What a day...First, getting the very-sad news that my longtime Dharma teacher and friend, Ven. Lobsang Chokyi, finally succumbed, at age 55, to the Breast Cancer that had ravaged her body for over four years now, and then, this afternoon, getting the news that the inimitable Robin Williams had committed suicide at age 63 here in the Bay Area...Its almost too much to bear or contemplate, in this oddest-of-Summers I can recall... The contrast between their deaths could not have been more stark...Ven, Chokyi died with Dharma friends and lamas reciting praetors and practices for her, around the clock, for several days now, and due to the force of her immense merit, and her dedication to the Path, she passed in an incredibly auspicious manner, and, in our belief-system, almost certainly bypassed the Bardos complete, going straight to the Pure-Lands, where she can continue transforming her min on the way to full Buddhahood. By contrast, Robin Williams, whom I grew-up watching, and who made countless millions on this planet laugh and cry, with his unbelievable, magical talent, took his own life by hanging, leaving behind his third-wife, grown children, and the broken hearts of all of us who loved and treasured his unique talent and amazing, manic humor...He had been battling depression and substance-abuse in recent years, and it finally got the better of him, as no one who had contributed so much to the happiness of the world could have done what he did if he was in his right mind. We keep living, and I am as guilty of this as the next person, as if well live forever, never get old, never get sick, and never die, when all around us is bountiful evidence that our time in this life is limited, and we MUST, make the most of our time in this life to transform our minds and heal our hearts, and not spend our days lost in media, meaningless pursuits, and activities that dont enhance our good hearts and minds, and that ultimately pull us down, instead of helping us to develop and grow as human beings on this planet. For me, the lessons of these two tragic deaths is that I have to overcome my own selfishness, put the wellbeing of others ahead of my own creature-comforts and constricting viewpoints towards myself and everyone around me, and that its not just important, but essential, that I make the most of my remaining time in this life, so that I can die with the blessings of Wisdom and Compassion, and to be able to truly experience the joy of helping and touching others in every way I can, which is the best way to overcome our suffering and achieve happiness in this life and beyond... I wish Robin Williams, with all his profound gifts, could have understood that his life meant something to everyone who ever saw ro experienced his unique brand of humor and great understanding of the opera-buffo that is human life...Its sometimes easier for us to ignore the number one person we need to love and appreciate - ourselves, and how when we arent able to heal ourselves, tragedy can ensue, despite all of our accumulated merit and blessings... Rest-in-peace, and in the love of all you have touched, Ven. Chokyi-la and Robin Williams...As Joni Mitchell so poignantly said in one of her songs, you told me love was touching souls, surely youve touched mine...:)
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 02:36:51 +0000
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