Jonathan Owen has been studying Dharma and Tibetan language in Dharamsala, India for a couple of years now and looked forward to his dad’s visit from the U.S. They had a wonderful time as Jon shared his enthusiasm for Buddhism and took his dad to his favorite temples and holy sites. While visiting Nepal together, Jon’s dad became ill, rapidly declined, and died in a Nepalese hospital with Jon by his side.

The hospital is a perfect place for pilgrimage
Birth, aging, sickness, death and the rest
All directly appear

On the meditation cushion
These are just thoughts without zing
At the hospital, without trying you’re feeling

Learning to see human heart’s kindness
Can typically be something quite tiring
At the hospital, echoes of compassion

Each day a verse on immanence of death
From the mouth blown like hot air
At the hospital, death locks you in stare

In life after death, what life will be or will not
With doubt hangs still as a question
At the hospital, go on pilgrimage