☸️Religions of Asia Unit 8 – Ethics and moral teachings

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Dharma: central concept in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism that encompasses moral duty, ethical conduct, and cosmic order
• Karma: the principle that actions have consequences and shape an individual's future experiences and rebirths
• Ahimsa: the practice of non-violence and respect for all living beings, emphasized in Jainism and also important in Hinduism and Buddhism
• Filial piety: Confucian virtue emphasizing respect, obedience, and care for one's parents and ancestors
• Ren: Confucian concept of benevolence, humaneness, and compassion towards others
• Li: Confucian principle of proper conduct, etiquette, and social norms
• Middle Way: Buddhist teaching advocating a balanced approach to spiritual practice and daily life, avoiding extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification
• Noble Eightfold Path: the Buddha's prescribed path to liberation from suffering, consisting of right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration

Historical Context and Origins

• Ancient Indian philosophical traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism) developed ethical principles based on concepts of dharma, karma, and liberation from the cycle of rebirth
• Confucian ethics emerged in ancient China as a response to political and social upheaval, emphasizing social harmony, moral cultivation, and good governance
• Taoist ethics originated in ancient China, focusing on simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony with nature
• Buddhist ethics spread from India to various parts of Asia (China, Japan, Southeast Asia), adapting to local cultures and giving rise to diverse schools and traditions
• Islamic ethics were introduced to parts of South and Southeast Asia through trade, conquest, and religious conversion, interacting with pre-existing religious and cultural traditions

Major Ethical Principles

• Hinduism: dharma (moral duty), karma (cause and effect), ahimsa (non-violence), and the pursuit of moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth)
  • Four main goals of life (purushartha): dharma (righteousness), artha (prosperity), kama (pleasure), and moksha (liberation)
• Buddhism: Four Noble Truths, Noble Eightfold Path, and the cultivation of wisdom, compassion, and mindfulness to achieve nirvana (freedom from suffering)
  • Five precepts for lay Buddhists: abstain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and intoxicants
• Jainism: strict adherence to ahimsa (non-violence), truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-attachment to achieve liberation from the cycle of rebirth
• Confucianism: cultivation of virtues (ren, li, xiao), fulfillment of social roles and responsibilities, and the maintenance of social harmony
• Taoism: living in harmony with the Tao (the Way), embracing simplicity, spontaneity, and non-action (wu wei)

Moral Teachings and Guidelines

• Hindu scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita) provide guidance on dharma, karma, and the path to moksha
  • Bhagavad Gita emphasizes selfless action, devotion to God, and the performance of one's duties without attachment to results
• Buddhist teachings emphasize the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and the cultivation of compassion and wisdom
  • Mahayana Buddhism stresses the bodhisattva ideal of postponing one's own enlightenment to help others achieve liberation
• Jain teachings focus on the practice of ahimsa, asceticism, and the purification of the soul through right conduct, right knowledge, and right faith
• Confucian texts (Analects, Mencius) provide guidance on moral cultivation, social relationships, and good governance
  • Confucius emphasized the importance of education, self-cultivation, and leading by example
• Taoist texts (Tao Te Ching, Zhuangzi) offer insights on living in harmony with nature, embracing simplicity, and cultivating inner peace

Influential Figures and Texts

• Hinduism: ancient sages and scholars who composed the Vedas, Upanishads, and other scriptures; the Bhagavad Gita, a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the nature of dharma and the path to liberation
• Buddhism: Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), whose teachings are preserved in the Pali Canon and other Buddhist scriptures; Nagarjuna, a prominent Mahayana philosopher; the Heart Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, influential Mahayana texts
• Jainism: Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara (spiritual teacher) of the present cosmic cycle; the Tattvartha Sutra, a comprehensive Jain philosophical text
• Confucianism: Confucius (551-479 BCE), the founder of Confucianism; Mencius (372-289 BCE), a prominent Confucian philosopher; the Analects, a collection of Confucius' teachings
• Taoism: Laozi, the legendary author of the Tao Te Ching; Zhuangzi, an influential Taoist philosopher; the Tao Te Ching and the Zhuangzi, foundational Taoist texts

Practical Applications in Daily Life

• Hinduism encourages the performance of one's dharma (duty) according to one's social role and stage of life (ashrama), the practice of yoga and meditation, and the observance of rituals and festivals
• Buddhism emphasizes the cultivation of mindfulness, compassion, and detachment in daily life, as well as the practice of meditation and the observance of moral precepts
  • Engaged Buddhism applies Buddhist principles to social, political, and environmental issues
• Jainism promotes the practice of ahimsa in all aspects of life, including a vegetarian diet, non-violent conflict resolution, and the avoidance of harm to all living beings
• Confucianism stresses the importance of fulfilling one's social roles and responsibilities, cultivating virtues, and maintaining harmonious relationships within the family and society
  • Neo-Confucianism, a later development, incorporated elements of Buddhism and Taoism while reaffirming core Confucian values
• Taoism encourages living in harmony with nature, embracing simplicity and spontaneity, and cultivating inner peace through practices such as meditation, qigong, and tai chi

Comparisons Across Asian Religions

• Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism share concepts of karma, rebirth, and liberation, but differ in their understanding of the nature of the self and the path to liberation
• Confucianism and Taoism both originated in ancient China but have contrasting approaches to social engagement and personal cultivation
  • Confucianism emphasizes active participation in society and the cultivation of virtues, while Taoism stresses detachment from worldly affairs and harmony with nature
• Buddhism and Taoism have influenced each other in China, with some Taoist concepts and practices being incorporated into Chinese Buddhism
• Islamic ethics, grounded in the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, have interacted with and influenced other religious and cultural traditions in South and Southeast Asia
  • Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, has particularly resonated with some Hindu and Buddhist spiritual practices

Modern Interpretations and Debates

• Contemporary scholars and practitioners have reinterpreted traditional Asian ethical principles in light of modern challenges and concerns (social justice, environmental sustainability, gender equality)
• Engaged Buddhism has emerged as a movement applying Buddhist principles to social and political activism, as exemplified by the work of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama
• Neo-Confucianism has been invoked in discussions of Asian values, economic development, and human rights, with some arguing for its compatibility with or distinctiveness from Western liberal democracy
• The role of caste in Hindu ethics has been debated, with some reformers (Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar) advocating for the abolition of caste discrimination and the promotion of social equality
• The interpretation and application of Islamic law (Sharia) in modern Asian societies has been a subject of ongoing debate, particularly regarding issues of gender, minority rights, and secular governance
• The encounter between Asian ethical traditions and Western moral philosophy has led to cross-cultural dialogues and the development of comparative approaches to ethics