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Lesson 4: The Self
in Western and
Eastern Thoughts
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• Eastern- also called Oriental; represents
• Western- represents Europe and
Northern America
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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 by his/her significant relationships
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Confucianism
• 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.
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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 the good.
• Hsiao is love for the immediate family and
then society.
• Yiis the principle of righteousness.
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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 to one's family and to
one's country.
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Confucius specifies the five
important relationships
• King to subject
• Father to son
• Husband to wife
• Older brother to younger brother
• Friend to friend
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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.
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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, pattern and substance of
everything that exists.
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Taoism
• 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.
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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.
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Buddhism
• The Buddha taught that an individual is a
combination of five aggregates of
existence, also called the Five Skandhas
or the five heaps.
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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.
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Five Skandhas
• Mental Formations- includes habits,
prejudices, and predispositions, and
volition or willfulness
• Consciousness- awareness of or
sensitivity to an object, but without
conceptualization
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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
epherneral experience.
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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 and means "the awakened
one."
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Comparison of Western and
Eastern Concepts of Self
Western
Duality- you are distinct from other
persons
Talk about their personal attributes
Highlights personal achievements
Individualistic- focus on the person
Values competition
Values equality
Eastern
Other persons are part of your self
Talk about their social roles
Keeps a low profile and avoid
boastfulness
Collectivistic- group and social
relations are more important
Values cooperation
Values hierarchy
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