to Dorje

There seem to be times when you meet the right person at the right time. In the mid-to-late seventies, when I first met Dorje, Trungpa Rinpoche was strongly encouraging his students to dive into, for us, the uncharted waters of ngondro and Vajrayogini Sadhana practice, to make this shift of commitment in their lives. Carrying my baggage of distractions and everyday justifications not to practice so much, I met Dorje. Dorje took delight in practice. She viewed practice as both inexplicable and joyful in its devotional quality. Her cynicism was tough on excuses not to step in. It was very good to meet her, especially at those crossroads.

Frank Iglehart

Tribute to Dorje Chokyi Lewis

She was indeed a remarkable person.

I will never forget the time when she was  at the reception desk at KD on Spruce St when Trungpa Rinpoche  was leaving. He had not been well, it was probably early ‘80’s. And she said to him "Rinpoche, can we do tonglen for you?” He gracefully declined, smiling broadly “ I don’t think so Sweetie.”

Please accept my sympathy and joy that she is now  free of this world and  no doubt skipping through the bardo in fine fettle.

Jan Watson

Dorje

Dorje Chokyi Levin (Judy Lewis), born January 25, 1941, died on March 3,2008 in Buffalo, NY. She was raised in Tonawanda, NY and later lived in Flint, MI and Chicago, IL. In the midst of great life difficulties she started to study Buddhism. After reading about Vajrayogini in a book she tried to practice on her own, but then met Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and became his devoted student. She attended Vajradhatu Seminary in 1975 and was a devoted and intense practitioner for the rest of her life.

She is remembered by her friends for her kindness, accurate perceptions, insight into dharma, and her direct and honest way of speaking. She treated all people equally, and was not impressed by rank or social position.

Dorje's life was in many ways marked with extreme suffering despite which she never showed envy or resentment toward those who enjoyed comfort, health and wealth. Her greatest difficulty was in accepting that she too was as worthy a person as those to whom she showed great generosity.

Dorje is survived by her daughter Rae Lewis-Thornton of Chicago.

-Michael Levin