Buddhism and Phenomenology: With Special Reference to Mindfulness Meditation (original) (raw)
2018, Horizon. Studies in Phenomenology, Vol. 7 No. 2
[Abstract: Unlike most other philosophical systems of India, Buddhism, though it gives a central place to 'consciousness' in its philosophical enquiry, does not raise its status to a transcendental metaphysical level. Buddhism, in this way, has a special affinity with Phenomenological approach. The present paper focuses on the points of contact between Phenomenology and Mindfulness meditation, the Buddhist spiritual practice. The paper is divided into three parts. The first part gives an account of the four kinds of Mindfulness meditation based on the Buddha's sermons on Mindfulness. Then it focuses on their core features namely 'objectivity', 'impermanence and other essential features' and 'dynamic, yet passive awareness'. These features bring the two approaches close to each other. The second part brings out similarities and differences between the two approaches. Like the phenomenological approach, Mindfulness meditation approach regards consciousness as having intensional and propositional character. It also emphasizes what is immanent to consciousness and brackets the transcendent. Both the approaches exhibit a scientific temperament and both tend to be presupposition-less approaches. In spite of these close similarities, there are glaring differences between the two approaches. The goal of the phenomenological inquiry is intellectual, whereas that of the Buddhist approach is spiritual. Phenomenology attributes reality to essences whereas there is a tendency to deny ontological status to essences in Buddhism. Husserl's acceptance of transcendental or pure ego is in contrast with the no-self theory of Buddhism. Intensionality attributed to consciousness is also not common to all forms of Buddhism. The third part of the paper asserts that similarities and differences between the two approaches open the possibility of varied forms of phenomenological exercise. The paper further suggests that different models of phenomenology are possible within Buddhism.] 1
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