Buddhism (Pali Canon)

What this school says, concept by concept
⚠️ Demo Notice

This website is a technical demonstration of knowledge graph and LLM capabilities, not an authoritative reference on Indian philosophy. It makes no claims about the correctness, completeness, or scholarly accuracy of any philosophical position shown here.

The underlying data (darshana-graph) was extracted automatically from source texts using LLMs. Source texts may be incomplete, mistranslated, or mis-attributed. Concept tagging, school labels, and relation types may contain errors. LLM-generated summaries may hallucinate or misrepresent philosophical positions. A known production bug where non-Vedanta traditions (Buddhism, Jainism) were shown Vedantic content due to a retrieval fallback error has been fixed, but other errors may remain.

For reliable study of Indian philosophy, please consult qualified teachers and established scholarly sources. This tool is provided for research and exploration only.

Atman
In Buddhist philosophy, the concept of atman is distinct from death, as a realized one no longer exists after death (cite: edge_009037). This idea is repeated in various sources, emphasizing that a realized one no longer exists after death (cite: edge_008884). Atman is also seen as distinct from knowledge, as one wouldn't truly know it (cite: edge_009204). Additionally, atman is considered to be the cause of karma, as those who are unrestrained and wicked are associated with it (cite: edge_010180).
Karma
In Buddhist philosophy, karma is distinct from dharma, as stated in various texts (cite: edge_010301), (cite: edge_010081), (cite: edge_010207), and (cite: edge_010227). However, karma is also considered a cause of dharma (cite: edge_008874) and (cite: edge_010082), and dharma is seen as a cause of karma (cite: edge_009656) and (cite: edge_010302). Additionally, karma is considered a qualified aspect of dharma (cite: edge_010337) and (cite: edge_008840), highlighting the complex relationship between these two concepts in Buddhist thought (cite: edge_010301).
Dharma
In Buddhist philosophy, dharma is seen as a cause of karma (cite: edge_009656) and happiness (cite: edge_008656). It is also considered a qualified aspect of good deeds (cite: edge_010103) and is distinct from karma (cite: edge_009931) and atman (cite: edge_008723). Additionally, dharma is viewed as a means to achieve moksha, or liberation (cite: edge_008798), and is considered distinct from desire (cite: edge_009546).
Moksha
In Buddhist philosophy, the concept of moksha is distinct from the concept of atman, as a realized one "neither still exists nor no longer exists after death" (cite: edge_008993). At the same time, atman is also seen as a cause of moksha, with a realized one being described as such (cite: edge_008907). The relationship between atman and moksha is complex, with some texts suggesting that a realized one "both still exists and no longer exists after death" (cite: edge_008964). Additionally, dharma is seen as a qualified aspect of moksha, with the idea of giving up one thing being related to it (cite: edge_010080).
Samsara
In Buddhist philosophy, samsara is a concept that is distinct from the idea of atman, or self (cite: edge_008894). According to Buddhist teachings, karma is a cause of samsara, meaning that an individual's actions can lead to their continued existence in this cycle (cite: edge_010040). The concept of atman is often described as being neither still existing nor no longer existing after death, highlighting its distinction from samsara (cite: edge_008906). Additionally, the actions of beings can also contribute to samsara, with some beings going to a bad place as a result of their actions (cite: edge_010181).
Maya
In Buddhist philosophy, maya is considered to be deceptive (cite: edge_010216) and is identical to ignorance (cite: edge_010101). It is also seen as a part of delusion (cite: edge_009202) and can be described as veiling people, like a shroud of ignorance (cite: edge_010114). Maya obstructs freedom, making it difficult for people to become disillusioned and freed from it (cite: edge_008220). Additionally, maya is characterized as breaking apart and deceptive (cite: edge_010217).
Jiva
In Buddhist philosophy, the concept of jiva is closely related to the body, as it is described as being "tamed, bearing their final body" (cite: edge_009912). Jiva is also seen as a cause of samsara, which is associated with a state of "sleep" (cite: edge_010086). Additionally, jiva is considered distinct from the idea of prolonged life, highlighting that they are not comparable (cite: edge_009470). This distinction suggests that jiva is a unique concept within Buddhist thought, separate from notions of extended lifespan (cite: edge_009470).
Dukkha
In Buddhist philosophy, dukkha is a concept that refers to suffering or dissatisfaction. According to Buddhist teachings, dukkha is caused by various factors, including karma, sensual pleasures, and consciousness (cite: edge_009118, cite: edge_009785, cite: edge_008403). Dukkha is also closely tied to the cycle of rebirth, old age, and death, and is seen as a fundamental aspect of the human experience (cite: edge_009731, cite: edge_008722). Ultimately, the goal of Buddhist practice is to overcome dukkha and achieve liberation, or moksha (cite: edge_009809, cite: edge_009929). [Note: this summary may contain an unverified citation.]
Anatta
In Buddhist philosophy, the concept of anatta is distinct from the idea of atman, or a permanent self (cite: edge_008850). This distinction is repeated throughout various Buddhist texts, emphasizing that the self is not permanent and that anatta is a separate concept (cite: edge_008945). The idea of karma is also related to anatta, as a realized one is freed from reckoning in terms of consciousness (cite: edge_008946). Overall, the Buddhist school of thought views anatta as a concept that is separate from the idea of a permanent, unchanging self (cite: edge_008851).