Gec1 Lesson5

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THE SELF IN WESTERN AND

EASTERN THOUGHTS
• EASTERN- ALSO CALLED ORIENTAL;
REPRESENTS ASIA

• WESTERN- REPRESENTS EUROPE AND


NORTHERN AMERICA
CONFUCIANISM
• Confucianism is a system of ethics devised by the
Chinese scholar K’ung Fu-tzu (Latinised to Confucius)
in sixth century BC China
• Self is characterized by relational identity which
means that a person is defined his/her significant
relationships.
• Self-cultivation/ self-realization is seen as the ultimate
purpose of life.
• The chun-tzu (man of virtue or noble character;
commonly translated as “gentleman” or “superior
man”) is, above all, a man of self-cultivation.
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 society.
• Yi is the principle of righteousness.
• Xin is the principle 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 to one’s family and to one’s country.
Confucius specifies the five important
relationships

• King to subject

• Father to son

• Husband to wife

• Older brother to younger brother

• Friend to friend
Confucianism
• The self in Confucianism is a subdued self. It is
conditioned to respond to perceptions, not of its own
needs and aspirations, but of social requirements and
obligations.
Taoism
• 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, patterns and
substance of everything that exists.
• Taoism disavows a hierarchical view of the self, society,
or cosmos.
Taoism
• The self is but one of the countless manifestations of the
Tao. It is an extension of the cosmos.
• 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 Five Skandhas
or the five heaps.
Five Skandhas
• Form- our physical form
• Sensation- made up of our feelings – both emotional and
physical – and our senses – seeing, hearing, tasting,
touching, smelling.
• Perception- means thinking – conceptualization, cognition,
reasoning.
• Mental Formations- includes habits, prejudices, and
predispositions, and volition or willfulness.
• Consciousness- aware of or sensitivity to an object, but
without conceptualization.
Buddhism
• The doctrine of anatman (Sanskrit; anatta in Pali) is the
core teaching of Buddhism. According to this doctrine,
there is no “self” in the sense of a permanent, integral,
autonomous being within an individual existence. What
we think of as our self, the “me” that inhabits our body, is
just an ephemeral experience.
• 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 and
means “the awakened one”.
Comparison of western and eastern concepts of self
Western Eastern

Duality-you are distinct from other Other persons are part of your self.
persons.
Talk about their personal attributes. Talk about their social roles.

Highlights personal achievements. Keeps a low profile and avoid


boastfulness.
Individuals- focus on the person. Collectivistic- group and social
relations and more important.

Values competition. Values cooperation.

Values equality. Values hierarchy.


“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND
LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; IN ALL
YOUR WAYS SUBMIT TO HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE
YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT.”

--PROVERBS 3:5-6

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