The Zen of Camus and Sartre

What is it about?

Why Sisyphus Might Not Need to Smile: What Zen Can Teach Us About Finding Freedom Most of us know the feeling of being trapped in routines that seem endless—the same tasks, the same struggles, day after day. The ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus captures this perfectly: a man condemned by the gods to roll a boulder uphill forever, only to watch it roll back down each time. The French philosopher Albert Camus famously suggested that we must imagine Sisyphus happy—finding meaning through defiance, choosing to keep going despite the futility. But what if there's another way? This paper explores what happens when we bring Zen Buddhism into conversation with Western existentialist philosophy. Both traditions take seriously the idea that life doesn't come with built-in meaning—that we're essentially on our own in a universe that offers no guarantees. But while thinkers like Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre suggest we find freedom through rebellion or by accepting the burden of creating our own meaning, Zen offers something different: the possibility of stepping outside the struggle altogether. Through examining classic Zen teachings alongside existentialist texts, this paper suggests that freedom might not require us to define ourselves in relation to our burdens at all. The Zen approach invites a kind of direct presence—fully inhabiting the moment without the mental commentary about whether it's meaningful or meaningless, worth doing or not worth doing. For therapists and anyone interested in how we cope with life's difficulties, this has practical implications. Some people benefit from the existentialist approach—finding dignity in persistence, choosing their stance toward unavoidable challenges. Others may find relief in the Zen orientation—learning to loosen their grip, to be present without needing resolution. The paper suggests that neither approach is universally superior. The key is recognizing what serves us in a given moment: sometimes we need to push the boulder with intention; sometimes we need to notice the strawberry growing on the cliffside.

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Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash

Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash

Why is it important?

We live in an era of chronic stress, burnout, and existential uncertainty. Climate anxiety, political instability, economic precariousness—many people feel trapped in circumstances beyond their control, pushing boulders that keep rolling back down. Mental health approaches increasingly draw on both Western and Eastern traditions, yet the philosophical foundations connecting them remain underexplored. This paper bridges that gap, offering therapists and practitioners a framework for understanding when existentialist strategies (finding meaning through engagement) serve clients well, and when Zen-informed approaches (presence without grasping) might also be effective. As contemplative practices become mainstream in therapeutic settings, this work provides deeper grounding in the contemplative traditions from which they emerge—moving beyond technique toward genuine understanding.

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