1.
Human Nature: Texts
- “The Buddha” from the Dhammapada
This chapter comes from one of the most important texts in the Buddhist tradition. In this passage, the Buddha describes “Buddha nature,” or a state of enlightenment that stands in contrast to normal human nature, which is driven by desire and loss.
- Selections from the Analects of Confucius
These selections focus on Confucius’s statements about human nature, statements that became the basis for the debate between Mencius and Hsün Tzu that is featured in the chapter.
- Selection from John Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689)
This brief selection from one of Locke’s most famous works sets out his doctrine of tabula rasa, or “blank slate”—the idea that there is no innate human nature but that each person is conditioned by environment and education.
