Philosophy means love of wisdom. It is the pursuit of wisdom. Buddhist philosophy deals with serenity, Higher Knowledge, realization whereas the western philosophy generally deals with a wide concept of knowledge but not with practice. Buddhist philosophy emphasizes on practice or empirical evidences. The theory of cause and effect or dependent co-origination plays an important role in the Buddhist philosophy.
It can be said that to some extent, it deals with problems in metaphysics, phenomenology, ethics and epistemology. Western philosophies such as realism, empiricism, idealism, positivism, existentialism, pragmatism and so on are certainly not difficult to find in Buddhism. But it should be borne in mind that Buddhism is not a philosophy for philosopher’s sake. Of course, Buddhist philosophy connected with knowledge, practice and realization, is different from other way of thinking. There are many different points of view on the philosophy among Buddhist scholars. Buddhist philosophy is in fact related to what the Buddha taught. The Buddha had discovered the path leading to the realization of the Truth. After pondering and paractising for six years, he discovered the Noble Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths. Then He preached and taught the right thing to do or the right way to go along with. The teachings are based on empirical facts. In the Tevijjasutta, the Buddha declared that he possess the three kinds of higher knowledge which are also possessed by Arahants, Purified Ones. They are Remembrance of former existences (Pubbenivasa), Devine-Eye (Dibbacakkhu), and Extinction of all cankers (Asavakkhaya). These kinds of supernormal knowledge come out of penetrating insight. Similarly, other higher powers (abhinnana) also deal with philosophical aspects. These facts are taken into consideration as important factors in Buddhist philosophical aspect. Then, we can see that penetrating insight is also a kind of Buddhist philosophy.
The theory of cause and effect plays a vital role in the Buddhist philosophy. The process of sense-perception must be clearly understood. A different way of thinking about perception or the theory of cause and effect is explained in the Mahanidanasutta. That is very different from other discourses. In this teaching, Avajja-ignorance and Sankhara-dispositions are omitted. It states that after Salayatan-six sense-faculties, Vedana-feeling comes without Phassa-contact in between them. Ii is a particular approach. It is so deep that one cannot make a sense of it if one has no enough knowledge on this field. In the dependent co-origination, through ignorance, mental formation arises. And then only through contact between senses and sense-objects, there comes feeling. This is a great challenge for all of us. It is really a deep conception. To understand this theory is to study well. Buddhist philosophy can be vividly seen in this Dependent Co-Origination and the Middle Path. It is considered that everything is interdependent and interconnected. The Buddha expounded them based on experience. Buddhist way of thinking is very simple but absolutely deep. The following formulas about Dependent Co-Origination are very useful and meaningful. They are: When this is, that is (imsmim sati idam hoti); This arising, that arises (Imassupada idam uppajjati); When this is not, that is not (Imasmim asti idam na hoti); This ceasing, that ceases (Imassa nirodha idam nirujjhati). Actually, Buddhist philosophy is based on such interrelated theory.
How we think and do is more important than what we think on the way to a right conclusion. What is necessary is to keep Right View because Wrong View causes endless problems not only in mundane level but also in supra-mundane level. Right View related to cause and effect of Kamma is essential on the way to realization of the Truth. In the Buddhist way of thinking, realization of the Truth is not the work of thinking (attakkavacaro). It is very subtle and can be realized by the wise only when understanding and meditation go together through penetrating insight. This is why Buddhist philosophy emphasizes on practice and realization apart from knowledge. Buddhist philosophy is not for mere philosopher’s sake but for real Truth-seekers. It is true that the ultimate goal of Buddhist people is to attain Nibbana. In the Saccavibhangasutta, the Four Noble Truths are explained in detail. Nibbana is explained in the Aggivaccagottasutta in which it is compared to blowing out of fire. These deal with Buddhist philosophy and realization of the Truth.
Just thinking has little to do with Buddhsim. The Buddha remained noble silent on being asked several metaphysical questions not leading to true knowledge or the attainment of Nibbana. But today among many philosophers, the questions of whether the universe is eternal or non-eternal, finite or infinite and so on are deeply being considered and pondered. They are not concerned with realization of the Truth, so the Buddha kept in noble silence. About thinking and believing things, the Buddha expounded in the Kalamasutta in which freedom of thought and action can be seen. Whatever we do, our physical, verbal and mental actions should be consistent with Buddhist values and ethics. According to Buddhist philosophy, everything is interdependent; nothing is permanent; the real happiness is at the time of attainment of Nibbana. Beings are nothing but five aggregates. The process of perception is very hard to other philosophers but so easy for Buddhist philosophers because it is clearly explained in the Madhupindikasutta by the Buddha. Anyone who wants to study early Buddhist philosophy should study Sangiti Sutta and Dasuttara Sutta because these Suttas (discourses) present an earlier stage of the development of Buddhist teachings or philosophy.
It can be understood that Buddhist philosophy can be seen in the Theory of Cause and Effect of Kamma, Dependent Co-Origination, Five Aggregates, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Four Noble Truths. It is based on knowledge and practice with the help of which one can try to see the Truth.
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