I am the lion of the great freedom from extremes,
See my sharp white fangs of fearlessness are bare,
I sleep in the snow free from anxiety and arrogance—
That is the way this yogi has the confidence of view.
Since I have this view, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.
I am the mountain stag of perfect motionlessness,

I wear the antlers of the many that have one taste,
I sleep in the meadow of great bliss-luminosity—
That's the way this yogi meditates with confidence.
With this meditation, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.

I am the great fish of the freedom from the ten wrong deeds,
I have the golden eyes of always performing good,
I leap in the stream of experience's steady flow—
That's the way this yogi's conduct is so confident.
With this conduct, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.

I am the tigress of my witness being my own mind,
I wear the shining stripes of helping others naturally,
Neither too strict nor careless, that's the forest where I roam—
That's the samaya I the yogi hold with confidence.
Since I have this samaya, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.

On the paper of appearances, light and dark,
Awareness writes the letters only seen by the mind,
I have certainty in the ultimate non-duality—
That is the way this yogi has true Dharma confidence.
With this Dharma true, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.

I'm the garuda of self-liberated movement of mind,
I spread my giant wings of method and wisdom,
The sky of unconditioned naturalness is where I soar—
That's how this yogi has the confidence of fruition.
With this fruition, when I die, I'll be filled with joy!
And after death I'll head straight down the path to freedom.

Sung by Milarepa to Dampa Sangye during their meeting at Tong-la, Tibetan page 754. Translated under the guidance of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche by Ari Goldfield, Tenerife, Spain, May 24, 2003. Translation copyright 2012, Ari Goldfield