A Comparative Study of Dogen's Thought of Practice and Enlightenment from the viewpoint of the Theory of Mahayana Buddhism

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02162
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Philosophy/Ethics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yorizumi Mitsuko 東京大学, 大学院人文社会系研究科(文学部), 教授 (90212315)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 道元 / 『正法眼蔵』 / 比較思想 / 大乗仏教思想史 / 修証論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims at a systematic elucidation of Dogen's thought, based on the theory of ascetic practice and enlightenment, and from the perspective of the study of comparative thought. As a first step, the text of the "Shobogenzo" was annotated to elucidate Dogen's thought from an intrinsic textual perspective. I have focused on the volumes of the "Shobogenzo" in which the theories of practice and enlightenment are intensively discussed, such as "Bussho", "Shinjin-gakudo", "Gyobutsu-igi", "Zazen-shin", "Daigo" and "Gyoji". In the second stage, we compared Dogen's theories of practice and enlightenment with those of Pure Land thought, and thereby clarified the significance of Dogen's thought in the history of Mahayana Buddhist thought.
The above research achievements were published in Japan and abroad.

Free Research Field

倫理学・日本倫理思想史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「日本思想史上、最高の思想家」とも呼ばれ、近年、国際的にも大きな関心を呼んでいる道元の思想について、主著である『正法眼蔵』の精密な読解を踏まえて、その思想を解明した。その際、道元の中心的テーマである修証論を取り上げ、構造的かつ体系的に解明した。『正法眼蔵』は難解をもって知られており、その難解さのよって立つところを解明しつつ、語の用例や、引用経典や語録などの出典を参照し、正確にテクストの意味を確定するようつとめた。また、道元思想を大乗仏教思想史の中に位置づけるために、浄土教の修証論との比較を行い、道元思想の意義を多角的に解明した。