Milarepa, Tibet's most beloved yogi and poet, began life as a boy named Thöpaga whose family was destroyed by greed. Driven to learn black magic, he wreaked terrible vengeance on his enemies — and then, crushed by remorse, set out to find a teacher who could purify his deeds. That teacher, Marpa the Translator, tested him with almost unbearable trials before granting him the teachings that would transform his life. Milarepa spent years alone in mountain caves, living on nettles and meditating until his body turned green, and in time he attained enlightenment in a single lifetime. His story, told in his own songs and in the vivid prose of the Tibetan master Tsangnyon Heruka, is one of the great spiritual epics of world literature: a testament to the power of perseverance, repentance, and the human capacity for radical change. This faithful modern-English edition makes the classic accessible to today's readers while preserving its beauty and depth. Part of The World Scriptures Library.