Gratitude is the positive emotional state of thankfulness and appreciation for benefits, kindness, or good fortune received. It involves recognizing the value of those gifts—whether they are tangible items or intangible favors—and often inspires a desire to return the kindness or express the feeling in return. A foundational message of our website is that at the bare minimum we should be grateful for the opportunity to participate in the human experience! Just a short list of the special advantages we have over other animals:
Humans possess key physical advantages over other animals, including exceptional endurance running, highly efficient sweat cooling, and precise throwing ability.
Movement and Stamina
- Endurance running: Humans can run long distances better than almost any other animal over time.
- Upright walking (bipedalism): Walking on two legs uses very little energy compared to running on four legs.
- Sweat cooling: Humans sweat all over the skin to cool down fast, so we do not overheat easily.
Hands and Upper Body
- Opposable thumbs: Thumbs can touch the other fingers, making it easy to grab and hold things tightly.
- Precise throwing: Unique shoulder and wrist joints let humans throw objects and weapons with great speed and aim.
- Free hands: Walking upright leaves hands free to carry food, tools, and babies.
- Through techniques such as teaching and imitation, we can create and transmit complicated Information over many generations. So if a human finds, for instance, a better but more complex way to make a knife, they can pass along the new instructions.
- Classical Scriptural Basis: From ancient Sanskrit texts there is a process of atonement (prāyaścitta) for many grave misdeeds, but there is no expiation for ingratitude (kṛtaghna nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ).
- The Epics and Puranas: Verses in texts like the Valmiki Ramayana and the Shivapurana explicitly state that society and sages have prescribed penances for killers, thieves, and oath-breakers, but no rescue exists for the ungrateful person. The Concept of Kritaghna: An ungrateful person (kṛtaghna) is viewed as someone who destroys the very fabric of trust and mutual support (kṛta meaning help done, ghna meaning destroying or killing).
- Foundation of Virtue: Gratitude (kṛtajñatā) is considered the root of human decency, empathy, and recognition of the interconnectedness of life.
- The Law of Karma: While rituals can help redirect one’s mind, a betrayal of trust and kindness leaves an indelible psychological and karmic mark that must be lived through.