Bendigo, Australia — May 20, 2011

From Ven. Roger:

The day Rinpoche left the hospital was quite busy. Rinpoche gave away a lot of Dharma books to all the nurses and doctors who helped him, writing short messages such as “My very dear friend, thank you for your heart service” and signing them, even drawing little smiling faces– all with the left hand! The hospital is Christian, St. John of God. All the staff are very kind and helpful. They had a painting exhibition to raise funds for the hospital. Rinpoche insisted on buying two paintings: one an aboriginal painting of two swans ($1200) and the other a very Aussie outback  style painting of a dog peeing in the stark arid outback near old crude buildings that are falling down ($490). Rinpoche wanted the paintings as a reminder of the hospital where he had paralysis and said the money was an offering to help the artists and the hospital. Now in a home near the hospital, Rinpoche is comfortable and relaxed.