Stoicism & Hinduism Are More Similar Than You’d Think

Stoicism has made a massive resurrection over the last decade, thanks mostly to the works of Ryan Holiday and Massimo Pigliucci.

Hinduism has been more than just a religion for billions of people over the last 500 decades.

On the surface, Stoicism and Hinduism seem vastly different as philosophical systems. The works of D.T. Suzuki and Alan Watts are the first to come to mind when thinking about the intersection of Eastern & Western philosophies. And even though Stoicism is a Western philosophical school and the Hinduism is an Eastern religion, the two share a number of commonalities – from self discipline of the self to acceptance of the world.

At the core of Hinduism lies self-control, acceptance of fate (Karma), and detachment from external circumstances to cultivate internal peace.

The core of Stoicism life discipline of the self, acceptance of what’s outside of ones control, and rationality.

Self-Control & Discipline

One of the Cardinal Virtues, adopted by the Stoics, is Temperance. Not temperance in the sense of abstaining from drinking alcohol, but rather the discipline of finding peace in not overindulging nor depriving oneself. Seneca, Stoic philosopher and statesmen, writes to his friend Lucillius “It is not poverty at all. It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.”

Hindu philosophy also preaches that the path to enlightenment is paved in part by self-control. Chapter 6 Verse 13 of the Bhagavad Gita states, "Self-control, self-restraint, and austerity are the weapons of the spiritual warrior. Use them to conquer the enemy within."

Living In Accordance To Nature

Stoicism is all about dichotomy of control. “You don’t control what happens to you, you control how you respond”, as the famous saying goes. Seneca preached “Let us keep to the way which Nature has mapped out for us, and let us not swerve therefrom.” Suffering, according to Stoicism, stems from not accepting whatever situation(s) life has put you in. They believed that acceptance of what you cannot control puts you in a position of power in regards to how you respond, since all your energy will be focused on internal factors, not external.

Hindu philosophy recognizes that living in harmony with the natural world is the only way to achieve true happiness and fulfillment. In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is faced with the decision to either go to war against his family or not go to war. Krishna, his divine guide and mentor, reminds Arjuna that fighting for the good and upholding the natural order of things is his duty, or dharma. Only by accepting his reality was Arjuna able to find the strength and inner peace to fulfill his destiny.

Detachment

Going off of living in accordance to nature, the Stoics believed one should attach themselves to what’s in their control rather than what’s outside their control. Another form of detachment for the Stoics was detaching from material possessions. Seneca, a statesmen and playwright, was one of the wealthiest men in Rome with a home to host hundreds of people with the finest dishes and riches. The philosopher side of himself knew he must not grow attached to material objects, so he would spend days wearing peasant cloths and eat only a handful of berries.

Detachment of material possessions and what’s outside of ones control is central to Hindu Philosophy. The Gita defines detachment is that one mustn’t be owned by that which he owns. Narada, child of Brahma, was a nomadic storyteller and musician who lives a life of extreme poverty and simplicity. Narada was able to achieve a state of inner peace and enlightenment thanks to his practice of detachment. He recognized that material possessions and external circumstances were transitory and fleeting, and that true happiness and fulfillment could only be found through detachment.

Final Thoughts

Stoicism and Hinduism share more commonalities than what meets the eye – from discipline to inner peace. Recognizing these similarities and incorporating their wisdom can lead to a more balanced life.