Eastern Philosophy

Final Exam Study Sheet

Exam: Thursday, May 14: 10:15am-12:15pm

Short Answer section. The following list of terms is to help you to prepare for the short answer section of the final. There will be 12 short answer questions, of which you are to answer 10 (4 points each).

The Book of Mencius Yang Chu Chapter (neg. Taoism)

Differences of development Wang Pi (non-being)

Vital force (and will) Kuo Hsiang (being)

Learning Buddhism to China

Mandate of Heaven (5 theories) Chi-tsang (emptiness school)

Sage two levels of truth

Tao-te Ching Hsuan-tsang (consciousness only)

Wu-wei Flower Garland School (Fa-tsang)

Being and non-Being Pure Land Buddhism (Amitabha)

Chuang Tzu Parable of the White Path

The Great Teacher Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism

Not to lean forward or backward Hui-neng

Tao Koans

Life and Death (in Taoism) neo-Confucian critique of Buddhism

Wang Ch’ung Saicho

Spontaneity Kukai

Amida (Japanese Pure Land Buddhism) Nichiren

Essay Question. Two of the following three topics will be on the final. You will be required to write on one of the two (60 points).

1.  The neo-Confucian Mencius, unlike Confucius, was quite explicit in his arguments in defense of the goodness of human nature. Despite believing that all are good, Mencius nonetheless continued within the Confucian tradition of accepting hierarchies and differences of ability and status among people. How does Mencius reconcile these two tendencies towards the universal goodness of human beings and the differential status and ranking of human beings? In the context of this discussion, bring in the importance of learning for Mencius.

2.  When Buddhism was first introduced into China in the third century AD, its teachings were not entirely in agreement with key aspects of Chinese culture, including most especially the already established intellectual traditions of Confucianism and Taoism. In this essay, discuss how Buddhism was able to overcome this initial resistance and how it adopted to the Chinese philosophical tradition by converging with them in key respects. In your discussion, refer to these areas of convergence by discussing at least two of the Chinese Buddhists we covered in class (though you can refer to more).

3.  Kukai’s Esoteric Buddhism is often referred to as a syncretic Buddhism in that it attempts to bring together what it sees as the best elements of many other traditions, including Confucianism and Taoism. Kukai’s philosophy is also distinctively Japanese (or at least this can be argued). In this essay show how Kukai’s Buddhism combines other traditions – be specific and give details. How as well is Kukai’s philosophy distinctively Japanese, or not? Explain.