What constitutes human nature? What does it mean to be human? How to lead a good life, a moral life? What constitutes morality? Philosophy and philosophers have helped us find answers to these questions and tried to guide us for centuries. There are few texts and philosophers from past centuries that are still relevant and meet high standards even today. Vyasa's Bhagavad Gita and Mencius's Mencius are two such writings. The Bhagavad Gita is an excerpt from the Mahabharata, an elaborate and extensive epic from India. The Mahabharata was composed between 500 BCE and 500CE. The Bhagavad Gita is used by millions of Hindus and others as a spiritual guide, revealing how to be and behave. It is the dialogue between Arjuna, a great warrior of the Pandava army and Krishna, his charioteer and later revealed as the incarnation of God, the infinite in human form, as narrated by Sanjaya, a servant of Dhritarashtra, the blind king of the opposing Kauravas. . The dialogue takes place at the start of a battle between the Pandava and Kaurava armies and relays the philosophy of Krishna. The Mencius is a collection of sayings and preachings of Mencius and contains various conversations he had with kings, lords and contemporaries of his time. Mencius' lifespan is estimated to span most of the 4th century BCE. Mencius is said to have traveled across China to impart his vision of man and morality to various princes and kings. Mencius is considered second only to Confucius in the development of the Confucian school of thought. The Mencius, composed of four books, was read by every schoolchild in China for a thousand years. In this article, the Bhagavad Gita and Mencius will be discussed through the prism of human nature and the foundations of moral life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay “Your own work is greater, however humble, than that of another, however great. When a man does the work that God gives him, no sin can touch him. The Bhagavad Gita repeatedly gives great respect to the performance of one's own work. “And fulfill your duty, even if it is humble, rather than that of others, even if it is great. To die in one's duty is life: to live in the duty of others is death. So how do you know what your job or duty is and how is it given to you by God? As mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita and previous Vedic texts, there are four varnas (castes), and one of them is born in the given caste due to his nature and has to perform tasks related to his caste. Krishna, the Supreme, issues this decree. “The four orders of men are born of me, in righteousness according to their nature and their works. Know that this work was mine, even though I am beyond work, in Eternity. The four kinds of men are the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas and the Sudras. The works of Brahmins are based on peace, wisdom, faith, righteousness, austerity and purity. The Kshatriya, who belong to the Arjuna caste, are warriors and excel in ingenuity, courage in battle, generosity and noble leadership. Vaisyas are suitable for trade and agriculture, while Sudras are suitable for Gita service. This model dictates a person's place in society, the profession suitable for him, his duty, acceptable behavior in society and, therefore, dictates his actions. Furthermore, Krishna states that an individual is selected into a certain caste based on three powers of nature. “There is nothing on earth or in heaven that is free from these powers of nature. The works of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras are different, in harmony with the three powers of their born nature. These three powers (Gunas) are Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, they constitute the substance of all things. These three intertwined strands constitute the elements and changing conditions of nature. Sattva is pure and it gives light and is the health of life which binds us to earthly happiness and lower knowledge. Rajas is the fire of passion, cradle of thirst and attachment. This binds the soul to action. Tamas is darkness, it is based on ignorance, it confuses the soul and binds us to boredom, unproductivity and lack of alertness. It is the interaction and connectivity of these powers that determine change and action in nature and in humans, it defines their nature. These gunas coexist; the dominant guna produces the character of the individual. For example, if Rajas is dominant, a person may become greedy, tormented and have multiple commitments. When Sattva rules, the light of wisdom shines. When Tamas is abundant, a person will be careless, lazy and delusional. All actions of a mortal flow from these powers of nature. Thus, in the Bhagavad Gita, the three powers (gunas) formulate the nature and character of a person; depending on who was born into the most appropriate caste of the four. Although the Bhagavad Gita gives an individual some control over their own destiny by following the teachings, devotion and yoga which we will discuss shortly; the emphasis in the development of nature and human nature is placed on divine intervention while actions and morality are placed on the fulfillment of one's duty, and not simply on the fulfillment of one's duty but on work without expectation of reward; this ultimately leads to salvation, the path to Brahman, the Supreme, the final goal of the human being. The work done in each guna is also considered differently. “Every work well done carries the pure harmony of Sattva; but when it is done in Rajas, it brings pain, and when it is done in Tamas, it brings ignorance. So this makes Sattva the most desirable. The three powers, however, seem fluid because they are intertwined and one can be more dominant than the other at different times. So how can man control which guna his work is based on – Sattva, Rajjas or Tamas? How to control your own destiny? According to Krishna, the ideal is a man who understands that he is not an actor in nature; and understands the relationship between the forces and their actions but does not become a slave to them. One should offer all one's works to the Supreme, Brahman, without selfish thoughts, with inner peace and rest one's mind in the Supreme. Krishna introduces the idea of ​​yoga, although yoga is used in the text to impart deeper and broader ideas, the simplest way to describe it would be: it is a way of doing things. Following the path of yoga leads to individual moral development while promoting the maintenance of social harmony and the upkeep of community. Mencius believed above all in benevolence, in the goodness of human nature. “A great man is one who guards the heart of a newborn. » The importance of guarding one's heart is mentioned again: "A gentleman is distinguished from other men in that he guards his heart. A gentleman preserves his heart through benevolence and rites. The kind man loves others. So, what makes the heart and that of a newborn baby precious? Mencius believed that the organs of hearing and sight could mislead a person, because they were guided and attracted byexternal things. But “the heart organ can think. But he will only find the answer if he thinks; otherwise, he will not find the answer. This is what Heaven gave me. The heart is therefore the key to our nature and therefore to our morality. Mencius believes that every man's heart is filled with compassion and is moved by the suffering of others. He takes the example of the sudden sight of a young child about to fall into a well. Mencius argues that our first reaction is that such a case would be compassionate and without any ulterior motive. If we choose to follow this initial feeling through action, it will be based on our developed tendencies. With this example, Mencius introduces the four germs or shoots of natural moral tendency. “The heart of compassion is the seed of kindness; the heart of shame, of duty; the heart of courtesy and modesty, of the observance of rites; the heart of good and evil, of wisdom.Mencius compares the four germs to the four members of the body. If we deny the development of these germs, we paralyze ourselves and we will not be fully human. If we fully develop these seeds, we can reach our potential. Additionally, we learn why the newborn's heart was important. Mencius argues that humans are fundamentally good because they can become good. People can also become evil, but this is due to circumstances and experiences, not a natural inclination to be evil, they are evil because they have been prevented from developing. Mencius recalls the idea of ​​four natural germs; the four hearts are possessed by all men. “Benevolence, duty, observance of rites and wisdom do not give me external brilliance; they are in me originally. Only, it never occurred to me. Therefore it is said: “Seek and you will obtain; let go and you will lose it. So, all these qualities are anchored in us at birth, it is only when we do not seek to develop or advance them that we lose them. Mencius uses the example of comparing sprouts with barley seeds to further prove this. Just as seeds have a natural tendency to grow, so do these moral germs. If the seeds do not grow or develop fully, it is not because of a problem with the nature of the seed, but rather a problem with the condition of the environment and the quantity human efforts devoted to its development. When asked further about this, Mencius uses Ox Mountain as an example to argue that external factors play a role in the deterioration of natural and moral tendencies. Ox Mountain was full of trees but due to its proximity to a neighboring town, the trees were constantly being cut down. When the mountain has a respite, it naturally and continually produces new shoots, but even these are consumed by grazing livestock. Anyone who looks at the mountain will think it is barren, but that is not the true nature of Ox Mountain. Mencius compares the mountain to humans; the abandonment of one's true heart is comparable to trees and axes. Human nature is not neutral or inherently evil. Humans become morally sterile when their moral germs are attacked and fail to develop properly. Whatever is deprived will wither and whatever is nourished will thrive. Mencius' goal in understanding life and moral actions was to understand human nature, the heart and benevolence, which are bestowed by heaven. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Both The Bhagavad Gita and Mencius attempt to help us in our