Eastern Thinkers · ~563–483 BC
The Buddha
Their big question
“How can we be free from suffering?”
Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha, or ‘Awakened One’ — was a prince in ancient India, living around the time of the early Greek philosophers. He gave up his riches to understand why life is full of suffering. He concluded that suffering comes from our endless craving and attachment, and that by letting go and following a balanced ‘Middle Way,’ anyone can find peace. His teachings became Buddhism.
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
The big idea
The Buddha's core teaching is the Four Noble Truths: (1) life involves suffering, (2) suffering is caused by craving and attachment, (3) suffering can end, and (4) the way to end it is the Eightfold Path — a guide to wise, ethical, and mindful living. He also taught that the ‘self’ we cling to is not as solid as we think.
Why it matters
Buddhism grew into one of the world's major philosophies and religions, shaping the cultures of much of Asia. Its insights into the mind, craving, and mindfulness now influence modern psychology and the worldwide practice of meditation.
The big argument
Unlike most religions of his time, the Buddha focused less on gods and more on each person's own effort to ‘wake up’ — which some found radical. His teaching that the ‘self’ is an illusion is one of the most debated ideas in all of philosophy.
In their own words
- “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” — attributed to the Buddha
- “What we think, we become.” — attributed to the Buddha
🤯 Fun fact
The Buddha taught a ‘Middle Way’ between a life of luxury and a life of extreme self-denial — after trying both himself.
Learn more
Portrait: Seated Buddha, Sarnath Museum. Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons.
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