Walking the Same Path as Milarepa: A Heritage Singer's Journey
As someone who carries forward the tradition of intangible cultural heritage, I recently set out once more—this time accompanied by a professional team—to revisit the sacred practice grounds of Milarepa. As a provincial-level heritage singer of Milarepa songs, I had first come to this holy place five years ago to gather folk tales and stories connected to the master. Now, drawing on the materials collected over the past five years, I returned to delve deeper into the lives of Milarepa and his great disciple Rechungpa, as well as the sacred relics associated with them.
Uninterrupted to this day, Milarepa's steadfast and forceful chanting melody rings through the ages like a divine, harmonious tune. His life, in turn, is an epic marked by profound wisdom and dramatic reversals, with the sacred sites he visited and the pivotal moments he lived shining like radiant stars in the heavens of history.
Approximately eight centuries ago, a man named Milarepa existed. In his early years, he traversed the world as a fierce warrior, wielding his powers to vanquish adversaries and even conjuring hailstorms to strike back at his opponents. During that time, his heart was consumed by hatred and a desire for vengeance, driving him to commit innumerable violent acts and sink into a deep well of darkness. As time went on, however, remorse began to rise within Milarepa. He recognized that his terrible deeds were like a ceaseless nightmare, firmly binding his spirit.
Gu Jiachi Cheng lies within the sacred place of the Five Immortal Women of Longevity. With a firm resolve to atone, Milarepa began a journey of repentance. He encountered many great masters, including Marpa the Translator, whose compassionate teachings allowed him to learn profound doctrines such as the Great Perfection and the Great Seal. Just as a dry field absorbs nourishing rain, Milarepa's heart was transformed.
In the Land of the Auspicious Longevity Fairy Time, Milariba finally attained enlightenment. Earlier, acting on his teachers' counsel, he entered the wild mountains and bore bitter cold and hunger as a true child of the peaks. He wandered alone through the valleys like a wayfarer, yet his faith remained unshaken. His life story and instructions continue to affect countless beings, much like a gentle spring breeze and soft rain.
Jilong County, a land full of mystery, holds the birthplace of Milarepa—Gongtang Jia'angza—like a hidden pearl in the world, radiating ancient and sacred light. When we embark on a journey to this place, we find that Milarepa was born in Gongtang Jia'ang Za. He has demonstrated the state of transcendence and nirvana, becoming an eternal model and example. His legendary life journey is not only a path of spiritual awakening, but also a great epic of redemption, growth, and enlightenment.
Continuing ahead, I will encounter those practice sites, some celebrated and some not. The locals pass on marvelous tales that the prayer beads, scattered in the mountains, transformed into those flat perforated stones—like pieces of faith strewn upon the earth, with every stone seemingly murmuring legends of the past. The stupa erected by Milarepa's father, Milarepa Yixi Razi, following the blessing of prayer beads, stands as a silent guardian of history. Jilong County | Chagadars Buddhist Retreat Site
Ziba Gangzupu, little known as it is, gives off a special feeling of peace and solemnity. Sawa Pu of Ra La, hidden away like a paradise cut off from the world, quietly carries the marks left by time. Chagarda So Retreat, much like a sacred solitary island, radiates an air of mystery. Also there are the six practice caves, such as the obscure Jionggezong, and the well-known Wumazong, among others. In all these spots, it seems that every stretch of land retains the spiritual imprint of Milarepa.
The songs of realization he left behind—beautiful verses like a mountain breeze—gently brush through people's hearts, carrying Milarepa's wisdom and awakening, and echo long across this land. His enlightened insights, acting as a gateway to liberation, quietly gaze upon the beings of the world, bringing comfort to their hearts. His staff, perhaps once touching every corner of this land, now lies still here, yet as an extension of his spirit, it still lets people feel the power of Milarepa.
In Nylam Town, within Jilong County | Gangzhuopu, stands the mysterious Niexiang Chuiba Pu, one of the renowned Four Great Retreat Caves. Alongside it is Reqingba Retreat Cave, and the two together resemble peaceful havens on the river of history, accumulating the tales of the past. This journey of exploration is like a dialogue that crosses time and space. The distance between me and Milarepa keeps shrinking, as every sacred object and every legend acts as an unseen thread, binding me tightly in the embrace of faith and wisdom.
Within the sacred land of Lhasa, the Zama Manor stands in quiet solitude. Having endured more than nine centuries, this ancient estate resembles an old sage who has weathered countless trials. Milarepa and his renowned disciple Rechungpa made many visits here, imparting the warmth of their spiritual presence. Today, the 79-year-old Jue Awang, the 40th-generation head of the Zama family, continues to guard this place.
In Tingri County, the manor has become a palace imbued with an aura of antiquity and sanctity, where Milarepa once journeyed toward the pure land of empty practice. Within it rest the ritual hat and robe he wore, the hat still seemingly echoing the gravity of his chanting, the robe preserving his steadfast resolve. Zhiji Pu, the direct disciple of Zhenri among the four major practice caves, was also present at this site.
Manlongquwa, Manlongquwa—a unique story lies behind this name: the Manlong Zaxi Womah River on the right meets the Zhenduzi River on the left, giving birth to this poetic designation. In this place, his self-arisen mantra statues, seemingly imbued with magical power, keep silent watch over the land; and his stupa, like a beacon, stands tall amid the rain and wind of time, guiding people toward a spiritual direction.
According to the 'Life of Milarepa', Milarepa subdued many spirits, led by the Five Fairy Maidens of Mt. Everest, and then bestowed upon them the lineage of transmission and the practitioners' mission. This place holds great significance because of its remarkable formation of three triangles: the sky above is triangular, the ground resembles a triangular lotus flower that symbolizes the origin of the law, and a triangular river winds across the plains like a pillar of exorcism.
Manlongquwa, described as a hidden sacred site enveloped in an enigmatic glow, became all the more unique once Milarepa's physical form dissolved into the realm of the law. This article is a translation from the blog of Gu Jiachi Cheng.