The human dilemma of love vs. hate has existed throughout the development of both Western and Eastern civilizations. To some extent, “love” is a central concept, an essential ideal, and a critical practice in Eastern culture. Any systematic examination of love in Eastern civilization would have to consider how the complex associations of interpretation, explanation, conceptualization, and theorization of love have moved cultural differentiation. This chapter compares certain concepts or theories in Eastern philosophy of love with ideas or views from Western philosophy of love, and comments on whether there can be dialogue or integration between the two approaches. We will examine the Eastern concept of love through the five Eastern crucial spiritual sources. The dimensions of Eastern Love have been expanded by the tendency of Westernization and modernization, further creating a new basis for cultural differentiation from most Eastern countries: (1) These social changes have established a Westernized value system of love. (2) These social phenomena have demanded a suitable new value system of love. (3) Traditional religions and philosophy must attract the younger generation to ensure continued development and to reform and reconstruct new understandings of “love.”

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A Dialogue on East–West Views of “Love”

  • John Zijiang Ding

摘要

The human dilemma of love vs. hate has existed throughout the development of both Western and Eastern civilizations. To some extent, “love” is a central concept, an essential ideal, and a critical practice in Eastern culture. Any systematic examination of love in Eastern civilization would have to consider how the complex associations of interpretation, explanation, conceptualization, and theorization of love have moved cultural differentiation. This chapter compares certain concepts or theories in Eastern philosophy of love with ideas or views from Western philosophy of love, and comments on whether there can be dialogue or integration between the two approaches. We will examine the Eastern concept of love through the five Eastern crucial spiritual sources. The dimensions of Eastern Love have been expanded by the tendency of Westernization and modernization, further creating a new basis for cultural differentiation from most Eastern countries: (1) These social changes have established a Westernized value system of love. (2) These social phenomena have demanded a suitable new value system of love. (3) Traditional religions and philosophy must attract the younger generation to ensure continued development and to reform and reconstruct new understandings of “love.”