World Religion: Comparing Buddhist Philosophy with Camus' Sisyphus

This essay explores Buddhism, one of the world's oldest religions, focusing on its core principles such as the Four Noble Truths and the concept of Nirvana. It contrasts Buddhist beliefs about karma and personal actions with the concept of predestined fate as portrayed in Albert Camus' 'The Myth of Sisyphus.' The essay analyzes Sisyphus's punishment and his acceptance of his fate, highlighting the differences between the Buddhist perspective on suffering and the existential themes in Camus' work. Ultimately, the essay examines how both Buddhism and Camus' philosophy offer insights into understanding and coping with suffering and fate, even though their approaches differ significantly.

Running head :WORLD RELIGION
WORLD RELIGION
Name of the Student :
Name of the University :
Author Note :

1
WORLD RELIGION
Buddhism is considered as one of the oldest religions of the world. It is a religion
that preaches peace and non-violence. Buddhism is not just a belief but a discipline that needs to
be followed in day to day life. Gautama Buddha reached enlightenment when he was exposed to
the sufferings of man (Burton). He renounced his luxurious lifestyle and went ahead to become a
monk. Thus, his flamboyant life became a life of simplicity and humility. Buddhism comprises
of the Four Nobel Truths that are the basic fundamentals of Buddhism. The truths comprises
about man’s suffering in the material world, the reasons for man’s suffering, the ways to end his
suffering and the oath that leads to the end of his pain. Buddhism states that pain is inevitable but
suffering is optional (Burton). Sickness, death, aging is unavoidable but man’s suffering can be
avoided.
According to Buddhism, the root cause of suffering is ignorance and desire for material
things. Our ignorant nature to identify the impermanence of the world and understand the nature
of the Spirit leads to endless suffering (Thera). Ignorance also leads to anger, lust, greed,
jealousy and hatred. In Buddhism, the end of suffering has two meanings. Firstly, ending it in
this life or in the spiritual world through Nirvana (Thera). Nirvana is nothing but attaining
spiritual enlightenment and becoming free from the endless cycles if death and birth. Now,
attaining Nirvana or salvation is a process. It is a strict discipline that one has to live by. The way
one can achieve Nirvana is by following the Nobel Eightfold Path. The Buddhists believe in
karma (actions) that is one’s own actions. They do not believe in the concept of a preordained
Fate.
However, in Albert Camus’ ‘Sisyphus’, Fate has a major role to play. Sisyphus was
punished by Zeus for his greed and selfishness (Camus). He was condemned to endure never
ending struggles and futility. He is made to roll back a rock to the top of a mountain. Every time

2
WORLD RELIGION
he rolled the rock at the top, it came falling down. Camus states that Sisyphus possess a positive
state of mind even after all his efforts to roll the rock to the top of the mountain is futile.
Sisyphus is calm and aware of this own Fate yet he never gives up trying. His clarity of mind
helps him through his struggle (Foley). The greatest quality that Sisyphus possessed was
acceptance. His acceptance of his own Fate helped him understand the truth of life and lessen
his suffering. Thus, Camus gives an outright message to the readers that one must accept his or
her fate and rise above it. Camus believed that since we cannot change our Fate we must accept
it. However, in Buddhism there is no concept of predestined Fate. It is all about a person’s
actions in his life that either liberates his Soul or traps it in the vicious cycle of birth and death.

3
WORLD RELIGION
References:
Burton, David. Buddhism, Knowledge and Liberation: A philosophical study. Routledge, 2017.
Camus, Albert. The myth of Sisyphus. Penguin UK, 2013.
Foley, John. Albert Camus: From the absurd to revolt. Routledge, 2014.
Thera, Narada. Buddhism in a Nutshell. Pariyatti Publishing, 2017.