HUMAN PERSON AS AN EMBODIED SPIRIT

In philosophy, the adjective transcendental and noun transcendence convey the basic concept from
the word’s literal meaning (Latin), of climbing or going beyond, with varying connotations in its different historical
and cultural stages, with varying connotations in its different historical and cultural stages. Appreciating art has
transcendent existence. Knowledge and laws are will also require transcendence. The fact that we have a soul
that is capable of coming to life and experiencing profound and hidden values, which the flesh and its senses
can never discover alone. This spirituality in us is identified with the divine image in our soul.

The aspects of transcendence can be covered by two classical views (Plato and Aristotle) and three
main spiritual philosophies (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity).

CLASSICAL VIEW

A. PLATO

According to Plato, man is his soul. This is the essence of his humanity and the sources of his activities. The
human body is an unfortunate accident and cruel imprisonment of the free and pure soul. In death, the true
man is freed from his imprisonment to see perfectly the pure light of absolute truth.

B. ARISTOTLE

Man is the whole of his body and soul. They are one like the oneness of the ugly and his figure. The relation
of the body to the soul is the relation of matter to form. The body and soul are only two aspects of the whole
man.

SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHIES

A. HINDUISM

At Hinduism lies the idea of human being’s quest for absolute truth, so one’s soul and the Brahman or
Atman (Absolute Soul) might become one.

Aum (Om) – is the root of the universe and everything that exists and it continues to hold everything together.

Human beings have dual nature:

A. Spiritual and immortal essence (soul) - reality

B. Empirical life and character (body) – illusion and even an obstacle

- Soul is eternal but is bound by the Law of Karma: “Good intent and good deed contribute to good
karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future
suffering”.

The Law of Karma will determine the cycle of life (Samsara). Hindus believe that the spirit is neither born
or dies, while the body goes through a transmigratory series of birth and death.

Transmigratory/Metempsychosis – a belief that a person’s soul passes into some other creature, human
or animal.

A human being’s soul can be said to be encased in his body. For this reason, humanity’s basic goal in
life is liberation (moshka) of the spirit/soul (jiva). Moshka, thus is an enlightened state wherein one attains one’s
true selfhood and finds oneself one with the One, the Ultimate Reality: Brahman. Ultimate moshka leads to the
spirit out of the monotonous cycle of life and death (Samsara) to a state of nothingness.

- Only Brahman is real, which the mind can never fully grasp or express in words.
- Atman or no self is a correlative belief. It means that “I” or the self is an illusion.

Four primary values:

1-2. Wealth and pleasure – worldly values, but when kept in perspective they are good and desirable.
3. Duty/righteousness – refers to patience, sincerity, fairness, love, honesty and similar virtues.
4. Enlightenment – one is illuminated and liberated and finds the release from the wheel of existence.
B. BUDDHISM

Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha in Kapilavatthu, a town in the plains
region of modern Nepal-India border. Buddha was devoted to share his “Dharma” or Law of Salvation – a simple
presentation of the gospel of inner cultivation of right spiritual attitudes, coupled with a self-imposed discipline.
In its simplest form, the teaching of Buddha has been forth traditionally in the Four Noble Truths leading to
Eightfold Path.

Four Noble Truths

1. Dukkha: Life is full of suffering

2. Samudaya: Sufferings is caused by passionate desires, lust and cravings
3. Niroda: Only as these (desires) are eliminated, will suffering cease
4. Magga: liberation from dukkha by following the Noble Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path

1. Right understanding: Understanding that the Four Noble Truths are noble and true.
2. Right thought: Determining and resolving to practice Buddhist faith.
3. Right speech: Avoiding slander, gossip, lying, and all forms of untrue and abusive speech.
4. Right conduct: Adhering to the idea of nonviolence (ahimsa), as well as refraining from any form of
stealing or sexual impropriety.
5. Right means of making a living: Not slaughtering animals or working at jobs that force you to violate
others.
6. Right mental attitude or effort: Avoiding negative thoughts and emotions, such as anger and
jealousy.
7. Right mindfulness: Having a clear sense of one’s mental state and bodily health and feelings.
8. Right concentration: Using meditation to reach the highest level of enlightenment.

Upon accomplishing the Eightfold Path, this leads to the way of salvation. We do this essentially by
following three short axioms: cease to do evil, learn to do good, and purify your own mind.

The way to salvation lies through self-abnegations, rigid disciplines of mind and body, a consuming love
for all creatures and the final achievement of that state of consciousness which marks an individual’s full
preparation for entering the Nirvana.

Nirvana – enlightened wisdom; the state where the effects of the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma) are
overcome, the Cycle of Rebirth is broken, and assurance for calm and peace comes into eternity. It is a state
where he has attained perfect knowledge, perfect peace and perfect wisdom.

C. CHIRISTIANITY

St. Augustine was an early Christian theologian and philosopher whose writings influenced the
development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy. Among his most important works are The City of
God and Confessions where it looks at the reasonableness of belief in God’s existence.

Theistic Hypothesis – “God exist” as a hypothesis. For religious people, they definitely do not treat God as
a hypothesis but rather as a constant presence. In neither the Jewish nor Christian Bibles is there any
argument for God’s existence.

For Augustine, philosophy is amor sapiental – the love of wisdom where its aim is to produce happiness.
However wisdom is not just an abstract logical construction; but it is substantially existent as the Divine Logos.
Hence philosophy is the love of God – it is then religious. The soul is more important to the body.

St. Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. The works
for which he is best known is the Summa Theologiae. It was a compendium of all of the main theological
teachings of the Catholic Church. It presents the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West.
The Summa's topics follow a cycle: the existence of God; Creation, Man; Man's purpose; Christ; the Sacraments;
and back to God.

Aquinas considers the human beings as moral agent. We are both spiritual and body elements: the
spiritual and material. The unity of both elements indeed help as to understand our complexity as human beings.
Through our spirituality, we have a conscience. Thus whether we choose to be good and evil becomes our
responsibility.