Refreshment, humor and Buddhist Cats

ERose · February 15, 2018, 3:54pm

For mental refreshment, when work feels heavy, or dukkha irritation is getting in the way of diligent practice, or when equanimity seems lost, I enjoy cat memes. Mods, if inappropriate please delete.

Especially in the year of the Dog

Cats and Buddhas

Nadine · February 15, 2018, 7:40pm

zen-cats

ERose · February 17, 2018, 2:35am

edit : taking done because i am not sure about copyright. Will repost if I can.

awarewolf · February 17, 2018, 4:26pm

All is so many
All is but One
None.

awarewolf · February 19, 2018, 6:04am

satori yet? …

ERose · April 21, 2018, 11:47am

morpheus-cat_o_222600

ERose · April 21, 2018, 11:50am

kitteh7

some possible captuons:
Dogged Equanimity?

… when being chewed on the jowl by a kitten, he knows he is being chewed on the jowl by a kitten…

Which is the teacher? which is the student?

Hermitage? Sounds interesting, tell me more…

“… 1st Precept… 1st Precept…”

" would this happen to be your first retreat? "

ERose · April 21, 2018, 11:51am

cat%20fits%20basket

awarewolf · April 29, 2018, 5:35am

awarewolf · May 1, 2018, 10:07am

http://res.cloudinary.com/dm8fu6hv2/image/upload/v1513498450/spontany/exact-moment-photos-tell-different-story-intended/pic_289.jpg

awarewolf · June 21, 2018, 6:20pm

ERose · July 27, 2018, 12:05am

http://buddhisthumor.org/pblaw_fictions.html#alice1

Reading these retreads of english classics, i wonder if the jataka stories were the result of similar recasting of classic (persistent) local stories. A way of making relaxation itself into congruent with mental concentration on practice.

My favorite bit from the link above so far:

As they walked along, a little Wondering Hum started coming to Pooh. After humming it to himself first, to make sure all the words had found their proper places, he hummed it aloud to Piglet in a wondering sort of way:

If a Wak’ning gradually came upon a Pooh,

Would it say Hallo or holler Boo?

Or ask a tricky question

As would curdle his digestion,

Such as “Are there What’s?” or maybe “What’s a Who?”

If a Wak’ning rudely ran into a Bear,

Would it pat his fur or pull his hair?

Or offer him some honey

And tell him something funny,

Such as “Now is Here, but Nothing’s Anywhere”?

If a sudden Wak’ning dropped down from the sky

Would it land on Piglet or nearby?

Or quiz him with a quiz

About what isn’t and what is

And why his “Me” is really not his “I”?

If a Spotted Wak’ning perched up in a tree,

Would it pounce on you or bounce on me?

Or say it’s all the same,

That we’re all of us to blame,

’Cos He is You are I am They are We?

Pooh was about to hum the first verse again, to make a Round sort of Hum, when he realized that perhaps this was not the best Hum to be humming to Piglet at this hour of the morning. After all, sometimes a Hum might seem very hummish when it’s inside you, but when it’s outside for other people to listen to, you realize it wasn’t so very hummish after all.

Piglet seemed to be thinking the same sort of thoughts, for he said to Pooh, “You know, Pooh, I don’t think a Wondering Hum is the Hum we need just now. I would rather you thought of a Comforting Hum or an Encouraging Hum or a How-Brave-You-Are-Piglet-hup-hup kind of Hum. And besides, now that I think of it, even though Gradual Wakening’s might be fond of Piglets, there are two kinds of Fond, you know. There’s the how-nice-to-see-you-won’t-you-have-some-of-my-haycorns kind of Fond. And then there’s the my-my-how-tasty-you-look kind of Fond. And how will we know which kind of Fond it is until it’s already too late and I’ve just remembered I have something very urgent to do at my house just about now….”

“Don’t worry,” said Pooh. “We’re both in a wondering sort of way because Owl has got us all confused. But I’m sure that when we see Eeyore he will end our confusion, and then a Very Encouraging Hum will come to me.” So Piglet decided that the urgent thing wasn’t so very urgent after all, and they continued on their way