auspicious Robin

Dear friends,

I was one of many people touched by Robin's kindness
during his too-short but incredibly rich existence. We
made one another's acquaintance while Robin was in
Dordogne, France to request transmissions and
commentary from H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, on the
subject of Mipham Rinpoche's cycle of Gesar teachings
and the Gesar epic.

Many years later, and unfortunately too late to avail
myself of Robin's vast knowledge, I found myself
delving into Mipham Rinpoche's writings related to
Gesar -- which, back when I met Robin , were too
esoteric for my beginner's knowledge of Dharma and
Tibetan language to appreciate.

Naturally every time I read through the liturgies, I
thought of Robin and a few weeks before his death I
emailed him to tell him how happy I was to discover
them, and to remind him cheerfully not to 'up and die
on us'. I received an equally cheerful response but
sadly, that was the end of our correspondence.

When I received an urgent message from the Milwaukee
Shambhala Center that Robin was on the final stretch I
was saddened but resolved to perfom some prayers and
puja from Mipham's Gesar. Around mid-afternoon picked
up my drum and bell and Mipham's Gesar liturgies.
Within a few minutes there was a clap of thunder, a
heavy but windless rain, and then suddenly the sun
began to shine through the remains of the downpour.

Tearfully I assumed this meant Robin had left us --
but not without a legacy of great deeds and beautiful
memories, and huge project that we translators should
finish.

John Whitney Pettit

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