Confucius, the ‘uncrowned king of China’, founded Confucianism, one of the three religions practiced in China – namely Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, thought there are debates regarding the question “Is Confucianism a philosophy or religion?”. But in true sense, he did not give the world a new religion or a new ethical code but a forceful restatement of the fundamental principles of human morality and ethics. In fact he himself was a vivid example or symbol of his teachings or Confucianism symbols. In other words, Confucianism or teachings of Confucianism stood for a rationalized social order through the ethical approach, based on personal cultivation.
Now
we should know, though may be a little, about Confucius, his personality and Confucian
philosophy. “Born in poverty in Shantung, Confucius (551-479 BC) rose to become
a major administrator in his native state.” But, finally he decided to
relinquish his long and vain attempts to create order by the use of rites and
rules of antiquity. “In 496 BC he began a period of wandering with the
intention of persuading the various rulers he came among to practice his moral
doctrines”. “To give an entire picture of the personality of Confucius is an impossibility;
however, we may mention some of his distinguishing qualities. He was a scholar,
a teacher, a perfect gentleman and a saint. He was economical in living,
moderate in desire, exact in manner, refined in form, precise in speech, slow
but sure in action, restful and free in mind, pure in heart, altruistic in aim,
and ever sympathetic towards man.” He was kind, generous, humble, and truthful
even in detail. [He loved authority and discipline, and had a great admiration
for antiquity. His disciples inform us that “there were four things from which
the Master was entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary
pre-determination, no obstinacy and no egoism.” He called himself ‘a
transmitter and not a maker’ that is he acted as a transmitter of the
earlier religious. But this does not mean that he did not have his creative
power or originality. But, his own doctrine was very simple and practical for
the people to cultivate themselves to be moral men, because he did not want to
create any new and deep difficult religion. For this reason he wrote five
classics dealing mostly with the previous religions, morals and history.
They
are –
(a) The
Book of Records
(b) The Book of Odes
(c) The Book of Changes
(d) The Book of History
(e) The Spring and Autumn Annals.
However,
“his (own) saying were collected by pupils in the Lun Yii or Analects
which form the principle source for his philosophy” and in the ‘Discourses
and Dialogues’.
“He
did not talk about spiritual beings, or extraordinary things or feats of
strength and disorders. He insisted on the cultivation of ethics, loyalty and
truthfulness.”
He
kept in view four things in his teachings. They are –
- Scholarliness
- Conduct of life.
- Honesty and
- Faithfulness.
Moreover,
his purpose was to make people ‘superior men’ as well as ‘moral men’. So, he
explained how a man can make himself superior and moral.
Wisdom
or scholarliness, morality and determination have great significance in
Confucianism. Confucius said that wisdom grows from the family and that the
foundation of society is a disciplined individual in an orderly family. Self
development is the substance of social development. [The keynote and the soul
of his philosophy is expressed in the famous paragraphs of the great learning.
The ancients who wished to illustrate the highest virtue throughout the empire first ordered well their own states; wishing to order well their own states they first regulated their families they first cultivated their own selves; wishing to cultivate their own selves, they first rectified their Riarts; wishing to rectify their hearts, they sought to be sincere in their thoughts, wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things.”
By
this Confucius has given here a gradual process for self development, and the
ways by which it flows into common life to serve the state; these are the –
- Investigation of Phenomenon,
- Learning
- Sincerity
- Rectitude of Purpose
- Self-development
- Family discipline
- Local self-Government and
- Universal self-Government.
In
order to improve well-being and welfare of society, Confucius’s social ideal is
harmony. According to him, there are five Confucianism relationships
of which the society is made up. They are
husband and wife, parent and child, elders and youngers, Ruler and subject, friend
and friend.
“If everybody feels attached to his kith and kin and respects
his superior there will be peace under Heaven”
Confucius
exerted himself in giving moral training to his people, and he laid great
emphasis on virtuous conduct. According to him a virtuous man had three awes –
- Awe of Heaven’s Decree
- Awe of great men
- Awe of saint’s words
According
to Confucianism, our social, economic, political and religious ideals are
inseparable and entered in ethics. The blood of life is love, and virtue is its
backbone. Without virtue life cannot stand, and without virtue life is death.
From the ethics of Confucius we derive five constant ideas – Jen (humaneness),
Yi (righteousness), Li (propriety), Chi (wisdom), and Zun (trustworthiness) and
five cardinal principles –
- The ruler must be respectful
and the ruled loyal.
- The father merciful and so
filial
- The husband chivalrous and
the wife obedient.
- The elder brotherly, and the
younger reverent
- Friends must be trustworthy
in mutuality
Confucius
says, “Truth is the law of God. Acquired truth is the law of man.” Truth means
the realization of one’s being and moral law means the law of our being. Truth
is the beginning and end of existence. It is for this reason that the moral man
values truth. Absolute truth is indestructible, eternal, self-existent and
infinite.
Actually
Confucius wants, through his philosophy, to make the ‘moral man’ who is able to
be the ‘Superior man’. A superior man must maintain previously discussed facts
and qualities. Additionally, he has to possess some other qualities –
The
Superior man of Confucius is composed of three virtues- intelligence, courage
and goodwill. He acts before he speaks and afterwards speaks according to his
actions.
“He
is modest in his speech; but exceeds in his actions: he seldom speaks; when he
does he is sure to hit the point. He is moderate in word and deeds and in
everything. The superior man conforms to the path of the mean.”
The
superior man’s character is an overflowing sympathy towards all man. He is not
agreed by the excellence of other men; when he sees a man of low worth he turns
inwards and examines himself.
In
high position he makes no demands on those beneath him. In low position he has
no connection from those above him. He lives simply and correctly and yields
himself to the will of God.
“When
he is angry he thinks of the difficulties his anger may involve him in. when he
thinks gain to be God he thinks of righteousness”. Such men, says Confucius,
must be at the helm of family and of the state. Confucius admits rebellion
saying that, “When the command is wrong a son should resist his father and a
minister should resist the Prince.”
“When
asked about government, he said that the requisites of government are true:
that there should be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment and
confidence of the people in their ruler.”
Being
asked “what do you say to kill the unprincipled for the good of the
principled”, he indicated that there is no need of punishment if the ruler is a
Superior man. Because the relation between superiors and inferiors is like that
between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend when the wind blows across
it.
Confucius
also said of making the state independent of supplied by reducing luxuries of
counts and seeking a wide distribution of wealth, by decreasing punishment and
increasing public instruction without destination of classes, by instructing
the people in music.
Thus,
Confucius desired to educate dominant personalities, who develop within
themselves the force of their individuality, through which they can influence to
change others.
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