THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHTS

• Confucianism Philosophy

  -       Emphasizes ethical conduct and  harmonious social interactions based on one's relationships.
• Individuals' identities


  are intertwined with their community's identity and status, sharing both pride and failures.
• Self-cultivation


  is central in Confucianism
• The cultivated self

  -       prioritizes the collective good over personal needs
• Taoism Philosophy


  is about following the natural order of the universe

  -       prefers a simpler way of life. Its teachings focus on how to live in harmony with nature and find inner peace.
• Buddhism Philosophy


    The self is seen as illusion, born out of ignorance, of trying to hold and control things, or human centered needs, thus the self is also the source of all these sufferings.

  The cravings of the self, the attachment with the world, and to renounce self which is the cause of all sufferings and in so doing attain
• Nirvana

  means perfect happiness
• Eastern thoughts

  -       Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism
• Western thoughts

  -       perspectives do not discount the role of environment and society in the formation of the self but the focus is always looking toward the self.

  -       One has to compare himself in order to be better
• Belk (1988)

  -       stated that “we regard our possessions as parts of our selves. We are what we have and what we possess.”
• William James

  -       , understanding the self can be examined through its different components:

  ➢    Constituents

  ➢    The feelings and emotions they arouse – Self-feelings;

  ➢    The actions to which they prompt – self-seeking and self-preservation.
• The constituents of self

  ●     composed of the material self, social self, spiritual self and the pure ego.
• According to James William, material self is about our bodies, clothes, family and home
• body

  The innermost part of our material self
• Clothing

  -       is a form of self-expression – it reflect ourselves.
• immediate family


  Our parents and siblings holds another great important part of our self.
• Religion

  A set of cultural beliefs and practices
• Ritual

  The performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law.
• Three fundamental characteristics

  ●     A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in relation to the sacred

  ●     Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the language of myth

  ●     Is symbolic in relation to its reference
• Buddhism

  -       Believes there are suffering, pain, and frustration. When people suffer, they want to experience the goodness of life and avoid disappointments.

  -       This reactive cycle can be broken through the practice of mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding, and acceptance of things as they are.
• Customs and Practices of Buddhism

  ●     Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving kindness (Metta Bhavana).

  Vipassana practices aim at developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom is by studying Buddha's teaching, the Dharma
• Celebrations of Buddhism

  -       Parinirvana Day in February:

  -       Buddha Day (Wesak) in May;

  -       Dharma Day in July;

  -       Padmasambhava Day in October; and

  -       Sangha Day in November
• Christianity

  -       believe in Trinitarian God.

  -       God the Father (Creator), God the Son (Savior), and God the Holy Spirit (Sustainer).
• Eternal life


  after death will be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ.
• The Holy Bible

  -       is a selection of books, which is divided into two, the Old Testament and New Testament.
• Customs and practices of Christianity

  ●     Sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian World

  ●     Sacrament of Communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ's sacrificial love.
• Celebrations of Christianity

  -       Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in Christianity.
• Hinduism

  -       There is no single founder or leader.

  -       believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed by Karma.
• Karma


  is a concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent.
• Vedas

  are sacred scriptures of Hindus.
• Mahabharata and Ramayana

  -       are two other important texts of the Hindus.
• Customs and practices of Hinduism

  ●     Diwali is the Festival of Lights

  ●     Navrati is the festival of nine nights
• Islam


  willing submission to God
• Allah

  -       Muslims believe in ____, who is their "One God."
• Mohammed

  -       is the last and final prophet sent by Allah. Muslim's belief.
• ummah

  -       Muslims also have a strong sense of community or "_____" and an awareness
• Quran

  -       The Holy Book of Islam which was taught to be recited in Arabic because any translation is seen as inadequate
• Five pillars of Islam

  Shahadah-statement of faith: "There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his messenger."

  Salat - the prayer that is practiced five times a day

  Zakat the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5% of a Muslim's assets.

  Hajj - the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.

  Sawm - the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act, during the celebration of Ramadan.
• Celebrations of Islam

  -       Eidul-Fitr is the celebration at the end of Ramadan

  -       Eidul-Adha is celebrated within the completion of the Pilgrimage, the Hajj.
•  

  Judaism

  -       The Jews believe in the God of Abraham,

  The Jews believe in the coming of Messiah, the Savior