Asian Philosophy - Exam 2

[Z] What is the importance of Indexicals?

This and That are relative, serves as a means to find some form of truth.

[Z] What's the point of metaphors?

No means of giving a straightforward answer

[Z] Why must we not think so much?

In thinking too much, you are not reaching heavenly way, you must listen to your qi (vital energy), if you deplete yourself of mind you will be one with qi.

[Z] What is essence?

What makes someone, something.

[Z] What is the fasting of the mind? What are the 3 levels of understanding

Listening with your spirit, reaching emptiness. 1) Ears (Lowest - Listening), 2) Mind (Middle - Recognition), Spirit (Qi - Emptiness — Way).

[Z] What does it mean to be drunk on heaven?

In the world but not of it. Not a rejection of Confucian society/technology.

[Z] What are criticisms of Confucianism?

What is deemed useless may be useful to another. “This and That” are relative to ones perspectives and is not an absolute truth. One should not be attached to things. Reject artificiality

[Z] How can one be one with the Dao?

Live in the human world, but have no connection with it.

[Z] What are some Zhuangzian sages like? Name some and explain how they symbolize the sages.

1) Kun (Fish) and Peng (Bird), symbolizes a limitless perspective of the sage, mental freedom from limited perspectives (ex., Cicada).

2) Dream of a Butterfly, Symbolizes transformation and blurring lines between self and other, human and nature. Sage (Butterfly) represents being content in its own form, lacking desire to be something else.

3) Useless tree, trees that cannot be cut for their lumber live natural lives, symbolizes the sage who avoids danger of social ambition and conventional usefulness.

4) Cook Ding, does not see Ox as a solid object to be hacked, but as a collection of spaces. Symbolizes the sage through trust, follows natural gaps

5) Swallow (bird), lives with humans but is not attached to them. Has no attachment to things (ex., drops good when there's danger and goes and finds more later). Shows safely lack of attachment to things

[B] What are the four noble truths?

1) Life is suffering, 2) Cause of suffering is desire, 3) To elimate suffering, eliminate desire, 4) To elimate desire, follow Buddhist path.

[B] What is one foundational Buddhist teaching?

Do not rely on any external authority, believe only what you experienced as true.

[B] What's the best way to live?

Through moderation between extremes of self indulgence and self dental, practice self-cultivation through community, and death should not be feared but accepted.

[B] What is Duhka?

Suffering.

Life is stressful, but we will always have life, and death, and without suffering we do not know joy.

[B] What is the flame metaphor?

always the same flame, but wax and wick and oxygen change it and cause it. Same flame, but change and transform.

[B] What is the doctrine of no self?

Anatman (No permanent self). All things are in flux and change, things are substance (what we assume is what we project). You are you, but you change always.

[B] What is the middle way?

Permanence ←———- Change ———- →Impermanence

Don't go into one direction, you are a process, self is a process

[B] What is the reciprocal cycle?

if we're attached to things, it creates suffering. Everything happens in a cycle, repeats itself.

[B] How does one reach nirvana (Enlightenment)?

suffering and self are inevitable, but if you accept this, you'll reach nirvana.

[B] What are the two truths?

1) Absolute

2) Relative

Absolute truth addressed fact that all beings are one, everything is interconnected, nothing comes to be or ceases at the level of absolute reality.

[B] What is the analogy of the wave and ocean?

Absolute Truth - Wave is water

Relative Truth - Realization that wave is water (wave realizes it's water, water realizes it's wave).

[B] What's important to know about relative Truth?

All teachings address absolute truth at the level of relative truth. Relative truth matters because it makes absolute truth, words point towards something.

[B] What is the rose metaphor?

A) A rose is a rose

B) A rose is not a rose

C) A rose is truly a rose

— You need to know your conditions around you to know full selfness —

[B] What is Dhamma?

Path of practice in conduct, meditation, and understanding leading to cessatation of suffering.

[B] What is the Pali Canon?

Full scripture set of the theravada school. Diverse and objective metaphysical view.

[B] What are the main doctrinal teachings?

Impermanence, dependence originination, and no self.