HST330: East Asian Thought

Final Examination Questions

Part I: 3x25=75 points

Write essay-style answers in the provided booklet to 3 of the following questions:

1. The Syncretists’ Cosmology

The ancients who clearly perceived the Great Way began with Heaven, and the Way and its Power were next; when the Way and its Power had been clearly perceived, humanity and appropriateness were next; when humanity and appropriateness had been clearly perceived, shares and obligations were next; when shares and obligations had been clearly perceived, performance and title were next; when performance and title had been clearly perceived, the appointment of offices according to ability was next; when the appointment of offices according to ability had been clearly perceived, the scrutinization of performance was next; when the scrutinization of performance had been clearly perceived, right and wrong were next; and when right and wrong had been clearly perceived, rewards and punishments were next. [“The Way of Heaven,” Chuang Tzu, Chapter 13]

Who were the “Syncretists” and how does their cosmology provide a contrast to the understanding of dao/tao (the Way) and de/te (Power/Inner Power/Virtue) found in Chapters 1 and 38 of the Daodejing/Tao Te Ching? What is the significance of this cosmological development within the history of Daoism/Taoism? What is its significance within the history of early Chinese thought?

2. The Koan: From Ch’an to Zen

Once the monks of the Eastern Hall were disputing about a cat. Nan-ch’üan, holding up the cat, said, “Monks, if you can say a word of Zen, I will spare the cat. If you cannot, I will kill it!” No monk could answer. Nan-ch’üan finally killed the cat. In the evening, when Chao-chou came back, Nan-ch’üan told him of the incident. Chao-chou took off his sandal, put it on his head, and walked off. Nan-ch’üan said, “If you had been there, I could have saved the cat!” [Mumonkan, Case 14]

How does the above koan (Chinese: gongan/kung-an) reflect the Daoist/Taoist roots of the Chan/Ch’an tradition? How did these Taoist roots transform the historical Buddha’s understanding of enlightenment as a singular moment in which the suffering that characterizes samsara (the cycle of rebirth) has been completely and finally overcome? How did the use of koan influence the development of Chan Buddhism, and how would you compare its ultimate refinement in the Rinzai tradition of Japanese Zen with the style of practice that appears to be embodied by Nan-ch’üan and Chao-chou?

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3. Dogen’s Great Doubt

Both exoteric and esoteric Buddhism teach the primal Buddha-nature [or Dharma-nature] and the original self-awakening of all sentient beings. If this is the case, why have the buddhas of all ages had to awaken the longing for and seek enlightenment by engaging in ascetic practice? [Masao Abe, A Study of Dogen, 19]

How did Dogen’s “Great Doubt” influence his approach to the philosophy and practice of Zen? How is this approach reflected in his conception of zazen (seated meditation) as “just sitting” (shikan taza)? Contrast Dogen’s “just sitting” with the koan style of zazen that developed in the Rinzai school of Zen.

4. The Doctrine of the Mean

In his Introduction to the Doctrine of the Mean, Zhu Xi/Chu Hsi writes:

As I have maintained, the mind in its empty spirituality [pure intelligence and consciousness] is one and only one. But if we make a distinction between the human mind and the mind of the Way, it is because consciousness differs insofar as it may spring from the self-centeredness of one’s individual physical form or may have its source in the correctness of one’s innate nature and moral imperative....These two [tendencies] are mixed together in the square-inch of the mind-and-heart, and if one does not know how to order them...then the impartiality of Heaven’s principle [in the mind of the Way] will ultimately be unable to overcome the selfishness of human desires. “Be discriminating” means to distinguish between the two and not let them be confused. “Be one [with the mind of the Way]” means to preserve the correctness of the original mind and not become separated from it. If one applies oneself to this without any interruption, making sure that the mind of the Way is master of one’s self and that the human mind always listens to its commands...then whether in action or repose, in whatever one says or does, one will not err by going too far or not far enough. [adapted from SOCT, 732-3]

Using the correlative notions of li (principle) and qi/ch’i (material force/psychophysical stuff), explain why Zhu Xi distinguishes between the “human mind” and the “mind of the Way” despite his insistence that the mind-and-heart is ultimately “one and only one.” Based on this understanding of the mind-and-heart as a combination of li and qi, what does it mean to say that the mind of the Way should be the master of one’s self and that the human mind should always listen to its commands?

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5. Wang Yangming: The Unity of Knowledge and Action

I have said that knowledge is the direction for action and action the effort of knowledge, and that knowledge is the beginning of action and action the completion of knowledge. If this is understood, then when only knowledge is mentioned, action is included, and when only action is mentioned, knowledge is included....But people today distinguish between knowledge and action and pursue them separately, believing that one must know before he can act. They will discuss and learn the business of knowledge first, they say, and wait till they truly know before they put their knowledge into practice. Consequently, to the last day of life, they will never act and also will never know. This doctrine of knowledge first and action later is not a minor disease and it did not come about only yesterday. My present advocacy of the unity of knowledge and action is precisely the medicine for that disease. The doctrine is not baseless imagination, for it is the original substance of knowledge and action that they are one. [IPL, 9-12]

Discuss Wang Yangming’s doctrine of “the unity of knowledge and action” with reference to his conceptions of the “Principle of Heaven/Nature,” “the original substance of the heart/mind,” the original substance of the will,” “selfish desire,” and “concrete action.” How does Wang’s understanding of the relationship between knowledge and action differ from that of Zhu Xi? Which, if either, do you feel captures the spirit of Mencius’ theory of human nature?

Part II: 25 points

Write an essay-style answer to the following question:

Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism each provide unique perspectives on the theoretical and practical foundations for self-cultivation. Discuss the primary goals with which each tradition is concerned, as well as the basic techniques through which these goals are attained. What do you feel are the most significant similarities and/or differences between these three traditions? In the end, would you say that they share a fundamentally similar approach to self-cultivation, or do their differences outweigh their similarities? Explain why you feel that the similarities are more fundamental than the differences, or vice-versa.