Joshua Peliño BA-Philosophy 4
COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY
CHINESE TRADITIONAL ETHICS AND INDIAN ETHICS
In this
comparative paper we will try to examine the traditional ethics of Chine philosophy
led by the great Confucious and Indian notion of Niti. China's and
India's ethical traditions are deeply embedded in their respective cultures,
philosophies, and religious practices and share commonalities while at the same
time possessing unique characteristics. It is possible to examine the
relationship between Chinese and Indian ethics through their respective
philosophical systems, cultural values, and moral practices. This paper
analysis will help us understand some of the key perspectives of two different
figures in Ethics.
The social
values of Confucianism originated from family values in the family where social
accomplishment and self-cultivation were fostered, and family bond is much stronger
than social bond. And The feeling of Moral in Confucianism is more important
than right or wrong. Confucian ethics was considered that family love is origin
of the loves for others, and it is the base of all the morality.[1]
Confucian ethics puts the family at the center of ethical growth, contending
that moral sentiment is grown first in the family and thus social harmony and
goodness are primarily achieved through it. The Confucian belief posits that
familial love is the source and model for other social love and respect. The
significance of filial piety, the practice of ren, and the ethical teachings
focused on family ties establish a paradigm within which individual morality is
intertwined with one's responsibilities to the family. To Confucians, the
ethical sentiments that stem from the family—love, respect, and loyalty—are
considered the basis of a harmonious society, underscoring the interdependence
of individual virtue and public welfare.
Indian ethics
or Niti takes its substance in rta, a term which acknowledges a cosmic/world
order. Etymologically, the term 'rta' refers to 'course,' initially intended to
emphasize the uniformity of nature or cosmic order to be upheld by
righteousness. Gradually, the cosmic meaning of 'rta' ['Natural Law'] evolved
into the social meaning of 'rna' ['Moral Law'], pointing out the systematic
evolution of Indian ethics from the objective level to the subjective level.
Further, both of them are not relative but inherent, aiming at order in this
world of chaos, and giving the sense of being in harmony in the world. [2]
Indian ethics, especially Hindu, is more about the lived practice, ritual, and
experience of people than it is about discursive, theoretical abstraction. Its
emphasis on pragmatic use of ethics is a characteristic approach, less
interested in establishing systematic, philosophical systems and more
interested in bringing people to ethics through practices aligned with human
nature, cognition, and spiritual aims. Hinduism, in its complex dharma
(righteous duty) systems, karma (action and its outcome), and moksha
(salvation), insists on practical everyday ethical conduct by action, and not
the articulation of grand moral theory. These ideas are not abstractions but
are intended to be embodied and enacted, with people acting upon them in
everyday routines, religious practice, and personal choice that constitute
their spiritual and social lives.
Confucian
ethics focuses on the family as the moral basis of personal development, most
notably through filial piety (xiao), in which respect and dedication to parents
and ancestors serve to develop virtues such as ren (benevolence) and li
(propriety). The family is a moral microcosm, where individuals learn virtues
that are extrapolated to society, promoting social harmony and stability.
Personal responsibility in Confucian philosophy is closely tied to familial
obligations, with the welfare of society deriving from the stability of family
ties.
Indian ethics,
particularly Hinduism, however, emphasizes applying universal principles such
as dharma (righteous duty), karma (cause and effect), and moksha (liberation)
in everyday actions and spiritual disciplines. These principles prompt people
to act in accordance with cosmic and moral codes and engage in everyday ethical
behavior rather than theory. By existing in harmony with their roles and
conditions, people promote personal and social harmony, with a particular
emphasis on the practical and redemptive nature of ethical existence.
Indeed, Confucian and Indian ethics all stress the central importance of personal responsibility, moral development, and social harmony but differ in how they do so: Confucianism stresses the moral grounding gained through family relationships, and Indian ethics focuses on the practical implementation of universal principles through ordinary deeds and rituals. Both stress, though, the indispensable connection between individual morality and the health of society.
References:
Lui, S. (2013). The traditional Chinese ethics and its application in the field of radiation protection. CNNC, Daejeon. pg. 1-5
Gupta, M., Kamalpreet, K. (2022). Indian Ethics: Essence, Theory and Praxis. Tattva-Journal of Philosophy. India, Vol. 1-4. No. 2, pg. 73-92
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