Essay on Confucious - 965 Words

Bean, Nathan Philosophy 101 22 January 2013 Confucius Reading Questions 1. What, according to Lau, is the most fundamental message of Confucius? What Confucius taught that set him apart from teachings of the past and even of the future, was that living a life with moral conviction was to be done for the sake of the morals themselves. This is to say that rewards for ones morality in the afterlife was, according to Confucius, not to be sought after. He said that the, â€Å"burden is heavy and the road is long.† The good you do in this life is meant for this life only and is crucial to demonstrate. 2. What is the difference between the chun tzu and the hsiao jen? The literal translation seems to mean: chun tzu is a ruling figure while hsiao†¦show more content†¦Their relationship would suggest a process in one living a good life. Using chung and realizing jen, one is able to achieve shu. In this way they are all very much connected, if not slightly different. We in the west seem to have a need to bunch things up, but I admire the careful study of each step. 5. Why are the obligations we owe others proportionate to the closeness of our relationship to them? For Confucius, the amount of jen is relevant to the significance of that person in your life. Starting with the family, one’s neighbors, one’s village, one’s social class, all the way down to people on the street. Jen exists on all levels but is proportionate to the importance in your life, the time invested. Jen decreases as it is made available to a wider net of recipients, which seems oddly appropriate and sad to me. 6. What is the relationship between jen and li? Jen is the love of all man while li is a set of rules, or rites. Practicing li seems crucial to the successful integration into society in ancient China but without jen, is one only getting half the benefit? This reminds me of saying you love Jesus but not following the ten commandments or vice versa. Critical Questions 1. If benevolence requires the overcoming of self-interest, then why should our obligations to others be proportionate to the benefits we receive from others? This is a good question. My best guess is that the benevolence would supersede the proportionate nature of social class.Show MoreRelatedThe Essence of Human Nature808 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor Droegkamp Humanities Cluster January 10, 2011 The Essence of Human Nature - Journal Two After reading Lau Tsus Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching, and The Analects of Confucious, I realized that my philosophy of human nature fell closely in line with the philosophies both men lived by. As Confucious stated, To respect parents and elders is the root of humanity. Whether on a personal level, professional level, political level, or in any other facet of daily living, the respectRead MoreOn Confucius and Confucianism1665 Words   |  7 Pageswith them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. 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