05-Jan-15

EASTERN THEORIES
Buddhism
Confucianism

Philosophy of
Man
Eastern Theories

Confucianism

Taoism
Hinduism
Zen

Tenets of Confucianism

REN

human-heartedness, basic virtue ought to be

developed by each person
Means love, benevolence or charity
Helps man develop his social concerns and
engagements rather than keeping his egoism
Man has an obligation to reach out to others
Means loving people and controlling ones
egoistic leanings

Buddhism

Man should harmonize himself with nature

which should be translated through mans
translation of the innate laws of nature into
action.
Innate Laws of Nature:
Ren
Yi
Zhong
Li
Xiao

Yi
Means righteousness,

oughtness or the
rightness of an action in a given situation.
What must be done requires no
compensation
The consequences of an act is not given
importance.
MOTIVES

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Zhong

Li

Conscientiousness

Propriety

controlled

by or done according to one's i

nner sense of what is right;governed by c
onscience; principled:
Must go with Shu (altruism)
Practice of the Confucian moral
injunction embalmed in the Golden Rule

conformity to established standards of go

od or proper behavior or manners.
Doing things the right way

Xiao

In summary,

Filial

Every

piety
reverence, to honor ones
parents
Authentic concern for ones parents
welfare (both spiritual and emotional)
It is ones obligation to fulfil ones parents
unfulfilled dreams after they die which is
far better than giving sacrifices to the
souls of dead parents.
Respect,

person can become a superior man

or a gentle man (Daren)

A person with high moral rectitude and high

pitch of moral standards
A person who cannot, will not and does not
commit immorality because his life is lived in
the context of his stature

Opposite

is Xiaoren (ones whose life is

governed by laws, not by virtues)

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Taoism

3 elements of Taoism
Road,

human head and human foot

means that
It is the way of the ultimate reality
It is the way of the universe
It is the way of the human existence
Which

Tao is
2700

BCE in China
means path or way
Incomprehensible, indescribable,
inexpressible
Cannot be understood by the ordinary
mind
Unfit for words to describe
The cause of everything that exists
He who knows does not talk, he who talks
does not know
Tao

From the standpoint of the

universe
Tao

shows itself in the course of things in

nature as they are beyond human
control.
Nature has its own motion, course and
laws.
Nobody has the power to control the
dynamicity of things of the progressive
motion of change inasmuch as this is
natures way.

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Philosophical Principles

Lao Tzu believes that

such as naturalness, spontaneity,

simplicity, detachment from desires, and most
important of all, wu wei
To attain naturalness, one has to identify with
the Tao, this involves freeing oneself from
selfishness and desire, and appreciating
simplicity.
the universe is seen as being in a constant
process of re-creating itself, humans are
microcosm of the universe.

Yin and Yang

The

fundamental law of change is the law

of reversion.
When things reach their extreme points,
they go back to their original phase (way
of the universe).
Achievement is the beginning of failure.
Fame is the beginning of disgrace.

Lao Tzu believes that,

Tao

pertains to the call of man to harmonize

himself with nature.
The path to this harmony lies the practice of wuwie wu which means to do nothing.
Passivity or having no activity
Non interference with the natural course of
events
The opposite would be: overdoing (overkilling an
act)
Simply go along with the current and course of
nature

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In summary,
Man should

strive to establish harmony

between himself and mature
Harmony is passive
Practice wu-wie wu

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