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Cats in Buddhism?

BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
edited April 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Hi everyone. I was browsing a Buddhist store online and they had a collection of statues of cats. I was just wondering, do cats hold a special place in Buddhism or something? :confused:

Comments

  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    yes, they are incarnate bodhisattvas

    heehee
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    Pietro Pumokin wrote: »
    yes, they are incarnate bodhisattvas

    heehee

    Ah okay cool! What exactly is a bodhisattva? I haven't quite learned yet. :o
  • skydancerskydancer Veteran
    edited April 2010
    A bodhisattva is a highly realized practitioner who consciously emanates in order to benefit sentient beings.

    I suspect cats have nothing to do with Buddhism, and that there are an Asian art cultural phenomena.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    sky dancer wrote: »
    A bodhisattva is a highly realized practitioner who consciously emanates in order to benefit sentient beings.

    I suspect cats have nothing to do with Buddhism, and that there are an Asian art cultural phenomena.

    Ah okay cool. I choose to believe that cats are incarnate bodhisattvas. :)
  • skydancerskydancer Veteran
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaGirl02 wrote: »
    Ah okay cool. I choose to believe that cats are incarnate bodhisattvas. :)
    That's fine. I adore my cat, but I don't think of her as a bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas don't kill, they save beings.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    sky dancer wrote: »
    That's fine. I adore my cat, but I don't think of her as a bodhisattva. Bodhisattvas don't kill, they save beings.

    Oh okay. I don't understand then why Pietro Pumokin would have said that they are incarnate bodhisattvas then. I do believe that cats help to save humans because they are so kind and are indeed therapeutic beings. My cat, Precious, is a very therapeutic cat. My psychiatrist signed a paper allowing me to keep her at my apartment for free due to the fact that cats are therapeutic for those, like me, who suffer from depression and other mental disorders.
  • MatSaltedMatSalted
    edited April 2010
    Cats are known to be reborn eight times;)
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    MatSalted wrote: »
    Cats are known to be reborn eight times;)

    :D
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    cats have a dual nature, they are very kind and beautiful to us, but with a lot of smaller creatures, they are tied to the web of life and death, and so they are not quite good bodhisattvas then. but we are all bodhisattvas, even if we can't be all the time.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    Pietro Pumokin wrote: »
    cats have a dual nature, they are very kind and beautiful to us, but with a lot of smaller creatures, they are tied to the web of life and death, and so they are not quite good bodhisattvas then. but we are all bodhisattvas, even if we can't be all the time.

    Ah okay. Could you please explain how we are all bodhisattvas? :confused:
  • ValtielValtiel Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Do you have a link? I imagine it was a japan-based store and the statues were maneki neko luck statues.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    o0Mundus-Vult-Decipi0o wrote: »
    Do you have a link? I imagine it was a japan-based store and the statues were maneki neko luck statues.

    Yeah, here you go:

    http://www.neko-chan.com/

    And here is the page with the cat statues:

    http://www.neko-chan.com/category_s/80.htm
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaGirl02 wrote: »
    Ah okay. Could you please explain how we are all bodhisattvas? :confused:
    at the bottom of our heart, we are all capable of an infinite amount of love and compassion. so long as we have this potential, we are all bodhisattvas working for each other's peace and happiness, it is only a matter of whether or not we choose to develop this.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    Pietro Pumokin wrote: »
    at the bottom of our heart, we are all capable of an infinite amount of love and compassion. so long as we have this potential, we are all bodhisattvas working for each other's peace and happiness, it is only a matter of whether or not we choose to develop this.

    Oh okay. That makes sense! Thanks Pietro Pumokin! :cool:
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Buddha girl you can read about what a bodhisattva is. I didn't know either and now I know a little bit. One thing that happens at the first bhumi (when you enter the bodhisattva path of ten bhumis) is that you realize that you can help bring all beings to enlightenment. You actually see how that is possible.

    I for one have times when I feel like I am totally hopeless to understand anything about buddhism (see my craving paradox thread many down). So I can imagine the great joy when you realize HOW to bring all beings to liberation!
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaGirl02 wrote: »
    ...those, like me, who suffer from depression and other mental disorders.
    Sorry to hear that, BG. Is that the reason you're interested in Buddhist practice?
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    edited April 2010
    My cat constantly seeks enlightenment, although I do question her method. She stares at the ceiling for several minutes at a time.
  • BuddhaGirl02BuddhaGirl02
    edited April 2010
    fivebells wrote: »
    Sorry to hear that, BG. Is that the reason you're interested in Buddhist practice?

    It is part of the reason but not the only reason. The main reason is that I agree with the Buddhist world view and teachings very much. I was reading last night about the basics of Buddhism and I agreed with pretty much everything I read, if not everything. :)
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaGirl02 wrote: »
    The main reason is that I agree with the Buddhist world view and teachings very much. I was reading last night about the basics of Buddhism and I agreed with pretty much everything I read, if not everything. :)
    That's cool. Buddhist practice has some techniques which depressive people can find very effective. If you like reading, you might check out The Mindful Way Through Depression. If you're looking for online material, Mindfulness in Plain English is good. (Though it doesn't directly address depression so much, it's a very good introduction to the practice.)
  • skydancerskydancer Veteran
    edited April 2010
    BuddhaGirl02 wrote: »
    Oh okay. I don't understand then why Pietro Pumokin would have said that they are incarnate bodhisattvas then. I do believe that cats help to save humans because they are so kind and are indeed therapeutic beings. My cat, Precious, is a very therapeutic cat. My psychiatrist signed a paper allowing me to keep her at my apartment for free due to the fact that cats are therapeutic for those, like me, who suffer from depression and other mental disorders.
    Clearly, your cat is a bodhisattva to you.:)
  • DeshyDeshy Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I once saw a post card in a local book store with a picture of a Buddhist statue with 7 arms and several more heads. Seemed like a Hindu influence over the artist of the post card as Hindu gods have many arms and legs.

    Obviously, we do not need to believe everything we see or think there is a connection in it to the truth. :D
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