CONFUCIANISM responsibilities each role entails.

Confucius defines the five

relationships as follows:
Confucianism is both an ancient religion and a
philosophy in China. It is the country’s most influential RULER-SUBJECT - Confucius believed that a
religion. It originated as a philosophical system founded on good ruler is one who governs his people with love. A good
the teachings of Confucius which have been followed for 2, ruler also leads by example, rather than confrontation,
000 years and have greatly influenced the moral, social, coercion, and punishment.
cultural and political aspects of Chinese life. The followers
of this religion are called Confucianists. Many people PARENT-CHILD - This relationship is the most
consider Confucianism a religion. But Confucianism has no fundamental human bond as it is based primarily on
clergy and does not teach the worship of a God or gods. reciprocal love as well as respect, propriety, and a sense of
Confucianism can be accurately a guide to morality and obligation.
good government.
HUSBAND-WIFE - Though the husband is
SPIRITUALITY OF CONFUCIANISM considered to be the authority and the wife is subordinate to
The fundamental concern of the Confucian him, their relationship in the family is reciprocal.
tradition is learning to be human. Learning to be human, in
the Confucian perspective, entails broadening and ELDER BROTHER-YOUNGER BROTHER - In
deepening of thought and being that acknowledge the this relationship, the elder brother protects and takes care of
interconnectedness of all the modalities of existence the younger brother.
defining human condition. Through an ever-expanding
network relationship, the Confucian seeks to realize ELDER FRIEND-YOUNGER FRIEND - Peers
humanity in its all-embracing fullness. Self-cultivation is an should treat each other like brothers. In order to develop a
end in itself and its primary purpose is self-realization. brotherly kind of friendship, the elder friend should be
According to Tu Wei-Ming (1993), understanding considerate and trusting of the younger friend.
Confucianism necessitates understanding the self as
creative transformation, the community as the necessary Another aspect of having proper conduct is
vehicle for human flourishing, nature as the proper home “XIAO”. It is also known as filial piety. It refers to a
for our form of life, and Heaven as the source of ultimate traditional cultural  imperative which is about having
self-realization. reverence for family, particularly “obedience to parents”.
This implies also that ONE must have a sense of
CHUN TZU LOYALTY TO THE FAMILY. Family must be a priority;
honored; and must be treated with utmost importance
One of the fundamental questions that through respecting one’s parents and ancestors and having
Confucianism seeks to provide an answer is “What is the profound respect for one’s living elders.
best way to live life? For Confucianism, the best way to
live is to strive to be a CHUN TZU. This concept refers to DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN
the IDEAL/SUPERIOR PERSON (GENTLEMEN). Being
a CHUN TZU possesses noble characteristics. A key It emphasizes that people should live in
characteristic is what we called REN. This refers to human moderation! Not striving for excess and to always value
heartedness, goodness, benevolence, man-to-man-ness (that compromise.
which gives human beings their humanity). It is the sense
for the dignity of human life – a feeling of humanity According to Confucius, in order to maintain
towards others and self-esteem for yourself. It is considered peace and harmony in a society, one must understand his
as the source of all virtues, and its cultivation is the highest own identity. FOR CONFUCIUS, the self is always
level of human development. Confucius believed that the relational and a situated self. It means that, YOU are more
regular practice of the Golden Rule which is the principle than the small individual, you are actually all the
of reciprocity facilitates the cultivation of Ren. relationships that you are part of. In other words, I AM my
RELATIONSHIP with my family, friends, community, to
Basically, Ren is a virtue which makes a human the nation, and humanity.
being a moral being. As a particular virtue this means
nothing else but LOVE. Confucius says “Do not do unto Another important characteristic is ZHI
others what you would not want others do unto you”. Thus, (WISDOM). It is a virtue that uses one’s innate knowledge
in simple terms, the virtue of Ren is about LOVE FOR in distinguishing what is right from wrong. Thus, it is a
OTHERS. virtue necessary in the practice of moral norms.

Another important characteristic is LI. LI refers One can be a Chun Tzu through (YI). It is a
to the proper conduct especially in various cultural MORAL DISPOSITION to do good and the fortitude to do
practices. In simple terms, it’s about how one should act in one’s duty. It also refers to preserving one’s integrity,
a community. According to Confucius there are ways on upholding what is just, taking a stand against immoral
how to have a proper conduct: practices.

RECTIFICATION OF NAMES NATURE OF THE 4 CARDINAL VIRTUES

This doctrine refers to the process of calling These Cardinal Virtues are internal and not
things by their proper names. Confucius considered this as external to human nature and that they are the original
the foundation of establishing order and harmony in reality. nature of all human beings. Thus, to be good and to live a
This concept was further expanded to address social good life is to allow the original nature of oneself to
relationships, leadership and governance, and the use of express itself.
standards in determining both knowledge and morality. For
him, the ideal man should be able to discern what is right or
proper from what is not, and act accordingly. Confucius INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND
believed that social order can be achieved through the
recognition of the proper roles in the FIVE KEY ECUMENISM
RELATIONSHIPS and by adhering to the respective The Vatican II has exhorted all Catholics to a
dialogue which will "acknowledge, preserve and promote
the spiritual and moral goods found in other religions, and together for the common good can come only through
the values in their society and culture" in order to "join compassion and mercy and the ability to empathize with
hands with them to work towards a world of peace, liberty, one another, especially those who are in need. So we ask
social justice and moral values." The Holy Father has ourselves, what have we done for the hungry and the poor;
repeatedly asked Jesuits to make interreligious dialogue an for the refugees and those internally displaced by conflict?
apostolic priority for the third millennium. In a world What have we done for peace in the World; for Mother
where Christians comprise less than 20% of the population, Earth, our common home? We can see that there are plenty
it is imperative that we collaborate with others to achieve of activities where believers of different faiths can work
common goals. together towards common goals, promote a different way
of life and make a positive change in this world.
In the context of the divisive, exploitative and
conflictual roles that religions, including Christianity, have Since the Second Vatican Council, the Pontifical
played in history, dialogue seeks to develop the unifying Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) has provided
and liberating potential of all religions, thus showing the several documents delineating the Catholic approach to
relevance of religion for human well-being, justice and interreligious dialogue. Viewed as one mode of outreach
world peace. Above all we need to relate positively to among many, dialogue can take many forms. The PCID
believers of other religions because they are our neighbors; describes four so that all can find a method that suits their
the common elements of our religious heritages and our experience:
human concerns force us to establish ever closer ties based
on universally accepted ethical values. Dialogue is "an DIALOGUE OF LIFE
activity with its own guiding principles, requirements and
dignity" and it should "never be made a strategy to elicit It involves all persons from all walks of life. A
conversions. dialogue where believers of different religions bear witness
to their religious values and convictions in their everyday
DEFINITION OF INTER RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
life such as from home, workplaces, and neighbors. A
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
dialogue of day to day interactions of people with
neighbors of other faith.
Interreligious dialogue, also referred to as
interfaith dialogue, is about people of different faiths
DIALOGUE OF ACTION
coming to a mutual understanding and respect that allows
them to live and cooperate with each other in spite of their
It is an institutional, organizational, societal or
differences. The term refers to cooperative and positive
group dialogue which involves social workers, community
interaction between people of different religious traditions,
organizers, human rights activists for the purpose of
(i.e. "faiths") at both the individual and institutional level.
working together for the common good of the society.
Each party remains true to their own beliefs while
respecting the right of the other to practice their faith
DIALOGUE OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
freely.
This form of dialogue is most often between
PURPOSE OF INTER RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE persons deeply involved in religious practices such as
Pope Francis as the head of the Catholic Church monks, nuns, mystics, and any person who has a little
fosters a spirit of dialogue that is held important in the theological training. It is a spiritual dialogue on how and
whole of Catholic Tradition. He promotes a dialogue based why we pray as well as to have a personal encounter with
on the teachings and practices clearly defined in the God.
encyclical “Nostra Aetate” – “The Declaration on the
Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions” DIALOGUE OF THEOLOGICAL EXCHANGE
proclaimed by St. Pope Paul Vl in 1965.
It means sharing and discussing our religious
Nostra Aetate gives us three fundamental reasons beliefs to better understand one another and identify more
why dialogue is essential in the life of the Church. First is precisely what we hold in common and where our
the conviction that WE ALL BELONG TO ONE HUMAN differences lie.
FAMILY – a principle widely shared by religions all over
the world. Dialogue is imperative in understanding the
various spiritual and faith traditions. We must seek the DEFINITION OF ECUMENISM
common ground of shared values among diverse faiths to ECUMENISM
show that despite diversity we are one human family with
the same fundamental aspirations for mutual respect, for The term ‘Ecumenism’ refers to efforts of
acceptance and for living in peace. different Christian Churches to develop closer relationships
and develop better understandings of their shared faith. It
The second reason – WE ARE ALL GIFTED derives from the Greek word “oikoumene,” meaning “the
WITH A SENSE OF SPIRITUALITY. Every human being whole inhabited world,” is the promotion of cooperation
has a spiritual sense, a sense of the divine – expressed in and unity among Christians. Jesus Christ founded one
different ways according to different faith traditions. Even Church and, in the midst of his Passion, prayed, “That they
Non-believers are gifted with this sense as evidenced by may all be one.” (John 17:21) In fidelity to that, the
recent advances in neural and cognitive science which Catholic Church takes part in an ecumenical movement
support the idea that the spiritual or the sacred is seeking visible unity among the diversity of Christian
fundamental to human experience and flourishing. Churches and ecclesial communities.
Spirituality is the entry point of dialogue and through inter-
religious dialogue, we could share stories on how our
PURPOSE OF ECUMENISM
experiences on divine love, our spirituality, promotes
attitudes that move us to action towards the attainment of The Catholic Church’s ecumenical movement
truly began with the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on
shared values such as justice and lasting peace.
Ecumenism, (Unitatis Redintegratio) In this document, the
Council Fathers recognize that a divided Christianity is a
The third reason for Inter-religious Dialogue is
scandal to the world and that the movement of the Holy
based on the universal principle that WE HAVE A
Spirit was calling for the restoration of unity. Underlying
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COMMON
the Catholic Church’s pursuit of ecumenism is the
GOOD. Pope Francis believes that our capacity to work
recognition that despite the separation, “some and even we deviate off course. So love must be the motivation why
very many of the significant elements and endowments we do anything. As the beautiful saying goes “There is no
which together go to build up and give life to the Church greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend”.
itself, can exist outside the visible boundaries of the The kind of perfect love that Christ showed to us, is the
Catholic Church” (Unitatis Redintegratio, 3). Thus, it can same love that he wants us to practice for one another.
even be said that the Church’s pursuit of ecumenism is However, because we are coming from different religions
another way of expressing her radical catholicity or Agape Love is expressed in a varied form. But the essence
universality. of Agape love remained to be as it is no matter what
religion one may belong, that is to serve God and one
The Church’s ecumenical vision was further another.
clarified in Pope Saint John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical Ut
Unum Sint (That They May Be One), which recognized
these elements as the imperfect realization of unity that AGAPE LOVE IN JUDAISM:
already exists in Jesus Christ as part of the one Church of AGAPE LOVE IN JUDAISM
Christ. The unity of Christians is understood as the
manifestation of their communion with God the Father Agape lies at the very foundations of the Jewish
through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. Ecumenical faith. The book of Genesis affirms that God pronounced all
dialogue, the search for full, visible unity is thus essential creation “GOOD”. It states that all human beings have been
to the Christian life: “This unity, which the Lord has created in the image and likeness of God. Agape seems the
bestowed on his Church and in which he wishes to embrace only appropriate response to those who bear God’s image.
all people, is not something added on, but stands at the very
heart of Christ's mission.” (Ut Unum Sint, 9). Deuteronomy 6:5 states that “You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
THE CHURCH IS ECUMENICAL and with all your might.” This reminds followers that love
toward God is essential, and that one way it is expressed is
How is the Church ecumenical? First we avoid by using one’s powers of goodness to benefit others. In
insulting other Christian groups; second, we dialogue fact, when one loves and cares for others, one is loving
honestly and participate together in serving others; and last, God.
we reflect. The Church urges Catholics to proactively
approach other Christians, and to remember that example is Early in Genesis, Cain learns a lesson intended for all—that
the best witness. Perhaps this means that when you pass a we are our “brother’s keeper,”even when it seems
street evangelist, you are open to conversing with them, or inconvenient. That is, human beings are responsible for the
that when the local Lutheran church is doing a food drive, welfare of others.
you offer to help.
The command to love one’s neighbor, found in the
The ecumenical movement finds its roots in book of Leviticus, is central to the Jewish faith. Several
holiness, so individual prayerfulness always comes first. A Hebrew words were used in the Torah to express the
grasp of the faith from study of it lets one present the faith concept of agape. Taken together, these words understand
clearly. If you are uncertain about what the Church teaches agape in terms of such related concepts as goodness, loving
about a particular issue or why, say so and offer to find the kindness, and mercy.
explanation. Humility is essential, for when you meet with
other Christians for dialogue you must meet them on equal BEAUTIFUL IMAGES OF AGAPE LOVE IN THE
footing. BIBLE: THE STORY OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN
JONATHAN AND DAVID
The Decree on Ecumenism recognized that the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches hold the most The author of 1 Samuel writes that “the soul of
in common, particularly sacramentally. The post- Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan
Reformation communities in their own divisions may differ loved him as his own soul”(18:1). Jonathan’s loyalties were
from the Catholic Church in more or less serious ways, but divided between his friend and his father, King Saul, who
a shared belief in Christ as the Son of God and reverence was obsessed with jealousy toward David. Jonathan chose
for Sacred Scripture are two basic components of unity for his friend. Later on, David returned the kindness by not
all. Baptism remains a sacramental bond oriented toward killing Saul when he had the opportunity.
full communion in the Eucharist. Many aspects of the daily
life of Christians also bear witness to our communion: daily Agape is also expressed in terms of God’s
prayer, community worship, Bible studies, Christian family boundless concern for the poor and the hungry.
life—as well as shared principles like justice and charity.
We have a lot to offer one another. Among the greatest legacies of Judaism has been
its focus on FULFILLING RESPONSIBILITIES and
DUTIES. Agape is not just warm feelings; it is also
AGAPE LOVE: A COMMUNAL BOND ACTION. It entails being true to the commitment made to
God, to the Ten Commandments, and to the responsibilities
TO RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY toward family and neighbor as set forth in these eternal
JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND precepts.
ISLAM
Feelings may be fleeting, but the obligations of
agape do not change. A father loves his children when he
INTRODUCTION: spends time with them even when he doesn’t always feel
The most distinctively Christian form of love is like it. Someone who feels romantically attracted to a
what we called Agape. Used by Christ to describe the love person other than his or her spouse is nevertheless morally
among the persons of the Trinity, it is also the love he obligated to remain faithful. When other people are in need,
commanded his followers to have for one another (John we are commanded to come to their aid, even though for
13:34-35). It is totally selfless love, which seeks not one's one reason or another we may not want to. In the Jewish
own advantage but only to benefit or share with another. faith, this act of kindness for its own sake is called a
mitzvah. One of the most central is the mitzvah of
It is clear that love is very central to our Tzedakah, which means charity, but also the moral
relationships. Without love, we serve another master and obligation to help others in need.
 Agape is central to the core of Judaism. Love of Christian love is not an isolated action. Rather, it
God means loving oneself and others. It means turning to is a way of life, a habit in search of constant expression. No
goodness, truth, mercy, and charity to direct our actions. time for agape is too soon. No setting for agape is
For the Jew, love of God means living an ethical life inappropriate, no recipient of agape unworthy. Such is the
according to the highest order of tradition, sharing the nature of boundless, unconditional love.
bounty, teaching the Jewish heritage to children,
controlling harsh or hurtful words, and making life sacred.
AGAPE LOVE IN ISLAM:
AGAPE LOVE IN ISLAM
AGAPE LOVE IN CHRISTIANITY:
AGAPE LOVE IN CHRISTIANITY The opening chapter of the Qur’an, in two of the
first three lines, refers to Allah as “the Merciful, the
The Bible proclaims that God is love. The main Compassionate.” Indeed, mercy and compassion are
messages and themes of Scripture revolve around God’s primary attributes of God, and followers of God are called
unconditional love for all creation. Many people cannot upon to embrace these characteristics.
escape images of God as a demanding and vengeful judge
eager to punish all who fail to live as they should. But Islam teaches that love for God is corroborated
through his actions and through his teachings, Jesus Christ through love for neighbors, and in fact all beings, and that
portrayed a different kind of God. it is impossible for those who do evil to love God. One of
the five pillars of the Islamic faith is the obligation to
AGAPE LOVE IN THE GOSPELS charity, that is, the admonition to come to the aid of the less
fortunate. The Qur’an instructs those who would follow
John 8:2-11 (The woman caught in adultery) God not only to do for others what they would have others
do for them, but to “give in full what is due from you,
When self-righteous religious leaders of Jesus’ day whether you expect or wish to receive full consideration
sought to stone to death a woman caught in the act of from the other side or not.”(Qur’an, footnote 6011, as
adultery, they no doubt thought they were acting as translated by A. Yusuf Ali). In fact, the Qur’an calls for an
representatives of God. But Jesus interceded in the annual distribution to the needy of one-fortieth, not only of
woman’s behalf and pointed to a different way. “Whoever monetary income for the year, but a number of one’s
among you is without sin,” he said, “let him cast the first possessions specified by Islamic Law.
stone”. The Bible portrays a God who loves all people: the
rich and the poor, the weak and the powerful. God’s love is SURAH 51:19 contains especially profound
unconditional. Nothing, not even behavior that falls short of insights into the nature of agape. “True charity,”
the standards established by Scripture, can prevent God “remembers not only those in need who ask, but also those
from loving all his children. who are prevented by some reason from asking.” The truly
charitable person seeks out those in need who do not or
Luke 15:1-32 (Parable of the Lost Sheep) cannot ask for help. Agape in this passage means reaching
out for others instead of waiting until they come to us, for
This particular parable reveals the LOVING they may never be able to do so. It means seeking out those
CHARACTER OF GOD focuses on a shepherd with one in need as we would search desperately for a lost pet or a
hundred sheep under his care. One of those sheep has gone valuable family heirloom.
astray and is lost. Images come to mind of a cold, dark,
rainy night and of a loving shepherd braving the elements, It is not enough to meet the material need. We
searching desperately, never quitting until the lost sheep is must meet the need in ways that affirm human dignity and
found again. The God of Christianity, like the brave pride, that minister to another person’s spirit and emotions
shepherd, will keep searching high and low for those who with special sensitivity and wisdom. Perfunctory welfare
have gone astray. God’s love will not be limited. It will programs, no matter how supposedly efficient, may be
never tire no matter how dark or cold the night. useful and necessary, but they do not represent agape
according to Islam. Rather, we are enjoined to love
But agape in the Christian context also means proactively, to go out and find those who are in need of
LOVING ENEMIES. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus mercy and compassion, and to meet their needs with special
preached, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love sensitivity, wisdom, and caring. We are called to be a voice
your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, for the voiceless, to be sensitive to unexpressed need, to
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” respond to those whose cries for help cannot be heard. In
Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, doing so, we become ambassadors of agape.
which set forth the kinds of attitudes consistent with agape:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the
pure in heart, the peacemakers. AGAPE LOVE: A COMMUNAL BOND
Luke 10:25-42 (Parable of the Good Samaritan) TO RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM
According to the parable, a Jewish man is attacked
on his way to Jericho. Two representatives of the religious INTRODUCTION:
establishment ignored him before a Samaritan finally came The tradition of agape, or unconditional love, is not exclusive
to his aid. Not only did the Samaritan rescue the man, but to any one religion. It is a major underlying principle found
he transported him to an inn and in essence said to the in religions worldwide. The concept of altruistic love is one
innkeeper, “Send me the bill. that challenges the spiritual person to "love your enemies," or
to "love without thought of return." It is a love that flows out
LESSON: With Agape love, all people are to others in the form of compassion, kindness, tenderness,
neighbors and the responsibilities of love know no limits. and charitable giving.
Jesus further illustrates the priority of agape by healing on
the Sabbath. When he did so, lawyers and Pharisees Buddhists have a path of compassion, where caring
accused him of violating religious law. But Jesus responded for others becomes the motivating force behind existence.
in essence that agape trumps religious custom. No time is a Hindus have a branch of yoga, the heart-centered path, that
wrong time to heal, to love. leads to enlightenment through an overwhelming love for
God that takes the form of loving all of humanity. Eastern
religions, such as Taoism and Confucianism, see one becomes more like God, and agape follows as a natural
transcendent love as an essential part of true wisdom. consequence.

AGAPE LOVE IN HINDUISM: THUS IN HINDUISM, SPIRITUALITY IS A

AGAPE LOVE IN HINDUISM TWO-WAY PATH. THE DESIRE TO LOOK INWARD
INEVITABLY PRODUCES OUTWARD
The Hindu religion provides the ultimate MANIFESTATION OF SELFLESS LOVE FOR ALL
rationale for the ethic prescribed by the Golden Rule, for it CREATION – AGAPE.
teaches that all reality is ultimately one in being and in
function. Hinduism speaks of the self, or soul (Atman). It AGAPE LOVE IN BUDDHISM:
also speaks of Brahman as being the ultimate principle of AGAPE LOVE IN BUDDHISM
the universe.
The religion of Buddhism itself was born out of
The fundamental religious conviction that agape, out of a willingness to sacrifice on behalf of the
Brahman is Atman, or that the self is ultimately inseparable suffering people of the world. The history of Buddhism can
from the whole, lays a firm foundation for agape in the be traced to the life of Siddhartha Gautama (563-483
Hindu context. Because all human beings are in some sense B.C.E.). He was born a prince and reared in luxury. He
one, and indeed because all of creation is one, the only way lived in a palace with a beautiful wife and son. He had all
to treat others is with respect, kindness, justice, and the material wealth for which any reasonable person could
compassion. ask. But none of that could fulfill his desire to live a life
full of meaning and purpose.
Hinduism has contributed to the world an
emphasis on inner consciousness, illumination, attaining to Legend has it that one day upon venturing forth
higher levels of spirituality. Hindu spirituality recognizes from his palace Gautama encountered a beleaguered,
that there is meaning beyond the individual self and beyond trembling old man. On another day he witnessed someone
material possessions and earthly pleasures. This emphasis lying by the roadside, overcome by disease. On yet another
does not come at the expense of agape, but rather as a day he saw a corpse. From that point on, wealth and
supplement to it. Indeed, most branches of Hinduism teach comfort no longer mattered to him. All his thoughts and
high moral principles. The moral law contained within the energies turned toward solving the world’s problems of
Mahabharata emphasizes kindness to all creatures. Thus, disease, suffering, and death.
agape can be viewed as a natural course of action for those
operating at a high level of spirituality. Leaving his comfortable life behind, he sought
answers in a life of asceticism, abandoning all earthly
The Hindu holy text, the Bhagavad-Gita, teaches pleasures for the simplest of lives. This led only to futility
that those seeking ultimate spiritual freedom are and did nothing to solve the problems of humanity with
characterized by such qualities as compassion and which he was concerned. But as we will see, his search did
generosity. This holy book, although a treatise on war, not end there.
encourages striving for a higher level of spirituality with
such qualities as compassion, generosity, and nonviolence. The Buddhist Pali Canon, considered Scripture by
some branches of Buddhism, teaches that prior to his
Perhaps no person has exemplified the relationship becoming the Buddha, Gautama lived many lives as a
between deep spirituality and agape more than Mohandas bodhisattva, someone destined to be a Buddha, but not yet.
Gandhi. After becoming a victim of racial prejudice while Those lives were characterized primarily by acts of charity
living in South Africa, he was not content merely to defend and self-denial. Stories and legends related to the Buddha
himself. cite compassion as Gautama’s all-consuming motive.

He turned to a life of prayer, fasting, and Gautama became the Buddha following his
asceticism as he developed his political and social enlightenment, that is, his full understanding of ultimate
philosophy which eventually found expression in the reality, of the purpose and destinies of all living beings, and
practice of satyagraha. of the guiding principles of the universe. At that point, he
could have retired from the world, but instead, out of
SATYAGRAHA - is the idea of nonviolent compassion for the world, he went about sharing his truth,
resistance (fighting with peace) started by Mohandas though few would understand. This suggests that followers
Karamchand Gandhi (also known as "Mahatma" Gandhi). of Buddhism are not passive recipients of esoteric religious
truth, but active participants in the effort to rid the world of
Satyagraha included an element of bhakti yoga, ignorance and suffering.
which is the way of loving devotion to God. Gandhi called
upon his followers to view their actions as an offering of Some have likened the Buddha to a great
their bodies and souls to God. The most profound feature of physician dedicated to curing the disease of duhkha, or
satyagraha is the one that most reveals the presence of suffering. This is reflected in the Four Noble Truths that lie
agape. Gandhi taught that the ultimate goal was not to at the foundation of Buddhist belief.
remove the burden from the oppressed, but to change the
very hearts and minds of the oppressor. This represents The Buddhist religious tradition focuses heavily
unlimited, unconditional love and reflects the Hindu on the goal of overcoming ignorance through
philosophy that all people, even our enemies, are a part of ENLIGHTENMENT. IGNORANCE is defined in terms of
the same ultimate reality. self-aggrandizement, the pursuit of selfish desires, and the
attachment to the things of the world. Thus, it is the root of
The utility of satyagraha makes sense in light of evil and misery in the world.
the sociological research that many victimizers in society—
those who steal or kill, who abuse emotionally or The Buddhist understands enlightenment in terms
physically—were once themselves victims of physical or of karuna, or loving kindness, out of which comes the
emotional abuse or neglect. commitment to seek the welfare of all humanity. This is the
will of the deity, according to Buddhist teaching, and in the
AGAPE calls for an end to the CYCLE OF deity all human beings are united.
VIOLENCE. Hindu context, agape is a byproduct of bhakti
yoga, the realization of God through love. In pursuing God,
 Hence, in simple terms, AGAPE LOVE IS Today in an age of unprecedented opportunity for
CLEARLY SHOWN in qualities such as Compassionate, peace and prosperity, societies around the world are instead
caring, full of love, ready to sacrifice selfish desire for the experiencing self-centered stress and social pathology.
sake of others. And these are the values humanity needs to Something is clearly wrong. The Taoist concept of agape
learn. begins with an effort to address what is wrong.

AGAPE LOVE: A COMMUNAL BOND To the Taoist, addressing what is wrong is not so
much a question of efficient problem solving as it is a
TO RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY matter of the heart. Despite all our so-called progress,
CONFUCIANISM AND TAOISM humanity in general is missing something. We are still
fighting the universe instead of seeking to understand and
INTRODUCTION: work within its ebb and flow.
Taoism originated from the writings of a Chinese
philosopher named Lao Tzu, who was born approximately We are out of sync with the Tao, “the way,”. The
604 B.C.E. These writings were collected in a slim volume world benefits from invention, faster airplanes, more
called the Tao Te Ching, translated as The Way and the efficient technology. The Taoist is more concerned with
Power. An older contemporary of Confucius, Lao Tzu inner peace and contentment. The way of the world is such
advocated a simple, peaceful, unassertive life based on the that many don’t care whom they trample upon on their way
Tao. As a religion, Taoism teaches how to live life wisely to fame and fortune. The devout Taoist tramples on no one
—by not pursuing senseless activity, conflict, and because fame and fortune are irrelevant pursuits. Material
dissipation of energy. things are superficial; the Taoist quest is a selfless one.

Confucianism was developed in China by Master To the Taoist, ATTITUDE and BEHAVIOR are
Kong in 551-479 BC, who was given the name Confucius integrated. Proper actions—AGAPE—flow naturally and
by Jesuit missionaries who were visiting there. However, spontaneously from lives grounded in the Tao, from people
the fundamental principles of Confucianism began before who are at peace with the universe and thus with
his birth, during the Zhou Dynasty. It is the Confucianism themselves.
that many people are familiar with today. As a religion,
Confucianism solidly grounded its teachings on the concept Taoist values include “almost reverential attitude
of building character by means of Jen which roughly toward humility,” an attitude that “led Taoists to honor
translated as goodness/charity where Agape love is hunchbacks and cripples because of the way they typified
anchored. meekness and self-effacement.”

Agape in the Taoist context includes a strong

AGAPE LOVE IN CONFUCIANISM:
opposition to violence and a high view of the natural world.
AGAPE LOVE IN CONFUCIANISM
The Taoist would befriend or attune with the natural world
rather than dominate it. One might wonder how many wars
Confucius built his teachings around the concept
were started because of unresolved personal conflicts in the
of JEN. Translated as “virtue,” “goodness,” “charity,” or
lives of powerful men and women. Taoist values implore us
“love,” jen is often considered to be Confucianism’s
to slow down, reevaluate, reconsider what is truly
expression of agape.
important and valuable to us, and finally to realign our lives
accordingly.
The word JEN is formed from the Chinese
characters for “humanity” and “two.” This reinforces the
This journey of inner development, a type of yogic
fundamental ideal of Jen, namely, that love finds
process, is intended to remove selfish motives and return to
expression in the context of human relationships. Confucius
pure thoughts and actions. When one is going with the flow
focused specifically on five relationships: governmental,
of the universe, rather than resistant to it, true agape may
parental, conjugal, fraternal, and friendship. Many have
extend to all who come in contact with the person who
noted that of the five, three concern the family.
radiates pure, unlimited love.
This does not mean that the love shared by
siblings, or by parent and child, or husband and wife is
more important than love for humanity in general. Rather,
Confucianism would hold that all forms of love are
inseparable, part of the same fabric. In other words, there is
a relationship between the way we treat our families and
the way we treat our neighbors.

Some people treat love as if it is a quantity that

can be exhausted. They are careful not to use it up, not to
love others for fear there will be none left for family and
friends. But AGAPE IS UNLIMITED. It cannot be “used
up.” In fact, to Confucius it was quite the opposite: the
more we love, the more capable we become of loving.

AGAPE LOVE IN TAOISM:

AGAPE LOVE IN TAOISM

Taoists philosophy developed into mastering the

use of energy, called CH’I. Martial arts, Chinese medicine,
and a unique form of meditation grew out of this way of
thinking. By mastering a quiet mind, detached from self-
serving motives and senseless activity, the ch’i could flow
freely into the practitioner. One who learned to quiet the
mind literally could become a catalyst for good and for
change by the moral and mystical power that was present.