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> But if we live by subhuman means we might as well never have had the good fortune to be born human.

• solidsnack9000 9y ago
  This is related to the Buddhist notion of the "opportunity of human form". (In the Fukazazengi, Dōgen renders this as 人身の機要, read "ninshin no kiyō".) To be born a god is too easy -- it's hard to turn to the dharma when life is so good. To be born a demon or an animal is too difficult -- it's hard to practice the way when life is so tough. As a human, we recognize fairly early that life does not always go our way; but we are not without some control and capacity for disciplined practice. It's this combination that allows us to (a) want to practice and (b) be able to practice.