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Marpa Lotsawa ( 1013-1097), sometimes known as Lhodak Marpa Choyki Lodro or commonly as Marpa the Translator was a Tibetan Buddhist teacher credited with the transmission of many Buddhist teaching to Tibet from India, including the teaching and lineages of Vajrayana and Mahamudra. Marpa enthusiastically sought Buddhist instruction in India, Althought he eventually became a highly accomplished Buddhist master, Marpa neither founded nor joined a Buddhist institution, choosing instead to remain a married householder, landowner and business. Born in Lhodrak Chukhyer in the southern part of Tibet, to an affluent family, Marpa began studying at a young age but was wild and untamed compared to other children. Marpa first received instruction for three years at Mangkhar with Drokmi Shakya Yeshe and mastered Sanskrit. He decided to travel to India to study with Lhodrak and converted his entire inheritance into gold to fund his travel expenses and to make offerings to teachers. Marpa Journeyed first to Nepal where he studied with Paindapa and Chitherpa, two famous student of Naropa. Paindapa later accompanied Marpa to Pullahari, near Nalanda University, Where Naropa taught. Marpa spent twelve years studying with Naropa and other great Indian gurus. After twelve years he set forth on his journey back to Tibet to teach and continue his dharma activities. Marpa travelled to India twice more and Nepal three more times and studied with Naropa and other great teachers including Maitripa. On his third visit to India, Naropa who was engaged in tantric practices, proved difficult to find. However, eventually Marpa found him and received the final teachings and instructions from Naropa. It was then that Naropa prophesied that family lineage would not continue for Marpa, but that his lilneage would be carried on by his disciples. Marpa now had received the full transmission so Naropa formally declared Marpa to be his successor although he has other major disciples including Paindapa, Chitherpa, sri Santibhandra or Kukuripa, and Maitripa. Upon his return to Tibet, Marpa spent many years translating Buddhist scriptures and made a major contribution to the transmission of the complete Buddha-dharma to Tibet. Marpa continued to practice and give teachings and transmission to many students in Tibet. After his third visit to India Milarepa became his disciple, Who inherited his lineage in full. Marpa lived with his wife Dagmema and their son in Lhodrak in the southern part of Tibet.
Marpa: Tibetan Translator Mystic, Jungney. Lhamo, Heritage Publishing,2010, Paperback, 174 pages, $14.95
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