The Humans
“Furthermore, Ananda, if as an animal one pays back more than what it owed, then one will be reborn as a human to straighten out the balance. After that, if one has accumulated enough blessings and merit, one can retain a human rebirth to further pay for other karma. If one lacks blessings, though, one will fall back into an animal rebirth to pay the balance.
“Ananda, for debts involving money, material goods, or services, once it is paid back, the debt gets resolved. But if during the process there were killing and devouring involved, then the cycle of abuse and vengeance may go on for countless eons, with both parties taking turns to get the upper hand or lower one. The wheel of karma may never stop turning, until the creditor and debtor finally learn to practice Shamatha (peaceful abiding), or until a Buddha appears in the world.
“Now you should understand that when owls or the likes have paid their debts and regained human rebirth, they will be reborn as the stubborn and headstrong type, while inauspicious creatures will be born deformed, foxes and the likes will be born foolish, venomous species will be born as the vicious type, parasites will be born to a lowly position, animals used for food will be born as the weak and dependent type, animals used for clothing or services will be born as laborers, migratory birds or the likes will be born as the literary type, and auspicious creatures will be born intelligent, while domestic pets will be born as the sophisticated type.
“Ananda, all such people are pitiful because they came from the Three Low Realms (hell, ghost, and animal), after they paid off their debts and regained human rebirth. Since time without beginning, they had been engaging in wrongful livelihoods, taking turns killing and being killed. And if they do not encounter the Tathagata, nor do they hear the Proper Dharma, they will be repeating the wearisome cycle of samsara indefinitely.”
復次阿難從是畜生酬償先債。若彼酬者分越所酬。此等眾生還復為人返徵其剩。如彼有力兼有福德。則於人中不捨人身酬還彼力。若無福者還為畜生償彼餘直。阿難當知若用錢物。或役其力償足自停。如於中間殺彼身命或食其肉。如是乃至經微塵劫。相食相誅猶如轉輪。互為高下無有休息。除奢摩他及佛出世不可停寢。汝今應知彼梟倫者酬足復形。生人道中參合頑類。彼咎徵者酬足復形。生人道中參合愚類。彼狐倫者酬足復形。生人道中參於佷類。彼毒倫者酬足復形。生人道中參合庸類。彼蛔倫者酬足復形。生人道中參合微類。彼食倫者酬足復形。生人道中參合柔類。彼服倫者酬足復形。生人道中參合勞類。彼應倫者酬足復形。生人道中參於文類。彼休徵者酬足復形。生人道中參合明類。彼諸循倫酬足復形。生人道中參於達類。阿難是等皆以宿債畢酬復形人道。皆無始來業計顛倒相生相殺。不遇如來不聞正法。於塵勞中法爾輪轉。此輩名為可憐愍者。
Buddha Mind 