do we have a soul and if so do animals have souls

[dean haywood]

i was talking to a christian friend the other day who strongly argued that only human have a soul or whatever anyone calls the part of us that moves onto the next level of being.i replyed that if we have a soul then surely all living creatures must have the same, what do you think?

[Seiyo]

My opinion that ANY sentient being has a "soul". The term I use is energy that carries one's Karma. So Dean, I am in agreement with you!

Seiyo

[Dharmavidya]

In Buddhism we do not see a hard line between species in the way that Christianity does in this respect. Animals have consciousness and karma, just as humans do. This is alo why Buddhism tends to be compassionate to animals, favour vegetarianism, etc. Behind the Christian assertion there may have once lain an injunction to humans not to 'act like animals' and a plea for them to rise to a higher level of conduct and thought and we would agree with this sentiment, but not with the metaphysical format that Theistic religions have linked to it. Thank you for raising the point.