Dereification in Zen Buddhism
Sociological Quarterly September 1, 1995 DOI: 10.1111/j.1533-8525.1995.tb00461.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key points | Argues that Zen Buddhism, through the Mahayana concept of "emptiness" (sunyata), constitutes a dereifying perspective, and that the dereifying perception acquired through Zen meditation can be described, using Alfred Schutz's phenomenology, as a state of "focused durée." It further contends that Zen practitioners demonstrate this perspective through identifiable interactional methods, which play a role in koan training. |
Abstract
In this article, the concept of dereification in religion is developed, both theoretically and empirically, by analyzing Zen Buddhism. The central thesis is that Zen Buddhism, by virtue of the Mahayana concept of “emptiness” (sunyata), constitutes a dereifying persepctive. In addition, using the phenomenology of Alfred Schutz, the experience of dereifying perception, which is acquired through Zen meditation, is described as a state of focused durée. Furthermore, several of the interactional methods through which Zen practitioners demonstrate their dereifying perspective are analyzed from an ethnomethodological and conversation analytic perspective, and the role of these methods in koan training is explained.
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