“…Think, speak and act, then,
Always in the eternal now
With compassion and understanding
For your own enlightenment
And for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.”
~Poem, “Eternal Now” by Rev. Kenryu T. Tsuji
Cats are interesting beings. They are independent, sometimes arrogant and just live life with
their own agenda. Pretty much, they leave other creatures alone, unless they want to share a
present. Then they go out and catch a bird, lizard or mouse and will leave it as a gift. They can be
very…thoughtful?
I live with a ginger-colored cat and not the other way around. His name is Shunki (Spring
Energy). Because I am away from home at times, I was hesitant to have any pets. A friend told me of
this kitten who arrived at their home and needed a place to call his own. My friend kept telling me how
social, cute and gentle this little guy was. He would send me pictures of this little kitten.
I went to their home with the intention to “just see” this kitten. They would have kept this kitten,
but they already had their hands full with their own menagerie. i have always had a cat and dog. Both
pets kept each other company while I was at work and was my companions when I came home. I
kept saying that I was not ready to add a new member to my home.
I walked into the kitten’s room and there was this adorable kitten sitting in his “cat condo”. He
gave me a cute “meow-greeting” and I became “putty in his paws”. It was at that moment that I caved
in. I immediately went to the pet store, bought a carrier, bowls, food, litter box, litter and I even bought
some toys for him. This kitten went home with me that day and I have lived with Shunki since.
Shunki is a very friendly and social cat. Once he feels safe with a person, he becomes a friend
for life. After he considers you as a friend, he can be a pest; a sweet pest who will not let you alone.
He is also very smart and has learned to tell time. When he is doing his “cat thing” outside, he
automatically comes in at 5 o’clock. He knows what to do when I say “chonto” or “chodai”. Shunki sits
very quietly and still when I recite Nembutsu. He is such a good and smart boy.
Shunki has also become my teacher. He has taught me patience, to listen and to appreciate
the nature of life. He reminds me to be kind and gentle and to let go. He has not learned to Gassho
yet and we continue to work on that. He tolerates my rants and raves and he senses and shares
comfort when I am sad.
Shunki follows the Buddhist path. Shunki is not a perfect being. He senses if a person is not a
“pet” person, but he does try to make friends with them. He is not prejudice against gender, age,
economic status or ethnicity. If he feels comfortable and safe with someone, he becomes a friend.
Shunki has a sweet disposition and a gentleness about him. He has befriended deer and has
learned to “talk deer”. He has had many encounters and discussions with them, without fear. He has
tried to make friends with a volunteer’s dog, but that is a long process. That is the nature of dogs and
cats. He does not hold grudges and shares friendship and trust.
We can learn from our pets. Shinran Shonin had always shared knowledge and truth to us. He
taught the Buddha Dharma to anyone who wanted to hear and learn. Shinran was a person of trust,
patience, gentleness and he was aware of the people around him. He knew people for their abilities
and of human actions.
We tend to put barriers around us. We are leery and are on our guard. If we can learn to truly
listen and entrust in our own senses, we can learn to deepen our trust and our entrusting heart. But
this is knowing our true self. Maybe in awakening our true self, we can find a small bit of peace and
joy and share this peace and joy with others. It is Nembutsu/Namu Amida Butsu in thankfulness,
gratitude and appreciation from being able to think and learn from other beings’ actions rather than
just seeing.
Gassho
Rev. Seijo Naomi Nakano
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