3 streams of thought in china

What do Ancient What do Ancient Philosophies have to do with Philosophies have to do with

us? us? World View is philosophical ideas of being, World View is philosophical ideas of being, a culture’s beliefs about its place in the a culture’s beliefs about its place in the cosmos; beliefs about the nature of cosmos; beliefs about the nature of humanity; manifested in…humanity; manifested in…– PhilosophyPhilosophy– ReligionReligion– HistoryHistory– ArtArt– LiteratureLiterature– Use of space and timeUse of space and time

U.S. World ViewU.S. World View Individual is more important than Individual is more important than

groupgroup MaterialisticMaterialistic Future time orientationFuture time orientation Doing rather than being Doing rather than being Belief in Supreme BeingBelief in Supreme Being Science and Technology importantScience and Technology important Get identity from workGet identity from work

East Asian World View East Asian World View informed by 3 streams of informed by 3 streams of

thoughtthought Confucianism Confucianism

teaches:teaches: relationship with relationship with

othersothers Buddhism teaches:Buddhism teaches:

– Inner cultivationInner cultivation Taoism teaches:Taoism teaches:

– Relationship with Relationship with naturenature

Confucianism was official Confucianism was official policy:policy:

In China for 2,000 yearsIn China for 2,000 years In Korea for 500 yearsIn Korea for 500 years In Japan for 250 yearsIn Japan for 250 years

– Therefore ingrained into East Asia thoughtTherefore ingrained into East Asia thought– Ethico-political doctrineEthico-political doctrine– Basic value systemBasic value system– Useful in maintaining a stable Chinese Useful in maintaining a stable Chinese

statestate

The Confucian Ethic The Confucian Ethic places…places…

Emphasis on FamilyEmphasis on Family– The family experience teaches us how to The family experience teaches us how to

interact with the larger worldinteract with the larger world Emphasis on EducationEmphasis on Education

– Education brings honor and financial Education brings honor and financial stability to the familystability to the family

Self-CultivationSelf-Cultivation The Fully Realized HumanThe Fully Realized Human

– RespectfulnessRespectfulness– ToleranceTolerance– Trustworthiness in wordTrustworthiness in word– QuicknessQuickness– GenerosityGenerosity

Family/Social DimensionFamily/Social Dimension Five RelationshipsFive Relationships

– Reciprocity Reciprocity

Education DimensionEducation Dimension The fully developed humanThe fully developed human

Moral DimensionMoral Dimension ““Do not impose on others what you Do not impose on others what you

yourself do not desire”yourself do not desire”– The Analects, XII, 17The Analects, XII, 17

Political DimensionPolitical Dimension ““To govern is to correct. If you set To govern is to correct. If you set

an example by being correct, who an example by being correct, who would dare to remain incorrect”.would dare to remain incorrect”.– The Analects, XII:17The Analects, XII:17

Spiritual DimensionSpiritual Dimension ““You do not understand even life. You do not understand even life.

How can you understand death?”How can you understand death?” The Analects, XI;12The Analects, XI;12

Western military challenge Western military challenge changed thoughtchanged thought

May fourth Movement, 1919 was May fourth Movement, 1919 was response to Westresponse to West

Blamed traditional culture & Blamed traditional culture & Confucianism for making China stagnant Confucianism for making China stagnant & backward& backward

Leaders of May 4 movement chose to Leaders of May 4 movement chose to obliterate old culture in order to obliterate old culture in order to modernizemodernize

Cultural Revolution, 1966-76, further Cultural Revolution, 1966-76, further eroded Confucian thoughteroded Confucian thought

Contemporary ConfucianismContemporary Confucianism Late 1970s –open door policyLate 1970s –open door policy 1986 Contemporary Confucianism 1986 Contemporary Confucianism

designated a national project designated a national project Now Confucianism believed Now Confucianism believed

commensurate with Protestant ethic commensurate with Protestant ethic in terms of role in rise of capitalismin terms of role in rise of capitalism

You Tube with Daniel BellYou Tube with Daniel Bell http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZMjVJWhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=ZMjVJW

hhCxAhhCxA

Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times articlearticle

http://www.latimes.com/news/politicshttp://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-bk-levitin25-2008may25,0,70883/la-bk-levitin25-2008may25,0,7088320.story20.story

International Herald TribuneInternational Herald Tribune http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/

14/opinion/edbell.php14/opinion/edbell.php

Taoist ValuesTaoist Values Nature should be Nature should be

befriended, not befriended, not conqueredconquered

Taoist ValuesTaoist Values Eschews Eschews

dichotomiesdichotomies

Taoist ValuesTaoist Values PacifismPacifism

Taoist ValuesTaoist Values Spontaneity & Spontaneity &

naturalnessnaturalness

Types of TaoistsTypes of Taoists Philosophical or Philosophical or

Literati TaoistsLiterati Taoists– Wu WeiWu Wei

Types of TaoistsTypes of Taoists Medical/self-Medical/self-

cultivating Taoistscultivating Taoists– Maximize ChiMaximize Chi

Types of TaoistsTypes of Taoists Religious/Religious/

communal Taoistscommunal Taoists– Harnessing higher Harnessing higher

powers for humane powers for humane endsends

Buddhist ValuesBuddhist Values CompassionCompassion Suppression of egoSuppression of ego Living for othersLiving for others

3 poisons in Buddhism3 poisons in Buddhism DelusionDelusion CravingCraving HostilityHostility

5 precepts of Buddhism5 precepts of Buddhism Do not killDo not kill Do not stealDo not steal Do not lieDo not lie Do not be unchasteDo not be unchaste Do not take drugs or drink Do not take drugs or drink

intoxicantsintoxicants

Buddhism in ChinaBuddhism in China Arrived from India 1Arrived from India 1stst or 2 or 2ndnd century century

CECE Clashed with ConfucianismClashed with Confucianism

– Redemptive power of charity & good Redemptive power of charity & good worksworks

Buddhist Temple Buddhist Temple activityactivity

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eqMuY9http://youtube.com/watch?v=eqMuY9Pj28gPj28g

Basic Tenats of BuddhismBasic Tenats of Buddhism Four noble truthsFour noble truths

– Life is dukkha—suffering—life as typically Life is dukkha—suffering—life as typically lived is out of joint which restricts lived is out of joint which restricts movementmovement

– The cause of suffering is desire for private The cause of suffering is desire for private fulfillment (ego oozing like a sore)fulfillment (ego oozing like a sore)

– We overcome suffering by letting go of We overcome suffering by letting go of desiredesire

– We let go of desire by following eightfold We let go of desire by following eightfold pathpath

Eightfold pathEightfold path Right knowledge (of 4 noble truths)Right knowledge (of 4 noble truths) Right aspiration (decide what we want)Right aspiration (decide what we want) Right speech (truth & charity)Right speech (truth & charity) Right behavior (see 5 precepts)Right behavior (see 5 precepts) Right livelihood/occupationRight livelihood/occupation Right effort (moral exertion)Right effort (moral exertion) Right mindfulnessRight mindfulness

– ““All we are is the result of what we have All we are is the result of what we have thought”thought”

Right absorptionRight absorption

The little creek…not religion, The little creek…not religion, not philosophy, but local not philosophy, but local

traditionstraditions It nourishes the spirit in…It nourishes the spirit in…

– The search for meaning in contemporary The search for meaning in contemporary ChinaChina

Common Spiritual heritage Common Spiritual heritage Centered on familyCentered on family Pivots on recognition of vital energyPivots on recognition of vital energy

—Qi-animating all reality—Qi-animating all reality World is a sacred place of power & World is a sacred place of power &

mysterymystery Humans must cooperate with the Humans must cooperate with the

power & make it operative in societypower & make it operative in society

So how does all So how does all this apply to this apply to

us???us???

Buddhism promotesBuddhism promotes CompassionCompassion Suppression of egoSuppression of ego

IndividualIndividual NationalNational

Living for othersLiving for others JoyJoy

Confucianism stressesConfucianism stresses Strong familyStrong family EducationEducation Civil treatment of Civil treatment of

othersothers

Taoism stressesTaoism stresses PacifismPacifism NaturalnessNaturalness Working with Working with

naturenature Eschewing Eschewing

dichotomiesdichotomies

These are qualities the West These are qualities the West needs, has too little of, and needs, has too little of, and

should learn.should learn.

Religious freedom or Religious freedom or restrictionrestriction

1982 Document 19 on religious policy1982 Document 19 on religious policy– Declared 5 religions legitimate:Declared 5 religions legitimate:

BuddhismBuddhism DaoismDaoism CatholicismCatholicism ProtestantismProtestantism IslamIslam

– Document is ambiguous & enforcement Document is ambiguous & enforcement capriciouscapricious

Buddhist templesBuddhist temples Government funds used to restore Government funds used to restore

temples destroyed during Cultural temples destroyed during Cultural RevolutionRevolution

New temples constructed with private New temples constructed with private funds by monks & nunsfunds by monks & nuns– Gives donors merit through contributionsGives donors merit through contributions– Important to participate in moral revival Important to participate in moral revival

of Chinaof China