Grant MacLean

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Bill was co-director, with Jan Watson, of Karme Choling when I arrived from South Africa in late 1975. I was struck by his kindness, dignity and quiet command. Although I was pretty edgy about meeting Trungpa Rinpoche -- due to an unfortunate experience with a Kagyu leader in Johannesburg -- an interview was arranged. After greeting Rinpoche with what I took to be the obligatory three prostrations I offered him a small coppery maroon Amitabha statuette I'd made out of fibre glass, half-consciously testing him, waiting, watching for any judgement or repudiation. Rinpoche received it graciously, placed it gently on his side table, and we went on to have what felt like a normal tea time chat. Across the room I noticed a beautiful shrine with a large, exquisite brass Sakyamuni rupa at its centre. Later, Bill came up to me as I waited in the dinner line, clearly looking for me, a smile on his face, and said: "Rinpoche's so funny. After you left he carried your buddha across to his shrine and placed it next to the big brass rupa and said: 'Here's your brother from South Africa. Now you two sit and talk to each other." That moment, that message cut through a a log pile of hesitation and I later officially joined "the scene." Thank you, Bill, so very much.
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