The nature of Chan ethics : a philosophical study based on classical Chinese chan texts

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the nature of Chan (chan禪) ethics. As arguably the most influential indigenous Chinese Buddhist innovation, Chan radically rejects dualistic conceptualization and emphasizes the spontaneous and sudden recognition of one’s innate buddha-nature. Consequently, moral philosophy is largely neglected in Chan texts, and Chan records are filled with iconoclastic and even antinomian behaviors. The study first unveils the pivotal role of the tathāgatagarbha and the central objective of “enlightening the mind and seeing the nature” (mingxin jianxing 明心見性). It then elaborates on the “two-tier scheme”—a metaethical structure most suitable for explicating Chan philosophy. Following this, the study carefully analyzes three critical aspects of Chan morality: (1) The Chan attitude towards rules and precepts, which forms the practical basis for Chan ethics; (2) The characteristics and rationale of the spontaneous morality of enlightened beings; (3) Violence in Chan public cases (gong’an 公案), which transcends mundane ethics and epitomizes the great compassion of the Chan masters in transmitting the highest truth. The completion of this study demonstrates how Chan metaethics are deeply influenced and shaped by its metaphysics and soteriological path, and paves the way for further research into normative and applied Chan ethics.