Abbazia di Fontanella

THE SONG
OF THE SNOVV RANGES
Obeisance to all Gurus
J ETSUN Milarepa's reputation for conquering malignant demons and
ghosts grew as a result of his visit to the region of Lashi Snow Moun-
tain. All the people of Nya Non village became his patrons and ren-
dered him service and offerings. Among them was a lady named Wur-
mo, who with deep faith earnestly sought the teachings of the Dharma.
She had a young son called Joupuva, whom she decided to offer to
Milarcpa as a servant when the boy grew up.
Milarepa was invited to stay at Nya Non Tsar Ma by the villagers,
and while there was attended by his patroness, Shindormo. The Jetsun
stayed in the village for some time, but soon became severely depressed
by the worldliness of everyone. Indicating his unhappiness, he told the
villagers that he wanted to return to Lashi Snow Mountain.
The villagers then cried, "Revered One! It is simply for our own
sake and not for the welfare of other sentient beings that we ask you
to remain in our village this winter and teach us. You can conquer
evil demons at any time. Next spring everything will be ready for
your journey." Venerable Dunba1 Shajaguna [a priest] and Shindor-
mo were especially earnest in their petitions: "The winter is coming,
and you will meet too much difficulty and hardship on the snow
mountain. Please postpone your departure until later."
Disregarding their repeated supplications, Milarepa made up his
mind to go. "I am a son of the Naropa Succession," he said. "I do
not fear hardships and raging storms on the snow mountain. For me
to remain permanently in a village would be far worse than death.
My Guru Marpa also commanded me to avoid worldly distractions
and to remain in solitude to pursue my devotions."
Then the villagers of Tsar Ma quickly prepared provisions for him;
before leaving, he promised to see those who would come to him for
instruction in the Dharma during the winter. Dunba Shajaguna, Shin-
dormo, and four others, monks and laymen, carrying drink for the
farewell party, accompanied the Jetsun. They crossed a hill and came
to a small plateau.
Taking with him flour, rice, a piece of meat, and a cut of butter,
Milarepa set out alone for the Great Cave of Conquering Demons,
where he intended to reside.
On their way home, the six disciples encountered a terrible storm
on the far side of the mountain, so blinding they could hardly find
their way. They had to summon all their strength to struggle against
it, and only reached the village after everyone had retired for the
night.
The snow fell for eighteen days and nights, cutting off communica-
tion between Drin and Nya Non for six months. All of Milarepa's
disciples assumed that their Guru must have died in the storm and,
in his memory, held a sacramental feast.
In the l\-lonth of Saga (part of March and April], the disciples,
carrying axes and other tools, went to search for the Jetsun's corpse.
Just short of their destination, they sat down to take a long rest. In
the distance they saw a snow-leopard yawning and stretching as it
climbed up on a big rock. They watched it for a long while, until
it finally disappeared. They were quite sure they would not find the
Jetsun's corpse, as they firmly believed the leopard had killed him
and eaten his body. They murmured, "Is it still possible to obtain
some remnants of his clothes, or hair?" The very thought of this made
them cry out in agonized grief. Then they noticed many human foot-
prints beside the leopard's tracks. Afterward, the narrow path where
the vision of the leopard [or tiger] had appeared became known as
"The Tiger and Leopard Path." [Having seen this phantasm of the
leopard], the villagers were very mystified. They thought, "Could this
be a conjuration of a Deva or ghost?" In bewilderment, they ap-
proached the Cave of Conquering Demons, and, hearing Milarepa sing-
ing, they asked themselves, "Is it possible that passing hunters have of-
fered food to the Jetsun, or that he has acquired some left-over prey,
so that he did not die?"
When they reached the cave, Milarepa chided them: "You laggards,
you reached the other side of the mountain quite a while ago. Why
did it take you so long to get here? The food has been prepared for a
long time and must be cold. Hasten yourselves and enter!" The disci-
ples were overjoyed, and cried and danced happily. Swiftly they rushed
up to the Jetsun, bowing down before him. Milarepa said, "Now is
not the time to discuss this; now it is time to eat." But they first m