Cassie and the Wasp: When the Buddha Has Claws (But No Cruelty)

Introduction:

« Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, cultivate boundless love for all beings. » — Metta Sutta (Sutta Nipāta 1.8)

That morning, the wasp was there, frantic against the windowpane, its wings a blur of panic, its body thudding against the glass like an unanswered prayer. Cassie saw it before I did. Her body tensed—hunter’s instinct—then stilled. She didn’t pounce. She looked at me, then placed a paw on my foot, as if to say: « Your turn. »

I’ll never forget how she followed me to the balcony, watching my every move as I set the insect free. Not a hint of impatience, not a flicker of violence. Just that quiet expectation: « You’ll do this right, won’t you? »

Cassie doesn’t quote sutras. Yet she lives every syllable.

1. The Hunt Interrupted: When the Predator Becomes a Guardian

« All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. Putting yourself in their place, you will not kill nor cause to be killed. » — Dhammapada, v. 129

In nature, cats kill. It’s the law of survival. But Cassie chose a different path that day. She caught the wasp—immobilized it with expert precision—then turned to me, pupils wide, as if asking: « Now what? »

What the texts say: The Vinaya Pitaka (monastic rules) forbids killing, even an insect. But Cassie goes further: she protects. She reminded me that true non-violence (ahimsa) isn’t passivity—it’s an active choice. The Buddha himself once saved a lamb from sacrifice, declaring: « Compassion is not weakness; it is the greatest strength. »

Practice: Next time a vulnerable being crosses your path, whisper this verse from the Dhammapada: « As I am, so are others. As others are, so am I. » Then act.

2. The Freed Fly: A Lesson in Impermanence

« All that arises will pass away. Blessed is the one who understands the peace of the unborn, the unmade. » — Dhammapada, v. 153-154

Cassie held the fly between her paws, then let it go. Why? Because deep in her feline bones, she knows: everything passes—prey, hunter, fear. The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta tells of the Buddha smiling on his deathbed as a monk wept: « Tears change nothing. But kindness can transform everything. »

Exercise:

• Gently catch an insect.
• Observe it, repeating: « You, like me, are fleeting. You, like me, are precious. »
• Release it in silence.

« Freedom is not a right; it’s an act. »

3. The Balcony as Sacred Ground

« May all beings—whether weak or strong, tall or short, seen or unseen, near or far, born or waiting to be born—may all beings be happy! » — Mettā Sutta

Thanks to Cassie, our balcony became a living mandala:

• Spiders weave their webs undisturbed (for « even the smallest being deserves respect », Sutta Nipāta 1.8).
• Birds peck at crumbs without fear (echoing the Jātaka tale of the Buddha as a bird shielding its young from a serpent).
• Wasps sip from geraniums because she decided they, too, « have the right to exist without fear » (Lankavatara Sutta).

Ritual: Light a candle on your balcony and say: « May all who pass here feel safe. » (This is how monks bless forests in Thailand.)

Side Note: « In Tibetan Buddhism, ‘insect houses’ are placed near temples. Cassie turned our balcony into one. »

4. The Wasp and the Mirror: What She Shows Us

« Hatred does not cease by hatred, but by love. » — Dhammapada, v. 5

Why did Cassie spare the wasp? Because she recognized her own vulnerability in it. The Samyutta Nikāya (1.75) tells of an elephant refusing to crush a mouse, saying: « Its fear is mine. »

Question for you: What « wasp » (what fear, what anger) have you crushed this week… and which have you let fly free?

Sacred Story: A monk, fleeing a tiger, hides in a cave. A spider weaves a web across the entrance, saving his life. « The compassion of small beings is the purest, » notes Jātaka 54.

5. The Violence We Don’t See

« Eating the flesh of a killed being is to share in its murder. » — Lankavatara Sutta, ch. 8

Cassie eats meat-based kibble. A paradox? No—a reminder that we’re all « tangled in the web of karma » (Avatamsaka Sutta). Perfection isn’t the goal; awareness is.

Key Verse: « May my body be nourished by what causes the least suffering. » — Theravāda Mealtime Prayer

Action:

• Replace one animal product with a plant-based alternative this week.
• Before eating, say: « May those who gave their lives for this meal find peace. »

« The Buddha accepted meat offerings from lay followers while encouraging moderation. The Middle Way isn’t compromise; it’s a dance. »

6. The Final Glance: When the Wasp Flies Away

« Like a flower opening to the sun, open your heart to the infinite. » — Itivuttaka 27

When the wasp flew off, Cassie blinked, satisfied. She had just embodied what the Bodhicaryāvatāra (8.125) calls « right action »:

1. See suffering (the wasp at the window).
2. Act without expecting reward (free it).
3. Let go (don’t cling to the outcome).

« True strength is not needing to destroy to feel alive. » — Adapted from Dhammapada, v. 224

Conclusion:

« Be a lamp unto yourself. » — Attributed to the Buddha (Dīgha Nikāya 16)

Cassie isn’t a teacher. She’s a mirror. She reflects what the sutras have said for 2,500 years:

• Compassion is a muscle (Metta Sutta).
• Non-violence is a choice (Ahimsa Paramodharma).
• Every gesture matters (Karma).

So today, take her lead:

• See those you overlook.
• Protect what’s within your reach.
• Remember: « Nirvana isn’t far away. Sometimes it has whiskers. »

Question for Readers:

« Which Buddhist verse resonates with an act of kindness you’ve witnessed (or done) lately? »