The life and teachings of Jetsun Milarepa—Tibet’s most celebrated yogi—continue to inspire seekers of truth across the world. His instructions are not dry philosophy but living guidance, delivered through personal encounters, spontaneous songs, and direct pointing to the nature of mind. From the principle of “Form is emptiness” to the warning against imitating others, Milarepa’s wisdom remains as sharp and fresh today as it was in the snowy caves of the Himalayas.
1. Form Is Emptiness – The Heart of the View
In the Mahayana tradition, the Heart Sutra declares: “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form.” While many can recite these words, few can penetrate their meaning. Milarepa often taught this truth not through long debate, but through direct experience.
He would say that all appearances—our body, thoughts, and the world around us—are like reflections in a mirror. They appear vividly, yet have no solid essence. To cling to them as truly existent is to be trapped in illusion. To recognize their empty, luminous nature is to see reality as it is.
Milarepa’s own life embodied this understanding. He endured hardship, poverty, and solitude not as misfortune, but as opportunities to see the mind’s projections for what they are—empty, fleeting, and inseparable from awareness.
2. Walk Your Own Path – The Story of Gampopa
Before ordaining, Gampopa was a celebrated physician in Dvags Lha. Tragedy struck when his wife and children passed away, prompting him to renounce worldly life and seek the Dharma. His journey led him to Milarepa, where he practiced meditation with relentless dedication—often sitting for six sessions a day.
One day, Milarepa asked what Gampopa experienced during his long meditations. Gampopa replied, “Nothing at all—just a vast emptiness.”
Milarepa rebuked him:
“That is not true meditation but a dull, indifferent state. Abandon this and follow the method I have taught you!”
He then sang:
Look directly at your own mind,
Seek no Buddha outside yourself.
Recognize the luminous awareness beyond birth,
And the Buddha’s realization will arise within.
Hearing this, Gampopa felt a deep awakening and wished to imitate Milarepa’s lifestyle, even to the point of wearing white cloth. Milarepa stopped him:
“Every being has their own path. Never imitate another. My way is mine—you must discover your own.”
3. The Secret of Worn-Out Cushions
When Gampopa prepared to depart, Milarepa knew they would not meet again in this life. As his parting gift, the master lifted his robe to reveal thick calluses on his hips—formed from years of unbroken meditation.
“This,” he said, “is my final and most precious teaching. Practice diligently.”
The lesson was unmistakable: true realization comes not from restless movement or copying others, but from steadfast, personal effort—until the meditation cushion wears thin.
4. The Highest Pilgrimage
Another disciple, Rechungpa, once requested leave to travel to India to visit the sacred sites of the Buddha. Milarepa replied:
“Pilgrimage is good, but know this—where your teacher resides is the most sacred site of all. If you search for holiness elsewhere while claiming your guru is the Buddha, your actions contradict your words.”
Through this, Milarepa revealed a deeper truth: sanctity lies not in distant lands, but where realization is present.
5. Beyond Superficial Merit
Before his passing, Milarepa warned of practicing Dharma for fame, recognition, or worldly reward:
“Some perform ceremonies here, make donations there, but secretly expect repayment a thousandfold. This is like mixing poison into delicious food. Do not drink the poison of seeking reputation.”
He cautioned that without pure motivation, even acts meant to benefit others will eventually fail. Until one has directly realized the nature of emptiness, the safest course is to purify the mind and abandon self-interest.
6. A Lesson in Pure Giving
Milarepa illustrated this with a story: A devotee once offered a hundred taels of gold to build a Dharma hall. Dissatisfied with the monk’s indifferent reaction, he pressed for acknowledgment. Finally, the monk said:
“You gave this to the Buddha. If I thank you on his behalf, then you and the Buddha are settled—transaction closed.”
The message was clear: generosity is not a business exchange—it is an offering to the boundless field of merit, given without attachment or expectation.
7. The Essence of Milarepa’s Message
Across these teachings, Milarepa’s voice carries a single thread:
- Do not imitate another’s outer form—find your own path to realization.
- Do not seek holiness only in distant lands—recognize the sacred here and now.
- Do not mix Dharma with self-interest—let your generosity be vast as the sky.
- Above all, practice until your cushion is worn through.
In an age where spiritual paths are often clouded by imitation, ambition, or superficial merit, Milarepa’s words remain a fresh wind:
“Practice with your whole heart—this is the true pilgrimage.”