Eastern Philosophy and Peace

morality

To differentiate Chinese philosophy from Greek philosophy, it is important to remembr that Chinese philosophy focused more on ______ rather than nature of cosmos

Daode Jing

This was a text attributed to Laozi, also known as The Way and its Power

Daoism

What major philosophy is based on the Daode Jing?

Daode Jing

It was one of the first attempts to propose a theory of just rule, based on de (virtue), which could be found by following dao (the Way), and forms the basis of the philosophy known as Daoism.

wu-wei

We can only live according to dao by ________ meaning “non-action”

nature

Living in harmony with _____ is one path the Daode jing prescribes for a well-balanced life. For this man that could mean respecting the ecological balance of the world and not over-exploiting.

Laozi

He has become an almost mythical figure; it has even been suggested that the book Daode Jing was not by him, but is in fact a compilation of sayings by a number of scholars

Siddhartha Gautama

This philosopher, although revered by Buddhists for his wisdom, was neither a messiah nor a prophet, and he did not act as a medium between God and Man. His ideas were arrived at through reasoning, not divine revelation, and it is this that marks Buddhism out as a philosophy as much as (perhaps even more than) a religion.

Middle way

This was what Gautama believed to be the way that should lead to true happiness or enlightenment. It is the in-between of self-indulgence and self-mortification

attachments

Gautama reasons that the elimination of ______—or our desires—will prevent any disappointment, and so avoid suffering.

selfishness

To get rid of our attachments and avoid suffering, he suggests a root cause of our attachments: our ________

ego

For Gautama, selfishness is self-centeredness and self-attachment-the domain of what today we would call the "______." So, to free ourselves from attachments that cause us pain, it is not enough merely to renounce the things we desire-we must overcome our attachments

Universal, Desire, Eliminating, Eightfold Path

The Four Noble Truths that serve as the way to achieve happiness includes:

1.) Suffering is _____

2.) _____ is cause of suffering

3.) suffering can be avoided by ______ desire

4.) following the _________ will eliminate desire

The Eightfold Path

This is, in effect, the code of ethics or a prescription for a good life and the happiness Gautama first set out to find

Suffering

The ultimate goal of life on Earth for Gautama is to end the cycle of ______

Nirvana

This is variously translated as “non-attachment”, “not being”, or literally “blowing out of a candle”

Nirvana

Gautama merely describes ______ as "unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, and unformed", and transcending any sensory experience. It is an eternal and unchanging state of not-being, and so the ultimate freedom from the suffering of existence.

Mozi

Born in 479 BCE, shortly after the death of Confucius, he had a traditional Chinese education based on the classic texts. Later, however, he came to dislike the emphasis on clan relationships that runs through Confucianism, and this led him to set up his own school of thought, advocating universal love or jian ai.

Jian Ai

With this belief, Mozi means that we should care for all people equally, regardless of their status or their relationship to us.

Mohism

He regards Jian Ai, which became known as _____ and which "nourishes and sustains all life", as being fundamentally benevolent and in accordance with the way of heaven.

reciprocity

Mozi believed that there is always _____ in our actions

Confucianism

This ideology was created by Confucius, which can be defined as a guide to moral and ethical behavior in the form of a philosophy

Li

This is intertwined throughout Confucius' beliefs and is of great importance. It honors the sacredness of life and is found through the preservation of tradition. Similar to Western society in which children learn what is expected of them from those in authority, it encompasses the customs, rituals, and manners passed down from the elders. It is essentially a code of decorum that holds a person to a high standard and should be the foundation of morality.

Hsiao

This emphasizes the family and the mutual love between members. Essentially, this transcends to a more balanced society.

Yi

This is associated with virtuous character in that one would sacrifice himself for his principles.

Xin

This is centered on honesty with oneself and others.

Jen

This is considered to be at the top of the hierarchy regarding Confucius beliefs. It epitomizes an individual who is internally good and empathetic and has the potential to be compassionate toward all people. It is built on the belief that all people are good, and if they are not, it is due to a poor life circumstance that has become an impediment toward achieving their potential

Chung

This refers to loyalty, not only to one's family but country as well