Similarities between Platonic and Buddhist Concepts of the Soul, Reincarnation, and Knowledge

Abstract

The paper aims to examine similarities between Platonic and Buddhist philosophy in the concepts of soul, reincarnation, and knowledge. While there are no historical interconnections between the two ancient civilizations where these views emerged, this paper looks at philosophical similarities that arose independently, thus pertains to a history of ideas rather than an inquiry into historical influences. The Platonic theory of the soul claims that, the soul includes three parts that are the appetite, spirit, and reason. While there is no corresponding definition of soul and Self is the closet concept in Buddhism, Plato and Buddhist thoughts still have compatible points regarding questions of reincarnation and knowledge. For both of them, a comprehension of reality nature is required to achieve liberation, though according to Plato the reality nature consists in the Forms, which is essences to which particulars partake, while for Madhyamāka Buddhism it is the emptiness (śūnyatā). Also, they both claim that this visible world is devoid of essence and provides no true knowledge. Due to the fundamental tenet of Madhyamāka Buddhism that is even the śūnyatā itself is empty, it is still contentious among Buddhist scholars of whether or not the realization of śūnyatā is metaphysical realism or nihilist. As for the concept of reincarnation, Buddhism appeals to the idea of karma, which means the fortunate circumstances of this life are result of the conscious actions one had made in previous life and volitional actions of this life will again affect his next life. Plato’s views regarding reincarnation work in an analogous way, as demonstrated in book X of the Republic. Finally, the only way to escape from cyclic reincarnation is through pure reasoning that one is able to apprehend nature. The Buddhist doctrines claim that one needs to practice proper meditation to pure reasoning and to comprehend the reality nature and escape the cycle of reincarnation. While there is still division among Platonic scholars about a terminus of reincarnation, this paper defends an end of the cyclic rebirth for philosophers whose soul is controlled by reason and that enables him to overcome ignorance. I do so by applying Buddhist refutation of inherent existence of a cycle of born, aging, and death and beginning, middle, and terminus. Later I corroborate the point by looking at evidence in Plato’s dialogues such as the Phaedo, Timaeus, and Phaedrus and demonstrate that only when the soul consists solely of the reason (nous) it will be able to make itself to celestial region.