Buddhism, Hinduism, Legalism, Confucianism, and Daoism

The Philosophies of China

What is philosophy?System by which people live their lives

Looking to be a good person

Many Asian religions mix philosophy and religion

What is YOUR personal life philosophy?

BuddhismThe “middle way of wisdom and

compassion”

A 2500 year old tradition that began in India and spread and diversified throughout the Far East

A philosophy, religion, and spiritual practice followed by more than 300 million people

Based on the teachings of the Buddha

The “Three Jewels” of Buddhism

Buddha – the teacher

Dharma – the teachings

Sangha – the community

What did the Buddha teach?

The Four Noble Truths:To live is to sufferThe cause of suffering is self-

centered desire & attachmentsThe solution is to eliminate desire

and attachment, thus achieving Nirvana (“extinction”)

The way to Nirvana is through the “Eight-Fold Path”

What is the Eight-Fold Path?

Wisdom:•Right understanding

•Right motivation

Moral discipline:•Right speech

•Right action

•Right livelihood

Mental discipline:•Right effort

•Right mindfulness

•Right meditation

What do Buddhist believe?Rebirth (reincarnation) results from

attachments (karma)Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state

of mindAchieving Nirvana means escape from

the cycle of rebirthSuffering is a state of mind – achieve a

balanced, peaceful, detached state of mind and suffering can be extinguished (Nirvana)

What is Hinduism? The oldest religions of humanity—

est. 5000 years agoThe religion of the Indian peopleGave birth to BuddhismMany deities but a single,

impersonal Ultimate Reality (meaning they appear to be polytheistic, but are not!)

No particular founder

Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon

Brahma, the creator godVishnu, the preserver godShiva, god of

constructive

destruction

All these deities are butManifest forms (attributesand functions) of theimpersonal Brahman

All these deities are butManifest forms (attributesand functions) of theimpersonal Brahman

What do Hindus believe? Reincarnation – people are continually

born into this world lifetime after lifetime Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions

keeps us bound to this world (good and bad) aka what goes around comes around!

Practice yoga to achieve greatest mediation state

Hold all parts of life scared and therefore are vegetarians

Do not eat COWS because they are considered scared

Four “stations” of life (Caste) - priests & teachers, nobles & warriors, merchant class, servant class

Life of ConfuciusBorn during the

Zhou dynasty in 551 BCE

During his lifetime, there was a lot of fighting among the nobles in the feudal system

There was little peace and a lot of corruption in the government

Teachings of ConfuciusTo reform corrupt governmentsBelieved anyone could learn, not just the

nobles Respect your eldersPractice moral responsibility through rigid

rules of behavior

“The superior man blames himself. It is the inferior man who blames others”

“When a ruler behaves himself correctly, the people will also.”

Impact of Confucianism His teachings opened the minds of ancient

Chinese :No longer were only nobles allowed to hold

government positionsBecause of Confucius’ teachings, anyone who

could pass an examination could carry out CIVIL SERVICE

1. Human nature is naturally selfish. 2. Intellectualism and literacy is

discouraged. 3. Law is the supreme authority and

replaces morality. 4. The ruler must rule with a strong,

punishing hand.

5. War is the means of strengthening a ruler’s power.

LegalismEstablished and enforced by Emperor Shi

Huang Di (Emperor Qin)Only ruled for 11 years but was able to

build the largest part of the GREAT WALL and the Terra Cotta Soldier Army

1. Rejecting formal knowledge and learning.

2. Relying on the senses and instincts. 3. Discovering the nature and

“rhythm” of the universe. 4. Ignoring political and social laws.

To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps” of life, one must escape by:

Masculine Active Light Warmth Strong Heaven; Sun

Feminine Passive Darkness Cold Weak Earth; Moon

How is a man to live in a world dominated by chaos, suffering, and absurdity??

Confucianism --> Moral order in society.

Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.

Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and less govt. to avoid uniformity and conformity.