UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

THE PONTIFICAL AND ROYAL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES
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Senior High School

MA. TERESSA ASUNCION W. MONTENEGRO

12HUMSS17

Being brought up by religious parents and relatives and studying in Catholic schools for over a
decade now, I have more than adequate knowledge about how to live a virtuous life. Usually, it’s
following God’s Ten Commandments and putting all the Catholic virtues and morals in the head,
by heart. However, living a virtuous life shouldn’t only be exclusive for Christians. I believe that
living a virtuous life is both a Taoist and a Confucian teaching.

One of the most fundamental lessons that Taoism is popularly known for is the yin yang, which
symbolizes balance - both in nature and in life. The yin yang expresses equilibrium between the
good and the bad, the negative and the positive aspects or events in life. One must not focus too
much on the bad things nor too much on the good things. We should learn how to compliment
both the negative and the positive energies that we bring in every day, thus, ask bringing in the
virtue of consideration and optimism. We learn how to be considerate of what we have at the
moment and not of what we don’t have. We learn how to be considerate of the negative elements
of our life by looking at the positive side, which leads us to optimism. Although sometimes,
being too positive can bring idiosyncrasy and pain, but too much is always bad. We should learn
how to balance this positivity - just enough to handle the negativity.

With Confucianism, on the other hand, we can live a life of virtue: of selflessness and of charity.
Even in elementary school, the words of Confucius are already taught - “Do not do unto others
what you do not want others do unto you.” Although if this is taken at a different light, people
might think that it’s teaching selfishness because one is thinking of himself first before
proceeding an action. Yet, it’s only a common misconception because it’s actually teaching
about selflessness. When we do not want others to do what we don’t want them to do to us, we
practice selfless thoughts. We learn how to be considerate of what other people might feel, thus
making us to proceed an action with complete and thorough caution. We learn to make sure if
what we will be doing can benefit not only ourselves but the society. Because with Confucius,
the society wouldn’t be a good society if the self is not good as well. We also learn to be
charitable. We learn to do good things, not only because we know that the good will come back
to us, but also because we know that it will bring good to the society.

Living a virtuous life, however, should not really be based on religion alone. One can be
religious without being virtuous. One can be virtuous without being religious.