Table of ContentsHinduismBuddhismDaoismWhen asked to imagine something perfect, such as a perfect circle, people around the world imagine a figure concentric round meeting a set of standards. The term perfection, however, loses its static nature when applied to concepts such as the perfect human being. Throughout history, people have created standards for what the perfect person should be. What a particular society considers good or bad can be a major factor in influencing the idea of ​​human perfectibility. A perfect person in a caveman society might be a very aggressive buffalo hunter, but his mangy appearance and lack of knowledge with a toothbrush might make him very imperfect today in a lawyer trial at the center -New York City. The same idea goes for any other cultural tradition, including different religions. By taking a closer look at the three major Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, the idea of ​​human perfection can be better understood. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay The goal of every religious tradition is to achieve an ultimate goal. It is the achievement of this goal that characterizes the perfect human in this particular religion. This absolute is what Mircea Eliade calls “the sacred” (Eliade, 1959). For Hindus, it is transcendence; a perfect Hindu is one who has transcended the world. In Buddhism, “the sacred” is enlightenment; the perfect Buddhist is one who is enlightened. For Taoism, it is harmony; the perfect Taoist is one who is in harmony with the people and things around him. By examining the importance of “sacred” and how to achieve it, we can better understand each religious tradition and their different views on perfection. Hinduism The Hindu religion is made up of many different sects. Some concepts differ slightly between different forms. The most fundamental ideas, however, are widely accepted. Transcendent means “to be above and independent of the material universe” (Radhakrishnan and Moore, 1957). In Hinduism, this term can be seen as a way to free oneself from the constraints of the world and enter a kind of paradise. This transcendence is often associated with the divinity Brahman. Brahman represents the Supreme Reality for Hindus (Shattuck, 1999). When one achieves the ability to place consciousness outside of the cosmic dimension, one believes that one can enter into transcendence, which is an all-sustaining or all-encompassing Consciousness. This consciousness is not involved in the ebb and flow of material creation and is therefore untouched by the ravages of time, decay and death which seem to be the main features of our universe (Radhakrishnan and Moore , 1057). Methods of escape towards this “transcendent Brahman” have thus been designed to bring comfort to the troubled human mind (Iyer, 1992). This state of peace, by virtue of its static quality, is capable of freeing the seeker from any further involvement in the torments of life and death. The path to achieving transcendence is through the practice of good karma. Karma is the law of consequences as it relates to action, it is the driving force behind the cycle of reincarnation or rebirth. According to the theory of karma, every action has a consequence, which will be experienced either in this life or in a future life (Shattuck, 1999). Therefore, morally good acts will have positive consequences, whilethat bad acts will produce negative results. In this case, rebirth is only accepted as a means of freeing oneself from the cycle of reincarnation. Ultimately, one must move beyond all karma, good or bad. It's about placing our sense of reality in our true selves, not in the effects of our actions. We must ultimately give up the fruit of all our actions. In this alone are found freedom and transcendence (Iyer, 1992). This is why the greatest virtue does not seek to change the world or improve ourselves, but to rest in harmony with the peace of what is. One of the major Hindu deities, Lord Ganesha, is an example of the characteristics that a perfect Hindu devotee must possess to achieve transcendence (Grimes, 1995). It has a human form with an elephant's head and the mixture of human and animal parts represents many ideals of perfection. The left tusk of the elephant represents human emotion and the right tusk represents human intellect. The left tusk is slightly broken, which shows that a perfect person is one who has conquered his ego. A purified or controlled ego can live in the world without being affected by the temptations of the world. This can be accomplished by abandoning pride to achieve humility and conquering emotions with wisdom. By controlling the ego, everyone's wisdom can shine through. A controlled ego allows one to achieve other qualities of a perfect human, namely wisdom and understanding, represented by the big head of the elephant, and kindness and compassion towards all, represented by the human heart . In addition, the elephant's large ears indicate a great capacity to listen to others (Grimes, 1995). The perfect human is strong enough to face the ups and downs of the outer world, but delicate enough to explore the subtle realms of the inner world. Therefore, a perfect individual must be able to cope with all the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of the world. In short, a perfect Hindu performs all his duties in the world with purity, peace and truthfulness. With these practices of perfect karma, a Hindu will be able to escape the karmic wheel and achieve transcendence. BuddhismLike Hinduism, Buddhism also includes many sects. The emphasis on the ancient practice of Buddhism, Theravada, best exemplifies the idea of ​​the perfect Buddhist. Most Buddhists believe that people are responsible for their actions (Lopez, 2002). Every act a person commits will impact their life at one point or another. If a person commits a harmful act against another, a harmful act will be committed against him later. The system by which this happens is karma (Gethin, 1998). The benefits or punishments that result from each action or decision may not be immediately felt, it may take several incarnations or lifetimes. With Karma, past actions affect the present and future incarnation. As each soul reincarnates and learns the lessons of the Eightfold Path, it moves closer to a state of perfection. The eightfold path is right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration (Aitkin, 1994). When an individual has renounced the selfishness of their personal identity and merged with the entire universe, they are believed to have achieved enlightenment, the ultimate goal of every Buddhist (Larkin, 1997). This is an end state for most. A fully enlightened human being has no selfish inclinations and understands everything as it is. They are no longer attached to the world of ignorance; they transcended the world, no longer clinging to it. A perfect human being is one who has wisely reflected and transcended theworld, but who still lives in the world and works in the world for the well-being of other beings. Dharma, literally meaning "the path of right conduct", is the path or path to enlightenment. Dharma is used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha and the theology that surrounds Buddhist doctrine (Lopez, 2002). Buddha is a title, not a person's name. Buddha literally means “to wake up” and become enlightened (Gethin, 1998). It is a term that denotes a person who has attained supreme truth and wisdom. Meditation helps Buddhists understand that Buddha should be seen as their example of how to detach from things and deal with feelings of selflessness and desire (Larkin, 1997). One can learn to practice meditation and be less and less selfish, so that what one has, he or she is willing to share with others. At this stage, the follower finds the joy of sharing as a reward, but it is not an expected reward. The follower lives his life thinking about the responsibility of action and speech. He or she lives in a way that does not harm other creatures by refraining from violent acts and speech. Life is also free from exploitation and from anything that causes division, confusion, anguish and despair in the lives of other beings. He or she avoids actions or speech that cause suffering in the minds of others. These characteristics are all described in the Pali Canon, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism (Khena, 1987). The lists concern the rajadhammas, the virtues and duties of a wise ruler. These characteristics do not only apply to followers of Theravada, but are a general description of the perfect Buddhist. The first virtue is dana, which means generosity. The second is sila, or high moral conduct as described by the five precepts. Third, pariccaga, or self-sacrifice, which involves giving up one's personal happiness, security and comfort for the well-being of the nation. Ajjava, which is honesty and integrity, is the fourth. Next comes Maddava, which means kindness or gentleness towards oneself and others. The sixth is tapa, which means austerity or self-control, giving up what one does not really need. Akkodha, which is non-anger, non-impulsiveness, calmness is the seventh. Eight is avihimsa, or non-violence, non-oppression. Next comes khanti, which is patience, forbearance and tolerance. Avirodhana, non-deviation from justice or conformity to law, is the tenth. Finally, there is dhamma, knowing what is right, what is appropriate for the time and place (Khena, 1987). Taoism In Taoism, the path to perfection consists of following the Dao, the way. The goal of the Taoist is to harmonize with the Tao and thus become one with the cosmos, with nature, with all things (Lopez, 2002). This principle of the Dao is divided into two principles which oppose each other in their actions, yin and yang. Together, yin and yang represent all the principles found in the universe; it is the Chinese perspective of balance and continuous change (Kohn, 2001). Ancient Chinese philosophers believed that all things in the universe contained elements of yin and yang. Within each element of yin and yang is the seed of the other, and when yin and yang work in harmony together, all is well in the world. However, when one is stronger than the other, the balance of harmony and power shifts and life is unpredictable. In accordance with these ideas, the perfect Taoist must live in harmony and achieve the balance of yin and yang. He or she accepts the imperfections of this world, but tries to live with them, knowing that this life has its pains and also its.