BDHA X STOICISM

 B

Here’s a bullet‑gist (concise summary) of “How Buddhist is Stoicism?” by Antonia Macaro (edited by Gregory Sadler):

• Shared Diagnosis of Suffering: Both Buddhism and Stoicism begin with a diagnosis of life as unsatisfactory (dukkha in Buddhism) — because impermanent, external things cannot provide lasting well‑being. (Modern Stoicism)

• Therapy Metaphor: Each tradition frames its path as a therapeutic treatment — the “disease” is ignorance or wrong judgment, and the cure is a disciplined philosophical or spiritual practice. (Modern Stoicism)

• Seeing Clearly: Both emphasize clarity—seeing through illusions and faulty judgments. For Buddhism, this means recognizing impermanence, non-self, and suffering; for Stoicism, it means recognizing that only virtue is truly good. (Modern Stoicism)

• Ethics / Virtue: Ethics is central to both — living rightly matters more than external goods. In Stoicism, virtue (and intention) is everything; in Buddhism, moral action (sīla) is deeply tied to wisdom. (Modern Stoicism)

• Compassion + Equanimity: Both traditions value a form of compassion, but balanced with equanimity. Stoic “apatheia” (freedom from passions) is similar to Buddhist “upekkhā” (even-mindedness). (Modern Stoicism)

• Practice / Training: Real transformation requires ongoing practice. In Buddhism this is meditation (samādhi, bhāvanā), and in Stoicism there are exercises like reflection, visualization, and journaling. (Modern Stoicism)

• Mindfulness / Self‑Awareness: Both traditions encourage noticing internal reactions — Stoics talk about “impressions”, Buddhists about feelings. The goal is to create distance so we don’t automatically act on them. (Modern Stoicism)

• Ultimate Aims Differ: Despite overlap, their ultimate goals aren’t identical. Buddhism often aims at Nirvana / liberation; Stoicism aims to live “in accordance with nature” and to act virtuously. (Modern Stoicism)

• Modern Relevance: Macaro’s comparison is not just historical — she’s interested in what elements from both traditions are useful for people in a sceptical, secular age. (Donald J. Robertson)

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Conclusion / Take‑Home:

• Stoicism is quite "Buddhist-like" in its practical diagnosis of human suffering, its therapeutic approach, and emphasis on mental training.

• But it’s not identical — there are important differences in metaphysics and ultimate aims.

• According to Macaro, we can meaningfully borrow from both traditions without having to accept all their ancient metaphysical or religious commitments.

If you like, I can give a full summary (longer but still structured), or highlight the main similarities and key differences in more depth — do you want me to do that?