Cats who teach me to fly…

I’ve seen many shared quotes using the name of the Buddha on Facebook and 99% spoke nothing about the Buddha’s teachings. Sometimes I would comment reminding them what the true teachings are. 

Most of the Theravada monastics are kind. They seemed to accept teachings not from the Buddha. But I am not kind at all. Anything that is outside the Buddha’s teachings, I’ll never accept. I am not sure if blending into the society means one should accept the teachings even it is not from the early Buddhist texts. If that is the case, I would rather walk alone, simply because the eight worldly concerns mean nothing to me. They have no value and are just empty shells.

A while ago, someone posted a Dalai Lama photo with a quote, it says something like “if we talk less, we’ll listen more…” I am not sure if you heard about the good witch. I am probably a “good” bad person. I left a comment saying that “he, the Dalai Lama, did not listen to the Buddha”. I am more lenient to the lay people, especially the Mahayana followers. I have great empathy for them for they are being led by those who hold wrong views.

Recently, Mel’s teacher’s mother passed on. Someone told her teacher that a chanting ceremony was done for the deceased and the chanting had turned the deceased into a Buddha! My first response was “what?”. Mel’s teacher is chanting very hard for her mother to become a Buddha as well. Mel said her teacher was so sad that she didn’t want to explain to her and I told Mel that we need not to correct the Mahayana belief but we can always explain the true Buddha’s teachings. A simple Buddha’s teachings like keeping the precepts, doing good, reading a sutta(Nikayas) a day to honour her mother is good enough.

I don’t visit Theravada temples where there are statues of Bodhisattvas like GuanYin or Avalokiteshivara and others… This only tells me that the Theravada monks are not learning, let alone practising. They have no faith in the Buddha’s discourses. It turns me off straight away!

In the suttas, Buddha always mentioned that we should discuss only the Four Noble Truths but today, we often talk about everything except the Four Noble Truths. When attending Dhamma talks, the teachers should always remind the lay followers to discuss only the Four Noble Truths and nothing else. Once the Four Noble Truths are fully penetrated well, we are able to skilfully deal with our daily challenges. However, whenever I attend Dhamma talks, the lay people would often ask questions that is outside the Buddha’s teachings and the monk or nun may not provide them with the right answers. Sometimes the answers could obstruct and stop them from seeking the path. 

I remember attending a retreat by a Myanmar monk. I registered for the retreat because the topic was Satipathana sutta. In the end, the discourse of the Satipathana sutta was not taught and we were only allowed to ask questions based on the Satipathana sutta. Hilarious! Yes, I am laughing again. He came again this year and I didn’t attend!

With all these happening, I have no confidence in landing myself in a monastery. Moreover, the rules that Buddha laid down when Mahaprajapati requested to go forth… Somehow it’s not right for the enlightened nuns like Ayya Khema to listen to the order of the novice monks. Something is not right here. It is a danger to listen to  unenlightened novice monks. To me, these rules didn’t sound like it was coming from the Buddha. alth Buddha often said that we should support the monastics even if we find flaws in monks or nuns, if flaws come from a senior monastic, I would stop the donation immediately. However, any monks or nuns who make contribution in translating and sharing Dhamma online or books, I would give my support. After all, we are the one who should make all effort to understand the Dhamma and we should also ask questions and receive answers from a well learned and practiced monastic. 

I also understand that Theravada nuns had a hard life. I would suggest making the donation platform easy and convenient for those who would like to show their support from overseas. I always believe if nuns follow the footsteps of the Buddha closely, gaining support shouldn’t be difficult. Monastics shouldn’t blame anyone when supports are not met. Blame not the monks or the lay people. For the lay people who are intended to learn will show their support only if the monastics are genuinely practising. 

The Dhamma is precious only if it falls into the right hands. The conditions today are not right for me to go forth. To me, we still need Buddha to be around for discipline and this is very important to me. I have started looking into the monastic code translated by Ajahn Brahmali. It is not because I enjoy looking at the fault of the monastics, it is the discourses that I enjoy reading. 

I don’t sit on high chairs or big table when I do my work. It is often on the floor with a small foldable table. It’s a simple settings. I believe many monasteries have better conditions than what I have today. Rejoice to the pure Theravada monasteries who are practising the good way, practising the straight way, practising the true way, practising the proper way..!:)

I hope one day this life time, I will never be bothered by the Mahayana belief and the immoral conducts of the monastics and this changes are already happening gradually. 

My sincere wish to those who genuinely practising the true Dhamma to receive all support they need!

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I saw him immediately when I was parking my car last night. The first thing was to offer him food. Yes, he was so hungry that he almost finished three cans of food. I alerted other feeders as well, just in case his owner didn’t pick him or he couldn’t find his way home.

The good thing is, he is already sterilised. I usually wait for a week and if no one picks him after a week, I’ll find him a home.

The deadline for owners to register their cats is August next year. We believe that there will likely be more cat’s abandonment when the deadline is nearing. Fingers crossed!

Cats like him shouldn’t be difficult to rehome. Hyperactive cats like Sara already found a home. During that time, I kept wondering what if no one wants her. Yeah… if that’s the case, I am most willing to take care of her. However, due to my age, I avoid keeping young cats unless there really isn’t any choice.

Meantime, I hope the cat is safe until this weekend. I’ve been accused of stealing cats and I don’t want this to happen again.

We are all ready to rehome him!

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Nomu passed on peacefully. She lived till a ripe old age. We couldn’t do subcutaneous on her as her skin was thin and dry. It’s a sign of good old age and we are glad. She had a good life roaming freely and had food every night. When she was not looking good, she was brought home. She rested peacefully and had three meals a day and a small bowl of her favourite kibbles.

I opened the door cage for her but she was no longer interested in the outside world. Perhaps she thought all the home cats are babies because they never scratch real tree barks, step on real grass and watch the sunrise and sunset:).

We believe she was at least 12 years of age. The percentage of the community cats surviving more than 6 years old is low. Nomu was a fortunate one! Thanks to the feeders or the caregivers for they played a big role.

She had plenty of kisses and she really loved to be petted. I heard that she had plenty of treats before she fell sick. Little greedy Nomu:)!

Thank you Michelle, her caregiver, for providing her meals every day and many years.

May the merits accumulated be dedicated to her favourable rebirth.

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The above photo was taken last night. I didn’t know 花包 was resting in her tiny shelter until I was about to leave after feeding them. I am glad that she is using it. I have tried to improve the shelter, hoping they could have more privacy. So I covered one side with a cardboard and made a small opening on the other side just in case someone comes to disturb them. There would be another exit to get out of the box.

I am thinking of making the two front windows smaller and am still looking for a suitable carton box to place the cooling mat. The cooling mat has to fit well into the carton box so that they can sleep comfortably.

花包 sneaked quietly to the tiny shelter again just now. I hope she feels safe. There is a CCTV not far from where she is resting. Hopefully, it can deter and prevent people from doing anything harmful.

All feeders want their cats to be safe. With cases of cat abuse on the rise, feeders and rescuers have come together and make our voices heard. We demand justice, efficient investigations, transparency, and harsher punishment. Jail and fines are not enough, caning is the best punishment for those who inflict enormous pain to the cats. They must be made to remember what pain is. The pain that comes from caning. The same pain that they intentionally and brutally inflicted on the cats!

The cats that they killed are not only one but at least five. They slammed the cats against the wall multiple times and threw them from high floors. These cats were well taken care by their feeders. I can’t imagine the pain of knowing how they were killed. A few years back, there were two cats that I fed whom I suspected were abused. One was poisoned and another of internal injury. I asked our authorities to look into it but… they never listened to us!

All I wish for is their safety. I am ready to take all the cats that I am feeding when they are sick or old. Healthy cats are usually happier living on the streets. We need the community to help look after them and not just the feeders. Whenever there are other feeders helping out in my feeding area, I am always happy!

May 花包, all the cats and all beings be safe!

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It was already past midnight but i am determined to get it done. I know 花包 loves carton boxes. I promised her three days ago that I would get a carton box for her. I forgot about it until last night.

I bought a washing machine more than a week ago. I kept the box for seven days just in case if the washing machine didn’t function properly, I can do a one to one exchange.

The carton box has to be flat when I brought it to the feeding area, otherwise it can’t go into my car. I spent half an hour cutting and tapping the box. Trying to make it sturdy. I used up the scotch tape and I am not done with all the tapping yet. I’ll have to get a new scotch tape tomorrow.

She had been hiding and peeping at what I was doing. I knew she was somewhere at a different corner peeping because whenever I looked around, I saw half of her face looking at me.

I left a small carton box inside for her to sleep. The shelter looks big and I am thinking of adding a big carton box and a cooling mat for her.

After I left, I saw an unwanted carton box about 150m away. I took and folded it and walked all the way back. She was already sleeping in the shelter when I was there. I was glad that she likes it. Somehow the shelter looks a little empty.

The cooling mat and the carton box are ready! Instead of bringing it to her late at night, I am hoping to be there in the early afternoon. I told another feeder who was also feeding her and she will add a scratching post.

With the shelter, may 花包 and her good buddy, Curtain, have a safe and peaceful place to sleep!

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