The philosophy of Buddhism teaches us about the importance of compassion, kindness, and mindfulness in our lives. It encourages us to live our lives in a way that does not harm others and that is free from attachments to material possessions and sensory pleasures. In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, we see the main character Paul, a soldier in World War I, struggle with these concepts as he is exposed to the horrors of war.

At heart, Paul is a kind, compassionate, and sensitive young man who loves his family more than anything and enjoys reading and writing poetry in his free time. However, the brutal experience of warfare teaches him to detach himself from his feelings and to view the world through a lens of detachment. His account of the war is a bitter invective against sentimental, romantic ideals of warfare. Throughout the book, his character traits of Paul vanish because of the horror of the war and the anxiety it brings to him.

The teachings of Buddhism encourage us to refrain from killing others. Paul, as a soldier, is forced to kill other human beings in the name of war. In chapter 5, page 88, he says, “We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves.” Here, we see Paul’s conflict with the concept of taking life, and how it goes against his innate sense of compassion and love for life.

Buddhism also teaches us to refrain from taking what is not given, or stealing from others. Paul and his fellow soldiers are sent to fight a war that they did not start, and they are forced to take the lives of other human beings. This goes against the teachings of Buddhism, which emphasize the importance of living a life that is free from harm and violence.

The misuse of the senses is another concept that is discouraged in Buddhism. Not having too much sensual pleasure and being mindful of our actions and their impact on others is encouraged. In All Quiet on the Western Front, the soldiers are exposed to the sensory overload of war, with bombardment, barrage, curtain fire, mines, gas, tanks, machine guns, and hand grenades. In chapter 6, page 132, Paul reflects on this, saying, “Bombardment, barrage, curtain-fire, mines, gas, tanks, machine-guns, hand-grenades – words, words, but they hold the horror of the world.” The sensory overload of war has a profound impact on the soldiers, and they are forced to detach themselves from their feelings and emotions in order to cope.

Wrong speech is another concept that is discouraged in Buddhism. The teachings of Buddhism encourage us to speak truthfully, kindly, and in a way that does not harm others. In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul and his fellow soldiers are often forced to lie and deceive others in order to survive. This goes against the teachings of Buddhism, which emphasize the importance of living a life that is free from deception and falsehood.

The first precept of Buddhism is to refrain from taking any lives including animals. Paul is a soldier whose job is to kill the enemy, and he struggles with this concept. He is not a natural-born killer but is forced into the role of one by the war. In chapter 5, Paul states, “We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world, and we had to shoot it to pieces” (pg 88). This quote shows how the war has robbed Paul and his fellow soldiers of their innocence and forced them to become killers.

The second precept of Buddhism is to refrain from taking what is not given, which means not stealing from anyone. In the context of the war, this means not taking the lives, land, or possessions of the enemy. The war is built on the idea of taking what belongs to the enemy, and this goes against the teachings of Buddhism. Paul is not just stealing from the enemy, but he is also stealing from himself. He is stealing his own humanity and morality by participating in the war.

The third precept of Buddhism is to refrain from the misuse of the senses, which means not having too much sensual pleasure. In the context of the war, this means not indulging in the pleasures of violence and killing. Paul experiences the horror of the war, and this trauma causes him to detach himself from his emotions and senses. He becomes numb to the world around him and is unable to feel anything. In chapter 6, Paul says, “Bombardment, barrage, curtain-fire, mines, gas, tanks, machine-guns, hand-grenades – words, words, but they hold the horror of the world” (pg 132). This quote shows how the war has stripped Paul of his senses and made him numb to the world.

The fourth precept of Buddhism is to refrain from wrong speech. In the context of the war, this means not spreading propaganda or lies to justify the war. Paul’s account of the war is a bitter invective against sentimental, romantic ideals of warfare. He exposes the true nature of war and the suffering it causes. He refuses to glorify the war or justify the actions of those in power. He speaks the truth about the war, which is rare in a society that promotes the romanticism of war.

The fifth precept of Buddhism is to refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind. In the context of the war, this means not using drugs or alcohol to cope with the trauma of war. Paul and his fellow soldiers turn to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain of war. However, this only leads to more suffering and does not solve the underlying problem. Paul realizes that the only way to cope with the trauma of war is to connect with his fellow soldiers and share his experiences. In chapter 9, Paul says, “I could bury my face in them, in these voices, these words that have saved me and will stand by me” (pg 212). This quote shows how Paul finds comfort in his fellow soldiers and the bonds they have formed through their shared experiences.

Furthermore, Buddha also teaches that one should refrain from taking what is not given and not steal from anyone. In war, soldiers are often forced to take from others to survive. They may steal food, clothing, or other resources from civilians or enemies. This kind of behavior is not in line with Buddhist principles of ethics. In the book, Paul and his comrades often turn to drink and other vices to cope with the stress and trauma of war. However, according to Buddhist teachings, overindulging in sensual pleasures can lead to suffering and distract one from achieving enlightenment.

Similarly, Buddha emphasizes the importance of right speech and refraining from wrong speech. In war, propaganda and misinformation are often used to manipulate soldiers and justify violence. Paul and his comrades are also guilty of using foul language and derogatory terms towards their enemies. This kind of behavior is not in line with Buddhist principles of ethical speech.

In conclusion, the teachings of Buddhism provide a framework for evaluating the ethics of Paul, a soldier in the novel All Quiet on the Western Front. Paul is at heart a compassionate, intelligent, and sensitive young man, but the horrific experience of warfare teaches him to detach himself from his feelings and become numb to the world. Through the teachings of Buddhism, we can see how the war impacted Paul’s character, actions, and ethics. Buddha’s teachings emphasize compassion and non-violence, which are the opposite of the harsh and violent nature of war. Buddha teaches that one should refrain from taking life and not kill any living being. Paul, as a soldier, is trained to kill and take the lives of other human beings. In the book, Paul mentions how he and his comrades have to shoot everything to pieces, which indicates how they have to destroy everything in their path to win the war. The violent nature of war is in direct contradiction to Buddha’s teachings of non-violence.