My Aim in Life Essay in English with Quotations

1299 Words6 Pages
Philosophy 312: Oriental Philosophy Main Concepts of Confucianism Abstract: The main concepts of Confucianism are discussed. IV. Main Concepts of Confucianism: the twin concepts of jen and li are often said to constitute the basis of Confucianism. | | A. Jen (wren): human heartedness; goodness; benevolence, man-to-man-ness; what makes man distinctively human (that which gives human beings their humanity). | | | 1. The virtue of virtues; Confucius said he never really saw it full expressed. The other virtues follow from it. He never gives and defends a definition of it although he does characterize it. | | | 2. It is dearer than life itself--the man of jen will sacrifice his life to preserve jen, and conversely it is what makes life worth living. | | | 3. Jen is a sense for the dignity of human life--a feeling of humanity towards others and self-esteem for yourself. | | | | a. Such feeling applies to all men--not just one nation or race. It is the foundation of all human relationships. | | | | b. There is the belief that jen can be obtained; indeed, there is the belief in the natural perfectibility of man. Hence, he rejects the way of human action where one satisfies likes and avoids dislikes. | | | | c. The first principle of Confucianism is to act according to jen: it is the ultimate guide to human action. | | | 4. We should seek to extend jen to others. | | B. Li (lee): principle of gain, benefit, order, propriety; concrete guide to human action. | | | 1. Two basic meanings to li: (1) concrete guide to human relationships or rules of proper action that genuinely embody jen and (2) general principle of social order or the general ordering of life. | | | 2. Confucius recognized that you need a well ordered society for wren to be expressed. | | | 3. First Sense: the concrete guide to human relationships. | |
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