Seng-zhao’s “Bu Zhen Kong”and His Criticism of the Retorts to the Doctrine of Prajna of the Three Schools – Based on an Interpretation of the “Zhao Lun” Commentaries

Author: Jing-Jia Huang(Department of Chinese Language and Literature, National Taitung University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 53, No.2
Date：July 2008
Pages：27-42
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2008.53(2).02

Abstract：

As Wei-Jin Thought developed, the main focus was transferred from Metaphysics to Buddhism in the Eastern Jin Dynasty; especially with regard to interpreting the Doctrine of Prajna. At that time, the key point in this popular Doctrine was thought to be the differentiation of existence/ non-existence. Predecessors’ understanding of the Doctrine of Prajna of Seng-zhao were based on the history of thoughts. However, there was relatively less discussion of the “Zhao Lun” and its Commentaries on the meaning of Sunyata. Therefore, this article sets out (1) to interpret the long pre-existing tradition of “Bu Zhen Kong Lun” Commentaries, (2) to discuss in detail the various schools’ Commentaries on the meaning of Seng-zhao’s “Bu Zhen Kong,” and (3) to analyze Seng-zhao’s responses to these Commentaries and to the critiques of him and to the doctrine of Prajna set forth in the three schools (“Xin wu”, “Ben wu” and “Ji se”). Thus this article will provide a general overview of Seng-zhao’s Doctrine of Prajna, and also look at how later commentators understood the meaning of Prajna Sunyata (e.g. in the “Zhao Lun” Commentaries) and Seng-zhao’s later responsed to these interpretations. In so doing the author hopes to present a range of possible implications of Seng-zhao’s Sunyata.

Keywords：”Bu Zhen Kong Lun”, Sunyata, Doctrine of Prajna, “Zhao Lun”, Seng-Zhao

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