What are the fundamental differences between Western and Eastern philosophy?

Western and Eastern philosophies diverge fundamentally in their approach to understanding the world. Western thought relies heavily on the six senses, using tools like telescopes and microscopes to extend their reach. It primarily utilizes the mental consciousness to synthesize the knowledge gathered by the five senses, a pattern that has prevailed in traditional Western thought. Regardless of the specific school of thought, from epistemology to skepticism, idealism to materialism, Western philosophical thought remains confined to the realm of human perception, limited by the six sense organs.

One prominent distinction between Eastern and Western philosophy lies in the approach to cognition: while Western philosophy relies on the senses, Eastern philosophy emphasizes the cessation of the senses for transcendent cognition. Taoism, Hinduism, and Buddhism all share the characteristic of achieving meditative concentration through the cessation of the six sense organs. This focus on meditative practices might seem entirely absent from the West, but that is not quite true. While present in the Western traditions, these practices often lack the depth found in Eastern traditions. While not central to the Western philosophical tradition, some practices within religions like Catholicism demonstrate a form of meditative concentration. For instance, consider the use of chanting during prayer. Historically, some Catholic practices even resembled the "Guru Yoga" found in Buddhism, where devotion is directed towards a single point (God in this case) with focused concentration. These historical practices suggest that some Catholics have attained states similar to meditative concentration during prayer, experiencing a sense of God's presence, blessings, or even a dialogue. Many report feeling a sense of joy, openness, and even a cleansing of sins after such experiences. These feelings are genuine and hold significant meaning for those who experience them.

Followers of other religions who meditate often describe such experiences during their practice. While these experiences are genuine, from a Buddhist perspective, they might not be considered meditative concentration yet. However, these practices still qualify as meditation because they involve a degree of mental stillness. These experiences represent a specific type of cognition that we'll explore further below.

Excerpted from:Cognition and Expression Part Two