Revisiting the Concept of Being: A Comparative Analysis of Heidegger and Eastern Philosophical Thought

Summary

This research compares Martin Heidegger's philosophy with Vedanta and Taoist traditions to explore the concept of Being. Heidegger criticized Western metaphysics for neglecting the question of existence and emphasized an existential understanding through Dasein. Eastern thought, in contrast, highlights non-dualistic and intuitive dimensions of existence, such as Brahman in Vedanta and Dao in Taoism. Despite different cultural contexts, both traditions share criticisms of objectifying reality and stress the subject's existential involvement in uncovering the meaning of Being, offering a more holistic ontological perspective.

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Abstract

This research aims to revisit the concept of Being (exists) through a comparative approach between Martin Heidegger's philosophy and Eastern philosophical thought, particularly the Vedanta and Taoist traditions. Heidegger, in his work Being and Time, criticized Western metaphysics that forgot the question of existence (Seinsfrage) and proposed an existential understanding of Being through Dasein's concept. In contrast, Eastern thought has traditionally emphasized the non-dualistic and intuitive dimensions of existence, as reflected in the concept of Brahman in Vedanta and Dao in Taoism. This study uses the qualitative literature review method with a philosophical hermeneutic approach to examine the ontological and epistemological structures in both traditions. The results of the analysis show that despite coming from different cultural and linguistic contexts, Heidegger and Eastern thought share similarities in criticizing the objectification of reality and emphasizing the subject's existential involvement in uncovering the meaning of Being. These findings open up spaces for dialogue across philosophical traditions and offer an alternative perspective to a more holistic and transcendent ontological understanding

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