Kamma and Existence: An Atheist-Existentialist Interpretation of the Early Buddhist Concept of Kamma

Existentialism was a highly influential tradition in contemporary continental philosophy. Although widely popular in the modern era, it is often considered that the philosopher Nietzsche initiated the trend later associated with existentialism. There are two main categories of existentialists: theistic and atheistic. Existentialism places strong emphasis on human existence, essence, and the responsibility of defining oneself. This research focuses on the atheist existentialist dimension of Jean-Paul Sartre, the most prominent modern existentialist philosopher, using his ideas as a lens to examine the Early Buddhist concept of karma and explore whether it reflects an atheist existentialist perspective. The central research problem is whether the concept of kamma contains an atheist existential aspect. This qualitative study is grounded in the fundamental principles of existentialism outlined by Sartre and in selected suttas from the Pali Canon. The methodologies employed include existentialism as an approach, comparative study, and logical examination. The objectives of this research are to examine the foundational principles of Sartrean existentialism, to explore the atheist existentialist interpretation of the Buddhist concept of kamma, and to compare, contrast and investigate the relationship between two. When considering the key principles of existentialism, such as “existence precedes essence,” freedom of choice and responsibility, subjectivity, and the mental conditions that have been used to demonstrate existentialist state such as, anguish, abandonment, and despair, it becomes evident that the Buddhist notion of karma aligns closely with these criteria. Therefore, it may be concluded that the Buddhist concept of kamma demonstrates an atheist existentialist aspect when analysed through Sartre’s framework.