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1.2 Buddhist Temples Probably Have So Many Cats Because the Monks Don't Kill Any Mice

1.2 Buddhist Temples Probably Have So Many Cats Because the Monks Don’t Kill Any Mice

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Buddhist temples probably have so many cats around because the monks have taken a vow to not harm any living creatures, 1 including mice. Food is a common offering to monks and Buddha, so there is likely an overabundance of mice as well.

Footnotes

  1. The practice of avoiding harm to any living creatures, intentionally or unintentionally, is rooted in the principle of ahisma, or non-violence. For this same reason, monks in some traditions will sweep the ground in front of them as they walk in order to avoid stepping on any insects. ↩︎