ABSTRACT
In Buddhist traditions, a good deal was said about well-being, but rather little was said that could be considered a philosophy of well-being. Classical Buddhist thought, in India and elsewhere in Asia, did include philosophical reflection. However, this reflection pertained primarily to topics in metaphysics and epistemology. For the most part, it did not include moral or ethical philosophy similar to that developed by canonical Western philosophers such as Aristotle, Kant, and Mill. Moreover, the main theories of well-being discussed in contemporary Western philosophy were not within the purview of traditional Buddhist thinkers. Nonetheless, it might be hoped that Buddhist thought could be interpreted in terms of these theories or at least that it would be possible to develop a fruitful dialogue about well-being between contemporary philosophers and interpreters or advocates of the Buddhist traditions. In this chapter, I will briefly examine the basis for this hope and assess its prospects for success.
