These stories present varying views—traditional and new—which, collectively, reflect the ancient dharma debate on whether or not a dog has Buddha-nature. Tina Fields, Pico Iyer, Elsie Mitchell, Darryl Ponicsan, and Tom Robbins give us contemporary views. Griffin Foulk sets the record straight. And in one traditional story, the Buddha cautions that imitating a dog will not lead to enlightenment.
Dharma Dogs: Table of Contents
Kukkuripa, The Dog Lover: A Traditional Tibetan Tale
Does a Dog Have Buddha-Nature?, by T. Griffith Foulk
Dogs of Buddha, by Elsie P. Mitchell
The Dog’s Tooth, by Rafe Martin
All Sentient Beings, by Tina Fields
Dog, by Darryl Ponicsan
The Dog-Duty Ascetic: Adapted from the Kukkuravatika Sutta
Dogs Abroad, by Pico Iyer
Thank you for subscribing to Tricycle! As a nonprofit, we depend on readers like you to keep Buddhist teachings and practices widely available.
Subscribe now to read this article and get immediate access to everything else.
Subscribe NowAlready a subscriber? Log in.