There are several stories about Buddha’s white cat, and the Kung Fu master Cou Rong, who plays a vital role in Mission Madness, shared a version with me that is written down for the first time here. A fine little story from the book:
When Buddhism came to China, it was believed that cats could not reach Nirvana because they were too proud, lacking the humility needed for a life in heaven. It was then that the white cat appeared for the first time. Accompanied by a monk descending from the mountains to find a suitable place to establish a monastery, they journeyed through an old forest and were surprised by a violent storm. The monk tightened his cloak around him and attempted to brave the wind, but the cat showed him how the young tree trunks bent with the wind, prompting the monk to take shelter behind a large rock. When the storm subsided, the wind had felled the largest trees, yet the young ones had managed to rise again. The monk grasped that it is the soft that always prevails and devised a method of self-defense based on this lesson. He trained himself to move softly and yield to the attacker until he could gain the upper hand. In honor of his companion, he erected a temple where he established the first school of what became known as Kung Fu. We all possess talents in which we can be masters. Buddha’s white cat shows that it is not up to others to decide who gets to Nirvana. We do that ourselves by making wise decisions. Since then, the cat has appeared numerous times, always with someone in need of getting out of a difficult situation.
Cou Rong also told me about how the universe was created and how this is incorporated into Buddhist breathing exercises.
Uncover the extraordinary challenges and adventures that await in Mission Madness! Check out this mini-novel here
