The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life by Bruce J. MacLennan Page B
Authors: Bruce J. MacLennan
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and (3) they can achieve it. The means to achieving it is (4) the philosophy of the Garden. (These four truths are analogous to the “Four Noble Truths” of the Buddha.) Thus the Garden is democratic and egalitarian, and you can see why it welcomed everyone who wanted to pursue the Epicurean way of life. When everyone is Epicurean, they predicted, the whole world will be a Garden, a home for everyone, all living in justice and mutual friendship, with no need for laws. Thus Diogenes of Oenoanda, an ardent Epicurean of the second century CE, commissioned a public colonnade and engraved on 260
square meters of its walls his philosophy in 25,000 words (about a quarter of the length of this book). He looks forward to an Epicurean age:
Then truly the life of the gods will pass to men. For everything will be full of justice and mutual friendship, and there will come to be no need of city-walls or laws and all the things we manufacture on account of one another.69
In this ideal (if unlikely) worldwide Garden of Eden or Paradise, this return to the Golden Age, there would be no need for separate states, for Diogenes says:
The entire earth is a single native land for everyone,
and the world is a single home.70
Until this happy day, Epicurus reminds us that
The greatest gift of justice is tranquility.71
This is perhaps the most important lesson for us, since we are not living in a worldwide Epicurean Garden. Although the wise have little to fear from each other, they can strive to
66 seeking tranquility in the garden
create a society in which everyone is protected from harm and free to seek contentment by Epicurean practices.
I like to think of Epicurean justice in the following way. Everyone has a right to live in peace and contentment, and the Epicurean prescription will help them to do so. In addition, we should refrain from inflicting pain on others, whether physical or mental, so far as possible. Some pain is unavoidable, but we should try to avoid causing additional pain or anguish for our fellow humans. (Coping with unavoidable pain is addressed by the second degree of wisdom.)
Epicurean Justice: Think about how the Epicurean sage will treat other people, non-Epicurean as well as Epicurean. Think about how you can treat other people with Epicurean wisdom. Record your intentions and regularly assess your
success.
Friendship
The Garden teaches a fundamentally individualist philosophy, grounded in personal
happiness and self-sufficiency, which is why it is a relatively accessible place to embark on our search for wisdom, but social relations are also essential to the good life in the Garden. Lucretius claims that the social contract between neighbors for their mutual benefit naturally led to friendship between them. This may seem to contradict the old proverb,
“good fences make good neighbors,” but the ancient concept of friendship was somewhat broader than ours. It was not limited to emotional attachment, but included the social networks of mutual aid and support that were necessary for thriving in the ancient world.
These were established through kinship, marriage, adoption, fostering, voluntary alliance, and common interests. Epicurus’ utilitarian theory is supplemented by modern evolutionary psychology, which has shown that cooperation and social bonding are part of human nature. (This scientific support that would have pleased the master, but not surprised him.) Those of the Garden acknowledged “the existence of a certain natural affinity among people, deriving from their likeness in body and soul.”72
The master taught that friends should not be too demanding of each other, nor too reluctant to help. Indeed, he said, it is not so much actual acts of kindness that matter, as the seeking tranquility in the garden 67
alleviation of anxiety and the pleasure in the confidence that a friend will help: knowing they will be there when you need them. Epicureans said,
It is both more noble and delightful
square meters of its walls his philosophy in 25,000 words (about a quarter of the length of this book). He looks forward to an Epicurean age:
Then truly the life of the gods will pass to men. For everything will be full of justice and mutual friendship, and there will come to be no need of city-walls or laws and all the things we manufacture on account of one another.69
In this ideal (if unlikely) worldwide Garden of Eden or Paradise, this return to the Golden Age, there would be no need for separate states, for Diogenes says:
The entire earth is a single native land for everyone,
and the world is a single home.70
Until this happy day, Epicurus reminds us that
The greatest gift of justice is tranquility.71
This is perhaps the most important lesson for us, since we are not living in a worldwide Epicurean Garden. Although the wise have little to fear from each other, they can strive to
66 seeking tranquility in the garden
create a society in which everyone is protected from harm and free to seek contentment by Epicurean practices.
I like to think of Epicurean justice in the following way. Everyone has a right to live in peace and contentment, and the Epicurean prescription will help them to do so. In addition, we should refrain from inflicting pain on others, whether physical or mental, so far as possible. Some pain is unavoidable, but we should try to avoid causing additional pain or anguish for our fellow humans. (Coping with unavoidable pain is addressed by the second degree of wisdom.)
Epicurean Justice: Think about how the Epicurean sage will treat other people, non-Epicurean as well as Epicurean. Think about how you can treat other people with Epicurean wisdom. Record your intentions and regularly assess your
success.
Friendship
The Garden teaches a fundamentally individualist philosophy, grounded in personal
happiness and self-sufficiency, which is why it is a relatively accessible place to embark on our search for wisdom, but social relations are also essential to the good life in the Garden. Lucretius claims that the social contract between neighbors for their mutual benefit naturally led to friendship between them. This may seem to contradict the old proverb,
“good fences make good neighbors,” but the ancient concept of friendship was somewhat broader than ours. It was not limited to emotional attachment, but included the social networks of mutual aid and support that were necessary for thriving in the ancient world.
These were established through kinship, marriage, adoption, fostering, voluntary alliance, and common interests. Epicurus’ utilitarian theory is supplemented by modern evolutionary psychology, which has shown that cooperation and social bonding are part of human nature. (This scientific support that would have pleased the master, but not surprised him.) Those of the Garden acknowledged “the existence of a certain natural affinity among people, deriving from their likeness in body and soul.”72
The master taught that friends should not be too demanding of each other, nor too reluctant to help. Indeed, he said, it is not so much actual acts of kindness that matter, as the seeking tranquility in the garden 67
alleviation of anxiety and the pleasure in the confidence that a friend will help: knowing they will be there when you need them. Epicureans said,
It is both more noble and delightful
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