O lúdico e o sagrado: a interface entre o video game The Elder Scrolls e o Budismo

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the possible approximations between the narrative and ludic experience offered by the videogame The Elder Scrolls and Mahāyāna Buddhism, particularly the notion of the bodhisattva. The research starts from the assumption that certain cultural productions may constitute a privileged space for philosophical reflection on fundamental questions of existence. The central objective is to demonstrate how the worldbuilding and interactive mechanics of the series can resonate with key concepts of Mahāyāna Buddhism: wisdom (prajñā), compassion (karuṇā), and skillful means (upāya). Methodologically, the research adopts a phenomenological and interpretative approach, carrying out a comparative analysis between the game's narrative elements and primary and secondary Buddhist literature. The results point to significant resonances: the figure of the Prisoner-Hero, empty of predetermined essence, resembles the bodhisattva, who is defined by their path and commitment; the fictional concept of CHIM, which reveals the dreamlike nature of reality, finds a correlate in the Buddhist perception of emptiness (śūnyatā); the cosmic "Love" present in the game's narratives echoes the active compassion of the bodhisattva; and the pedagogical structure of the game, which uses fantasy as a vehicle for teaching, aligns with the concept of upāya. It is concluded that The Elder Scrolls can be understood as a philosophical laboratory that invites the player to immersively experience central questions of the human condition and the spiritual path.