Eastern Ethics

Jainism

- based on spiritual liberation as the highest of all goals and nonviolence as the means to it. in true philosophical manner, the Jains found in the principle of nonviolence a guide to all morality. nonviolence is extended to all living things The Jainas are vegetarian. They are often ridiculed by Westerners for the care they take to avoid injuring insects or other living things while walking or drinking water that many contain minute organisms -take care for sick and injured animals Omitting to care for an injured animals would also be in their view a form of violence. Other moral duties are also derived from the notion of nonviolence. To tell someone a lie, for example, is regarded as inflicting a mental injury on that person. Stealing, of course, is another form of injury, but because of the absence of a distinction between acts and omissions, even the possession of wealth is seen as depriving the poor and hungry of the means to satisfy their wants. nonviolence leads to a principle of nonpossession of property. Ordinary Jains follow less strict code of asceticism and avoiding sexual intercourse to be compatible with a normal life

An introduction to the founder of Jainism

Mahavira there have been 24 tonkondras last one- Mahavira "great hero" 599-527 bce mahavira first occupied pieous woman named Dianata switched to fassala - he was so still- did not want to harm mom was in heaven everyone rejoices prosperous mahavira grew up handsome no hunting after parents died, seek enlightnement seek higher density open up palace doors and gave everything away in front of the ashoka tree, he pulls five fist fulls of hair, indra then appears and provides a white shaw to cover his naked body. mahavira was attractive to all a poor brahman asked for a gift from him. Mahavira offered part of his cloth other part was removed by thorn. beaten by farmer. evil spirits tried to torture him but eventually realized their wrong ways mahavira came about a cobra reminded him he used to be an ascetic and relieved him from his bad karma on a ferry crossing seas, everyone was panicking mahavira remained calm. fasted for five months. eradicated all past karmas. gena- one who conquered gods plant ashoka tree gautama became one of the greatest discples greatest disciple tried to use evil spirits against him but it backfired five principles non-violence, truth, non-theft, self-control, and detachment from worldly possession. as he was on his death bed, his spirit is immortal. he realized he needed to be detached to Mahavira's body.

Jainism and the Practice of Ahimsa

Much of the violence happens less than 2 minutes. Life Force about ahimsa being acutely aware of pain and suffering to life forms around us 2 minutes of unthinking unfeeling behavior circus, eating burgers, etc. killing of bugs collaboration Jain is a systematic response to human violence if we can lessen the pain and suffering, why not choose that option. how big is our circle of compassion? can we extend it? in those brief moments, can we pause and change our responses it can be ecologically and ethically sucessfully. jainism is the only main religion that has never engaged in war To empathize with all creatures great or small...

China- Taoism and Confucianism

The two greatest moral philosophers of ancient China, Lao-tzu (flourished c. 6th century BC) and Confucius (551-479 BC), thought in very different ways. Lao-tzu is best known for his ideas about the Tao (literally "Way," the Supreme Principle). The Tao is based on the traditional Chinese virtues of simplicity and sincerity. To follow the Tao is not a matter of keeping to any set list of duties or prohibitions, but rather of living in a simple and honest manner, being true to oneself, and avoiding the distractions of ordinary living. Lao-tzu's classic book on the Tao, Tao-te Ching, consists only of aphorisms and isolated paragraphs, making it difficult to draw an intelligible system of ethics from it. Perhaps this is because Lao-tzu was a type of moral skeptic: he rejected both righteousness and benevolence, apparently because he saw them as imposed on individuals from without rather than coming from their own inner nature. Like the Buddha, Lao-tzu found the things prized by the world—rank, luxury, and glamour—to be empty, worthless values when compared with the ultimate value of the peaceful inner life. He also emphasized gentleness, calm, and nonviolence. Nearly 600 years before Jesus, he said: "It is the way of the Tao . . . to recompense injury with kindness." By returning good for good and also good for evil, Lao-tzu believed that all would become good; to return evil for evil would lead to chaos. The lives of Lao-tzu and Confucius overlapped, and there is even an account of a meeting between them, which is said to have left the younger Confucius baffled. Confucius was the more down-to-earth thinker, absorbed in the practical task of social reform. When he was a provincial minister of justice, the province became renowned for the honesty of its people and their respect for the aged and their care for the poor. Probably because of its practical nature, the teachings of Confucius had a far greater influence on China than did those of the more withdrawn Lao-tzu. Confucius did not organize his recommendations into any coherent system. His teachings are offered in the form of sayings, aphorisms, and anecdotes, usually in reply to questions by disciples. They aim at guiding the \audience in what is necessary to become a better person, a concept translated as "gentleman" or "the superior man." In opposition to the prevailing feudal ideal of the aristocratic lord, Confucius presented the superior man as one who is humane and thoughtful, motivated by the desire to do what is good rather than by personal profit. Beyond this, however, the concept is not discussed in any detail; it is only shown by diverse examples, some of them trite: "A superior man's life leads upwards . . . . The superior man is broad and fair; the inferior man takes sides and is petty . . . . A superior man shapes the good in man; he does not shape the bad in him." One of the recorded sayings of Confucius is an answer to a request from a disciple for a single word that could serve as a guide to conduct for one's entire life. He replied: "Is not reciprocity such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." This rule is repeated several times in the Confucian literature and might be considered the supreme principle of Confucian ethics. Other duties are not, however, presented as derivative from this supreme principle, nor is the principle used to determine what is to be done when more specific duties—e.g., duties to parents and duties to friends, both of which were given prominence in Confucian ethics—should clash. Confucius did not explain why the superior man chose righteousness rather than personal profit. This question was taken up more than 100 years after his death by his follower Mencius, who asserted that humans are naturally inclined to do what is humane and right. Evil is not in human nature but is the result of poor upbringing or lack of education. But Confucius also had another distinguished follower, Hsün-tzu, who said that man's nature is to seek self-profit and to envy others. The rules of morality are designed to avoid the strife that would otherwise follow from this nature. The Confucian school was united in its ideal of the superior man but divided over whether such an ideal was to be obtained by allowing people to fulfill their natural desires or by educating them to control those desires.

Life Force: The World of Jainism

To "live harmoniously" with love and compassion in a world inherently embedded with pain is one of the main principles of Jainism. makes an "ecological contract" to respect even the smallest insect. This "hylozoistic" view of nature, that all life teems with souls of ontologically equivalent value, whether it is a mosquito, a bird or a human, permeates Jain thinking for millennia and can even breathe fresh air into our modern environmentalist thinking. For such a small moment of two minute pleasure one may garner from such acts, another being had to suffer and die. "Live deliberately" is the motto of Jainism. With each action one must tread lightly and be aware of the consequences of each step, each brush of one's skin, each bite one takes. "not to let others cause himsa (violence)." This promotes an activist role, as the many Jain animal shelters throughout India confirm. if you accidentally breath in gnat or seed... "start fresh" the next day and refocus. waking up to a new slate and working toward a better world is a theme that regenerates hope. "I forgive all beings, may all beings forgive me. I have friendship toward all, malice toward none." This announcement captures what Jainism is all about.

Jainism

ahimsa...vow of non-violence essential for moksha (enlightenment); vows not to kill, steal, slander, desire worldly things, etc.

Buddhism

compassion as central; rid of desire to attain enlightenment; ethical vows in the 8 fold path (no killing, no stealing, no slandering, etc.) to attain enlightenment

Confucian film

confuscious 551 bc may have been student to lao tzu minister of crime 80 beaitful women, horses to ruler left court analects- collection of saying Do not unto others what you dont want on to yourself- Golden Rule 1 ceremony is important Confucious beleive value in ritual propriety- meal mom cooked for us when we are sick. premeditated, rituals 2. treat parents with reverence obey them when young, care for when old, mourn when die, and make sacrifices for them after dont move too far filial piety moral life begins within the family 3 we should be obedient to honorable people let the ruler be a ruler, the subject be a subject, a son a son. we need to be modest enough to realize that people's accomplishment are greater than our own the grass must bend whenever the wind passes --humility 4 cultivated knowledge can be more important than creativity --the importance of universal wisdom after years of hardwork 5 constant virtues: benevolence (rei), ritual propriety (Li), righteousness (Yi), wisdom (zhi). and integrity (xin) saw virtues need to be constantly cultivated like a garden we need to devote our energy to changing our habits his followers created schools in his honor across East Asia millions of people still follow him eastern political ideas

Buddhism

ethical system developed as a reaction to the ossified form of the old Vedic philosophy. The person who became known as the Buddha, which means the "enlightened one," was born about 563 BC, the son of a king. Until he was 29 years old, he lived the sheltered life of a typical prince, with every luxury he could desire. At that time, legend has it, he was jolted out of his idleness by the "Four Signs": he saw in rapid succession a very feeble old man, a hideous leper, a funeral, and a venerable ascetic monk. He began to think about old age, disease, and death, and decided to follow the way of the monk. For six years he led an ascetic life of renunciation, but finally, while meditating under a tree, he concluded that the solution was not withdrawal from the world, but rather a practical life of compassion for all. Buddhism is often thought to be a religion, and indeed over the centuries it has adopted in many places the trappings of religion. This is an irony of history, however, because the Buddha himself was a strong critic of religion. He rejected the authority of the Vedas and refused to set up any alternative creed. He saw religious ceremonies as a waste of time and theological beliefs as mere superstition. The Buddha told his followers to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own future. In place of religious beliefs and religious ceremonies, the Buddha advocated a life devoted to universal compassion and brotherhood. Through such a life one might reach the ultimate goal, Nirvana, a state in which all living things are free from pain and sorrow. There are similarities between this ethic of universal compassion and the ethics of the Jainas. Nevertheless, the Buddha was the first historical figure to develop such a boundless ethic. Eastern Ethics from India to China: 5 Ethical Traditions to Examine Peter Singer This is an edited excerpt from a Singer's article in Encyclopædia Britannica, Chicago, 1985. India 1. Hinduism Image result for Hinduism Indian ethics was philosophical from the start. In the oldest of the Indian writings, the Vedas, ethics is an integral aspect of philosophical and religious speculation about the nature of reality. These writings date from about 1500 BC. They have been described as the oldest philosophical literature in the world, and what they say about how people ought to live may therefore be the first philosophical ethics. The Vedas are, in a sense, hymns, but the gods to which they refer are not persons but manifestations of ultimate truth and reality. In the Vedic philosophy, the basic principle of the universe, the ultimate reality on which the cosmos exists, is the principle of Ritam, which is the word from which the Western notion of right is derived. There is thus a belief in a right moral order somehow built into the universe itself. Hence, truth and right are linked; to penetrate through illusion and understand the ultimate truth of human existence is to understand what is right. To be an enlightened one is to know what is real and to live rightly, for these are not two separate things but one and the same. The ethic that is thus traced to the very essence of the universe is not without its detailed practical applications. These were based on four ideals, or proper goals, of life: prosperity, the satisfaction of desires, moral duty, and spiritual perfection—i.e., liberation from a finite existence. From these ends follow certain virtues: honesty, rectitude, charity, nonviolence, modesty, and purity of heart. To be condemned, on the other hand, are falsehood, egoism, cruelty, adultery, theft, and injury to living things. Because the eternal moral law is part of the universe, to do what is praiseworthy is to act in harmony with the universe and accordingly will receive its proper reward; conversely, once the true nature of the self is understood, it becomes apparent that those who do what is wrong are acting self-destructively. The basic principles underwent considerable modification over the ensuing centuries, especially in the Upanisads, a body of philosophical literature dating from 800 BC. The Indian caste system, with its intricate laws about what members of each caste may or may not do, is accepted by the Upanisads as part of the proper order of the universe. Ethics itself, however, is not regarded as a matter of conformity to laws. Instead, the desire to be ethical is an inner desire. It is part of the quest for spiritual perfection, which in turn is elevated to the highest of the four goals of life. 2. Jainism Image result for Jainism The Jain philosophy is based on spiritual liberation as the highest of all goals and nonviolence as the means to it. In true philosophical manner, the Jainas found in the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) a guide to all morality. First, apart from the obvious application to prohibiting violent acts to other humans, nonviolence is extended to all living things. The Jainas are vegetarian. They are often ridiculed by Westerners for the care they take to avoid injuring insects or other living things while walking or drinking water that may contain minute organisms; it is less well known that Jainas began to care for sick and injured animals thousands of years before animal shelters were thought of in Europe. The Jainas do not draw the distinction usually made in Western ethics between their responsibility for what they do and their responsibility for what they omit doing. Omitting to care for an injured animal would also be in their view a form of violence. Other moral duties are also derived from the notion of nonviolence. To tell someone a lie, for example, is regarded as inflicting a mental injury on that person. Stealing, of course, is another form of injury, but because of the absence of a distinction between acts and omissions, even the possession of wealth is seen as depriving the poor and hungry of the means to satisfy their wants. Thus nonviolence leads to a principle of nonpossession of property. Jaina priests were expected to be strict ascetics and to avoid sexual intercourse. Ordinary Jainas, however, followed a slightly less severe code, which was intended to give effect to the major forms of nonviolence while still being compatible with a normal life. 3. Buddhism Image result for Buddhism The other great ethical system to develop as a reaction to the ossified form of the old Vedic philosophy was Buddhism. The person who became known as the Buddha, which means the "enlightened one," was born about 563 BC, the son of a king. Until he was 29 years old, he lived the sheltered life of a typical prince, with every luxury he could desire. At that time, legend has it, he was jolted out of his idleness by the "Four Signs": he saw in rapid succession a very feeble old man, a hideous leper, a funeral, and a venerable ascetic monk. He began to think about old age, disease, and death, and decided to follow the way of the monk. For six years he led an ascetic life of renunciation, but finally, while meditating under a tree, he concluded that the solution was not withdrawal from the world, but rather a practical life of compassion for all. Buddhism is often thought to be a religion, and indeed over the centuries it has adopted in many places the trappings of religion. This is an irony of history, however, because the Buddha himself was a strong critic of religion. He rejected the authority of the Vedas and refused to set up any alternative creed. He saw religious ceremonies as a waste of time and theological beliefs as mere superstition. He refused to discuss abstract metaphysical problems such as the immortality of the soul. The Buddha told his followers to think for themselves and take responsibility for their own future. In place of religious beliefs and religious ceremonies, the Buddha advocated a life devoted to universal compassion and brotherhood. Through such a life one might reach the ultimate goal, Nirvana, a state in which all living things are free from pain and sorrow. There are similarities between this ethic of universal compassion and the ethics of the Jainas. Nevertheless, the Buddha was the first historical figure to develop such a boundless ethic. In keeping with his own previous experience, the Buddha proposed a "middle path" between self-indulgence and self-renunciation. In fact, it is not so much a path between these two extremes as one that draws together the benefits of both. Through living a life of compassion and love for all, a person achieves the liberation from selfish cravings sought by the ascetic and a serenity and satisfaction that are more fulfilling than anything obtained by indulgence in pleasure. It is sometimes thought that because the Buddhist goal is Nirvana, a state of freedom from pain and sorrow that can be reached by meditation, Buddhism teaches a withdrawal from the real world. Nirvana, however, is not to be sought for oneself alone; it is regarded as a unity of the individual self with the universal self in which all things take part. In the Mahayana school of Buddhism, the aspirant for Enlightenment even takes a vow not to accept final release until everything that exists in the universe has attained Nirvana. The Buddha lived and taught in India, and so Buddhism is properly classified as an Indian ethical philosophy. Yet, Buddhism did not take hold in the land of its origin. Instead, it spread in different forms south into Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, and north through Tibet to China, Korea, and Japan. In the process, Buddhism suffered the same fate as the Vedic philosophy against which it had rebelled: it became a religion

Hinduism

four goals of life (dharma/duty; career and family; kama (love/beauty/passion); moksha (spiritual liberation) as final goal. To attain moksha an ethical life is required.

Taoist film

grew increasingly morally corrupt moved to western border of chinese empire border official told him to wrote down TAO TE CHING- like bible lao tzi went to become hermit pass down to philosophical schools Daoism- more than 2000 years 20 million in the world at least perhaps half a billion especially in China and Taiwan pilgrimages to 5 sacred mountains deeply intertwined with buddhism confucianism all taste vinegar conf-sour, like world buddha- bitter, full of suffering lao-tzi- sweet the dao- the way of the world, the path to virtue, happiness, and harmony in order to follow the dao go beyond reading, flowing, effortless action 1st make more time to stillness let go of schedules, experience the world, stop rushing nature does not hurry but everything is accomplished. we also need to be open. if we are too busy, we will miss 1000 moments of human experiences. experiences reconnects us to parts of ourselves. we need to be in touch with our innerselves. we need to look at who we really are our ego is always in the way. when i let go of who i am, i become who i might be lao tzu compare to nature the best people are like water, which benefits all things and does not compete with them. it stays in lowly places that others reject. each part of nature reminds us of virtue, strength of mountains, the resilience of trees. his words serve as a reminder of stillness, openness

Jains and ecology (chapter 2)

highlight the commonalities and establish some sense of a global ethic among the world religions "the fate of the earth" is a "religious responsibility" "a new consciousness of the multiform religious traditions of humankind" needs to be developed. Jainism, it seems, has a lot to offer in this regard. Jainism offers us a world view that sees all life forms as interconnected and gives us a motive to treat other life forms, including earth itself, with reverence. there is a "hierarchy of beings" plants--> to five sense beings biocentric approach In Jainism, one is responsible for the harm one causes others, even if one is not aware of the consequence of the action. In other words, unlike in Buddhism where intention matters, in Jainism ignorance is no excuse when it comes to causing harm. consequences trump intention Jain philosophy demands us to develop an "empathetic eye" for all and thus lays the foundation for a modern ecological approach. The diaspora second generation Jain has moved away from a traditional liberation center focus (with the goal of moksha) to a socio-centric one (with the aim of social activism and engagement).

Hinduism

in the oldest of the Indian writings, the Vedas, ethics is an integral aspect of philosophical and religious speculation and the nature of reality. - vedas dates from about 1500 BC. they have been described as the oldest philosophical literature in the world, and what they say about how people ought to live - vedas are hymns but the gods to which they refer are not persons but manifestations of ultimate truth and reality. Ritam- word from which the Western notion of right is derived. truth and right are linked to penetrate through illusion and understand the ultimate truth of human existence is to understand what is right. To be an enlightened one is to know what is real and to live rightly, for these are not two separate things but one and the same. The ethic that is thus traced to the very essence of the universe is not without its detailed practical applications. These were based on four ideals, or proper goals, of life: prosperity, the satisfaction of desires, moral duty, and spiritual perfection—i.e., liberation from a finite existence. From these ends follow certain virtues: honesty, rectitude, charity, nonviolence, modesty, and purity of heart. To be condemned, on the other hand, are falsehood, egoism, cruelty, adultery, theft, and injury to living things. Because the eternal moral law is part of the universe, to do what is praiseworthy is to act in harmony with the universe and accordingly will receive its proper reward; conversely, once the true nature of the self is understood, it becomes apparent that those who do what is wrong are acting self-destructively. - basic principles underwent considerable modification over the ensuing centuries, especially in the Upanisads, a body of philosophical literature dating from 800 BC. The Indian caste system, with its intricate laws about what members of each caste may or may not do, is accepted by the Upanisads as part of the proper order of the universe. Ethics itself, however, is not regarded as a matter of conformity to laws. Instead, the desire to be ethical is an inner desire. It is part of the quest for spiritual perfection, which in turn is elevated to the highest of the four goals of life.

Tao and Confucianism

live simple life; respect elderly; evil not inherent in humans but bad environment; not return evil for evil; Confucian spoke of "superior man" of love and education and not petty

An Introduction to Jainism and Ethics

modern world can learn from jainism advocates religious pluralism anekantavada (the doctrine of non-one sidedness). In Jainism one of the worst philosophical errors one can make is to assume a position of absolutism, or one sidedness (the Indian term for this is ekantata). Reality is infinite the various expressions and perspectives of it are are valid. Of course, the Jain would add the caveat that not all religious positions are true if they fall out of a Jain's view of a normative standard (usually this means compassion. For instance, when a religion advocates extreme violence and killing, a Jain would have a hard time reconciling this with an acceptable viewpoint. However, when compassion plays a central role (which it often does in the world religions) then the religion's approach to the sacred are to be honored and viewed as a different perspective of a many-faced reality. the elephant and blind men. different description, though all are correct from their perspective. one feels trunk and describes as a snake, etc.. each blind man can learn from the other and one's view is immensely expanded . Interreligious conflict may then hopefully fade. It is important to note that anekatavada is not the position that there is not truth but that each tradition taps into an aspect of it. 2nd valuable insight Jainism has to offer from the modern mind is the principle of ahimsa. connect two principles of ahimsa and anekantavada together in teh text when he refers to anekantavada as "intellectual ahimsa"

An introduction to the powerful Jain idea of Anekantavada

multiple world views not one-sided one of the most profound ideas intellectual extension of ahimsa seeing any person or event from multiple angles six blind man and an elephant it is not a concept exclusive to jainism it is a central them in the coffee house of surat persian, african, brahmin, jew, italian, protestant, turk, a whole host of others abyssinians, christians, lamas, ismalites, five worshippers china man argues for multiplicity (student of confuscious) celebrated in Rashaman the death of a samurai in Japan film wife's story, samurai story, woodcutters story, multiple stories, no truth scientist must be open to being wrong edward wilson consilence each academic discipline should be considered when examining complex issue everyone is right listening to other perspectives leads to a pathway to a truth "In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self." -- Mahavira

Mini Lecture on Chinese Religions

some argue that they are philsophies not religion. one can follow three religions at a time. each deals with a different sphere buddhism-metaphysical confuc-society daoism- relationship with nature lao-tzu means old master. how to live a life of wisdom, free of materialism embrace life as it unfolds worry-free life 3 types of daoism philosophical daoism- focuses on yao de gin yoga-taichi religious - shamanism and magic blending with chinese confucian concentrates on society chungzu- lives with ren ren- opposite of petty, love and humanity goodness chungzu- compassion respect, humility right conduct- doctrine of mean, parent to child, husband to wife, buddha to subject when everyone knows how to treat, there is harmony confuscious saught harmony and peace value of family, education

Jain Ethics video

what is that drives us to aggression? kumar suggests that the Upanishads provide us with an answer. Wherever there is other, fear arises fear protects itself. can only lead to failure and narcicism. whenever one tries to preserve self, the more one is losing self give up the idea of self, and believe in one whole. sushil kamar "it is easy to wage battle with others" it is very difficult to conduct really war which is within ourselves ahimsa is guiding light of sushil kamar show love and kindness to all creatures--- this is the ultimate message of Jainism ahimsa is the spiritual inheritance of all men and women no god in jainism spirit of nature Jainism has two levels of adherance 5 vows not to harm creature not steal not lie be chaste non-attachment - strictly against materialism celibacy, ascetism for stricter right faith, right knowledge, right conduct ahrum yoga- focus on throwing ones consciousness with body believed the key to peace is how well we are aligned with our true nature. When asked what is yoga, Lord Mahavira, one of the key founders of Jainism answered, "Perform only one thing at a time. This way all your action become yoga."