The Golden Puppy and the Cat Named Nu

**Summary:** An old woman saw a golden man turn into a puppy. A Buddhist devotee dreamed her son from a past life became a cat, revealing that loved ones can fall into the animal realm right beside us.

On a still summer afternoon, the elderly woman from Van Hanh district was dozing in her hammock, the electric fan humming steadily. As she began to drift off, she saw a young man in golden clothing drive up and park in front of her house, then crawl under the bed. She woke with a start and looked down to find a mother dog had just given birth, with one puppy covered in fur from head to toe that was pure gold.

She sighed, her heart aching: "Who was this rich person in a past life to now fall into being a dog?" She told her neighbors: "I saw it clearly in my dream, and this morning, a golden puppy appeared just as I saw." The neighbors shook their heads: "It must be some karma, auntie."

In another story, the Buddhist devotee Quyen Phuong cherished a beautiful male cat she had named Nu, caring for it like her own child. When the teacher came to visit and saw her scratched face, he asked: "Why is your face like this?" She replied sadly: "Little Nu scratches me at night, so I cannot sleep."

The teacher asked further: "Have you had any dreams?" She shared: "I dreamed of a past life in Europe. I had a husband with that very face, and a son named Nu. Now I meet this male cat also named Nu, and my love for it has turned to fear."

The teacher explained: "That is a loved one from a past life returned, now trapped in the animal realm." She shuddered: "Goodness, holding this cat feels like holding my child from long ago."

The turning point came when the teacher pointed out clearly: harming dogs or cats may easily affect one's own relatives, for they are so close to a human rebirth. Both the elderly woman and Quyen Phuong were stunned.

From then on, the old woman did not dare to chase away the golden puppy. Quyen Phuong became less indulgent but still fed the cat, thinking to herself: "Who knows, perhaps this was my child in a past life."

The story spread among the group of Buddhist devotees. Everyone became more mindful of the pets around their homes, understanding that the cycle of rebirth, samsara, is never far away.

**Meaning of the Story**

Dogs and cats are close to a human life; sometimes they are relatives who have fallen into the animal realm. One should not harm them. Instead, we need to see the shifting nature of samsara and live with compassion, avoiding creating negative karma with the loved ones who are all around us.

Compiled from a dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang