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Lesson 4: The Self in Eastern and Western Thoughts

- In Eastern thought as represented by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, the self is seen as relational and defined by connections to others rather than as an isolated entity. Confucianism views self-cultivation and virtue as the purpose of life. Taoism sees the self as an extension of nature and advocates living in harmony. Buddhism teaches that the self is composed of five aggregates and that enlightenment involves transcending the illusion of a separate self.

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Ivy Canonio Gallardo
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242 views15 pages

Lesson 4: The Self in Eastern and Western Thoughts

- In Eastern thought as represented by Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, the self is seen as relational and defined by connections to others rather than as an isolated entity. Confucianism views self-cultivation and virtue as the purpose of life. Taoism sees the self as an extension of nature and advocates living in harmony. Buddhism teaches that the self is composed of five aggregates and that enlightenment involves transcending the illusion of a separate self.

Uploaded by

Ivy Canonio Gallardo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

LESSON 4: The Self in

Western and Eastern thoughts


Easter – also called Oriental;
- represents Asia
Western – represents Europe and
North America
CONFUCIANISM
 isa system of ethics devised by the Chinese scholar
K’ ung Fu-tzu (Latinized to Confucius) in 6th
century BBC China.

 Self is characterized by relational identity which means


that a person is defined by his/her significant relationships .
CONFUCIANISM
Self cultivation/ self realization is seen as the
ultimate purpose of life

 The
chun-tzu ( man with virtue or noble character;
commonly translated as “gentleman” or “superior
man"
To be a chun-tzu, man has to live by these
principles:
 Li – is the principle of self restraint and sense of
propriety. It includes following social etiquette and
mannerisms.
Cheng – means sincerity and unwavering devotion to
good
Hsiao – is love for the immediate family and then society.
Yi – is the principle of righteousness
To be a chun-tzu, man has to live by these
principles:
 Xin– is the principle of honesty in life.

Jen – is the most important of all principles. It means


being kind and humane to your fellow beings. It is about
helping out others.

Chung – is loyalty for one’s family and to one’s country.


Confucius specifies the five important
relationships:
1. King to subject
2. Father to son
3. Husband to wife
4. Older brother to younger brother
5. Friend to friend
TAOISM
- is a religious or philosophical tradition of
Chinese origin which emphasizes living in
harmony with the Tao or the Way.

-Tao denotes the principle that is the source,


pattern and substance of everything that exists.
TAOISM
- disavows a hierarchical view of the self,
society, or cosmos.

-The self is but one of the countless


manifestations of the Tao. It is an extension of
the cosmos.
TAOISM
- the perfect man has no self; the spiritual man has no
achievement; the true sage has no name; the ideal is thus
selflessness.

- the selfless person leads a balanced life, in harmony with


both nature and society. When selflessness is attained, the
distinction between “I” and “other” disappears. One may
then act with complete spontaneity.
BUDDHISM
- the Buddha taught that an individual is a
combination of five aggregates of existence,
also called the the Five Skandhas or the five
heaps.
Five Skandhas
1. Form – our physical form
2. Sensation – made up of our feelings; both emotional and
physical; and our senses – seeing, hearing, tasting,
touching and smelling.
3. Perception – means thinking – conceptualization,
cognition, reasoning.
Five Skandhas
4. Mental Formations – includes habits, prejudices, and
predispositions, and volition or willfulness.

5. Consciousness – awareness of or sensitivity to an object,


but without conceptualization.
Buddhism
 the ultimate goal is Nirvana (enlightenment). The English
word enlightenment sometimes refers to heightened
intellect and reason.
 the original Buddhists used the word Bodhi which means
“awakened”. The word Buddha is derived from Bodhi
means “the awakened one”.

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