[Buddha-l] philosophical (as opposed to agnostical) buddhism

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

curt schreef:
> Erik Hoogcarspel wrote:
>   
>> Those were the days my friend, allthough I would hesitate to qualify 
>> Tsongkhapa and Mipam as philosophers, I think they were more doctrine 
>> reformers like Luther and Küng. Nowadays the Buddhist leaders are not 
>> productive, but reproductive, they preach the truth instead of asking 
>> themselves questions, their minds are as dead as doornails. Their main 
>> occupation is flying around in jets and buying real estate.
>>
>>
>>     
> In the sense that Hadot uses the word philosophy, which I feel is very 
> close to it's original meaning, the activity of philosophizing has 
> little to do with "productivity" - which is a modern fixation of 
> scholars of philosophy. By the criterion of "productivity" Marcus 
> Aurelius would not be considered a "philosopher" - since there is 
> absolutely nothing original in his "work" - which was never intended for 
> others anyway. But as an exercise in applying philosophy to one's own 
> life, Marcus' "Meditations" are rightly seen as a solid example of 
> philosophy as "spiritual practice". Hadot discusses this question - of 
> whether or not (and in what sense) Marcus should be considered a 
> philosopher in his excellent book "The Inner Citadel". The issue is also 
> discussed with respect to that other great philosopher emperor, Julian, 
> in Rowland Smith's "Julian's Gods: Religion and Philosophy in the 
> Thought and Action of Julian the Apostate".
>   
Foucault, who was also very keen on Hadot, coined the term 
'selfpractice'. He considered this 'taking care of oneself' a very 
important part of philosophy. Socrates was the first one who lived in 
this way and in fact this was all he did during the last part of his 
life. Now Marcus followed this kind of philosophy and writes that he is 
glad that he found a master who tought him and that he didn't have to 
follow the practice of philosophers who were physicists. They didnt'take 
care of themselves but discussed questions about nature. This taking 
care of onself in a philosphical sense is rather different from doing 
prostrations or going to church, it means to investigate and discuss 
oneself in public. Philosophy is in all cases a tradition of public 
dicussion. Marcus dairy was a means to discuss with himself, he didn't 
have a decent trustworthy friend.

-- 


Erik


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