Looking at my cat sitting peacefully probably oblivious of her shadow, I am reminded of the words of the Buddha- "We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves"
Does my cat think? According to some experts animals do not think like the way human does or they do not have the capability of higher reasoning. They are thus spared from many a mental afflictions that we human often experience.
When Buddha speaks of a 'pure' mind he is referring to a mind uncorrupted by defilement which are mainly greed, anger/aversion and delusion and which branch out into attachment, envy, jealousy, guilt, shame and depression just to name a few.
When our minds think of something lacking in our life or think of getting rid of an unwanted condition, we are at odds with the reality of circumstances. My cat seems to be relatively free of such mental anguish. When the weather is hot she does not fret but just looks for the best shaded spot to snooze (often it's the toilet). When the weather is cool and windy she does not hope that it lasts forever, she just slumbers for hours on the sofa.
She may have a sense of self and is territorial, warding off stray cats venturing into our garden. However I certainly don't think she is attached to an identity or even need to uphold or defend one. She just 活着.
Oblivious of the shadow that her form projects, she just enjoys the sun bathing moment.
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