「無為」の発展 the Evolution of Non-Action(Wuwei)In

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「無為」の発展 the Evolution of Non-Action(Wuwei)In Nagoya Future Culture College 名古屋文化短期大学研究紀要 第40集 2015年3月 『太平經』に見る道教の「無為」の発展 ロバート ジェームズ キング* The Evolution of Non-action(Wuwei) in Daoism as Seen in the Taipingjing Robert James King * Summary: Daoism is a Chinese religion that traces its roots back to the Warring States period in China. Historically it has been divided into two different groups, the philosophical Daoism of the Daojia(道 家) and the religious Daoism of the Daojiao(道教) . However, recent academic research points to Daoism without this division, where Daoism starts with a philosophical movement and then evolves into a religious movement. Both of these share the same terms and trace their creation back to the same source. In this paper I introduce the philosophical concept of non-action(無為) and compare it with the non-action found in the Taipingjing, a religious Daoist text, in order to investigate the changes that occurred in this Daoist evolution. Through this comparison, it is found that the concept of non-action , possibly due to the difficulty in understanding the concept itself, did not evolve in the way that other philosophical terms did, to create religious teachings that were necessary to establish a religious following Introduction terms, and the line between Daoism and Buddhism In approaching Daoism there are many in China has been difficult to draw ever since. difficulties in establishing a comprehensive, Daoism has most often been recognized as definitive definition of what it encompasses. a philosophy and a religion. This is based on the Daoism has been defined as a philosophy, an two common terms used to describe Daoist texts ethical system and a religion. Its different aspects and movements, Daojia(道家) referring to Daoist have been divided and collected together since it philosophy and Daojiao(道教) referring to the Daoist has been investigated as part of Chinese literature religion. Daojia is a philosophical movement and culture according to research, popular believed to have started in the pre-Qin era and conceptions and foreign influence. Daoism, along little is actually known about its history. Daojiao, with Confucianism, evolved in China and its on the other hand, is a religious movement that influence can not only be seen in various aspects exists today and claims a continuous lineage of Chinese culture, but it also greatly influenced since its beginnings. From its evolvement in the Buddhism when it entered China from the west. later Han dynasty it has been a religious group Buddhist texts were often translated using Daoist with established teachings, beliefs, and there are * 連絡先 (E-mail)king robb <[email protected]> — 51 — NII-Electronic Library Service Nagoya Future Culture College recordings of how it existed in Chinese society at Laozhuang philosophy, the ideas of Yin and Yang, that time. It was active in society, having teaching the five elements philosophy, longevity practices, and beliefs for the layperson, and missionary Chinese medicine, Chinese martial arts such as activities to maintain and increase its numbers. taijiquan, qigong, Chinese astrology, fortune-telling As a philosophy, Daoism is commonly seen as and Chinese alchemy. the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, often termed The relationship between philosophical and as Laozhuang philosophy. These are treated as religious Daoism has been academically analyzed both philosophical texts and historical figures, in three basic variations. The first being that there even though the biographies attributed to them are is no connection between the two movements not necessarily historically correct①. Most of the and that they should be treated as entirely two texts have been examined and assimilated separate entities that only happen to share the to modern ideas, leading to interpretations same name and terms. Next is the view that the that are similar to aspects of new age religions, two movements are related, but that the latter, environmentalism and western religion. Within religious Daoism, is a crude or watered-down form the history of Daoist research, the reexamining of the concepts and ideals of philosophical Daoism. of Daoism while trying to avoid cultural and This view of Daoism can be seen quite often in academic preconceptions is relatively new. early research. The final view is that the direct Comparing translations of the Laozi and Zhuangzi, relationship between the two is acknowledged one can easily see how western thought on and religious Daoism is seen as the evolution of culture and religion has clearly influenced their or a continuation of the philosophical Daoism; translation and understanding. As a religion, therefore, although there are two historically Daoism was long dismissed from the realm of recognized movements, the separation of the two academic studies. Even though the Daoist canon is dissolved and instead there is an evolutionary is a huge collection of texts collected concerning turning point. Essentially they are one lineage all aspects of Daoism, there are actual stories of that has continued for more than two thousand professors in their graduate studies being told years. While there are various arguments for each not to concern themselves with Daoist texts, that of these views I would like to focus on the third there are more valuable areas of study in Chinese and how it may be justified. Both philosophical philosophy and religion. Daoism is of course an and religious Daoism share the same manuscripts organized religion with established teachings and and terminology. When describing either of these, gods as in other religions, but these teachings the main terms chosen for their explanation are develop and evolve without a religious founder or the Dao(道) , virtue(徳) , nature(自然) , and a specific starting point. Also, it can be said that non-action②(無為) . Along with this they share the gods are not the same as gods established in the same claimed founder or beginning, Laozi western religion, for they are not all-seeing and all- (seen both as a text and a historical figure). power. Daoism may be difficult to categorize, but it Philosophical Daoism itself is not recorded well in includes many aspects of Chinese culture including history, so we cannot know how it existed in China — 52 — NII-Electronic Library Service Nagoya Future Culture College at that time but the fact that the teachings of Wuwei in Laozi Laozi and Zhuangzi came to be adopted in the late The beginning of Daoism is traced back to the Han dynasty would suggest that the philosophical Laozi. The dating of the text has been of debate Daoism or some group or movement propagated and is still effected by continued findings in these until this religious evolution occurred. If this China, but it is a strong representation of pre-Qin did happen then there is a lineage, though not philosophical thought. The Laozi is not only a text direct, connecting the two. but also a person( although the actual existence With this evolution of Daoism into a religion of Laozi the person is subject to much debate.), group, we see a change to a movement that seeks and both of these are considered the origin and to collect people and lead them to a religious goal the center of Daoism. Non-action, wuwei, is first of peace and long life. This may be the greatest explained in the Laozi and is aligned with nature change in Daoism. To evolve from a group of as a phrase(無為自然) considered to summarize recluses straying from society that have almost and represent philosophical Daoism's teachings. no written history, to an organized religion The Dao that is professed within the Laozi is the that strives to actively change the society their origin of the universe and all things in it, and also predecessors chose to leave behind is truly a the continued source of creation. It is not able to be perfect reversal of thought and direction. Here I perceived or understood by the average person, but would like to continue my investigation on how the Dao's existence and the actions of those aligned such a change could occur and what had to be done with the Dao are described using non-action to successfully redefine Daoism at that time, doing Non-action first appears in Laozi in chapter 2 this through the analysis of shared terms that exist and lays a very strong image of what the sage, one in the central teachings of both Daojia and Daojiao. aligned with the Dao, aims to do( without aiming). In this paper I would specifically like to look at the evolution of the wuwei, or non-action, as a concept “ The Sage follows the unspoken teachings and in these two movements in order to consider what maintains the stance of non-action.” changes took place in order to allow for a general 「是以聖人,處無爲之事,行不言之教 .」 reestablishment of the goals or activities of Daojia. To examine this evolution I will first look at non- To be one with the Dao and to live in action as proposed in Laozi and Zhuangzi in order to accordance with the Dao's movements, the sage establish how it was defined in Daoist philosophy, is not concerned with the various teachings, texts and then examine it in the Taipingjing to see how and schools that occur throughout society. The non-action was redefined in order to make clear description of the sage's actions is an example of the changes necessary to establish a religion. how all people should act according to the Laozi. While the dating of the Taipingjing is not definite, it Instead the sage maintains his own through non- is still considered a valuable representation of the action. The first chapter lays the foundation for later Han dynasty thought and an essential part of Laozi with a definition of the Dao, and this chapter the Daoist literature③.
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