Milarepa Lessons from the Life and Songs of Tibet's Great Yogi

A renowned meditation master retells the stories and realization songs of Tibet's best-known and most-beloved religious figure—and reveals how they relate to our everyday lives

He went from being the worst kind of malevolent sorcerer to a devoted and ascetic Buddhist practitioner to a completely enlightened being all in a single lifetime . . . The story of Milarepa (1040–1123) is a tale of such extreme and powerful transformation that it might be thought not to have much direct application to our own less dramatic lives—but Chögyam Trungpa shows otherwise. 

This collection of his teachings on the life and songs of the great Tibetan Buddhist poet-saint reveals how Milarepa’s difficulties can be a source of guidance and inspiration for anyone. His struggles, his awakening, and the teachings from his remarkable songs provide precious wisdom for all us practitioners and show what devoted and diligent practice can achieve.

Chögyam Trungpa (1940‒1987)—meditation master, teacher, and artist—founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: Sacred Path of the Warrior, and Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Judith L. Lief is a senior teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and a longtime editor of Chögyam Trungpa’s works.