Heal yourself before healing others.

There is this story that I like from the Snow Lion's Turquoise Mane. The story is about this interaction that takes place between Gampopa and his teacher Milarepa.  

Gampopa founded the Kagyu tradition in Tibet back in the eleventh century. He was a doctor who lost his wife at a young age and then became a monk. He studied under the Kadampa tradition until he met his root teacher Milarepa. 

Milarepa is the famous yogi of Tibet. He lived up in the mountains wearing only a white cotton cloth, was known for his practice of inner heat or tummo, and that he gained enlightenment in one lifetime. Milarepa was also famous for his songs of awakening or dohas, which have inspired countless practitioners to this day.

One day Gampopa was sitting in his cave meditating all day and Milarepa asked him how long his meditation sessions lasted. Gampopa said he usually sat for six hours at a time.

Milarepa asked him what he experienced during that time. Gampopa responded, 

"Nothing at all- a great void.”

Milarepa exclaimed, "You fool! How can you sit for six hours and experience nothing at all? You are suppressing yourself, resting in an indifferent, neutral state- pleasant as it may be. Give up this so-called practice and begin according to my instruction."

Milarepa then sang a song about genuine practice:

The ultimate view is to observe ones mind, steadfastly and with determination,

Buddhahood cannot be found outside, so contemplate your own mind.

Behold and watch unborn awareness, how can common meditation match it?

The ultimate guru is Buddha-mind within, do no seek it elsewhere.

Recognizing ones true nature as dharmakaya,

Swiftly actualize immanent Buddhahood.

When Gampopa heard this song, he was humbled and immediately said he was going to renounce his monk robes and become a cotton clad ascetic just like Milarepa.

Again, Milarepa chastised him, "You fool, don't copy others! Each one of you must follow your own spiritual path."

Then Milarepa sang a song about the original monastic state-

One of letting go, surrender, simplicity, solitude, and recognizing the truth of selflessness.

At the end, Milarepa said, "Heal yourself, good physician monk, then you will naturally heal others. My teaching is mine, yours must be yours. Do whatever is necessary in order to evoke it from within."

Dharma.

ཆོས་
Tibetan: cho
English: dharma

Dharma is a very common term within the Buddhist tradition.  We often see Dharma, capitalized, to refer to the teachings of the Buddha.  But dharma has a depth of meaning that needs to be appreciated as we learn to carry Dharma onto the path.

Dharma can refer to:
1. The teachings of the Buddha. In this sense Dharma refers to that which is authentic and true.
2. Any phenomena, or anything that is knowable. The reality of things or events.  
3. The reality of one's own life or circumstances as they manifest.

There are many more interpretations of dharma, but these three are critical to understand.  When Gampopa incites us to turn our mind towards the Dharma, he is encouraging us to look deeply into our life and connect with that which is authentic and true, which are the teachings of the Buddha.  

Gampopa next exhorts us to turn dharma into the path. When we first encounter Dharma, we can become very enthusiastic about pursuing the reality of things. We can be fascinated with philosophical arguments and use logic and reasoning to gain a fuller understanding of ourselves and the world around us.  We can really start to know that which is authentic and true, start to have some knowledge and understanding. 

But this type of practice is very academic and conceptual.  It is all up in your head. When we are too focused on the reality of things, we forget to look deeply into our own situation, our own struggles and actions.

Gampopa wants us to turn the reality of our situation, our life, into the path. However our life is unfolding, use that to embody the teachings. 

The Dharma is not something we simply read or study. It is not complex philosophy. It is the reality of our circumstances, right now. How do we use this dharma? How do we work with this life? How do we carry all of the baggage and problems that we have onto a path that is unerring and true? 

That is the challenge that we face.  That is the dharma that we earnestly seek out for the rest of our life. Carrying this dharma onto the path, the path can clarify confusion and confusion can dawn as the direct experience of the wisdom of our true nature. And that wisdom will be beyond words.
  

Four Dharmas of Gampopa.

Grant your blessings that my mind turn towards the Dharma. 

Grant your blessings that my Dharma practices progresses as the path.

Grant your blessings that the path clarifies confusion.

Grant your blessings that confusion dawns as wisdom. 

Gampopa wrote these four Dharmas as an aspiration prayer.  It is a prayer to set your intention, to fortify your resolve.  It acts as a compass, positioning you and giving you a reference to chart a course. 

'Grant your blessings'.

We make the prayer from a place of reverence and awe.  We are praying to our teacher, to the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, to the hosts of arhats and bodhisattvas, and to the vast array of Three Roots.  We pray that they grant their blessings and that we are receptive enough to receive them.  

We pray that these blessings transform our mind.
That they give us courage on the path to work with our demons.
That they allow us to undermine confusion and resistance on the path.
That they moisten our hearts and give rise to wisdom.  

When we receive these blessings, our minds are transformed.  This transformation engenders a deep gratitude and respect, from which kindness and compassion naturally flow.  Ultimately that transformation is our ordinary samsaric mind transforming into the awakened mind of complete enlightenment, our inherent buddhanature.

The aspiration of our prayer, fulfilled.