Buddhism

The only thing we can know for sure is…

• Everything changes and nothing lasts forever: seasons, stars, empires, people…

• Who we are is not fixed Nothing about ourselves is separated from our surroundings: family, country, technology, religion, education, environment…Many influences.

• We cannot control every aspect of our life and we are bound to not get we want and be disappointed sometimes.

Siddhartha

• Born in India in 563 BCE.• He was a prince with a

wife and a son.• At age 30 he left the

kingdom and saw four sights:

• A Sick man.• An old person.• A dead person.• A holy man.

Escape from Suffering 4 Noble Truths

• Life is full of suffering.

• Suffering and disappointment is caused by desire.

• If we get rid of this desire we can escape suffering.

• The way to rid ourselves of desire is to follow the eight-fold path.

Eight-Fold Path

• Right understanding.• Right Intention.• Right Speech.• Right Action.• Right livelihood.• Right Effort.• Right Mindfulness.• Right concentration.

ConfuciusK'ung Fu-Tzu

Where and When?

• Confucius grew up in Lu, China in the 6th century BCE during a period of warring states where people where driven by greed.

• He became a teacher a spent most of his life traveling all over China teaching the art of life and government.

• He was well respected by the rulers of the Chinese states that he visited and had a number of followers.

The Analects

• After Confucius died in 479 BCE, his disciples compiled a work known as the Analects.

• The analects consist of conversations that Confucius had with his students and the rulers of China that he visited.

• Political system for the conduct of political and family life.

Major Concepts

• Jen: benevolence

• Yi: being proper

• Li: ritual or ceremony

• Chun-Tzu: gentleman

• Ren: true humaneness and a perfectly realized person

• Dao: Way of Heaven

Filial Piety

• #1 obey and respect your parents.

• Respect you elders.• Respect your rulers.• Respect your boss.• Know your place.• Obedience, loyalty

and leadership

The Legacy of Confucius

• Confucius believed that by devoting oneself to a strict set of social and cultural rules that people could live in harmony.

• Confucianism became the foundation of China’s state and cultural ideology in about 1 CE.

Taoism

Lao Tzu

• Legendary founder of Taoism. 600 BCE

• Mother got pregnant by watching a falling star…for 60 years!

• Lao=old boy had white hair and could talk when born.

• Said to have written the Tao Te Ching.

Terms

• Te: The way that you are: act according to your te. Do what is in your nature. Do not conform to something that is other than who you are.

• P’u: the uncarved block…rough edges are fine. These are a part of you and can be used to your advantage. Be simple do not desire much or refine yourself.

• Wu Wei: Go with the flow. Don’t try too hard.

To be Taoist…

• Don’t be in a hurry.• Don’t be bossy or impose you ideas onto others.• Don’t brag about how great you are.• Know when to act and know when to wait.• Don’t be too ambitious.• Avoid success.• Question social norms, rules, laws….• Be one with nature.

Assignment

• Create an art piece about an aspect of eastern philosophy that inspires you.

1. Rewrite quote somewhere in front.

2. Write a reflection on back about what you think that the quote means and how you can apply it to your life. At least 5 sentences.

3. Use Asia as your inspiration in your art piece. Look at books to get some ideas.