Milarepa

The late Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, a lama whose realization was unsurpassed and who as certainly one of the greatest masters of the 20th century, once made this insightful observation:

"The difference between a buddha and an ordinary being is diligence."

The statue featured here shows Milarepa, one of the greatest saint-yogis of all time, and a person who perfectly exemplified the quality of diligence. Those of you who know Buddhist art will acknowledge that this image is truly exceptional, a rare work of very refined quality.

Milarepa, is among the most important figures in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and certainly one of the most inspirational for those who are sincerely working toward enlightenment. Milarepa (1040 - 1123) was born and raised in Tibet. As tradition has it, Mila's immediate family was cheated out of an estate that was rightfully theirs by his callous and deceptive uncle and aunt. With his family reduced to poverty and humiliation, Mila became overwhelmed by indignation and set on revenge, he began to study black magic. He was a good student and soon he had acquired the skills necessary to exact his revenge. During a gathering at the aunt and uncles house, Mila summoned destructive forces that resulted in the collapse of the uncle's home and the deaths of a number of people.

However, as is often the case, the satisfaction taken in this act of revenge was short lived and soon he was overcome with remorse. Milarepa knew well that the negative karma generated by his actions would certainly doom him to endure a great deal of future suffering. With the aspiration to forever release himself from the bondage of cyclic existence and suffering, he set out to find a lama who could help him offset the impending results of his actions and lead him on the path to enlightenment.
The great lama, Marpa, became Milarepa's teacher. Marpa knew from the beginning that Milarepa was a special person who had the fortitude and inherent qualities that would take him to the pinnacle of realization -- complete and perfect enlightenment. Still, before Milarepa could receive the teachings, Marpa subjected him to intense hardships, the aim of which was to purify him of his karmic defilements. One of the grueling tasks Marpa set before Mila was to build large stone towers by hand. Each time Milarepa completed the tower however, Marpa would compel him to tear it down and begin again. The final tower still stands today in southern Tibet, and is needles to say, an important pilgrimage destination.

Milarepa spent most of his life in solitary meditative retreat in remote mountain caves. He exhibited an intense and unwavering, single pointed devotion to his goal of enlightenment. He wore only a simple cotton garment, known in Tibetan as "repa", hence the name Mila + Repa, "cotton clad Mila". He was so unconcerned with mundane matters that he ate very little and then usually only wild nettles gathered near his mountain retreat. When questioned about wearing warmer clothes or eating better, he would reply that the time of death was uncertain and since he may die that very night it would be better to spend his time meditating rather than sewing or cooking. He was completely uncompromising in terms of not allowing anything to get in the way of his practice.
As easy as it is for most of us to put off our practice and wallow in spiritual apathy, wouldn't it be nice to have even a fraction of Milarepa's unyielding perseverance? Whether you are seriously interested in this statue or are just passing through our selection, having a look a round, we hope that this realistic and powerful likeness of Milarepa will stir you and inspire diligence.
 

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Hindu Statue Gallery