| dc.description.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. | en_US |
