Dhamma The Cat
Long long time ago I came across a website featuring a cat, a novice (Buddhist) monk and a mouse. The site was a blend of humor and (Eastern) spirituality. It had lots of nice cartoons and stories. The site still exists. I looked at the website quite often as I thought it was funny. That was a long time ago!
When I went to Sitagu Vihara for the first time, the first thing I noticed was this cat with a monk (Ven U Punnobhasa). The first thing that came to my mind was the cat Dharma and the monk. This cat had no name. Everyone called it Kitty. I called it Dhamma the cat.
Dhamma the Cat
That was in 2003. Everytime I went to the monastery, I used to hear it make a sound (meow). I always thought it wanted some food and I always used to feed it. There was another (bigger) cat which used to come from somewhere and fight with this cat for food. Dhamma was very soft hearted (meak), never put up fight and probably starved and meowed at anyone who came by.
Over the period of two years or less, I saw Dhamma, the cat grow old. I cannot believe how it grew so old so fast! I remember taking the pictures of the cat a few times (you see couple of them here) and it looked so young, healthy and strong.
I go to the monastery only once a week (on Sundays) for a couple of hours. One of those days, I remember seeing a kind of wound in his eye. Probably some other cat or a raccoon or other animal must have wounded it's eye. It probably lost one of its eye. I heard it may have a cataract in the other and has a few health problems. While walking it used to bump into things as it could not see. I saw the cat had aged a lot all of a sudden.
Over the next few weeks, I saw the cat had a spot inside the shrine room and it was nicely taken care of by the monks. It took part in the Sunday Meditation sessions.
Not being a cat person, I did not pay much attention to the cat. I occasionally used to ask the monks or Wendy about the welfare of the cat. When I did not see the cat during a Sunday session, I asked the monk about the welfare of the cat. Ken replied that the cat badly wanted to go out and so the monks let it go and it has not been seen since it was let go! Probably some other animal (predator) must have gotten it.
I remember Wendy telling me that the cat belonged to a neighbour of the Vihara and that the cat just wandered and came to Vihara and just stayed. The owner seeing how happy the cat was at Vihara just did not take it back.
I think the Dhamma, the cat had good Kamma. It had a chance to listen to chants and lectures by various Sitagu monks (Ven Sayadaw Kavisara, Ven U Punnobhasa, Ven U Kavinda and Ven U Ariyadhamma, Ven Sitagu Sayadaw, Ven Pannajota and other visiting monks). Having heard Dhamma from many venerables, may be in it's next life it will attain nibbana!
When I went to Sitagu Vihara for the first time, the first thing I noticed was this cat with a monk (Ven U Punnobhasa). The first thing that came to my mind was the cat Dharma and the monk. This cat had no name. Everyone called it Kitty. I called it Dhamma the cat.
Dhamma the Cat
That was in 2003. Everytime I went to the monastery, I used to hear it make a sound (meow). I always thought it wanted some food and I always used to feed it. There was another (bigger) cat which used to come from somewhere and fight with this cat for food. Dhamma was very soft hearted (meak), never put up fight and probably starved and meowed at anyone who came by.
Over the period of two years or less, I saw Dhamma, the cat grow old. I cannot believe how it grew so old so fast! I remember taking the pictures of the cat a few times (you see couple of them here) and it looked so young, healthy and strong.
I go to the monastery only once a week (on Sundays) for a couple of hours. One of those days, I remember seeing a kind of wound in his eye. Probably some other cat or a raccoon or other animal must have wounded it's eye. It probably lost one of its eye. I heard it may have a cataract in the other and has a few health problems. While walking it used to bump into things as it could not see. I saw the cat had aged a lot all of a sudden.
Over the next few weeks, I saw the cat had a spot inside the shrine room and it was nicely taken care of by the monks. It took part in the Sunday Meditation sessions.
Not being a cat person, I did not pay much attention to the cat. I occasionally used to ask the monks or Wendy about the welfare of the cat. When I did not see the cat during a Sunday session, I asked the monk about the welfare of the cat. Ken replied that the cat badly wanted to go out and so the monks let it go and it has not been seen since it was let go! Probably some other animal (predator) must have gotten it.
I remember Wendy telling me that the cat belonged to a neighbour of the Vihara and that the cat just wandered and came to Vihara and just stayed. The owner seeing how happy the cat was at Vihara just did not take it back.
I think the Dhamma, the cat had good Kamma. It had a chance to listen to chants and lectures by various Sitagu monks (Ven Sayadaw Kavisara, Ven U Punnobhasa, Ven U Kavinda and Ven U Ariyadhamma, Ven Sitagu Sayadaw, Ven Pannajota and other visiting monks). Having heard Dhamma from many venerables, may be in it's next life it will attain nibbana!
posted by satish at 6:14 AM
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