Are humans superior to animals?

[vajrastorm]

Being in the human realm and being born with our mental and physical faculties intact gives us, humans, the advantage over animals to make full use of this precious human life to attain full liberation or complete freedom from suffering via the practice of the Buddhadharma. Animals are plagued by benighted ignorance to be ever able to understand the Dharma. It is only through the Dharma that one can completely eliminate suffering and attain permanent peace and happiness.Humans also experience their necessary share of pain and suffering that makes them want to be liberated from suffering and from samsara. Otherwise, like the gods, they would be too busy pursuing the fleeting pleasures of samsara.

Having said that, every being in samsara is subject to the cycle of existence of samsara, under the influence of our uncontrollable karma and delusions. Hence being born human is only for a relatively short period of time before our karma catches up with us , and , with death, we are thrown once more into the endless round of rebirths. As we are often reminded by our Spiritual Guide, we are just a breath away from rebirth in the lower realms, including the animal realm.

The human rebirth is a rare and precious one, because it provides the optimum conditions for us to practice the Dharma and gain full freedom from suffering for ourselves and ultimately for all beings.


Essentially, all beings are equal because we all have the potential Buddha nature in us.   

 . 

[Tammy]

Spirituality aside, in my humble opinion, those so call 'human' who eat other animals alive, is not qualify for 'human hood'. Please stop cheating yourself that you are more superior than other animals. Other animals kill because they need the meat/food to survive. They don't kill for fun. We human called fishing a SPORT! This mean We kill for FUN, for leisure, NOT for basic survival.

So, no, human being are NOT more superior than other animals, lets not kid ourselves anymore.

[rossoneri]

Yes, we might be superior than animal not in the sense of being better or have the rights to harm. We do have a lot advantages as to compare to animals, we are generally much more intelligent hence we will have a lot of advantages which leads us to develop awareness of our own existence which leads us to develop the sense of pride, jealousy, desire, shy, love, care and so much more. Therefore it is very easy for us to look down on other person let alone other species. But i do not think we should feel we are superior to others, instead we should develop compassion towards them and help those which are needed our help and not kill.

[diablo1974]

Physically we are more superior than animals, we do what animals can't do. Intelligence, analytical thinking, etc etc. In buddhist classes, i am told that we will being some of our habits in our past lives as animals even if we are humans in this life. In other words, our mind might not be consider as more superior than animals.  If it have to be more superior than animals then i would say its incomplete superiority.

[Dondrup Shugden]

Shakymuni Buddha achieved enlightenment in the Human Form, as such to my logical mind it would be the most superior form of rebirth.

Sorry to say, one of the lower realms for rebirth is in the animal form, so for that Buddhist teaching, I will say that humans are superior to animals.

As such being superior, it is very meritorious as a human to do whatever to we can to assist and help all other forms of being.  Like kings and emperors, if they are kind and caring, their citizens enjoy peace, harmony and great wealth and on the other hand with evil kings and emperors, all their subjects suffer extreme conditions.

[MoMo]

For those  who said we human are equal in superiority to the animals  should  contemplate more on the Lamrim topic of  “the suffering of animal realm” and the disadvantage of being reborn in this realm . In the spiritual context, the human realm is the most appropriate for achieving the ultimate goal  even bodhisattva  on the final league will had to make stainless prayers to be reborn in human realm. It is said that only in human realm we are be able to experience the suffering of all lower realms and the pleasure of the higher realms. Thus, this served as a basis  for us to realize the necessity for liberation and southern jambu provides all the appropriate conditions for us to practise. The only beings that are said to be able to uphold some Buddha dharma are said to be the nagas but even then, human are still considered to be far more superior than the nagas as we are able to achieve Buddhahood but not them. Hence, there should be no further debate on this.

[lotus1]

Very interesting discussion on human and animal superiority. For me, I would agree that human are more superior than animal. As per the six realms of existence, human is at the higher realms that we would strive to be in so that we can practice Dharma. Human has better conditions than animal to understand Dharma and to practice it.

However, that does not mean that we should harm or eat animals. Animals are part of the sentient beings that we should have compassion with, just like with any human.

[yontenjamyang]

Superiority must not be translated into dominance but it should about being responsible. In this case the hishest responsibility is that of Altruistic intention of alleviating the sufferings of all mother beings including the animal realms. But since, we are not omniscient and do have the opportune conditions to practice the Dharma we should aspire to practice to gain this Omniscience to truly be of full benefit to mother beings.

That is the aspiration of Boddhicitta.

p/s; With power come responsibilities.

[Dondrup Shugden]

Very interesting discussion on human and animal superiority. For me, I would agree that human are more superior than animal. As per the six realms of existence, human is at the higher realms that we would strive to be in so that we can practice Dharma. Human has better conditions than animal to understand Dharma and to practice it.

However, that does not mean that we should harm or eat animals. Animals are part of the sentient beings that we should have compassion with, just like with any human.

Well said, Lotus and as such we should being so called ''superior'' be helpful to all other sentient beings to elevate sufferings.

No dominance over any other sentient beings nor even the same species of human beings.

[SabS]

Our superiority is only in the potential that we are able to practice to gain enlightenment and out of sufferings of samsara. Other than that, we are no better off than the animals as we share the same. In fact, even carnivorous animals kill just for food and nothing excessive, unlike humans who deplete the earth of its resources for our selfish wants. The condition of animals or earth is the reflection of our humanity.

[Drolma]

Human is not superior to animals. Just because animals cannot speak and express themselves using a language we can understand, it does not mean humans are more superior and we can take away their lives or their living space. Unfortunately, this is what humans have always been doing. We destroy our planet and the living environment of the animals because we want development.

As Buddhists, we believe after we die or any other sentient being dies, the conscious mind will leave the body and take rebirth. The conscious mind can take rebirth in the 3 upper realms or the 3 lower realms. Animals or ghost have the possibility of taking rebirth as a human being or semi-god or god and human can take rebirth as an animal or spirit or in hell. It all depends on our karma. Thus, how can human beings be more superior when there is a chance we will take rebirth in the 3 lower realms?

Life as animals is not easy especially, look at those stray dogs and cats. Most of the time they have to eat rubbish and risk to be bullied or killed. They cannot learn Dharma or do anything to purify their karma or collect merits, they have to suffer until their negative karma exhausts then they might have the chance to take rebirth in a perfect human form again. Therefore, we should have compassion for them.

[Tenzin K]

Human is not superior to animals. Humans and animals are just another types of species that shared the earth. Since we don’t own the earth than we must respect and create a respectful environment with animals to live together.


Being animals it’s a very unfortunate condition as an animal they are unable to learn dharma or even recite the mantra. Being animals what will be their chance to collect merits for their future lives?

What we can do to help is to recite the mantra to them and let them listen to every single word. This way is to plant the seed for their future. Place Buddha statue for the animals and allow them to circumambulate around the Buddha. This is another way that will allow the animals to collect merits.