The self is a recurring theme in the religions of Asia. Choose three Essay

The self is a recurring theme in the religions of Asia. Choose three of the religious traditions we have discussed and explain how their theories of the self are different from each other - Essay Example & Slingerland, 2006). Buddhism perceives self-concept as the â€Å"no-self† rather than the self-actualization implying that an individual is neither an integral nor an autonomous entity (MascaroÃŒ , 1973). On the other hand, Daoism theory by Chuang-tzu reveals self as the satisfaction felt after harmonizing the surroundings manifested by humility, compassion, respect, and moderation (Zhuangzi & Watson, 2003). Consequently, there exist distinctions in the way the Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism perceive the self-concept, which is a common theme in Asian religions. The three religions portray differing understanding of self-concept implying that they perceive ‘self’ from a different point of view. The concept of self in Buddhism is focused on understanding the ‘self’ in a human being (Ho, 1995). Actualization of oneself in Buddhism is characterized by the process of pursuing acts such as helping others to achieve happiness within an individual. From the broad view of Buddhism, ‘self’ is portrayed as the religion advocate for the process in which individuals realize when they become aware of the actions as well as change that need to be done to achieve enlightenment. MascaroÃŒ  (1973) in his translation of Dhammapada says, â€Å"For a person forced on by his thinking, fierce in his passion†¦He’s the one who tightens the bond† (348*). In Confucianism, the theme emphasizes on understanding relationships of each other. It refers to the Golden rule as the base of establishing self in an ind ividual, which considers the actions that an individual does to others should be similar to the actions that she/he would do to himself/herself. Conversely, Daoism perceives self as the endeavor to improve and understand the environment surrounding human beings (Zhuangzi & Watson, 2003). This indicates that a major aspect in developing the theme of self in Daoism is respect to the environment and ensuring its