CHANDRANIL MUKHERJEE

(January 12, 1967 in Calcutta, India -- October 1, 2019 in Denton, Texas)

Chandranil ‘Neil’ Mukherjee our beloved ‘once in a blue moon’ husband, brother, son-in-law, uncle, and friend passed away ever so peacefully in the early hours of October 1, 2019 during the auspicious hours between 4 and 5 am, the hours of the ox and the tiger, a crucial interval in which life moves from the negative (yin) to the positive (yang), from sleep to waking, or from death to life, and a time when all of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future attain enlightenment. A great lover of life, Neil lived passionately with laughter, courage, and a sense of social justice. He is treasured and cherished beyond measure and missed by all who loved him, especially his wife Erika, his brother Indranil, his family, friends, and fellow Buddhists.

A celebration of his life will take place on Saturday, October 12, 2019, beginning at 2 pm at the

Dallas SGI Buddhist Center

13608 Midway Rd., Farmers Branch, TX 75244

We will livestream and/or video record the ceremony to share with all of you

who cannot attend the celebration in person.

Chandranil Mukherjee

Chandranil Mukherjee was born in Calcutta, India on Thursday, January 12, 1967 to Manoranjan and Malavika Mukherjee, as their second son after Indranil Mukherjee. Chandranil, a name coined by his father, is a rare name in Bengali, which means “blue moon,” and indeed Neil was a rare gem of a man with a once-in-a-lifetime spirit and personality. As a young boy he spent time in New Delhi, speaking with sadhus on the street, pondering the big spiritual questions in life.

Loved by many, he exuded a great love of life and immense curiosity. He loved meeting people and hearing their stories. He would spend a great deal of time getting to know them, whether in restaurants, on the street, at the local Buddhist center, or at large and small social gatherings. A trusted confidante, and a true friend, he laughed often and heartily, and his greatest joy came from making others laugh, too. For him, this included his ability to help others transform their lives, take their sorrows lightly and learn to laugh at their own problems, by encouraging them to recognize their own innate abilities to transform even the direst of situations into opportunities of great change. Many friends recall with deep gratitude their very first conversations with Neil who steadfastly encouraged them to face their problems head on and chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Others remember how he helped them in their greatest moments of need. He took his Buddhist practice very seriously and practice wholeheartedly, embodying the SGI stand alone, ‘never give up’ spirit. And till the very last moment of his death, he was a proud member of the SGI Buddhist organization. Neil joined the Bharat Soka Gakkai in 1990/91 in India, after having observed Monisha Khan chanting. He took to the practice quickly and deepened his understanding of Buddhism as a Young Men’s Division while living in Los Angeles in the 1990s. In 2000, he came to Dallas and as a Men’s Division worked to grow districts and support members.

He participated in numerous festivals and SGI initiatives, welcoming Sensei to both Delhi and LA during his times of practice. He serves in various leadership positions and fought steadfastly for Soka Spirit.

He used his own life as an example, overcoming serious health challenges again and again. In 2010, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer and lived well beyond the initial three-month diagnosis – till 2019. He was most moved when he realized his very own stem cells brought remission of his cancer, that is that what he needed to overcome this disease was within him. He thoroughly enjoyed his second lease on life, traveling often. During his numerous stays in Berlin, he enjoyed being part of the Kollwitz district and visiting SGI centers in Germany and France, including the Villa Sachsen. Despite numerous near-death experiences related to his health and his diagnosis of a secondary cancer of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, caused by one of the chemo treatment drugs, Neil bounced back, seemingly stronger than ever. In the summer of 2019, following a year and some beautiful months of remission, which he was able to enjoy with extended family, he contracted and overcame three major infections: e.coli, strep, and a fungal infection. His leukemia returned as a relapse, and no other medical treatments were available. At a critical juncture in his life, Neil chose to spend his final days at home surrounded by family and loving friends, laughing and cracking jokes, encouraging everyone to the end. When he was finally taken to the hospital late in the afternoon, after the final guests had left, his body was beginning to shut down. Nevertheless he fought hard for his life against all odds, his heart rate turning upside down, and thereby moving the hearts of both his attentive nurse Julie and nurse practitioner Noki who expressed their reverence for the beauty of our Buddhist practice. He lived a day longer and indeed years longer than any doctor expected, fulfilling a great feat, following Sensei’s daily guidance from almost two years earlier when he almost lost his life:

"Nichiren Daishonin's golden words: "If you live even one day longer, you can accumulate that much more benefit" (from "On Prolonging One's Life Span," WND 1, p. 955). No matter what, don't be defeated by the "devil" of sickness" Let's powerfully live out our lives and fulfill our noble mission!" The whole letter "On Prolonging One's Life Span" is beautiful, especially the following lines:

Life is the most precious of all treasures. Even one extra day of life is worth more than ten million ryō of gold. The Lotus Sutra surpasses all the other sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime because of the “Life Span” chapter. [...] One day of life is more valuable than all the treasures of the major world system, so first you must muster sincere faith. This is the meaning of the passage in the seventh volume of the Lotus Sutra that states that burning a finger as an offering to the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra is better than donating all the treasures of the major world system. A single life is worth more than the major world system. You still have many years ahead of you, and moreover you have encountered the Lotus Sutra.

Even in death, Neil achieved great peace, radiating light, and passing calmly and serenely, looking radiant as a Buddha as he peacefully and ever so quietly exhaled his last breath, with a small tear in his eye and firmly holding the hand of his wife who told him how loved he was, how he had her blessing to let go and soar, as she felt he did, once he exhaled. In days that followed, it appeared that his spirit was as vast as the treasure tower described in the Lotus Sutra and that the body had become a hindrance to all he sought to do.

He will be sorely missed by all who loved him but he remains very much alive in all of our hearts and in our stories. His years of struggling with sickness, chronicled in his CaringBridge (https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/neilmukherjee/journal), gave him a deep empathy with others near and far and made him a stronger advocate for peace, social justice, and for the every individuals suffering from loneliness or dis-ease.

Throughout his journeys, he relied on the words and guidance of President Daisaku Ikeda, his beloved Sensei and mentor in life, including the following:

Though you may perhaps lose trust in others, or feel defiled and broken, please remember that no one can destroy who you are. No matter how badly you've been hurt, you remain as pure as fresh snow. Having gone through what you have, there is pain and suffering in others' hearts that only you can notice. Having suffered what you have, there is true love and affection that only you can find. There are definitely people out there who need you. If you give up on yourself, it is only you who will lose. Please have courage. Please tell yourself that you are not going to let this ordeal defeat you. Those who have suffered the most, those who have experienced the greatest sadness, have a right to become the happiest of all. What would the purpose of our Buddhist practice be, if the most miserable could not become happy? The tears you shed cleanse your life and make it shine. To live with this conviction and keep moving ever forward is the spirit of Buddhism. It is also the essence of life. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                           -- Daisaku Ikeda

Please leave the family condolences and share memories on this website.

Arrangements under the direction of:

Aria Cremation Service and Funeral Home

19310 Preston Road

Dallas, Texas 75252

(214) 306-6700