Defining philosophy has been problematic since it varies across cultures.

It is
convenient, however, to recognize that amid the challenge of coming up into a single, unified
definition of philosophy, three ancient expressions arose to present the multiplicity of truth.
These great traditions, known to have originated in India, Greece, and China, continue to
influence the contemporary world by means of its unparalleled height of wisdom, which is
deemed timeless and classic.

The Indian philosophy, also known as the Knowledge of Absolute Truth, concerns itself
with the quest of man in identifying oneself through the aid of intuition (Co, 1992). In relation to
this, the soul (Atman) of a person should emancipate from all the illusions of this world (Maya) in
order to be with the universal being (Brahman). Now, however, the means by which this
liberation be attained is not limited only to those who practice Hinduism. It is integral to note that
everyone who seeks to withdraw from exhaustion can practice meditation.

Regardless of spiritual paths, everyone is welcomed to meditate to free oneself from

stress, anxiety, and depression. It is as well a good means to reduce violence since the mind is
trained to find peace in nature. Studies have shown that increase in mental alertness reduces
hypertension and many more diseases.

Contrariwise, the Greek philosophy makes use of reason in finding answers about the
place of origin of man and his connection to it—being dubbed as the Knowledge of Reasoned
Truth (Co, 1992). Pre-Socratic philosophers have begun to argue about the material that made
the world until such time that three intellectual giants in the persons of Socrates, Plato, and
Aristotle emerged. Practical applications of this philosophical expression include: the need to
know oneself and examine life, idea of forms, academy, sciences, politics, and the like.

Today’s world is truly indebted to the Greeks. From the application of logos, it is
impossible not to see the development of science across fields. The need to know oneself and
examine one’s life, which Socrates focused on, has led to various approaches in psychology. It
is a pursuit to happiness in which everyone is entitled of. Of course, Plato’s discourse about the
forms provided the complex arguments about the nature and essence of the soul. His so-called
academy motivated the world to have schools of learning to further the assimilation of
education. Most significantly, Aristotle provided hefty contributions on various subjects like
politics. He argued that, “Man is by nature a political animal.” It makes sense since man cannot
live on his own, so it is in his nature to socialize and make agreements.
 Furthermore, the Chinese philosophy, otherwise known as the Knowledge of Practical
Truth, delves into the socio-politico-moral aspect of man through the light of practical wisdom
(Co, 1992). In view of this tradition, several schools, namely, Buddhism, Confucianism, and
Daoism are taken into account. The following schools are one but one yet present moral truths
independently. However huge or small the differences are, proper decorum stands out among
the rest.

As China prevails in the field of economy, it is intriguing to which this nation owes its
success. The truth is that the right to livelihood of Buddhism, diversity-in-humanity concept of
Confucianism, and yin and yang concept of Daosim play a vital role in the business of every
Chinese. Their mission-driven and workforce sensitive attitude are testaments to their holistic
growth. The Philippines, in particular, traces its use of civil service exam as a means of securing
tenure in the government from China. A leader is indeed competitive mentally and emotionally.

The system of life to which humanity is aligned owes significance to the three ancient
expressions of philosophy. To support the claim, philosophical systems governing each nation
today is a result of convergence of the aforementioned expressions. Despite the modern age of
computers, it remains as a noble task of everyone to confirm his intuitions with reasons in aim to
liberate from constraints and find happiness while taking into consideration what is ethical in
relation with others.