33.52  The killing principle. Figure no. 10
The animal kingdom is the kingdom of the killing principle or the world of unadulterated darkness. This principle, which in the symbol is symbolised by the black and red figure marked no. 10, is nothing less than the foundation of life for the beings of the animal kingdom. Thus the figure symbolises all murderous bloodshed, massacres, all deadly mutilation and suffering and the resulting deadly karma or fate. This karma is sometimes also triggered not merely by living beings but also by natural catastrophes that can lead the beings to their death or deadly mutilation. So figure no. 10 indicates all the forms of unnatural death that beings inflict on other beings and the resulting retroactive karma or fate.