What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
SarathW
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What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by SarathW »

What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal

This seems a silly question but it is good to know the difference.
There are laws to avoid cruelty to animal.
Will this be applicable to cruelty to insects?

The video in the following article may be disturbing some.
Woman arrested for running over two puppies after video goes viral

https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_new ... 108-254531
Last edited by SarathW on Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Mahabrahma »

We have something like universes inside of our body, many insects I would imagine just have a smaller one of that. Every life is sacred though.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
SarathW
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by SarathW »

Mahabrahma wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:19 am We have something like universes inside of our body, many insects I would imagine just have a smaller one of that. Every life is sacred though.
Yes I used to wonder whether we human are living inside someone's body.
Latter on I learned that this is some sort of a Hindu belief.
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Mahabrahma
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Mahabrahma »

SarathW wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:21 am
Mahabrahma wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:19 am We have something like universes inside of our body, many insects I would imagine just have a smaller one of that. Every life is sacred though.
Yes I used to wonder whether we human are living inside someone's body.
Latter on I learned that this is some sort of a Hindu belief.
Yes I am familiar with that. When Rishis would address Krishna in the Vedas they would say that all that exists rests inside of that Deva's Spiritual Body. There is a deep Hindu belief that Gautama Buddha is Krishna.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by DNS »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect

See the scientific classification in the info box. They are members of the Animal Kingdom, so insects are animals.

I think laws against animal cruelty only apply to the "culturally cute" ones like dogs and cats. For a vegan, this sounds hypocritical because what about the pigs and cows who are abused in the factory farm businesses? Some nations have enacted laws for more humane farming, but not sure how that is enforced considering the volume of animals slaughtered for food on a daily basis.

I don't think the laws against cruelty to animals apply to insects. Most consider insects to be a lower-form of life, not worthy of the protections of larger animals.

In terms of the Dhamma, one is not supposed to kill even a small insect; no animals (which includes mammals, fish, sea animals, birds, insects, etc).
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Ceisiwr »

SarathW wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 3:16 am What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal

This seems a silly question but it is good to know the difference.
There are laws to avoid cruelty to animal.
Will this be applicable to cruelty to insects?

The video in the following article may be disturbing some.
Woman arrested for running over two puppies after video goes viral

https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_new ... 108-254531
Insects like birds, fish or humans are animals.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
Ontheway
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Ontheway »

Human is human ; animals are animals.

Manussa and tiracchana : two different categories.

Human is capable of mental development till enlightenment. Animals cannot do so.

Not even Nagas and Supannas.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
KathyLauren
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by KathyLauren »

Biologically, humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, etc. are all animals.

Buddhists put humans in a separate category from other animals because our mental abilities are considerably more advanced, allowing us to reach enlightenment. All the others are animals.

In some Buddhist cultures, shellfish are considered rocks, not animals. I don't think this has any scriptural basis. It is a cultural thing, allowing people who are otherwise vegetarian to eat them.

Kathy
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by justindesilva »

KathyLauren wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:20 pm Biologically, humans, other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, etc. are all animals.

Buddhists put humans in a separate category from other animals because our mental abilities are considerably more advanced, allowing us to reach enlightenment. All the others are animals.

In some Buddhist cultures, shellfish are considered rocks, not animals. I don't think this has any scriptural basis. It is a cultural thing, allowing people who are otherwise vegetarian to eat them.

Kathy
All insects and creatures are a part of earth and has something to contribute . All are life and is covered generally by panathipata veramani state . Hence afaik all lives are equally valuable .
Meggo
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Meggo »

Ontheway wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 1:23 pm Human is human ; animals are animals.

Manussa and tiracchana : two different categories.

Human is capable of mental development till enlightenment. Animals cannot do so.

Not even Nagas and Supannas.
This is wrong. Every being has the ability to achieve a better rebirth, until it reaches the birth of a being able to reach enlightenment. This here already is development towards enlightenment. So there really is no difference between beings, only the time they need to reach their full potential.
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Meggo »

KathyLauren wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:20 pm Buddhists put humans in a separate category from other animals because our mental abilities are considerably more advanced, allowing us to reach enlightenment. All the others are animals.
Kathy
Adult humans that is. If you'd separate beings according to their mental capabilities then human children would be animals, with all the consequences.
A better way would be to look at animals as children, needing help to achieve their full potential in a future birth = adulthood, so the question is then, which kind of behaviour maximizes the potential of an animal? Putting them into death camps and torturing them? Will this lead to mindstates supportive of higher rebirth? Or will this achieve the exact opposite?
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Ontheway »

Meggo wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 6:54 am
Ontheway wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 1:23 pm Human is human ; animals are animals.

Manussa and tiracchana : two different categories.

Human is capable of mental development till enlightenment. Animals cannot do so.

Not even Nagas and Supannas.
This is wrong. Every being has the ability to achieve a better rebirth, until it reaches the birth of a being able to reach enlightenment. This here already is development towards enlightenment. So there really is no difference between beings, only the time they need to reach their full potential.
Ok, you just proved my point. An animal need to have a better rebirth then only can work for enlightenment. Till then, the animal has no capability to attain Enlightenment in that animal existence. Furthermore,

A better rebirth isn't necessarily a step towards Enlightenment.

Ciñcā Māṇavikā, a wandering female ascetic, possessed surpassing beauty and loveliness. To attain this status, she must have accumulated much merits in past existence and therefore had a good rebirth as beautiful religious lady. But then later she falsely accused Lord Buddha, end up with a gruesome death and she reborn in the Avici Hell.
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
Ontheway
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Ontheway »

The Buddha said it clearly:
Sāriputta, there are these five destinations. What are the five? Hell, the animal realm, the realm of ghosts, human beings, and gods.

(1) “I understand hell, and the path and way leading to hell. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell.

(2) “I understand the animal realm, and the path and way leading to the animal realm. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in the animal realm.

(3) “I understand the realm of ghosts, and the path and way leading to the realm of ghosts. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in the realm of ghosts.

(4) “I understand human beings, and the path and way leading to the human world. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear among human beings.

(5) “I understand the gods, and the path and way leading to the world of the gods. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, on the dissolution of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.

(6) “I understand Nibbāna, and the path and way leading to Nibbāna. And I also understand how one who has entered this path will, by realising for himself with direct knowledge, here and now enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints.

(1) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell.’ And then later on, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he has reappeared in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, in hell, and is experiencing exclusively painful, racking, piercing feelings. Suppose there were a charcoal pit deeper than a man’s height full of glowing coals without flame or smoke; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed to that same charcoal pit. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path, that he will come to this same charcoal pit’; and then later on he sees that he has fallen into that charcoal pit and is experiencing exclusively painful, racking, piercing feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind…piercing feelings.

(2) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in the animal realm.’ And then later on, with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I see that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he has reappeared in the animal realm and is experiencing painful, racking, piercing feelings. Suppose there were a cesspit deeper than a man’s height full of filth; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed to that same cesspit. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves…that he will come to this same cesspit’; and then later on he sees that he has fallen into that cesspit and is experiencing painful, racking, piercing feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind…piercing feelings.

(3) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in the realm of ghosts.’ And then later on…I see that…he has reappeared in the realm of ghosts and is experiencing much painful feeling. Suppose there were a tree growing on uneven ground with scanty foliage casting a dappled shadow; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed to that same tree. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves… that he will come to this same tree’; and then later on he sees that he is sitting or lying in the shade of that tree experiencing much painful feeling. So too, by encompassing mind with mind …much painful feeling.

(4) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear among human beings.’ And then later on…I see that…he has reappeared among human beings and is experiencing much pleasant feeling. Suppose there were a tree growing on even ground with thick foliage casting a deep shade; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed to that same tree. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves…that he will come to this same tree’; and then later on he sees that he is sitting or lying in the shade of that tree experiencing much pleasant feeling. So too, by encompassing mind with mind…much pleasant feeling.

(5) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that on the dissolution of the body, after death, he will reappear in a happy destination, in the heavenly world.’ And then later on…I see that…he has reappeared in a happy destination, in the heavenly world, and is experiencing exclusively pleasant feelings. Suppose there were a mansion, and it had an upper chamber plastered within and without, shut off, secured by bars, with shuttered windows, and in it there was a couch spread with rugs, blankets, and sheets, with a deer-skin coverlet, with a canopy as well as crimson pillows for both head and feet; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only and directed to that same mansion. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves…that he will come to this same mansion’; and then later on he sees that he is sitting or lying in that upper chamber in that mansion experiencing exclusively pleasant feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind…exclusively pleasant feelings.

(6) “By encompassing mind with mind I understand a certain person thus: ‘This person so behaves, so conducts himself, has taken such a path that by realising for himself with direct knowledge, he here and now will enter upon and abide in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints.’ And then later on I see that by realising for himself with direct knowledge, he here and now enters upon and abides in the deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom that are taintless with the destruction of the taints, and is experiencing exclusively pleasant feelings. Suppose there were a pond with clean, agreeable, cool water, transparent, with smooth banks, delightful, and nearby a dense wood; and then a man scorched and exhausted by hot weather, weary, parched, and thirsty, came by a path going in one way only towards that same pond. Then a man with good sight on seeing him would say: ‘This person so behaves…that he will come to this same pond’; and then later on he sees that he has plunged into the pond, bathed, drunk, and relieved all his distress, fatigue, and fever and has come out again and is sitting or lying in the wood experiencing exclusively pleasant feelings. So too, by encompassing mind with mind…exclusively pleasant feelings. These are the five destinations.

“Sāriputta, when I know and see thus, should anyone say of me: ‘The recluse Gotama does not have any superhuman states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. The recluse Gotama teaches a Dhamma merely hammered out by reasoning, following his own line of inquiry as it occurs to him’—unless he abandons that assertion and that state of mind and relinquishes that view, then as surely as if he had been carried off and put there he will wind up in hell. Just as a bhikkhu possessed of virtue, concentration, and wisdom would here and now enjoy final knowledge, so it will happen in this case, I say, that unless he abandons that assertion and that state of mind and relinquishes that view, then as surely as if he had been carried off and put there he will wind up in hell."
MN12 Mahāsīhanādasutta
Hiriottappasampannā,
sukkadhammasamāhitā;
Santo sappurisā loke,
devadhammāti vuccare.

https://suttacentral.net/ja6/en/chalmer ... ight=false
Meggo
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by Meggo »

Ontheway wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 3:11 pm
Meggo wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 6:54 am
Ontheway wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 1:23 pm Human is human ; animals are animals.

Manussa and tiracchana : two different categories.

Human is capable of mental development till enlightenment. Animals cannot do so.

Not even Nagas and Supannas.
This is wrong. Every being has the ability to achieve a better rebirth, until it reaches the birth of a being able to reach enlightenment. This here already is development towards enlightenment. So there really is no difference between beings, only the time they need to reach their full potential.
Ok, you just proved my point. An animal need to have a better rebirth then only can work for enlightenment. Till then, the animal has no capability to attain Enlightenment in that animal existence. Furthermore,

A better rebirth isn't necessarily a step towards Enlightenment.

Ciñcā Māṇavikā, a wandering female ascetic, possessed surpassing beauty and loveliness. To attain this status, she must have accumulated much merits in past existence and therefore had a good rebirth as beautiful religious lady. But then later she falsely accused Lord Buddha, end up with a gruesome death and she reborn in the Avici Hell.
I am saying it is a continuum, like animals = children, humans = adults. You are saying it is binary. I am saying a prerequisite to enlightenment is being an adult (=human) you are saying nope, because things could go wrong.
KathyLauren
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Re: What is the difference between an animal and an insect?

Post by KathyLauren »

Meggo wrote: Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:00 am
KathyLauren wrote: Tue Feb 21, 2023 2:20 pm Buddhists put humans in a separate category from other animals because our mental abilities are considerably more advanced, allowing us to reach enlightenment. All the others are animals.
Kathy
Adult humans that is. If you'd separate beings according to their mental capabilities then human children would be animals, with all the consequences.
There is no difference between beings, only the time they need to reach their full potential.

Regards,
Kathy
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