Letter to a friend
Dear Fabien,
You suddenly disappeared into invisibility, and that took us all by surprise.
At 11:00 on Tuesday morning, I exchanged a friendly text message with you.
You told me we’d be seeing you again soon at La Gendronnière.
On Tuesday evening, your light was blown out by impermanence,
like a candle swept away by a sudden gust of wind.
If that’s your rather abrupt way of teaching us about impermanence,
you who would have had great difficulty explaining it to us in words,
well, you’ve succeeded.
Radical as well as spontaneous.
There will always be someone like you to provoke us
and make us think about life, suffering and inequality.
I met you at La Gendronnière in ’92.
You were a good companion on the Way.
At the time, we were swamped with major roadworks and upgrades.
You drove the tractor through the forest, as wild as it was,
a gruff companion to disturb the over-mannered spirits
and prune superfluous reverence.
Sometimes lost in the fog of your thoughts,
or tinkering with useless things, walking in the hills,
you’ve never stopped letting your creativity flow,
a bit of a tramp, a bit of a genius,
a provocateur with an eye for the stars as much as for the battle of ideas.
After our adventure in Lanau, you had just retired
and you were still full of projects, interests, dreams and perspectives.
And now it’s all fading away so that at last, rather than as expected,
comes the time for rest, silence and non-action,
So don’t stop at death, and keep going,
sitting up straight, motionless in your new space of light
letting yourself be absorbed by the silence.
In any case, it’s always straight ahead.
And don’t worry!
Each of us also goes towards our death, which awaits us a little further on.
We never leave each other, with or without this ephemeral body,
in which the truth of being is revealed.
Death does not extinguish the silent and eternal Presence.
It does not extinguish what we have experienced together.
It does not extinguish your smiling face that returns to our minds
every time we think of you.
Death does not extinguish anything.
We never stop seeing each other in spirit.
We share everything there.
Our hearts go out to your two boys and their mother,
to all those you have loved, who have accompanied you and who have shared
your joys and your sorrows.
We are overwhelmed by sadness.
Let it resonate just for you, today, in our mouths,
the sutra of Great Wisdom.
You join her in the sad sweetness of our friendship.
May our song encourage all the Buddhas to come and take part in our ceremony.
You are already one of them for immeasurable periods of time.
We wish you a safe journey to Nirvana.
Guy Mokuho
The dedication of the ceremony we are holding for you says it all:
Now we remember past times
Time passes quickly, death follows life
And when that moment arrives, it strikes like lightning.
But when that moment has passed, the waves calm down again.
Today, for you, Fabien, the causes and conditions of existence have come to an end.
We understand the impermanence of all things,
and that this death signifies entry into Nirvana.
In front of this coffin, we invite all his family, friends and loved ones
to offer this ceremony to the glory of all the Buddhas and all enlightened beings.
May the merits of the Great Wisdom sutra be offered to you, Fabien,
and accompany you on the road to satori.
