Moey
Our beloved friend Moey Dworkin-Cantor passed away March 17th. This post is a remembrance of her.
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We climbed above the road, up a slippery and snowy slope, up onto a deserted forest hillside with large mysterious wooden buildings scattered across it.
There were a few paper signs that were shredding away, and no one around. This is the Forest of the Seven Lucky Gods near Takayama, in the Japanese Alps.
Inside the large wooden structures, whose eaves were drip-drip-dripping with springtime snowmelt, are seven huge sculptures carved out of the wood of fallen 800 year old trees. They are absolutely massive, and beautiful, and each has a joyful compassionate face looking out onto the snowy woods. You can climb up and touch them, leave prayers or coins, and ask for blessings.
I was looking at the sculpture of the rotund and happy bodhisattva Haito, and touching his belly for luck as the signs encouraged us to do, and I thought, wouldn’t it be great if these rituals worked. Japan is full of fortune telling and ritual and superstition. I was thinking of Moey and of all the terrible and undeserved suffering in the world, and thought, I wish we could rub his belly and just get our good fortune. Instead we have to live in so much fear and pain.
And then Dave said, “But, you know this guy’s story, right? He attains enlightenment, and then turns around and comes back to the mess of the world, back to the 'marketplace', to share his message with others.”
I know that’s what a Bodhisattva is in Buddhism, someone who attains enlightenment and then returns to the world to help others. But it made me cry in that moment, and I thought, who would do that? Who would — after attaining enlightenment and realizing that there is no separation, no reality, no unreality, no birth, no death —return to the marketplace and participate again in all this illusion? Well— a bodhisattva does, I guess. And Dave reminded me that Hotei is often pictured with a wine skin and a huge belly and a face full of joy - joy at being in this world, for the things in this world.
This happened a few days ago, and I am thinking of Moey now, and suddenly realizing that she helps me understand the Bodhisattva who goes back to the marketplace.
Moey was an ordinary person, a lovely young girl stricken with a terrible and unfair disease and afflicted with all manner of suffering. But in knowing her, through the course of her illness, she was so warm and generous with others, so thoughtful and determined and able to take us all by the hand and accompany her, showing us how to be with her, how to offer what she needed, how to offer what we had. She was determined to have a good day, every day, when at all possible.
Visiting her was so often paradoxically an experience of great joy and intimacy, because she shared her vulnerability, honesty, courage and excitement so freely. I ended up feeling that I had been taught, inspired, and given great gifts by her and her remarkable family, even in the midst of their trauma.
Having known Moey, I understand how the Bodhisattva, who could absolutely be forgiven for vanishing into their own concerns, chooses instead to turn her strength toward us, and reach out to bring others all the wisdom, joy and peace they can.
May her memory be a blessing. I have often heard this lovely thought, but I have never felt it to be more deeply true. Every single moment that I remember her, I know I have been blessed, and am being blessed again.
This is The Way of The Bodhisattva:
Thus by the virtue collected rough all that I have done, May the pain of every living creature be completely cleared away!
May I be the doctor and the medicine
And may I be the nurse For all sick beings in the world Until everyone is healed!
May a rain of food and drink descend To clear away the pain of thirst and hunger,
And during the eon of famine May I myself change into food and drink!
May I become an inexhaustible treasure For those who are poor and destitute; May I turn into all the things they need
And may these be placed close beside them!
May I be a saviour of those without one,
A guide for all travellers on the way;
May I be a bridge, a boat, and a ship,
For all who wish to cross the water!
May I be an island for those who seek one,
And a lamp for those desiring light! May I be a bed for all who wish to rest.
May I be a wishing jewel, a magic vase,
Powerful mantras, and great medicine,
May I be a wish-ful lling tree, And a cow of plenty for the world!
May I always support the life of all the countless creatures!
And until they pass away from pain,
May I also be the source of life For all the realms of varied beings at reach unto the ends of space!
