[Buddha-l] [Fwd: Kyabjé Pema Norbu Rinpoche Enters Parinirvana]

[Jayarava]

--- On Sun, 29/3/09, Christopher Fynn <cfynn at gmx.net> wrote:

> Dear Dharma Friends,
> 
> This is to formally announce that the 11th Throneholder of
> the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, His
> Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche entered the stage of /Thugdam,/  the final
> stage of meditation, as of 8:20 PM on Friday, March 27, 2009, at the
> Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe, South India.
 etc.

Not knowing this person or lineage I read this without much sense of loss and some incredulity. It is a fascinating study in rhetoric isn't it? A masterful press-release. All the long and important sounding titles and the mystical states attained, and the "highest" this and that, and yet so down to earth! Not a human being at all, but a Buddha has passed into Parinirvana (captial P). He was "universally revered" (not unlike Pope John Paul II) except unfortunately by me, because I'd never heard of him.

I don't mean to be disrespectful to those who are genuinely grieving over his death, but I find the whole thing a bit of a mystery. Such pomp and circumstance! I note that he's not actually dead, yet, just meditating... 

Have I got too cynical?
Jayarava