The Concept of Ethics in Confucian Religion Teachings

I. RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS

It is not easy to define religion, especially in this world where we find that religions are very diverse. A person's view of religion is determined by their understanding of the teachings of the religion itself. This was proven when the influence of the church in Europe oppressed scientists due to their discoveries which were considered to be contrary to the holy scriptures, these scientists ultimately moved away from religion and even left it.

However, in essence, religion is part of the important aspects of human activities and is even considered a necessity for a sure guide in living this life. If science adapts humans to their environment, then religion adapts to their identity. 

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The Original Story of Tong Sam Cong - The Monkey King Teacher

Religion - Theological Studies - Everyone must know the figure of the monk known as Tang San Zang (Tong Sam Cong) . This monk with the real name Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang) is famous as the teacher of the stone monkey demon Sun Wu Kong (Sun Go Kong) in the story Journey to the West by Wu Cheng En (the film was shown in Indonesia with the title Kera Sakti). However, the true story of Xuan Zang's journey to India to search for sacred books in history is more than just a novel writer's imagination. Xuan Zang actually lived in China and traveled west, but without being accompanied by his disciples who were demons or incarnations of gods, but alone without even the permission of the Tang emperor. Therefore, here we will discuss the life story of Xuan Zang and his journey to India according to historical records along with a brief description of his teachings.

Early Life

Around 600 AD in the village of Chen He in Henan Province during cold and dry weather, Chen Yi was born. No one expected that the Chen family's youngest child would grow up to become the famous Buddhist scholar and pilgrim, Xuan Zang.

The Chen family for generations produced Confucian officials and scholars. Chen Yi is also expected to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors. Fortunately, his father Chen Hui was very interested in Buddhism and studied both teachings at home. This influenced little Chen Yi a lot, and when his second brother became a monk at Jing Tu monastery, he also went there to study and practice Buddhist teachings. That same year, when he was only 6 years old, he became a novice. Normally, only children who are at least 7 years old are permitted to be ordained as novices. However, Chen Yi was able to pass the difficult test correctly and was therefore ordained in the Sangha as an exception, taking the Buddhist name Xuan Zang.

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Is the Monkey King a True Story or Just Fiction?

Interesting - Religion - Wu Ch'eng-en (1500 – 1582), born in Shan-yang, Huai-an (now Kiangsu province, China) was a famous novelist and poet in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) who wrote a travel story based on the story Hsuan-tsang / Tang Zhang's journey from his book Ta-T'ang Hsi-yu-chi (Notes on a Journey to the West during the Great T'ang Dynasty), which later became famous with the legend of the Magical Monkey Sun Wu-khung (Sun Go-kong or Sun Hou-zi) with the title Hsi-yu-chi (Notes on a Journey to the West).

Is the Magic Monkey a True Story or Just Fiction?

Hsi-yu-chi was first published in 1592, 10 years after Wu Ch'eng-en's death.

The legendary story Notes of a Journey to the West consists of 100 chapters which can be divided into three main parts:

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The Mahabarata Version of the Sengkuni Story and Javanese Wayang

Mahabarata - Sengkuni (Sangkuni)  or what in Sanskrit spelling is called Shakuni (Dewanagari: Śakuni) or Saubala (patronym of Subala) is an antagonist in the epic Mahabharata. He was the maternal uncle of the Korawas. Shakuni was known as a cunning figure who always incited the Korawa to be hostile to the Pandavas. He succeeded in seizing the Indraprastha Kingdom from the hands of the Pandavas through a game of dice.

According to the Mahabharata story , Shakuni is the personification of Dwaparayuga, namely a period of chaos on Earth, the precursor to the dark age or Kaliyuga. In Javanese wayang, Shakuni is often spelled with the name Sengkuni. When the Korawa came to power in the Hastina Kingdom, he was appointed as governor. In Sundanese wayang, he is also known as Sangkuning.

In the Wayang Mahabarata story, Sengkuni is Mahapatih and also advisor to the king in the Astina Kingdom which is controlled by the Kurawa family. Patih Sengkuni is famous for his extreme life principles: let other people suffer, the important thing is to live happily. It is with such life principles that Sengkuni has lived his career: hypocritical, slippery, cunning, deceitful, seditious, full of deceit.

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Exemplary Story - Santa Rita De Cassia - Tender Hearted

Religion - Santa Rita De Cassia - Santa Rita was born Margherita Lotti in Roccaporena, Italy in 1381. The day after her baptism, Rita was surrounded by a swarm of white bees, which went in and out of her baby's mouth without harming her. Instead of being worried, his family believed that he was marked as a virtuous person and devoted to God.

At an early age, she begged her parents to allow her to enter a convent but was instead arranged to marry a cruel man named Paolo Mancini. Young Rita became a wife and mother at the age of twelve and her husband was an angry man. In anger, he often abused Rita verbally and physically. He was also known to chase other women and he had many enemies.

Paolo makes many enemies in Cascia, but Rita's influence on him ultimately leads him to become a better man. He even left out the family feud between Mancini and Chiquis. Unfortunately, the feud between the Mancini and Cascia families became increasingly volatile, resulting in Paolo being betrayed and killed by one of his own allies.

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