Key Terms for Buddhism Lectures:
Keshavi R. Pandya
Key Terms for the Lecture on East Asian Religions: Heaven-Heaven regulates the world and the moral order. -The world originated from the Heaven principle. - Humans had their genesis from the Heaven and Earth principle -Ancestor veneration.
Human -To observe official and ancestor rites -Honor parents and fulfill familial obligations -Function within the state regulated rules and values -Exercising benevolence and mutuality with others
Earth Confucianism - The philosophical ideas that the west calls Confucianism did not originate with Kongzi(Confucius). They ca be found in the 5 classics 1)Yijing 2)Shujing 3)Shijung 4)Liji and 5)chunqiu there was a 6th one (yueji) but it is now lost. Some of these works came before the Confucius. He spoke of himself as a transmitter of the tradition.
Confucius / Kong Tzu Confucius is known as the first of China's three classical philosophers the other two are Mencius and Xunzi. He considered himself the transmitter of the religion rather than the innovator. The Analects is the single and most important teaching of the Confucius.
Keshavi R. Pandya
SIGNIFICANCE -The Confucius used ren(Humanness or goodness) to capture virtues of respect etc(See REN). -Above all, he emphasized the practice of filial piety or devotion. In other words, the Confucius guided the followers in becoming virtuous and good human beings over all by teaching the importance of relationships and goodness. (pg 266-267)
Taoism (Daoism) - philosophical system developed by Laozi and Zhungzi advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events(Definition) -Talks about the roots of tradition and the relationship between the two historical branches Philosophic Daoism and Religious Daosim. 1)Philosophical Daoism- This has two main sources first is Classic of the Way of Power(Daodejing) which is a text typically attributed to Laozi and second is Zhungzi, named for the thinker whose idea it purportedly represents. 2)Religious Daoism- associated with colourful rituals; belief in deities, ghosts, and spirits and the pursuit of immortality. (More info pg 294-300)
Oracle bonesShamans -medicine man, soul doctor, witch doctor, a kind of preist. SIGNIFICANCE -Perform hunting rituals to ensure a successful hunt or appease the spirits.
Keshavi R. Pandya - Shamans can communicate with the spirit world by either their leaving their body and traveling to the realm where the sprits live or the shaman can call the spirit into his/her body.
Analects(Lunyu) – Single most important source of the Confucius’ teachings on strategies. -conversations of the Confucius with his disciples - The Confucius had nothing literally to do with the analects. SIGNIFICANCE - Since Confucius' time, the Analects has heavily influenced the philosophy and moral values of China and later other East Asian countries as well. - it taught the basic Confucian values including propriety, righteousness, loyalty and filial piety, all centered about the central thought of Confucius – humanity
Ren - The central Confucian virtue, translated as ‘humaneness’. Goodness, benevolence, humanity, human-heartedness to capture the virtues of respect, liberality, trustworthiness, earnestness and kindness. The most effective way to cultivate ren was through careful observance if the ‘rites’ by which he meant not only religious rituals but also the rules of social etiquette and everyday courtesy.
Mencius -is a Confucian and is known for his declaration that everyone has the potential to become a sage. I.e upholding the basic goodness of human nature, and evil is merely a deflection from the good. SIGNIFICANCE (Pg 269-271) -He travelled from state to state meeting with rulers to stop the war knowing that it would cause damage to all. - He tried to persuade the kings and show them the value of humanness(ren) - He traced many of the problems with the human heart-mind.
Keshavi R. Pandya “Thus the heart-mind of compassion yield benevolence; the heart-mind of shame leads to observance of rites; the heart-mind of respect moves people to duty or right behaviors; and the heart-mind of right and wrong brings wisdom” -Most importantly: He believed that human nature was essentially good but that common people needed supervision and discipline otherwise once their bellies were full and their bodies warmly clothed they would degenerate to the level of animals driven only by material needs or desire with no higher consciousness.
Hsun-tzu(Xunzi pg 271) Believes that humans are naturally evil “Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity. The nature of man is such that he is born with a fondness of profit … Therefore, man must first be transformed by the instructions of a teacher and guided by ritual principles …” SIGNIFICANCE -He believed education and ritual were essential to the maintained of the hierarchy required for a society to function in an orderly fashion -He believed that humans have inborn desires for everything from profit to beautiful sights and sounds that spark feelings of hate and envy. He believed that if these tendencies were not curbed and people succumbed to their extreme emotions and desires for scarce objects of desire would inevitably lead to chaos.
Five Classics 1)They are the philosophical works that the world calls Confucianism. 2)Yijinj-Book of changes, Shujing- Book of History, Shijing- Odes or book of poetry, Liji- Records or Book of Rites, Chunqiu- The spring or book of annals. SIGNIFICANCE-
Keshavi R. Pandya 1) They provided both the ideology that informed Chinese government policy and the framework within which it was implemented at every level for 2,000 years. 2)They formed a substantial part of the state examination curriculum since the establishment of the first college in 124 BCE.
Filial piety ‘Xiao’; respect and duty to one’s parents, based on love. It is the corner stone of Confucianism, considered virtue by all Chinese religions. Three exemplary sages that portrayed this were Yao, Shun and Yu. (Details pg261) SIGNIFICANCE1) The Confucius emphasized the practice of filial piety. They believed just being ‘filial’ towards ones family and friends had extraordinary power such that people without a government position could exert a positive influence on society simply by performing his filial duty. 2)Filial piety is a part of Confucianism through the book of rites which is one of the 5 classics and thus important to the religion. 3) Above all it is significant because filial piety makes the gentleman a humane person. All of this can be found on pg 268
Tao (Dao) -“The ultimate path/way” (Literal Definition) -Comes from the book called Daodejing. De meaning power jing meaning book.It was written by Laozi. He claims the Dao is eternal and that words cannot adequately describe it. Dao is within and it does not associate with concepts that other cultures do such as various deities etc. Laozi said Dao is like water it will take shape of whatever container you put it in. (Pg 15-16, 296, 200)
Immortality
Keshavi R. Pandya
Key Terms for the Lecture on East Asian Religions: Heaven-Heaven regulates the world and the moral order. -The world originated from the Heaven principle. - Humans had their genesis from the Heaven and Earth principle -Ancestor veneration.
Human -To observe official and ancestor rites -Honor parents and fulfill familial obligations -Function within the state regulated rules and values -Exercising benevolence and mutuality with others
Earth Confucianism - The philosophical ideas that the west calls Confucianism did not originate with Kongzi(Confucius). They ca be found in the 5 classics 1)Yijing 2)Shujing 3)Shijung 4)Liji and 5)chunqiu there was a 6th one (yueji) but it is now lost. Some of these works came before the Confucius. He spoke of himself as a transmitter of the tradition.
Confucius / Kong Tzu Confucius is known as the first of China's three classical philosophers the other two are Mencius and Xunzi. He considered himself the transmitter of the religion rather than the innovator. The Analects is the single and most important teaching of the Confucius.
Keshavi R. Pandya
SIGNIFICANCE -The Confucius used ren(Humanness or goodness) to capture virtues of respect etc(See REN). -Above all, he emphasized the practice of filial piety or devotion. In other words, the Confucius guided the followers in becoming virtuous and good human beings over all by teaching the importance of relationships and goodness. (pg 266-267)
Taoism (Daoism) - philosophical system developed by Laozi and Zhungzi advocating a simple honest life and noninterference with the course of natural events(Definition) -Talks about the roots of tradition and the relationship between the two historical branches Philosophic Daoism and Religious Daosim. 1)Philosophical Daoism- This has two main sources first is Classic of the Way of Power(Daodejing) which is a text typically attributed to Laozi and second is Zhungzi, named for the thinker whose idea it purportedly represents. 2)Religious Daoism- associated with colourful rituals; belief in deities, ghosts, and spirits and the pursuit of immortality. (More info pg 294-300)
Oracle bonesShamans -medicine man, soul doctor, witch doctor, a kind of preist. SIGNIFICANCE -Perform hunting rituals to ensure a successful hunt or appease the spirits.
Keshavi R. Pandya - Shamans can communicate with the spirit world by either their leaving their body and traveling to the realm where the sprits live or the shaman can call the spirit into his/her body.
Analects(Lunyu) – Single most important source of the Confucius’ teachings on strategies. -conversations of the Confucius with his disciples - The Confucius had nothing literally to do with the analects. SIGNIFICANCE - Since Confucius' time, the Analects has heavily influenced the philosophy and moral values of China and later other East Asian countries as well. - it taught the basic Confucian values including propriety, righteousness, loyalty and filial piety, all centered about the central thought of Confucius – humanity
Ren - The central Confucian virtue, translated as ‘humaneness’. Goodness, benevolence, humanity, human-heartedness to capture the virtues of respect, liberality, trustworthiness, earnestness and kindness. The most effective way to cultivate ren was through careful observance if the ‘rites’ by which he meant not only religious rituals but also the rules of social etiquette and everyday courtesy.
Mencius -is a Confucian and is known for his declaration that everyone has the potential to become a sage. I.e upholding the basic goodness of human nature, and evil is merely a deflection from the good. SIGNIFICANCE (Pg 269-271) -He travelled from state to state meeting with rulers to stop the war knowing that it would cause damage to all. - He tried to persuade the kings and show them the value of humanness(ren) - He traced many of the problems with the human heart-mind.
Keshavi R. Pandya “Thus the heart-mind of compassion yield benevolence; the heart-mind of shame leads to observance of rites; the heart-mind of respect moves people to duty or right behaviors; and the heart-mind of right and wrong brings wisdom” -Most importantly: He believed that human nature was essentially good but that common people needed supervision and discipline otherwise once their bellies were full and their bodies warmly clothed they would degenerate to the level of animals driven only by material needs or desire with no higher consciousness.
Hsun-tzu(Xunzi pg 271) Believes that humans are naturally evil “Man’s nature is evil; goodness is the result of conscious activity. The nature of man is such that he is born with a fondness of profit … Therefore, man must first be transformed by the instructions of a teacher and guided by ritual principles …” SIGNIFICANCE -He believed education and ritual were essential to the maintained of the hierarchy required for a society to function in an orderly fashion -He believed that humans have inborn desires for everything from profit to beautiful sights and sounds that spark feelings of hate and envy. He believed that if these tendencies were not curbed and people succumbed to their extreme emotions and desires for scarce objects of desire would inevitably lead to chaos.
Five Classics 1)They are the philosophical works that the world calls Confucianism. 2)Yijinj-Book of changes, Shujing- Book of History, Shijing- Odes or book of poetry, Liji- Records or Book of Rites, Chunqiu- The spring or book of annals. SIGNIFICANCE-
Keshavi R. Pandya 1) They provided both the ideology that informed Chinese government policy and the framework within which it was implemented at every level for 2,000 years. 2)They formed a substantial part of the state examination curriculum since the establishment of the first college in 124 BCE.
Filial piety ‘Xiao’; respect and duty to one’s parents, based on love. It is the corner stone of Confucianism, considered virtue by all Chinese religions. Three exemplary sages that portrayed this were Yao, Shun and Yu. (Details pg261) SIGNIFICANCE1) The Confucius emphasized the practice of filial piety. They believed just being ‘filial’ towards ones family and friends had extraordinary power such that people without a government position could exert a positive influence on society simply by performing his filial duty. 2)Filial piety is a part of Confucianism through the book of rites which is one of the 5 classics and thus important to the religion. 3) Above all it is significant because filial piety makes the gentleman a humane person. All of this can be found on pg 268
Tao (Dao) -“The ultimate path/way” (Literal Definition) -Comes from the book called Daodejing. De meaning power jing meaning book.It was written by Laozi. He claims the Dao is eternal and that words cannot adequately describe it. Dao is within and it does not associate with concepts that other cultures do such as various deities etc. Laozi said Dao is like water it will take shape of whatever container you put it in. (Pg 15-16, 296, 200)
Immortality
Keshavi R. Pandya
