Milarepa and the Neurotic Mind

[waimengwan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHOsTA7PDT0

This has just been released from the archives, it has been around a few years now made available. Enjoy.

[Tara]

Duplicate topic in the Kagyu forum removed.

[Steveyboy]

I really love Tsem Rinpoche's version of the Milarepa story because it reveals the compassion of the Lama, Marpa. Tsem Rinpoche said that Marpa would over a butterlamp to the Buddhas just before he would beat up his student or whenever he was about to scold his student. Marpa would pray that may the Buddhas bless his student so he will understand what the Lama is doing for him. That touch me to the core of my being because I could just feel the Lama's compassion.

[waimengwan]

Yes that was a new angle for me that Marpa always made prayers so that may his student realise his true intentions.

Why didn't Marpa just tell Milarepa that? These days we make our intentions upfront.

I am guessing perhaps it is to train the student to think for themselves to figure for themselves how what is really happening and since Marpa teaches dharma and spreads dharma all the way why would a dharma teacher resort to mentally and physically torture a student? Please share would love to hear what you all think.

[Steveyboy]

Yes that was a new angle for me that Marpa always made prayers so that may his student realise his true intentions.

Why didn't Marpa just tell Milarepa that? These days we make our intentions upfront.

I am guessing perhaps it is to train the student to think for themselves to figure for themselves how what is really happening and since Marpa teaches dharma and spreads dharma all the way why would a dharma teacher resort to mentally and physically torture a student? Please share would love to hear what you all think.

That's a good question I think. I think the true intentions of the Lama is pretty apparent already and he doesn't need to keep telling his student I am going to do this because it will benefit you. I think if there's anybody who would explain the actions of the Guru, it would be the senior students themselves, helping their Lama in doing so. It is very weird and strange and not to mention time-consuming to explain his intentions to every student. Also bear in mind that not every student will receive the harsh and direct training that Milarepa received. The Lama will act in ways that will benefit the student, it could be giving gifts, joking and teasing, eating with the student and so forth. A real Lama would use whatever is within his means and if the Lama use wrathful methods, it means he has confidence that the practitioner can take the training and all other methods have been exhausted already.