By Chiu Shu-chuan
Translated by Angela Tsai
Illustrated by Tsang Jih
All living beings in this world possess a compassionate nature. Hsiu-hsiu, Shan-lai and Ta-pao have shown us that all creatures on earth are worth learning from.
At the foot of a mountain range in Hualien stands the Abode of Still Thoughts, the spiritual home of all Tzu Chi people. It does not have the grand, tall gate of a standard Buddhist or Taoist temple. What one can see at first glance are the green hedgerows that surround it. Although visitors come and go, humans and animals alike find a place to rest their bodies and minds at the Abode.
Two cats: Hsiu-hsiu and Shan-lai
Hsiu-hsiu and Shan-lai had lived at the Abode for more than ten years before Hsiu-hsiu died three years ago.
Originally from Thailand, Hsiu-hsiu was a female Siamese cat with elegant deportment and excellent sanitary habits. One of her habits distinguished her from other ordinary cats: she would line up with others to use the bathroom.
"She always sat steadily on the toilet seat with her head tilted to one side and her eyes staring at the ceiling," said Master Te Yang. "She looked like such an innocent, mischievous child!" Whenever Hsiu-hsiu saw Master Cheng Yen sitting in the main hall, she would run towards her and nestle close up to her.
By contrast, Shan-lai, a white male Persian cat, had more casual and laid-back ways. He disliked taking a bath. Every time he was due for a shower, he always mewed loudly. It was impossible to bathe him without a great deal of effort. He also had another bad habit: he loved to jump onto desks and sleep on a computer keyboard. Sometimes he even stood in front of a computer screen when people were working. Only after they had courteously asked him to leave would he go away, but always with much dillydallying.
Shan-lai was very timid. Whenever people raised their voices or when an earthquake struck, he was always the first one to find himself a hiding place.
Hsiu-hsiu, on the other hand, was always graceful and calm. Judging from how well she got along with other small animals at the Abode, Hsiu-hsiu was a caring and amicable cat. One day when Tzu Chi volunteers were having a morning meeting, a big mouse scurried aimlessly around the room. Hsiu-hsiu saw the mouse, but she did not chase after him to hurt him. She only quietly and slowly drove him out of the place. How politely the cat treated the mouse!
There was also another time when Master Te Yang caught Hsiu-hsiu in the act of pawing a gecko. She immediately reminded Hsiu-hsiu to behave herself by quoting from Master Cheng Yen: "There is no one in the world that I don't love." Hsiu-hsiu looked at Master Te Yang and then at the gecko, and as if she understood what Master Te Yang was saying to her, she let the reptile go.
Compared with Hsiu-hsiu, who treated mice and geckoes with kindness, Shan-lai was naughty and mischievous. He liked to climb to the top of the trees and tease little birds on sunny days.
Although these two cats were completely different in personality, they got along well with each other. Why was that so? Several years ago when they were fighting in the main hall, they heard Master Cheng Yen giving a speech to Tzu Chi people worldwide: "I hope all of you can work together in harmony." After that, they got along with each other amicably. Although they ate from the same bowl, they always let each other eat first. When Hsiu-hsiu ate, Shan-lai would wait at one side, and vice versa. They also slept on the same cushion and never fought over the territory. They were more polite than most well-mannered ladies and gentlemen.
Unfortunately, Hsiu-hsiu was bitten to death by a wild dog three years ago. Her death, showing how impermanent life is, made everyone sad, but it also reminded us to treasure what we do have...
The dog: Ta-pao
Different from Hsiu-hsiu and Shan-lai, who lived rather comfortably, Ta-pao has had a bumpier life.
When Ta-pao first came to the Abode of Still Thoughts, she was covered with sores and her hair was all twisted together. Afflicted with skin diseases, she was dirty all over and gave off a foul stench. Employees at the Abode took her to the vet to have the irritated sores treated, and then to a beauty salon to have her matted hair cut short. They also built a doghouse for her and named it "Ta-pao's Home."
These employees took turns looking after Ta-pao. They fed her twice a day, bathed her and dressed her sores regularly. But because they all had heavy workloads, it was hard for them to continue caring for her. Seeing how busy they were, Master Te Juo quietly took over the job.
"At that time, the skin on her ears and legs was all ulcerated. When the irritated areas itched, she couldn't help but scratch them. I told her that if she kept on doing that, the affected part would never heal. She actually stopped scratching after that!" Master Te Juo praised Ta-pao for her cleverness and docility.
Before Master Te Juo became a nun, she used to take in stray dogs. After her head was shaved, she would still arrange for stray dogs that wandered into the Abode to receive medical treatment and then send them to animal shelters. Under her loving care, Ta-pao gradually regained her health.
Now chubby and fluffy, Ta-pao is very cute. She always walks with a steady gait and is marked by a serene air. Visitors to the Abode like to play with her and often ask to have photos taken with her. At first Ta-pao, who is shy by nature, refused to do this. But after Master Te Juo said to her, "Ta-pao, be a good sport, try to be friendly to others," she has always been cooperative.
Since then, she has made a lot of friends. At the charity bazaars held by Tzu Chi for Turkish earthquake victims and Afghan refugees, she even helped raise money by posing with people who wanted to be photographed with her.
Like the nuns at the Abode of Still Thoughts, all the little animals that are kept there are vegetarians. Not long after Ta-pao came to the Abode, she once accompanied Master Te Juo to a nearby grove. A family in the neighborhood happened to be having a barbecue, and the aroma lured Tao-pao towards them. When she came back, she held a drumstick in her mouth. Master Te Juo lectured her harshly, "Ta-pao, you have come to the Abode to cultivate yourself, how can you eat meat?" She looked at Master Te Juo and then, as if she understood that she had done something wrong, put the drumstick down. She has never touched meat again.
There was another episode that showed what an intelligent dog she was. One day, Master Cheng Yen strolled to the lotus pond at the Abode and, seeing Ta-pao tagging along behind her, she stroked him gently and said, "Have you come to the Abode to cultivate yourself?" She wagged her tail in reply. The Master then noticed her short tail and asked her, "How come your tail is so short?" Upon hearing this, Ta-pao stopped walking and sadly lowered her eyelids. Seeing her reaction, the Master stroked her again and said, "It is all right to have a short tail. What is important is to practice the Buddhist teachings sincerely." Tao-pao immediately raised her eyes and continued her stroll with the Master.
Ta-pao was originally a stray dog, but since she came to the Abode she has received a lot of love and care. Clever as she is, she does her best to repay everyone's love with her loyalty.
"When I go to the field to work, she always follows me to keep me company," Master Te Juo said. "I don't allow her into the kitchen, so she lies on the windowsill and keeps looking in on me from time to time."
Liao Yi-min, who works at the Department of Religious Affairs at the Abode, often helps look after Ta-pao. "Once when I was having a bad day, I went alone into the garden to collect my thoughts. Ta-pao was behind me. When I started crying, she came up to lick away my tears, and she cuddled up next to me to comfort me."
Life at the Abode has helped to cultivate Ta-pao's compassion. "Once after giving her food, I turned away to leave. But then I noticed two mice eating her food in the bowl. Ta-pao just waited quietly for the mice to finish their meals. She didn't mind eating leftovers." Master Te Juo said that Ta-pao gets along well not only with the mice--she is also nice to snails. "On another occasion, I saw two snails in her bowl. Again Ta-pao let them eat first. The next morning when I went to check on her, I found that the two snails were still in the bowl."
There are many other examples which show how Ta-pao loves small animals. There was one time when Ta-pao rather frequently visited the woods outside the Abode. Soon after that, an injured little white dog was found in the garden. "One day I went to where we kept our organic compost in the backyard, and I accidentally touched something soft," said Master Te Juo. "I took a close look at it and found that it was an abandoned dog which must have been brought back by Ta-pao."
The little white dog had wounds from head to toe. People at the Abode fixed his flea problem and took him to the vet for treatment. Now he is healthy and looks great, and he always follows Tao-pao wherever she goes and does whatever she does. People say that Ta-pao is spreading the love she has received to other animals.
Inspiration from the animals
There are tens of thousands of living beings in this world which live and survive in their own ways. In addition to getting on harmoniously with each other, Ta-pao, Shan-lai and Hsiu-hsiu also lived at peace with other animals. Their conduct, which manifested their docility and intelligence, has inspired many people.
"Ta-pao has taught me to reflect on my own behavior," said Master Te Juo. "Seeing how friendly she is with other animals, I have come to realize that loyalty and harmony are two very essential elements in interpersonal relationships. When training Ta-pao, I also remind myself that I should be able to do whatever I teach her."
Ta-pao's behavior has also inspired Liao Yi-min. "Ta-pao has enabled me to see how important it is to cultivate good relationships with others. She is true to everyone, and so people are always happy to see her. But look at us humans--we think that we are the cleverest beings on earth, but where are the simplicity and pure nature we were born with? I sincerely feel that we should keep our hearts simple and pure. It is only by doing so that we can improve our relationships with others."
All living beings in this world possess a compassionate nature. Hsiu-hsiu, Shan-lai and Ta-pao have shown us that all creatures on earth are worth learning from.
