ABSTRACT
*All animals are sentient but some are more sentient than others. The Buddha recognised five skandha of sentience: matter, sensation, perception, mental formulation and consciousness. All animals (probably) experience simple sensations like pain and hunger. This commits us to minimise any actions likely to cause pain or suffering. Species with one or more of the powers of perception, mental formulation and consciousness have sentient minds. These properties give them the power to understand cause and effect, learn from experience and education, have higher feelings of grief and joy and develop cultures. Our duty to these species must extend to the promotion of quality of life. Within the broader context of extinction or regeneration, the principle of reverence for life requires us, as moral agents, to practise good husbandry for all our moral patients, not only those sentient animals within our direct care but also all our fellow mortals.
