Preliminary Questions
2.
I’ve completed 7 posts
a.
Post 1 – 1/10
b.
Post 2 – 1/14
c.
Post 4 – 1/20
d.
Post 5 – 1/20
e.
Post 6 - 1/21
f.
Post 7-
1/26
g.
Post 8 - 1/27
h.
Response post 1- 1/10
i.
Response post 2- 1/20
j.
Response post 3 – 1/27
3.
Readings completed
a.
Week 1: Religion, Memes
b.
Week 2: Hinduism reading A-G, BBC website on
Jainism, Why I don’t Eat Face, and The Sikhs
c.
Week 3: Buddhism on the Big View and BBC
website, Taoism by Huston Smith
The only reading I did not fully complete
was the Mystics of India. I was sick and ran out of time to complete this
lesson.
4.
Films watched
a.
Week 1 : BARAKA, Susan Blackmore’s TED Talk
b.
Week 2: Auto lecture on Hinduism, Huston Smith
on Hinduism, The Story of India, John Green Indus Valley Civilization, Intro to
Jainism, Why I don’t Eat Faces, Ahisma, Baba Ji explains Jainism, and
Congressman Kicinich address to a Jain audience, Mt. Sac Sikh film pt. 1 and 2.
c.
Week 3: The Buddha, Karen Armstrong on the Axial
Age, John Green lecture on Chinese Thought, Introduction to Taoism.
5.
I listened to every lecture provided but I didn’t
find them particularly helpful in the way I wanted. Each lecture was very
informative but they were also very brief. I would have preferred listening to
longer lectures with your personal ideas and insights into each religion as
well as perhaps more scholarly insight instead of straight facts. I did find
the Buddhist lecture helpful though, especially the clarification of the 4
noble truths and the 8 fold path. I
particularly liked the part of the lecture discussing the Buddhist idea of the
non-self, and how it’s like a fire flickering away.
6.
Field Trip – My original plan was to attend the
Buddhist Temple in Hacienda Heights with a friend who is also interested in
Buddhism on Sunday Feb. 2nd. Since learning more about Buddhism in
lesson 7, I may change the destination to the Zen center in Hollywood.
7.
Hours
a.
Week 1 – 9 hours
b.
Week 2 – 12 hours
c.
Week 3 – 14 hours
8.
Of all the eastern religions, I identify the
most with Buddhism because it speaks about the nature of suffering and how to
cease it. I am particularly interested in Zen Buddhism because it also combines
elements of Taoism with Buddhist philosophy. I like both Buddhism and Taoism because there
is no God to judge us or tell us right from wrong; instead there is only the
truth and the reality we live in. It is up to the person to learn and cultivate
wisdom; no one can do it for us. Even though Buddhism does focuses on ending
samsara, the insights and truths offered by the Buddha also contribute to
living a life without suffering. The
idea of the non-self also makes me drawn to Buddhism. My feelings are that if
there is no inner self then I can be whoever I choose without restriction or
fear of “losing” myself. The 8 Fold Path is also intriguing to me because it is
a proscription for how to live and avoid suffering, and all the tenets can be
followed even if one doesn’t want to commit to Buddhism.
Midterm Questions
1A. Reading
The word religion comes from
the Latin root religo, which means to bind. The text, Religion, implies that religion binds us to a sense of sacred. Paul
Tilich contends that religion is one’s “ultimate concern” meaning the concern
of our existence, why are we here, where are we going? Tillich goes further to
say that religion is what gives meaning to life and provides a sense of transformation
to our inner selves. W. C. Smith believes that religion is a cumulative tradition
that has evolved over time to suit the needs of the people. These definitions
still do not fully describe what religion is, and for the purpose of this class
I believe that Ninian Smart’s definition of a seven dimensional organism best
defines what religion is. The first dimension of religion are myths or sacred
stories that can either be historical stories embellished with symbolism or
purely symbolic stories to represent the history, value and ideals of the
religion. Rituals are also very important because these are activities such as
prayer or chants that help the adherent connect to the sacred and also have an
experiential component that induces transcendent feelings that can be achieved
through ritual or spontaneously. The fourth dimension of religion is doctrines,
a philosophy or belief system, and the fifth is ethics, moral codes, to help
guide the adherent. Religions also have a social aspect where adherents share
common values and bond. Finally, the last dimensions of religion are material
forms that are important such as sacred objects, texts or temples. Religion can
further be classified by whether it is an established religion, a sect or a
cult. An established religion is a former sect or cult that has stood the test
of time and has adapted to meet the needs it’s followers. While an established
religion has low tension with the rest of society, sects and cults have high
tension with the rest of society due to their relative newness. Sects are
schism groups that break off from established religions either to return to the
original teachings of religion, while cults are new religions, or at least new
to the geographic area, that are attempting to establish themselves.
There are many different ways
to understand and study religion. Religious studies can include theology,
religious studies, phenomenology, and sociology of religion, psychology of
religion, history of religion and anthropology of religion. These religious
studies can be simplified into three categories; antipathy, sympathy and
empathy. Antipathy scorns religion and sees it as oppressive while the
sympathetic approach assumes the truth of a particular religion and evaluates
all other religions as lesser versions of the correct one. An empathetic
approach is to view the religion objectively by stepping into the adherents
shows to understand their beliefs. Within the empathetic category falls
Phenomenology, the objective, descriptive study of religious phenomena. The
reading advocates the use of empathy and phenomenology for our class, along
with socio-historical analysis. It is through the use of these techniques that
we can understand the origins and implications of religion, along with their
individual characteristics.
Just as there are many
different ways to study religions, there are just as many theories as to the
origin of religion. The theological theory is that religion has a transcendent
origin; a god/goddess gave spiritual wisdom to various prophets or mystics to
be passed down. The psychological theory is that religion springs from our
unconscious. Freud argues that religion was formed because of human kind’s
unconscious neurosis, while Jung believes religion springs from our collective
unconscious which contains a myriad of archetypal images that manifest in our
dreams and are expressed through religion. Still yet, sociology contends that
religion has social origins. Emile Durkheim believes religion is the
personification of the forces of society and Victor Turner says that religion
offered a sense of community and equality. Anthropology also offers a theory
that religion grew from animism or magic. There is also a biological theory
that religion developed because it gave us an evolutionary advantage. This
theory is also part of a field of research called evolutionary psychology. According
to this theory religion gave humans a sense of meaning and also facilitated
group cohesion and social order.
Regardless
of which theory is right, religion does serve a social function. George Simmel
contends that humans are religious by nature because of three component;
nature, which invokes feelings of piety, fate, which provokes existential
thought and society, which demands social cohesion. Bryan Wilson elaborates
further on the idea of the social function of religion. According to Wilson not
only does religion provide hope but it promotes civic service and also gives
legitimacy to social and political activities of a civilization. Max Weber and
Mark Juergensmeyer, on the other hand, believe that religion is an instrument
of social change.
So
what is the future of religion? Will religion die out as science and reason
become more popular? As stated earlier, religion is a constantly evolving
organism adapting to the times and culture. The current trend of religion is
set by the baby boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964. This particular
generation is focused on searching out the truth and is shying away from
formal, established religions with strict rules and rituals. Instead there is a
new emphasis on spirituality, self-realization, and a move away from the
traditional Judeo-Christian god. There is also more interest in a pluralistic
view of religion and more acceptance of other cultures. Because of all this
things, the interest in spirituality, self-realization, and pluralism we are
seeing a change in religion. It isn’t
only the emphasis on personal spirituality and self-realization that is
changing religion though. There is also a rise in increasing secularization of
the world thanks to rational thought and science. It seems the more science can explain natural
phenomena, the less need there is for some people to have religion.
1B.
Film
The
BARAKA film really inspired me to see the beauty in religion. It’s amazing the
amount of time and dedication people to devote to their religions or faiths.
The chanting at the jungle temple was beautiful and very interesting how such a
large group of people were able to move in unison. The whirling dervishes were also particularly
inspiring; I loved how they whirled while seeming in a deep state of thought.
It wasn’t just the worship that was inspiring though. It also amazed me how
religion can inspire such great works of art and architecture in the world. The
temples and churches were so beautifully and carefully made, one temple seemed
to absolutely sparkle. Even though I am not a particularly religious person,
it’s really wonderful just to see the joy and beauty religion can bring to
people’s lives. The film inspired me to
not just learn about religions objectively but also to see how religion
influences a person’s entire life and being. It seems that no matter where you
are in the world, religion may have played a big part in your culture.
2A.
Reading
Cults
are new or alternative religions, it can also refer to a religion that is
simply new to a geographic area. Cults typically have high tension within
society because cults begin more radical and take time to adapt to the current
culture and values. While the word cult may have a negative connotation, for
the study of religion it simply means a new religion. The people who join cults seem to be
educated, middle-upper class urbanites that are looking for a sense of
community and self-realization or self-help. According to the text there are
many Americans who join cults as well, because American tradition focuses on
the individual and on a greater acceptance. Some people also leave their
current religion for cults; Jewish people turn to cults to fill a void due to
their secular environment and Catholics also turn to cults, moving away from
the ritual and doctrine heavy church to more self-empowerment. Those who join
cults typically learn about new religions at university recruitment events;
although only 10% of those who attend these events join and even then seem to
not stay more than 2 years. Victor Turner believes that people turn to cults
because they are searching for a liminal experience without the structure of
more established religions. The accepted academic approach to studying cults is
through Phenomenology, objectively observing the religion without value
judgments. Objectively studying cults allows the scholar to see the inner
workings and the logic of the cults and also creates openness between the
scholar and the devotee. Some scholars argue that there are additional research
methods are necessary when studying cults such as focusing on the philosophical
connections to historical religions, explicitly stating one’s bias and avoiding
experiential participation.
Memes
are ideas or information that is replicated from person to person, or host to
host. Memes can be just about any idea or information, like a new phrase,
fashion trend or even advertising. Our brain is the host to memes and they
compete to replicate themselves in minds. Memes work in a way similar to genes
because memes are competing to replicate in a limited number of hosts; thusly
only the most well adapted memes will be able to replicate themselves into a
large numbers of hosts. There are certain rules that make a meme successful in
its efforts to replicate itself. The first is in the memetic distribution.
Memes should not impede the replication of memes and typically encourage others
to teach or spread the idea. Typically value related incentives also encourage
the replication of memes, particularly ones that incite desire or fear.
Finally, meme simplicity is key. Simpler memes do better than more complex ones
because they are easier to remember.
Using
meme theory, we can see how religions form and how they are able to become so
popular. Religions have a simple message that contains what a person may desire
and fear, such as heaven and hell. Religions that tend to be more successful
are the ones that encourage their adherents to evangelize, or distribute, the
religious message. Developmental psychology also plays an important role in the
success of memes. A meme can only be successful if it is appropriate to the
current stage of consciousness of the host. Stage of consciousness can be
determined by age, for instance a prepubescent would not be interested in a
sexual meme, or the current culture. Ken Wilber defines three different stages
of consciousness: pre-rational, rational and trans-rational. Pre-rational
consciousness would be interested in magic or other non-rational ideas, while
rational thought involves critical thinking and trans-rational thought also
concerns itself with mysticism. In each of these stages, different memes would
be more successful depending on the meme content. In this way too, we see how
certain religions become more popular depending on the current culture and
stage of consciousness experienced by society as a whole.
2B.
Film
In
her TED talk, Susan Blackmore argues that humans are earth’s Pandoran species
because of the two different replicators we have unleashed upon the earth. The
first replicator would be genetics and the second would be memes. Genes and
memes both are very similar in how they replicate, very much in accordance with
the Darwinian theory of evolution. Any information that is varied and selected
will produce a design without the need for intelligence. It’s inevitable that
in a pool of competition, the genes or memes that can most adapt to the current
environment or culture will be selected and passed creating a type of design.
Blackmore also argues that information, or replicators, are selfish and will
attempt to copy themselves as much as possible regardless of the cost. This
isn’t because the information is aware, it is simply the nature of memes to try
to replicate as much as possible. The copied information can be our genetic
code or it can be other copied information that transmits from person to
person. Blackmore points to the concept of earrings as meme or the idea of
toilet paper folding as a type of meme.
So
why do memes spread? According to Blackmore it isn’t dependent on a meme being
truthful or right or even beautiful. Although these qualities may play a part
in the successfulness of a meme, a meme will simply try it’s hardest to be
copied in as many hosts as possible. There is also a problem in the limited
amount of hosts available for the memes to be copied, and with this idea
Blackmore segued into the idea that memes played a part in our cultural and
physical evolution. Typically, our evolutionary history has been thought to be
determined by our genetics but Blackmore argues that memes also played a role
in development. Being able to copy information was an advantage to early humans
because of the useful information copied, such as building fires or creating
language. The concept of memetic drive is the idea that memes have driven us to
grow longer brains to contain language, art, music and other information that
we copy. As Blackmore says we are the “meme machines.”
3A.
Reading
I
don’t know.
3B.
Film
I
don’t know.
4A.
Reading
Hinduism
is one of the world’s extant religions; it is the third largest world religion
with a billion followers. Hinduism is a broad mixture of religious,
philosophical and cultural practices and ideas. Hinduism is a unique religion
that doesn’t have any one core specific belief or founder, but it can be
characterized by a belief in reincarnation, samsara, and the goal of attaining
liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death. Hindu’s seek liberation, or
moksha, because the cycle of rebirth inherently implies suffering. One’s
rebirth is also affected by a person’s karma, or actions. Hinduism is a
metafaith that has existed for 10,000 years by evolving and accommodating other
cultures. It began in the Indus River
Valley as a mixture of cultures and faiths from the indigenous and migrating
populations.
The
word Hindu originates from the Sanskrit word for the Indus River, Sindhu which
was eventually turned into the Hindu by the Persians. It wasn’t until the 18th
century that Hindu became a classification for the religion. The Indus River
was a vital part in the history of Hinduism; it was in the Indus River Valley
that a complex civilization began to form. The Indus River Valley Civilization
was a complex civilization as early as 2500 BCE with elaborate cities made of
fired brick and drainage systems and was also the largest political community
prior to the formation of the Roman Empire. This civilization had language,
agriculture and also art. Physical evidence of this civilization includes
images of fertility gods and goddesses, some of which are seated in the
familiar lotus position. This indigenous civilization continued until Aryans,
from what is now Aryan, migrated to the area between 1700 and 1200 BCE.
Historians don’t know if this migration was an invasion by the Aryans or if the
Pre-Aryan Indus River Valley civilization was in decline. The Aryans brought
the caste system with them, an integral part of Hindu culture and religion, and
built cities and minor kingdoms in 6th century BCE. They also
brought Sanskrit, the Vedic Scriptures and the idea of polytheism.
Hinduism
is a religion that encompasses many different gods, practices and beliefs. As stated earlier all Hindus believe in
samsara and they believe that their karma influences this cycle of death and
rebirth until they are able to reach moksha. Dharma, or the ethics and duties
of a person, is also an important facet of the faith. There are two Dharmas a
person can choose Grinhastha Dharma or Sannyasin Dharma. Grinhastha Dharma is
the lay persons form of religion and focuses on four purusharthas, or goals, of
life. Kama is the sensual goal of life; Artha is the goal material wealth and
prosperity while Dharma is the goal of social duties and obligations in life. Sannyasin
Dharma only shares one goal with Grinhastha, the goal of moksha. Sannyasin
Dharma is an ascetic life, giving up material things and focusing on the goal
of ultimate liberation. Hindus also believe that there are four stages or
ashramas to a man’s life. Women were not necessarily included in this idea,
because they were considered dependents. The first ashrama is that of a student
until the age of 25, the second is the married man’s life where one pursues the
kama and artha goals of life, followed by a retreat into the forest as one
greys and wrinkles, the third ashrama. The final ashrama is that of a wandering
ascetic, working toward moksha.
A Hindus life is also influenced by the
caste system, a class system with the darker-skinned people as the lower
classes and lighter skinned peoples as rulers and priests. There are four
castes the Brahmin, the priest caste, Kshatriyas, warriors and kings, Vaishyas,
merchants, landowners and moneylenders and finally the Shudras, or servants.
There is also a class of people called untouchables who handle the ritually
impure tasks and generally are considered completely outside of the caste
system. Hindus believe that one is born into a caste because of their karma and
traditionally marry and stay within their class for their entire lives. The
caste system defines what type of job a person has, who they marry, and where
they live. Within this caste system there are even further distinctions.
In Hinduism there are four different
paths, or yogas, to enlightenment. The word yoga means yoke or union, and the
purpose of yoga is to join the self, also called the soul or Atman, with
Brahmin, the ultimate reality and type of creator god. Yoga is a spiritual
discipline and meditation is essential to all forms of yogas. The first yoga is Bkhati yoga, which is the
most popular of all the yogas. This is the path of devotion; adherents approach
their chosen ishta devata, or desired divinity, with love and devotion and also
repeat the divine name or mantra in an attempt to surrender themselves to their
god. Jnana yoga is path of knowledge; however it is not simply knowledge but
discernment in the true nature of things. There are three stages of knowing in
this yoga. The first is hearing, which means listening to sages and scriptures.
The next stage is thinking and becoming hyperaware of one’s thoughts and the
processes of those thoughts. The final stage is identifying the enduring part
of the self, the same part that is one with Brahman, or the ultimate reality. Raja
yoga is the path of meditation and it is also known as the royal road to
reintegration. This yoga involves intense meditation with strict postures and
breath control to concentrate the mind and begin to control it. This yoga
focuses on the inner-self as well and the goal is to achieve a trance state to
become one with Brahman. Karma yoga is the path of action. This yoga involves
approach god through one’s work and actions and being selfless in these actions
as that is the only thing that will take you out of yourself and closer to god
and moksha. The type of Hinduism a person chooses to practice is up to them and
two Hindu doctrines the Doctrine of Spiritual competence and the Doctrine of
the Chosen Deity state that a person’s spiritual practices should correspond to
their competency and the deity they choose to worship a deity that fulfills
their spiritual needs and cravings.
The scriptures of Hinduism, called
shastras, are collections of spiritual laws discovered by sages and saints.
There are two types of shastras; Shruti, meaning heard, and Smirti, meaning
memorized. Shruti scriptures were created by sages who heard the universal
truths and include the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Vedas are the earliest
literary record on Indo-Aryan civilization and the original scriptures of
India. The Vedas are philosophical maxims that were compiled by 1500 BCE and
consist of four books; the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Artharya Veda.
The books are further divided into four parts of hymens, rituals, theologies
and philosophies. The Upanishads are another Shruti scripture which contain the
fundamental teachings of Hinudism such as the soul, Atman, and the absolute
almighty, Brahman. There are 108 existing Upanishads, with 10 being most
important, and were composed anywhere from 800-400 BCE. Smiriti scripture is
memorized poetry and ethics. These scriptures include the Bhagavad Gita, called
Song of the Adorable one, which was composed around 2nd century BCE.
This scripture contains theological lessons about God and Life. Ramayana is
another popular Hindu scripture. It is an epic story of a royal couple from 4th
or 2nd century BCE.
There is some debate on whether or not
Hinduism is a monotheistic or polytheistic religion. At the center of Hinduism
is the concept of Brahman. Brahman is all at once a God and the ultimate goal
and absolute, Brahman is the nature of truth, knowledge and infinity. Brahman
is the source of reality and gives structure and meaning to the universe and
all the things in it. Brahman is all pervading force in the world so Brahman is
also part of the inner self in Hinduism. This is where the word Namaste gets
its origin, because Namaste literally means I bow to the divine in you. Hindus
recognize that Brahman is part of everyone’s self. In this manner others gods
and goddesses are also facets of Brahman and Hinduism allows for thousands of
different gods. The three most popular gods are the trinity of Brahma, a
creator god different than Brahman, Vishnu, the preserver, and Shiva, the
destroyer.
There are six major teachers of
Hinduism, three from medieval times and three from modern times. Shankara is
the first of these teachers, he traveled across India teaching others and
discussing his philosophical ideas. Shankara believed that the world was a
temporary illusion; he even denounced the cosmos as an illusion. He thought
that only the path of knowledge, or Jnana, woud lead to liberation. Work and
devotion were secondary on the path toward moksha. Shankara also believed that
Brahman was transcendent and defied categorization. Ramanuga, who lived from
1077-1157, was another philosopher and saint of India. He founded the school of
Vishitadvaita (special nondualism). In contrast to Shankara, he taught that the
highest ideal was love of God, Bhakti, and that Brahman had attributes. The
third medieval teacher was Madhava, who lived 1199-1278. Madhava wrote tracts
that established the philosophy of dvaita. He taught that Brahman, the soul and
the world have existed separately and eternally and it is only the grace of
god, in Krishna form, that humans can escape samsara. The first of the modern
teachers was Ramakrishna, who was born in 1888 in South India. Ramakrishna
graduated with a master’s degree from Madra Christian College and had an
academic and political career. He criticized the caste system as well as
customs that degraded women. Ramakrishna attempted to unite eastern and western
thought in Hinduism. Aurobindo was a teacher who was born in 1872 who attend
Cambridge and became a formal teacher. Aurobindo also had a political career
and believed in the non-dual nature of the divine. He also developed a new yoga
called integral yoga that is supposed to harmonize the whole being by
integrating physical, emotional and spiritual aspects. Aurobindo taught that
the world is real and not an illusion. Gandhi is the final teacher, who lived
from 1869 to 1948. Gandhi is most well-known for his part in the liberation of
India from the British Empire and his belief in non-violence.
4B. Films
The Story of India, by Michael Wood,
stated that India is an ancient culture and country that has done the
remarkable feat of preserving it’s ancient cultural heritage. The film begins
with one of India’s oldest myths of creation. According to this myth, the first
humans came from a golden egg laid in the cosmic ocean by the gods. According
to science and the film, however, our human ancestors walked out of Africa
70,000 or 80,000 years ago walked around the Arabian Sea into South India. All
non-African people can trace their descent back to these ancient migrations to
India. The film continues to show how ancient India truly is by delving into
the oral traditions and DNA of the peole of South India. Inland from the sea,
there is an ancient Brahman family who performs rituals and uses mantras. Some
of these mantras are not in any known language although they follow rules and
patterns. The people do not necessarily know what they mean, but they have been
handed down from generation to generation. In another village, a DNA study was
done in search of genetic markers of ancient migrations, the M130 gene. Some of
the villagers had the markers of this genetic pool from ancient times. Genetic
markers are a more apt way to discern between ancient and current populations
unlike language which is only about 10,000 years old anyway, and can be easily
adopted.
The film then ventures from the ancient
pre-history of India and follows it from the stone age to the agricultural
revolution and the rise of cities and civilization. As early as 7,000 BCE there
were large villages in the Indus River Valley.
In 1921, the ruins of Harpapa were found and it included evidence of
huge citadel walls and of industry, trade and writing. This city begvan 3.500
BCE and at the height of the civilization, 2,900- 1,900 BCE, had a population
of 200,000 people. Mahengo Dara was another important city; it appeared to be
the capital of an empire that stretched from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea.
Its writings are un-deciphered and after several centuries these cities began
to collapse. There are theories that the civilization collapsed because of the
shifting of the river and climate change and the civilization shifted eastward
following rivers to the Ganghes River plain.
On the Ganghes River plain Indian
language and literature began to arise around 1500 BCE. The language of this
time was Sanskrit but what was unusual was it was not a spoken language except
in the instances of religious scriptures. This language was passed down orally
and also was preserved almost perfectly throughout the ages. The Aryans, which
means “the civilized or socialized” in Sanskrit where a group of people that
migrated to India in 1500 BCE. The Rig Veda tells the story of a tribe moving
across India that burned forests and were searching for new lands, the Veda
calls these people Aryans. Sanskrit is the language brought by the Aryans and
bears a remarkable similarity to Greek and Latin and most linguists agree that
the common source for these similarities came from outside India. The Rig Veda
also talks of horses, which were not native to India, and suggested the Aryans
came from as far away as Turkmenistan. This film provided a lot of insight into
the ancient people of India and the beginnings of Hinduism.
The next film was an audio lecture on Hinduism. This film discussed the main tenets of Hinduism, Samsara and Moksha and also talked about how Hinduism is accommodating to other religions because it is not dogmatic and does not have a centralized authority. The lecture also discussed the caste system. Despite the fact that many contemporary Hindus would like to define the caste system as a cultural issue instead of religious one, the caste system has been traditionally linked to the religion. This film also discusses some of the scriptures and goes further in-depth on the Bhagavad Gita, which is a story of two warring families and is a dialogue on the ethics of war.
The next film was Huston Smith
discussing the Hindu tradition and the underlying motif of Hinduism, that you
can have what you want. Hinduism further defines this idea of what we want with
the four goals of life, sensual pleasure, material wealth and success, behaving
respectfully and liberation. Smith also discusses the different stages of life
in Hinduism and how each stages helps fulfill the goals or wants of a person.
Finally he discusses the idea that “there are realms of gold hidden in the
depths of our heart.” The most lovely part of Hinduism in my opinion is the
idea that that which is the divine is also within us, or the concept of that
thou art.
Finally, in the film on the Indus Valley
Civilization, I learned about what defines a civilization in order to better
discuss the Indus Valley Civilization. The idea of civilizations is
intellectual constructs that only apply to certain social groups and not to
other social groups like nomadic tribes or cultures, regardless of the
complexity of the social order. The signs of civilization include surplus
production, a physical city, specialization of labor and trade. Civilizations
are also associated with social stratification, a centralized government and
shared values and/or religion. Writing is also associated with civilization.
Rivers are also very important to civilizations because the river valleys
provide flat lands to produce agriculture and annual nutrient enrichment of
farmlands when the river floods. This was my favorite of the last three films
because it was fast-paced, entertaining and provided a wealth of information on
civilizations and more information about the Indus Valley Civilization.
5A. Reading
The Jain religion is an eastern
religion that has no gods or spiritual beings. Although they do venerate
perfect souls, Jain’s believe that every soul has the potential for this
perfection. The Jain argument for atheism is that an immaterial being cannot
create a material a material world. The very essence of Jainism is the concern
for the welfare of every being in the universe and for the universe itself.
This concern is translated through the belief of Ahisma, or non-violence.
Jain’s believe that harm done to others is also harm done to one’s self through
the concept of karma. There is the belief that all things have a soul and all
souls are equal in the universe. Because
of ahimsa, Jain’s are strict vegetarians and slo do not use any animal products
or cloth that may harm an animal. Ahisma also affects their career choice
because it is unethical in Jainism to participate in a job that causes harm to
the environment, animals or other people. In some ways, Jainism is similar to
Hinduism. Jain adherents believe in samsara and believe the quality of their
rebirths is determined by their karma. One achieves liberation when one has
been freed of all karma. Enlightenment is not the same as liberation though,
and one becomes enlightened when freed from all harmful karma, one is delivered
when one is free from all karma. In this way, Jainism seems to differ from
Hinduism with the idea of harmful karma and non-harmful karma. According to
Jainism, karma is a physical substance that is attracted to the soul, or jiva.
Karma slowly accumulates and affects events in a person’s current and future
life. This accumulation of karma also clouds our judgment and encourages us to
engage in more negative behavior. Another belief of Jainism is aparigraha,
non-acquisition because possessions are an obstacle to liberation. Monks have
virtually no possesions while lay Jains simply try to minimize possessions. Every
Jain takes 5 vows of non-violence and not participating in stealing, lying,
sexual misconduct, or attachment to worldly things.
Jain’s believe in a physical universe
that is governed by cosmic laws. One of these lwas is that nothing can be
created or destroyed, it can only change form. Loka is the framework of the
universe and exists in space; Loka is finite while space is infinite. The
universe is then divided into 5 parts, the supreme abode, the upper world, the
middle world (where humans live), the lower world and the base. Everything
within the universe falls into 5=6 catergories of substance or astikaya. There
is the soul that is eternal and conscious, Dharma is the medium of motion,
Adharam is the medium of non-motion, Pudgla is physical matter and what karma
is made of, Akasa is space, and Kala is time.
The goal of Jainism is to achieve
liberation from samsara which is achieved by removing all karma from the soul. Their
religious heroes are called tirthankaras, who are teachers. Mahavira is the
most recent tirthankara and also the reformer and populizer of Jainism in its
current incarnation. Born in 544 or 590 depending on the source, Mahavira spent
12 years fasting and meditating and eventually reached enlightenment to teach
the path to others. It is said that he achieved Moksha. The two main branches
of Jainism are Sventamara and Digamara. Theses two branches agree on the basics
of Jainism and the 5 vows but disagree on several things. The first are the
details on the life of Mahavira, such as when he was born, scriptures, rituals,
if monks should wear clothes and the status of women. Digamara is the more
ascetic branch of Jainism and believe most Jain scripture was lost during a
famine, that rituals should be simple and unadorned and that monks should have
no possesions or clothes. Sventamara, on the other hand, believes most of the
scriptrues survived, have colorful, adorned temples, and allow monks to wear
white clothing, own begging bowls and a small broom to sweep the road as to not
step on insects.
There is no founder of Jainism,
according to their believes the truth has been revealed by 24 tirthankaras,
which means “makes a ford.” Tirthankaras appear to teach others the way to
moksha and are simply ordinary souls who reached that satate through an intense
practice pf penance, equaniamity and mediation. Each person preaches the basic
truths of Jainism but changes the message to accomade to the current age and
cultures. There is not a lot of historical evidence for this tirthankaras but
that is the belief that has been passed down.
Women hold a unique position in Jainism
because the religion promotes equality even though women experience spiritual
inequality. The Digambara branch believes women cannot achieve liberation and
Svetambara Jainism believes they can. The Digambara argument is that nakedness
is essential to liberation and women cannot go naked because it would cause
desire in men, women are ashamed of their nakedness, and to prevent any
negative consequences of a women being naked. Digambara also believes that
women are inherently harmful, himsic, because a women’s menstruation harm’s
microorganisms in her body. Another arugement for the reason why women cannot
achieve moksha is because it is more difficult for women to break free from
attachment due to maternal concerns.
A common custom of Jainism is fasting,
especially during holy days and fesitvals. Interestingly enough fasting is done
more often done by women. Fasting in Jainism is a form of penance that purifies
the mind and body. It is not enough to simply stop eating, one must also remove
the deire to eat. There are different types of fasting ranging from complete
fasting to only giving up favorite foods. There is also a tradition of
santhara, fasting in preparation of feath. Those who undertake this feat are
revered and it is considered the ultimate way to expunge karma and achieve
liberation. There is some concern, however, for the well-being of elders who
may be forced into santhara for the honor it brings families. In addition to
these customs, Jinas also take pilgrimages to various holy sites and
participate in festivals.
Since Jainism has no god, Jains do not
worship to appease a god. Their worship services appear similar to Hindu
worship but it is focused on providing discipline so one can concentrate on the
ideals of Jainism and cultivate detachment. In addition, worship also provides
a social benefit and can help bring spiritual purification. Temple worship
appears to be important to lay Jains than to monks; in fact some monks are
opposed to temple worship. Jains also pray for inspiration. Mediation is also
important to Jains and achieving moksha.
What I found interesting about Jainism
is how the religious literature has mostly been lost over time and Jains are
unconcerned with this fact. The teachings of Mahavira, the Agamas, contained
eternal truth without origin or god. The Agamas, to the Jain, were simply
teachings from a wise man and are not considered the origin of their religion.
It is also interesting that these scriptures were originally memorized in the
first place because monks were not allowed material positions.
Jainism bears a close resemblance to
Hinduism in its basic ideas, terms and worship practices. Both Jains and Hindus
believe in samsara, karma and moksha. Jainism is also reminds me of Buddhism though
with the three Jewels and the 8 fold puja.
5B. Film
The first film, Why I don’t Eat Faces,
was about vegetarianism being a moral choice in our current society. Lane
argues that since meat eating is a choice, it is a moral issue and we should
consider why we eat meat. Lane point to the central nervous system of all
animals, including humans, that gives us the capacity to feel pain. It is
because of this capacity to feel pain that we should not eat things with faces.
The second film was on the Jain belief of Ahisma. Ahisma was created as an
ethical system to oppose aggression and Jainism is a religion from over 3,000
years ago that continues to thrive. The third film was Baba Ji explaining
Jainism and the concept of non-violence. According to Baba Ji, nonviolence
begins with the mind because we are not only a body but also a soul. Although
creation and destruction are cycles of nature, humans have not right to destroy
for their own needs and desires. It is because of all the violence in the world
that there is suffering and that is what we must extinguish. The final film was
Congressman Denis Kicinich addressing a Jain audience and praising them for
their respect of life, and his own personal belief in vegetarianism and
non-violence. The Congressman said that he also doesn’t eat anything with a
face but all of god’s creatures are simply striving to live, just like humans.
6A. Reading
It is important to study
Sikhism despite a bias against covering it because Sikhism is a major world
religion with about twenty million adherents. Sikhism is a larger world
religion than Judaism, yet is is a little known religion due to the bias towards
studying ancient and non-regional religions. Sikhism, despite the large number
of follower, is only 500 years old and found primarily in the Punjab region of
Northern India. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak but has historical and
philosophical roots in the Sant tradition. The Sant tradition dates back to 13th
century Southern India and included a diverse selection of teachers, or gurus, who taught that God was without form and
transcendent. Sants practice surat shabad yoga, which refers to the spirit and
mystical sound current, a form of meditation. Guru Nanak comes from this Sant
tradition. McLeod argues that since Nanak draws from this tradition of Santism,
he did not in fact truly found Sikhism.
Sikhs recognize ten gurus who
are enlightened beings and manifestations of the divine. This is where Sikhs
get their name, because Sikh means disciple and they are the disciples of the
gurus. Sikhs espouse the traditional Indian concepts of samsara, karma and the
goal of moksha. Unlike Hinduism, Sikhism reject the caste system because all
people are equally pure, even women. Sikhs practice bhakti, or devotion and
adoration of God and mediate using the divine name of god as a mantra.
A scholar’s view can
challenge a traditional or orthodox view of a religion by seeing past the religious
ideals and doctrines and objectively studying a religion and its history. The
Sikh religion is particularly influenced more by orthodoxy than actual history.
W.H. McLeod challenged the current definition of Sikhism and focused on the
historical connections of Sikhism to larger Indian traditions. He contends that
the Sant tradition as well as the philosophy and mysticism of Sikhism are
directly related to historical Indian traditions. The current incarnation of
Sikhism comes from a 19th century revivalist movement that was meant
to unify the Sikh culture and Idneity when it was threatened with absorption into
the larger Hindu community. Sikhism was originally a religion of evolving
traditions and rituals and changed into a non-evolving tradition that
proscribed how to dress, rituals, and ethics. Some Sikh scholars deny that the
orthodox tradition and history is a new addition despite the historical
evidence.
6A. Film
In the online film by Mt. SAC on
Sikhism I learned about the Sikh religion and its adherents. Sikhism is
practiced by over 300,000 Americans. Male Sikhs have long unshorned hair that
is covered with a turban and an uncut beard is typically identifying a male
Sikh. Women follow similar rules of dress, but do not wear a scarf. Sikhism was
founded by Guru Nanak who rejected the caste system by saying that all people,
women and men, are equal and thus not subject to inferior or superior classes.
Nanak also defined God as universal god without a male or female gender. Nanak also
discussed the importance of tolerance for all cultures and faith. Nanak was
followed by 9 other gurus that greatly influenced the Sikh religion. Unlike other Indian religions, the Sikh
religion is a monotheistic religion with one all-encompassing god. Sikh’s are
pervasive throughout American society, over 25% of California farmlands are
owned by Sikhs. The Sikh focus on equality has led many temples to create soup
kitchens to feed people for free.
7A. Reading
The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama
in 563 BCE to the ruler of the Sakya tribe, King Suddhodana near the Nepal/India
border. It was predicted before Siddhartha was born that he would become either
a universal monarch or great spiritual leader, a Buddha. Buddha means one who
has supreme knowledge. Siddhartha’s mother died 7 days after his birth and he
was raised in a palace by his aunt. Very early on Siddhartha showed a
proclivity towards the spiritual side of life, developing his first Jahana, or
meditative absorption at a ploughing ceremony. When he is 16 years old,
Siddhartha marries his cousin Princess Yasodhara and they spent 13 years
together, eventually conceiving a song together. Depite the luxury and wealth
that Siddhartha lives in and despite having a wife and son, Siddhartha becomes unsatisfied
with his life, seeing everything as only a fleeting pleasure. To combat his
woes, he goes on a chariot ride and uncovers what has been hidden from him in
his palace. He first sees an old man, then a sick man, a dead man being
cremated and a sadhu, or holy man. Upon coming to the realization that
everyone, including himself, will age, sicken and die he decides to find a way
to avoid the suffering. Siddhartha gives up his life as a prince, shaves his
hair and becomes a beggar in search of the ultimate truth. He became the
disciple of various Brahmin teachers and eventually attracts his own disciples.
Soon however, Siddhartha grows disillusioned with the rigid caste system,
ascetism and religious doctrines of the Brahmin. He gives up the ascetic life
and loses his disciples as a consequence. Despite all this, Siddhartha
continues searching through meditation for the ultimate truth. In April or May of 538 BCE Siddhartha teaches
his great enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree and became a fully realized Buddha at
age 35. He then spends his time teaching and converting people to Buddhism. In
his first sermon one disciple immediately becomes an arhat, enlightened one,
and the sermon began the Sangha, Buddhist order. Siddhartha even converts his
father’s court to his path of enlightenment, and ordains his aunt as the first
female Sangha.
The enlightenment the Buddha received came
in the form of the Four Noble Truths. The First Noble Truth is all life is
duhkka, suffering. The Buddha believed that since human nature and the world
are imperfect human beings are bound to suffer. Whether it’s from physical
illness, emotional distress, or death it is inevitable that one will experience
pain. Since our world is also temporary, even positive emotions, feelings or
situations are bound to pass and leave us suffering. The Second Noble truth is
that the origin of suffering is attachment. Dukkha is caused by Tahna. Our
attachment to temporary feelings, objects and people is what causes the
suffering. Our “craving and clinging” to these things causes suffering because
these things are temporary. Even attachment to the self creates suffering since
the self is an illusion. The Third Noble Truth is that we can stop Duhkka by
stopping Tahna. The cessation of suffering is attaible through Nirdoha, the unmaking
of sensual cravings and attachments. Buddhists believe that through dispassion
that suffering may be removed. The Fourth Noble Truth is the path to the
cessation of suffering. This path is through the middle way, a path that avoids
both extreme hedonism and extreme asceticism. According to Buddhism any other
path leads to “wandering on the wheel of becoming.” This path towards
enlightenment may take may lifetimes and it subject to karmic conditioning.
The 8 Fold Path is then the way to live
in the search for enlightenment and Nirvana. The first step is Right view,
being able to see life and reality for what it truly is. This step is first
undertook with the realization of the four noble truths and continues with the
complete understanding of the true nature of reality. The second step is Right
Intention which includes resisting desire, resisting anger and aversion and
acting harmlessly. The next step is Right Speech which means to abstain from
false speech, slanderous speech, harsh words and idle chatter. Right Action
follows this step along the path. To have Right Action is to abstain from
harming sentient beings, taking what is not freely given and sexual misconduct.
Following this is Right Livelihood; which means to refrain from jobs or careers
that involve dealing with weapons, living beings, intoxicants and poisons. The next
step is Right Effort; this means being able to control ones emotional states
and avoid unwholesome states and encouraging wholesome states. The next step is
Right Mindfulness. Right Mindfulness is to be aware and become fully aware
through contemplation of the body, feelings, mind and phenomena. Right Concentration
is the last step and this step involves being able to concentrate fully on
object or idea with the entire mind. Right Concentration can only be attained
through Meditation. In addition to the 4 Noble Truths and the 8 Fold path,
there are several main precepts Buddhists follow. These precepts are more like recommendations
for ethical conduct rather than strict rules. In Buddhism it is more important
to have the right intention than adhere to strict rules. Some Buddhists follow
227 precepts but the first 5 are mandatory for every Buddhist. A Buddhist abstains
from harming living things, taking things not freely given, sexual misconduct,
false speech, and intoxicating drinks or drugs that cause heedlessness.
Buddhism shares many of the same Indian
concepts as Hinduism and Jainism. They believe in Samsara, the wheel of life,
and in Karma. A Buddhist’s ultimate goal is moksha. The difference though is
Buddhism is an atheistic religion with no God. Buddhism also does not believe
in the soul or self. This is an illusion, according to Buddhism. Humans are
wrongly attributing consciousness and perception of the mind and body with the
self. There is self though, because everything is constantly changing and there
is no fixed idea of the self.
Buddhism can be divided into 2 main traditions,
Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. Within these two traditions are further
subdivisions based off the regional cultures. Theravada Buddhism is called “Southern
Buddhism” because it is practiced in the Southeast Asian countries of Sri Lanka,
Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Burma. Theravada means “the doctrine of the
elders.” This school believes they are closest to the original teaching of Buddha,
but are not fundamentalists. The teachings of Buddha are simply tools to help
people understand the truth. The Buddha was also simply a man who was able to
awaken himself, and each person is responsible for their own enlightenment through
their own efforts. Enlightenment is the goal and the monk life is also the
ideal way to live. Theravada has two different types of meditation Samatha,
calming meditation, and Vipassan, insightful meditation. Mahayana Buddhism is
popular in Tibet, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. Mahayana Buddhism
isn’t a single tradition but a collect of traditions including Zen, Pure Land
and Tibetan. This tradition believes in the Trikaya, the 3 bodies of Buddha. The
first body is transcendent, the second his Buddha’s body of bliss, and the
third is Buddha’s early body. The goal and ideal life of this Buddhist tradition
is to become a Buddhist Bodhisattva, an enlightened being free from suffering. While Mahayana has some of same basic
teachings as Theravada it also uses different methods. For example, Pure Land
Buddhism uses chanting of the name Amitabha Buddha to reach the Pure Land, a
plane of consciousness that makes it easier to attain Nirvana. Zen Buddhism of
is a mixture of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism focused more on living life directly
and fully. Korean Zen and Nichiren Buddhism are also Buddhist traditions tied
closely to their country of origin, Korea and Japan respectively. Tibetan
Buddhism is perhaps the most well-known Buddhism, thanks to their spiritual
leader the Dali Lama. This school of thought combines Mahayana Buddhism with
Tantric, Shamanic and an ancient Tibetan religion called Bon. It may be
considered part of the Vajrayana Buddhist Tradition. The Dali Lama is a spiritual
teacher and Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes the relationship between life and death,
and the impermanence of things. This Buddhism places great importance on
rituals and symbolism.
Buddhist philosophy holds that
existence is a tragedy because it is subject to impermanence, suffering and uncertainty.
These three tilakhanas, or signs of existence, are because we are reborn over
and over again, which causes suffering. It is impermanent and uncertain because
no state or thing lasts forever; and also because our experiences cannot be
defined. A person that is on the wheel of becoming can be born into one of six
realms. These realms are the realm of the gods (devas) realm of humanity, realm
of the Titans or angry gods(asuras) realm of the hungry ghosts (pretas), the
animal realm, and hell. The first two realms are the ones that are desirable to
be reborn into, while the last three realms inhabitants have a defect, for
example the hungry ghosts suffer from greed. These realms are interlinked in
some manner and people may experience these realms without having to be reborn
by experiencing negative or positive emotions or states according to the BBC website.
Another interesting aspect of Buddhism is their ethics on abortion and
contraception. One of the precepts of Buddhism is to refrain from harming
another living being, so it is natural to assume that Buddhism doesn’t advocate
abortion. Buddhist belief is that life and rebirth begins at conception and it
is bad karma to cause a rebirth so quickly after being given life. However, Buddhism
allows the use on contraception as long as it is a preventative method and not
one that destroys the embryo.
7B. Film
The Buddha film began with the myth of
the Buddha’s birth. The mother of Siddhartha had a dream of a beautiful white
elephant that jumped into her side. It was said that this dream was a
foretelling of her son who would be a great ruler or spiritual leader. When the
Buddha was born he emerged from her side. Unfortunately, the Buddha’s mother
died 7 days after her birth. Even if this myth is simply a myth, the story of Buddha’s
life and all the things he did is an archetypal story that helps others on
their path to enlightenment; it is a means to an end. There are many different stories
of Buddha, each tradition and culture have their own myths and legends. The film
quotes the Buddha saying, “where you see me you will see th teaching, where you
see the teachings you will see me.” Buddhism teaches one how to see the joy in
life and find a way to stop the suffering. The film on the Buddha discusses how
Buddhism is such a powerful religion. It touches on something that is both very
personal and yet we share it with everyone. The Buddha said, “The world is full
of pain and sorrow, but I have found a serenity that you can find too.” The
truth of it is that everyone suffers, no matter what we do to prevent it we all
will suffer there ravages of time, disease and loss. The Buddha began as man dissatisfied
with his life of pleasure travelled through his kingdom and saw suffering. The
Buddha himself suffered at an early age by the loss of his mother, one of the
poets on the film said “suffering on a primitive level is what makes a Buddha.”
In attempts to relieve this suffering, the Buddha turned to a life of asceticism
because there is “no knowledge without sacrifice.” Even this does not ease the Buddha’s
suffering fully. It is then he learned that suffering was endless and he needed
to find a way out, or to become enlightened.
The Axial age occurred between 900-200
BCE. All major world traditions have roots in this time period because of the common
perspectives and experiences during this time period. During this time, regions
experienced violence along with the development of iron weapons and deadlier
warfare. It was during this time that large states depended on coercion to
survive, using armies and police forces to control the labor and population.
The areas of civilization also saw in increase in aggressive capitalism and
created a catalyst for religious change. The world religions that sprung up during
this time period were searching for an alternative to the violence. The sages
and wise men of these new religions were not interested in metaphysics or
doctrines but on how to divest the self to get rid of the negative human
qualities of ego, greed, hatred and envy. All the religions had the same core
principle of compassion for other living beings. Buddhism fits deftly into this
time period because it is a religion that focuses on removing the self and
cultivating goodwill and compassion for all things. Buddhism is not only a
religion of compassion but of equality as well.
8A. Reading
Tao means path or way, and in the
Taoist religion there are three different ways this “path or way” may be
understood. The first is the way of ultimate reality. This meaning of Tao
cannot be understood or perceived because it is a transcendent idea of reality.
The second way is the way of the universe. This Tao is more spirit than matter,
it is what gives nature it’s order. According to the reading this Tao is immanent;
it is the driving force in all of nature and life. It fills the flesh and gives
meaning and truth to all things. The third Tao is the way of human life. This
way is the Tao that we are most familiar with; it is how we live and breathe
and how we attempt to gain harmony with the world.
In addition to three paths of Tao there
are three schools of thought on Taoism that focus on the te, power, that flows
through the cosmos and all human beings. The first school of Tao, Philosophical
Tao, focuses on the efficient use of te. This school of thought is a relatively
unorganized group that is focused more on reflection on self-help than any
particular actions or rituals. Philosophical Tao is an attitude toward life
that seeks to conserve life’s vitality by reducing friction and conflict that
drains away te. This Tao is the way of wisdom because to live wisely, according
to Taoists, is to conserve life’s energy and spend it wisely. The second school
of Tao is Yoga Tao. This is a vitalizing Tao that seeks to increase the supply
of Te. This school has long held adherents who sought immortality and attempted
experiments in eating, sexual activity and breathing to increase and prolong
the life giving power. It is from this Tao that come’s the idea of Ch’i, which
literally means breath but it Taoism refers to vital energy or power that
courses through a person. T’ai Chi Chuan is an exercise that is a combination
of calisthenics, dance, meditation and martial arts that draws ch’i from the
universe and dislodges blocked Ch’i in
the body. A yoga very similar to Hindu Raja yoga is also practiced, Tao yoga
borrows many of the posture and concentration techniques offered by Raja yoga.
It is through meditation that this Tao seeks to find balance in one’s self and
in one’s community. Finally, religious Tao is a mixture of Taoism and Chinese folk
religion. It uses rituals that seem to have a magical effect to harness higher
powers to benefit a person and their community.
Despite the fact there are three
different school of Tao, some adherents are involved in all 3 schools because
each tradition is not sharply defined. There are Taoist values that are honored
throughout each tao such as wu wei. Wu wei literally means inaction, but to
Taoists it means pure effectiveness and creative quietude, or supreme activity
and supreme relaxation. In order to be truly effective one must stop the
conscious mind, relax and let go to experience creativity and spontaneity. A Taoist
saying is “the way to do is to be.” This means to let go and be like the water,
effortlessly flowing and changing the world around it without having to
struggle. Taoist values also include humility, harmony with nature,
non-violence and simplicity. Even Tao temples blend in with the surrounding environment
to create harmony with the world around them. Tao also values the dualistic
nature of the world, represented best by the yin yang symbol.
8B. Film
Video
one discusses Chinese thought shaped the way their stories were told from 150
BCE until 1911 CE. They were one of the first people to write history but it is
a problem because how their histories are told is influenced by their ideals
and expectations of what history should be. China created the Mandate of Heaven
to explain why dynasties rose and fall during Chinese history. According to the
Mandate of Heaven, Heaven gives a mandate to good rulers and takes away the
power from rulers who are not moral or upright. The morals were set by Confucian
principles of social harmony, education, and structure and order as well
upright behavior. There are five key relationships in Confucianism; the most
important relationship being one of filial piety. This regards honoring one’s
father and a father honoring one’s son through discipline, education and care. These Confucian ideals greatly influenced the
historical records of Chinese history.
The
second video discusses Taoism and what the goal of Taoism is. Taoism seeks a
solution to the lifelessness that is created by living in a society that is
constrained by etiquette, rituals and other people’s expectations, an
ant-thesis to the strict and formal traditions of Confucianism. To flourish and
thrive in the world, it is important to live a life that spontaneous, natural
and free. It is important to note though, that living spontaneously is to not
live impulsively, instead it means to live fully and to simply be. Taoism is
attractive to people in a stable society because it begins to give meaning and
simplicity to a potentially complex life. Taoism is focused on the unlearning
of the self to find what is truly pure and good.
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