" No matter how beautiful a song may be,
It is only a tune to those who do not understand its meaning."
Jetsun Milarepa was a Tibetan Saint who spent his a good many years of his adult life meditating in the numerous caves in the Himalayas; to me he was a Bodhisattva of the personification of Action and Practice, The Bodhisattva Samantha Bhadra, Bodhisattva Maha Satva. In the pantheon of Boddhitsatvas there are three I could be mistaken, sometimes I feel like there are four in all if one includes the Maetreya Bodhisattva. Anyway, there's Manjushri Bodhisattva and then there is Avalokisteshvara Bhodisatva Lord Manjushri is said to be the personification of the Infinite Wisdom, He who knows it all, He who is impeccable in wisdom. Samathabadra Bodhisattva is the personification of Infinite Love and Compassion, She who offers help to all suffering beings who calls out to her, She of a thousand arms to serve humanity out of Pure Compassion, they call Her The Goddess Kuan Yin in China and Kanon in Japan. Milarepa I believe was an incarnation of The Bhodisatva Samantha Bhadra, He who works His butt off in order to serve humanity, He is the Hatha Yogi, He is the workaholic who helps through work and discipline of strong Practice Mind of Complete Focus and Discriminating Mind in action.He is the Master Printer, the Master Carpenter, the Master Fisherman,,,or Fisher of Men.
These are nore or less of what understood of the who and the what of the Bodhisattvas in the Northern Budhhist traditions. I am most assured that I am not even close in my knowledge and understanding on the subject but I did do a whole lot of reading of rare Buddhist text while I was practicing at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, located somewhere in the wilderness of the Carmel Valley, Big Sur area of Southern California. This is said to be be the best natural hot springs in the area. At night I would spend hours in the library where I found some rare and beautiful works of the Tibetan Buddhism, I was more than fascinated to say the least I was spiritually ecstatic and I submerged myself into Vajrayana Buddhism and this was where I met Jetsun Milarepa and His Teaher Marpa. For those interested in such stories it is today at your fingertip, just google it or browse You Tube and you will get to know this crazy hermit who is a very influencial and revered character in the Tibetan school of Buddhism.
The Song of Milarepa, The trials and tribulation of a mountain hermit, His was an extraordinary life of suffering. redemption and liberation. My knowledge of this Guru of the Ascetics is no more than what I read or viewed on You Tube, however his life story kept me in captivation ever since I first heard the name Milarepa. Why am I writing about this Tbetan Master at this time and age in my life, why not for lack of better thoughts the mind have in store like if you have to think why not think of something worthy to be shared by another; this is another manifestation of the Social Distancing Syndrome. The human mind will be going through a warp drive sooner than later; we will suffer from too much thinking, some a whole lot more than others as we live through this age of information, age of knowing, age of mental perceptions through forms and symbols that we are being bombarded from every form of media at our disposal, our mind is on the course towards self destruction. It sounds doom and gloom, it does not have to be if we learn how to 'Remove the Thinker', as they say.
Sometime when I feel overly inundated by my monkey and its incessant thoughts, I remember to pray to my Lord and as a Muslim, I would recite Astasghfirullah hil Azim, forgive me O my Lord, You the Oft Forgiving and Most Merciful...AllahU Akhbar! And soon I am back in my own home, my heart, my soul, my Spirit... thoughts are fleeting dreams that I have accumulated like dust while walking these paths towards Your Majesty. I realize how corny it may sound to some, but it is the truth to me as I realize my own sanity depends on accepting this as my reality in my spiritual quest. Oh by the way while writing this I am listening of my all time favorites, Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here in its original. Many stories could be told of this album, the times and places and people who happen to share these Pink Floyd moments, only they would know what it would feel like to listen to lyrics and make the connections in your own life...So Welcome, welcome to the Machine!!!
I was watching a video and this young man with long white hair was giving a sermon all dressed up for the show and he was saying things like why God prohibit from the eating of the fruit of knowledge, a question I too have asked in the past. My take on this matter is to look what has happened to us as a specie and where we are headed for; too much information sucks! And as The Pink would say, The Show Must Go On...are you still with me or have we parted ways for more titillating and mischievous thoughts instead? I am rambling just rambling away my thoughts of the past present and future whichever makes it to the screen as the story of my life goes and keeps on going till the next thought rises and takes control of the narrative.
#jetsunmilarepa #pinkfloyd #tibetanbuddhism #treeofknowledge #wishyouwerehere #socialdistancingsyndrome
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