1. Hinduism
1.1. Meaning of Life
1.1.1. Dharma, Khama, and Artha means having virtue, wealth, and joy.
1.1.2. The meaning of life for Hinduism is to reach the liberation of the soul. To reach the liberation of the soul, one must do good deeds.
1.2. What is the self
1.2.1. The self in Hinduism is called the Atman, which means the human soul or spirit. The Atman is the inner most part of one's soul.
1.3. Mind and Matter
1.3.1. Hindu's connect the mind and matter through yoga. They work with their bodies by meditating, resulting in mental peace through the power of their physical bodies.
2. Confucianism
2.1. What is the self
2.1.1. The meaning of life is very closely tied to the their selves. To fully become ones self, Confucians must follow certain things to become guardians of heaven's creations.
2.1.1.1. Confucians look at "Who am I?" rather than worrying who and what God is. (based more on the people than God).
2.2. Meaning of Life
2.2.1. Confucianism is similar to Taoism because they also agree with the harmony of life and the Yin Yang.
2.2.1.1. They transform themselves into living virtues because they wanted to reach heaven and believed that perfection was available to everyone
2.3. Mind and Matter
2.3.1. In order to find the virtues they must have the mind. The world helps them learn the virtues, and once all the virtues are learned, then they are considered guardians of heaven's creations.
3. Buddhism
3.1. What is the self
3.1.1. The understand of the self is the hardest to understand in Buddhism.
3.1.1.1. The Five Skandhas
3.1.1.1.1. The Fifth Skandala is the base that ties all of life experience's together
3.1.1.1.2. An individual consists of 5 different aggravates of existence
3.1.1.1.3. The fourth Skandha is our mental formations (such as habits)
3.2. Meaning of Life
3.2.1. The meaning of life taught by the Buddha is that humans suffer because they strive after things that only give them temporary happiness which eventually end up causing sorrow.
3.3. Mind and Matter
3.3.1. The mind consists of a combination of senses, perceptions, volitional activities and consciousness.
3.3.1.1. Matter has a combination of four elements. Solidity, fluidity, motion and heat.
4. Taoism
4.1. Meaning of Life
4.1.1. The focus of most Taoism is attaining immortality.
4.1.2. The best way to live is in harmony with the natural course of things
4.2. What is the self
4.2.1. They find themselves through various stages. First, they bring their energies together and get rid of all the imbalances. They do this by meditating
4.2.1.1. In the second stage Taoists break the routines that they have formed to become comfortable and learn by embracing the light and dark in life. (Yin Yang)
4.2.1.1.1. In the last stage, they return. This stage is a combination of the first and second stage. This stage is where Taoists find themselves and become one with the rest of the world.
4.3. Mind and Matter
4.3.1. Taoists practice martial arts which results in them synchronizing their body with their breathing resulting in balance