EASTERN

PHILOSOPHIES
Confucianism, Taoism, and
Zen Buddhism
CONFUCIANISM
Confucius was a Chinese
philosopher, politician, and
teacher whose message of
knowledge, benevolence,
loyalty, and virtue were the
main guiding philosophy of
China for thousands of years.
Confucius is known as the
first teacher in China who
wanted to make education
broadly available and who
was instrumental in
establishing the art of
teaching as a vocation. He
also established ethical,
moral, and social standards
that formed the basis of a
way of life known as
Confucianism.
 CONFUCIANISM
Confucianism, a religion of
optimistic humanism, has
had a monumental impact
upon the life, social
structure, and political
philosophy of China.
Confucianism is defined
primarily with moral
conduct and ethical living
and is often categorized as
an ethical system, rather
than a religion. It
emphasizes the earthly, not
the heavenly.
HOW POPULAR IS CONFUCIANISM?

Although traditional
philosophical schools are not
very string in practice today,
there are still majority of
schools in China, Japan and
Vietnam that have a “modern
twist” on the teachings of
Confucianism.
WHAT DOES CONFUCIUS BASED
CURRICULUM INCLUDE?
The Five Classics define the
coming of age of the Confucian
tradition. They can be
described in terms of five
visions:
• Metaphysical
• Political
• Poetic
• Social
• Historical
WHAT DOES CONFUCIUS’S
EDUCATIONAL THEORY CONSIST OF?
1. Theory of Value: What knowledge and skills
are worthwhile learning? What are the
goals of education?
2. Theory of Knowledge: What is knowledge?
How is it different from belief? What is a
mistake? What is a lie?
3. Theory of Human Nature: What is human
being? How does it differ from other
species? What are the limits of human
potential?
4. Theory of Learning: What is learning? How
are skills and knowledge acquired?
5. Theory of Transmission: Who is to
teach? By what methods? What will
the curriculum be?
6. Theory of Society: What is society?
What institutions are involved in the
educational process?
7. Theory of Opportunity: Who is to be
educated? Who is to be schooled?
8. Theory of Consensus: Why do people
disagree? How is consensus
achieved? Whose opinion takes
precedence?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
CONCEPTS OF CONFUCIUS’
TEACHINGS?
• “The Golden Rule”. Not to do to others,
what you would not like done to yourself.
• To make the same education available to
students of all classes. Even today, China
possess equalized education.
• Not to put a time limit on any subject.
• Moral education is most valued as it is the
means by which one can rectify this
situation and restore meaning to language
and values to society.
TAOISM
Lao Tzu, also rendered
as Laozi and Lao-Tze,
was an ancient Chinese
philosopher and writer.
He is the reputed
author of the Tao Te
Ching, the founder of
philosophical Taoism,
and a deity in religious
Taoism and traditional
Chinese religions.
 TAOISM
Lao Tzu's philosophy
advocates naturalness,
spontaneity and
freedom from social
conventions and
desires. In the Tao,
which means the way,
Lao Tzu refers to the
ultimate order of things
and ultimate basis of
reality.
• Tao means the "way" or the
"path“.
• To live life with goodness,
serenity, and respect.
•Believed that a persons action
should be influenced by instinct
and conscience.
• The yin-yang sign. The
Ying(dark side) is the women
side, and the yang (light side)is
the side of men.
Taoism (also spelled Daoism) is a
religion and a philosophy from ancient
China that has influenced folk and
national belief. The Tao Te Ching, or
“ The Way and its Power”, is a
collection of poetry and sayings from
around the third and fourth centuries
B.C.E. that guides Taoism thought and
actions.
Daoists did not believe that learning
was important for individual
development. In fact, the text of
Daoism make it clear learning was
considered dangerous, corrupting,
and otherwise useless to the pursuit
of the Dao. The Daoists were
adamantly opposed to book learning.
 ZEN
BUDDHISM
Gautama Buddha, popularly known as the
Buddha, was an ascetic, a religious leader
and teacher who lived in ancient India.
He is regarded as the founder of the world
religion of Buddhism, and revered by
Buddhists as an enlightened being, who
rediscovered an ancient path to freedom
from ignorance, craving and the cycle of
rebirth and suffering.
His teaching is based on his insight into
the arising of suffering or dissatisfaction
and its ending—the state called Nirvana.
ZEN BUDDHISM
Zen is a school of
Buddhism which
emphasizes the practice
of meditation as the key
ingredient to awakening
ones inner nature,
compassion, and wisdom.
The practice of meditation
(Zen Japanese) as a
meaning of attaining
enlightenment was
introduced, as we have
seen, by the Buddha
himself.
What is Buddhist Education
system?

Buddhist Education system was

developed on the basis of basic
life. This education is based on
the moral, mental and physical
development of a student. It
also diverts students towards
the Sangha rules and guides
them to follow them.
 To educate oneself means to find
the true insight that does not
discriminate between failure and
success, wealth and poverty, and
right and wrong. Hence, in Zen
Buddhism, the word education
should mean finding one's
undiscriminating mind. Finding one's
mind is a form of Zen education.
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