Confucianism Comparison Essay

In India, around the 6th century B.C., a man gave up his royal lifestyle to attain enlightenment, and began teaching others the path to enlightenment as well. This prince-turned-teacher became known as the Buddha. At the same time, in China, Confucius too was just initiating his teachings in social construction. Their teachings became important and are still influential in their home countries. For India, and later on in China too, Buddhism became a religion and in China, Confucianism became a social structure model. Throughout their teachings, three philosophies were covered by both teachers in their own way. These viewpoints were humanity without selfishness, education in the fundamentals of firmness of beliefs and keeping fresh minds, and

Buddhism acknowledges in its teachings that it is not to physically run from the world, although living a pure life is important in understanding how to live in a society. It is written, “the one who lives a pure life in the village or town is definitely far superior to, and greater than, the one who lives in the forest.” This shows that seclusion is not needed to have a pure life. “Buddhism aims at creating a society where the ruinous struggle for power is renounced” The relationships are shown in Buddhism in the six cardinal points of the heaven. East: parents; South: teachers; West: wife and children and so on. In all the relationships; honor, devotion, respect, obedience, caring, faithfulness, high morals, integrity, and many more are embedded in both teachings. Confucius also had similar beliefs. “Min Tzu looked respectful and upright; Tzu-Lu looked unbending; Jan Yu and Tzu-kung looked affable. The Master was happy.” He believed that traits like respect, upright, unbending, sociability were important. Unlike Buddha, however, he believed “Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son.” In these quotes, the difference in how Buddha wants to break the cycle of power while still in the cast system while Confucius expects and demands the limitation of your station to be harmonious is shown. Both teachers agreed that respect, obedience, benevolence, high morals led to a harmonious society where everyone can live in peace with one