Western/Eastern Influences
Western thought - Conducted scientific investigations in the effort to understand the self and have developed theories and difference among them.
-The emphasis is individualistic rather than relational.
Eastern thought - Raise questions about the ultimate meaning of human life and developed theories of self as they have investigated what it means to be a human being. Highly practical.
-The emphasis is relational rather than individualistic.
HINDUISM - The religion of ancient people known as Aryans
- Hinduism works for more than 80% of the Indian population. This religion has originated in northern India about 4000 years ago and is the world’s third most popular religion with around 750 million followers.
-Has no founder
-Religion is seen through practicing what they believe.
Brahmanism- believing in a universal soul or god called Brahman.
Atman - Hindus believe that Atman being an immortal soul continues to be reincarnated from lifetime to lifetime until it is freed from the cycle of rebirth and reach a state of nirvana or non-birth.
Law of Karma -The most important doctrine of Hinduism is the law of karma which states that “everything you do in your past will eventually come back to bite you. ” Karma does not end with a body's death, its influence may extend through incarnation of the soul.
Buddhism - the individual is taught a doctrine called “anatta” which literally means non-self or substanceless from Siddhartha Gautama known as the “Buddha”.
5 Factors that Comprise an Individual (Skandhas)
Matter/Form
Sensation
Perception
Mental constructs
Consciousness
3 Characteristics of Existence
Anatta - The teachings are that there is in humans no permanent, underlying substance that can be called the soul.
Anicca - literally means impermanence. Means that everything in life is always changing, that nothing lasts forever.
Dukkha - suffering Recognition of these three doctrines constitutes “right understanding.
4 Basic Doctrines of Buddhism
Dukkha - existence is suffering
Trishna - suffering has a cause, namely craving and attachment
Nirvana - cessation of suffering
Eightfold path - right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
CONFUCIANISM - is more of a societal philosophy rather than
religion. In Confucianism, the quest for the human self is on the personality. Personality as such is not seen as inherently existing, but as something that is being formed through upbringing and environment. In that, the human being is seen as a social being.
Potential-Self - Every person is born with four beginnings
to be ‘pre-self’, or ‘potential-self’:
•If the person has the heart of compassion, it will lead to Jen
The person develops goodwill, sympathy toward others, politeness and generosity
•If the person has the heart of righteousness, this will lead to Yi.
- Yi means rightness and respect of duty as guardian toward nature and humanity.
•When a person has the heart of propriety, it leads to Li.
Li which means showing respectability, decency, and conformity to accepted standards of behaviors and morality.
•And, a person who has the heart of wisdom leads to Chih.
- Chih is wisdom brought about by practicing jen, yi and li.
TAOISM - Chinese philosophy attributed to Lao Tzu
Dao/Tao - Heaven, Earth and Humanity.
"the way"
-The Daoist or Taoist practices the way of selflessness which means to
live in a simple and modest way and not for material gain.
-They also believe that people can become deities or live forever through practicing certain rituals and austerities.
-The focus of Taoism is the importance of harmonizing with nature by balancing yin and yang.
-The perfect man has no self and the selfless person leads to a balanced life, in harmony with both nature and society.