In the sprint of year 2019, the author moved to an old house at inner west. Neighbours and previous owners of the house all love gardening. History of the trees in the street and at every one’s home can be traced back a few decades. In the front of the old house, there was a tall and straight pine tree. The ground was covered with pine needles. Coming to spring and summer, the mulberry tree is laden with mulberries. Backyard is planted with frangipani trees, coconut trees, orange tree and other plants. These trees became natural home of birds. The birds chirped in the trees, strolled on the grass, and frolicked and played with each other. The birds’ knowledge of local residents and their pets is also amazing.
In the first early morning after Xiaocao moved to the old house, two birds were on the tree outside the window. You sang with me. I sang with you. They started to perform a bird’s symphony for me. They were two brothers who grew up together. They love their lives very much when they once lived in Blue Mountains. Their performance was sometimes cheerful, sometimes playful. Their perfect coordination made them seem like one bird. Their melodies were extremely rich and continuous. Xiaocao dares to say, there will not be any more team in the mundane world, who may use such abundant melodies. The performance of the theme “Happiness “was so exquisite and harmonious. At the height of their chirping, their hearts were in harmony. While each one won, they also supported and cheered for each other. When I used up all the words that described music in the human world, I still cannot describe the wonderful of the two birds’ chirping performance.
The two birds performed for more than 10 minutes. It was the first time in Xiaocao’s life that I may hear such natural and professional performance from them. Their performance let Xiaocao discover that the heart of the birds, can be pure clean to such an extent. It seems that they know Xiaocao will move here. And they had prepared this piece of music long time ago.
In the old house, Xiaocao chanted Buddhist scriptures every day. They are my daily recitations. Days of those few years in the old house were ups and downs. Especially Singa Dharma Door Defending war at the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020. And COVID-19, New Auzzie Draft Plan, establishment of veganvv.com, they are all the course of events at the old house. Sometimes I felt suffers, I opened “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term”. After reading a chapter or a few paragraphs, Xiaocal obtained great ease both in heart and body.
One day, Xiaocao suddenly discovered something. As soon as Xiaocao read “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term”, external world immediately became exceptionally quiet. The usual birds chirping and insect trilling stopped. Furthermore, even I did not read them out loudly, it appeared to me that these little animals and insects were able to read Buddhism Teachings together with me. When I couldn’t help but read some brilliant parts aloud, these little animals and insects responded with their own way. They even expressed that they like it. The little animals and insects disciplined themselves very well. They never disturb my reading “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term”. Only when Xiaocao finished reading, then they will go off to play.
This situation becomes routine. Every time Xiaocao reads “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term”, they would all stay by Xiaocao’s side with such focused attention. After I found they may perceive “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term”, I read them out loud every time.
Their understanding levels in “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term” increased as time goes by. Over that period, I was writing personal understanding of “Buddhism Teachings in Plain Term” video episodes. Sometime, I could speak to myself. I was thinking of how to write these personal understanding in more details and to make people understand more. Coming to later stage, birds on the tree outside the house, chirped to express their opinions. They agreed, disagreed, partially agreed, were opposed to some part, and so on. Some other times, little insects would fly out right in front of me, expressing their opinions through their flying patterns. They always made their fly-out at perfect time.
To save time, I have developed the ability to chant Buddhist scriptures while jogging. Everyday, when I ran through neighbourhood, I could recite scriptures at the same time. My running route passed neighbour’s houses. Many of them kept pets, such as cats and dogs. This means that whenever I ran past, these pets can hear the scriptures I chanted. Or rather, they can perceive the scriptures through their senses.
Many more times, I chant Buddhist scriptures at home. Xiaocao discovered that the scriptures that were recited at home, can be heard by the birds and insects in close distance, with their perception. Birds were on the trees of the home. Insects were inside and outside of the house.
Xiaocao moved out of the old house few years later. When I packed the altar (A worship table where images or statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are standing), a shy little bee flew out from the back of the altar. The little bee has hidden for a while. It has been acting as an unsung hero. Only when Xiaocao wanted to move the altar. It then flew out shyly to say hello. The little bee has a magic ability. It can amplify and broadcast the Buddhist scriptures recited by Xiaocao to the external area. The back of the altar is right next to a window. The little bee told Xiaocao. At the beginning, it was just flying pass. It felt the scriptures were so good that it flew inside the house to listen to them intensively. Then, the little bee felt it should share these great scriptures to its good friends outside the house. Let everybody hear them. So, it tried to broadcast the scriptures.
The little bee did not realize itself. Its broadcasting range got wider and wider. Cats outside the house imitated the little bee. Local cats spread the little bee’s broadcasting scriptures to cats in the other areas. For dogs, they have their own way.
After two years of residing in the old house. One day, Xiaocao realized suddenly. The birdsong from the birds in the trees above the old house sounded much hoarser than before. Only then did the birds tell Xiaocao. All of them do not live long. It has been a long time when the water they drink starts to be undrinkable for them. The water starts to harm their body. Their parents left the world very early. They must learn to take care of themselves since they are young. It was also at that time. Xiaocao noticed. Since 2019 NSW Bushfire, Sydney’s blue sky can never be as blue as it used to be. The sky became very unclear. The other external environment is several levels worse than when Xiaocao first came to Australia.
Yes. The bird’s symphony that the birds brother sang for Xiaocao at the end of 2019, was their last masterpiece. From then, the environment has deteriorated to the point that they have lost their melodious singing voices. They can never sing such superior songs again. The happiness performance theme presented by them with their loves, at the end of 2019, becomes a swan song.
Once is precious. Many-times are not.
The little animals and insects nurtured by Buddhist scriptures and Buddhism teachings in Plain term, have contributed many things to help the world. They have lived their lives like brilliant stars.
Background information: At the end of year 2019, historically rare bushfires broke out in New South Wales, Australia, with the Blue Mountains region being one of the hardest-hit areas. Thousands of animals and insects lost their homes in the bushfire.
“Animal’s ability to study Buddhism” article was written on 14th November 2025 and is published on veganvv.com. the same day.
