The three most famous thinkers of the Axial Age. If arranged according to time, it is Sakyamuni→Confucius→Socrates; in terms of the impact of the three on later generations, it should probably be Confucius→Socrates→Sakyamuni. Of course, this is from the perspective of Chinese people looking at the world.

Three Masters of the Axial Age

Talking about Sakyamuni

Sakyamuni was originally the prince of King Suddhodana of Kapilavastu in ancient India. Siddhartha Gautama was born about 560 BC, about 9 years before Confucius was born, and about 7 or 8 years before Socrates was born. Siddhartha Gautama received a good education since childhood and was proficient in philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, etc. He was also proficient in martial arts and was an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs. Siddhartha Gautama originally lived a life of fine clothing and fine food, but after he witnessed the pain of birth, old age, illness and death, he began to think about the essence of life and explore the way to liberation.

Sakyamuni came to the world

In the end, he resolutely abandoned his wealth, glory, wife and young children, and quietly escaped from the palace. After going through all kinds of hardships and hard meditation, I finally realized the true meaning of life. When Gautama Buddha was about 35 years old, he began an educational career that lasted for more than 40 years, imparting the philosophy of life he had realized.

There were only 5 disciples in the first batch of Siddhartha Gautama. Later, it grew to "1,250 people", and "12,000 people" came to listen temporarily. , which shows the huge impact. He himself was also revered as a saint by future generations, with the name "Muni" in Sanskrit. Since Siddhartha Gautama belongs to the Sakyamuni clan, he is also called "Sakyamuni".

Siddhartha Gautama

Siddhartha Gautama believed that "all living beings have Buddha nature". Among his disciples, people from various castes Everyone has it, and what is practiced is a veritable "education without distinction". Although he is consistent with Confucius in this aspect, his theory is quite different from Confucius. From a transcendental standpoint, Sakyamuni sought to find a way out of suffering by eliminating evil and promoting good in his own heart. This is actually a passive escape from suffering. It teaches people to close their eyes and not look at society, and to meditate and comprehend - if the eyes are out of sight, the mind will not be bothered. If one's own desires are eliminated, there will be no worries or worries.

Talking about Confucius

Different from the teachings of Buddhism, Confucius was an outstanding idealist. He advocated actively engaging with the world and applying what he learned. He not only taught people to open their eyes to see society, but also said that once they understand society and acquire knowledge, they must serve society and transform society. For this reason, he personally led his disciples to travel around the country, lobbying everywhere, and "promoting" his political ideas and state-governing strategies, but he repeatedly encountered obstacles.

Confucius (film and television image)

In an era like the Spring and Autumn Period when etiquette collapsed, the strong bullied the weak, and heroes competed for hegemony, Confucius attempted to use the lost "Zhou Rites" to govern and reorganize the country. The world seems so out of place. His ideal, from a certain perspective, is actually to make people look backward. Confucius devoted his life to education and was respected as the "Teacher of all ages". Many of his wise words are still our mottos today.

However, we cannot help but regret to see that in Confucius’s teachings, it is difficult for us to appreciate the joy of curiosity, thinking, exploration, creation and the excitement and excitement of personality. Rather, it seems that all knowledge is already ready-made, just waiting for us to remember; all social orders are already established, just waiting for us to respect it. Reflected in his academics and education, he formed the tradition of learning from the past and imitating the past, emphasizing tradition and tradition, and emphasizing cultural inheritance.

Confucius Lectures

Confucius said that he "narrates without writing, believes in and loves the past", emphasized "knowing it silently", and advocated limiting people's thoughts to established rules and regulations , in orthodox doctrine. Later, when Confucius was regarded as a saint and the Confucian classics were regarded as supreme, especially after imperial examinations were adopted as the only ideological doctrine, Chinese scholars rarely had free thoughts and opinions, let alone an innovative spirit. . Reading has finally evolved into a "stepping stone" to seek fame and fortune. You will read whatever you take the test, and whatever the scriptures say is whatever it is. The task of the scholar is only to interpret and annotate the scriptures. The fundamental principle of "reading is to seek knowledge and to open up wisdom" is Secondly.

There is a Shanshan Guild Hall next to the ancient canal in Liaocheng, which was a place where merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi rested and gathered. Perhaps even Confucius had not expected to reach this point in his studies.

Talking about Socrates

Looking back at Socrates, the great educator in ancient Greece, Socrates’s youth coincided with the heyday of Athens, but he was in the midst of singing and dancing. I see a potential crisis behind it. Therefore, he determined to awaken sleeping people through education. Although he lived a life of poverty, he had been engaged in education for free for decades. If others did not come, he would teach at his door. His enthusiasm and persistence were unprecedented.

Socrates

The times and societies in which Socrates and Confucius lived were fundamentally different. He grew up in the city-state of Athens, which had a democratic tradition. There was no established orthodoxy before him. There is no existing society to follow, and there is no existing society to imitate. Therefore, he has free thoughts and freedom of thought without having to follow the past.

Regarding knowledge, Socrates did not pursue "knowing it silently" or "telling it without writing", but examining and criticizing. He believed that the teacher's duty was to inspire others to identify false knowledge and pursue the truth. . In comparison, Confucius's attitude was inheritance and missionary, while Socrates's attitude was critical and exploratory. This also constitutes the difference between the two major educational traditions of China and the West. Before Socrates, almost all thinkers in the West were natural scientists. Socrates himself was also proficient in geometry, mathematics and astronomy. In his thoughts, he also lit the torch of the scientific spirit. This is not only the superiors, but also the ancients. Not just tradition, but seeking truth from facts and obeying the truth.

Socrates Lectures

Today, we are going to face an era that develops more rapidly and relies more on innovation. Cultivating innovative consciousness and cultivating innovative talents is the glorious mission entrusted to us by the times. Today, more than two thousand years later, it is unnecessary to re-examine the three great sages of ancient times. It is not necessary to compare which one is better, but it can be used to think about ideas and methods that are more suitable for our country's national conditions and the world's development trend. In addition, to make our lives prosperous, we not only need to emancipate our minds and renew our concepts, but also need to inspire enthusiasm and promote the spirit of sacrifice. In these respects, Sakyamuni's persistent pursuit spirit, Confucius' positive attitude towards the world, Socrates' scientific spirit of loving truth and the noble character of the three great sages who "teach others tirelessly" have all set a glorious example for future generations.