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Recommended: Simple definition of religion
Are Confucianism and Buddhism religions? To answer this question one must first find the definition of the word religion. According to our text book the word religion come from the Latin word religio which means awe for the gods and concern for proper ritual (experiencing the worlds religion 3). The definition of the word religion according to several dictionaries is a belief in a divine or superhuman power or powers to be obeyed and worshiped as the creator and the ruler of the universe, or any specific systems of belief, worship or conduct often involving a code of ethics and philosophy. My personal definition of the word religion is anything that help people develop a self understanding, provides comfort, help people develop values and morals, and something that may answer question that may otherwise be unanswerable. Our text book also states that most religions follow eight elements, these elements are a belief system or worldview which is an interpretation of the universe and humans place in it, a community or followers who believe and practice the religion, central myths or stories that express the religious beliefs of the religion, rituals or ceremonies enacting the beliefs, ethics or rules and guidelines about human behavior, characteristic emotional experiences such as the feeling of dread, guilt, devotion, rebirth, liberation, and inner peace, material expression such as statues, rituals objects, clothing and specific location, and the last of the eight is sacredness or a distinction between ordinary things and those things that are considered sacred (experiencing world religions 45). Although these are some of the characteristic that help us define the word religion, they are not all required for something to be called a religion. Our book also states that religion is also ever changing, and is influenced by the values of the culture in which the religion exist ( experiencing world religion 11). After interpreting the results of my findings for the word religion, I have come to the conclusion that both Confucianism and Buddhism are religions. I based my belief that Confucianism and Buddhism are both religions on the fact that both religions have at least three of the eight defining characteristics of what is considered a religion. The three characteristics that I found in Confucianism and Buddhism are a belief system, ethics, material expression, and characteristic emotional experiences.
During the Warring States period China was going through chaos. The teachings of Confucianism and Daoism were welcomed by society to bring order, stability and liberate people from the misery and oppression. The rulers were greedy and desirous of political power and their own agendas; however they were looking for a new way to unite their people. It is often said that Confucianism and Daoism are the yang and yin, respectively, of Chinese religion. That is, they are not rivals so much as complementary traditions, working together to produce an overall balance in the lives of the Chinese. This is not true because the two religious philosophies were different from one another. Confucius believed that the traditions and virtues that were studied and taught in the old days by the Ancients was the best way to organize society (trickle-down approach). Also followers of Confucius believed in education, a moral force and human goodness to advance and progress within society. Daoism on the other hand relies on human nature and a balance of good and evil (Yin-Yang) to bring about social order. It neglects education, virtue and cultural norms because it is said that people are born faultless.
Primal Religions, Confucianism, and Taoism share three features that are discussed by Smith and shared with many religions. Those features are authority, tradition, and mystery. Without these three features it would be hard to define any of the above as religions. As a whole religion is difficult to define, there is not any one correct definition. Enlightening one’s mind and opening one’s heart will allow one to define religion as well as feel it.
What personal qualities were a women in classical China supposed to exhibit? What were her prescribed responsibilities? To what extent were normative gender roles for women in classical India similar? To what extent they were different?
In the world, there are five major world religions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. In the past few classes, I have been exposed to and absorbed a tremendous amount of information on the religion of Buddhism. According to the dictionary, Buddhism is a religion of which originated in India, was founded by the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, and teaches that life is full of suffering caused by desire and that the way to end this suffering is through enlightenment that enables one to halt the endless sequence of births and deaths to which one is otherwise subject. Buddhism is a way of finding peace within oneself. It is a religion that helps it’s believers to find the happiness and contentment us humans seek. One thing I found
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
Confucianism and Daoism are two influential schools of thoughts that have existed in ancient China around the 6th century BCE. The former, led by the politician and philosopher Confucius, proposed that humans live in society according to a set of predefined rules and that they transform society through political action. Whereas the latter, led by the philosopher Lao-Tzu, promoted the idea of inaction; people should go with the flow instead of taking action to control their lives and dominate their surroundings. Although, at first glance Daoism and Confucianism seem to be two opposing philosophies, a more in depth analysis of two of their key ideas –filial piety and education—reveals that they do share some similarities.
With regard to the Han Dynasty, movement and religion seems all relate with the “naturalistic” and anti-authoritarian ethos. At that time, Taoism is a natural characterization of the ideology ‘behind any non-Confucian or anti-conformist strains of thought, which its inherent focus on ways’ (Wang & Chanzit, 2004). It results in that it has become a deeply malleable concept which defers to scholars of religion, in ancient Chinese society, to sort out ‘the conceptual limits of Taoist religion and baldly focus on what philosophical content can be extracted from the classical exemplars: Laozi and Zhuangzi’ (Wang, 2011, pp.107). For instance, ‘The way which can be uttered, is not the eternal Way. The name which can be named, is not the eternal Name’
Siddhartha Gautama is famously known as Gautama Buddha and was the founder of the idea of Buddhism. The Buddha was known to possess supernatural powers and abilities. He was born in the holy land of Nepal and his journey began in India when he decided to travel and teach himself about life. In the midst of his journey, he discovered Buddhism after he experienced a profound realization of the nature of life, death and existence. Buddhism became a religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama and since then Buddhism has been popular throughout many civilizations. Buddhism is now one of the most ancient religions in the world, where people follow Buddha, which stand for “awakened one,” and Buddhism which has gained popularity because of the teachings of the Buddha.
There is a similar bond between the Confucians and the Tao in the category rules and behavior. They both believe that you must act accordingly in some way. These two are different also in the sense that Tao believe the life is to be lived according to the Tao and Confucians believe to live it according to actions. Also, the Confucians believed you need to understand the relationship with family, and to follow the five goals of Confucianism. The Buddhists had a totally different idea for this though; they believe that you just need to follow behavior in the ways of the eightfold path and the nine precepts.
Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or “humanity.” Jen is expressed through the five relationships—sovereign and subject, parent and child, elder and younger brother, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Of these, the filial relation is most important.
Although Judaism and Confucianism appear to be on different realms of the religious spectrum, they have similar traditions deriving from dissimilar roots. The significance of family in Confucianism is strongly upheld by the filial piety rooted within all of the traditions and beliefs. Meanwhile, Judaism’s emphasis on God’s word as being the ultimate path for a righteous life is supported throughout the Jewish adherence to the special laws commanded by God. Whether the foundation of the religion is rooted from filial piety or God’s commandments, both Judaism and Confucianism reflect similar standards in family rituals, religious beliefs, and moral conduct.
Philip J. Ivanhoe. Confucian moral self cultivation. New York : P. Lang, vol. 3, 1993.
Christianity and Confucianism are agreed in regarding the relation of husband and wife as a sacred and exalted one. Christianity places it first in importance, while Confucianism subordinates it to the relation of parent and child. Christ came into the world, born of a pure and devout woman. His tenderness and love towards the women who followed him, and ministered to him, has done much to exalt their place in Christian society. The wife has come to be the companion of her husband. In childhood she has been trained in knowledge, and cultivated in virtue, and when the responsibilities of motherhood come upon her, she is prepared to educate the young lives committed to her care, both by wise precepts and a right
In the Chinese culture there are several major religions, two of these include Confucianism and Taoism, which have dated back for thousands of years. According to. Experiencing the World 's Religions and The World’s Wisdom: Sacred Texts of the World’s Religions, both Confucianism and Taoism originated in ancient China through the religions’ teachers: Confucius and Lao Tzu. “Taoism and Confucianism grew up together, entering Chinese history around the sixth century B.C.E.; Taoism’s beginnings are linked to the legendary figure of Lao Tzu, senior to Confucius by about fifty years. Even though Taoism and many other folk religions have shaped the Chinese mind, Confucianism remains, by any historical measure, its chief mentor” (Novak 113).
Analects, a compilation of Confucius’ teachings, is greatly recognized as a work of utmost importance and influence in the Chinese culture. The book conveys Confucius’ beliefs on a wide variety of topics, including propriety, education, family relations, and government in efforts to enhance social order.