# How to properly distinguish sentient beings?

**URL:** <https://classicaltheravada.org/t/how-to-properly-distinguish-sentient-beings/176>\
**Category:** Sila - morality\
**Tags:** vinaya, panca-sila, karunā, doubt, vitakka\
**Created:** [April 17, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/how-to-properly-distinguish-sentient-beings/176 "2022-04-17T18:53:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 18

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**Author:** ![Dhamma001](https://classicaltheravada.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Dhamma001](https://classicaltheravada.org/u/Dhamma001)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://classicaltheravada.org/t/how-to-properly-distinguish-sentient-beings/176/18 "2022-07-09T14:20:52Z")

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Better define killing according to Buddhism so they would not define killing in other beliefs to bring them into Buddhist context.  
The monks are prohibited from picking plant leaf from a living tree, breaking plant branch, and pulling out grass. The Buddha acknowledges plants have jiva/life force. Laypeople are not prohibited, because plants do not have consciousness although they are alive. Plants are not sentient.  
As sentient life begins at foetal stage, ending the development of a foetus is killing a sentient being.

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