The self in

Eastern Thoughts
By: John Renmy Lucañas
The Eastern Thoughts
Δ The emphasis is relational rather than individual

Δ Values unity and harmony and being part of the greater whole and
that everything is connected and interdependent

Δ Self is considered not in isolation but in relation to others, society

and the universe

Δ Collective culture, social relations given more importance

Δ Shared goals
 The self from Eastern Major
Philosophies

01 Buddhism

02 Hinduism

03 Confucianism

04 Taoism
01
Buddhism
 Buddhism

Δ Comes from the root word”budh” meaning awake

Δ In buddhism the self is made of five aggregates: matter,

sensation, perception, mental construct and consciousness.

Δ There is no self
Δ There is only nothing and all else is an illusion

Δ There is nothing permanent, but change

“Annicca”

Siddharta Gautama
Buddhism

The ideal is to experience

Nirvana, a state of transcendence
devoid of self-reference.
02
Hinduism
Hinduism

Δ The religion of an ancient people known as the Aryans

Δ Hindus believe that Atman being an immortal soul

continues to be reincarnated from lifetime to lifetime
until it is freed from the cycle of rebirth and reach a
state of nirvana or non-birth

Δ Law of karma is the most important doctrine of Hinduism

Brahma
Brahman and Brahma
Brahman
Brahman is an entity that forms the
essence of the universe. It is the
ultimate
reality or ultimate truth of the
universe and is often considered to be
the source of all things
Brahma
Brahma is considered to be the
creator of the entirety of the universe
and possesses all the knowledge of
the universe
03
Confucianism
Confucianism
Δ System of thought and behavior originating in ancient
china
Δ ”Do not do others what you would not want others to
do to you”
Δ Another important feature in Confucian thought
is the individual’s greatest mission of attaining
self-realization wherein self-cultivation is instrumental

Δ Moral character is perfected through continuously taking

every opportunity to improve oneself in thought and action

Confucius
04
Taoism
 Taoism

Δ Chinese philosophy attributed to Lao Tzu

Δ The self is an exension of the cosmos, not of social
realationship
Δ The self is described as one of the limitless forms
of the Tao
Δ Tao is commonly regarded as a nature that is the
foundation of all that exists.

Lao Tzu
Taoism

The perfect man has no self and

the selfless person leads to a
balanced life, harmony with both
nature and society.
Thank
You
Quiz(1/4)
1-4
What are the four religions that are the most well-known conceptons of the self

5
It is commonly regarded as a nature that is the foundation of all that exists

6
It comes from the root word “budh” meaning awake
Quiz(1/4)
7-8
In taoism ____is the dark side and ____ is the white side

9
It is considered to be the creator of the entirety of the universe and possesses all
the knowledge of the universe

10
What is called the state of transcendence