PEND OREILLE COUNTY, Wash. — It's mostly quiet in the meditation hall of the Sravasti Abbey, nestled in its corner of Pend Orielle County near Newport. This group of Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns is missing someone.
Geshe Dadul Namgyal began teaching at the abbey in 2008, visiting every year for a week to ten days. He became a permanent resident about a year and a half ago.
While talking to Thubten Chonyi, one of the senior nuns at the abbey, it's clear Namgyal was a beloved part of the monastery. "He was fun. He was funny. He was razor sharp in his intellect and how he shared the teachings,” she said.
The 64-year-old monk went missing back in November. Days of searching and questions turned into nearly two months, until last week when the Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Office said a resident at the abbey spotted a body floating in a nearby pond wearing clothing matching the monk’s description.
Residents told investigators the pond had been frozen and only recently thawed.
Thubten Chonyi says both the sheriff's office and search & rescue have been kind & sensitive to the abbey's loss, as well as the surrounding community. "People have been so touched by the sad mystery of where's this missing monk,” she said. “When we go to Newport, people stop us and say, ‘Have you found the monk? Our church is praying for you.’” Now she says dealing with Geshe Dadul's loss is serving as a reminder of some of the monastery's Buddhist principles: That of impermanence, meaning things change & nothing lasts forever, and the importance of compassion. “How even in tragedy, he has evoked so much kindness and response. It's like that is a gift. He's still teaching,” she said.
The Thubten Chonyi says one of the best ways to support them is to continue to pray for Geshe Dadul.
At this time, the Pend Oreille County coroner has not released the identity of the body found.
