Study Guide and Text Supplement: Confucianism and Buddhism

                Confucianism is known as “The Great Wisdom” in Chinese traditions. It offers an analysis of good leadership, and in the Mandate of Heaven warns leaders that the ordinary people have the capacity to act out of fairness if the leaders fail to do so. Confucianism draws an analogy between the state and the family; it regards the state as an extended family. The virtue of filial piety applies within the family as well as the state.

                Buddhism emerged from the teachings of Siddhartha Gotama. Although Siddhartha Gotama (who was called “Buddha”) never wrote anything, he inspired followers who wrote the Dhammapada and other works. He presented four basic truths in which he describe suffering as a basic experience in human existence and proposes ways to end suffering, including the eightfold path. Compassion is a central virtue in Buddhism.

Both Confucianism and Buddhism focus on this world and refuse to speculate on the “other world”—that is, on God and an immortal soul. Buddhism places an emphasis on non-violence, and Confucianism limits the use of arms to self-defense.

Both traditions revere ancestors: Buddhists have saints and followers of Confucius exhibit reverence for their ancestors and virtuous ancients.

Both Confucianism and Buddhist reject arbitrary leadership: they claim that good leaders avoid war and seek to anticipate conflict before it becomes open, armed conflict.

Both Buddhism and Confucianism at some points in history have been adopted as official state religions. Buddhism has been an official religion at times in China, Tibet,  Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and in India under the leader Ashoka. Confucianism has been the official state religion at times in Chinese history—although it is worth noting that many scholars view Confucianism more as a philosophy than as a religion.

While in the Greek tradition Plato finds that family love expresses one’s animal nature, in the Confucianist tradition Nakai Toju maintains that family love humanizes an individual. Animals instinctively engage in reproductive behavior, Plato asserts, and humans who engage in reproduction express an instinctive, lower part of their nature.