This is a reposted blog, originally published on June 16, 2019, in Tibetan. It was translated with the help of translation software, Monlam AI. I thought that, during the month of Saga Dawa 2025, some of my students would enjoy reading this story in English about my animal friend who passed away in the Dharma Center. (Written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, June 2025)
READ THE ENTIRE BLOG: The Day the Mouse was sent to the Sukhavati Pureland
I woke up early this morning as usual and finished my prayers. At eight o’clock, I had breakfast with my Dharma friend, Geshe Ngawang, who had recently come to visit me in California. We talked about the past years and various plans for the future. The kitchen was roaring with laughter monk humor and jokes.
In the afternoon, the devout mother, Ama Susan, sponsored the lunch, so we went to a nearby Thai restaurant and ate as much as we wanted with our friend Geshe and had a hearty meal, all leaving with very full stomachs. Immediately after lunch, we took a stroll along the shores of the Pacific ocean, which everyone admired, and it was very pleasant.
When I got home, the phone rang, and it was my friend Ngodrup Dorjee. He is from the only Tibetan family in this area. He asked, “Khenpo La are you at home?” He said that his parents arrived from Nepal today, and that his family said they would like to vist the Dharma Center for a short time. I welcomed their arrival. About ten minutes later, my friend Ngodup Dorje’s family arrived at the Dharma Center. Although there was no condition to fill the table with Tibetan food, Tibetan tea, meat, butter, and cheese, I offered them delicious milk tea. After a short time together, I went to the door with them to say goodbye. As I went inside, I glanced at the flower garden outside the Dharma Center. Unfortunately, I spotted a small mouse on its back, writhing to the side.
As I approached and took a closer look, my heart ached when I saw a tiny mouse throbbing with pain. I called out loudly several times to my Dharma friend, Geshe Ngawang, who came immediately. We gently placed the ailing mouse on a soft cloth. We were about to examine the mouse to see what was wrong, but my hands were too big and the mouse was too small, so it was impossible to do anything easily. I guessed it might have severe pain inside its abdomen. In any case, when I saw the little mouse trembling its limbs due to the pain, sometimes opening its mouth and staring, I couldn’t help but shed a few tears.
READ THE ENTIRE BLOG: The Day the Mouse was sent to the Sukhavati Pureland
