Social Philosophy

THE ORIENTAL SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY 

INTRODUCTION


Aruni said: Fetch me from thence a fruit of the nyagrodha tree.
Svetaketu replied: "Here is one, Sir!"
"Break it"
"It is broaken, Sir."
"These seeds, almost infinitesimal"
"Break one of them."
"It is broken, Sir."
"What do you see there?"
"Not anything, Sir."
The father said: "My son, that subtle essence which you do not perceive there, 
of that very essence this great nyagrodha tree exists."
"Believe it, my son. That which is the subtle essence, in it all that exist has its self.
It is the True. It is the Self, and thou, Oh Svetaketu, art it."

-Chandogya, Upanishad

          Westerners often find the Oriental mind and philosophy bewildering. Unlike the West, the oriental mind is not limited to compartmentalize. It is  fluid and flourishing; it is diversified and not rigid; it is profound and enigmatic. It is not merely a study of life but a way of life per per se. For the wisdom of the oriental ancients can never be dismissed, and up to the postmodern time, their philosophies are being perpetuated in classic, novel and variant ways and forms.

          In Hindu Philosophy, the Indian thinkers of antiquity viewed philosophy as a practical necessity that needed to be cultivated in order to understand how life can best be led. It became a custom for Indian writers to explain at the beginning of philosophical works how it serves human ends (purusartha). the discussion on Hindu philosophy is divided into six orthodox and three heterodox school of though.

          While Chinese philosophers aim at the highest life - a life that is both this - worldly and other-worldly. The man who has achieved this is called a sage. The character of a sage is one of "Sageliness within, Kingliness without". that is to say, a sage is one who accomplishes spiritual cultivation (inner sageliness) but functions in society (outward kingliness) as a noble, humane, responsive exemplar. (Villaba, 1996) This is an attempt to explain the realities of man and manifested the practical wisdom drawn from the experiences of man. Practical truth is attained by the use of practical reason. And this richness of truth on the art of living is measured on the basis of how that practical wisdom is able to enrich man as an individual and as integral part of the society. (Co, 2005).

Oriental Philosopher List

Click link to read content 

Indian Social Philosopher

 

This free website was made using Yola.

No HTML skills required. Build your website in minutes.

Go to www.yola.com and sign up today!

Make a free website with Yola