Is Socrates a Buddha?
The philosophy of Socrates:
He was a wise man who criticised those who exchanged knowledge for money, particularly the Sophists. Unlike the Sophists, who charged exorbitant fees for teaching rhetoric and persuasion, Socrates chose to live in poverty to preserve his independence of thought.
He believed that wisdom was a spiritual good that could not be reduced to a commodity. Those who sell knowledge degrade philosophy. Accepting payment binds the teacher to the desires of the client. The philosopher is no longer free to seek the truth, but must please their patrons instead.
In 'Memorable Sayings', Xenophon quotes Socrates as saying that those who sell wisdom are like prostitutes, labelling them 'prostitutes of culture'.
For Socrates, teaching was not a profession, but a mission based on dialogue and selfless sharing. Its aim was to help each individual 'give birth' to the truth (maieutics).
Teachings of Socrates:
Socrates left no written works, so everything we know of his thoughts and words has been handed down by his disciples, particularly Plato and Xenophon.
The core of his teaching can be summarised by a few fundamental concepts:
Socrates claimed to be wise only because he was aware of his own ignorance, unlike those who believed they knew everything while knowing nothing.
He believed that 'a life without inquiry is not worth living for a human being', meaning that critical self-examination and examination of the world are at the heart of human existence.
According to Socrates, nobody acts maliciously. Those who commit evil acts do so out of ignorance of what is good, since for Socrates knowledge of virtue goes hand in hand with the ability to act virtuously.
He adopted the famous motto of the Temple of Delphi as his own, transforming it into an invitation to look within one’s own soul and care for it through reason and truth — although he did not invent it.
Socrates' humour:
He primarily expressed his humour through irony, concealing his own knowledge to expose others' false presumptions. He pretended to be ignorant to prompt his interlocutors to reveal their certainties, dismantling their dogmas and preconceived ideas through seemingly naïve questions.
He treats dialogue as a lively and incisive exchange rather than a rigid lecture, taking a playful approach. He laughs at his own physical ugliness and poverty with detachment and light-heartedness. He often uses paradoxes and ironic jibes, even in difficult situations or everyday conversation.
Buddha and Socrates:
Despite belonging to different cultures, Buddha and Socrates share a remarkable similarity in their approach to life and the search for truth. Neither chose to write anything in their own hand. Instead, they relied on direct dialogue, conversation and oral transmission to convey knowledge.
Socrates used irony and doubt to dismantle others’ certainties (‘I know that I know nothing’), while Buddha encouraged personal inquiry free from dogma. For both thinkers, philosophy was not an abstract theory, but a practical way of life designed to free human beings from suffering and ignorance.
Socrates described his approach as maieutics, or the art of bringing forth truth. The Buddha saw himself as a guide or healer, showing the way to inner awakening.
So, is Socrates a Buddha?
Gedun Tharchin Lharampa Geshe
