Confuciani vs. Buddhist Concept of Human Nature

Explains both the Buddhist concept of human nature and the Confucian concept of human nature and then compares the two philosophies.

This paper compares Confucian concept with Buddhist concept of “human nature”. Buddhism emphasizes the spirituality of the individual, and is a more “inward-oriented” philosophy. Therefore, as will be argued, while Confucianism represents “human nature” as external actions and rituals shaping the inner man, Buddhism represents the “Buddha nature” as the inner man achieving ultimate selflessness through meditation and reflection.