I’ve been thinking about how the Dark Souls games have deep Buddhist philosophy that many Western fans don’t notice.
Take Gwyn for example. His refusal to let go of power and throwing himself into the First Flame shows the Buddhist concept of attachment leading to suffering. He creates an endless cycle of rebirth and pain because he can’t accept that his age should end naturally.
The whole flame cycle itself mirrors Buddhist ideas about samsara. Someone links the fire, it fades, another person does it again. This creates perpetual suffering instead of accepting natural change.
The word ‘souls’ in the game probably doesn’t mean what English speakers think. In Asian languages, similar words often mean consciousness or awareness rather than a spiritual essence. When you collect souls from enemies, you’re gaining consciousness energy, not actual individual spirits.
Other Buddhist elements include fog representing unclear thinking (common in Japanese media), Aldia as an asura figure with multiple faces and flames, and the primordial serpents looking like Mara, the demon who tempted Buddha.
What’s really telling is the absence of Christian themes. No emphasis on redemption, forgiveness, or traditional Western moral concepts. This makes sense since Buddhism is much more prevalent in Japan than Christianity.
Many fans know every item description and lore detail but miss these philosophical foundations. It’s unfortunate because recognizing the Buddhist influence adds so much depth to understanding what FromSoftware was actually trying to convey about cycles, attachment, and acceptance.