A Comparison of Buddhist and Western Philosophy

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This book briefly duscusses the origin and evolution of philosophy in the West and the East and attempts to compare the major philosophical concepts of the West with that of Buddhism. In this endevour the book takes a brief look at the background and main views of the major philosophers of the West begining from pre Socretic to the modern era. Then it discusses the development of philosophy in ancient India. A comparison of theistic and atheistic views on major philosophical subjects such as epistemology, reality, morals etc, is undertaken with emphasis on the different ideas of individual philosophers. How the different views of the Western philosophers may have been influenced by Eastern philosophy in general and Buddhism in particular is brought into focus. Finally the comparable areas and parallels between Buddhist and Western philosophies are reviewed.

Professor N.A.de S. Amaratunga is an Emeritus Professor in the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He held the post of Senior Chair Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the Faculty of Dental Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He was the Dean of the same Faculty and had been a member of the University Council as well. He is a holder of the highest university degree Doctor of Science.

Despite his busy engagement with the academic work of the University he had been deeply interested in Literature and Buddhist Philosophy. He has published two novels and two short story collections as well. Prof. Amaratunga has contributed several scholarly articles in the field of Buddhist Philosophy to journals. His previous books on Buddhism include "Controversies related to Buddhism" (2022, Motilal Banarsidass International), "Ancient Buddhist Philosophers" (2023, Buddhist Cultural Centre), and "Buddhism on the Silk Road" (2024, Buddhist Cultural Centre).