Winter Skies for December 2007

The sun peers through the winter storm, the black sky, the fast-moving clouds

It shines that special light on the trees that makes you wince with pleasure at its beauty.

Buddhism and Existentialism - Unresolved Conflict

I like to explore what others say about Buddhist thought compared to existentialist thought. Since the both of these areas of practice and perspective have shaped my ideas since the late 60s, I continue to explore them in my everyday life.

Today I found an interesting comparison of Buddhism with existentialism - based on views of Nietzsche in the 20th century. Author Omar Moad says Nietzsche dissed Buddhim because he did not understand what was meant by nirvana.

Moad writes: By interpreting the Buddhist conception of inaction as a cessation of all action, Nietzsche presented Buddhism as an escapist, and 'weary' ideology. Rightly understood, however, the Buddhist ideal of kamma-niradha actually comes closer to Nietzsche's ideal - being, in his own words, action that is 'beyond good and evil', or outside the moral categories of a dogma. Now that it has become clearer that Buddhism does not involve a retreat simply from pain, and that it does not prescribe complete inertness, we must ask ourselves about the goal toward which its genuine recommendations are directed. Just click the link above to read more.

There are a bunch of people who express their ideas on this subject, and many want to prove why Buddhism is not anything like existentialism.

Another interesting discussion is about Zen compared to existentialism. I am not sure who authored this, but it is interesting: To the degree that all major religions focus on the problem involved with being human, they are all existential. Thus whether one sees humanity in a Western fashion as a sinner or in an eastern fashion as a sufferer, being human involves an existential dilemma. Using this definition Zen certainly is a form of religious existentialism.

Associating Zen too closely with western existentialism is also problematic because in western existentialism human existence is subjected to an inherent anxiety (angst). This is the result of being absolutely alienated from God by sin in religious existentialism or from the world by self-consciousness in atheistic existentialism. In the religious form this anxiety and its alienation can be greatly ameliorated by receiving God’s grace, but man remains a sinner. In the atheistic form no such amelioration is possible. Zen, especially Rinzai, also acknowledges a certain form of anxiety or alienation, but this is neither inherent nor absolute. This is because Zen teaches that through the process of enlightenment an individual can loss any sense of anxiety or alienation he may have and feel himself completely an innocent child of the universe.

Boredom: More than This

I was interested in this story in Scientific American, but it was too scientific and not philosophical enough for me - seeing as the angst I suffer over finding the right way to explore so much.

Most people blame boredom on the circumstances, but psychologists say this emotion is highly subjective and rooted in aspects of consciousness—and that levels of boredom vary among people. Some individuals are less—and others considerably more—likely to be bored than others.

Boredom is not a unified concept but may comprise several varieties, including the transient type that occurs while waiting in line and so-called existential boredom that accompanies a profound dissatisfaction with life.

Boredom is linked to both emotional factors and personality traits. Problems with attention also play a role, and thus techniques that improve a person’s ability to focus may diminish boredom.