The Shores beyond the World: Fire and Ocean as Founding Metaphors of Early Buddhist Poetic Philosophy

By : Federico Divino

Page No: 51-88

Abstract
This paper explores the complex ways in which fire and water are used in Buddhist writing, clarifying their symbolic meaning in the context of doctrine. Fire, a symbol of material trappings and illusions of perception, represents the worldly energies of sensory awareness and habit, and must be ‘extinguished’ in order to be freed. On the other hand, water, the opposite of fire,represents the difficult, austere path that is dangerous but leads to peaceful stretches of land, like a river flowing into the ocean, which is a symbol for achieving spiritual enlightenment. This firewater dialectic, which is possibly evocative of earlier Indian poetry traditions, emphasizes how Buddhism uses vivid imagery to convey transcendent truths. It acknowledges the lyrical quality of Buddhist speech but cautions against severing it completely from philosophical investigation so as not to reinforce colonial prejudices. The article concludes advocating for a nuanced understanding of ancient Buddhist thought as a profound philosophical praxis, offering insights still relevant in contemporary discourse.

Author :
Federico Divino : University of Antwerp, Belgium.