My pet lizard

Elliott

Recently whenever i look into her tank I am filled with great sadness. I feel tghat she is a tortured senient being paying the price for all the negative karma she developed in a previous existance. How could she ever have a pleasant rebirth with out the mindset of a human.

I read that the tibetan masters say that an animal being reborn a human is as likely as a ring floating in the middle of the vast ocean and a single animal surfacing with its head penetrating the ring!

The Tibetan book of living and dying speaks of certain practises for purifying other beings karma through phowa practise, but i am skeptical.

What is everyones view on pets and rebirth?

Valtiel

Animals are happier than most people will ever be. They're closer to what we strive for as Buddhists than most of us ever will be. They have more to teach us about true happiness and love than we do them. They should pity us. We should admire and respect them.

I feel tghat she is a tortured senient being paying the price for all the negative karma she developed in a previous existance.

Kamma doesn't work like this. This is hindu-kamma talk.

Elliott

o0Mundus-Vult-Decipi0o wrote: »

Animals are happier than most people will ever be. They're closer to what we strive for as Buddhists than most of us ever will be. They have more to teach us about true happiness and love than we do them. They should pity us. We should admire and respect them.



Kamma doesn't work like this. This is hindu-kamma talk.

I find this hard to accept, animals have natural and instinctive reactions. For example a snake would act and kill for terrotory, an action of the self that we Buddhists try to be free from. Also animals will have no spiritual practise to follow, so they will never let go of the self, therefore being continually trapped in samsara.

Secondly what do you mean by this being Hindu karma, the Tibetan book of living and dying speaks of karma in the ways in which I have described.

Valtiel

I find this hard to accept, animals have natural and instinctive reactions. For example a snake would act and kill for terrotory, an action of the self that we Buddhists try to be free from.

We ourselves kill billions of living things simply by existing; nothing, including Buddhism, can take us beyond this simple reality. The Buddha continued to eat what was necessary to sustain his own life while trying to cause as little harm as possible; however, eating inherently causes harm to and kills other beings, directly and indirectly. This was not an act based on the illusion of "self," though.

Animals kill to survive. They don't do it out of greed or hatred or ignorance like so many people do. They take up the resources they need. We'd do well to learn from animals in this regard.

Animals are full of selfless, innocent love. If you believe in literal rebirth, then it's more likely your pets will be reborn as humans than it is we will be, quite honestly. :rolleyes:

Secondly what do you mean by this being Hindu karma, the Tibetan book of living and dying speaks of karma in the ways in which I have described.

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is an excellent book. However, the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying is not a Buddhist scripture and does not teach kamma as the Buddha taught kamma. It is a book that is an interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which itself is composed of various texts. It is not authoratative and certainly isn't The Word of the Buddha, hands down.

In any event, you are speaking of kamma as if it's kept tallied on a scoreboard, and dealt out to punish and reward; this is certainly not taught by Sogyal Rinpoche. Kamma is within the mind. The Buddha defined kamma in his teachings as "intent." [AN 6.63] The effects of kamma are experienced by the illusionary "self." If you act with ill-intent, you are right here and now "reborn" in hell.

gigantes

o0Mundus-Vult-Decipi0o wrote: »

Animals are happier than most people will ever be. They're closer to what we strive for as Buddhists than most of us ever will be. They have more to teach us about true happiness and love than we do them. They should pity us. We should admire and respect them.

wow... nice one, mundus.

i've been somewhat dismayed at the condescending (not to mention rather unscientific / irrational) view that most people here have expressed towards animals, so it's great to see such a response.

Dazzle

Animals are full of selfless, innocent love.

Lovely to read this because its true of my own experiences with various animals and birds.


_/\_

Elliott

Thanks mundus you are very wise.

AriettaDolente

I recall reading that by mere virtue of being exposed to the Buddha, an animal can be assured a more favorable rebirth next time around. It's a little superstitious, but if this is important to you, you might place a little Buddha statue in your lizard's tank (make sure it's non-toxic). You might also read Buddhist scripture out loud to him; sound has power beyond mere words.

I realize all that sounds pretty silly, but I have to confess I've done things like that, usually for wild animals that have come into my life. I look at it this way. I don't know if any of that stuff really works, but I don't know that it doesn't, either. If I am earnest in my compassion and want to do everything I can to help other beings, how can I fail to take such simple, harmless actions? Even if it doesn't help my creature-friend, at least it helps me.

~ AD