Cats who teach me to fly…

A few days ago, while I was at the carpark preparing to feed the community cats, I heard loud chirping nearby. It was already 11 p.m. I guessed it must have been a lost bird, so I tried to follow the sound. I couldn’t find the bird on my first attempt, so I went back to get the food ready for the cats at the carpark.

I heard the chirping again and went to look for it. The bird perched on a car window. I tried to coax it to fly onto my hands, but I failed. The bird then flew to a nearby tree. I remembered seeing a notice at the lift lobby about a lost bird, and I thought it might be hers. I left the bird and rushed to the lift lobby to check the notice. It had already been taken down. I remember that I had taken a photo of it. When I returned to the carpark, I realized the bird was actually following me. It landed on the ground. Socks, the community cat, noticed it. Instinctively, as cats do, she tried to catch it. I thought I might need Socks’s help. She scooped at the bird twice, and I immediately took the bird from her.

I showed the bird to Mel and then placed it in the carrier in my car. Mel helped check if it was the missing bird from the notice at the lift lobby, but it wasn’t the same one. Mel googled and found out it was a lovebird. It was very cute and lovely, and I loved its peach-colored face.

Mel fostered the bird temporarily. The next day, Mel prepared a lost bird notice. I printed it out and put it up around the area where the bird was found. Mel also posted it online.

Someone online contacted Mel and insisted that the lovebird belonged to him. Since Mel and I are both inexperienced in birds, I seek for Geri’s help. However, the photos the person provided looked different. Still, he kept insisting that we send the bird to him. I told Mel that we couldn’t do that and what if the real owner contacted us?

The following day, someone contacted us and showed us a few photos. Yes, the bird did look like the lost one. We arranged to return the lovebird to its owner.

When we arrived at the owner’s place, the bird opened the cage door and went inside! The owner was extremely happy and promised not to make the same careless mistake again. We were happy too!

People are so afraid of the truth because denying it makes them right.

I wanted to say the past two weeks had been challenging, however, everything seems cool. I can’t be like everyone who talks about their life on Facebook. I tried to but it was meaningless. I only posted three times and that’s the end of it! As a vegan myself, I do share posts on animal cruelty in a slaughterhouse. The animals are treated with extreme cruelty. Those who enjoy meat, which is no different from our own flesh, should know and witness the killing. Sadly, through forums, I’ve seen butchers said that they are doing a good deed for God. They feel no remorse and fear. With this it explains cycle. As long as humans find joy in killing, torturing and exploiting other sentient beings, the cycle would not stop. Vegans can only try their best to advocate. 

As a cat rescuer, I have to be truthful with what I do. In fact, no matter who we are, we need to be truthful to ourselves. When we are truthful to ourselves, we are also truthful to others. The reason others could not find fault in me is because I’m mindful not to lie. They tried very hard and they could not find anything. We all know people who speak the truth are always hated. I can’t fit into their view and that’s okay!

Greed, hatred and delusion. The more things happen around me, the more I see how they have fallen into place and I don’t seem to find anything that is good or bad and this allows me to see things as they are. I always love and enjoy living in solitude, therefore, I don’t feel anything missing. Not my pride, wealth or reputation. However, when I’m  accused, I do want people to know what others say about me is not true and it’s up to the rest to decide what to believe. That’s all! 

What makes me feel lighter is having fewer people around me! 

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!

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!

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.