Some religions, like Hinduism and it’s major offshoots Jainism and
Buddhism, however, were able to maintain a semblance of this link through
the development of agriculture. To a lesser extent, indigenously developed
Shinto and Taoism, both of which have animal spirits of consequence,
although not always equal to the value of the human spirit, are also
examples of this, and there were, from time to time, philosophical
developments in the West that animals were worthy of compassion.
Pythagoras is an example of this, though it is debated whether his
preference for vegetarianism was truly motivated by compassion for animals
or by other factors. In those cultures where the essential spirit was devoid of
physical links to the material world, it would be free to participate in
existence through any living medium. But even here, animals were generally
seen as a lower form of life to humans, with certain exceptions. But the
concept that a spirit could be invested in a human in one life and in an
animal the next had a certain equalization to it. Although all three religions
did hold that only humans were capable of achieving the ultimate elevation
to self-realization. There are some minor offshoots for which this may not be
so, but in the mainstream this is the case. No enlightenment for cats,
however cute and fluffy.
Born to be Beaten; This Life as Punishment for the Sins of the Last
But sadly this concept of reincarnation, when coupled with a strict adherence
to a ranking of qualities has often produced great harm, injustice,
intolerance and indifference in Hinduism. The rationale being that if someone
is born into a lower human caste, or as an animal, they are in that
predicament because they were evil or unworthy in their earlier life. Thus,
the story of the man who every day kicked his dog, and one day his
neighbor asked him why he kicked his dog every day upon waking and
before going to bed. The man replied, “well, he must have been an evil
person to be reborn as a dog, so I am helping to punish him for his past
misdeeds and train him so that he can be reborn into a better life.”
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