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**oliverlogo** · 04-10-2010, 06:07 PM

The Buddha himself was primarily concerned with human beings not thinking & behaving like animals.

But then, there is this:

The Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus:

"What do you think bhikkhus, which is more, this little bit of soil in my fingernail or the great earth?"

"Venerable Sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. Compared to the great earth, the little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction."

"So too bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn amongst human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell."

"For what reason?"

"Because, bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths."

"Therefore bhikkhus, an effort should be made to understand: 'This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the quenching of suffering and this is the way leading to the quencing of suffering'. "

SN 56.120 So in this teaching, the Buddha has advised if a being abiding in the animal realm sees the Four Noble Truths, they can become human.

04-10-2010, 06:07 PM	#5
oliverlogo Join Date Nov 2005 Posts 379 Senior Member	The Buddha himself was primarily concerned with human beings not thinking & behaving like animals. But then, there is this: The Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the bhikkhus thus: "What do you think bhikkhus, which is more, this little bit of soil in my fingernail or the great earth?" "Venerable Sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. Compared to the great earth, the little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction." "So too bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn amongst human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell." "For what reason?" "Because, bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths." "Therefore bhikkhus, an effort should be made to understand: 'This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the quenching of suffering and this is the way leading to the quencing of suffering'. " SN 56.120 So in this teaching, the Buddha has advised if a being abiding in the animal realm sees the Four Noble Truths, they can become human.
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