Ancient Indian and Chinese Philosophies: Differences and Historical Significance

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Containing vast amounts of land and geographical terrains, Asia is known today to be the largest continent holding a significant part of the world’s population. Rewind to the beginning of civilization, Asia held an even more vital part in the world’s development. Along the Indus River of India and the Yellow River of China began two important civilizations from which came thriving societies as well as philosophies that still shape the world today. Looking at the writings of Bhagavad-Gita and Hsün Tzu, two writings from the ancient years of those civilizations, gives the people of today a glimpse of the lives, belief systems, and societal makeup each community held. With these writings in hand, the philosophies each society held seem increasingly different, altered by their histories, yet still serve the same purpose: give meaning and order to the everyday lives of its people. Differing in focus, motivation in action, and final goals, these philosophies speak to a society’s individual history but universal need to answer the questions of “why”. By studying these elements, the philosophies and histories of two foundational societies become clear allowing its contributions to today’s world to be better understood.
All philosophies have a focus which proves foundational to their belief system. In ancient Indian philosophy the focus of action is to have one’s atman or soul returned to Brahman or the universal soul. The process of being rejoined with the universal soul is an intricate progression of completing right duty or dharma to produce karma which propels a soul through reincarnation toward moksha which is the unification with Brahman the universal soul. The focus of Indian philosophy is therefore in the future. All ...

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...ficance in understanding these philosophies is therefore invaluable as it gives insight into what was once or is still believed to this day. Beyond this it gives attention to questions at the core of the human condition, questions about past, purpose, and future; considerations that has plagued mankind since the very beginning.

Works Cited

Barbara Stoler Miller, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita (New York: Bantam Dell, 2004), 35-36.
Burton Watson, trans., Hsün Tzu: Basic Writings (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), 79.

Barbara Stoler Miller, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita (New York: Bantam Dell, 2004), 26-28, 33-34.
Ibid., 36, 110.

Burton Watson, trans., Hsün Tzu: Basic Writings (New York: Columbia University Press, 1996), 157.
Ibid., 163-171.
Ibid., 167.
Barbara Stoler Miller, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita (New York: Bantam Dell, 2004), 141-145.

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