Eastern and Western Philosopers
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Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison
James Elkins
Phi/105
9/5/10
Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison
Philosophy has many perspectives from many different philosophers. Today studying the different philosophers can help understand their ideas while paying attention to where they lived will help integrated their ideas into our present day world.
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.E.) - Eastern Philosopher
This eastern philosopher Siddhartha Gautama was known as Buddha and he began the Buddhism religion. Asia still practices Buddhism today and it is becoming popular in the western world. Buddha's lifelong journey involved his concern over human suffering. Long term anguish inflicted on an individual's body and soul and the distress and sense of unfulfillment endured in daily life is how he defined suffering.
Wealth and luxury is the life Buddha was born into. He left this life of luxury at age 29 and also left his wife and child to go in search of the causes of suffering and what could be done to remedy it. Buddha achieved true understanding after six years of meditating and roaming.
His doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths explained human suffering through his enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths (1) There is suffering; (2) suffering has specific and identifiable causes; (3) suffering can be ended; (4) the way to end suffering is through enlightened living as expressed in the Eightfold Path (Moore and Bruder, 2008). Buddha's teaching of the Eightfold Path, a guide to proper living to achieve eternal happiness, is one of his principle teachings.
The result of cause and effect of actions, karma, is a belief that Buddha believed in with the critical causes of human suffering attributed to self-indulgence and ignorance which hinder the achievement of enlightenment. To achieve enlightenment one must understand the Four Noble Truths and follow the Eightfold Path. Buddha did not believe in a supreme being but believed people were...
James Elkins
Phi/105
9/5/10
Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison
Philosophy has many perspectives from many different philosophers. Today studying the different philosophers can help understand their ideas while paying attention to where they lived will help integrated their ideas into our present day world.
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha (563-483 B.C.E.) - Eastern Philosopher
This eastern philosopher Siddhartha Gautama was known as Buddha and he began the Buddhism religion. Asia still practices Buddhism today and it is becoming popular in the western world. Buddha's lifelong journey involved his concern over human suffering. Long term anguish inflicted on an individual's body and soul and the distress and sense of unfulfillment endured in daily life is how he defined suffering.
Wealth and luxury is the life Buddha was born into. He left this life of luxury at age 29 and also left his wife and child to go in search of the causes of suffering and what could be done to remedy it. Buddha achieved true understanding after six years of meditating and roaming.
His doctrine known as the Four Noble Truths explained human suffering through his enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths (1) There is suffering; (2) suffering has specific and identifiable causes; (3) suffering can be ended; (4) the way to end suffering is through enlightened living as expressed in the Eightfold Path (Moore and Bruder, 2008). Buddha's teaching of the Eightfold Path, a guide to proper living to achieve eternal happiness, is one of his principle teachings.
The result of cause and effect of actions, karma, is a belief that Buddha believed in with the critical causes of human suffering attributed to self-indulgence and ignorance which hinder the achievement of enlightenment. To achieve enlightenment one must understand the Four Noble Truths and follow the Eightfold Path. Buddha did not believe in a supreme being but believed people were...