Philosophy of Reality and Dreams by Chuang-tzu and Ibn...

Ibn al-Arabi and Chuang-tzu were and continue to be very influential to the study of both religion and philosophy. Their separate notions of dream and reality have survived through the centuries and we continue to attempt to explain and analyze them today. In this paper I will first examine Ibn al-Arabis concept of dream and reality and then move on to study Chuang-tzus thoughts on the subject. After reviewing both of these constructs I will compare and contrast some of the similarities and differences between the two. Through this analysis I will show that although they were written hundreds of years and thousands of miles apart, their conclusions on dream and reality are strikingly similar. The Philosophers Ibn al-Arabi was†¦show more content†¦Also famous for his mystic philosophy is the great Chuang-tzu. Although not much is known about the Chinese Taoist writer, it is believed he was born around 369 B.C.E. on the border of Shandong and Henan provinces, and lived as a hermit until his death c.286 B.C.E. Scholars ascribe to Chuang-tzu at least some of the writing in the Taoist book which shares his name (the Chuang-tzu). In this book, Chuang-tzu uses wit, satire, analysis, and essays to explore many questions of philosophy, including the essence of reality and perception. Today, Chuang-tzu is considered to be one of the founders of Taoist philosophical thought, and his book is recognized as one of the holy scriptures of Taoism. The Chuang-tzu has captivated Chinese readers and encouraged philosophical discussion of its teachings for over two thousand years. Ibn `Arabi on Dream and Reality In his work Bezels of Wisdom, Ibn al-Arabi implies that all of that which we perceive as reality is, in fact a dream. Even in our dreams we are dreaming. Although most of us are unaware that we are dreaming, all that we see, feel, and hear is an illusion, a symbolic manifestation of the true Reality. According to Ibn al-Arabi, All men are asleep; only when they die, do they wake up. In the above statement Ibn al-Arabi does not mean that we must die in order to understand true Reality. He is referring to the process humans must undergo in order to interpret perceived reality to