Comments on: Five Eastern Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel

By: 5 Writers Who Affirm the Importance of Travel | Global Visionent Travel Guides

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:06:44 +0000

[...] and philosophy is filled with writers whose thoughts on travel remain relevant today. Check out 5 Eastern Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel and 5 Western Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel for some of their timeless, universal [...]

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By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:47:03 +0000

It's true what they say, "you do learn something new every day." I never heard of Zarathushtra or Bodhidharma. I guess I'll do some research and check out Nietzsche's Thus Sapke Zarathustra which Craig mentioned in his comment.

I've always had a fascination with Eastern wisdom, religion, philosophy, mysticism, and anything that involves the Eastern part of the world. I do feel a connection to Eastern thinking. I do my best to meditate and quiet my mind. The best meditation for me is listening to music, writing, and art. I get lost and before I know it a couple of hours have passed. It's very soothing to my soul.

It does "boggle my mind" that the West likes telling people in the East what to do. Most of those countries have been around for about 5,000 years or so. Let's face it, the areas in the Middle East formerly known as the Persian and Mesopotamian empires have been around for quite some time. They are free to do what they want. What we judge as good or bad is nothing more than a label People in the West like to put "labels" on everything:)

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By: 5 (Eastern) Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel « Meandering with Intent

5 (Eastern) Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel « Meandering with Intent — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:38:38 +0000

[...] December 21, 2008 in Portfolio, Travel, Writing, philosophy | Tags: Bodhidharma, brave new traveler, bryan nelson, Buddhism, eastern religion, eastern thought, editing, female philosophers, inner travel, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Lao Tzu, Siddhartha, Siddhartha Gautama, Tao de Ching, Taoism, travel writing, Writing, Zarathushtra, Zen, Zen Buddhism, Zoraster, Zoroastrianism As previously promised, the second edition of my short series on thinkers who understood inner travel has now been published over at Brave New Traveler. Predictably, it’s titled, “Five Eastern Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel.” [...]

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By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:04:36 +0000

That helps a lot – thanks for a concise and well-though out reply, Bryan.

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By: BryanN

BryanN — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:54:21 +0000

Markus, you're right, insofar as travel is a search or craving to fill an empty inner void. However, I don't think Buddhism is fundamentally anti-travel so long as the reason for that 'outward' travel isn't really just a distraction from what is really an inward struggle.

As Ian points out, travel can be very useful for the Buddhist, as the Buddha showed through his own extensive travels as a teacher. Furthermore, we can't forget the importance of Siddhartha's Great Departure in his intellectual and spiritual development. He had to see the way the world really was before he could truly overcome it.

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By: BryanN

BryanN — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:41:24 +0000

Craig, good question actually. First of all, it's not a coincidence. Nietzsche had every intention of referencing the historical Zarathushtra in using that name for his famous character. That said, as with most of Nietzsche's writing, the reference is mostly made as tongue-in-cheek. Although there are symbolic reasons for Nietzsche to use that name, the usage is mostly fictional, and is not meant to be a characterization of the real Zarathushtra.

Nietzsche is primarily using his book to establish the 'death of God' concept, as well as the concept of the Ubermensch. Here's my best go at the irony Nietzsche is shooting for by using Zarathushtra as his mouthpiece here:

Zarathushtra, and Zoroastrians, see the universe as a gigantic clash between truth and deceit. Truth is held as the highest virtue, and it is what Zoroastrians seek to obtain. So far, I think this coincides with Nietzsche's own aims vaguely enough. But here's the rub– Zarathushtra is also a moralist, unlike Nietzsche. Thus, Nietzsche is essentially tearing down moralism using a moralist as his mouthpeice, all while utilizing that moralist's own virtue of truthfulness.

Thus, I think most Zoroastrians would consider Nietzsche's characterization of their figurehead as a blasphemy and gross perversion.

That said, however, there are some real correlations to be made too. Within Zarathushtra's teachings are many of the precursors for existentialist philosophy (and, insofar as he is an existentialist, Nietzsche's own ideas as well). For one, Zarathushtra was one of the first to preach a doctrine of Free Will, such that it is the personal responsibility of individuals to make the world how they'd like it to be through their own actions. This notion of responsibility is more moralistic than it is an existential situation. Nevertheless, correlations can be drawn, I think, between the existentialist's notion of good faith, and the Zoroastrian notion of personal responsibility through Free Will.

Again, though, while there are connections to be drawn, those precursors also lead to very different places too. So don't get lead too far astray in drawing those connections. Zoroastrians are not Nietzscheans.

Does that help?

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By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:35:23 +0000

Siddhartha was also a traveler, inner and outer.

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By: ianmack

ianmack — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 05:29:28 +0000

Not necessarily. The Buddha traveled all over offering his teachings. As long as travel is opening the mind, and cultivating further self awareness, I'm sure it is seen as positive. Then again, if you're just getting drunk at Full Moon parties that doesn't help the inner journey.

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By: DHarbecke

DHarbecke — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:17:18 +0000

I tell my wife the same thing, when she insists I get my lazy butt out of bed. =)

Please note the word "inner," as from the title: "Five Eastern Thinkers Who Understood Inner Travel."

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By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:16:22 +0000

I have a stupid question about Zarathushtra. I'm currently reading Nietzsche's Thus Sapke Zarathustra (thanks to Librivox.org's free recordings) and wonder how closely the philosophy Nietzsche advocates in that book relates to Zarathushtra's Zoroastrianism.

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