Comparison of Socrates and Siddhartha Guatama Buddha

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Socrates and Siddhartha Guatama Buddha have many similarities; they both believe in the importance of justice and good, and a simpler way of life. However, they have different goals: Socrates concerns with worldly meanings and codes, he deals with truth and morals. Buddha concerns with attaining the outer-worldly through mastering the worldly. Socrates relinquishes sensual desires in hopes of spiritual rebirth after death and achieving enlightenment in life. Buddha relinquishes the same ideas, but in hopes of living an enlightened life on earth. (The Dhammapada: Socrates & Buddha Vs. Desire) My contention is to compare Philosopher Socrates from Plato and Siddhartha Guatama Buddha, and I will demonstrate their similarities and differences based on their practices and beliefs.

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama is the historical founder of Buddhism, and naturally his name expresses numerous myths. The records from ancient times suggest that Socrates was born to a family of a sculptor during the Peloponnesian war. He was married to a shrew, and had trivial financial independence. In opposition, the historical Buddha was a splendid prince, who floundered in luxury with his wife in the genial palaces which kept ignorant of the wretchedness of the world. . Once he discovered the austere reality, he took the path of a loner and by trial-and-error method, from practicing extreme austerities to meditation; he reached enlightenment. (Socrates Biography)

Regardless of the fact that Buddha and Socrates were of divergent origin, lived in different era, led contrasting lives, they seem to have been unified in their seeking for the Universal Truth. Guatama Buddha defines that truth is the concepts of morality are changing, it happens everywhere. For ...

... middle of paper ...

...ely different compared to Buddha because Buddha would the person that Socrates would choose to question and discuss with due to Buddha’s perceptible knowledge and enlightenment. However, regardless of their differences, Socrates and Siddhartha Gautama will be remembered as the prominent teachers to some of us.

Works Cited

"The Dhammapada: Socrates & Buddha Vs. Desire — The League of Ordinary Gentlemen." The League of Ordinary Gentlemen. Web. 05 July 2011. .

"Socrates Biography - Life, Name, Story, Death, History, School, Young, Son, Information, Born, Time." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Web. 05 July 2011. .

"Socrates: Philosophical Life." Philosophy Pages. Web. 05 July 2011. .

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