Talk

Existentialism vs Zen Buddhism

Reading Sartre's Nausea resulted in the genesis of a thought in my mind. How does Existentialism compare with Zen Buddhism. When Buddha's nirvana married Taoism's concept of the way, Zen Buddhism was born. Taoism stresses passive acceptane of the way. Wu Wei Wu is a Taoist concept which tells us to be like a stone in a river bed. Let the way flow all around you. Do not move or be moved. We're told that our dukkha (Sartrian Nausea perhaps) results from our attempt to control what cannot be controlled. Taoism however warns us that accepting the way is not nihilism. The Tao does'nt do, but nothing is not done. Like the graceful movements in Tai-Chi we move with the way and accomplish our tasks.

Existentialism takes a different approach to this issue. Where Buddhism stresses the passive acceptance of the existentialist angst, the Existentialist is suddenely beset by the same nausea as Antoine Roquentin. The shock is severe at first. You then recover and say "OK, so nothing matters. Lets accept the limited rationale of this situation. Then this means everthing I choose is upto me. There is no reason for me to do anything I do not wish".

All of this brings us to the next moment. Whether you come from the Buddhist or Sartrian world, you are now awake to the existentialist angst. This world has no meaning. You live. Then you die. Nothing you say or do is of lasting consequence. Now, with what philosophy do you exist? Camus said the first question is "Is life worth living?". He says yes, life is worth living. He says when Sisyphus descends the mountain to put his shoulder behind the rock he is happy. Life is Life's work.

Assuming we've agreed life is worth living, what are our options? Zen Buddhism prefers the monk practioner to the lay practioner. A monk cloisters himself for hours on end. Sometimes sitting in practice with a group, at other times sitting by himself/herself. But is this living? Or is this escape. Yes, sitting (zazen) is an useful tool in gaining mindfulness, but doesn't being mindful all the time take the life out our living? I think so. Then what is life? Life is what we make of it.

Why do so few people realize the existentialist angst? Only people like Antoine Roquentin really have the opportunity to think of their valueless lives. Instead most of us are wrapped up in the shallow ties that bind. Family, children, hope, aspiration, dreams and tears. Life is a cheesy chick-flick for most of us. I contest that the genes with a proclivity towards understanding our useless existence are not worth dispersing. Imagine if Sartre and Beauvoir did have kids! Camus had kids and I am very curious about how they turned out. I think this realization of our existence is the burden the loners (and by some definitions losers) of our society bear. They realize. They exist. Then they die out. Existentialists are the biggest party poopers in town. They take the fun out of our petty squabbles, our grand discoveries and our zest for life.