Filipino Philosophy: Understanding Budhi

• BUDHI asks what it is, and why it matters to being human
• The lecture discusses BUDHI from the perspective of Filipino culture and philosophy, as well as other philosophies and religions
• Practical advice on maintaining a clean budhi is provided

Concepts of Budhi in Filipino Culture and Philosophy

• “Konsensya” and “Budhi” are two words used to refer to the "small voice" within
• "Konsensya" is a word borrowed from the West, directly translated from the English word "conscience" and Latin "conscientia"
• In the context of learning, "konsensya" is used to refer to the Western philosophy
• "Budhi" will be used in the Filipino context
• Jeremiah Reyes indicates "Budhi" was derived from the Sanskrit term "Buddhi" meaning "understanding" or "thought"
• "May kalyo and Budhi" refers to the calluses which are hard parts of the skin that form due to friction
• Parts of the skin with calluses have no sensation and it is used when pertaining to Budhi
• It is said that the "Budhi has a callus" when it is almost gone

Various Adjectives of Budhi

• When a person often does bad , they are described as "may maitim na budhi" or "may maruming budhi."
• When someone commits atrocities, they are described as "walang konsensya" which is almost equivalent to "halang and bituka" or "halang and kaluluwa."
• Meanwhile, when one is good because that person always listens to their conscience, they are described as "may malinis na budhi" which is usually equivalent to "may busilak na kalooban."

Prospero Covar's "Depth"

• According to Prospero Covar, Budhi is found in the "depth" in the Filipino view
• Filipino person is like a jar: with a outside, inside, and depth
• The outside refers to the body, and the inside is the mind, feelings, and decisions
• Spirituality and morality are based on the the depth, where the soul and budhi can be found
• Budhi's role is to judge past actions, continuously haunt if one did wrong, and will stop only when one has repented, asked for forgiveness, or paid for the sin.
• Westerners understand conscience, compared to Filipinos on budhi
• For Westerners, budhi is in the mind and the head, Filipinos are widespread throughout the body and are hard to understand

Leonardo Mercado's Communal Understanding of Filipinos in Budhi

• A difference in the Filipino budhi from the Western conscience is the fact that the Filipinos are more communal rather than individualistic in their understanding of budhi.
• In the West, emphasis is placed on the conscience as an "internal police" that guards the individual.
• But in the Philippines, communalism understands budhi in the context of human relationships
• Filipinos avoid evil, not only because of the internal rebuke of our budhi but because of the reaction of others
• Filipinos value "shame" in the "face of" others
• Filipinos avoid doing bad because of the belief that the bad things we do to others will come back to us
• Bisaya call this "Gaba" (Karma)

Dionisio Miranda: Location and Role of Budhi

• Dionisio Miranda is one of the most comprehensive Filipino philosophers and theologians who wrote about budhi and is a member of the Society of the Divine Word
• Budhi, according to Covar, is in the depths, but Miranda believes it is in the realm of being human
• Budhi has various roles such as remorse, rebuke, judging, provoking, and paying.

Dionisio Miranda : Three Theories on the Origin of Budhi

• There are three theories of where the budhi came from: autonomy (inside), heteronomy (outside), and theonomy (above).
• From the viewpoint of autonomy, it is said that the budhi is inherent in all people, it comes from their own inner being, and that it refers to his awareness of himself.
• In the second (heteronomy), the budhi is formed through the relationship with others. This relationship molds our beliefs, which become the content of our budhi.
• For the theonomy theory, the Budhi is given by God
• According to Miranda, these three theories can be combined because they all say something right about budhi

Dionisio Miranda: History or Evolution of Budhi

• It is important to remember about budhi is the fact that it is not static or permanent that changes and increases
• The condition is based on lifestyle decisions, actions, and experiences.
• It can fall asleep if it is heard
• According to Miranda, the conscious becomes more mature when there is more opportunity in the work of decision-making, where it is forced to choose between decisions, triggering a decision.

Conscience in Various Philosophies and Religions

• Conscience in Greek Philosophy
• Greeks were the insightful in the concept of conscience.
• The original Greek word for conscience is "suneidesis."
• "Suneidesis" translates to "sharing knowledge with itself"
• In Greek, two people have a conversation, sharing knowledge and deliberating for a decision.
• The concept of suneidesis entered the Latin vocabulary through the writings of Jerome in the form of the term

Conscience in the Mind of Apostle Paul

• Paul introduced the concept of conscience used Greek to write Suneidesis.
• Three Meanings can be found in the bagong tipan -Moral Awareness -Conscience as witness
• Conscience can be wrong and imperfect

Conscience in the Mind of Thomas Aquinas

• Thomas Aquinas is one of the ancient Catholic Christian theologians who studied conscience and He considers conscience as a work of reason, being defined as the application of the knowledge of matter
• Two Situations could be applied by knowledge to; -Past Actions -Future Actions

Conscience in the Mind of John Calvin

• Image of Court is used by John Calvin of the concept of conscience.
• The Court of Conscience is Higher than Court of Society
• The person could not escape the court of conscience.
• Court of the Conscience has it’s own Laws

Conscience in the Mind of Immanuel Kant

German Philosopher stated:

• Humans morals dictate what to do and not to do.
• Conscience reminds people not to do what the person did
• Everyone is quick to defend themselves

Immanuel Kant: Limitations of Conscience

• It is incorrect to say that "There is no conscience" because everyone is prone to doing wrong.
• One is already following their own conscience

Inability of conscience of Kant

Subhektibo

• The perception here can affect can affect the capacity of conscience being limited.
• Mistakes can be mistaken

Conscience and Cognitive in Charlie Dunbar

• It is important to mention is C.D. Broad
• Consience is composed of: -Kognitibo (Cognitive) -Emosyunal (Emotional) -Intensyunal (Intentional

Three are essential

• If One is missing, Consience does’nt exit

Conscience in Buddhism

• Buddhism doesn't use police in Conscience and Conscience is Komunal.
• Therese, John Cross wrote about the dark night of the soul.

Conscience in Islam

• In Muslim, Damir which is the Salin name of Arabic of Salitan of Consience.
• Damir Refers to the one inside of all people whether good or Bad

Maintaining a Clean Budhi leading to Being Honest

• It is important/necessary to maintain clean conscious to have a good relationship with someone.
• As learned of Miranda, conscious has a life that connects to our passed choice and actions

Maintaining a Clean Budhi

• Meditating
• Don't get used to being ignored
• Kapakanan ng Kapwa
• Listen and Study