Eastern Philosophy vs Western Philosophy

Issues	Eastern Philosophy	Western Philosophy
Main Schools	Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Integral Yoga, Islam, Taoism, Zen	Christianity**, Rational, Scientific, Logical schools
Main Principles	Cosmological unity Life is a journey towards eternal realities that are beyond the realities that surround us Circular view of the universe, based on the perception of eternal recurrence Inner-world dependent Self-liberation from the false "Me" and finding the true "Me" Behavioral ethics	Feeling oneself as an element of the Divine Life is a service (to the God, money, business, etc.) Linear view of the universe and life, based on the Christian philosophy where everything has its beginning and the end. Outer-world dependent Self-dedication to the goal (life vision, success, happiness, etc.)
The "Me" concept	Eternal reality of the universal truth: self-liberation through getting rid of the false "Me" and discovering the true "Me"	"Me" is here and now. The true “Me” in every human being is a part of the Divine that need to become apparent. True “Me” is given and doesn’t have to be cognizable.
Search for Absolute Truth	Systemic approach – all events in the universe are interconnected Searching inside yourself – by becoming a part of the universe through meditation and right living "Though he should live a hundred years, not seeing the Truth Sublime; yet better, indeed, is the single day's life of one who sees the Truth Sublime." ~ Buddha	More focused on individual events and the role of the person Searching outside yourself - through research and analysis "The truth that survives is simply the lie that is pleasantest to believe." ~ H.L.Mencken
Search for Truth & Fundamental Research	The truth is given is does not to have be proved. The philosophic base for and culture of fundamental research is weaker.	The truth needs to be proven. The philosophic base for and culture of fundamental research is stronger
Future	Your future is determined by your deeds today. "Study the past if you would like to divine the future." ~ Confucius	Your future is unknown, it was predetermined by God and is not much influenced by your deeds. "You can never plan the future by the past." ~ Edmund Burke
Beliefs and Values	The true key is inside. The inner world of a human being and his or her ability to control and develop it is of the highest value. The way to the top is inside yourself, through self-development. "The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell." ~ Confucius "By chasing desires you will meet only the outer surface." ~ Lao Tzu	The main values are success and achievement. These that can be achieved in many ways, but rarely through developing inner strength. The majority of success and achievement criteria have an external nature (money, faith, popularity, etc.). The way to the top is through active outside intervention. "Happiness lies in virtuous activity, and perfect happiness lies in the best activity, which is contemplative." ~ Aristotle
Individualism / Collectivism	A human being is an integral part of the universe and the society. People are fundamentally connected. Duty towards all others is a very important matter. Collectivism is stronger.	A human being has an individualistic nature and is an independent part of the universe and the society. Individualism is stronger.
Improvement / Evolution	Cyclic development, hence improvement is a never ending journey that has no limits.	Linear development, hence improvement has a goal. Development stops when the goal is reached.
Passion & Venturing	Entrepreneurial creativity and venturing is contained by the habit to control one's passions. "Desires are the cause of suffering. If desire, which lies at the route of all human passion, can be removed, then passion will die out and all human suffering will be ended." ~ Buddhism "Vain indeed is all overweening pride in the conquest even of the entire universe if one has not conquered one's own passions." ~ Sri Aurobindo	Entrepreneurial venturing is encouraged emotionally. "Nothing is ever achieved by reasonable men." – J Fred Bucy of Texas Instruments "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm... Always do what you are afraid to do... Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson "If you want to succeed, you have to forge new paths and avoid borrowed ones." ~ John Rockfeller
Achievement & Winning	Winning is inside yourself. "Though he should conquer a thousand men in the battlefield a thousand times, yet he, indeed, who would conquer himself is the noblest victor." ~ Buddha "He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty." ~ Lao Tzu "The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self." – Mohammad	Winning is outside yourself. "You're not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi." ~ Roger Moore "Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one stop of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified." ~ Samuel Johnson "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."
Implementation	Spiritual and missionary approach. "To create and develop without any feelings of ownership, to work and guide without any expectation and control, is the best quality" ~ Lao Tzu To achieve self-liberation and nirvana you need to perform your duties without expecting any reward for it. ~ Vedanta, Hinduism "Action can be achieved by inaction, where the result is achieved by "Not-Me" ~ Zen	Pragmatic and emotional approach. "The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play." ~ Arnold Toynbee "Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinary well." ~ Henry David Thoreau "Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution." ~ Brian Tracy
Goals & Key to Success	Spiritual "Virtuous life and adherence to performing your duties." ~ Confucianism "The Three Armies can be deprived of their commanding officer, but even a common man cannot be deprived of his purpose." ~ Confucius "If you really want everything, then give up everything." ~ Lao Tzu "He is able who thinks he is able." ~ Buddha	Materialistic "The secret of success in life, and subsequently of making money, is to enjoy your work. If you do, nothing is hard work – no matter how many hours you put in." ~ Sir Billy Butlin "Success is that old ABC – ability, breaks and courage." ~ Charles Luckman "Flaming enthusiasm, backed by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success." – Dale Carnegie
Living Principles	Virtue "Be satisfied with whatever you have, and enjoy the same. When you come to know that you have everything, and you are not short of anything, then the whole world will be yours." ~ Lao Tzu "The thought manifests as the word; The word manifests as the deed; The deed develops into habit; And habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care, And let it spring from love born out of concern for all beings." ~ Buddha	Ethic "Refrain from doing ill; for one all powerful reason, lest our children should copy our misdeeds; we are all to prone to imitate whatever is base and depraved." ~ Juvenal "There is no real excellence in all this world which can be separated from right living." ~ David Starr Jordan
Establishing Control Over Your Emotions	Through meditation A man can separate his/her mind from his/her emotions and control them. ~ Taoism	Through analysis "I can control my passions and emotions if I can understand their nature." ~ Spinosa
Leadership	Spiritual; walking behind people; silence is golden. "In order to guide people, the leader must put himself behind them. Thus when he is ahead they feel no hurt." ~ Lao Tzu	Hands-on; walking ahead of people; speech is golden. "Leadership is done from in front. Never ask others to do what you, if challenged, would not be willing to do yourself." ~ Xenophon

 

 

A Kiwi's view of India Year 2001

 

 I am now in Hyderabad

in a reasonably nice hotel that even has its own ISDN connection (if that

surprises you, don't forget that I am in the heart of one of India's IT

capitals)

So... here goes...

Well, where do I start? India is such a fascinating, diverse, sad,

beautiful, spiritual, old, mysterious and moving place that it is difficult

to begin to describe it.

I think the most significant feeling that I am left with after being here

for a week is that we are all deeply privileged to live where we live and

have what we have. The standard of living here is so low - and of course

there are (few) exceptions. Poverty is rife, people beg for money or food on

the streets - many (and I am tempted to say most...) people live in houses

or shacks that we would probably not even store our lawnmowers in.

To quote some facts: India is (I think now) the world's most populous nation

with 1.2 billion people. They are packed into a land area just over one

third of the size of the USA (which has 350m people). Only 18 million people

have telephones, 40% of the population have no sanitary facilities. The

infant mortality rate is approx. 10 times that of NZ. Only 4% of the

population is over 65 (life expectancy is a mere 62 years). Approx. one

third of the entire nation is too poor to afford an adequate diet. The

average income is so low - fewer than 5% of the population earns more than

NDZ$6,000 p.a. - and my informal nosy questions revealed that an employee in

a small phone shack would earn approx. Rs 800 per month (NZD$45), an

agricultural worker Rs 1000 (NZD$56) and a taxi driver approx. Rs 1500

(NZD$84). Another interesting fact is literacy: Only 52& of Indians can

read/write. In NZ it is 99%. (some sources: CIA world fact book 2000)

My first impressions of India were significant. I was driving in a little

taxi from Mumbai (Bombay) airport to the hotel. The streets were (almost

literally) paved with homeless people, lying on cardboard or the bare

concrete. Hundreds of wild dogs were everywhere, the smell was pervasive -

not revolting (like Bangkok can be) - but pretty 'high' all the same!

Cattle roam the streets, the roads are a cacophony of push-bikes,

cattle-drawn carts, mopeds, cars, motorbikes, buses and trucks. Needless to

say the drivers are totally rabid and dodge in and out in a completely

terrifying manner. And I thought the drivers in Rio were bad! Aaaaaagh!

The most noticeable habit among the drivers (apart from suicidal

tendencies...) is a common language based on the horn. Even as I sit here

writing in my hotel room (in Hyderabad), the horns are incessant outside...

they use the horns to say "I'm passing you", "I'm coming up behind you and

you are going too slow", "I'm cutting you off", "I'm a totally crazy driver,

so get out of the way", "I'm just plain nuts" and so on.

My first few days was spent taking a few days of well-earned r&r in Goa, a

beach resort area on the south east coast of the continent, an hour's flight

south from Mumbai. The Goan beaches are just gorgeous, golden

crunchy-squeaky sand and seas of swaying palm trees. The vegetation is lush,

it is like one huge Pacific island! I ate seafood curries in tiny little

roadside cafes (sorry - shacks) to my gastrointestinal peril (actually, I

was fine...). I sunbathed and swam in the Arabian Sea. I'm happy to report

that I am now quite brown!

Goa is very interesting, historically because it was occupied by the

Portuguese in the 16th century (guessing a bit as to the exact date... I

will have to read up on it...) and there are (surprisingly for me) lots and

lots of Christians (the Portuguese don't really ask, as most of you will

know...). I believe there are more Christians here than anywhere else in

India. Portuguese is still a very prevalent language, with approx. one fifth

of the population still speaking it. It is dying, however, as it is only an

option at school now.

I was invited for dinner by an Indian family who live in Margao, a small

city (of shacks!) situated in inland Goa. When I travel, I really like to do

the opposite things to tourists, so I catch the local buses, eat in the

local's cafes and so I welcomed the chance to eat with some "real" people. I

took a huge bunch (literally an armful) of flowers (which cost $17) and was

greeted at the door and shown into an amazing, huge stone house which must

have been 150 years old or more. There were probably 8 massive rooms

furnished with hand-carved antiques, the rooms encircling a central lush

garden. I concluded that these must be some of the most wealthy people in

that area. As it happened, the family owns lots of copra producing land and

has been there for literally centuries. I was served a beautiful,

traditional Goan meal of spicy prawns, thick meat curry and some local wine

(no comment on the wine...) at a huge dining table by their servants

(!!!!!). We talked history, politics, economics of the nation and more...

Altogether, it was a very interesting and memorable experience.

One of the other highlights of Goa was my visit to a tailors. I got 2 pairs

of trousers, 2 pairs of shorts, 4 shirts and a really nice formal suit (for

those of you who know me really well, the formal suit part will no doubt

come as a shock... but in typical me style it is quite different *grin*) -

and I spent less than NZD$800 for the whole lot. They are made from

beautiful local fabrics, hand and also machine made silks, cotton, wool...

and naturally cut to fit me perfectly. It was a satisfying experience to get

a very good deal given that the Indians also like to rip you off something

chronic - I now joke that when they see a white person coming, they add

another zero to the end of the price - and I am not joking either! Trade is

seemingly based on an 'ethic' of trying to charge as much as possible - and

everything is doubled with the expectation that you will bargain. Some

therefore do better than others. I guess my persistent nature does come in

handy sometimes!!!

So, now I am in Hyderabad - as I say, one of the IT capitals of India. It is

a comparatively lovely city, with some really beautiful architecture -

including a half century old Muslim shrine and a very old fort (sounding

vague because I haven't found out too much about this yet...).

I am due to meet up with the rest of the delegation from New Zealand tonight

- for those of you who don't know, I am joining a Trade New Zealand

'mission' to attract a number of Indian IT professionals to come to New

Zealand - and we  are interested in hiring some ourselves! It is

an exciting trip, and having looked at some of the CVs, there are some very,

very talented people here.

So, before this turns into a Theroux novel, I will sign off... and look

forward to showing you all some pictures and video when I return.

Missing you all, of course - but having heaps of fun

Love

Kiwi

Year 2000