Albert Camus and Zen buddhism on suicide

• Main Author: Patelo, Sherry Grace A.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1998
• Subjects: Absurd (Philosophy); Zen Buddhism; Suicide > Buddhism; [Christianity; etc]; Philosophy and religion; Philosophers
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1624
• Institution: De La Salle University

This thesis entitled Albert Camus and Zen Buddhism on Suicide? is a study that answers the question: Can Zen Buddhism come up with an alternative answer to Albert Camus' view of the absurd that may possibly lead to suicide? The aim of this study is to answer this question by presenting the views of Albert Camus and Zen Buddhism on the absurd that may possibly lead to suicide. For Albert Camus, there is only one philosophical problem and that is suicide. Suicide is an escape from the absurd, which is a confrontation between man, and the world he lives in. Man always tries to understand the world but the world is forever alien to him. But no matter how hard he tries to understand the world, he cannot grasp it. For Albert Camus, the world is incomprehensible . Therefore, the mind made an attempt to understand the world but sees nothing in it except hopelessness, worthlessness and meaninglessness that can possibly lead to committing suicide. But Albert Camus does not advocate philosophical or physical suicide. Instead one must revolt and embrace life as it is. One must embrace the absurd and continue on living because the absurd will always be there and there is no way of escaping it. In the case of Zen Buddhism, it will try to calm the mind which judges life as hopeless, worthless and without meaning. The mind is the 'root of the problem' because it is the mind that gives value judgments, opinions, reflects on things and at the same time attaches itself to the thoughts and ideas reflected upon Zen Buddhism will try to pacify the mind through Zazen. In Zazen, all thoughts and ideas that are clinging to the mind will be eliminated because these thoughts and ideas are the ones that causes an individual to render life as meaningless which can cause an individual to commit suicide. Through Zazen, one will see life, the world and things as they are (SUCHNESS and simultaneously EMPTINESS) minus the value judgments and preferences. Consequently, one will now accept life as it is and to live it without thoughts and ideas clinging to it. One will now live his life without worries because there is no mind now that will contemplate and make one suffer. Instead, there is only total awareness in the here and now. Living in the present, from moment to moment.