Naropa

Naropa (also: Naropa, Naro or Nārotapa; Tib ནཱ་རོ་པ་, Wylie: . NA ro pa, * 1016, † 1100) was a Buddhist master and one of the 84 Mahasiddhas.

Biography

He was born in northeastern India or Bengal and grew up in a noble family. His education was aimed to take over the throne and his father's title, but also contained instructions for Buddhist teachings and the teachings of the Brahmins. Already at the age of eight he brought the desire to study expression. At his entreaties to get for allowing him when he was eleven years old, to travel to Kashmir to study. According to some sources only his travel time to have lasted there for three years. Other sources indicate that the duration of his studies to have lasted in Kashmir these same three years, he returned home after his studies at home and continued until he was in 1032 AD married 16 years with the Brahmanentochter Vimaladipi. The marriage lasted eight years, then he ended the connection and went back to Kashmir. He ordained, and took up his studies again.

At the age of 28, he moved to Pullahari at Nalanda (North India ). There, in the first Buddhist university with a large number of scholars and students, he received further teachings and became abbot of the university.

One day he met an old woman who is regarded as the embodiment of Dakini Vajravarahi in the legends. It highlighted the importance of Naropa practical experience of meditation and advised him to consult the Master Tilopa.

Naropa left Nalanda and then the Buddhist Order and sought to Tilopa, whom he met after a long search in eastern India. Tilopa, Naropa underwent a hard training to develop his Spirit, that he was ready for enlightenment. He trained with practical exercises his concentration, his mental strength and his mental acuity - the three pillars of the spirit, to master the ultimate realization. At the same time his verbal initiations were given in secret teachings. Found both in the twelve years that it took to Naropa Tilopa, as well as in the subsequent twelve years, during which he accompanied Tilopa, he was faced with tasks that the him to an inner deep understanding from a purely intellectual understanding of Buddhist teachings nature of mind and the application of the teachings led.

Finally gained enlightenment Naropa very unconventional way, when he asked his teacher one day after another instruction and instead of Tilopa got a blow on the head with his shoe. This led the last veil of Naropa's mind and he realized Mahamudra. He then spent 21 years in Pulahari and taught the Dharma.

The Six Yogas of Naropa

The most important transfers that he got submitted by Tilopa, he summarized into six forms of meditation. They are known today under the name of the Six Yogas of Naropa. They are considered as "higher practice " and thus, more experienced students of Buddhist teachers given in its entirety in the rule to only a few, because their effect on the mind should be very strong.

Naropa was the transfer of these forms of meditation among other things, to his student Marpa, the translator on. Another important student of Naropa was Niguma, is sometimes spoken of usually as his tantric consort when his sister (which stems from the fact that the Tibetan term cham mo here is not unique and the companion for the Shangpa Kagyu school of particular importance).

Swell

• Herbert V. Guenther: The Life and Teachings of Naropa. Shambhala Publishing, Boston, 1986, ISBN 1-56957-110-4
• Keith Dowman: The Masters of Mahamudra. Diederichs Verlag, Munich 1991, ISBN 3-424-01076-6, pp. 182 ff