Moral Status of Animals in Theravada Buddhist Philosophy

Abstract

This research studies the moral status of animals in Theravada Buddhist philosophy as found in the Tripitaka, Buddhist commentaries, and related books and articles. It finds that animals have moral status in Theravada Buddhist perspective because they have intrinsic values derived from (1) their moral capability, (2) the merits they have accumulated from past lives, and (3) their sentience and their will to live. However, granting animals moral status does not contradict the Theravada Buddhist stance of allowing humans to consume meat and experiment with animals since they are considered to be based on respect for the intrinsic values of animals.