East Religion (Daoism, Bushido, Confucianism, Shintoism) - Essay Example

6 Apr. A principle of Daoism is that all things are connected and humans are part of nature. Additionally, humans need to blend in with nature and not concentrate too much on controlling it. What is your opinion of this idea? Do you think it could fit in other religions you know? I do not think this principle of Daoism is practicable at all, even if it is considered rational. Man is purely the most superior of all creatures in the nature. Nature has blessed man with much more brain than it has given to other creatures that from part of it.

Man has achieved control over other things by making use of his brain. So the decision originally was made by nature itself, though I totally believe that man should be very prudent in his use of the nature, and should only try to improve the environment for other creatures to live in. I also do not think that this principle of Daoism is consistent with the teachings of other religions. Accordingly, it can not fit in other religions. For example, Islam tells its believers to slaughter Halal animals.

That is essentially controlling those animals. Discuss Bushido. Does it make sense? Bushido is a term that describes a Japanese code of conduct that the samurai have been complying with since the feudal medieval era. The term was first introduced in the last years of the 19th century. Bushido places emphasis on such measures of nobility as obedience, loyalty, self-sacrifice and honor. Bushido is essentially Japanese samurai’s traditional code (Ellis-Christensen) that stresses upon self discipline and promotes simple living.

Japanese were taught to follow the teachings of Bushido. Japanese were required to show full respect and dedication to their family and the ruler. Yes, Bushido fundamentally promotes the principles of ethics. Simplicity in every matter of life is indeed, the ultimate solution of the worries of the present age. So, it makes sense. However, on some aspects, Bushido favors extremism and loses sense. For example, if someone does something wrong, he should commit suicide according to Bushido to save the name of the family he belongs to.

This is wrong! Take one principle of Confucianism. Describe it and discuss it. Confucianism believes that it is important for an individual to live with a code of ethics. Confucianism encourages people to inculcate sound and good ethical values in themselves before pointing fingers towards others. Everyone should identify mistakes in himself/herself and correct them. Confucianism holds the belief that if everyone conducted the self assessment in this way, the society would improve on the scale of morality as a whole.

This practice would not only keep the people from getting into the useless blame game they normally do, but also improve their moral standing. Shintoism, the traditional religion of Japan, is very old. Why do you think the very popular Japanese Buddhism has not replaced it? The beliefs of Shintoism have been so deeply cultivated and ingrained in the Japanese people, that they have become a necessary part of the culture of Japan. That is the most fundamental reason why Buddhism has not been able to replace Shintoism.

Most of the Japanese who embraced Buddhism from time to time never spared their beliefs that originated in Shintoism. In fact, Buddhism in Japan was never introduced in its original color. It was blended with Shintoism, and was adapted according to Shintoism, so the two religions would live together. Works Cited: Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. “What are the Seven Virtues?” 2011. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. .