EASTERN PHILOSOPHICAL

PERSPECTIVES ON THE
Eastern Perspectives
 Buddhism
• Anatta – “no self”
• The concept of a self is an
illusion. There is no
permanent concept of
the self. All things are
not permanent.
• But there are 5 aspects:
1. Physical manifestation
2. Sensation
3. Conceptualization
4. Dispositions to act
5. Consciousness
 Buddhism
• Teachings based on Siddhartha
Gautama or BUDDHA
(“awakened one”)
• Rejection of a permanent, self-
existent soul (atman)
• 8 paths to Nirvana (freedom from
“attachments”)
1. Right view – cognitive aspect of Wisdom
2. Right intention – volitional aspect of
Wisdom
3. Right speech
4. Right action
 Buddhism
5. Right livelihood – do not harm
6. Right effort
7. Right mindfulness - the mental ability
to see things as they are, with
clear consciousness.
4 foundations of mindfulness:
1. contemplation of the body
2. contemplation of feeling
(repulsive, attractive, or neutral)
3. contemplation of the state of mind
4. contemplation of the phenomena.
8. Right concentration through
meditation
 Confucianism
(Tu Wei Ming)
• 2 Aspects of the self
1. The self as the center of
relationships
2. The self as dynamic process of
spiritual development
To attain sagehood (within the
communal act)
“How can I, in the midst of social
relations, realize my selfhood
and the heaven-endowed
humanity?”
 Taoism
• The Tao that can be known is not the Tao.
• True knowledge cannot be known but
perhaps it can be understood.
• Taos is a system of guidance.
• Phrases that can describe Tao:
- Not a God
- Source of creation
- Ultimate
- Way of nature as a whole
 Taoism
Te
• Awareness of the Tao together with the
capabilities that enable a person to
follow the Tao.
Tzu Jan
• That which is naturally so.
• Condition something will be in if it is
permitted to exist and develop naturally.
 Wu Wei
• Knowledge tries to figure out why round
pegs fit round holes, but not square
holes.
• Cleverness tries to devise ways of making
them fit. Wu Wei doesn’t try.
• It doesn’t think about it. It just does. And
when it does, it doesn’t appear to do
much of anything but Things Get Done.
 Wu Wei
• T’ai Chi Ch’uan – wear the opponent
out by sending his energy back at him or
deflecting it away, in order to weaken his
power, balance, and position for defense.
• Live through life and accept the totality of
reality.
• BELIEVE IN THE POWER WITHIN AND USE
IT.
 Taoism
Yin and Yang
• Natural and complementary forces,
patterns, and things that depend on one
another.
• Darkness and light, wet and dry, etc.
Chi or Qi
• Cosmic vital energy that enables beings to
survive and links them to the universe as
a whole.
 Taoism
Inner Nature
• Things as they are.
• Knowing where you belong; everything
has its own place and function
• “A fly can’t bird but a bird can’t fly.”
• Do with what you have.
Simplicity
• Things in their original simplicity contain
their own natural power, power that is
easily spoiled and lost when that
simplicity is changed.
 Knowledge and
Relativity
• Knowledge is always partial and affected by
the standpoint of the person claiming that
knowledge.

• Scholarly intellect may be useful for

analyzing certain things but deeper and
broader matters are beyond its limited
reach.

• “There is more to knowing than just being

correct.”
 Taoism
Way of Self-Reliance
• Recognizing who we are, what we’ve
got to work with, and what works
best for us.
The Great Nothing
• Some things are just unexplainable and
that’s okay because not everything needs
explaining.
• “Why does a chicken, I don’t why”
 Hindu Philosophy
“Six Philosophies" (ṣad-darśana)
• Nyaya
• Vaisheshika
• Samkhya
• Yoga
• Mimamsa
• Vedanta
 Hindu Philosophy
Nyaya (Reasoning)
founded by the ancient sage Gautama
deals with logic which is the process of
reasoning
Doubt is considered a prerequisite for
philosophical inquiry.
 Hindu Philosophy
Vaisheshika (Physical Sciences)
developed by Prashastapada
emphasizes the physical sciences such
as chemistry
includes exploring the elements of
earth, water, fire, air and space, as
well as time, mind and soul.
 Hindu Philosophy
Samkhya (Framework of manifestation)
offers a framework for all the levels of
manifestation

comes from samyag akhyate: that which

explains the whole
 Hindu Philosophy
Samkhya (Framework of manifestation)
Sankhya deals with prakriti (matter), purusha
(consciousness), buddhi or mahat (intelligence),
ahamkara (I-am-ness), three gunas (elements of
stability, activity, and lightness), mind (manas),
cognitive and active senses [indriyas), and the five
subtle and gross elements (earth, water, fire, air, and
space).
contains all of the domains of
Vaisheshika, Nyaya, and Mimasa
 Hindu Philosophy
Yoga (Practical methods for direct experience)
• systematically deals with all of the levels of
one's being, striving to experience the
eternal center of consciousness
• involves systematic witnessing of one’s inner
states, so as to experientially go beyond all
of them to the center of consciousness.
• often called Samkhya-Yoga, as it contains the
practical methods to realize in direct
experience the truths of Samkhya philosophy
 Hindu Philosophy
Mimasa (Freedom through action)
• has a detailed philosophy related to ritual,
worship and ethical conduct, which developed
into the philosophy of karma.

Vedanta (Contemplative self-inquiry)

• contemplative methods of self-inquiry leading to
the realization of one's true nature, that which
is not subject to death, decay, or
decomposition
 Hindu Philosophy
Chakras as energy centers
 Japanese Culture
(by de Vos)
• Tension within the self and one’s role in
the society
• 2 Dimensions
1. “etic” – conformity and cohesion
(loyalty to the group and country)
2. “emic”- concept of the self through
interaction with others
• To be obedient and to have high
achievement
 Islam
Hekma
( in the Islamic view of the
universe, society, ethics and life)
 Islam
Overview of Sufism
Aspect of Islamic tradition
 What is Sufism?
• Mystical Islamic belief and practice in which
Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love
and knowledge through direct personal
experience of God.

• A way of life in which a deeper identity is

discovered and lived. This deeper identity, or
essential self, has abilities of awareness, action,
creativity and love that are far beyond the
abilities of the superficial personality.
 What is Sufism?
• The ultimate aim of the Sufi is
communion with God through
spiritual realization, which is achieved
through the knowledge revealed by
Quran (ilm) and the practice of Islam
(amal).
 What is Sufism?
• Sufism’s claim to universality is founded on
the broad recognition that there is
only one God, the God of all people
and all true religions.
• If Sufism recognizes one central truth, it is
the unity of being, that we are not
separate from the Divine.
• If there is a single truth, worthy of the
name, it is that we are all integral to the
Truth, not separate.
 What is Sufism?
• Sufism is about realizing the current of love
that runs through human life, the unity
behind forms.
• Love as the highest activation of
intelligence, for without love nothing
great would be accomplished, whether
spiritually, artistically, socially, or
scientifically.
 What is Sufism?
• Sufis regards the soul as the agency for
communication with God.
- GALB (heart)
- RUH (spirit)
- SIRR (conscience)
Sufism: Levels of the self
• COMMANDING SELF
- Self that succumbs to evil
- Seeks to dominate individuals
- No sense of morality or compassion and
marked by unbridled selfishness
- Similar to the id; closely linked to lust
and aggression
Sufism: Levels of the self
• REGRETFUL SELF
- Where effects of the first state of state
are realized/ made apparent
- At this level, wants and desires still
dominate, but the person is repentant
from time to time
- People do not yet have the ability to
change their lives, but they can see
their own faults which fosters regret
and encourages change.
Sufism: Levels of the self
• INSPIRED SELF
- The individual begins to taste the joys of the
spiritual experience
- Considered the beginning of the real practice of
Sufism, where the seeker is
truly motivated by ideals such as compassion,
service and moral values.
- New level reduces the power of the desires and the
ego
- Goal is to live in terms of higher values
Sufism: Levels of the self
• PLEASED SELF
- Individual is content with life and even
with the trials and difficulties, realizing
that they come from God.
- A difference in the way that the world is
experienced
Sufism: Levels of the self
Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna once shared cucumber with
Ayaz, his most loyal ang beloved companion. Ayaz
happily ate his half of cucumber, but when the sultan bite
into his half, it was bitter that he immediately spit it out.

“How could you manage to eat something so bitter?” the

sultan exclaimed “It taste like chalk or a bitter poison”

“My beloved sultan,” answered Ayaz, “I have so many

favors and bounties from your hand that whatever you
gave me tastes sweet”
Sufism: Levels of the self
•Self Pleasing to God
- Realization that the power to act comes
from God and that nothing can be
achieved on one’s own.
- Inner marriage of the self and the soul
wherein genuine inner unity and
wholeness is achieved
•Pure Self
-“There is no god but God.”
 EASTERN PHILOSOPHY
COMMON THREADS
• inner life
• intuition
• wholeness
• spirituality
• harmony with nature
 COMMON THREADS
A. INNER LIFE [ vs. OUTER LIFE]
Outer life:
- progress, industrial
development (basis of success,
satisfaction)

Search for truth – looking

at the external world
 COMMON THREADS

Inner life
- being at peace with oneself
- Happiness, success is achieved by
understanding oneself.

“He who conquers others is strong;

he who conquers himself is mighty.”
(Lao Tzu)
 COMMON THREADS

B. INTUITION [ vs. SENSATION]

Man is not alone.
- in conscious communication with
more advanced intelligences
- can understand more quickly the
meaning of his experiences
 COMMON THREADS

in the West
Intuitions- curiosities (occurring unpredictably)
For the Eastern Perspective
Intuitions- messages from the soul,
promptings from a perspective of
a greater comprehension
• Being aware of your feelings.
• Honoring cleansing.
 COMMON THREADS

C. WHOLENESS [ vs. RATIONALITY]

Rationality
- seeing one object as separate from
another

There is a sense of separation within ourselves.

 COMMON THREADS
Wholeness
a. wholeness of the universe
- inter-connectedness, collective
existence
b. wholeness within
- forging harmony between our
thoughts, feelings, desires, actions
- involving every part of our
being in what we do
 COMMON THREADS

D. SPIRITUALITY [ vs. MATERIALISM]

Man is not a mere body.
The soul transcends death.

“Life is not a problem to be solved,

but a mystery to be lived.” (Marcel)

Genuine fulfillment is in the attainment

of Nirvana.
 COMMON THREADS

Spirituality
We are one with nature.
We are only in relation to others.
concept of EMPTINESS
- empty – when one is
Separated
 COMMON THREADS

E. HARMONY WITH NATURE

[ vs. DOMINION OVER NATURE]

Materialism
- looks at the environment as
something to control
 COMMON THREADS

INTERNAL POWER
- power that loves life in every form
(power that perceives meaningfulness
and purpose in smallest details upon
the Earth)
- rooted in the deepest
source of our BEING
 COMMON THREADS

REVERENCE
- an attitude of honoring Life,
of accepting that all Life is of value
Reverence is not respect.

“It is possible to respect one person and not respect

another, but it is not possible to revere one person
without revering every person.”
(Zucav)
 COMMON THREADS

Ecology:
The natural distribution of energy
between kingdoms, between life-
forms.
 COMMON THREADS

Concept of WU-WEI
(doing nothing)

- letting the natural

course of things
to take place