Eastern Philosophy

Eastern Philosophy is a diverse body of approaches to life and philosophizing, particularly centered on understanding the process of the Universe and its endless becoming. In Western Culture, the term “Eastern Philosophy” refers very broadly to the various philosophies of “the East”, namely Asia, including China, India, Japan, Korea, Tibet, and other nations. Because of the more rigourous academic approach to philosophizing in the West, most Western universities focus almost exclusively on Western Philosophy traditions and ideas in Philosophy departments and courses (though with exceptions). Eastern thought developed quite independently of Western thought, and is not limited by the rigid academic traditions found in Western academic thinking, but it has greatly influenced the West in contemporary times.

Eastern Traditions

While this short article cannot cover every aspect of Eastern Philosophy in detail, and will avoid straying into areas related to Religious Studies, there are key traditions or movements or schools described below. Although the individual philosophical schools differ considerably, they share a common polarity of thinking derived from the Yi Jing, which are Yin and Yang. While Yang originally referred to the South side of a mountain which received the Sun, Yin referred to the North side. Ultimately, Yang was associated with the masculine, forceful, and bright, while Yin was associated with the feminine, yielding, and obscure. Energy and creativity flow from the interaction of the two, Yin and Yang.

Confucianism

Confucianism developed around the teachings of Confucius and is based on a set of Chinese classic texts. It was a mainstream ideology in China since the Han Dynasty and still is today in Far-East culture. It could be understood as a social Ethics and Humanism focusing on people and relationships. Confucianism emphasizes formal rituals in every aspect of life, from quasi-religious ceremonies to strict politeness and deference to one's elders, specifically to one's parents and to the state, in the form of the Emperor.

Taoism/Daoism

Taoism (or Daoism) is the traditional foil of Confucianism. Taoism's central books are the Tao Te Ching, traditionally attributed to Lao Zi (Lao Tse) and the Zhuang Zi (Chuang Tse). The core concepts of Taoism incorporate elements of Mysticism dating back to prehistoric times, linked also with the Book of Changes (I Ching), a set of 64 geometrical figures describing evolving states of the World. Taoism emphasizes Nature, individual Freedom, refusal of social bounds, and was a doctrine professed by those who “retreated in mountains”. At the end of their lives, or during the night, Confucian officers often behaved as Taoists, writing poetry or trying to “reach immortality”.

Buddhism

Buddhism is a system of beliefs based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, a Lumbini (in modern day Nepal) prince and philosopher, later known simply as the “Buddha” - one who is awake, as derived from the Sanskrit bud, to awaken. Buddhism is a not a Religion, per se, as the Buddha expressly disavowed any special divine status or inspiration, saying that anyone, anywhere could achieve all the insight he found. Buddhist Philosophy is essentially focused around five basic concepts, which include the three signs of being (Ti-Lakkhana). These are Impermanence (Anicca), Suffering (Dukkha), and No-Self (Anatta), along with Dependent Origination (Patticca Samuppada), and Enlightenment (nirvana). From these come the “Four Noble Truths”, of Suffering (Dukkha), the Causation of Suffering (Samudaya), the End of Suffering (Nirodha), and the Path out of Suffering (Marga). These Truths identify the unsatisfactory nature of Existence, but realize its cause, search for a life without it, and set forth a path away from it.

Influences on Western Philosophy

At least since Immanuel Kant in the Eighteenth Century, who was influenced by many diverse sources of Philosophy, Science and the Arts, there have been many modern attempts to integrate Western and Eastern philosophical traditions. German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel was very interested in Taoism/Daoism. His system of Dialectics is sometimes interpreted as a formalization of Taoist principles. Hegel's arch-enemy, Arthur Schopenhauer, developed a Philosophy that was essentially a synthesis of Hinduism and Buddhism within Western tradition. A “Kyoto School” of philosophers developed, who combined the Phenomenology of Edmund Husserl with the insights of Zen Buddhism. More recently, the Matrix Philosophy developed in the the Matrix Series uses extensive cross-cultural meanings from Eastern and Western philosophical concepts.