A few days after that Marpa took Milarepa to another spot and told him to build a four-angled building there, 9 stories high with an ornamental upper part forming a tenth story. Milarepa asked that Marpa's wife came to be witness to his words, and she did, saying, "of course I can stand as witness; but the guru will not pay any attention to us. Besides, he is doing an altogether needless thing. Besides, this site is not ours by right." Her husband said, "Merely do what you are asked to do, to stand witness and then get away home. You don't need to raise questions no one asked you to raise."

See if there was not a secret plan

Others who witnessed the building project, said, "It seems as if Marpa really means to build on this spur."

Still others said, "He has got hold of a novice from the Highlands, one with a mania for building, and he keeps the poor young man busy all the time building houses of unapproved patterns on every ridge, spur, and knoll round here. Then, when the building is half finished, he gets the young man to pull it all down again and carry the materials back to where they came from. Let us wait and see."

But the house was not pulled down this time, and Marpa's relatives said, "The pulling down of the others was only a feint to mislead us, and prevent our objecting at the onset. Let us pull it down now!"

Building houses as a futile undertaking

Milarepa wept bitterly. But next morning Marpa came to him and gave him another task instead. Milarepa was to build a house for one of Marpa's sons. But after Milarepa had built half of it, Marpa came and asked him to tear it down and take back the stones and the earth used in the building, to the place he had taken them from.

Now the lama, who looked intoxicated, took Milarepa to a ridge and ordered him to build another house there, and described once again how he wanted it built. But when Milarepa has built half the house, Marpa came to him while he was working and said that even that house would not do, and that Milarepa must restore the clay and the stones to the places he had taken them from. Milarepa obeyed.

For the third time Marpa took him to a ridge and asked him to build him a really nice house there. Milarepa entreated him to consider matters well this time and only then to give him the orders.

Marpa: "I have thought well over the matter."

So Milarepa started to build a triangular-shaped house, as directed, but when he had built one third of it, Marpa came down and said, "Who gave you the order to build a house like this? See that you demolish it and do as bidden with the materials."

By this time Milarepa was much grieved. He had a big sore on his back, but kept his misery to himself, not daring to tell the lama and his wife about his condition. That motherly lady said to her husband, "Your useless building undertakings are only wearing out the poor youth's life. Marpa then agreed to impart four formulas to Milarepa.

Swarupa- Our True Nature

Pandit Dabral

Yoga is meant to be uplifting ourselves from wherever we are - uplifting all aspects of our being so that we know ourselves. So that we may improve every aspect of ourselves and enter into our real nature.

Anything else that is done, it is part of preparation. The aim of Yoga is that you will know yourself. What do you mean by that? That simply means that human beings, all of us, we do not know our real nature and the practice of yoga is undertaken so that we know our real,  true nature, as it is explained in Yoga.

Swarupa:  Swa- your own. Rupa means your form or your nature. Rupa- this is what we see in front of the mirror and what others see. It is not the true form. Our true form never changes because it is ever free, ever pure, ever wise. Unchangeable. Anything that changes, it is not the real form. Because today this is real and tomorrow something else is real. So how would I trust which one is real? We are constantly changing - a change is happening at every micro-second. Something that will change is known as Samsara- the world. Or Jagat – jagat means that which moves. Everybody is moving; we are a moving principle. Therefore, there is jagat or samsara in me. In all of us. And there is a samsara without or outside of me. Both are changing, inside and out. So that which changes today is this way. Tomorrow it is another way. It is not true.

 That is why yoga says your Swarupa, your own nature, it never changes. It is identical. Amazing thing! It is identical.  Your nature, my nature – True Nature – we are talking about. We are not talking about the persona based, personality based nature. That, of course, is different because each one of us has a different mind.

 So the True nature is identical…..Yoga is after THAT nature. And another unique and amazing thing is that this True nature and the nature of God are one and the same.

This is so beautiful.

 That should be a great reason - that should be enough excuse for Ultimate Inspiration.

When one has an emotional reaction,
where is the Witness in that?
Self is there, witnessing everything. Self is laughing at you saying "Aw look, there he goes again." Mind also witnesses, that is how you know "I am" having this thought. The Self is always constantly watching & guiding, but it is through the mind we watch. That is why they say, just rise above these emotions. Kids & wife & all of that is part of this, one day they are happy next day they are upset.. it is the nature of the world. It is not wrong or right.. We are simply talking about the nature of the world, the nature of the human life & the nature of the body the breath & the mind. And then in the mind, the emotions & the parts of the mind that everybody is affected by it. It may be more or less depending on where one is in their journey but ever one who has prana is affected by it, unless one is a master or self realized. And that is why they say to go toward self realization -- because that master is completely happy. It is the emotions & their changes that decrease your happiness. This understanding doesn't come by listening or reading.. it only comes by meditation & contemplation & turning inward. Thats why a lot of people will hear me say this, or hear this, and intellectually understand it.. but will they do something about it? Will it change their lives?
They don't..because it takes true practice and experience to KNOW.. everyone can give a nice lecture about it.. but like the Bhagavad Gita says, even the wise ones are confused.. even the wise ones behave exactly the same as one who is not wise. Wise means knowledgeable of the scriptures, of the technology of the philosophy and all of that.. Meanings, and quotations..one who knows.. but real knowing is Self..Knowing who you Really are.. Self..
Like the quote from Swami Rama.. "The greatest book to study is your Self" and Then you will know. .. he says.. "The interesting part of this manuscript of so called life is the beginning and the end pages are missing.. you only have the middle pages with you. You don't know where it began and you don't know where it will end.. you have the book but its incomplete.. you carry the middle pages of this life.. you no longer have the past and you don't know the future"… Study the Self.
What is the Universal Power?
Universal power is the identical.. Universal power is unity, friendship, love, commitment, growth. What i mean by this is, the powers that are in everybody and part of everyone nature.. no matter where one comes, from they exist in everyone.. they are universal. The powers that are the nature of human being.. which are; to be compassionate, to help each other, to give and to forgive.. those are the True nature of the self and they exist in every human being.. And then the question comes, why does everyone then act differently? That is their ego.

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