Ajahn Brahm Podcast The Buddhist Attitude to Animal Abuse | Ajahn Brahm
Mar 24, 2024
Explore the Buddhist view on animal ethics, highlighting the need for compassion towards all sentient beings. Discover how humans and animals share emotional and intellectual bonds, urging a reevaluation of our treatment of them. Hear about St. Francis and his remarkable encounter with a wolf, emphasizing ethical living. Delve into poignant tales of grief in animals, and witness transformative experiences in prison that lead to a newfound respect for life. The conversation advocates for kindness and coexistence with all creatures.
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Buddhism Sees Humans and Animals Equally
- Buddhism teaches there is no fundamental difference between humans and animals because both have mind and can be reborn in either realm.
- This explains why compassion extends equally to all sentient beings, including animals, not just humans.
Scientific Link Between Humans and Animals
- Science classifies humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees so closely that they're essentially the same species.
- This scientific truth challenges societal prejudices that consider humans superior and separate from animals.
Animals Show Remarkable Intelligence
- A gorilla named Coco was taught sign language and even talked to himself, showing verbal intelligence.
- An African grey parrot, Alex, could use vocabulary intelligently and even expressed emotions like boredom.