094 - Authenticity - Milarepa and the false teacher

It is reported about one great mystic, Milarepa. When he went to his master in Tibet he was so humble, so pure, so authentic, that other disciples became jealous of him. it was certain that he would be the successor. And of course there was politics, so they tried to kill him.

One day they said to him. "If you really believe in the master, can you jump from the hill? If you really believe , if trust is there, then nothing, no harm, is going to happen." And Milarepa jumped without even hesitating for a single moment. they rushed down... because it was almost a three - thousand foot deep valley. They went down to find his scattered bones but he was sitting there in a lotus posture, very happy, tremendously happy. He opened his eyes and said, "You are right, trust protects."

They thought it must be some coincidence, so when a house was on fire one day they told him. "If you love your master and you trust, you can go in." He rushed in to save the woman and the child who were left inside. He rushed in, and the fire was so great that the other disciples were hoping that he would die but when he came back out with the woman and child, he was not burned at all. And he became more and more radiant, because of the trust....

One day they were going somewhere, they were to cross a river, and they told him, "You need not go in the boat. You have such great trust, you can walk on the river." And he walked.

That was the first time the master saw him. He was not aware that Milarepa had been told to jump into the valley and told to go into the burning house. But that time hew was there on the bank and he saw Milarepa walking on the water and he said, "What are you doing? It is impossible !"

And Milarepa said, "Not impossible at all ! I am doing by your power sir."

Now the master thought, "If my name and my power can do this to this ignorant, stupid man.. I hve never tried it myself" ... So he tried. he drowned. Nothing has been heard about him after that.


The real thing is not the path. The real thing is the authenticity of the seeker.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html