ive heard of some thinkers unifying western and eastern philosophy through the marriage of nihilism and buddhism. does anyone know any particular school of thought on this issue or any particular philosophers/books i can research?
I don’t know of any particular books… though I’m almost positive someone here will.
What exactly are you interested in concerning this concept?
im not exactly sure. i just think the idea of combining elements of nihilism and the more spiritual elements of buddhism (all life is suffering seems like a nihilistic idea too) would be cool to attempt. not to mention any substantial bridge between eastern and western philosophy should be investigated thoroughly
My understanding is that most of it stems from the buddhist idea of ‘emptiness’. This was fully realized by Chan (zen) Buddhists, but is totally different from nihilism. I’ll try and report back with a few refs, since I’ve got them lying around. I’m just feeling lazy right now.
I know Zhu Xi (a Confucian) was very much influenced by the Buddhist idea and related it to the Mencian idea of original mind (which also ties in nicely to Buddhist ideas). If I recall the gist of the paper I’m (not) looking for, it’s that nihilism is a rejection of hope, whereas the Buddhist idea of ‘emptiness’ is actually quite positive.
Semantically the difference in translation/interpretation makes sense. Think of something that is empty vs. something with nothing in it. The same thing in actuality, but sematically very different. Give one ~1500 years to mature and you’ll have a powerful philosophy.
Well, the main problem I would have with mixing them is that nihilism is sort of an all or nothing philosophy, whereas buddhism is more of a spectrum (at least from what I’ve read).
Nihilism operates under the premise that that the world, and especially human existence, is without meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value.
On the other hand, Buddhism involves letting go of earthly posessions and concepts, working towards Nirvana which, despite all it’s hype is simply when you are one with the objective world. You are in a state without feeling, without perception, you are simply existing. I should add though that there are historical records of buddhist monks like levitating and doing other fascinating feats of mind.
Now, if we’re to combine these two we see that while you are in Nirvana, it is essentially a nihilistic state; the neat thing is that even if you are floating in the air, while meditating you wouldn’t be caring or perhaps even knowing what you are doing. But that is the extreme, to be a buddhist you don’t necessarily need to attain Nirvana, you can gain earthly happiness by simply letting go of some of your preconceived notions. I’m speculating a bit here, but Nirvana is awefully hard to maintain, and in fact would be the only true way to in fact be a nihilist. Anyone that has ever told you he/she was (if they wern’t a monk or a pro buddhist) was lying.
So I guess we’re left with the realization that nihilism really is buddhism, just at it’s very extreme.
Thoughts, anyone?
Edit: After reading X’s post, I’m thinking I’m wrong in my assesment… I’m leaving it though dammit.
what i understand about zen buddhism is that it attempts to destroy preconceptions, feelings, and perceptions in order to achieve an incredibly deep understanding of the true oneness of all things. (language itself is a barrier, constructing dualities and segregations among our thoughts)
i agree with old_gobbo in that nihilism seems to be nirvana (albeit in this case nihilism in a different sense than its usually used). nihilism, like zen, attempts to destroy everything. thats what interests me in a connection.
does anyone have any papers or books specifically on this topic they could recommend?
Buddhists believe in nothingness.
Nihilists believe in nothing.
Buddhists believe in Buddhism.
Nihilists believe in Nihilism.
Someone who believes in nothing has no name, no identity. Unless you are speaking for them. Please excuse me if this is your case. A true Nihilist will not consider him or herself a nihilist and the same for a true Buddhist.
“Comparing Nietzsche with Buddhism has become something of a cottage industry, and for good reason: there seems to be a deep resonance between them. Morrison points out that they share many common features: both emphasise the centrality of humans in a godless cosmos and neither looks to any external being or power for their respective solutions to the problem of existence. For Nietzsche the problem is overcoming nihilism, for Buddhism it is the unsatisfactory nature of our lives. Both understand human being as an ever-changing flux of multiple psychophysical forces, and within this flux there is no autonomous or unchanging subject (‘ego’, ‘soul’). Both emphasise the hierarchy that exists or can exist not only among individuals but among the plurality of these forces that compose us. For Nietzsche the pinnacle of that hierarchy is the Ubermensch, a goal not yet achieved although a potential at least for some; for Buddhism that potential was attained by Sakyamuni Buddha, and at least to some degree by many after him, for it is a potential all human beings are able to realise. More controversially, Morrison argues that these goals are to be achieved by a process of self-overcoming (Selbstuberwindung for Nietzsche, citta-bhavana in early Buddhism) understood as the spiritual expression of a more basic natural force: will to power for Nietzsche, tanha in Buddhism.”
Thats interesting- just last night I was reading the Dalai Lama’s book “Awakening the mind, Lightening the heart”
And in the chapter “the meditation session” - he talks of “the union of compasion and emptiness” with relation to the cessation of suffering by ridding oneself of the self, while doing no harm to others.
This struck me as very interesting, it almost sounded nihilistic in a way, but in a very considerate and careful way.
I’d always thought of nihilism being synonomous with doing harm to others through a complete lack of care for others (or perhaps even oneself).
I think this would certainly be an interesting point of reading for you Bombl4stick.
Book Notes - “Awakening the mind, Lightening the heart” by His holiness the Dalai Lama, The library of tibet. My copy is printed by Thorsons, UK.