Buddhists show empathy not only to other people but also to nonhuman creatures. Because the Buddha’s teachings move us away from an egotistical, anthropomorphic, and self-centered worldview, it only makes sense that we should come to see the other creatures with whom we share the earth as having as rightful a place as do human beings. In Buddhist teachings, nonhuman creatures are not lesser or ‘other.’ Thich Nhat Hanh writes: ‘A human being is an animal, a part of nature. But we single ourselves out from the rest of nature. We classify other animals and living beings as nature as if we ourselves are not part of it. Then we pose the question, “How should I deal with Nature?” We should deal with nature the way we deal with ourselves. . .! Harming nature is harming ourselves, and vice-versa.’
When our actions are based on empathy and compassion we naturally want ourselves and all other sentient beings to be well, happy and free from suffering. This intention of goodwill to all men, women, and creatures is based on the natural state of being without ignorance. This natural state of mind and emotions can be accomplished through the gradual and progressive transformation of dis-identification and non-attachment to the pragmatic, relative yet necessary conceptual world. After transcending the attachments and identifications to conceptualization and objectification and the duality of the subject/object, one can and will continue to participate with others in the construction and origination of these images and stories while, at the same time, knowing that it is all a sort of magic show, thereby, give up the attachments, dogma, and identifications with the stories and characters that are created in our minds. This is the Enlightenment of Awakening to seeing things as they are. This is understanding the non-substantiality of all forms.
We are all Interconnected even with the Universe 