Lesson 4: The Self in

Western and Eastern

Thoughts
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» Eastern – also called Oriental;

represents Asia
» Western – represents Europe and
Northern America
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Confucianism
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» Confucianism is a system of ethics devised by the

Chinese scholar K’UNG Futzu (Latinised to
Confucius) in sixth century BC China.
» Self is characterized by relational identity which
means that a person is defined by his/her
significant relationships.
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» Self-cultivation/ self-realization is seen as the

ultimate purpose of life.
» The chun-tzu (man of virtue or noble character;
commonly translated as “gentleman” or
“superior man”) is, above all, a man of self-
cultivation.
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To be a chun-tzu, man has to
live by these principles
» Li – is the principle of self-restraints and sense of
propriety. It includes following social etiquette and
mannerisms
» Cheng – means sincerity and unwavering devotion to
good
» Hsiao – is love for the immediate family and then society
» Yi – is the principle of righteousness
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To be a chun-tzu, man has to live

by these principles:
» Xin – is the principle of honesty in life
» Jen – is the most important of all principles. It means
being kind and humane to your fellow beings. It is about
helping out others
» Chung – is loyalty to one’s family and to one’s country
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Confucius specifies the five

important relationships
» King to subject
» Father to son
» Husband to wife
» Older brother to younger brother
» Friend to friend
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» The self in Confucianism is subdued self.

It is conditioned to respond to perceptions,
not of its own needs and aspirations, but
of social requirements and obligations
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Taoism
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» Taoism is a religious or philosophical tradition of

Chinese origin which emphasizes living in
harmony with the Tao or the Way.
» Tao denotes the principle that is the source,
pattern and substance of everything that exists.
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» Taoism disavows a hierarchical view of

the self, society or cosmos.
» The self is but one of the countless
manifestations of the Tao. It is an
extension of the cosmos
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» The perfect man has no self; the spiritual man has no

achievement; the true sage has no name. The ideal is
thus selflessness.
» The selfless person leads a balanced life, in harmony
with both nature and society. When selflessness is
attained, the distinction between “I” and “other”
disappears. One may then act with complete
spontaneity.
Buddhism
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» The Buddha taught that an individual is

a combination of five aggregates of
existence, also called the five Skandhas
of the five heaps
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Five Skandhas
» Form – our physical form
» Sensation – made up of our feelings – both
emotional and physical – and our senses –
seeing, hearing , tasting, touching, smelling
» Perception – means thinking –
conceptualization, cognition, reasoning
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Five Skandhas
» Mental Formations – includes habits,
prejudices and predispositions and volition
or willfulness
» Consciousness – awareness or of
sensitivity to an object, but without
conceptualization
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» The doctrine of anatman (Sanskrit; anatta in Pali) is the

core teaching of Buddhism. According to this doctrine,
there is no “self” in the sense of a permanent, integral,
autonomous being within an individual existence. What
we think of as our self, the “me” that inhibits our body,
is just an ephemeral experience
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» The ultimate goal is Nirvana (enlightenment). The

English word enlightenment sometimes refers to
heightened intellect and reason.
» The original Buddhists used the word bodhi, which
means “awakened”. The word Buddha is derived from
bodhi and means “the awakened one”.
 Comparison of Western and
Eastern Concepts of Self
WESTERN EASTERN
Duality – you are distinct from other Other persons are part of your self
persons
Talk about their personal attributes Talk about their social roles
Highlights personal achievements Keeps a low profile and avoid
boastfulness
Individualistic – focus on the person Collectivistic – group and social
relations are more important
Values competition Values cooperation
Values equality Values hierarchy
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