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Naropa was born a high status Brahmin but from an early age
showed an independent streak, hoping to follow a career of study
and meditation. Succumbing to his parents' wishes, he agreed to
an arranged marriage with a young Brahmin girl. After 8 years
they both agreed to dissolve their marriage and become certain.
At the age of 28 Naropa entered the well-known Buddhist
University at Nalanda where he studied both Tantra and Sutra. He
gained the reputation of a great scholar and faultless debater,
essential at that time as the tradition of debate was such that
the loser automatically became a student of the winner. Finally
he gained the title "Guardian of the Northern gate", engaged in
many debates and taught and won many students.
According to his Tibetan namthar, or spiritual biography, one
day, while he was studying, adakini appeared to Naropa and asked
if he understood the words of the Dharma, Buddha's teachings. He
replied that he did and when she seemed happy with his response,
he added that he also understood their meaning. At this point
the dakini burst into tears, stating that he was a great
scholar, but also a liar, as the only one who understood the
teachings was her brother, Tilopa. On hearing the name "Tilopa",
he experienced a strong feeling of devotion, and Naropa realized
he needed to find the teacher in order to achieve full
realization. He abandoned his studies and position at the
university and set out to find Tilopa. Naropa then underwent
what is known as the twelve minor hardships in his mission to
find his teacher, all the hardships being hidden teachings on
his path to enlightenment. When he finally met Tilopa, he was
given the four complete transmission lineages which he then
began to practice. While studying and meditating with Tilopa,
Naropa had to undergo a further twelve major hardships,
trainings to overcome all the problems on his path, culminating
in his full realization of Mahāmudrā. Naropa spent a total of
twelve years with Tilopa.
Later in his life Naropa stayed in Phullahari, where he died at
the age of 85. One of the few consistent historical accounts of
him comes from a Tibetan translator named Ngatso Lotsawa, who
made an effort to visit Naropa at the monastery of Phullahari
while waiting to visit withAtisha at Vikramashila. |
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