Mike, I am kind of saying that...
The way I'd put it is other animals don't have as much (or maybe nothing) to transcend. If they have an intellect which creates the illusion of dualism then they do, but it is my belief most animals' intellect is much less complex than our so probably produces less illusion - hence less to transcend. Like I keep saying, the human intellect is both a blessing and a curse. In fact you could say the blessing is what you've described, the ability to transcend the self - but then the self is a product of this same intellect. So it's truly a case of saving yourself from your self. Maybe it would be better if you just did not create the illusion of self in the first place. But of course all humans do - and maybe other animals too. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > Bill!,<br/><br/>Like I said in another post, it's not a question of being > superior to animals (good or bad), but that we have the potential to > transcend the self and realise our true nature - true peace and happiness > that comes with a cessation of suffering. No other animal that we know of can > do that. It's not because we're chosen or have been singled out, but because > evolution has gone that way for us (whether that's a natural consequence of > life and evolution, I don't know). Spiders and foxes blindly follow their > instincts with no ability for introspection/empathy towards others in regard > of their actions. Are you seriously saying that unwaveringly following their > nature is more exalted than our ability to do those things?? You and Merle > can bemoan the fact you weren't born as ants or fruit-bats, but I'll rejoice > in my humanity and "strive" to reach our highest > potential.<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
