Buddhism

Analysis and Evaluation

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

Momentariness:

• Nothing exists for any length of time.

• Each moment is an entirely new existence, which is succeeded by an entirely new existence.

• The only connection between one thing and the next is that one causes the next.

Philosophical Problems:

1. If Buddha is correct, then time as we know it does not exist.

2. This flies in the face of that which is intuitive to the human existence.

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

Relative Existence:

1. There is no essence to anything.

2. The nature of things only exist in relation to everything else that exists.

3. Existence is completely relative and conditioned by everything else.

Philosophical Problems:

1. If there is no enduring essence or nature, then the rewards and punishment of karma are visited on different beings than those that merited them.

2. If nothing exists (essentially), the Principle of Identity is incorrect.

3. If the Principle of Identity is incorrect, then one of the Laws of thought that govern all rational reason is incorrect.

4. If something cannot retain it’s identity (in an essential sense) then NOTHING can be known with certainty: This includes Buddhism itself.

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

No Self:

1. There is no essence to self.

2. We are a collection of things called “aggregates.”

3. Aggregates are: the body or form, feelings, ideas, impressions, momentary consciousness.

4. Nothing is enduring in the aggregates.

Philosophical Problems:

1. This has admittedly presented Buddhist practitioners and philosophers with problems for centuries.

2. If there is no self, what is it that attains enlightenment or nirvana?

3. It cannot be me for I am already gone in an instant.

4. If it is not me, then why bother?

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

No God:

1. There is no Braham or any such ultimate enduring substance or nature to reality.

2. Nirvana cannot be characterized as either Self, Braham or God.

Philosophical Problems:

1. The idea of an infinite series of uncaused causes contradicts modern scientific cosmology.

2. If Buddha is right, modern cosmologists are necessarily wrong.

3. The idea of an infinite series of uncaused causes also flies in the face of intuitive reason.

4. It is intuitively more plausible that there is an uncaused ultimate cause, rather than an infinite series of random, unconnected uncaused causes.

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

Dependent Origination: 1. Everything has a cause, but nothing has an

ultimate cause.2. A momentary existence occurs because of a

previous momentary existence, but the cause itself is also momentary.

3. Nirvana is not the removal of an ultimate cause (there is not one in Buddhism) but the simultaneous removal of all causes, all of conditioned existence.

Philosophical Problems:

1. It is intuitively absurd to assert that everything is the result of an infinite series of uncaused causes.

2. In Buddhism to reach nirvana is to remove causality. How does this occur if everything is the result of a series of uncaused causes?

3. If I can only remove causality for the instant in which I exist, what about the next instant?

Basic Philosophical Doctrines

Karma:

1. Because there is no substance or duration, the Buddhist view of karma is different than Hinduism or Jainism.

2. Karma is only causation, without the mediation of any substance.

3. Reincarnation consists in our being caused by something in the past.

Philosophical Problems:

1. Again, if karma is causation, on what is karma acting?

2. It cannot be me, for I am here only a moment?

3. It cannot be you, for you are here only a moment.

4. There is no moral rhyme or reason for the action of karma.

Basic Philosophical DoctrinesNirvana:1. Practice and Enlightenment lead one to nirvana

“extinction.”2. This is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.3. Buddha refused to distinctly characterize

nirvana.4. For instance, when asked if we exist when we

achieve nirvana Buddha answered with the Fourfold Negation:1. Denied that we exist.2. Denied that we do not exist.3. Denied that we both exist and do not exist.4. Denied that we neither exist or do not exist.

Philosophical Problems:

1. Buddha’s response to the question of existence and nirvana is a non-answer.

2. If the founder of a religion cannot describe the nature of existence when one achieves the ultimate goal of that religion, should one even consider accepting that religion as a viable option?