In the golden chain of Kagyu, Marpa (Marpa Chökyi Lödrö, 1012-1097) and Milarepa (Milarepa, 1052-1135) are the two key figures who "brought the Dharma from India to Tibet." Marpa is a translator and farmer who has been to India three times, and Milarepa is an ascetic poet monk who "from black mantras to white dharma"; the master and the apprentice have one translation and one certificate, deeply rooting the Six Yogas of Naropa and Mahāmudrā in the soil of Tibet. This article will talk about the karma, teachings, and inspiration for today’s practitioners.

Marpa's real name is Choji Luozhuo. He was born in the Luozha area of southern Tibet. He comes from a family of translators after the decline of the aristocracy during the Tubo period. He was not a monk, but a lay yogi who married a wife, had children, and owned land. However, he was famous for his extremely strict ascetic practices and for going to India three times to seek Dharma. He first studied with Naropa (Naropa), the key figure in the Kagyu gold chain, and his disciple Maitripa (Maitrīpa). After going through twelve ascetic-like physical and mental trials, he finally fully understood the "the Six Yogas of Naropa" and Mahāmudrā series of formulas. Then he translated the Sanskrit secret scriptures into Tibetan one by one, and the secret teachings he invited back later became the source of all Kagyu's practice.

Marpa's image of "practicing at home" had a profound impact on Tibetan Buddhism: he proved that enlightenment does not only occur in temples, but the fields and stoves can also become dojos. He has many disciples, the most famous of whom is Milarepa. Before Marpa passed away, he entrusted his disciples to the Gampopa family, and left behind a large number of songs of realizations and instructions, which became the mantra text that future generations of Kagyu practitioners would study repeatedly.

Milarepa's childhood and youth are one of the most dramatic human relationships in Tibetan Buddhism. The family was bullied and swore revenge, so they learned black magic from a spell master, who could cast hailstones and kill people with spells. After a revenge, he was shocked to realize that he had created serious evil karma, so he went to Marpa to seek repentance and justice. Marpa did not teach the Dharma immediately, but repeatedly challenged his mind with seemingly unreasonable hard work - he was asked to build a tower, then dismantle the tower, build it again and dismantle it, carry huge rocks, and go back and forth again and again. Milarepa wears away pride and habits little by little without any complaints.

It wasn't until Marpa was convinced that his heart had been softened that he secretly transmitted the core formulas of Mahāmudrā and the Six Yogas of Naropa. Milarepa went into seclusion in the mountains, ate only nettles in the area of ​​Kailash and Lachi, and his body glowed with green light, and he achieved Mahāmudrā; his enlightenment was not an abstract theory, but was achieved through long ascetic practices and complete surrender to his teacher. In his later years, he used songs of realization to teach the Dharma and left behind "Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa" (Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa), singing his profound insights to the shepherds, hunters, witches and disciples in the mountains, establishing Kagyu's unique tradition of "teaching the Dharma through songs".

The master-disciple relationship between Marpa and Milarepa is the most classic model of Kagyu's "Guru Yoga". Marpa did not treat Milarepa gently, but forced him to face his deepest ego with seemingly cruel hard labor; Milarepa did not question or complain, but repaid Master with complete obedience and diligence. This kind of master-disciple model of "taking suffering as the inspiration" may seem ruthless to outsiders, but in fact it hides the deepest compassion: it forces the disciples to completely let go of their attachment to themselves. Only when the heart is completely open can the Dharma truly flow in.

This koan still inspires today's practitioners - many of the troubles we encounter daily come from "I" being offended; Marpa uses hard labor to wear away Milarepa's "I", which is the ultimate of Kagyu's "refining the heart through things". It also reminds us that the true mentor-disciple relationship is not a transaction, but a karma that two generations jointly devote their lives to.

The Tantric Dharma translated back to Tibet by Marpa is not only a text, but also a whole system of practice with "oral transmission Heart Seal" as the core. He emphasized that disciples must rely on the personal experience of a qualified guru and not just rely on words - this echoes the Milarepa's songs of realization method of teaching the Dharma. Marpa himself also left many songs of realizations, the contents of which are mainly the initiation formulas of yidam such as Vajra Haimu and Chakrasamvara, which had a profound influence on the subsequent Kagyu practice. Among his disciples, Ngok Chöku Dorje inherited part of the tantric teachings and formed the "Opa" lineage, which was an early example of Kagyu's "one master, many disciples" structure.

Milarepa's "One Hundred Thousand songs of realization" is the double gem of Tibetan Buddhism's literature and spiritual world. These songs do not describe abstract teachings, but express his direct experience of impermanence, gratitude to teachers, and practical cultivation in a language that the mountain people can understand. Among them are the stern and kind instructions to his disciple Rechungpa, as well as the words of salvation spoken by the mountain god and witch; he turned these seemingly profound concepts of "great compassion", "emptiness" and "guru correspondence" into a song in the morning breeze. This method of "transmitting the teachings through songs" made Kagyu's teachings always have a human atmosphere, and it also became the spiritual benchmark for the practice of later Tibetan yogis.

When you walk into any Kagyu center today, the the Six Yogas of Naropa and Mahāmudrā practiced by the disciples still have their origins in the batch of tantras translated by Marpa; the spirit of asceticism in Milarepa and the tradition of songs of realization are still the spiritual prototypes of retreatants. Contemporary Kagyu leaders such as the 17th the Gyalwa Karmapathe Karmapa have also repeatedly quoted Milarepa's "One Hundred Thousand songs of realizations" and Marpa's translator spirit, emphasizing the value of "oral transmission practice" in modern life. This influence on masters and disciples has spread far beyond Tibet and the Himalayas, to meditation centers in cities around the world.

For ordinary readers, there is no need to pursue a complete tantric ritual. They can also start with "malas + a yidam statue/guru card" to establish a moment of peace every day. Reciting the the Karmapa mantra "the Karmapa Qiannuo", the Vajra Haimu mantra or the verses in Milarepasongs of realization, and counting with malas, is the simplest way to continue this master-disciple lineage. When choosing, the key points should be "pure material, pleasant feel, and a reminder to do good deeds." The ritual utensils should be placed in a clean, high place to avoid being stepped on or inverted. If you want to go deeper into the yidam method in the future, you must rely on a qualified guru and receive the corresponding empowerments and mantras to do so.

Q: Are Marpa and Milarepa a master-apprentice relationship?

Answer: Yes. Marpa is the root guru of Milarepa, and Milarepa is the most famous lay disciple of Marpa. Together, the two of them completely transmitted the Indian Tantric Dharma to Tibet.

Q: Why doesn’t Marpa become a monk?

A: He practices and translates as a lay yogi and is regarded as an example of "lay attainment," proving that enlightenment does not have to occur only in monasteries.

Q: Is Milarepa’s “green body” real?

Answer: The biography records that he only ate nettles (a kind of green plant) for a long time, which caused his body to turn green, which symbolizes asceticism and correspondence. Its historical authenticity can be found in the "Milarepa Biography", and it should be read as a model of spiritual practice rather than anecdotes.

Q: Where else can I read Milarepa’s songs of realization today?

Answer: The original Tibetan text is called "Milarepa One Hundred Thousand songs of realization Collection", and it has been translated into English, French, and Chinese. The Kagyu Center often quotes chapters from it as meditation chants.

Q: What inspiration does the Marpa test have on ordinary people?

Answer: It reveals that "letting go of self-attachment" is the core of spiritual practice - most of our daily troubles are caused by "I" being offended; Marpa uses hard labor to wear away Milarepa's "I", so that the Dharma can truly enter the heart.

▶WatchLiving Buddha — Kagyu Tekchen ChölingKagyu Tekchen Chöling Argentina · Watch on YouTube

Image source: YouTube (Marpa and Milarepa documentary), verified by oEmbed and can be embedded.

This article is compiled based on public Buddhist historical data, aiming at cultural and faith exchanges, and is not a final conclusion of religious authority. If there is any discrepancy with the inheritance received by readers, please refer to their respective masters and classics.

Images (all from Wikimedia Commons, see notes for licensing):

• Translator Marpa·Karshu Gonpo Dorje, Public domain
• Painting of His Holiness Marpa — Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
• Marpa·Cheji Luozhuo (Treasury of Lives) — treasuryoflives.org, Public domain
• Image: YouTube documentary (can be embedded after oEmbed verification)