Philosophical Anthropology of Buddhism in a Comparative Light
I. Urbanaeva
Voprosy Filosofii July 10, 2026 DOI: 10.21146/0042-8744-2026-7-176-187 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Key points | Argues that Buddhist anthropology shares with Western philosophy a rejection of certain epistemological paradigms and an emphasis on the ontology of freedom and the "hiddenness of being," yet is distinctive as a rationalistic explication of the Four Noble Truths and Four Seals. Proposes that Buddhist schools differ in interpreting selflessness and emptiness, and that Buddhist anthropology offers a rationalistic justification for the ontology of freedom and a meditative path distinct from Hinduism. |
Abstract
A brief introduction to the Western philosophical tradition of examining the difficult problem of man allows us, on the one hand, to identify aspects that bring it closer to Buddhist anthropology (the rejection of the epistemological paradigm and an emphasis on the ontology of freedom and the “hiddenness of being”); on the other hand, it highlights the latter’s profound specificity: it developed as a rationalistic explication of the spiritual insights of Buddha Shakyamuni, known as the Four Noble Truths, which contain an ontological meaning of the facts of existence, formulated in a condensed form in the Four Seals. The philosophical schools (Vaibhashika, Sautrantika, Yogacara, and Madhyamika) differ in the depth of their interpretation of the four seals, primarily selflessness and emptiness. Selflessness (anatman) is a central concept in the anthropology of the lower schools, while emptiness (shunyata) – the absence of true existence and inherent being of the self, mine, and any objects – is the view of the Mahayana schools. Although Buddhism and Hinduism share some common philosophical terms, Buddhist anthropology differs significantly from Hinduism in its interpretation and offers a rationalistic justification for the ontology of freedom and a different path – the meditative elimination of innate and acquired pathology of consciousness and the disclosure of the potential of Buddha nature –using the favorable opportunities of human birth.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |