What do they mean by "sentient beings"? A juvenile cardinal flew into our kitchen window, breaking it's neck. Their nest-mate fluttered around the corpse, frantically grasping and pecking at it, calling out to it; keening. It stayed with it's companion for hours. The closer I looked at the natural world, the less certain I became of what was and was not worthy of according the privilege of the title "sentient"...and more acutely aware of the hubris (and silliness) in asking the question in the first place. Like so many things, I surrendered this question to the "don't know mind", and went on to distract and confuse myself with other intractable conundrums. Although beings be numberless, I vow to save them all...sentient or otherwise. May all beings everywhere without exception transcend all suffering and know peace.
