Those who believe in reincarnation may take a special look at a Zen Buddhist temple in southern Japan, where a young Chihuahua named Conan prays with the monks.

The 18-month-old black-and-white pup joins in the daily prayers at the temple, sitting up on his hind legs and putting his front paws together before the altar.

It took him only a few days to learn the motions, and now he is the talk of the town.

“Word has spread, and we are getting a lot more tourists,” a Zen priest said Monday.

Conan generally goes through his prayer routine at the temple without prompting before his morning and evening meals.

The priest is now trying to teach him how to meditate.

“Basically, I am just trying to get him to sit still while I meditate,” he explained. “It’s not like we can make him cross his legs.”

See a picture of Conan the Buddhist dog here.

In the grand scheme of things, being reincarnated as a temple dog is not a bad proposition. It beats hell.