NeoConfucianism Notes, Zhuxi (Chu his) and Buddhism

Neoconfucianism

• what happens to Confucianism after Daoism and Buddhism have had their day
• Zhuxi (Chu his)
  • 1130-1200 C.E.
  • wanted to defend Confucianism after Daoism and Buddhism
  • Buddhism was on the decline at this time
  • takes himself to be an advocate for Mengzi
  • from Mengzi (sprouts) human nature is good
  • Remember:
    • Buddhism: suffering results from mistaken views about the self
      • Mahayana: things are fundamentally empty, things do not have any fundamental substantial existence, nothing endures
      • since we are grasping for what is substantial, we are frustrated, and this is Dukkha
      • the picture we have of the world – comprised of concrete, enduring individuals, is illusory and unreal
      • the key to undoing this is to recognize what has happened – to properly understand the nature of reality
      • enlightenment is seeing the nature of things, that everything is emptiness
    • Buddhism in China:
      • begins to see our desires as unreal but unnatural
      • Chinese Buddhism begins to concern itself with what is unnatural
      • Zen: ordinary objects are empty – share a common nature, the “Buddha Nature”
        • suffering is seen as not recognizing the true nature of things (like ourselves, the human being)
        • Shen-hsiu – our true nature has been hidden or defiled, we must wipe the dust/defilements from the mirror(our true nature)
        • all we need to do for salvation is to activate our true nature
        • in our original state, we are connected with everything
        • we must recover our natural/original state – thereby discovering our connections with the rest of nature
  • Neoconfucianism: distinguishes between our original nature – perfect and pure
    • our material nature is flawed and in need of refinement
    • our original nature is like Mengzi's sprouts; these provide clues
    • we don't nurture these sprouts, as our true nature is already developed; but we are obscured from our original nature
    • it may just be that living in the world is what has caused these defilements
    • our original nature is complete; the problem is that this nature is obscured
      • this sounds exactly like Zen
  • Li
    • Early Confucianism – “principles/structure of proper behavior” (ritual conduct)
    • Daoism – pattern/order in nature
    • Huayan Buddhism – li = emptiness (which is the ultimate principle of everything)
    • Neoconfucian – every particular thing has its li
      • this is what makes it the kind of thing that it is
      • If I act in accordance with my li, I act naturally, I do the thing I am supposed to do, I am accordance with my nature
      • a bird that flies and sings is acting in accordance with its li
      • spontaneous to follow one's li (Daoism?)
    • not following one's li is deviant, and here problems arise
    • li gives everything meaning, but is without form
  • Qi (chi) (formerly “vital energies”
    • li finds expression/embodiment in Qi (“lively matter”, “material force”)
    • the world is made of Qi
    • pure Qi is clear, warm, active, and tends to rise
    • impure Qi is murky, lethargic, and tends to sink
      • what's getting you down is murky Qi
    • murky Qi ten ds to obscure one's original nature, or Li
    • demurkify the Qi
    • you don't cultivate your Qi, you uncover it
  • Xing
    seen on road signs everywhere
    • means “nature” or “mind/heart”
    • Li in itself
    • the material nature is Li mixed with Qi
• Modes of mind
  • Daoxin – Mind of the Way
  • Renxin – Human mind
  • cultivation helps us move from the human mind to the mind of the Dao
    • Renxin → Daoxin by clarifying our Qi
  • in a sense, we already have this knowledge, we are sort of uncovering it
  • how does one do this? PRACTICE
  • Practice:
    • 1. we must preserve the mind by sitting quietly and calming the mind
      • mental tranquility clarifies the Qi
    • 2. studying the classic texts, and investigating phenomena
      • in order to discover the principles (Li) of nature
    • 3. practice jing (“reverential attention”)
      • when one's thoughts and actions are in accordance with Li, one achieves sincerity
      • authenticity – acting in accordance with your own nature
      • if one is uncultivated, one is insincere – thinking and acting against their own inner nature
      • to be insincere – to think, speak and act in a manner that is not consistent with our inner (true) nature