Zhiyi's Notion of Disease and Its Relationship with Taoism

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Zhiyi’s Notion of Disease and its Relationship with Taoism 李四龍 Li Silong 北京大學 Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies, Peking University Abstract Ven. Master Zhiyi (538-598), the founder of Tian-tai Buddhism in 6th century, put forwarded new method of Buddhist meditation named sudden-perfect cessation and contemplation (Yun-Dun Zhi-Guan 圆顿止观), and claimed that contemplation on mind (Guan Xing 观心) is the most convenient means of practicing meditation to reach enlightenment after his systematic arrangement for Indian Buddhist scriptures and meditation methods. This paper highlights the concept of disease and its treatment in Tian-tai Buddhism, mainly based on several important meditation literatures by Zhiyi, such as Maha Zhi- Guan 摩诃止观, Primary Zhi-Guan 童蒙止观, and Classified Methods of Meditation 次第禅门. Although the perfect treatment method of disease suggested by Zhiyi was to contemplate disease in its reality as ultimate unity of emptiness, temporary name and middle way, he respectively discussed the symptoms and causes of various diseases in detail. In the context of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhiyi interpreted Buddhist notion of disease and its treatment in both Indian and Chinese medical terminologies. In particular, as introduction of concrete treatment methods, Zhiyi comprehensively 1 explained different methods derived from Buddhism, Taoism and folk healing techniques, for example, usage of herb medicine, treatment with six kinds of gas, treatment with 12 kinds of breathing. All of these methods and terminologies, finally constructed the medical culture system integrated Chinese traditional medicine and Indian Buddhist medicine, and also including Taoist medicine and folk healing. This paper also claims that this compound medical culture system has both religious and secular features. Chinese Buddhists often pay their great attention to the medical function of Buddhist dharma, and then investigation the influence of Buddhist medicine on Chinese medical culture system, would be helpful to understand the Buddhism’s adaptation to Chinese society. This paper argues that Zhi Yi's interpretation of Indian Buddhist medicine, benefited from the terminology of Chinese traditional medicine, such as "five internal organs" and "five fundamental elements." The medical cultural system is composed of Buddhist medicine, Taoist medicine and folk healing, and greatly emphasizes the importance of the notion of harmony, which means that each treatment method should regard harmony as basic principle, and keep various gases and elements in body in balance. Key words: Zhiyi, disease, Buddhist medicine, Taoist medicine, traditional Chinese Medicine 2 .

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