The Religiousness of Cultivation in the Zhuangzi: “The Unity of Self” of Zuowang 坐忘
Shanshan Ma
Religions May 6, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/rel14050612 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation Mysticism |
| Keywords | Epistemology Interpretation philosophy Transcendental number Humanity Consciousness Self Emptiness Perspective graphical Contemplation Aesthetics Theology |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key points | Argues that combining the two interpretations of zuowang—as a breath-meditation technique and as a mental state—through the holistic concept of qi leads to a consummate understanding, and that meditative techniques are a necessary step toward mystical experiences that substantiate the religiousness of Zhuangzi's cultivation. |
Abstract
From the perspective of mysticism, the interpretation of zuowang 坐忘 as the breath-meditation technique with a transcendental goal establishes the religious basis of Zhuangzi’s cultivation. In contrast, most Chinese scholars argue instead that zuowang is primarily the mental state independent of meditative techniques, and that the techniques are devoid of philosophical significance. The pivot of the two seemingly irreconcilable views is the holistic concept of qi 氣. Combining the two interpretations can lead to a consummate understanding. There is an innate connection between the physical and nonphysical qi, and the latter can be considered as the root and basis. Deep exploration of the mysticism paradigm represented by Harold Roth reveals that the interpretation of meditative techniques is a necessary step in gaining mystical experiences not contradictory to the one that construes it as mental cultivation. The mind–body transformation shows that the pursuit of authenticity and wholeness of humanity can broaden one’s concern with fellow human beings and other realms of existence, as the same process is followed in the perpetual growth and change of the universe. This allows us to experience resonance with the universe toward the goal of “the unity of self” so to speak. The religiousness of Zhuangzi’s cultivation is, thus, substantiated.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |