One Day a Cat Came to Me: Timeless Zen Wisdom from a Cat and His Monk

Bokyeong Sunim

Jinwoo Park

THE UPLIFTING KOREAN BESTSELLER

'Do you like cats? Or do you know cats well? I never once imagined that I would raise one with my own hands in the mountains. And yet, quite unexpectedly, something unbelievable happened: a cat walked into my arms.'

After more than a decade at a bustling city temple in Seoul, Bokyeong Sunim - the Venerable Bokyeong - moves to a rural mountain temple where, in the depths of winter, an unexpected guest appears on his doorstep: a ginger-and-white cat. Their everyday interactions unfold into generous and life-affirming meditations on cats, companionship, patience, the fleetingness of time, and the satisfactions and challenges of different ways of seeing the world.

Drawing on years of learning, reflection and the Venerable Bokyeong's own practice, One Day a Cat Came to Me blends philosophy, mindfulness and connection with nature, powerfully capturing the essence of life in the company of others.

Translated from Korean by Jinwoo Park