This is a video on the points of linkage between existentialism and Buddhism, with a special emphasis on existentialism’s hermeneutic element. I do not own these images, and this video is for education purposes only.
Eric Dodson
Source
Existentialism and Buddhism — Points of Linkage
Nicely done! Great job 🙂 And thanks for sharing.
Excellent Video.
gracias Sr. Erick, estoy encantado con sus videos y su claridad al hablar, entiendo perfectamente su ingles, gracias, gracias, gracias……
cool,i knew i wasn't the only who saw the linkage lol especially Schopenhauer's work
Very interesting. I'm not familiar with philosophy at all, and have actually discovered existentialism for myself a few months ago (thanks to Irvin Yalom, and the psyclological and existential challenges that the life has made me to face). And through these few months I had a feeling that existentialism and buddhism have a lot in common regarding their attitude towads life, but it's the first time I see this feeling unequivocally expressed by someone else. I would like to understand more about parallels and divergences between existentialism and Buddhism. Is there any written works about these issues?
And thank you very much!
Very excellent video. Would like to hear your thoughts on the Buddhist concept of escaping the suffering versus the various Western existentialist ideas on escaping the suffering.
Re: 5:18 = Ice FLOE vice FLOW (sic)
What's the famous existential film at 7:40?
I really enjoy watching your videos.
Naked reality is an online vid course I am creating that tries to modernize and simplify the core of all mystical traditions so they can hopefully reach more people/
Eric i love you and your work, thank you such much! <3
To comprehend the difference between ātman and anātman is to become liberated.[6] (Wikipedia)
To comprehend the difference between the ego-self and the real-self is to become accessible the liberation which is Para Brahman. (Kirby 2016)
To comprehend that the anatman and the atman both reside within you is to become accessible to the liberation which is Para Brahman. (Kirby 2016)
Are you having fun up at your cabin is the question no I'm just being up there and experiencing being in various different ways
A somewhat superficial attempt to link Buddhism with its basis in sunyata ahimsa dukha and compassion with the heroic individualistic and nihilistic nature of Existentialism. Very few followers of Existentialism have had any influence in Western society in comparison to Buddhism's effect in Asia
I enjoy reading both Buddhism and Existentialism a lot. Both of these philosophies focus on the here and now and provide practical ways of dealing with the stresses and anxiety that most of us face on a daily basis. I recently read up on some Schopenhauer, a somewhat famous German Philosopher from the 19th century, who has some very interesting ideas (though he's quite the pessimist). He was interested in Buddhism because he also recognized that much suffering arises from our attachments to, and cravings for, fame, wealth, recognition, power, etc…., and sex and food and alcohol and the list goes on and on. Schopenhauer's main idea was about the "Will" and how "WILL" drives us and the world. He preceded the start of existentialism, but seems like his approach was somewhat similar to approaches used by existentialist's. Enjoyed the video.
Secularists say that Prophets suffer from schizophrenia. What secular Buddhism is trying is to create a non-monastic form of Buddhism to overcome its schizoid tendencies. Even early Christianity had an element of repetitive daily sacraments, but antinomianism removed that from western culture and promoted what Susan Cain calls the Extrovert Ideal of Evangelicalism. An important influence on Kierkegaard was the Ishmaelic near sacrifice in Fear and Trembling. What the Ishmaelite world did was to preserve the monastic repetitive element while overcoming schizoid tendencies by discouraging celibacy of Catholicism/Buddhism and begging in Buddhism. So, what secular Buddhist try to achieve has already been achieved Scripturally and a spiritual civilization exists which tries to pursue those ideas even in politics a dream of Plato.
@Eric Dodson
I studied indo-tibetan dharma in India and Nepal for several years, and now came back to the West to work together with a tibetan teacher here as his translator and assistant. I will also start doing a BA in Philosophy beginning next winter semester, and had this wish to specially look at Nietzsche, Heidegger and Wittgenstein after getting the fundamentals down (being a german speaker and buddhist those philosophers are specially interresting for me) and how they relate to Nagarjuna and his commentators as well as Dignaga and Asanga. I would like to once in a while have a chat with you in the process if you don't mind
Cheers for your videos, I will dwell on them as time permits 😉
I think Heidegger's notion of Being-in-the-world is close to ideas very well known in Buddhism, isn't it? Likewise the concept of 'flow' by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. And also the concept of Aletheia is related to Buddhism's meditation process which seeks an awakening (which is about what Heidegger called the unconcealedness of Being). I would say part of my intellectual 'project' is to reconcile western philosophy with eastern philosophy. Easy peasy.
there are also links between Blake's system and Buddhism (and existentialism?)
Great and unique video, thanks
+Eric Dodson +zweiosterei – I would really enjoy a discussion on differences and resemblances between Deleuze's philosophy (rhizome, body without organs, plane of immanence, haecceity, lines of flight, etc) and Mahayana Buddhism.
Love the clarity about the struggle to make decisions.
Thank you SO much! ?
Buddha's telling can not understand by intellect , Try Vippasana Meditation you will get your all answer.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.
Why do I like Existentialism ?
Because I love Buddhism.
God is in me, the author of my dream.
I would like to suggest a topic, if you think it is relevant, of course, about the western current trend to link the seach for enlightenment (or at least for self knowledge) to physical cure of diseases. In this respect, the western tends to see the east practices, like yoga and meditation, for instance, as therapy.
However, when I remember that Ramana Maharshi, who achieved enlightenment, died cancer, Goenka died cancer, and Richard Rose had Alzheimer, well, it makes me wonder. Is really there a direct linkage between finding our true nature and being healthy? It would be grate to hear your thoughts on this matter.
I like Zen, though I don't know what it is 😀
from the standpoint of budha's wife, newborn son and father king, budha's life is not a pathway into existentialism, but nihilism/atheism. its not fair to judge another mans life, for everyone is different. but when a mans life is elevated to an ideal(though not intended in buddhism, many followers take it to be so ), of course conflict occurs between ideals( bodhisattva – jesus of nazerath is numero uno ideal, as far as truth, is concerned – here no one needs to be disappointed that truly following jesus is like chasing the speed of light, because jesus never said, He will only bless you unless you chase Him down, but He was even willing to, let good thief, into His kingdom, even when at the last moment of both of their life, when good thief asked to, not forget him{the fellow sufferer}. ). and of course so, because buddhism is still reluctant to recognize evil( satan ) in this world, and of course, the almighty God also.
just open your eyes from the yoga pose and routine breathing( because life is not just about you
"only those who live, who live for others"{ swami vivekananda/ jesus of nazerath }), and look around the world and see its encroachment not only on nature( fair enough, as its pointed out in this videobut it is not western culture that encroaches on nature, nowadays east is even less careful than west, about dominating mother earth- gaia, hence no need for unnecessary guilt feeling here by comparing cultures), but also on our fellow men (their livelihood- by war/riots/injustice/hate speech – dignity).i am okey with budhists seeking nothing( sunyata/nihilism ), in a non linear path. but my approach to searching truth is multi-dimentional, not necessarily non linear. i am a simpleton, hence i believe strongly in destination, in life(after-life). for your very identity is formed by your destination. there is big difference in the way of life between a family man( grihasthasa) and an ascetic( sanyasi ) setting himalayas as his destination. though hinduism tries to put one after another, by the life of billions of people in india, i found both to be mutually exclusive. hence, the priesthood/laymen in christianity, i found more appealing, provided its out of the individuals, free choice.
budha is never pro-active, but reactive, unlike bodhisattva – jesus of nazerath.
repetitive practices/prayers are more prevalent in roman catholicism than to budhism. every syro malabar family, back in kerala(india) is supposed to pray rosary( one of the best repetitive prayers ever, contemplating about life of jesus of nazerath ).
truth (satyameva jayate ) is constant/permanent, but everything else changes/is impermanent, exactly but in accordance with truth, sooner or later. for truth is like a rising sun at dawn, and is unstoppable.
reality is impermanent for budhist because no budhist was ever put on a roman cross or nazi concentration camp. our beloved jews/spartans, was at the receiving end of both of these events, and i assume there is not many jewish budhists. many realities( trajedies) in our personal life is permanent not impermanent. then, impermance( death ), do not scare me just, like it did before (because, i had a near death experience), for now i put my faith to meet my redeemer, jesus of nazerath after my this, not so awesome life.
then budhists say lets, LET GO. let go, is easy for an alzheimers patient and a fool. a more practical and compassionate approach would be, lets forgive completely and unconditionally( jesus of nazerath ) but not necessarily forget, for we are humans right, not just donkeys. if we can LET GO, of everything as easy as budhists preaches, we would not have any (menders)priests/pastors, theologians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors(infj) working in our society. so every society is in dare need of such/any peacemakers(bodhisattvas).
i will listen to a preach from a person who took the impossible santidevas bodhisattva vow, about suffering, but never from budha. but i may lend my ears about suffering from budhas forsaken wife, son, father king and citizens of his kingdom. for bhagavat gita/upanishads says, it best to do your own responsibilities, though imperfectly, than to aspire to do another persons life call/responsibilities, perfectly.
then budhists says, in order to escape suffering we should NOT attach with anything, especially IDEAS. attachment is the norm for life, for we are born into this world, as a foetus attached to our mother by umbilical cord. even love has unity in sex. then even if you are an extreme ascetic, you want many events which we took granted in our life, to happen exactly/repetitively to live ( like sun rising every day/earths rotation around sun, seasons happening every year/earths revolution around sun, air we inhale and exhale, ubiquitous water, planet jupitor shielding comets falling on our earth, then human problems{war/riot/hate speech} and so on, which were not the case through out entire history/evolution of our planet/man). here i invite buddhists to think about God/YHWH (a supreme consciousness/mind – which is approved even by some scientists dealing with quantum mechanics ).
LET GO, is a good idea as far as dead people are concerned ( jesus said, let dead go and bury their dead ). in politics/racism/our troubled history(past)/divide between diversity and classes of people( in india, we nickname it "unity in diversity" ), LETTING GO is definitely the best option available. because there is no point in repeating history in a VICIOUS CIRCLE , if mankind is supposed to evolve into higher self/mutual awareness and hence peace FIRST in your own HEART, and then only in your city/province/nation/continent/entire planet earth, in that fucking order, you stupid monkeys, counting to 7 billion strong, monkey comrades . for then only, we can start a NEW BEGINNING ( a new heaven and new earth – revelation 21- holy bible ). but lets be here, beware to follow the principle, " satyam vada, dharmam chara ", unto our goal, truth and truth alone.
though i can see that a bodhisattva addresses life heads on, budha is in turn is an escapist. but i also understand that there is no bodhisattva(action), without budha( contemplation ). even jesus of nazerath lived a life of contemplation/secret life/budha life, till he was 30 years old, before he started his bodhisattva life ( public ministry lasting 3 years, around his death on cross at age 33/34).
NOW/present moment, is a popular concept in budhism.
but jesus of nazerath addrsses that issue more heads on, with a theistic/realistic background when he says, (mathew 6; 27-29) "can any one of you by worrying add a single moment to his/her life? look at the birds of the air, they do not sow reap or gather into barns- and yet your heavenly father feeds them.are you not much more valuable than they?( do not even let, trump/modi say you are a looser, because the biggest loosers, call others loosers inturn. { for real leaders, do not divide society, but unite them to their level best, and bring forth the best in his/her pupil}. ) who do you by worrying can add a single hour to his/her lifespan? and why do you worry about cloths? consider how the lilies of the field grow – they do not labor or spin. and yet i tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like, one of these. if that is how God clothes grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more cloth you, O you of little faith" ???????