在上首。
在他見到尊者後，表面上表示恭敬信仰，實際是內懷妒忌。
屢次在眾人集會之前，故意向尊者提出許多難
題，想使尊者當場出醜，但總未成功。
一日，亭日村民召集了一個大宴會，請尊者坐在最上首，操普博士坐在第二位上。
操普博士在會眾之前向尊者頂禮，心裏想尊者一定會還他的禮。
但是尊者一向的習慣，除了對上師頂禮之外，決不向任何人頂禮，所以就沒有回操普博士的禮。
操普博士因而很不平，心中暗想：我這樣博學多才的學者，向他這樣一個毫無學問的人頂禮，他居然不回禮，高坐上首，昂然不動；真
是豈有此理，非要報復一下不可！
於是就拿了一本因明的論典，放在尊者面前說：「請您把這本書逐字講解，解答疑問，同時發揮所見，並加評述。」
尊者說：「論典的語義裏，你也許都能逐句講解，但是真正的意義，是克服世間八法的欲望和降服我執，以輪迴涅槃一味而清淨法執。除此之外，那些教人如何問、如何答的論辯之學根本沒有甚麼大用處，所以我沒有學過，更
是不懂；如果亦曾學過，或是曾經了解過，現在也早已忘記了。…」
操普博士說：「像您們這樣專門修行的人，當然是用這一套話來回答…」嘴裏嘮嘮叨叨地還在講。
施主大眾聽了，大不滿意。大家一致說道：「博士！無論你知道多少佛法教理，…，你還是不要作聲，…，不要在法會上出醜了
！」
他聽了勃然大怒，但是怯於眾怒難犯，就是大鬧一場也無勝算。祇得怒氣沖沖地硬忍下去。嘴裏雖然默默無言，心中卻好不懊惱，暗自盤算道：「…豈有此理！ 這非想個辦法不可！」
這位操普博士，在村上有個情婦。他就叫這個女人在奶酪裏面放了毒藥，拿去供養尊者，準備毒死他。操普答應這女人如將此事辦妥，一定送她一塊大碧玉。
這個女人以為他說的話是真的，就把毒藥放在奶酪裏面到崖城來供養
尊者。
那時尊者早已知悉一切。尊者觀察因緣，知道有緣的眾生都已經渡化。毒藥雖然不能傷害自己，但自己涅槃的日子也將到了，就準備接受毒藥的供養。
但是尊者知道：如果在供養毒奶以前，這個女人沒有拿到玉石，那麼，她就再也不會得到了。因為操普博士是決不會再把玉石給她的。所以尊者就對這個女人說：「現在我不要吃，請妳以後再拿來，也許那時我就要吃了。」
她聽了尊者的話，心中又疑惑又害怕，猜想尊者大概已經知道奶裏有毒了，就在十分不安的情緒中回去了。
她見了操普博士，就把經過的情形告訴他，並且說尊者一定有神通，所以不肯吃。操普說：「哼！ 他要是有神通的話，就不會叫妳以後再拿給他，或是會叫妳自己把這毒奶吃掉的！ 他不這樣做而叫妳以後拿去，明明表示他
沒有神通。現在妳先把這塊玉石拿去吧！ 妳再把奶酪拿給他，妳這次去一
定要他吃掉！」 於是就把玉石給她了。
她說：「大家都相信他一定是有神通的，因為他有神通所以昨天沒有吃。今天再拿去，他也決不會吃的。我怕得很，不敢去，我寧願不要這塊玉石。請你寬恕我，這樁事情我無法替你辦到。」
操普說道：「…我負責保證他沒有神通。現在妳再把有毒的奶酪拿去給他吃，若是我們目的達到，我一定不會辜負妳的。我們相戀這麼久，以後也用不著怕人說閒話了，妳要把此事辦成功，乾脆我就跟妳結婚，那時不但這塊玉
石是妳的，我外面的財產和家中的財產，也一齊都交給妳管，我倆禍福相共，白頭偕老，妳看好不好？」
這個女人以為他說的話都是真的，就又把毒藥放在奶酪裏回到願樂吉祥坡來供養尊者。尊者破顏微笑地接受了。那個女人心裏想：博士的話真不錯，他真沒有甚麼神通！
尊者就微笑地對她說道：「妳做這個事情的代價──那塊玉石，拿到手沒有
？」
她一聽，口張得大大的，驚駭得一句話也說不出來。一時慚懼交集，嚇得渾身發抖，臉色全青；一面禮拜，一面哭著顫聲地說道：「玉石得到手了，但是請您不要吃這奶酪，將它給我吧！」
尊者說：「妳要它幹甚麼？」
她哀泣道：「讓造作罪孽的我吃下去算了！」
尊者說：「一來我不忍叫妳吃下去，因為妳太可憐了；二來如果我不接受妳的供品，我就違背了菩薩學處，犯根本墮。特別是我此生的自、他度生事業都已經圓滿，到別的世界去的時候也已經到了。其實呢，妳的供品並不能傷我，吃與不吃絲毫沒有甚麼關係。如果我吃了妳前次送的奶酪，那麼妳的玉石恐怕就得不到手了，所以我沒有吃。現在既然妳的玉石已經到手，我也就可以安心地吃了，同時他也就可以滿足他的願望了！ 再說，他雖然答應妳將此事辦成之後，給妳這個，給妳那個，可是這些話是靠不住的。他所說的關於我的話，一句真的也沒有。日後你們二人會發生很大的懊悔！ 那時你們最好從此真正地懺悔，好好地學佛；即使不然，至少也要牢記，將來如果遇有生命交關的事切莫再造罪孽了！ 向我及我的傳承虔誠祈禱吧！」
「你們兩人常常拋棄快樂幸福，自找痛苦。這次你們所造的罪孽，我要發願替你們清淨懺除。為了你們的安全，這一次所做的事情，雖然遲早都會為大家知道，在我沒有死以前，卻切不要對人說。我這個老頭子，從前所說的話
究竟是真是假，你們沒有親眼看見，也許不相信。這一次妳親眼看見，總相信我的話不是假的吧！」
說完，尊者就把毒奶喝下去了。
那個女人回去告訴操普博士經過的情形，操普說：「…人說的話不一定都是真的！ 祇要他吃了毒奶，我的目的達到了。妳少說話，悄悄地不要作聲好了。」…
不久，尊者示現疾病沈重。那時，操普博士帶了很精美的酒肉假裝著要來供養尊者；來到尊者的面前，譏笑地說道：「唉！ 像尊者這樣的大成就者，是不應該害這樣重的病啊！ 您怎麼也害起病來了呢？ 如果病能夠分給別人的話，您可以分給各大弟子；如果病可以轉送的話，就請您把病轉送給我吧！…
」
尊者安詳地微笑著說道：「我本來不必生這一場病的。為甚麼不得不生病的原因，你應該很清楚吧！ 一般凡夫的生病原與瑜珈行者的生病性質不同，緣起亦不同。我現在的病實為佛法莊嚴之表現…」
操普博士心中想著︰尊者似乎在懷疑著他，可是又不敢肯定。…。於是他就說道：「我對於尊者的病因不很清楚。…。如果病真的能夠轉移到別人身上來，就請尊者把病移到我身上好了。」
尊者說：「有一個大罪人，心中的魔鬼跑出來損傷我，使得我四大不調生了病。這場病你是無此能力把它除掉的。我這個病雖然可以移給你，祇是恐怕你一刻都受不了，所以還是不移的好。」
操普心想：「這個傢伙根本不能把病讓給甚麼人，所以故意說些風涼話。非使他出醜不可！」 於是就再三堅持請求尊者一定要把病轉讓給他。
尊者就說：「你既然這樣堅持請求，我就暫時把病移向對面那扇門上去。倘若移給你，你是受不住的！ 你看好了！」 尊者就以神力把病苦移到對面那扇門上。門最初發生吱吱的響聲，似乎是要分裂的樣子，一會兒真的裂開來成為許多的碎片。再看尊者，果然現出無病健康的樣子來。
操普博士心裏想：「這根本就是障眼法的魔術！ 騙不了我。」
就說道：
「啊！ 這真是稀有啊！ 但是還是請尊者把病移給我好啦！」
尊者說：「你既然這樣苦苦地要求，我就把病的一半移給你好了。全部移給你，你決無力承受的！」
尊者便把病苦移了一半給他。操普博士頓時痛苦得要昏了過去，顫抖都不可能，呼吸也出不來。差不多即要斷氣的時候，尊者就把移給他的病收回了一大部分。
又問他道：「我才給了你一小半病，怎麼樣？ 受得住嗎？」 操普親自嘗試過這一場劇痛後，心裏生起了猛利的懺悔心。
跪下來，頂戴尊足，滿面流淚地哭道：「尊者！ 尊者！ 聖人！聖人啊！ 我誠心地懺悔了，求您饒恕我啊！ 我把所有的家產一切都供養給
尊者，我的罪孽果報，請尊者想辦法啊！」 操普哭得非常地傷心。尊者看見他是真心懺悔，非常高興，就把他身上還剩下的一小部分病也收了回來。
對他說道：「我一生從不要田宅財產，現在快要死了，更用不著這些了，你保留著好了。以後就是斷命也莫要再作惡事了。你這一次所作罪孽果報，我答應替你消除好了。」
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