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Symposium: Apology for Quietism, Part 6

IN THE QUIET OF THE MONASTERY

Buddhist Controversies over Quietism

Bernard Faure

The expression “Buddhist quietism” is a familiar one. At first glance, it seems anachronistic, inasmuch as the word Quietism — at least, when written with the uppercase Q — refers to a quite specific phenomenon: a form of that developed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries through the writings of Miguel de Molinos and Madame Guyon. Thus, if it is to be used at all in a Bud- dhist context, the word should refer to a teaching that bears some resemblance to the doctrine of these Christian mystics. Quietism usually refers, in the Christian context, to a withdrawal from the world into a state of blissful and inactive contem- plation or, more radically, into a relationship or even union with God that exempts the adept from any religious practice or moral concern. Of course, in the case of , there is, in the strict sense, no question of surrender to a transcendent God. In some cases, however — for instance, in the cult of the Buddha Amita¯bha (or Amida) — the Buddha may function almost as a monotheistic God, and Bud- dhist observances can call to mind Christian devotion or Indian bhakti. From the perspective of affectivity, Shinran’s concept of through pure faith in the Buddha Amida might be regarded as quietistic; likewise the “dancing recitation of Amida’s name” that Kuya Sho¯ nin (d. 972) spread among Japanese Buddhists. Was the Buddha himself a quietist? It is difficult to say, since all we have is a legend. Clearly no single term, not even one as broad as quietism, could do

Common Knowledge 16:3 DOI 10.1215/0961754X-2010-004 © 2010 by Duke University Press 424 to this they returned after their Death.” their after returned they this to and Origin, their had Parents first our this from that Things, all of Principle religion at the time. at the religion leveled(and, Japanese) extension, muchatby criticism Chinese and as the “Spinoza of the Far East.” of The Spinoza writings were the real target of comparable to likewise himself Spinozanphilosophy referredand to ontological notion leads to a sort of quietism: sort a to leads notion ontological briefly, the ofhistory the Western reception of Buddhism. suchcomplexity or confusion has come about require us to will consider, if only is described as a Buddhist response to the quietist temptation. To determine how is particular, in oftendhism, described as quietistic at least be said to characterizeof certain the Buddhist schools? Chan () Bud term phenomenon butthe religious could a tocomplex Buddhism, as as justice (and, more specifically, by Chan monks) was that “a that was monks) Chan by specifically, more(and, Buddhists Chinese by advocated doctrine” “inner the Halde, du Jean-Baptiste of Spinoza.” doctrine “the with Buddhists ofChan but conflatedquietism Chinese” also the of “speculative to that the mystics ern West the of style “extravagant” the compared Bayle Bruyère. La by criticized much asFénelon’s thatBuddhism by wasConfucianists criticized was Quietism naireet historique critique TheFrench Protestant Pierre Bayle, inthearticle “Brahman” inhis etism. In most cases, this critique of Buddhism was aimed at enemies back home. Qui over Christian controversy of light the in understood best are that notations associated Quietism. with indifference” of“ embracedhavethe to said is himself Loyola of Ignatius reasons. political for it supported occasionally even and Quietism Meanwhile, the Jesuits in Europe had a more nuanced attitude toward Christian correspondents andby their at home ofto denounce Buddhism. aspects various and Molinos of Madamedoctrines Guyon, the term the of Europe in flourishing brief the after Soon 1. Western Critics of Buddhist Quietism Knowledge and Quietism in Eighteenth- 1 2 Zenin the Western Imagination,” in 3 Bayle . . .

See Mita Choudhury, “A Betrayal of Trust: The Jesuits See For more on this topic, see Bernard Faure, “Chan/ Faure, Bernard see topic, this on more For , 2 Quietism Quietism also came to be associated According with nihilism. to the Jesuit When applied to Buddhism, the term nd ed. (London: J. J. and P. Knapton, The Dictionary Historical and Critical of Mr. Peter Mr.Peter of Critical and Historical Dictionary The

15 . 2 (Spring (Spring 2009 3 ): Century France,” Century 164 ( 1 1697

– quietist

80 . ), noting Buddhism amalgamated Quietism, with Chan Insights and and Insights Chan came to be used by Jesuit missionaries in Asia 1734 Common Common

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4 38 Du HaldeDu goes onhow to explain this ). quietist 4 15 (London:Thibet and J. Watts, Corea, Tartary, of cal, and Physical the Description of Empire , Chinese- Containing a Geographical, Chronological, Politi Historical, tion Tradi Chan the of Critique Epistemological An Oversights: .

– Jean- resonates negative with con

(Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 51

2 — Bayle found Bayle Confucianism found . vacuum

though also, conversely, it Baptiste du Halde, Halde, du Baptiste or Nothing is the the is Nothing or 1741 ), ), , 3 4 : 51 vols., trans. Richard Brookes Richard vols., trans. The General History of China: China: of History General The . Diction - - - - - 1993 ), ), - - Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 425 5 6 7 ed., J. Neaulme, tique de l’Empire du Japon lulu: University of Hawai’i Press, . . .

C O MMO N KNO WLED GE

Engelbert Kaempfer, 426 Du Halde, Du Halde, Kaempfer’s Japan: Tokugawa Japan: Kaempfer’s Observed Culture 173 General History of China General History of China 2 ), ), Tree, the more perfect we are; in short it is in Indolence and Inactivity, nearerthe ing; we approach of to the a Stone, or Trunk the of a Holiness all consists in toceasing be, and to be swallowed up by Noth Rewards orProvidenceof Punishments, the and ; the Immortality Virtues, or Vices about Dispute no is there nothing; on think to ing, to perceive to to donothing, ourselves desire noth accustom nothing, Victories over ourselves, to become like this To live happily bywe ,strive must and frequentcontinually the work of nineteenth- connotations negative The description of Chan meditation as quietistic was taken over inferior to that of Beasts. follow’d it would reduce all the Members of a State to was a Condition Doctrine much this if that and Subject, and Prince Wife, and Husband of Relation Father Son, and necessary the abolishing Duties, essential that Virtue; to aspire after this foolish is Inactivity renouncing the most Faculties,ing and byApplication his to Knowledge the of and Practice that isMan raised only aboveand reason other Beings by his thinking Society; Civil and Morality all overturned Stupidity, monstrous this they attack’d it their all Might, with Apathy, proving that this or rather However,. Sect . . ; have of opposed Learned this the part greatest the powerful allies in the neo- God the like one word he is perfectly he is Nothing; or if he is any hething is happy, and to say every in thing to he tions, fear for because nothing properlyhas Future, the speaking Transmigra and Vicissitudes nofurther with meet then hewill State andVirtue Happiness consist; when a Man has once attained this happy Faculties of the Soul, and in the general Suspension of all Thought, that in a Privation of every Motion of the Body, of in an all the Annihilation the Dutch embassy.” In his tute of all sense and life, unmoved by any external object whatsoever. things; which so entirely takes up a man’s mind, that his body lies, as it were,( desti 2 : 61 . See also Béatrice M. Bodart- Theallegation continued of Buddhist to nihilism inspire vitriolic pages in found missionaries Christian denunciation of their quietism, Buddhist In , sitting meditation) as “a profound meditation of divine mysterious and holy Histoire Histoire naturelle, civile et ecclesias , 3 vols. (Hague: P. Gausse and and P. Gausse (Hague: vols. 1999 , , ), ), 3 3 : : 178 51 52 . .

— . 6

by Engelbert Kaempfer, who visited Japan as “physician to century ideologues. century (Hono Confucian Confucian literati (whom they call the “Learned”): Bailey, History of Japan of History - -

Fo North Carolina Press, Press, Carolina North Streight and Pamela Vohnson (Chapel University ofHill: the The and Philosophers Buddha Nothingness: sity sity of Chicago Press, Interpreters Western Its and 8 . . 5

On this question, see Richard Welbon, Welbon, Richard see question, this On Principium ( 1690 8 Long after the Jesuits’ withdrawal Jesuits’withdrawal the Longafter

– , and to endthis

92 ), Kaempfer describes “ describes Kaempfer ), 1968 2003 ); Roger- ).

— - - - - Pol Droit, Droit, Pol

albeit with fewer (Chicago: Univer ” 7 , trans. David David , trans. The Buddhist Buddhist The The Cult of sasen ” - - vana.” maysoughtbe Nir in annihilation definite andsought, isalready eternal soan annihilation state atransitory ecstatic for, transitory bythis of as that Nirvana; “The doctrine of Dhyâna may therefore be considered a decisive commentary on Saint- Barthélémy Jules Buddhism, of critics vociferous most the ofone China, from Religion 9 individual and personal of principle, sole the up set he study, all and books the all Prohibiting opinion. his to according useless were which also, recitations the rejected Now meditation he had advocated proved to be a fraud leading to moral corruption: Sinologist”) held that Bodhidharma was not even a Buddhist and that the of type earlycentury,Jesuit the Belgian the twentieth Léon Wieger (“our indefatigable be the Doctrine? true Practice, if it were universal, would put the Empire in whose Confusion should Doctrine a that imagin’d be it Can Life? support to Food and Products the ofuseful the Loom? Whence would they have Garments, make and Fields, the cultivating of care take could Who Professions? necessary most what wouldof become of the Life, kind this toimitate Heads their in it take should Person private every Example, his after Suppose, Clothes: and ofProvisions sorts Supply ofall plentiful a had but Life, of Necessaries the of none wanted Sluggard contemplative yet this and situation, his changing Wall, without uponthe Eyesfixed his with immoveable continued he contemplation; [Song continual Tsong in shan] Mountain the in years nine say they as passed China, This Jean- for quietism. oblivious of their earlier enthusiasm for this solitary figure, sharply criticized him it became clear that wasBodhidharma not Thomas, the missionaries, apparently When of Indies. the evangelizer legendary apostlethe Thomas, the him saw in nese name (Damo or Tamo) as a distorted rendition of “Thomas” and so initially Chi readhis , and Buddhism between resemblances superficial by stems basically from a misunderstanding: the first Jesuit missionaries, impressed “come from the West” (that is, from India). His importance in Western discourse school, whofounder tosaidhave Chan was legendary of the the Bodhidharma, which “shed such light on the destinies of the Asiatic world.” ofAsiatic the “shedwhich light destinies such on the .

Jules Barthélémy Saint- Barthélémy Jules Tamo This This association of Chan with quietism has proved surprisingly resilient. In monk Indian the was quietism on attack Jesuits’ the of object Another Hilaire, interpreted Chan quietism as a stepping stone toward annihilation: (London: Routledge, 9 Saint- , the Person so cried up, who is come out of the West into Westinto the of out come is who up, cried so Person the , Hilaire Hilaire thought it his duty to describe at length this “hideous faith,” Baptiste du Halde, for instance, wrote of Bodhidharma: wrote for duinstance, Halde, Baptiste 11 Hilaire, 1895 ), ), 144 The Buddha and His His and Buddha The . buddhification 11 10 . .

Du Halde, Saint- Hilaire, , by by , General History of China 10 Buddha and His Religion , - - 3 : 277 , 144 .

–

45 .

Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 427 13 Paragon, don: John Murray, don: Murray, John Time osophical in theOpinions China from Beginning to the Present 12 . . C O MMO N KNO WLED GE

428

Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston, Johnston, Fleming Sir Reginald Léon Wieger, , trans. Edward Chalmers Werner ( Werner Chalmers Edward trans. , 1969 ), ), 254 it is practised seriously, is idiocy. And if it is not practiced seriously, that if produce, it can that result only The act. intellectual an as sustained, be cannot contemplation Now, such died. he that it practising in was It years. last his during uninterruptedly applied himself Bodhidharma that that, to was It . to aspirant the of preoccupation only . that of.like . the Mahayanist , but ought purely intuitive, to form the methodical not process, without theme, without contemplation That mental idleness leads fatally to immorality. to fatally leads idleness mental even moreeven fittingly.” but there are other saints Christian and mystics with whom he may be compared as ‘the Buddhist counterpart of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola’; a kind of contemplation of his interior, which I will call call Iwill interior,of contemplation ofwhich his akind atheism.” of avatars, the of one metamorphoses, the of one constitute well could dhism often,if not always, happens, incitesof to lastly,man a quietism; kind thatBud it as mysticism, this that mysticism; on based religion a is . . . Buddhism that René critic Etiemble, literary for example, wrote: “He wellunderstood . very . . (b. Possovino Antoine Jesuit the of praise his shadow. long In a cast neo- madewas repeatedly criticism bythe This quietism. escapism,itssociopolitical will find Buddha.’ youwhere is that heart: own venerableyour Tamo. into the of ‘Look teaching tive school of Buddhism. ‘You not will find Buddha images in or books,’ was the Contempla or Ch’an the of China, in founder, the as regarded is who books, of mat, resident in China: “It is Indian sage,this searcherthis of hearts and scorner same period,F. the Sir from Reginald academicJohnston, a Scottish anddiplo condition of physical somnolence.” honorable less the with state that confuse to apt were union mystical of state exalted the attained have to themselves whobelieved somemonks that suspect enters into Zen: like some that, animals when frightened, enter into catalepsy, he answers on the Calas scandal or the Audin scandal. A onZenist, the other hand, of the enlightened mind (in the Western sense): “Someone like Voltaire requires moral itactive the and involvementpolitical contrasting with effects, social evil A History of the Religious Beliefs and Phil Beliefs of the Religious A History 191 . 3 Confucianists, who regarded Buddhist monks as parasites. This caricature caricature This parasites. whoas regarded monks Buddhist Confucianists, ), ), One of the most common criticisms made concerns Buddhism’s alleged alleged Buddhism’s concerns made criticisms common most the of One A more understanding account of Bodhidharma’s teaching came, in roughly 83 . 16 Etiemble criticizes Zen’s toEtiemblepowerlessness” criticizes or “will its and quietism Buddhist China

” 19 13 According to Johnston, “Tamo’s system has been described 14 27 Nevertheless, Johnston still held that “there is reason to heldreason “thereis that Johnstonstill Nevertheless, ; New York: (Lon - - 15 limard, 16 15 14 . . .

12 Johnston, Johnston, René Etiemble, Johnston, Johnston, 1964 ), ), Buddhist China Buddhist China 45 . endovision Connaissons- , , 86 84 . nous la Chine? .

–

85

. 1553 (Paris: Gal (Paris: ), the the ), - - - - mationofEarly Ch’an Buddhism 19 To u nderst a nd t h is sha red cr it ique of Budd h ism, on t he pa r t of Jesu it s a nd Con nd a s it Jesu of t r pa he t on ism, h Budd of ique it cr red sha is h requires some as well understanding just fucianists, Jesuitsthat, as the China in t nd a nderst u To 2. The of Chan/Zen Quietism is!” Zen thing fine a What truth. from untruth nor chooses that happy state in which life can no longer be fromdistinguished death, de France, de France, siècle de l’ère chrétienne VIIIe au Chine la de et l’Inde de bouddhistes entre quiétisme le sur 18 17 book erudite an in Demiéville by quietism” over controversy “a termed was dhism, debated the value of their respective understandings of Maha¯ya¯naKamalas´ı¯la master master (Chan) Indian Chinese the the and which at Bud Tibet, J.- disputes. these in sides taken likewise have century eth indeed accused each had otherschools ofChan quietism,Certain andanother. one Western against scholarsschools Buddhist in theby laterdirected twenti been had that arguments to indebted Buddhism of critique Confucian the was borrowed Buddhism argumentsagainst from their neo- ist” by , was eventually rejected as “collateral.” as rejected eventually was Shenhui, by ist” laterbecameorthodoxy, theChan while theNorthern school, labeled “gradual Northern his The rivals. Southern school and its notion of “sudden awakening” “Southernschool” followedin attack master Shenhuihis after Chan the The factions. movement two into Chan the divided “” that and alism” troversy can be traced several decadescon but Tibet, the central in furthermonastery at the backcentury eighth endof the to a controversy over “gradu the Southern school that merits the quietistattachmentto meditation, whereas for it Demiéville “suddenis the of labelteaching” because of its antinomianism. to the “gradual teaching” of the Northern school as quietist because of its alleged book on quietism, dealing with non- limited use in describing . evidence have we Here et de la Chine au siècleVIIIe de l’ère chrétienne . . .

R. Armogathe on the divisions within Buddhism. The so- The Buddhism. within divisions the on Armogathe R.

Etiemble, Etiemble, See John R. McRae, Paul Demiéville, Demiéville, Paul

, Consider, for instance, the differing views taken by Paul Demiéville and and Demiéville Paul by taken views differing the Consider,instance, for Le Concile de : Une controverse sur le quiétisme entre bouddhistes de l’Inde 1952 Connaissons- ). Le Concile de Lhasa: The Northern School and the For nous nous la Chine? (Paris: Presses Universitaires Universitaires Presses (Paris:

—

one piece among many one among piece (Honolulu: University University (Honolulu: , 133

Une controverse controverse Une . Western as well as European varieties, refers ( 1952 - 1973 (Stanford, Stanford University Press, CA: Orthodoxy: A Critical Genealogy of Northern Chan Buddhism Press, Hawai’i of sais- 20 ).

— 18 .

17 This debate took place at the

je?” no. Jean- ). that 19 Robert Armogathe, Armogathe, Robert Confucian allies, so too allies, Confucian quietist Armogathe, in a 1545 (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1986 called Council of Council called is an adjective of ); and Bernard Faure, Faure, Bernard and ); Le quiétisme Le 732 1973 on 20 ------

19 , coll. “Que “Que coll. , 97 The Will to to Will The ).

Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 429 en France 21 .

C O MMO N KNO WLED GE 430 Bernard Bernard Groethuysen, (Paris: Gallimard, Gallimard, (Paris: sitting absorbed contemplation in sitting under a tree: Vimalakı¯rti layman scolds S higher, of wisdomintuitive type or . prajña¯ Southernschool of Shenhui, was strongly influenced by which thattradition, in wisdom over withdrawal and mental focus. Chan Buddhism, and in particular the Maha¯ya¯na, in precedenceto give to tendency a arose there against Christian eremitism Christian against quiet Buddhist against than rather general, in eremitism and against thatthemonasticism it sponsored was But antisocial. criticism was directed this The main allegation that the neo- The “Case” against Meditation Reverend S Reverend guan binom the under techniques meditative Buddhist all subsume to attempted tration) and called aspects of a complementary pair between balance delicate from the Indian Buddhist practice of a specific form of Chan practice or as a means of Chan meditationdistinguishing same this ofkind reaction could be found in Chan itself, either as the rebuttal of called of meditation form passive a less oped influenced by Buddhism and in reaction against it, the neo- or contemplation, which the neo- tolinked usually the Buddhistcharacteristically monastic practice of meditation is quietism sociopolitical and “retirement” monastic of denunciation the Still, possessed, thatthese leadmaxims only to the destruction of society. the spirit of domination by which most of these extravagant doctors are for all eternity at these excesses, and let us not impute to religion, but to the palaces of princes into places of retirement for recluses! Let us blush What a strange fanaticism it is to want to convert cities into cloisters, and With the development of the plation. You should absorb yourself in contemplation so that neither neither that so contemplation in yourself absorb Youshould plation. more passive, and the second (“discernment” or “examination”) as more active. more as “examination”) or (“discernment” second the and passive, more historian Bernard Groethuysen: ( ism per se. The same reproach has of course been directed often enough often directed been course of has reproach same The se. per ism This This tendency is also found in the is traditionally characterized as dual in nature in dual as characterized traditionally is meditation Buddhist ´a - a h t a m a¯ s´ is characterized not as a mental clarity akin to akin clarity mental a notas characterized is Les Origines Lesde Origines l’esprit bourgeois 1927 ´ a ¯riputra, this is not the way to absorb yourself in contem in yourself absorb to way a¯riputra,the not is this prajña¯ ), ), 234 vipas´yana¯ ; translation mine. ; translation (wisdom). The founder of the school, ( Zhiyi school, Tiantai the of founder The (wisdom). ): the first element, which means “calming,” is regarded as ´ a¯riputra,one of theBuddha’s foremost disciples, for

— Prajña¯pa¯ramita¯

for example, in a text quoted by the intellectual intellectual the quotedby text a in example, for Confucianists regarded Confucianists as overly passive. Both Confucianists leveled against Buddhism was was Buddhism leveled against Confucianists 22 fore seen as a form of mental “activity.” and today,is there emphasizes “” Vipassana, . dhy

The type of meditation most popular in the West West the in popular most meditation of type The Vimalakı¯rti- a¯ na . jingzuo (Perfection of Wisdom) tradition of Wisdom) tradition (Perfection or “quiet sitting.” But again, su¯tra vipas´yana¯ , where the enlightened Confucianists devel Confucianists 21 prajña¯ - sama¯dhi , but rather as a as butrather , over (concen 538 dhya¯na

—

–

as a as 97 zhi 22 ), - - - ,

Those who instruct in this way are from the outset greatly mistaken.” viewing the mind and viewing purity, not moving and not activating the mind. . . . admonishes his disciples: “Good friends, some people teach men to sit, (d. Huineng master autobiographyChan supposed the ofthe the charge of quietism, found as early as the Hence mereinaction. from distinguishable clearly notalways is action,” which of idea Daoist the by influenced was notion “spontaneity,” the no- Chan While or mental). physical (whether of activity blankness of mind, which is quietism,” and explains as well the recurrent advocacy absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that the thirty- the that way a such in contemplation in yourself absorb Youshould forms. external toward without moves nor within settles neither mind the that so contemplation in You yourself absorb should nature. spiritual cultivated your abandoning without person ordinary of an nature the manifest you can that away such contemplationin in You cessation. should forsaking without absorb behavior yourself nary ordi contemplation in all yourself such a wayin you manifest that can body nor appearmind in the anywhere triple world. You should absorb of Vimalakı¯rti: A Maha¯ya¯na Scripture 23 Chan emphasis on is question in mind the they do not mean the sort of introspection generally called “mindfulness,” since (“no- regarded as in lacking dynamism. on overreliance in Chan Buddhism, which amplified was contemplation of Vimalakı¯rti’s criticism meditation. traditional from departure radical a is Vimalakı¯rti favors that contemplationof kind The the province of the world. you are released in liberation without abandoning the passions that are victions. You should absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that con any toward deviation without manifest are toenlightenment aids they hate noise and seek stillness. This is the method of heretics.” don’tflow ofthought they the let it rise; contemplation. practice and Arresting blind shavepates who, themselves having stuffed food, with sit down to meditate (d. Yixuan Linji master sylvania State sylvania University Press, 1967 Patriarch Sixth 24 . .

See Robert A. F. Thurman, trans., trans., F. A. Robert See Thurman, See Philip B. Yampolsky,B. Philip See ), ), 137 thought”). Even when advocate texts Chan A further step along these lines was the Southern Chan notion of notion Chan Southern the was lines these along step further A , hence , . (New York: Columbia University Press, Press, University Columbia York: (New chan ´amatha h t a m a s´ ) wunian

—

came to criticize the quietistic practice of practice quietistic the criticize to came 23 (calming, cessation). In Chan, traditional meditation was 867 wuxin The Platform Su¯tra the of Platform The 1976 and

— ) developed the same theme: “There are a bunch of bunch a are “Theretheme: same developed ) the (Philadelphia: Penn ), ),

in spite of its name, derived from 24 (mindless). The puzzlement created by the new the by created puzzlement The (mindless). The Holy Teaching wuxin . explains the warnings against “cultivating “cultivating against warnings the explains - Platform Su¯tra of the Sixth Patriarch Su¯tra Sixth the of Platform ed., 25 Press, kanxin .

See Ruth Fuller trans., andSasaki, Thomas Kirchner, The Record of Linji of Record The 2009 (“looking at the mind”), thought is said to be pure ), ), seven seven 214 . - - 713 dhya¯na wuwei 25 (Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Hawai’i of University (Honolulu: ). In this text, text, this ).In dhya¯na 24 The Chan (Chinese (Chinese or “non- or wunian for its its for ,

Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 431 Taish 26 Columbia University Press, 403

. C O MMO N KNO WLED GE 432

, in Jeffrey L. Broughton, Chanyuan zhuquanji duxu zhuquanji Chanyuan o¯ edition of the Buddhist canon, vol. vol. canon, Buddhist the of edition Do¯ trast between the two schools on that point was never as clear- itself goal the but end, an toward means a not is that meditation nondual a only”), of practice the advocated he Instead dualistic. therefore ( etistic contemplation. From his perspective, k contemplation. Frometistic perspective, his qui against prejudice its inherited and school Rinzai the to belonged audience, Suzuki rejected both Northern Chan and S and Chan Northern both rejected Suzuki Zen from degenerating into quietism or into a merely intellectual understanding. chan (Japanese was as detractors Japanese labeled“silent- Rinzai) by its Linji ( templation remained the Japaneseof characteristic S the Caodong ( first full of praise for the antinomianism of Rinzai Zen. In his widely read of meditation focused on “cases” or riddles ( riddles or “cases” on focused meditation of had been upset by Shenhui. the LinjiWhile school emphasized an “active” form which wisdom, and concentration between balance traditional the reestablish suited to the capacities of the practitioner.” most is what on depends meditation] [in sit to not or sit.’ Whether to not sary the “ ( ForZongmi Guifeng instance, While Suzuki criticized the passiveChan (Zen) Antinomianism nature of S role the size of k tualist.”Modern adepts of Zen, following Suzuki’s interpretation, often empha flating quietism and gradualism, he also criticized the former for being “intellec k of examination active the itwith wood,”“dead contrasted hetoand and ashes lar Zonggao ( tation aimed to resemble “a stone or ofthe trunk a tree,” the Chan master Dahui 1200 gen himself is known to have madeis known great ofgenuse himself k o¯ , Japanese , Japanese

Vimalakı¯rti- — ans as practiced in the Linji (Rinzai) school. The S

The “Zen apostle” D. T. Suzuki, who first introduced Zen to a Western a to Zen introduced first who D.T. apostle” Suzuki, “Zen The Not everyone agreed, however, not even in the “sudden Chan” tradition. tradition. “sudden however,Chan” the agreed, in notNot even everyone Like the Jesuit missionaries who argued that the practitioner of Zen medi –

1253

the natural expression of awakening. In actual practice, however, the con 2009 1089 Zongmi Zongmi on Chan mokush ), on the other hand, criticized Rinzai Zen as too goal- too as Zen Rinzai criticized hand, other the on ), ( Chan Prolegomenon Chan ). kanna-zen

– o¯

1163 su¯tra o¯ ans in keeping Zen free from the temptation of quietism. -zen ) described ) silent-described 48 says: ‘It is not necessary to sit.’ to not It say, does not ‘Itis necessary neces says: ‘Itis ), in contrast to the “Chan of word- of “Chan the to contrast ), in (New York: , no. no. , ) which is the practice based on the study of k 2015 ), in in ), : 780 Religious Beliefs tarily drawn from their coma.” See Wieger, mations which escaped from the stultified ones, momen these weremerely “excla answers” “incoherent,meaningless whom for Wieger, Léon like Chan of detractor 27

–841 .

e ee k even Yet illumination Chan as a state of mind simi ),a contemporary of that Linji, argued ¯to¯ t o¯ 26 Apparently, Zongmi was trying to Apparently, was trying Zongmi gong’an Zen as quietist. Unjustifiably con Unjustifiably quietist. as Zen o¯anskeepto wereprimarily used , ¯to¯ t o¯ o¯ 530 ans were not sufficient for a Western Western a for sufficient not were ans Zen meditation, he seemed at . o¯ ; Japanese Japanese ; ans. ¯to¯ t o¯ examination” ( shikan taza shikan D master Zen illumination Chan” cut as argued, and ko¯ an o¯to¯) school. It oriented and ), quiet con quiet ), (“sitting- o¯ History of the History ans. kanhua- Essays o¯gen 27 ------Shenxiu’s verse, expressing his reliance on quietistic meditation, reads: and Huineng (d. subitism and gradualism is traced back to verses attributed to Shenxiu ( to nothing. is said to pious have his Bodhidharma all replied activities, amounted thatthese through accumulated had he merits of kind what monk Indian the asked ruler legendary encounter with Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty. When the Chinese of all pious works. One of the founding stories of Chan is that of Bodhidharma’s stitutes sudden (or innate) awakening, and it sometimes does lead to the rejection buddha- ofa existence the in)belief Chan/Zen of(or the holding simply realization the Suzuki began to warn against this misinterpretation. this against warn to began Suzuki the initial Western understanding of Zen as a kind of libertarianism (“Beat Zen”), became more aware of the dangers of presumablyantinomianism, in response to Manualwork and the use of k institutional and routinized practices in the name of pure spontaneity. in Zen Buddhism 1949 28 and pure fundamentally is mind their that recognize who those for necessary is included, meditation whatsoever, practice no that implies verse Huineng’s Where is there room for dust? notFrom is. a thing the beginning The also has nomirror stand. Bodhi awakening: sudden of expression Huineng’s perfect ais hand, other verse,on the stillness. and purity of pursuit in practice gradualist of description a as read be can Shenxiu’s verse The body is the of antinomianism. pitfalls 1960 29 And must And not let the dust collect. At all times we must strive to polish it, The mind is like a clear mirror. 30 of the School . . .

D. T. Suzuki, T. Suzuki, D. Suzuki, Suzuki, Frederick Franck, ed., Frederick Franck,

– [awakening] originally has no [awakening] tree, originally

53 , he stated that “Zen is decidedly not latitudinarian, nor antinomian. nor latitudinarian, not decidedly is “Zen that stated he , In the ), ), 1 nature within oneself. within That nature realization is, properly what speaking, con : 73 Essays in Zen Buddhism . Platform Su¯tra of the Sixth Patriarch (New York: Crossroad, Essays in Zen Buddhism bodhi , Suzuki , stressed Suzuki the “spiritual freedom” that rebelled against all 713 - tree, ), two disciples of the fifth Chan patriarch Hongren ( Hongren patriarch Chan fifth of the disciples ), two The Buddha- ” 31 32 , But a kind of antinomianism can indeed derive from 2 : 312 o¯ Eye: An Anthology An Anthology Eye: (London: Rider, ans, he wrote, saved Zen “from falling into the the into falling “from Zen saved wrote, he ans, 1982 . ), ), 21 . , the origin of the controversy over 31 32 130 . .

– Suzuki, Suzuki, Yampolsky, Yampolsky,

32 . 29 In an article written in in written article an In Essays in Zen Buddhism Platform Su¯tra of the Sixth Patriarch Sixth Su¯tra the of Platform 606 601 28 As he As

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, Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 433 version” ( version” con “prompt between distinction Suso’s Henri of cent 33 See Michel de Certeau, through” ( cle Paul Demiéville, “The Mirror of the Mind,” in (Paris: Gallimard, Gallimard, (Paris: . C O MMO N KNO WLED GE 434

The contrast between the two positions is reminis- is positions two the between contrast The dengeswinden Ker Durchbruch whatsoever: tion.” But Linji took stepthe further of denying the value of any kind of practice contempla practice and meditate to down sit food, with themselves stuffed “having who, shavepates” “blind those against railed Yixuan, Linji successors, not looking close up.” close looking not away, far looking not emptiness, contemplating not purity, viewing not mind, in [Maha¯ya¯na],Vehicle Great the concentration “In the instance: for saying, as ( Daoxin patriarch Chan fourth the text, Chan Northern a In school. Northern gradualist purportedly ofthe that already was school, ern antinomianism. “sudden awakening” or subitist Chan reject all such means and proclaim a radical ( means” “skillful ate,” which is to say unmediated. Whereas traditional Buddhism had emphasized as “immedi of “sudden awakening” understanding the from part large in derives latter The namely, antinomianism. sidequietism: of other the represents verse of“quiet sense meditation,”the in Huineng’s representto quietism said be can empty and, therefore, already enlightened fully. enlightened already therefore, and, empty the result of spiritual exercises. His Indian opponent, Kamalas´ı¯la, summarized as ment) exists fundamentally within each of us and therefore cannot be obtained as that the buddha- claimed subitism, ern Chan Buddha!” the kill Buddha, the meet you “If murder: spiritual to call famous his in reflected is antinomianism extreme Linji’s most What do yourselves lack? have. already you one the of top on head a You’re men! Blind putting to enlighten to. Just what are you in the highways andseeking byways? I say to you there is no buddha, no , nothing to practice, nothing and lie down when you’re tired. do to nothing with ordinary, be Just Followersof Way, the isnecessary. no effort buddha dharma, to as the school of ( Daoyi Mazu of school dhya¯na 198 ), and slow ),“reversion” and ( La Fable mystique: XVIe– Paradoxically, this subitist viewpoint, traditionally attributed to the South At the Council of Tibet, the Chinese monk Moheyan, representing North 2 ), ), 229 ), which is a sudden “break sudden a is which ), consists in not indulging in spiritual exercises, not examining one’s examining not exercises, spiritual in indulging not in consists . On this question, see also upa¯ya 34 36 ) such as ritual andmeditation, most of forms the )radical such ritual as Widerfluz Sudden Sudden and This antinomian tendency developed antinomian Hungzhou This the in 709 XVIIe siè

35 –

88 ). - - -

— ). As we have seen, one of Mazu’s most famous famous Mazu’smost of one seen, have we As ).

shit, shit, piss, wear clothes, eat food, 34 Press, Hawai’i of University (Honolulu: Gregory N. Peter ed. Thought Chinese in Enlightenment to Approaches Gradual: 35 36 . . .

Sasaki, Sasaki, Sasaki, Sasaki, See Faure, 1987 nature nature (and, consequently, enlighten ), ), Record of Linji Record of Linji 13 Will Will to Orthodoxy

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40 33 . Thus, while Shenxiu’s verse verse Shenxiu’s while Thus, , , 185 185 . . , 580 59 .

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651 ) is quoted is ) - - - - - ,

came to him in the form of Caodong Chan. More recently, equally lead to the same ofnotionskinds discriminatory and behaviors. outcastes).opposed But theory, causality,diametrically the ofthat could karmic thatpremodern afflicted Japanese society (and, itsin particular, injustice toward world, old brave ( ment been the object of violent criticism on the part of the “Critical Buddhism” move Zen is S heresy” ( “naturalist the sented by so- the tendency reprewas medieval Japan, topos.antinomian In the orchic aliterary perceivedtobe came feigned as monks certain in most cases bound to remain largely rhetorical and theoretical. The madness of was antinomianism their societies, of Asian constraints Given the unnecessary. a radical form of quietism in which pious works, andrituals, even meditation are no longer feel obliged tofollow advocatetruth, instead, precepts Buddhist and, ultimate on is focus their because who, figures, trickster monastic in reflected can be found in Korea and Japan. The trend toward “wild” or “mad” Chan is well became infamous as wine- works,it seemed also to lend itself Buddhist to moral monks Chan Many laxity. reject pious not antinomianism appearto have also did Chan only been ethical: clearly high, even if they were probably as political as they were They doctrinal. were debate that of stakes the Moheyan, of partisans by murdered eventually works. pious of Maha¯ya¯na of value the emphasized that carded after the Council of Tibet, in favor of a more traditional (and Indian) form because of its attitude antinomian that Chinese Chan came eventually to be dis Moheyan’s approach as tantamount to the “passivity of slumber.” It is essentially to reject pious practices is to destroy Buddhism. His disciple Jña¯nendra described there is no further need to engage in goodtransmigration. practices.”. . . Consequently, it is not necessary to think about anything, and in transmigration, but those who do not think and who do nothing are freed from follows Moheyan’s position: “By the force of good and bad acts . . . beings wander 37 headquarters near Kyoto and to go to China in search of an answer an of search in China to go to and Kyoto near headquarters that cardinal tenet that, we aboutare doubts was It of tenet told,Buddhism. awakening”) incited(or“fundamental the young D blind singer and for the erotic that shepoetry inspired tohim compose. losophy East and West Correspondence,” and Contrast in Religious A Study .

See Joseph F. Roccasalvo, “The Debate at bSam yas: yas: at Debate bSam “The F.Joseph See Roccasalvo, Judging by a spurious tradition that the Indian master Kamalas´ı¯la master was Indian the that tradition spurious a by Judging Outside of Chan and Zen, an antinomian tendency is found in the hihan bukky hihan o¯ jun Ikkyu¯ jun (

30 called Bodhidharma school (Daruma- o¯ . ). our Because itsof with satisfaction conservatism, its innate 4 (October (October 1394

jinenged thought was deemed to be the source of all the evils evils the all of source the be to deemed was thought

– drinking, brothel-

1481 1980 ): ), a poet- a ), o¯ 5 ).Perhaps in most the figure popular trickster 11 . monk famous for his love affair with a with love affair forhis famous monk Phi going eccentrics; and similar figures -

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a manifestation of ideological amanifestation 37 Kamalas´ı¯la objected that shu¯), which D o¯ gen to leave the Tendai hongaku thought has o¯gen terms

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which which - - -

Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 435 la Chine 38

. C O MMO N KNO WLED GE 436

On this question, see Jacques Gernet, (Paris: Gallimard, Gallimard, (Paris: ( the Buddhist and neo- zuo ( power. notionsurrender to his the total and of “OtherPower” Amida While in faith pure a advocate particular, in schools, Land Pure Japanese The Amida). devotionaltendency of cult Buddha the foundthe in Amita¯bha (or, Japanese, in a is Theredevotion. Christian to resemblance superficial a practice), and bears in comparative discussions of quietism (and conspicuously absent from Zen belief mainstream Confucianists such as Confucianists Wangmainstream ( Tingxiang The quietist tendencies of neo- leveledleveled be could atcharges at Buddhism neo- the moreover, cases, some In it. from significantly depart to Confucianist) or ist, traditional Chinese thoughtof part for a anyintegral too religious been had “movement” and “quiescence” streamof (whetherdialectic the Buddhist, Dao Buddhism: Chinese notto certainly and generally, Buddhism to justice notdo Buddhism as they do Quietism. in This Christian sort of critique, however, does trends tedly, such elements can be found, to one degree or another, in various Buddhist Admit antinomianism. even and laxity, behavior,moral eccentric to leads and antisocial negatively is monk Buddhist the of life contemplative the that pose tration in which the self momentarily disappears. buta concen with invoked, extasis wewhom with are nothe ritually has dealing gods the and buddhas the with one becomes priest the where Buddhism, teric Even union. Buddhistoflead Tantricquietism mystical in extasis to the or eso does Nor blessings. and will his engraves God which on Quietism, Christian Fénelon.Clearly, however, “no- the tant way, to ofaspects the quietism advocated by Molinos, Madame Guyon, and dis and vague a in only but comparable, are Buddhism of aspects some Thus 3. Conclusion dhist establishment. the Bodhidharma school and the Pure Land schools cults wereof rejection pious works and traditional attacked by the Bud in practice these two approaches lead to similar kinds of antinomianism 1635 tariki or “quiet Buddhist from seated meditationsitting” (

– One aspect of Buddhist quietism though and antinomianism, rarely found Both Both Western and neo- ) is contrastedusually with the Zen reliance on one’s “own power” (

—

1704 1994

especiallyin Chan or Zen ). ), ), 38 280 Ifthe neo-

–

302 L’Intelligence de . Confucian practices looked, and indeed were, strikingly were,strikingly indeed looked,and practices Confucian Confucianists tried so hard to distinguish their their distinguish to hard so tried Confucianists Confucian Confucian criticisms of Buddhist quietism presup Confucianism Confucianism were indeed denounced by leading thought” of Chan is not the “blank slate” thought”isnot of“blank the Chan of

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even if they do not play the same role in role in same notthe doplay they if even

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and it is on groundthis that both 1474 zuochan Confucianism as well. as Confucianism

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1544 ),is because that )and Yan Yuan

jiriki — jing

the the ), ------of Japan), Ming China, and the kingdoms of Siam and Nova Hispania. Nova and of Siam kingdoms the and China, Ming of Japan), as mediator in diplomatic relations between the amongorthodox traditionalists. dhism, recognized the similarities. Still, ( Even similar. ZhuXi See John Kieschnick, See John Kieschnick, them. of one only is meditation” of “practitioners and Monks thaumaturgy, and scholarship. The tion, perceiving it as a activity, like specialized , medita- of form any practice today) not do (and not did monks Many Buddhism. of practice paradigmatic single 39 China, China, while Nanzenji, in the person of its abbot Ishin Su¯den ( matically active. Tenryu¯ji, for instance, was the monastery in charge of trade with death through rituals. their Zen funerary monasteries were and culturally diplo pices and leproseries, care of the dying, andtaking the pollution dealing with of one was complaining about Buddhist quietism country could be reunified under Tokugawa rule in the seventeenth century. No who threatened their interests, and they had finally to be exterminated before the teenth century to the sixteenth. “Warrior monks” four formed the bands from that attacked all country the ravaged that wars civil the in involved actively were doctrine. In medieval Japan, Buddhist monasteries became large landholders and soteriological a as secondarily only weaponand ideological an as mainly rulers protection of the state and its ruler. Indeed, Buddhism was perceived bytheir East Asian neo- suicide in by (and died spontaneity pure of name the in constraints internal and external ( Zhi Li scholar Taizhou The Buddhism. Chan of those resembled school, Taizhou the of particular in Confucianism, aboutinvolves quietism epistemological, soteriological, andother philosophical vital feature of varieties of mysticism. Behind the negative rhetoric, the discourse vague and fluctuating, the experience of quietism seems a relatively constant and seems referent its While aversion). (orof desire” of object “obscure an ignate instance, monks as well as Buddhist laymen have taken up arms. of Buddhists in nationalist and ethnic causes has gone so far that in Sri Lanka, for it tury, hasoften becomeidentified emergent with nationalisms. The active role been attempts to delineate an “”; and since the nineteenth cen have there teaching, antisocial an as ofBuddhism image traditional the to tion .

It should be noted that meditation has never been the , for instance, are divided into are divided , a for number ofinstance, rubrics, Monks also played a more positive social role, for instance byhos running responded to Buddhists similarities, and affinities their Notwithstanding The term term The 1602 Confucian critics by Confucian emphasizing the value of Buddhist for rituals the , while imprisoned). , while quietism The Eminent Monk: Buddhist Ideals Ideals Buddhist Monk: Eminent The 1130 is fundamentally ambivalent is fundamentally and has been used to des

– Biographies of Eminent

1200 39 ), the staunchest neo- staunchest the ), Moreover, tendencies the antinomian of neo- jingzuo 1527

then – was, paradoxically, most popular bakufu Hawai’i Press, in Medieval Chinese Hagiography 40 MasterHonk seikai, seikai,

1602 .

. See ), for instance, rejected all all rejected instance, for ), 1966 (the government military Shintei Honk Confucian critic Confucian of Bud

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71 ), ), 1997 ). 7 vols. (Tokyo: Zoku gunsho ruij gunsho Zoku (Tokyo: vols. 1569 ). o¯ kokushi nikki

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1633 40 In reac In (Honolulu: University of University (Honolulu: ), acted ( Chronicles of National ofNational Chronicles ------u¯ kan

- Faure s Apology for Quietism: Part 6 437 C O MMO N KNO WLED GE 438 Buddhism. it will remain will that it hope only can we freedom, individual and individuality threaten bustle and hustle when time a to detachment peaceful of ideal an up holds quietism “healthy- a be can or is quietism but obsolete. Moreover, seem Jamesthat anything suggested, issues William as

—

or become again become or minded” attitude toward . Inasmuch as as Inasmuch reality. toward attitude minded”

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an essential component of religions like like religions of component essential an