Communication Between Cultures

and avoid death for as long as possible. The underlying premise for this attitude is

that death should be avoided at all costs. Buddhism rejected the idea of trying to

cling to life. For Buddha, the state of mind in which one dies is a powerful determi-

nant of the next rebirth. At death, the person should be at peace with oneself and the

entire universe. Buddha even offered some specific guidance about one’s last few min-

utes of life. He wanted his followers to think of good deeds. He also recommended

that they let go of all anger and“do not think of your enemies or vengeance, because

you will reincarnate and take vengeance”with you into your next life.^236

Buddhism has no specific or dogmatic regulations regarding funerals. In fact, most fun-

erals vary according to the type of Buddhism the deceased practiced, but in most

instances, the body is cremated. Bud-

dhist families attempt to have a monk

preside over the service. However, as

Lamb points out, “The purpose of

monks at funerals is not to pray for

the deceased but to aid the bereaved

and transfer ‘merit’ to the dead

person.”^237

Confucianism

Confucianism, like all the major traditions, has played a principal role in shaping the

culture of billions of people for thousands of years. Yin supports this assertion when

he writes,“Confucianism is a worldview, a political ideology, a social tradition, and a

way of life. As one of the most prominent traditions of thought, Confucianism has

lasting and profound bearings on social, political, and value systems in East Asia.”^238

Some experts have suggested that much of the economic success of many of the coun-

tries in East Asia is, in part, due to Confucianism and its emphasis on values such as

concern for the future, hard work, achievement, education, merit, frugality, and

cooperation.^239

At the outset, we should point out that Confucianism, at least in the conventional

sense, is not thought of as a formal religion since“Confucianism has no formal religious

hierarchy such as the Vatican, no official priesthood, and almost no congregational

life.”^240 Confucianism began as a series of ethical precepts for the appropriate way of man-

aging a society. If Confucianism is not a religion, what is it? It is, as will be developed in

detail later, a worldview that teaches about social, political, and ethical behavior.

Confucius the Man

As was the case with Buddhism, Confucianism centers on the teachings of a single

man: Confucius. We have already mentioned the influence of Confucius on Asian

history and culture, but he is also remembered and influential for his teachings on

the appropriate relationships and manners among people. Confucius was born in

China in 551 BCE. He attempted various careers early in his life, including several

government positions. However, around the age of thirty he turned to teaching. Con-

fucius believed that because education taught character and created a better society, it

should be available to everyone. What Confucius taught grew out of his observations

about conditions in China during his lifetime.“He was surrounded all his life by cruel

CONSIDER THIS

Confucius was primarily concerned with maintaining social har-

mony in all interpersonal relationships.

152 CHAPTER 4•Worldview: Cultural Explanations of Life and Death

Copyright 2017 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).