We took him in October last year as he wasn’t eating. It didn’t seem to help him much even though we had his teeth cleaned up and extracted the decayed ones. Shine was FIV positive. He was such a good boy and just like Benjo, all he wanted was food.
He loved milk. He was served with a bowl of milk everyday. How I wish I can serve him a little longer…
Shine passed on peacefully. I was there to chant and meditate for him. This is how little we can help other living beings and it is always never enough.
I usually do not post picture like this. Rainbow cremation has improved their service so much. They have Amituofo chanting playing behind. The staff treated the animals respectfully. They are humble and I love to engage their service. A final goodbye to Shine.
I am at Jingsi, Yishun. Taking a seat with a perfect view.
The view from Jingsi facing the reservoir.
Why am I here today? I like the ambience, tea, the staff and all the wonderful books.
That’s my tea!
The main reason that I am here is to think about the spiritual cultivation I had been going through lately… They are all good. Meditation is good. Chanting is good. The initial intention of helping the animals and humans stay firm. Be it be in action, chanting or meditation, they work pretty well for me.
Experiencing nimitta is good. I am able to recognise a bright mind, a delusive mind and a sleeping mind. I am able to experience heaven, tranquility and finally equanimity. I am able to better accept the nature of animals, the nature of individual. To better accept sufferings and impermanence. To be able to understand the Buddha’s teachings directly is so precious to me. Because…all these do not happen overnight. These are many lifetimes of cultivation. Would anyone be willing to give up?
Chanting is good because I am able to rely on the chanting of the Buddha’s name to calm my mind anytime and anywhere.
I have always love helping the weak, frail and the voiceless. It becomes natural, part of me. It is the best thing to do in life. An action that I have no fear when facing judgment. That’s what keeping me tall.
Feeling hungry suddenly!
Wonder if this biscuit contains milk or egg. It is safer not to eat!:) Vegan for life!
Arahat and Bodhisattva path are both different path. Can anyone walk both path at the same time? Probably not! The bodhisattva path would be easier if I didn’t experience the awakened mind.
There is an ant crawling around. On my mobile, paper and table. Maybe it is saying “take the bodhisattva path, the animals need help..”!
The monastic seems disagreeable with helping animals but I have big dreams for them. Really big dreams!
Big dreams for them!
A sudden burst of happiness arise. Guess this is how having big dreams feels like!:)
5 adults and 15 kittens. We bailed 3 adults and 6 kittens from AVS on February 2016 and one of them was Macaron. We managed to trapped 2 heavily pregnant cats before both were sent to AVS and both gave birth to 9 kittens which makes a total of 20 rescues all at the same time.
It was my toughest time. Since then, everything seems easy. Macaron was the last adult who passed on. Out of 15 kittens, only 4 adopted, 7 didn’t make it and 4 with us.
So this is their destiny. All were not even 6 years of age.
What have we provided them? A home, friends, food, water and medical care. All of them were so fearful that they did not allow us to come near them. They kept running away. But we love them!
During this period of time, they weren’t as fearful as they were on the street. They were carefree. They do not have to kill or steal for food. They were not threatened by those who dislike them. They do not have to hide everywhere to be away from humans. They were not invested by fleas, ticks or even maggots. They were not abused by others. They were safe from vehicles, the sun and rain. These were the little things we gave them and yet I still feel I have not given enough. That’s the unsatisfactory of a caregiver.
The more painful I feel, the more I want to perfect the Dharma and stay on to help.
I didn’t get to see and cremate Blackie. He was hit by a car and his body was kept by someone who knows I have been feeding and taking care of him for many years and yet refused to let me arrange a proper cremation for him but choose to dump him into the rubbish truck the next morning and then released the news and let others inform me. By the time I knew it, it was too late. I didn’t get to see him, neither did I get a chance to cremate him. That was the woman’s intention… She did it and from the look on her face. She was all contented.
Blackie
When we first saw Blackie many years back, he was not sterilised so we had him fixed. He got into fights and had a deep cut on his head. We sent him to the vet and had him stitched up and released him.
It’s a promise to every cat that I am taking care of that I will take care of them till they are old and bring them home when they are ill. Blackie was the one I was always waiting to bring home. As he was still healthy, he would probably want his space.
I was very angry with that woman who hated me right to the core… That day I kept telling myself to focus on dedicating merits to Blackie and nothing else. Whatever virtuous actions I did, I dedicated to him and that’s the final thing I can do for him.
Snowy was right at the back and today both were gone.
I will keep doing what I am doing today. In hope to make a connection with them again and with a sincere wish to influence them with the Dharma.
Believe and have confidence in Buddha. Believe and have confidence in Quanyin and believe and have confidence in myself!
“Bhikkhus, dwell with yourselves as an island, with yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge. ~ SN 22.43
“Enough, Vakkali! Why do you want to see this foul body? One who sees the Dhamma sees me; one who sees me sees the Dhamma. For in seeing the Dhamma,Vakkali, one sees me; and in seeing me, one sees the Dhamma.” ~ SN 22.87
A place to discover and explore the discourses of the Buddha.
I highly recommend reading the sutta translated by Piya Tan. His "Laymen Saints" has been an inspiration to many lay people.
Cats who teach me to fly... 