The Visit

One month after our return from the hill temple, we were thrilled to hear that the Chief Nun from that temple was coming to visit us.  She would be staying with us for two nights before leaving for Cambodia on a retreat.  Head Nun immediately called for a meeting of the nuns and gave us specific duties, such as cleaning up the temple, tidying up the garden and so on.  

"Also brush up on your chanting," said Head Nun sternly.  "I don't want the sifu to think I have a bunch of half-baked nuns."

APK and I were given the task of preparing the spare room next to Head Nun's for the Chief Nun to sleep in.  We swept and washed, changed the bedsheets, cleaned the window and put in a couple of potted plants to cheer up the room.  It did look very nice when we finished and were pleased when Head Nun gave her seal of approval and thanked us for doing a good job.

Meantime I was planning in my head what I was going to tell the sifu.  She had said that she had heard so much about me when we visited her temple and I was sure she couldn't wait to hear of my heroic exploits!  Oh, she was going to have a thrilling time listening to them from the mouth of the hero himself!

With these thoughts zinging through my head, I joined the nuns the next morning to welcome Chief Nun. They were all lined up in front of the temple entrance to greet her.  Head Nun and the senior nuns stood in front while the junior nuns stood a little behind together with Ah Ying who had driven us to the hill temple.  Without asking anyone,  I squeezed myself into the front row and although one or two of the senior nuns frowned at me, I pretended not to notice.  I wanted to make sure Chief Nun saw me in my little grey robe and prayer beads round my neck.

Chief Nun arrived at about ten  and greeted Head Nun warmly.  We could see the two had been great friends and hadn't seen each other for a long time.  They went down the line of nuns who respectfully uttered their welcome.  When it came to my turn, I put both my paws together and prepared to mouth a greeting but to my disappointment, Chief Nun showed no sign of recognition and passed down the line without even looking at me.  She and Head Nun then went inside the temple for  refreshments.  We were told to carry on with our normal duties until lunch time when we were all to meet in the kitchen and eat together with our guest.

I was still feeling rather disappointed when we all met for lunch.  "Well, she's had a tiring journey," I told myself.  "There'll be time to catch up with her later."

During lunch, Head Nun, Chief Nun and the senior nuns sat at the main table while I sat with the junior nuns at another table.  I had expected to be invited to sit at the main table with Chief Nun (like I did at the hill temple) and was surprised to see that Ah Ying sat there instead. How come she was invited to sit at the main table?  After all, Ah Ying is just a friend of the temple and visits it only on festive days.  I became upset and suddenly lost my appetite. Once or twice, I tried to catch Chief Nun's eye when she turned to look in our direction but without success.  It seemed like I was invisible to her. 

After lunch, Head Nun took her on a tour of the temple, then announced that we were to meet for prayers in the Prayer Hall at 2 p.m. sharp.  

After sending Chief Nun to her room to rest before prayers, Head Nun said that she wanted me to lead the afternoon prayers.  I was thrilled beyond words and soon forgot my disappointment.  This would be a good opportunity for me to show Chief Nun how good I am with the various mantras we usually chant!  

I was so excited that I was in the Prayer Hall fifteen minutes before the allotted time.  I just couldn't wait to start.  

Then came the big blow.  We were told by Head Nun that Chief Nun would not be joining us for the prayers as she was feeling tired and that we should carry on without her. 

I was crushed.  I half-heartedly led the prayers and when they were over, I went to a corner of the kitchen, almost in tears.  APK who had noticed my disappointment since morning, came over and gave me a hug.

"Vege Cat, don't worry.  Chief Nun will still be here another day.  She's had a tiring day, you know."

The next day's prayers were led by two nuns as Head Nun wanted them to take turns.  Chief Nun attended both the morning and afternoon sessions and immediately went to her room to rest after they finished.  Like the day before, she ignored me completely.  I just couldn't understand why she was giving me the cold shoulder.

On the eve of her departure, we had another get together dinner.  This time Head Nun had invited a few senior monks and nuns from another temple to join us.  It was a very busy evening with many speeches, some of which were very long winded, and we were relieved when Chief Nun finally stood up and gave a short thank you speech for the hospitality we had shown her.  

I went to bed that night feeling very miserable.   Two days had gone by and I still hadn't the opportunity to meet with Chief Nun.  I tossed and turned the whole night and was up at 5.  I crept out and sat under the custard apple tree, my favorite spot for meditation and closed my eyes, my heart heavy and sad.

It was then that I felt a light tap on my shoulder.  I opened my eyes and saw to my surprise that it was Chief Nun.

"Well, well, what brought you out here so early?" she asked.

I fell to my knees and blurted out, "Respected sifu, if I have done anything wrong, please forgive me!"

She smiled, raised me up gently and said, " Vege Cat, what do you think you have done wrong?"

"I don't know, sifu, but you have ignored me completely these last two days....."

"Vege Cat," she interrupted.  "Tell me, before I came, what were you thinking about?  Let me tell you.  You were planning to impress me with stories of your adventures, you wanted me to know what a great hero you are.  You also wanted to show off how well you know your mantras.  You're the great cat monk, the one and only, who saved many and ought to be recognised and put on a pedestal.  In your conceit and ego, you even thought Ah Ying wasn't fit to sit at the main table, am I not right?"

I listened in dumb silence, shocked that she knew so much.

"You may not know it," she continued, "Ah Ying is a good, humble woman, very devoted to the Lord Buddha and has contributed much towards the community.  As for you, you were so wrapped up in yourself that you allowed your ego to swallow you.  I had to bring you down to earth.  Now do you understand why I ignored you all this time?"

I couldn't find anything to say.  Had I really been so swollen headed?

Chief Nun continued: "To grow as a spiritual being, my dear cat, you need to let go of your ego.  Ego is a bad quality for any devotee of our Lord.  It makes a person forget oneself, causes humiliation to fellow beings and instils a superiority complex.  As long as you are controlled by your ego, you cannot attain the bliss of equanimity and mindfulness you're after. That is your goal, is it not? "

I nodded my head in silence, too ashamed to speak.

Chief Nun looking at my doleful face, patted my head and said, "Don't worry, keep trying and you will succeed.  Now is there anything you want to say?"

I thought for a while, then said: "Respected sifu, please forgive me for my ignorance.  I thought I had come a long way but it looks like I am wrong.  Thank you for teaching me such an important lesson.  I shall remember it always.  But there's one thing which I still want to know - how did you know what happened to us on our way to your temple, you know, no petrol, hungry tiger, big storm."

Chief Nun laughed, then winked at me and whispered, "I have a magic mirror in my temple!"

Chief Nun left for the airport later that morning.  Before she got into the car, she turned and smiled at me and at that very moment, I had never felt so blessed. 

SADHU!  SADHU!  SADHU!