BOOK | Boethius and Buddhist Philosophy on Desire and Suffering

Boethius and Buddhist Philosophy on Desire and Suffering

Buddhists believe that man suffers because of tanha (desire). Man desires wealth, power, fame, honor and bodily pleasure. These causes man to suffer as Boethius identified the reasons why in the process of desiring, man becomes miserable. Boethius pointed out that man's desire for wealth will strip him off from security; desire for fame and honor will strip him off from privacy; desire for bodily pleasure will strip him off from health. Analyzing carefully, we see that Boethius' and Buddhist's framework constitutes the same principles. First, Buddhists believe that for dukkha (suffering) to be overcome, he should let desires go. Boethius tells us that for man to be free from suffering, he should seek the highest good which is God. Both philosophies adheres to lift suffering from man by letting desires go.

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From old file, Philosophy 10, July 28, 2004