Notions of Selflessness in Sartrean Existentialism and Theravadin Buddhism

Notions of Selflessness in Sartrean Existentialism and Theravadin Buddhism

ABSTRACT: In this essay I examine the relationship between Sartre's phenomenological description of the "self" as expressed in his early work (especially Being and Nothingness) and elements to be found in some approaches to Buddhism. The vast enormity of this task will be obvious to anyone who is aware of the numerous schools and traditions through which the religion of Buddhism has manifested itself. In order to be brief, I have decided to select specific aspects of what is commonly called the Theravadin tradition as being representative of Buddhist philosophy. By choosing to look primarily at the Theravadin tradition, I am by necessity ignoring a vast number of other Buddhist approaches. However, in my view, the Theravadin sect presents a consistent Buddhist philosophy which is representative of many of the major trends within Buddhism.

In this essay, I shall briefly examine the relationship between Sartre's phenomenological description of the "self" as expressed in his early work (especially Being and Nothingness) and elements to be found in some approaches to Buddhism. The vast enormity of this task will be obvious to anyone who is aware of the numerous schools and traditions through which the religion of Buddhism has manifested itself. In order to be brief, I have decided to select specific aspects of what is commonly called the Theravadin tradition as being representative of Buddhist philosophy.

Several comments should be made about this choice. First of all, it should be emphasized that the scope of this essay is such as to only be able to examine Buddhism as a philosophic system with psychological implications. Buddhism is, of course, mu...

... middle of paper ...

...e Saddharrna-Pundarika. Motlal Barrarsidass, 1968.

Koller, John M. Oriental Philosophies, second edition. MacMillan, 1985.

Lee, Sander H. "The Central Role of Universality in a Sartrean Ethics," Philosophy and Phenomenological Research. Vol. XLVI, No. 1, September 1985.

———"The Failure of Sex and Love in the Philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre," Philosophy Research Archives. Vol. XI,1985.

———'"Sense and Sensibility": Sartre's Theory of the Emotions,'

The Review of Existential Psychology & Psychiatry, Vol. XVII, No. 1, 1983.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness. Washington Square Press, 1966.

Stryk, Lucien, Ed. World of the Buddha. Doubleday, Anchor, 1969.

Swearer, Donald V. Secrets of the Lotus. MacMillan, 1971.

Thera, Nyanaponiha. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation. Weiser, 1971.

Watts, Alan. Psychotherapy East and West. Ballantine, 1972.