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Moral
obligations
of
the
rulers
and

moral
family:

A
Comparison
between
Mahabharata
and
the
Analects
of
Confucius

Nithitha Siripongtaksin*

Abstract

The study of philosophy is the study of fundamental problems
which are related to other thoughts within a conceptual system. This is

the thinking process in which the determination of value exists within
the thought, as well as the systematization of thinking with regards to

the principle of people living together in order to establish the
framework of peaceful social living. This article is the study of the
rulers’ morals regarding their obligation to their subordinates and family

moral. Comparison of eastern philosophies is made between
Mahabharata, which is an India’s great epic, and the Analects of

Confucius, which is a collection of sayings from Confucius, a Chinese
wise man. The study of Hindu philosophy through Mahabharata
involves the conceptual implication of moral and metaphysics which

reflect Indian culture. On the other hand, Confucius philosophy in the
Analects of Confucius is considered a moral rather than metaphysics or

epistemology. It is the thinking process evolving within the network of
relationship among human beings. There are similarities in the two
philosophies in terms of social structure and obligation. According to

the Confucius philosophy, social problems emerge because the roles of
people are not in compliance with their position or status. Likewise,

according to the Hindu philosophy in Mahabharata, social turmoil will
occur if the king does not perform his duty, and thus is unable to
protect the social order, or unable to make the people act in

accordance with their duties as stipulated in their social caste. That is,

* Doctor of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. Present position: Lecturer
at Faculty of Political Science, Ramkhamhaeng University.