Inhaling tradition, exhaling innovation: controlled breathing as medicine in Tiantai Buddhism

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research investigates the breath-centered therapeutic concepts and methods advocated by Zhiyi 智顗 (538–597), a distinguished Chinese Buddhist scholar-monk. It focuses on two significant changes he initiated. First, it studies Zhiyi’s reinterpretation of traditional Buddhist concepts of breath, highlighting its transition from a tool for concentration to a diagnostic device. Second, it examines his adoption of breath control techniques from external traditions, which represents a departure from the traditional Buddhist emphasis on natural and spontaneous breathing. Moreover, it investigates how Zhiyi’s Mohe zhiguan 摩訶止觀 adeptly addresses both practical and theoretical challenges in integrating the new methods into meditation practices. The final discussion focuses on different responses within the Buddhist community, demonstrating the complexities involved in adopting health-oriented practices. By examining Zhiyi’s therapeutic ideas and their subsequent reception, the study not only offers valuable insights into the changing notions of breath in Buddhism but also contributes to understanding the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation in broader religious contexts.