Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral: Our Karmic Connection to Those Born from Horizontal Wombs

According to the Sāṃkhyakārikā, each individual puruṣa (self) is joined with prakṛti (material nature) for many lifetimes before attaining liberation. These various incarnations, taking form from Brahmā to a blade of grass, are categorized as divine, animal, or human. The animal (“horizontal”) creation is fivefold, elaborated in the Gauḍapādabhāṣya as domesticated animals, wild animals, birds, reptiles, and inanimate objects. In all forms of creation, suffering exists through inherent nature. While a human birth is precious in our ability to seek liberation from the cycle of rebirth, we are also uniquely positioned to extend compassion to all beings, as strongly advocated in Jainism. As the 22nd Jina Neminātha profoundly witnessed on his wedding day, compelling him towards renunciation, our pain is reflected in the cries of animals. However, as this paper will explore, in our interconnected karmic web this relationship is reciprocal—the animal creation can teach and support us too.