Interfaith Far Eastern Religions Summary

Author(s): Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee

Page 2

Confucianism
▪2,500 years ago in China
Supreme Sage and foremost teacher K'ung fu tsu (Confucius) and Second Sage Meng tzu (Mencius).
■Scriptures
▪ The Analects, Doctrine of the Mean, Great Learning, and Writing of Mencius are the sacred books of Confucianism.
▪ The Analects contain the basic teachings and was compiled by the students of Confucius after his death. Because it was not written as a systematic philosophy, it contains frequent contradictions and many of the philosophical doctrines are ambiguous.
Sects
■ There are no formal sects within Confucianism. Followers are free to profess other religions yet still be Confucians. ▪Estimated at 350 million, mostly in China, Japan, Burma and Thailand.