Several Problems Of Lu Jiu-yuan Attitude Towards Buddhism With The Aid Buddhism Into Confucianism

As Zen Buddhism in the Tang dynasty was in vogue, Confucian classics were alsobeginning to absorb Buddhism. Confucians of the Song dynasty found theirConfucianism’s theoretical defects, while inspired from Buddhism and Taoism, theybegan introducing Buddhism into Confucianism. Some scholars think the idealisticphilosophy of the Song and Ming Dynasties are a developed theory on the basis ofNeo-Confucianism by absorbing Buddhism and Taoism, in a word, making Buddhismserve for Confucianism. This paper tries to study a Confucian scholar known as LuJiu-yuan. The "the philosophy of the mind’ was his attitude to the cognitive,absorption of Buddhism, especially the response and attitude to “The Sixth PatriarchHuineng”. The results of this perspective are: Lu Jiu-yuan didn’t reject Buddhism, andconsiders that Buddhism is not heresy; His broadcasting ontology and theory hasabsorbed the main ideas of Zen, especially ontology thought has a great contributionto Confucian philosophy; Comparing the similarities and differences between Zen andConfucian thoughts, there is an essential different conclusion: the former is to be bornbeyond good and evil, the latter is to go into society arriving at supreme goodness.My paper consists of three parts: The introduction, body and conclusion. Theintroduction deals with the purpose of the paper, its current situation,the materialsused, and the research approaches. The conclusion shows Lu Jiu-yuan’s attitudetowards Buddhism and Zen, similarities and differences of the Lu Jiu-yuan and Zen,and the influence of Zen to Lu Jiu-yuan.The body is comprised of three parts.The first is the analysis of Lu Jiu-yuan’s original thesis, his ideas about Buddhists andBuddhism. It tries to solve three issues. One is the background of Lu Jiu-yuan. Secondis Lu Jiu-yuan’s contacts with Buddhism. Finally are Lu Jiu-yuan’s debates ofConfucianism and Buddhism.The second is the relationship between Lu Jiu-yuan’s Mind Theory and Zen. One isthe meaning of the Zen Mind. The other is problems of Tai Chi of Limitless. Anotheris Zen features of Lu Jiu-yuan’s Mind Theory.The third is the relationship between Lu Jiu-yuan’s cultivation and Zen. It is referredto the similarities and differences between Lu Jiu-yuan and Huineng.Lu Jiu-yuan is the founder of philosophy of the mind in the idealistic philosophy ofthe Song and Ming Dynasties, which reflects the distinct characteristics of Zen. Inorder to revive the status of Confucian orthodoxy, Lu Jiu-yuan grasps characteristics of the rise and fall of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism, inherits the mainideological doctrine of Mencius, absorbs the view and style of Zen, and he has noobjection to his disciples to learn about Zen sects as well. At that time, Lu’s-schoolhad been called “Crazy Zen” by Zhu Xi. But the Confucian of the Song Dynastywhose doctrines are clearly imprinted with Buddhist doctrines and are inseparablefrom the Buddhist way was the most prominent feature of the idealistic philosophy ofthe Song and Ming Dynasties. Therefore, from a comprehensive ideological point ofview,Lu’s-school’s Mind Theory, to learn how to behave in the cultivation, is verysimilar to the Zen method of reading and practicing. In his philosophy，especiallyontology, has points of resemblance to Zen.However, both of them are fundamentally different. Lu Jiu-yuan emphasizes thedevelopment of moral character, to achieve the ultimate goal of enlightenmentthrough family-regulating, state-ordering and world-civilizing. But Zen’s beyondConfucianism. Zen not only emphasizes the development of moral character, but alsoenhances the realm of Mind or heart, which transcends the laws of life and death toget rid of secular society. So it follows a conclusion: Lu’s-school’s Mind Theory is not"Crazy Zen."...