About Simon

About Simon

I have known Simon Luna for many years. Mainly our
connection was Dharma, through the air of devotion.
During the difficulties that beset our sangha
following the Vidydhara's paranirvana, Simon and I
found ourselves on diametrically opposing sides of a
very high fence. Throughout this very embattled
time, both of us recognized the deeper reality of
having the same guru, and of possessing a bond within
the guru mandala that is in fact indissoluble. This
was not the most common understanding of that time.
In order to recognize and preserve our bond, we called
each other, "Vajra Brother," whenever we met, or, "My
Vajra Brother." This reality burst through the fog
of dismay like the sun, and always caused us both to
smile.

Over the years we always discussed Dharma. I recall
the moment when he answered a teacher's exam question:
"At what point do all Dharmas agree?" "Egolessness!"
came the immediate reply. I remember the time when
he addressed the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche in a toast
as, "Your Hunkiness," to the delight of the crowd and
of the Sakyong himself. I respect greatly that Simon
did the three-year retreat. I remember he took his
entire inheritance to pay for it, without a second
thought. This 100% quality, moving ever forward
into the auspicious coincidence, mindful of the
shortness of life, accompanied Simon on his path; and
his path benefitted greatly.

When he led his first Fire Puja he consulted me on how
to conduct himself, as I was somewhat senior to him at
that time, and when he left to serve as the Acharya
for Latin America, he consulted me again on how to
hold his mind, as I had more experience in teaching in
other cultures. Likewise, when I was teaching more
widely later, I consulted him, and he asked me
rhetorically, from where is it that the source of
blessings come: he reminded me they come from the
guru, and only the guru. And again that smile lit up
his face. The irony of choicelessness was never far
away.

His path accelerated after his Acharya appointment--a
development everyone who knew him noticed, as it was
so unmistakable. He did not develop what his
daughter Sarah so accurately described at his
Sukhavati in Boulder last night (August 17th) as an
"acharyahead." Simon worked with theism on his path,
and he made great strides in dealing with it, quite
possibly penetrating through. In his latter years, he
developed greater genuineness, greater humility,
accuracy and confidence, and gentle authentic
presence. In March of this year, 2007, he and I
engaged in a lengthy and wonderful email exchange,
which cannot at this time be shared, owing to
confidentiality which Simon and I agreed to maintain.
It was the most authentic correspondence I can recall
having experienced, in the sense of straightforward
honesty and kindness conjoined in one expression. It
was beautiful, owing to the eloquence of his speech.
We discussed affairs of state, personal matters, and
obstacles mutually understood; somehow the subtle and
profund inexpressibility of the yogic path became the
implication. I told him that such communication is
very hard to come by. It was like a drop of honey
leaking from a shooting star and landing on the
tongue, this taste of coemergent vajra truth, and it
stays with me in a present way, even though I now
practice letting my old friend and vajra brother go
on.

It is said that those who complete the three-year
retreat enter samadhi after death--samadhi in the case
of even sudden death being defined by knowing one has
died, and maintaining a stable mind. Simon is surely
such a one as this.

Bill Karelis
18 August 2007