Table of Contents

Foreword Roberto Vitali ix

Preface xiv

Abbreviations xii

Timeline: The Life of Milarepa xx

Introduction

1 The Historical Context of the Biographical Tradition 1

Part 1 Literary Aspects of the Biographies of Milarepa

2 Hagiography and Tradition 17

3 Redaction Critical Study of the Milarepa Biographies 29

4 Survey of Sources 43

5 Toward Identifying the "Voice" of Milarepa 69

6 Conclusions on the Literary and Teaching Voice of Milarepa 85

7 Final Remarks on the Literary Tradition 91

Part 2 Bka' Brgyud Pa Spirituality

8 The Theme of Tradition in Anthropological and Historical Perspective 97

9 Liberation in the Vajrayana.- A Survey of Tannic Practice in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism 102

10 The Buddha Within: Ground or Basis of the Path 108

11 The Path to Liberation and Its Features 113

12 The Fruition: Fully Enlightened Buddhahood 116

13 The rDo rje 'Chang mam thar in bKa' brgyud Spirituality 120

14 Tantric Practice in the bKa' brgyud 129

15 bKa' brgyud pa Tantric Practice: Enlightenment "in One Lifetime, in One Body" 133

16 Oral Teachings of Khandro Rinpoche on the Stage of Creation for the Practice of Vajravarahi 137

17 Oral Teachings of H. H. Gyalwa Drukchen on Cakrasamvara 142

18 The Six Yogas of Naropa, Mahamudra, and the bKa' brgyud Teachings on the Stage of Completion 149

19 The Enlightenment of Milarepa 158

20 Tables: Spiritual Transformation 166

Part 3 Texts in Translation

21 The Biography of Milarepa by rGyal thang pa bDe chen rDo rJe 173

22 The Lives of Marpa and Milarepa by sGam po pa 247

23 A Translation of the Biography of Vajradhara by rGyal thang pa 259

24 Milarepa's Oral Teachings from the gDams ngag mdzod 274

Notes 293

Glossary 353

Selected Bibliography 359

Index 384

About the Author 412