# Sanctuary — the temple cat on the monk's lap

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-temple-cat-sanctuary
- Themes: animals, humour, monastery, compassion
- Life situations: pets, letting go

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Kitten brought into the meditation hall chooses an adopter; later another cat, seeing its owner arrive to collect it, jumps onto Brahm's lap as if claiming sanctuary.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

gave me this kitten and I brought it into this room here and when I was meditating I let it just go loose and it went on people's laps rubbed past them and the cat chose its new owner actually it was almost a fight because two or three people saw that little kid and said can I I have it please they got any more and they said no it's already chosen you and so they took it back and they adopted it especially Buddhists I must admit you're all such kind loving people so if a cat comes here they really enjoy themselves we do have a another cat who comes here I haven't seen it this weekend but it comes here and imagine a little cat it lives around the back here somewhere it's got an owner but the little cat comes and plays with you and never gets chased away and sometimes you get special food and that little kitten or cat it really likes we found I tried to give it some milk he didn't like the milk he really likes chicken and as soon as I say that people find find some chicken somewhere or other to feed the little kitten and so the kitten comes and if you're too busy to give it a nice stroke of a pat it goes to so many other people it gets patted so much much more than it will ever get patted in its own home that's why little kittens or cats they love this place even here I remember once there was another cat years ago used to come here every Saturday afternoon because Saturday after afternoon after the meditation it would actually play in a reception area here crawl all over people get stroked here stroked there get give him some special treats I remember that little cat because then one day know the secretary in there got a call and it was from the owner of the cat she said she was moving today is my cat there I said yeah it's here he playing with the monks I said well I'm moving today I've got to come and collect it and so I remember her coming in and walking into the reception area and the cat was actually just playing in front of me and as soon as the cat saw the owner to come and collect it you know what that cat did I'm not exaggerating it jumped right onto my lap you could read its little cat mind Sanctuary Sanctuary Sanctuary

## Teaching point

Even a cat knows which lap means safety.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A kitten lived at a temple until its owner came to collect it, at which point it leapt onto Ajahn Brahm's lap: sanctuary! It had to go home anyway. Another nun's kitten needed milk and fish, which generous supporters gave. Kindness feeds even temple cats. Never underestimate how much people want to help.

## Source

- [Happiness and a Simple Life | Ajahn Brahm | 22 March 2024](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQl6gClOBUk) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 3:45 to 6:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQl6gClOBUk&t=225s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Guided Meditation | Ajahn Brahm | 30 June 2018](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jT3Ii7rEP8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 14:19 to 15:04: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jT3Ii7rEP8&t=859s