Proverbs of Buddhist Maha Siddha Ancestors by Tenzin Dhondup

Photo of Maha Siddha Jetsun Milarepa

I have a deep love towards my Ancestors.

They are the Jewels that is worth beyond the price, they are the sun that is shining in the darkness.

Today I would like to share few proverbs of my Maha Siddha Ancestors. 

After reading their biography, I have found these precious proverbs, today I would like to share with the world. Please forgive for my weak translation. 

One of the beauties of my Maha Siddha Ancestors

Even though they are the highest of the highest, gods of the gods for me but they always claim to be the lowest of the lowest, they claim them self to be wandering beggars and I respect that a lot.

A small River will always make a big noise but Ocean is always clam.

This is the great beauties of their compassion and wisdom. 

May hearing the names of these Maha Siddhas, Bodhicitta grows in your mind. 

Maha Siddha Jetsun Drukpa Kunley

1. A young woman finds pleasure in love.

A young man finds pleasure in sex. 

An old man finds pleasure in his memoirs.

2. Rich people, tight fist.  An old man, tight mind. 

3. Lama without compassion will definitely cheat so don't worship. 

4. Haven't let go attachment, whats the point of leaving hometown.

5. Don't hurt a woman who follows you her whole life.

6. Don't challenge wisdom with Jetsun Sakya Pandita and Jetsun Tsongkhapa.

7. A person who wears Dharma Robes and engages in worldly deeds will dishonor Buddha Dharma.

8. Women are precious, even the highest teachings of Buddha is known as the Great Mother.

9. Wandering in Samsara, again and again, is a sad thing.

10. Harmonize with all but don't trust all. 

11. If ignoring the Karmic law of cause and effects, even though it looks like Buddhism but take it as non-Buddhism.

12. Like in a young girls dream, a son was born and son was dead in the same dream. She was happy when a son was born. She was sad when a son was dead. You should know that all phenomena are just like that. 

13. You guys devotion is like, closing eyes and joining palms of hands all the time but it's incredible that your devotion is not in the mind, it's so deceitful to cheat Lama.

14. Needs lots of merits, just to acquire the name Lama. 

These are the great proverbs from Maha Siddha Jetsun Drukpa Kunley that I have found in his biography which I have bought in Lhasa.

Maha Siddha Jetsun Milarepa 

1. If no ashamed in mind, whats the use of understanding the Buddha Dharma.

2. Milarepa won't make wealth, if Milarepa makes wealth, renouncing worldly life is meaningless. 

3. Whether live or die, for my faith, I will not regret.

4. A mind without attachment and hatred is Buddha Dharma Practitioner.

5. Walk slow and you will reach faster. Stay at lowest and you will reach the highest.

6. In the biography of Jetsun Milarepa, Gold and Stone have no difference. 

7. If just picking a name can get enlighten then let me call you 'Buddha.' 

8. Stay alone and you will meet the friend.

9. Although all the pleasure and pain are impermanent,  if you can endure such pain, you will get the permanence happiness. 

10. Is their thorn in your mat, why you can't seat and practice.

11. I was expecting you to become a practitioner who makes holes in the meditation mat, you are wanting to become a practitioner who makes a hole in the shoes.

12. May all action becomes Buddha Dharma. If all action won't becomes Buddha Dharma, practicing compassion is meaningless.

13. Dhamobodhi doesn't want gold, if Yogi Dhamabodhi wants gold, attaining Siddha is meaningless. 

14. Rechungpa doesn't want profit. If Dorje Drakpa wants to gain profit, following Lama is meaningless. 

15. hardship practice can even achieve rareness. 

16. If any thought of eight worldly dharma arises, I will suicide. If any thought of seeking comfort arise, may Dikinis take my life. ( Jetsun Milarepa's commitment when meditating alone )

17. In the strict retreat, where there is no humans and dogs, there is a lamp, which is the sign of quick success in spiritual practice.

18. My body looks like a skeleton, even my enemies, when they see me, they will shed tears. 

19. Right now you are rich and famous and it's a good thing but did you ever thought, when you die, you have nothing. 

20. If mind and body are attached together, at the time of death, why mind and body get separated. If mind and body are separated, when the body gets sick, why the mind is in pain? 

21. If you don't practice Buddha Dharma, saying I understand is deceiving. 

22. Generally, Lay peoples devotion is in the mouth, I Yogis devotion is in the heart. 

23. If you really want to practice Buddha Dharma, instead of cleaning your face, you should start cleaning your mind. 

24. If you really want to practice Buddha Dharma,  you have to take all the good qualities of Samsara as a fault. All the obstacles you get in Samsara as a friend on the path to enlightenment.

25. Constantly thinking about Death will conquer laziness. 

26. If not practicing the orally transmitted instructions from Lama, staying in retreat place is like making a unhappiness for your own. 

27. Like that river, practice Dharma continuously. 

28. If you don't realize that everything is a projection of your own mind, even conquering the world of Brahma has no happiness. 

Maha Siddha Sakya Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen 

1. If cant stay alone, won't attain Siddhi. 

2. Not following an Authentic Lama, whats the point of leaving the hometown.

3. Not practicing the teachings of Buddha, whats the point of only hearing the teachings. 

4. At the time of death, other than Buddha Dharma, nothing can help. 

5. I have heard that it's hard to attain precious human body. I have heard that it's hard to find an Authentic Lama. I have heard that you have to leave everything and go. I have heard that Samsara is suffering. I have heard that Nirvana is happiness. 

6. I am not a person with merits but having attained human body and Buddha Dharma prevailed on the world, happened at the same time. The moment I left hometown and I have found an Authentic Lama, happened at the same time.  The moment I saw sufferings of Sentient Beings and a great compassion has arisen from my heart, happened at the same time. 

7. Humans are preparing, preparing, preparing for whole life, however, didn't prepare for next life.

8. Seeking your own enlightenment has no meaning when all Sentient Beings are our mother. Mothers are in suffering and it's sad to seek your own happiness. 

9. Intoxicants are the source of losing awareness. Meat is the source of losing compassion. Women are the source of losing reputation. 

10. The main practice should be letting go the worldly deeds. Even if you didn't attain Siddhi, there is nothing to regret. 

11. Put your mind on the Buddha Dharma. Even if you are born in hell, there is nothing to regret.  Put your whole life on the Buddha Dharma. Even death comes, there is nothing to regret. In order to acquire merit, you have to take the vow. Even if your friends are unhappy, there is nothing to regret. You have to make sure to do things which are not regretful. Even if others talk bad about you, there is nothing to regret. 

These are the few proverbs from Maha Siddhas. I will be updating more soon.

Even though I am a person with no any merit, I still rejoice in hearing the names of these great Buddha's and having a merit to read their biographies.

Source:

Tibet Travelers