Understanding the Nature of Plants
Dear Teacher,
Is it known why plants are not considered to be 'living beings' in the teachings?
It does seem to be evident that their level of sentience is lower than that of animals, but I think we would all agree that plants are alive.
If they are not reborn, then how do they come into this world, what's the nature of their existence like?
Thank you so much for your patient answers and guidance 🙏
(Btw, I'm Helena the polish girl who attends your classes in Chiang Mai, we talked yesterday.)
Teacher David replies.
Hello Hela…sure, I will help you.
Dear Teacher, Is it known why plants are not considered to be 'living beings' in the teachings?
Yes, because they do not have The Five Aggregates.
The Five Aggregates are what makes “a being, a being”.
A living being will have all five aggregates, also known as “elements” or “collections”.
The Five Aggregates
Form: the physical body.
Feelings: results of experiences in the mind through The Six Sense Bases.
Perceptions: a belief or opinion based on how things seem.
Volitional Formations: choices or decisions that are made.
Consciousness: the mind.
While many people talk about plants as being alive, this is part of the “unknowing of true reality”. That due to the lack of wisdom of The Five Aggregates and what makes a being a living being, many people are confused thinking that plants are alive.
Some even use the language of talking about plants as being alive or having been killed but, this is part of the lack of wisdom for someone who speaks in this way. It is not possible to kill a plant because they are not alive due to not having The Five Aggregates.
This is why when one chooses to harvest a plant, there is no unwholesome results. But, if you killed a living being (i.e. they have The Five Aggregates), there is going to be unwholesome results that come to you.
This is not a belief, a concept, a view, nor an opinion but instead, it is the truth which can be independently verified. It is part of The Natural Laws of Existence and is why the first precept is taught to live compassionately for all living beings. But, you need to know what a living being is to be able to practice this precept, which is based in The Natural Law of Kamma.
It is The Five Aggregates that help a Practitioner cultivate the wisdom to know what is or is not a living being.
It does seem to be evident that their level of sentience is lower than that of animals, but I think we would all agree that plants are alive.
I would not agree that plants are alive because they do not have The Five Aggregates.
You will not find that “all” people will agree on anything as that would be permanence, when in reality, we can understand The Universal Truth of Impermanence.
Again, people talk as if they are alive but this is with a lack of wisdom of The Five Aggregates.
If they are not reborn, then how do they come into this world, what's the nature of their existence like?
A plant is not experiencing an existence. They are not a living being and do not exist within The Cycle of Rebirth.
Plants are grown based on a seed. That seed grows and matures to produce a plant. But, since The Five Aggregates do not exist, we cannot say that a plant is a living being or that it is experiencing an existence.
Thank you so much for your patient answers and guidance.
Sure, pleased to help you.
(Btw, I'm Helena the polish girl who attends your classes in Chiang Mai, we talked yesterday.)
Yes, thank you Helena. Now, I have connected our conversations to your Facebook profile.
Helena expresses thanks and clarity.
Wow, I had to read this more than 5 times 🤯 The mind has been expanded, again ☺️
Thank you very much David 🙏✨
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