Animals

[Montalban]

Yeah, bulls too! Even some rabid street dogs!

I'm jealous
We don't have rabid street dogs here! We've got slimy cane toads (not here in Sydney).

If animals have souls, I wonder if this means that they have the same soul as we do, or have animal souls (not like Aseraggodes klunzingeri)

 

[Cameron]

1) Why are animals created?
I think they are the creations of mindstreams based on attachment, delusion and ignorance.
2) Animals have souls?
I don't think a permanent unchanging self exists, but a changing awareness that carries on memories of each lifetime and karmic imprints.
3) If yes , then what is the difference between Animal soul and Human soul?
none. Both have a subtle mindstream and buddha nature, but the rebirth bodies are different and have different potential for practice and understanding.
4) If yes , what happens to Animals soul after death?
They enter the bardo realm, then are reborn in various possible realms. Depending on different conditions, but mainly karmic familiarity.
5) Why Humans are allowed/notallowed to eat Animals? I think eating meat is up to the individual. If one develops compassion and empathy for life, one would not kill an animal oneself, especially for something as superficial as flavour and taste. You would not want to be the cause for another to cause death such as ordering food knowing an animal would be killed either. If it is a matter of survival or eating is done with proper understanding and respect for those that died for your sustenance, I think it can be justifiable, though there still may be karmic consequences.

 

[Born_to_Lose_Live_to_Win]

I'm jealous
We don't have rabid street dogs here! We've got slimy cane toads (not here in Sydney).

If animals have souls, I wonder if this means that they have the same soul as we do, or have animal souls (not like Aseraggodes klunzingeri)

Ok, now I will try to answer seriously.

I did a google search on Aseraggodes klunzingeri. It seems like a fish, if I am right.

In the Hindu point of view, every created thing is a reflection (or) vibration of "consciousness"(soul).

Even rocks, plants, etc. are manifestations of this universal consciousness.

But this true nature is covered by various levels of illusion(maya).

It is my opinion that the soul when in the human manifestation can use its highly evolved body, mind and intellect to return back to that pure state of consciousness.

So, I think, all other creations evolve over a long period of time into humans. Only when the soul takes on the human form can it escape from this cycle and attain liberation(or heaven?). If not, the soul again goes down to lower forms of life(hell?).

So, it is my opinion that, any form of life or non-life which is not human, does not directly attain liberation or heaven.

Only human form of life can break the jinx.

 

[rahul_sharma]

Nice reply , Cameron and BTL

 

[Montalban]

1) Why are animals created?
I think they are the creations of mindstreams based on attachment, delusion and ignorance.

Attachment to what? Who's creating animals out of delusion?

Animals have souls?
I don't think a permanent unchanging self exists, but a changing awareness that carries on memories of each lifetime and karmic imprints.

What about a semi-permanent chaniging self? Or a permentaly changing semi-self? Or a permentant self in a semi-detached with a bed-sit?
How does one carry on imprints?

3) If yes , then what is the difference between Animal soul and Human soul?
none. Both have a subtle mindstream and buddha nature, but the rebirth bodies are different and have different potential for practice and understanding.

So can a unicellular life-form jump straight to enlightenment? What about a virus which is both live, and not. Or a prion?

4) If yes , what happens to Animals soul after death?
They enter the bardo realm, then are reborn in various possible realms. Depending on different conditions, but mainly karmic familiarity.

What's a bardot realm?

Why Humans are allowed/notallowed to eat Animals?
I think eating meat is up to the individual.

What the individual being eaten?

If one develops compassion and empathy for life, one would not kill an animal oneself,

Why not? What is non-compassionate about putting down a wounded/sick animal?

especially for something as superficial as flavour and taste.

What about sustience?

You would not want to be the cause for another to cause death such as ordering food knowing an animal would be killed either.

I would if my survival depended upon it.

If it is a matter of survival or eating is done with proper understanding and respect for those that died for your sustenance, I think it can be justifiable, though there still may be karmic consequences.

How would you know? What is it about merely understanding Karma that affects your relation to it?

 

[g4goddess]

Well its seem to me that the Bible has no answer to why animals have no soul and humans do.


And this is the problem that I have with the Bible, its can't answer all my questions.

But the Bhagavad Gita can answer most all my questions.

No book has all the "answers". No book would be large enough - All the world's libraries aren't large enough. You shouldn't discount the Bible because of that.

 

[vedickings]

No book has all the "answers". No book would be large enough - All the world's libraries aren't large enough. You shouldn't discount the Bible because of that.

Yeah I understand, but the christians say that the Bible is the only book anyone would need.


And I agree, even the world's libraries isn't enough. But the mind is limited, as in can't really see the truth.

 

[Blackmarch]

Which one?

Sorry for the length of responding; the last of my posts on this thread was just before christmas break. And it's taken a little while to find this thread again.

Guessing you are referring to 3 kingdoms.. There isn't a specific reference to which kingdom animals will go. But there is a mention that animals will go to their "sphere where they will be able to reach the perfection possible for them" (Paraphrasing here; lost my scriptures a few days ago and it has been frustrating). and that they'll be in a paradisefor them. It does not say whether this is within those kingdoms or not, or if it will be coexistant with people (this one thinks so) or not.

 

[Blackmarch]

The reason I asked which one is...There are three levels of heaven: telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, Mormon Doctrine, p. 348.http://www.carm.org/lds/lds_doctrines.htm Mormons believe in baptism of the dead...Baptism for the dead, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. II, p. 141. This is a practice of baptizing each other in place of non-Mormons who are now dead. Their belief is that in the afterlife, the "newly baptized" person will be able to enter into a higher level of Mormon heaven.(Ibid). I wonder then if you baptise a dead parrot?

LoL!Baptism is an ordinance specifically for people, both in mortality and in the here-after. If animals were supposed to be baptised too, one guesses such would be the case.

They'll go to the zoo in heaven!

Sounds good, probably without enclosures.