The Concept of Wisdom in Judaism and Confucius - Essay Example

The Concept of Wisdom in Judaism and Confucius The search for the knowledge of God in Judaism is a life long process where wisdom is a trait belonging to God. The Jewish person comes to know God through a personal relationship with God. In Confucianism wisdom indicates an understanding of the relationship of the whole; the Heavens, the Earth and Humanity. To Jews wisdom applies to God and not to mankind. Humans are to endeavor to be like God, Imitatio Dei, which hold a central place in the religious and ethnic philosophies of Judaism. (Shapiro, 1971 pg 1) The concept of Imitatio Dei is not exclusive to Judaism as it arises in many religions and the Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. For Aristotle the acts of the Gods had to be contemplative since they did not engage in acts of justice or bravery, where as Plato thought that imitating the Gods included both ethical and political values. In Judaism Imitatio Dei is centered on ethical values and striving to be the best that humans can be, not wise like God, because wisdom is what God used to create the world. Wisdom is the search for the knowledge of God (Shapiro 1971 pg 3). This idea is related in Genesis. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the Heavens. By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the skies drop down the dew. How manifold are Thy works, O Lord! In wisdom hast thou made them all. According to the Pentateuch, the knowledge of God is the fruit of wisdom and a faithful path toward Imitatio Dei. Knowledge of God in Judaism is tied to the instructions God gave to Moses. The Israelites were captured because they had no knowledge of God, that is, they did not follow the rules Yahweh handed down to Moses. The Torah in Jewish tradition is thought of as the earthly representation of God's wisdom. In Proverbs it states that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the All-Holy is understanding. True wisdom is the pursuit if the knowledge of God and all other goals serve only to be wise to other humans or oneself. Man can search for God's wisdom by reading Torah since Torah is the reflections of God's knowledge. David Shapiro makes an interesting observation when he points out that Israel avoids the pagan ideas of actually gaining the wisdom of a deity and becoming a God because the pagans subscribed to the belief. In Genesis 9:6 the Bible does say that man was created in the image of God, but that aspect is not mentioned again after that chapter and verse. While pagans strove to become Gods, Jews strove for the knowledge of God, a fundamental difference. This may also be a reaction to information in Genesis that wisdom is a quality of Satan. The snake talked Eve into eating from the Tree of Knowledge, thus becoming "wise" and knowing good and evil like God. In Judaism the limitations of man's knowledge contrasts with the pagan goal of actually gaining God's wisdom. In the pursuit of Imitatio Dei it was necessary to build God's dwelling place on earth. The Tabernacle, and later, the Temple served as the Imago Mundi, God's house on earth. This was the start of wisdom being incorporated into architecture, sacred geometry of a meta-physical nature. In the Jewish religion then God had a sacred book and a sacred house on earth. The Talmud as interpreted by Raba of Babylonia, states that wisdom is repentance combined with good deeds. One should not spend hours reading Torah then disrespect his parents and elders. This notion maintains the hierarchy sanctioned in the Torah where one's own wisdom is a reflection of superiors. Judaism began with humans having direct contact with God. Abraham founded the one God religion and Moses accepted the Covenant and the rules of following Yahweh. This one on one relationship is an on going central part of Judaism. Confucius lived around 550 to 480 B.C.E. in the Zhou Dynasty. The name is the Latinized version of Kong fu-zi or Master Kong (Nadeau pg 1). He is one of China's most important philosophers and is known as the First Thinker. The body of his works is called Lun-yu and referred to in English as the Analects, a collection of sayings 49 chapters long. The Zhous Dynasty was an era filled with civil war and strife. Confucius wanted to be a political advisor at a time when China was ravaged by feuding states much like medieval France and the Emperor was rendered powerless. Assassinations fear and starvation motivated Confucius to become a shi. The shi was educated and wandered the country presenting themselves to various lords offering their skills in political administration, military strategy, ethics and debate. They were independent agents who could leave if leaders did not follow their advice. The Shi were known as Renaissance men dedicated to the restoration of peace and order (Nadeau pg 2). Confucius failed in politics because his standards were too high and idealistic for the time period, but as a teacher and philosopher he would influence humanity for centuries. He would accept anyone as a student if they could pass a simple test. Confucius would show them one corner of a square and if the person could find the other three corners he would teach them. Anyone could elevate themselves by self cultivation. The Analects reflect some of the same ideas as the Torah in that he respected the ancient wisdom. "I transmit but do not create. I put my trust in my love for antiquity" (Confucius). In Confucianism Tian is Heaven or Destiny, a cosmic, moral and spiritual power. Dao is The Way ordained by Heaven, a proper way of life. Centuries later, a Jew named Jesus would call his path to righteousness, The Way with similar goals as Confucius. Not surprising when both were born into a world of political upheaval with the Chinese emperor being powerless like the Jewish king. Confucius aspired to be a Jun-zi, a superior man or nobleman, but did not feel that he attained that level. The Jun-zi focus on benefiting others, and in performing public duty, while the ordinary man finds his satisfaction in personal gain. The lack of a formalized dogma led to conflicting ideas regarding human nature and the interpretation of Confucius' ideas. However, Judaism has a long history of study and debate over the scriptures, so even if Confucius had prescribed rules like the Ten Commandments, there would have still been commentary and debate concerning his writings. Some of his sayings are reputed to be "cryptic", but may be taken out of context (Lo, 174) Much of the Torah can be mysterious as well simply because some of the original meaning has been lost through time. While Confucius was very concerned with morality, he did not specify details unlike Judaism where nearly every aspect of human life is regulated. Still, the Jun-zi exhibited many characteristics of righteous men, such as loving others and trying to render aid, without having read the Torah. "There is one central idea that runs through all my teachings-love men" (Confucius). The Confucius scholar, Menicius (372-289 B.C.E), concluded that man was naturally compassionate and not self serving. Menicius considered Confucius to a sage king that comes only every five hundred years. His contemporary, Hsun-tzu decided the complete opposite in that man is selfish and so inherently evil (Rogers, pg 2). In many ways, Confucius did have dogma in the volumes of sayings and concepts he developed. The fact that different interpretations have generated over time is expected with any philosophy. The other major teachings of Confucius are, Yi- Duty, obligation, sense of right and wrong li- (1)ritual, ceremonies (2) propriety, politeness ren- kindness, co-humanity, benevolence, will to do good zhong- loyalty, doing one's best shu- altruism, reciprocity xiao- filial piety: obeying your parents' will (Nadeau pg 1) Aristotle and Confucius agree in that inherent goodness lies in the fulfillment of a thing's nature. The goodness is determined by how well the being reaches its potential. Confucianism is not about denying human nature but embracing it to obtain perfect virtue (Rogers, pg 3) Both Judaism and Confucianism teach unity between people, honor for parents, and love for a spouse, but Jews believe this unity is working toward the knowledge of God. Confucius thought that the Heavens. Earth and humanity were all part of a whole and it was up to humans to perfect this relationship. Tianren heyi is the harmonious oneness of Heaven and humanity and central to Confucianism (Yao, pg 140). In both concepts wisdom is an on going process, but with Judaism it is more personal between a person and God. With Confucius, humans are a part of a whole. He believed in living among all people, where Jews remained separate as demanded by the Torah in Leviticus 11:44. "Make yourselves Holy (separate) because I am Holy." However, Jews were also commanded to be compassionate and gracious, which agrees with the concept of Ren-kindness, a will to do good. The Analects resemble the wisdom books of the Torah like Proverbs. Rather than a book full of sayings or advice, both are statements of truth learned though experience. "One must bring the maxim to the situation to determine its fit" (Clifford, pg 6). Much of the wisdom in both Confucius' works and the Torah require the ability to adjust the meaning to modern times. Not literal advice, but truthful statements. A major difference between Judaism and Confucianism is the confrontational aspect of Judaism. The Hebrew God is one who argues with humans such as Abraham, Moses and Job. The argumentation, according to Talmud, reflects that the opinions of the minority and the dissent are highly valued (Frank, pg 4). Humans are argumentative because they are made in God's image and debate is a part of understanding what God expects from humans. Both philosophies adhere to a moral education, but for different reasons. Confucius believed that by studying ethics society could be restored to its former values of peace and order, thereby following the way to Heaven. Judaism cherishes education and studying Torah because it is God's wisdom represented on Earth. It is a path to the knowledge of God. Confucianism and Judaism agree that study must be paired with good deeds. The teaching methods of Confucius echo that of future rabbis who posed questions or told stories and then expected an interpretation from their students. The concept of wisdom is different in Judaism and Confucianism in that for one it is an individual journey to find the knowledge of God, a one on one with the Creator and in the latter wisdom is found in the unity of Heaven and humanity. To Confucius it was up to humans to perfect the arrangement by loving others and trying to benefit them, thus wisdom is obtained. Compassion and charity are also a part of Judaism, but it is commanded by the Torah, not a choice. Peace and order will not be restored to the Israelites until God's law is obeyed and the knowledge of God cannot be found until the Torah is understood and followed. Judaism is based on Imitatio Dei, imitating God to discover the knowledge of God, but actually gaining the wisdom of God. Wisdom can be acquired in Confucianism through study and listening to the teaching parents, elders and the ancients. While the two philosophies differ in fundamental ways, the outcomes are similar. Both advocate charity, peace, obedience to parents, education and spousal love. Wisdom is different for Judaism and Confucianism, but the paths cross many times on the journey to finding that knowledge. Works Cited No author. " Maimonides was the Greatest Medieval Jewish philosopher." The Jewish Gates-The Definitive Source for Talmudic Learning. No date. Accessed April 22, 2006, Frank, David A. "Arguing with God-Talmudic Discourse, and the Jewish Countermodel: Implications for the Study of Argumentation." Argumentation and Advocacy. Vol. 41 (2004). Shapiro, David S. "Wisdom and Knowledge of God in Biblical and Talmudic Thought." Tradition. Vol. 12, #2 Fall (1971). Nadeau, Randall. Translator. "Introduction and Selections from the Analects." Trinity. Accessed April 23, 2006 http://www.trinity.edu/rnadeau/Chinese%20Religions/Lunyu.htm Keung Lo, Yuet. "Confucius Analects: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries." China Review International. Vol. 11, #2 (2004) Yao, Xinzhong. An Introduction to Confucianism. Cambridge, England. Cambridge University Press. 2000 pg 139. Rogers, Gerald F. "Confucius, the First 'Teacher of Humanism" Free Inquiry. Vol. 12, #2 (1993). Clifford, Richard J. The Book of Proverbs and Our Search for Wisdom. Milwaukee, Read More