by Evan Lackie

Created on: May 12, 2008

Viktor Frankl's theory of Logotherapy should not be considered religious, rather a conduit to achieve an abstract Ultimate Reality. Logotherapy is used to help humankind find meaning, which in turn is humankind's ultimate goal and perhaps even Ultimate Reality. Frankl infers that an individual thrives on meaning in life, and that religion can provide that meaning. Thus perhaps maintaining meaning provides a state of Ultimate Reality. (Frankl 112-114) Buddhism proposes a concept of alternative Ultimate Reality as well, although under the veil of a common Enlightenment rather than the maintenance of personal purpose or meaning. Logotherapy and Buddhist thought share similar notions, under different guises, on the examination of the existence of suffering, the abatement of suffering and the generation of suffering in order to provide meaning to human life.

In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl writes "man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain, but rather to see meaning in his life." (Frankl 113) This acceptance of suffering and pleasure in order to progress towards meaning is parallel to Buddhist thought. Rahula notes that the First Noble Truth is the acknowledgment that suffering exists, this being one of the primary tenets of Buddhism. He further establishes that, "The Buddha does not deny happiness in life when he says there is suffering." (Rahula 17) It is clear that the recognition of suffering is a key component to both beliefs, as well as a common acceptance that both pleasure and suffering exist in life.

In the theory of Logotherapy one must change their attitude in order to progress towards meaning and minimize suffering. In Buddhism, one must follow the Eight Fold Path, and become mindful in order to deny suffering. Rahula notes that by following the Path one can achieve freedom and reach the Ultimate Reality. (Rahula 50) If we examine Frankl's "meaning" to be an Ultimate Reality, both philosophies have comparable practices. In Buddhism one trains their mind and body to manage and deny suffering, while in Logotherapy one manipulates their attitude, or mental depiction of suffering in order to alleviate pain and progress towards the Ultimate Reality of meaning. By manipulating the attitude of an individual Frankl believes that new realizations can be made, and the painful realities of life can be transformed into meaning driven truths. (Frankl 117)

Frankl addresses the abatement of suffering by suggesting Logotherapy as a technique. He notes

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