Limits of Reason and the Need for Transcendence: Kant, Paul, Nietzsche, and Buddhist Thought in Comparative Perspective

This paper explores the human experience of limitation and the quest for transcendence through a comparative study of Kant, Paul, Nietzsche, and Buddhist philosophy. Kant identifies structural limits of reason, demonstrating how moral and epistemic boundaries shape human responsibility. Paul emphasizes existential and moral insufficiency, showing that human weakness necessitates grace, particularly as revealed in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Nietzsche critiques metaphysical illusions as responses to human weakness, advocating self-overcoming and life-affirming creativity as authentic forms of transcendence. Buddhist philosophy complements these perspectives by recognizing the impermanence of phenomena and the limits of desire, offering disciplined insight, ethical practice, and mindful awareness as paths to awakening. Across these traditions, human limitation emerges not as a barrier but as the essential condition for moral, spiritual, and existential transcendence. The study highlights a shared pattern: acknowledgment of human finitude opens avenues for ethical responsibility, creative self-realization, and awakening, demonstrating that limitation is inseparable from the human pursuit of meaning.