Library: Philosophy by Credo Reference: Eastern Philosophy

Eastern Philosophers

Buddha: Topic Page
Religion and philosophy founded in India c.525 B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha. There are over 300 million Buddhists worldwide.
Chu Hsi (1130 - 1200)
From The Encyclopedia of Ethics
Commonly regarded as the greatest Neo-Confucian philosopher, Chu Hsi lived in the Sung Dynasty (960 to 1279).
Chuang Tzu (BCE 369 - 286)
From Encyclopedia of Ethics
Master Chuang, also known as Zuangzi or Chuang Chou, is generally associated with the Taoist text named for him, the Chuang Tzu.
Dalai Lama: Topic Page
Dalai Lama is the title given to the one who enjoys the highest spiritual rank in Lamaism, a Tibetan form of Buddhism introduced into Tibet in the seventh century A.D.
Lao Tzu
From The Essentials of Philosophy and Ethics
Lao Tzu seems to have been a contemporary of CONFUCIUS (sixth to fifth century BCE), and is traditionally viewed as the author of the classic of TAOISM, the Tao Te Ching, or the ‘Classic of the Way and Its Power’.
Mencius (BCE 371 - 288): Topic Page
Chinese Confucian philosopher. The principal source for Mencius' life is his own writings. He was born in the ancient state of Ch'ao, in modern Shandong province.
Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi (1869 - 1948): Topic Page
Ghandi mobilized the largest nonviolent mass movement known in world history under the banner of satyagraha—the active pursuit of truth through love and nonviolence (ahimsa). Gandhi’s ideas of truth and justice have contributed immensely to the development of moral and political thought, and his demonstrations of the positive and revolutionary power of nonviolence has had a worldwide impact.
Mou Zongsan (1909 - 1995)
From Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Philosophers
Mou responded to the challenge of Western positivism with a synthesis of idealist neo-Confucian philosophy and German idealism, particularly that of Kant and Hegel.
Ramakrishna (1836 - 1886)
From The Columbia Encyclopedia
Hindu mystic. He was born of a poor Brahman family in Bengal, and his given name was Gadadhar Chatterjee.
Tenzin Gyatso: Topic Page
Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th and current Dalai Lama of Tibet, former head of the Tibetan government in exile, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and recognized spiritual leader of Tibet.

Eastern Philosophies

Buddhism: Topic Page
Religion and philosophy founded in India c.525 B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha. There are over 300 million Buddhists worldwide. One of the great world religions.
Confucianism: Topic Page
Moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects (see Chinese literature), the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient commentaries, including that of Mencius.
Hinduism: Topic Page
The Western term for a religious tradition developed during the first millennium and intertwined with the history and social system of India. Hinduism does not trace its origins to a particular founder, has no prophets, no set creed, and no particular institutional structure. It emphasizes the right way of living (dharma) rather than a set of doctrines, and thus embraces diverse religious beliefs and practices.
Reincarnation: Topic Page
Belief that after death the human soul or the spirit of a plant or animal may live again.
Shinto
From The Columbia Encyclopedia
Ancient native religion of Japan still practiced in a form modified by the influence of Buddhism and Confucianism.
Taoism: Topic Page
Refers both to a Chinese system of thought and to one of the four major religions of China (with Confucianism, Buddhism, and Chinese popular religion).
Vedanta: Topic Page
One of the six classical systems of Indian philosophy. The term "Vedanta" has the literal meaning "the end of the Veda" and refers both to the teaching of the Upanishads, which constitute the last section of the Veda, and to the knowledge of its ultimate meaning.
Yin and yang: Topic Page
The Chinese concept that everything is explicable in terms of two complementary but opposing principles. Yang represents heaven, and is the positive, male force.
Zen: Topic Page
Buddhist sect of China and Japan. The name of the sect (Chin. Ch'an, Jap. Zen) derives from the Sanskrit dhyana [meditation].