Milarepa_Song_000001

[daka]

Milarepa is probably the best-loved poet-saint-mountain-meditators in the history of Tibet. Loved by all traditions. He is generally realized as an enlightened yogi.

He never ordained, wore light cotton clothes, or nothing, in high altitude Tibetan caves, using the heat produced by his meditation (called "tummo") to stay alive. He boasted of not needing teachers and not owning any books, stating that his life was the only book he needed.

He descended the mountain now and then visited towns and parties and monasteries and since he had a lovely voice, was asked to sing some "dharma", which he did. A book was produced after his death called the One Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. I am a big fan of his (he and Leonard are equally holy to me) I and decided to try to create a few of his song-teachings in modern-day song format. Here is my first effort.

I had to call it something so the name is milarepa_song_000001.. but please don't get nervous, I'll be lucky to get a dozen or so done before I die.

He was very wrathful with most people, especially pretentious scholarly monastic types, young arrogant fellows, ill-tempered householders, etc. and generally told it as he saw it... about women, children, sons,daughters, farming, life in the city, life in the country, old age, the facts of life, the truth of existence, of course, from his view.

I must write the usual disclaimer here: The content of this song is not an original product of the mind of daka it is only a westernized paraphrased presentation of an already written Tibetan, non-translatable song. In spite of his wrath he was deeply loved and appreciated.
daka


Milarepa_Song_000001

without some wisdom
it's easy to see
how silly we are
how sad we can be
we waste away
for a song and a dance
our doorway to freedom
our only good chance

without wisdom our children
like robbers 'n thieves
possessed by the demons
of grasping and greed
will steal your eye tooth
in their misguided youth
sell it back at a price
maybe once, maybe twice

ladies are lovely
idyllic delight
a feast for the eyes
we savor the sight
we swoon from the spell
of the smell and the smile
silly and dizzy
we dance for a while

wonderful women
a succulent sight
the dream is all over
at the dawn of daylight
the time will come when
the spell disappears
the bliss a mere memory
now sadness and tears

I don't need teachers to
show me the way
If they don't do
everything that they say
I don't need books
to teach me a thing
listen now listen
to this song that I sing

when I look in the mirror
the book it will say
every person's a page
every chapter a day
every action a cause
every feeling effect
what's happening now?
and what's coming next?

your life is a lesson
you're taking the test
so pay some attention
there's no time to rest
stop selfish actions
no time for distractions
there are choices to make
if you want to awake

daka (If you want to see a picture of Milarepa, check out my avatar)