This is a friend of ours who first came to the temple about nine years ago. He has the slight misfortunate of having a girlish name, Maeli (“Plums Blossoming,” poor guy), but he seems to be okay with it!
One of the interesting things about him is that he’s taken on the job of defending the temple, and here he’s actually on station at the entrance to the nun’s quarters. He’ll start barking if a layperson comes too close to the entrance, and sometimes, for no obvious reason at all, he’ll start barking at someone in the courtyard. The thing is, since he came here, there have been no instances of pick pockets or of people trying to rob the donation boxes.
Korean Buddhist texts and ceremonies occasionally mention something called “fragrance of mind.” Like the fragrance of incense, it weaves here and there, unseen and un-graspable. And it is the results of the efforts we make to transcend ourselves and to see everything as part of ourselves. It is this fragrance that moves amoung the people in our lives, lifting them up and brightening their path. It’s there all the time, whether we notice it or not.
Wake Up and Laugh! 
Big love to the beautiful Maeli!! He loves you guys. You are so fortunate to have him amongst you. Thanks for sharing his story Sunim.
Sincerely,
– roy.
Now, there’s a dog that definitely has Buddha-nature.
(I bet you were expecting that little joke before you’d finished thinking about the post! Well, somneone had to get it of the way and I thought why not me!)
But, seriously, he does!
As do we all.
As does the very air we breathe.
I love your last paragraph.
Wonderful.
Thank you Sunim.
_/\_
a kiss on this nose!
and, :), as Marcus says:
I love your last paragraph.
Wonderful.
Thank you Sunim.
_/\_
unseen and un-graspable…sometimes I think of him, and recently I wanted to ask you how he was doing, but was not sure if you would be ok with that, but seems like you heard it anyway and made this post. Thanks!
a beautiful name to a beautiful dog! Wonderful to read your post. I couldn’t imagine the world without animals…!
Renée
Such a cutie.