2-10 Asian Religions

All men can acheive sagehood on this earth

I’ve truly appreciated exploring different worldly religions. In this week’s readings, the authors focused on the differences between Eastern and Western school of thought. Although all religions surround themes of compassion and love, there is a unique disparity concerning HOW compassion is achieved.

Several fundamental differences are addressed between the two schools of thought, but one of the most interesting distinctions concerns coexistence- how man and nature interact. One of the most famous verses in Genesis explains that God gave Man permission to “dominate” the beasts and creatures of this earth. The skin of an animal was used to clothe Adam, and the beasts were given life so Adam and Eve could sustain life. It seems almost the opposite in Jain and Hindu literature. Hindu philosophers like “Mahavira further proclaimed that anyone who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, water, and vegetation disregards his own existence, which is intrinsically bound up with them” (180). As I mentioned in an earlier DB, Western society has established a hierarchal order: God, Man, nature. Eastern religions practice that all beings agre equally omnipresent on this earth. Humans are not the animal’s masters, but instead we are co-inhibitors. Thusly, ““We have a moral obligation toward nonhuman creation” to respect all God’s creations. Within the Western hierarchy, God is seen as the beholder of our moral compass, and the master of our fate. With that, we are told we must both love but fear God. Mathew 10:28 says, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” At the same time, Western belief also says we must honor and revere God. This isn’t necessarily always true in Eastern philosophy. God is seen as more of a spiritual guide. Like Swan mentioned in class, several Hindu tales explain that the Gods came down to earth and acted like humans. Rather than God assuming the authoritarian position, he plays an equal role in the universe just as man and nature.  This “role” is called Brahma, or the Ultimate Creator.

“We have a moral obligation toward nonhuman creation” 

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In other differences, “Christianity insists that man is tainted by original sin an that salvation comes from God, from above, Confucians, on the other hand, generally believe that humans nature is good and that man can attain sagehood and thence harmony is virtue with Heaven by his own efforts” (208). This belief assumes that God determines our fate. If we are not fully committed to him, we are sent to hell. Some Hindus believe in karma, which is more predicated off of free will. Karma is “The self-determination and accountability of the individual soul rests on its capacity for free choice” (Klostermaier). As living beings of this earth, we determine our destiny based on our individual choices. In contrast, “Western civilization principally relies on its religious emphasis on personal humility and on all merits ultimately coming from God. However, the name of god can be borrowed as a back-prop in the conviction that one’s actions bear His sanction; or else one may even selfishly wish to possess Him, such as during a war to pray for victory” (207). Eastern religion believes that God isn’t just here for humans, but as a guide for all living creatures. And as a spiritual guide, Eastern perception of God tells us, “Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering” (178). Rather than finding answers in God, he expects us to alleviate suffering. We are capable of finding compassion. We are able to actively offer love to those who are suffering.

Humans have an ethical obligation to end suffering in all forms
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Hinduism – A Short Introduction by Klaus. K. Klostermaier (Oneworld, Oxford)