Unexamined Zen: Challenges from Dōgen’s Zen Buddhism
The traditional narrative of Zen Buddhism focuses on a religious experience that goes beyond words and concepts. I argue that Dōgen’s understanding of enlightenment is not limited to a religious experience, as it involves a creative process of Buddha-making that demands the flexibility to present a...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2023
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| In: |
Journal of Chinese philosophy
Year: 2023, Volume: 50, Issue: 4, Pages: 358-370 |
| Further subjects: | B
Dōgen
B Concepts B Experience B dao B Zen Buddhism B Language B Enlightenment B Practice |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The traditional narrative of Zen Buddhism focuses on a religious experience that goes beyond words and concepts. I argue that Dōgen’s understanding of enlightenment is not limited to a religious experience, as it involves a creative process of Buddha-making that demands the flexibility to present a novel expression of the Buddha way with the transiency of the impermanent world. In arguing for the processual understanding of the Buddha way and enlightenment, I refer to the fluidity of dao in Chinese philosophy to shed light upon the significance of creativity in authentic practice. By doing so, I explain why an unexamined Zen is problematic for Dōgen. |
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| ISSN: | 1540-6253 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of Chinese philosophy
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15406253-12340121 |
