I tried asking on /lit/ but they've yet to give me a reply.

Is Schopenhauer's "will" using animals (humans included) as some sort of vessel for it's existence? that is to say it is inherently separate but manifests through living beings and uses them as vessels? You see some animals eat their young when times are hard, as if the will has concluded this is better in the long term if the mother can eat, and then reproduce and raise her young in more favorable conditions at a later time. Obviously you also see mothers sacrificing their lives for their young, i guess this is the most common expression for the continuity of the will.

Obviously i agree with everything in regards to how suffering is derived from the will to exist (the will's will maybe as a separate entity??). But this is something i've thought about a couple of times and i didn't see schopenhauer comment on this in his book Essays and Aphorisms, which is his only book i've read, i watched some videos too. I have yet to read his main work so i'm speaking from ignorance.

idk, maybe i'm severely autistic and just rambling. Please do provide insight if you have any.