The Perennial Problem:The Perennial Problem:MANMAN

By:By:Adeva, ShelynAdeva, Shelyn

Celebrado, LykaCelebrado, Lyka

Chapter One

THE PERENNIAL PROBLEMTHE PERENNIAL PROBLEM

What sort of thing am I?What sort of thing am I? Where do I come from?Where do I come from? Whereto am I going?Whereto am I going? What is my future and destiny?What is my future and destiny? What must I do to live well and happy?What must I do to live well and happy?

ManMan- - According to History of According to History of Philosophy, it means Philosophy, it means many things to many many things to many minds; and the proposed minds; and the proposed answers to these questions answers to these questions are as varied as there are are as varied as there are thinkers, asking and thinkers, asking and answering their own answering their own questions.questions.

WHAT IN THE ULTIMATE ANALYSIS, IS WHAT IN THE ULTIMATE ANALYSIS, IS THE MEANING OF HUMAN LIFE?THE MEANING OF HUMAN LIFE?

1)1) What is the supreme purpose and goal of human What is the supreme purpose and goal of human living?living?

2)2) What consists man’s greatest perfection and What consists man’s greatest perfection and happiness?happiness?

3)3) What, in the last analysis, is the ultimate objective What, in the last analysis, is the ultimate objective of human strivings? Is it ever attainable by man?of human strivings? Is it ever attainable by man?

4)4) What is the summum bonum, the highest good, of What is the summum bonum, the highest good, of human existence?human existence?

5)5) What is the root cause and remedy to human What is the root cause and remedy to human suffering?suffering?

The Three Oriental SagesThe Three Oriental Sages

BuddhaBuddha Lao-Tzu Lao-Tzu Confucius Confucius

Gautama BuddhaGautama Buddha

BornBorn:: c. 563 BCEc. 563 BCELumbini, today in Lumbini, today in NepalNepal

DiedDied:: c. 483 BCEc. 483 BCEKushinagar, today Kushinagar, today

ininIndiaIndia

Known forKnown for:: Founder of Founder of BuddhismBuddhism

PredecessorPredecessor::Kassapa BuddhaKassapa Buddha

SuccessorSuccessor::Maitreya BuddhaMaitreya Buddha

The Metaphysical Basis of Human LifeThe Metaphysical Basis of Human Life According to Buddha (“the Enlightened One”), there is only According to Buddha (“the Enlightened One”), there is only

one absolute, universal all-pervading Reality, Brahma in one absolute, universal all-pervading Reality, Brahma in which all things are one.which all things are one.

ManMan – – therefore, in reality was united originally with Brahma therefore, in reality was united originally with Brahma and is called and is called Brahman.Brahman.

Man, thus became a mortal body subject to disease, death, and Man, thus became a mortal body subject to disease, death, and decomposition. However, Buddha saw a dawn for mortal man decomposition. However, Buddha saw a dawn for mortal man in his own theory of reincarnation according to which man, in his own theory of reincarnation according to which man, despite death, corruption and decomposition of his bodily despite death, corruption and decomposition of his bodily components is capable of rebirth and subsequent components is capable of rebirth and subsequent regenerations.regenerations.

NirvanaNirvana – “ – “the sinless calm state of mind, the destruction of the sinless calm state of mind, the destruction of earthly yearnings, the absence of lust, the cessation of earthly yearnings, the absence of lust, the cessation of sorrow.”sorrow.”

Observation and CommentObservation and Comment Oscar WildeOscar Wilde – Irish dramatist who assumed that man’s life on – Irish dramatist who assumed that man’s life on

earth is doubly tragic, because in life man either gets what he earth is doubly tragic, because in life man either gets what he desires or not. desires or not.

Thus, to the question why man is often unhappy in this life, Thus, to the question why man is often unhappy in this life, Buddha answers: because of uncontrolled bodily desires.Buddha answers: because of uncontrolled bodily desires.

According to Buddha, man in order to be happy, must liberate According to Buddha, man in order to be happy, must liberate himself of this selfishness, subjugate his baser instincts by self himself of this selfishness, subjugate his baser instincts by self restraints or denial, and in so doing he acquires virtue.restraints or denial, and in so doing he acquires virtue.

BuddhismBuddhism- - teaches men to look away from mundane teaches men to look away from mundane happiness “ to regions invisible” and inspires him with hopes happiness “ to regions invisible” and inspires him with hopes of immortality. It preaches humility, charity, benevolence, of immortality. It preaches humility, charity, benevolence, truth and justice in human relations for the attainment of truth and justice in human relations for the attainment of universal brotherhood and peace which, Buddha teaches, is the universal brotherhood and peace which, Buddha teaches, is the highest form of happiness.highest form of happiness.

Observation: Contrast or ParadoxObservation: Contrast or Paradox

Buddha’s Two Interpretation of LifeBuddha’s Two Interpretation of Life Earlier view of life as a curse or misery; as false, fake, Earlier view of life as a curse or misery; as false, fake,

and futile striving, contrasts with his later and futile striving, contrasts with his later interpretation of life as a preparation for the perfect interpretation of life as a preparation for the perfect life in Nirvana which is attained only through life in Nirvana which is attained only through righteous and virtuous living. righteous and virtuous living.

LOVE CONQUERS ALLLOVE CONQUERS ALL((Quotations)Quotations)

Gautama Buddha says:Gautama Buddha says:Never in this world does hatred cease by hatred. Hatred ceases Never in this world does hatred cease by hatred. Hatred ceases by love… Let us live happily not hating those who hate us. Let by love… Let us live happily not hating those who hate us. Let us live free among men who hate. Let a man overcome anger us live free among men who hate. Let a man overcome anger by kindness, evil by good; hate by love.by kindness, evil by good; hate by love.

Let him conquer the stingy by gift, the liar by truth. Let him conquer the stingy by gift, the liar by truth. Of self-restraint, Buddha says:Of self-restraint, Buddha says:

The well-subdued may subdue others;The well-subdued may subdue others;Oneself indeed is hard to tame.Oneself indeed is hard to tame.One may conquer a thousand in battle;One may conquer a thousand in battle;But he who conquers himself aloneBut he who conquers himself aloneis the greatest victor. is the greatest victor.

Full Name: Laozi (Lao Tzu, Lao Tse,

Laotze, Lao Zi)

Born: 600 BC

Died: 470 BC (aged 130)

School/ \tradition: Taoism

Notable Ideas: Wu wei

Lao TzuLao Tzu(Sixth Century B.C.)(Sixth Century B.C.)

Chinese Mystic and PhilosopherChinese Mystic and Philosopher Tao Te Ching,Tao Te Ching, book of Lao Tzu where expounds the book of Lao Tzu where expounds the

postulates of moral conduct for the achievement of a virtuous postulates of moral conduct for the achievement of a virtuous life.life.

He on the importance of the virtues of humility, self- negation He on the importance of the virtues of humility, self- negation and absolute calm quietism in the face of misfortune or and absolute calm quietism in the face of misfortune or calamity or even death- similar to present-day Mahatma calamity or even death- similar to present-day Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of active non-violence or non resistance.Gandhi’s principle of active non-violence or non resistance.

He teaches the power of meekness over evil; of love over He teaches the power of meekness over evil; of love over hatred; of non-violence over violence.hatred; of non-violence over violence.

Men are often unhappy because in life, in thought and action, Men are often unhappy because in life, in thought and action, they pretend to be what they are not- through hypocrisy, they pretend to be what they are not- through hypocrisy, pretension, insincerity, pride, dishonesty, lust and inordinate pretension, insincerity, pride, dishonesty, lust and inordinate worldly attachments, and thus separate themselves from the worldly attachments, and thus separate themselves from the one in whom they are by nature one.one in whom they are by nature one.

Comment:Comment:

Wu WeiWu Wei Principle which is translated as action thru inaction- Principle which is translated as action thru inaction-

somewhat akin to our somewhat akin to our Bahala Na Bahala Na or carefree way of or carefree way of life.life.

Is often misconstrued by critics to mean complete Is often misconstrued by critics to mean complete inactivity, laziness on man’s part, avoiding worries, inactivity, laziness on man’s part, avoiding worries, shunning work and shirking responsibilities: whereas shunning work and shirking responsibilities: whereas it never is such a way.it never is such a way.

It never means that man should not work nor do his It never means that man should not work nor do his duty.duty.

Tao Tao means the Way or Virtue which necessarily means the Way or Virtue which necessarily implies repeated habitual action.implies repeated habitual action.

The Paradox of ManThe Paradox of ManExamples From Lao Tzu’s Tao Te ChingExamples From Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching The wise man does not accumulate for himself: The wise man does not accumulate for himself:

He lives for other people He lives for other people

And grows to richer himself, And grows to richer himself,

He gives to other people He gives to other people

And has greater abundance.And has greater abundance.

Futility of ContentionFutility of ContentionTo yield is to be preserved whole To yield is to be preserved whole To be bent is to become straight To be bent is to become straight To be hallow is to be filledTo be hallow is to be filledTo be tattered is to be renewedTo be tattered is to be renewedTo be in want is to possessTo be in want is to possessTo have plenty is to be confused.To have plenty is to be confused.

The Sages does not reveal himselfThe Sages does not reveal himselfAnd is therefore luminous.And is therefore luminous.He does not justify himselfHe does not justify himselfAnd is therefore far-famedAnd is therefore far-famedHe does not boast of himselfHe does not boast of himselfAnd therefore people give him credit.And therefore people give him credit.He does not pride of himself He does not pride of himself And is therefore the ruler among men.And is therefore the ruler among men.It is because he does not contendIt is because he does not contend

Questions:Questions:

1.Who defined that there is only one absolute, 1.Who defined that there is only one absolute, universal all-pervading reality, in Brahma, in universal all-pervading reality, in Brahma, in which all things are one? which all things are one?

2.Who teaches the principle of Wu Wei which 2.Who teaches the principle of Wu Wei which is translated as action thru inaction-somewhat is translated as action thru inaction-somewhat akin to our bahala na or carefree way of life.akin to our bahala na or carefree way of life.

3.What do you call the many things to many mind; 3.What do you call the many things to many mind; and the proposed answers to these questions are as and the proposed answers to these questions are as varied as there are thinkers, asking and answering varied as there are thinkers, asking and answering their own questions? their own questions?

4.Who was called the “Enlightened One”?4.Who was called the “Enlightened One”?

5.Who was the Irish dramatist who assumed that 5.Who was the Irish dramatist who assumed that man’s life on earth is doubly tragic, because in life, man’s life on earth is doubly tragic, because in life, man either gets what he desires or not? man either gets what he desires or not?

6-10.What are the questions that a man must have 6-10.What are the questions that a man must have asked himself whenever he enters into himself and asked himself whenever he enters into himself and reflects on his life?reflects on his life?