To test the accomplishment and experience of Rechungpa, and also to find out how strong was his spirit of renunciation, one day Milarepa casually sang for him the song of “Twelve Deceptions”: Worldly affairs are all deceptive; So I seek the Truth Divine. Excitement and distractions are illusion; So I meditate on the Non-dual Truth. Companions and servants are deceptive; So I remain in solitude. Money and possessions are also deceptive; So if I have them, I give them away. Things in the outer world are all illusion; The Inner Mind is that which I observe. Wandering thoughts are all deceptive So I only tread the Path of Wisdom.

Deceptive are the teachings of Expedient Truth; The Final Truth is that on which I meditate. Books written in black ink are all misleading; I only meditate on the Pith-Instructions of the Whispered Lineage. Words and sayings, too, are all misleading; At ease, I rest my mind in the effortless state. Birth and death are both illusions; I observe but the truth of No-Arising. The common mind is in every way misleading; And so I practice how to animate Awareness. The Mind-holding Practice is misleading and deceptive; And so I rest in the realm of Reality. Rechungpa thought to himself: “My Guru is Buddha Himself; there is no illusory idea in his mind. But because of my incapacity for devotion, as well as that of others, he has sung me this song.”

And Rechungpa sang in answer to explain to his Guru his understanding on the teaching of the view, Practice, and Action. Hearken to me, please, Father Guru, My darkened mind is full of ignorance Hold me fast with the rope of your compassion. At the crossroad where Realism and Nihilism meet I have lost my way in seeking the View of Non-Extremes; So no assurance have I in the knowledge of the Truth. Drowsy and distracted all the while, Bliss and Illumination are not yet my lot. And so I have not conquered all attachment. I cannot free myself from taking and abandoning, And needlessly I continue my impulsive acts; So I have not yet destroyed all delusions. I was unable to shin all deeds of fraud And observe the Tantric Precepts without flaw; So I have yet to conquer all temptations.

The illusory distinction between Samsara (cycle of reincarnation) and Nirvana (Eternal Bliss) I have not realized at the Self-Mind Buddha; So I have yet to find my way to Dharmakaya! I was not able to equate hope with fear And my own face to behold; So I have yet to win the Four Bodies of Buddha. I have been protected by your compassion in the past; Now, putting my whole being in your hands, Pray, still grant me more of your blessings. Thereupon, Milarepa sent his compassionate grace-wave to bless Rechungpa, and said to him, pretendingly, “Oh, Rechungpa, you have had more understandings and experiences than those you have just told me. You should not hide anything from me. Be frank and candid.” As Milarepa said this, Rechungpa suddenly became enlightened.

At once he sang “The Seven Discoveries”: Through the grace of my Father Guru, the holy Jetsun, I have now realized the Truth in Seven Discoveries. In manifestations have I found the Void; Now, I have no thought that anything exists. In the Voidness I found the Dharmakaya; Now, I have no thought of action. In myriad manifestations the Non-Dual have I found; Now, I have no thought of gathering or dispersing. In the Elements of Red and White, Have I found the essence of equality; Now, I have no thought of accepting or rejecting. In the Body of Illusion I have found great bliss; Now, in my mind, there is no suffering. In the Self-Mind I have found the Buddha; Now, in my mind Samsara (cycle of reincarnation) no more exists.

Milarepa then said to Rechungpa, “Your experience and understanding is close to real Enlightenment, but it is still not quite the same. Real Experience and true understanding should be like this.” And he sang “The Eight Supreme Realms”: He who sees the world and Voidness as the same, Has reached the realm of the True View. He who feels no difference between dream and waking, Has reached the realm of True Practice. He who feels no difference between Bliss and Voidness, Has reached the realm of True Action. He who feels no difference between “now” and “then,” Has reached the realm of Reality. He who sees that Mind and Voidness are the same, Has reached the realm of Dharmakaya. He who feels no difference between pain and pleasure, Has reached the realm of the True Teaching.

He who sees human wishes and Buddha’s Wisdom as the same, Has reached the realm of supreme Enlightenment. He who sees that Self-Mind and Buddha are alike, Has reached the realm of True Accomplishment. Thereafter, through the mercy and blessing of his Guru, Rechungpa gradually improved in understanding and Realization. He then composed “The Song of the Six Bardos,” in which he presented to Milarepa his insight and final understanding: I bow before the holy Gurus. In the Bardo (state of existence between death and rebirth) where the great Void manifests There is no realistic or nihilistic view; I do not share the thought of human sectaries. Beyond all apprehension is Non-existence now; Of the View this is my firm conviction.

In the Bardo of Voidness and Bliss there is No object on which the mind can meditate, And so I have no need to practice concentration. I rest my mind without distraction in the natural state. This is my understanding of the Practice, I no longer feel ashamed before enlightened friends. In the Bardo with lust and without lust I see no Samsaric bliss; And so, no more a hypocrite, I meet no bad companions. Whate’er I see before me I take as my companion. This is my conviction in the Action, No longer feel I shame before a gathering of great yogis. Between vice and virtue I no more discriminate; The pure and impure are now to me the same. Thus, never shall I be untruthful or pretentious.

Now have I wholly mastered the Self-Mind. This is my understanding of Morality. No longer feel I shame before the Saints’ assembly. In the new-found realm of Samsara and Nirvana Sentient beings and the Buddha are to me the same; And so I neither hope nor yearn for Buddhahood. At this moment, all my sufferings have become a pleasure. This is my understanding of Enlightenment, No longer feel I shame before enlightened beings. Having freed myself from words and meanings I speak no more the language of all scholars. I have no more doubts in my mind. The universe and all its forms Now appear but as the Dharmakaya.

This is the conviction I have realized. No longer feel I shame before a gathering of great scholars. Milarepa was highly delighted, and said, “Rechungpa, this is indeed the real Experience and knowledge. You can truly be called a well-gifted disciple. Now there are three ways in which one may please one’s Guru: First, the disciple should employ his faith and intelligence to gratify his Guru; then, through unmistakable learning and contemplation, he should enter the gate of Mahayana and Vajrayana, and practice them diligently with great determination; then finally, he can please his Guru with his real experiences of Enlightenment, which are produced step by step through his devotion.

I do not like the disciple who talks much; the actual practice is far more important. Until the full Realization of Truth is gained, he should shut his mouth and work at his meditation. My Guru, Marpa, said to me: ‘It does not matter much whether one knows a great deal about Sutras and Tantras. One should not merely follow the words and books, but should shut his mouth, unmistakably follow his Guru’s verbal instructions, and meditate.’ Therefore, you should also follow this admonishment, forgetting it not, and putting it into practice. If you can leave all Samsaric affairs behind you, the great merits and accomplishments will all become yours.” Rechungpa replied, “Dear Jetsun, please be kind enough to tell what Marpa said.”

Milarepa then sang “The Thirty Admonishments of my Guru”: Dear son, these are the words He said to me: “Of all refuges, the Buddha’s is the best; Of all friends, faith is most important; Of all evils, Nhamdog (disturbing thought) is the worst; Of all devils, pride; Of all vices, slander.” He said:“He who does not purify his sins with the Four Powers It’s bound to wander in Samsara. He who with diligence stores not merit, Will never gain the bliss of Liberation. He who refrains not from committing the Ten Evils, Is bound to suffer the pains along the Path. He who does not meditate on Voidness and Compassion, Will never reach the state of Buddhahood.”