May 24, 2026
Dharma Message

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 kit-ten 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 with us. He taught the Buddha Dharma to anyone who wanted to listen and learn. Shinran was a person of trust, patience, gentleness and 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. Naomi Nakano