Bodhi weighs about two pounds.  I weigh significantly more than two pounds.  Yet he just ran across the couch, leapt on my shoulder, hung on with all four sets of claws, and started playfully gnawing me.  The leap alone was brave, but the nibbling is pure trust. He trusts implicitly that I will not use my size against him.  He trusts that I will understand that he is only playing.

Even more amazingly, he shows restraint.  He only retracts his claws enough to hang on, and not enough to scratch.  I have been playing with this kitten for almost a week and he has never punctured my skin.

He does love to bite my toes, but just enough to make me laugh.  There was a pamphlet at the vet’s office.  It said that Bodhi’s jaw was strong enough to crush a human hand.  His mouth is designed to be lethal, and he tickles my toes with his teeth, instead.

So today I realized that Bodhi is a model of instinctual wisdom, a manifestation of pure Buddhahood.  Observe:  First, he always exerts courage, even against impossible odds—sometimes he misses in his leaps, but he always tries again.  Also, he has no issues with trust. If I pet him while he’s sleeping, he rolls over and exposes his belly.  If I rub his belly, he lets out a deep sigh.  Understand, this cat knows how to completely relax.  He often arches his back over my leg and falls asleep.  He lets his body go limp when I hold him.  His every muscle just loosens. [I wish I could let go like that, don’t you?]  But most importantly, Bodhi is a pacifist—a worker for peace by example.  He never intentionally harms a soul and his tail never swings in agitation.  

Conclusion, I share my home with an enlightened being.  I have accumulated some very good karma. 

Click here to watch Bodhi's cute video.