The Self in Eastern thoughts

CONFUCIANISM
 Confucius was a Chinese teacher and philosopher. He
was the founder of the religion Confucianism.
 The goal of Confucius was to bring peace and
order to China. He lived during a time where
Chinese kingdoms were fighting for control.
 Confucius believed that if people could behave
correctly toward one another, peace would come.
CONFUCIANISM
 Code of ethical conduct
-of how one should properly act according to
other relationship with other people.

 Focused on harmonious social life

 Confucianism was the affirmation of accepted values and

norms of behavior in primary social institutions
and basic human relationships.
CONFUCIANISM
 BASIC BELIEF
Social order, Harmony, and good government should be based
on strong family relationships.

Respect for parents and elders is important to well-ordered

society

Education is important both to the welfare of the individual and

to society
CONFUCIANISM
Confucius’ Golden Rule

“Do not do unto others

what you would not want
others do unto you”
TAOISM
 Taoism (or Daoism) is one of the main strands
of traditional Chinese philosophy. It gets its name
from the idea of the Dao, which is the reality
beyond human perception, a reality that Taoists
strongly associate with the natural world.

 For Taoists, the ultimate goal of human life is to

understand this reality and learn to live in
harmony with it.
These 4 Teachings of Daoism Will Help You
Navigate Life
 Anybody can grasp some of Daosim's key concepts with a few quotes from one of its most
important books, the Dao De Jing.
 1. SIMPLICITY, PATIENCE, COMPASSION

 “Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three

are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions
and thoughts, you return to the source of
being. Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile
all beings in the world.”
 2. Going with the flow

 “Whennothing is done,
nothing is left undone.”
 3. Letting Go
 “Ifyou realize that all things
change, there is nothing you will
try to hold on to. If you are not
afraid of dying, there is nothing
you cannot achieve.”
 4. Harmony
 “Tao engenders One; One engenders
Two; Two engenders Three; Three
engenders all things. All things carry
the yin (femininity) while embrace the
yang (masculinity). Neutralising
energy brings them into harmony.”
TAOISM
 Taoism is living in the way of the Tao or the universe.

 Taoism rejects the hierarchy and strictness brought by

Confucianism and would prefer a simple lifestyle and its
teachings thus aim to describe how to attain that life.

 The self is not just an extension of the family or the

community; it is part of the universe.
TAOISM
The self is living a balanced-life with society and nature, being
open and accepting to change, forgetting about prejudices and
egocentric ideas and thinking about equality as well as
complementarity among humans as well as other beings.

In this way, you will be able to act spontaneously because you

will not be restricted by some legalistic standards but because
you are in harmony with everything.
Confucianism believes
that it is the duty of human
beings to work hard to
improve the life here on Earth.
“If there is righteousness in the heart,
there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
there will be harmony in the home. If
there be harmony in the home, there
will be order in the nation. If there be
order in the nation, there will be
peace in the world.”
Taoists believe the way to
act in harmony is not to
interfere with the natural
order.
“The universe is sacred.
You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it, you will
ruin it.
If you try to hold it, you will
lose it.”
- Laozi
 WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Western philosophical perspective
does discount the role of
environment and society in the
formation of the self.
EASTERN PERSPECTIVE
Eastern perspective sees the other
person as part of yourself as well
as the things you may do.

Western thought looks at the world

in dualities wherein you are distinct
from the other person, the creator
is separate from the object he
created.
 WESTERN PERSPECTIVE EASTERN PERSPECTIVE

Asians talk about their social roles

Americans talk more about their
or the social situations that invoked
personal attributes when describing
certain traits that they deem
themselves.
positive for their selves.
 WESTERN CULTURE EASTERN CULTURE

 Individualistic culture  Collectivistic Culture

Their focus is on the person Group and social relations

is given more importance
that individual
 WESTERN CULTURE EASTERN CULTURE
Valuing the individual Oriental persons
 Westerners may seem to have  look after the welfare of their
loose associations or even groups and values
loyalty to their groups cooperation.

Competition is the name of the People emphasize their

game and they are more likely connectedness and work
straightforward in decision- toward common goals
making.
 WESTERN CULTURE
 look at their behavior and its
impact on their personal
goals.
Example:
-will see working overseas as a
career move that will enhance
career growth.
EASTERN CULTURE
 Exhibit strong“interpersonal
relatedness” or how their
behavior impacts relationships.
Example:
-an Asian pursuing a career by
migrating to another country will
always consider how this will affect
his family and social ties at home
The concept of “Dungan”
Spirit or soul
 The ‘soul’ or spirit of a person is called:

 Kaluluwa by the Tagalogs

 Gimokud by the Bagobos
 Makatu by the Bukidnons
 Dungan by the Ilonggos when the person is alive; “kalag” or “detached”, “free”, when he is
dead.
 Ikararuwa by the Ibanags
 Kadkadduwa by the Ilokanos when the soul is in the Physical body and karuruwa when it
departs
 Why?
 Kaluluwa,ikararuwa or kararuwa
and inikaduwa all come from the
root word duwa, two.
That is because the soul has two existences –
one physical, where it is connected to the
human body and its life, and the other spiritual,
where it exists on its own
 The Ilokano kadkadduwa further derives from kadduwa meaning “companion.” The doubling of kad
intensifies the nature of the companionship so that it means “ a constant companion” or an “inseparable
partner,” therefore an attached companion of the living person (Manuel 1989).
 The dungan or soul of the Ilonggos, according to Alicia Magos (1986), is not normally seen by the
human eye. Sometimes, however, it comes out of the body and takes on a visible form such as that of
an insect (a housefly or a moth) or a small animal like a lizard. That is why lolas are always telling their
children “to eat even just a little before going to bed.” For if the child’s dungan “gets hungry at night, it
might go to the pot of rice in the kitchen and be mistaken for an insect.” And be killed.
 The dungan may leave the body voluntarily as when the person us asleep, according to the Bisayans.
When a person can see himself in his dreams it means that his “other self” has left the physical body.
Among the ancient Filipinos it was deeply impressed that a person who was asleep should not be
awakened abruptly. Thus a slumbering person is first called softly and gradually louder and louder to
give the soul a chance to return to the body.
 The dungan’s travel outside the body should be free from accidents. It could get trapped in a jar
or be poured out with liquid from a vessel. Only when the soul has safely returned home would
the owner be able to wake up. Whatever happens to the dungan happens to the physical body as
well. It is also believed that another cause for the voluntary withdrawal of the soul is when the
body is badly maltreated (Magos 1986).
 According to E. Arsenio Manuel the folk believe that a soul can leave the body involuntarily too
(1989). Among the people of Alaminos, Laguna, when a child gets frightened it is believed that
the kaluluwa departs from the body. The babysitter or the mother shows her concern by calling
the child’s soul back, saying “Uli, uli, kalagyo, Maria, magbalik ka sa bahay.” (Come bac, come
back, namesake/soul of Maria, return to your home/body”) The child becomes normal again the
moment the kaluluwa rejoins the body.
 Another involuntary departure of the soul happens when it is lured or captured by bad spirits or
engkantu. Among the Bisayans it may be imprisoned, they say, in a spirit cave guarded by old
Tan Mulong whose spirit dog has one mammary gland and two genitals. If the imprisonment is
temporary the person gets listless or sick, in which case the dungan has to be lured out by a
skillful shaman. If it is too deep in the cave (such as in the third or fourth compartment), the
person dies, says Magos. Sickness is the temporary loss of the soul. Its permanent loss is death
 The Bisayans believe the soul or dungan is not located in any specific part of the body. It is also
believed to grow proportionately with the person’s body. It is normally weak at the baby’s birth,
that is why attractive babies are said to be susceptible to usug, that is the unintentional transfer
of disturbing vapors of a strong body to a weak one by holding, talking or looking at the weaker
one (Magos 1986).
 For this reason the dungan needs protection and nurture. Soul-nature, the folk believe, means
the performance of age-old spirit rituals many of which are still followed in the provinces today.
Examples of these are birth, illness and death rituals consisting of trances, prayers and animal
sacrifices. An adult person with a healthy dungan properly lodged in his physical body should
have bodily health and well-being, intelligence and good sense (Magos 1986).
 The Bisayan dungan has a secondary meaning of “willpower.” A strong dungan is the
intellectual and psychological capacity to dominate or persuade others to one’s way of thinking.
A person with a lot of willpower is said to “have a strong dungan.” Constant companionship
(sometimes under the same roof) of two people may lead to a spiritual competition between the
two dungan and the defeat (and sickness) of the one with the weaker dungan (Magos 1986).
 At death the dungan leaves the body via the nose, eyes, ears and other orifices and eventually
goes with the air or the wind towards the upper regions. There it waits until it can find another
body to enter. The Bagobos believe that when the throbbing of the skull cap ceases, the soul
exits through what used to be the fontanel. The Negritos believe that the soul can exit through
any parts including the big toe.
Ritual and ceremonies:
The function of rituals and ceremonies,
Religion, magic and witchcraft
 Calling The Aid of the Land

 Before tilling and cultivating land for their crops, Cebuanos were known to perform the ritual of
Tamblan. Consisting of meat from a white chicken or white pork along with wine or Buyo,
these offerings would be set on a table in the open field as gifts for the unseen owner or spirit of
the land.
 Certain taboos were also avoided depending on the crop that would be planted.
For rice, one must kill an insect called taga-taga which was believed to possess
the soul of the palay
 When planting corn, the first three rows should be done at sundown. An
individual with broken teeth can not go and plant corn for it was believed to
bear low quality grains.
 Coconut seedlings were placed on the open ground during a full moon and
planted at noontime when sun is directly overhead
 Ube, a root crop that some ethnic groups considered to be sacred, must be
kissed when dropped to avoid angering a spirit called Gaba.
 Gaining the Favor of the Wind
 A more elaborate ritual called Lapiraw is done using a windmill made of
Bamboo to call on the winds. Once more, animal sacrifice is a major part of
the ritual wherein a pig or chicken is offered. Some would also catch
a Kasili (swamp or rice eel) which was connected to the belief that there is a
huge eel living underneath the earth that causes landslides when it tries to
come out of the ground to swim in the sea.
 Kanobiton is another ceremony which is meant for ceasing a dry spell or
drought. This can be done anywhere in the community but must be attended
by everyone. The Baylan offers a pig or chicken to the spirits of nature to
help them ease the drought.
 Sailing With Blessings
 Tagalog tribes conducted a Kibang ritual (meaning the rocking
motion of boat when traversing waves) wherein the movement of the
boat was a message delivered by spirits which tells whether their sea
raid or fishing activity would be successful.
 Similarly, the Visayans had their Guibang ritual where they chanted
the following before they went fishing or raiding on the
sea: “Guibang, guibang cun magtoto cami” (Sway, sway if we
should proceed). When their boat swayed after reciting it, it meant
their plans will be blessed with good fortune. The greater the
swaying motion of the boat, the better. Intoning the name of a deity,
or one of their ancestor’s names, would give them an answer as to
who is the one swaying their boat.
Finding and creating meaning
3 ways of discovering meaning in life
The 3 basic principles of logotherapy

 Freedom of will
 Will of meaning
 Sense of life
 Freedom of will
 Freedom of will unfolds through a specifically human capacity known as “self-distancing”. It
is the possibility of seeing, accepting, regulating, and visualizing oneself. According to the
teachings of Frank, it gives us freedom from three sources of influence:
 Instincts
 Heritage
 Environment
 Man possesses all three of these things, but they do not determine us. We are not predetermined
or finalized. We are free from these three aspects. Whenever humans are liberated from
something, it is for a reason. Herein lies the concept of responsibility. Man is free to be
responsible and is responsible because he is free.
 From this existential analysis, man is responsible for the realization of meaning and
values. Man has a call to realize the meaning of his life and the values that give meaning to it.
Man is the only one responsible for this call.
 Will of meaning
 The will of meaning and the self-transcendence that characterizes humans are closely
related. Man always points beyond himself, towards a meaning he must first discover and
whose fullness he must achieve. The will to pleasure (Freud) and the will to power (Adler), lead
man to immanence. However, these concepts oppose self-transcendence and would frustrate our
existence.
 From the perspective of logotherapy, pleasure and power are consequences of reaching an
end, but not the end itself. Hence why people who pursue only pleasure or power live in
frustration. They feel pulled into a great existential vacuum. The will to meaning does not seek
power or pleasure. It does not even seek happiness. Its focus is the finding of an argument — a
reason– to be happy.
 Sense of life
 The two principles that we mentioned speak of a person willing to take a stand before the
circumstances of life, with total freedom, based on a meaning that conveys it. This is the
profile of man in search of meaning. Life has meaning. That meaning is unique to each one of
us. Thus, our duty as conscious and responsible beings is to discover our own version of this
meaning.
 Death can only cause dread in those who do not know how to fill the time they are given to live.
 We do it through three fundamental channels that refer to three categories of values.
 Sometimes, it directs us to the realization of creative values.
 Other times, it will impact us with an experience. For example, when we witness a sunset or
someone holds our hand.
 Other times, we will face the limitations of life itself (death, suffering).
 In any case, life will always contain a hidden meaning until the end. It’s a compelling,
continual call to discover and realize it. These are the three fundamental principles of Viktor
Frankl’s logotherapy. As we’ve seen, it is a humanistic-existential view of humans. And it can
be difficult to understand if we’re not familiar with existentialism. However, it’s worth the
effort when we think about everything it has to offer our conceptualization of life.