By Kathy Chouteau
From offering prayers at Grateful Dead guitarist Bobby Weir’s upcoming “Homecoming” service, to giving away box lunches to the East Bay’s unhoused, the Venerable Thupten Donyo, founder of Gyuto Foundation in Richmond, is having a remarkable month.
Ven. Donyo observed his 65th birthday on Jan. 1, a day that’s not really his birthday, since in the Tibetan tradition, they don’t celebrate or keep track of them. The Tibetan Buddhist monk’s birth name was Pasang, or “Friday” in Tibetan, which signaled he was likely born on a Friday. Having grown up in the shadow of Mt. Everest, he later changed his name when he became a monk at age 12.
Ven. Donyo will celebrate his birthday for the very first time this Friday, Jan. 16 by giving back to the unhoused. He plans to visit them at locations around Richmond, Berkeley and Oakland and deliver boxed lunches of fried chicken and fixins coordinated by his colleague Shire B.
The Buddhist monk will fan out to these various locations with others and distribute the box lunches to a minimum of 65 homeless people, but likely in the neighborhood of 100 or more.
Ven. Donyo said winter is the perfect time to do outreach to those without homes, and especially in January, his observed “birth month.” “I thought maybe instead of my feeding or having a party with my friends, why not go to our homeless people, like 65 or more, maybe even hundreds, and feed them,” he said. The Buddhist monk said the initiative feels right to him because he believes in the mission of uplifting and helping others.
Anyone interested in supporting Ven. Donyo’s birthday initiative feeding East Bay’s homeless can visit the Go Fund Me for it.
Turning to Saturday, Jan. 17, Ven. Donyo and other Gyuto Foundation monks will offer prayers and chanting at the “Homecoming: Celebrating the Life of Bobby Weir” at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco at 12:45 p.m. According to Ven. Donyo, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart called and asked them to appear at the Homecoming; they’ll do so at both the beginning and end of it. It’s a free public gathering without musical performances, according to Bobby Weir’s Facebook page, and organizers request attendees enter the plaza via Fulton Plaza, 335 McAllister St. RSVP here.
Beforehand, at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, “there will be a procession traveling three blocks down Market Street between 7th and 9th Streets,” according to the post.
It’s not the Gyuto Foundation monks first rodeo with the Grateful Dead. Ven. Donyo said he recalls meeting Mr. Weir, Mr. Hart and other artists at an event at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, during which the legendary band performed along with the chanting monks. They also met Mr. Weir in 1988 when recording their chanting at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch.
Around that time, Ven. Donyo was one of 22 monks who went on tour with the Grateful Dead to perform their chanting throughout the U.S. and Canada, he said. They toured together in 1980, 1985 and 1988, solidifying their connection to the band and Mr. Hart.
Back in 2013 when the Gyuto Foundation established a branch in East Richmond Heights, Mr. Hart led the way as their sponsor, according to Ven. Donyo. But before that, in 1997, they landed in San Jose and then Milpitas for a spell.
“Because of the Grateful Dead members support, we were able to set up our foundation here. From the beginning, Mickey had an interest to bring the monks over here to America over 30 years ago. So because of that…we are involved and we’re offering our service for [Bobby Weir’s] life, his journey,” said Ven. Donyo.
He said that Mr. Hart has visited the Gyuto Foundation’s Richmond campus many times and donates to various projects. “I have my own charity foundation called the Delek Children’s Foundation for Himalayan students, and time-to-time, he donates. He also donates for the monastery operations.”
Learn more about the Gyuto Foundation.
