This research first introduces the background and intention of William James’s writing of The Varieties of Religious Experience. Following along is the exploration of the compatibility between William James’s healthy-minded and sick soul concepts and Buddhist religious experiences. The study meticulously analyzes James’s understanding of Buddhism while highlighting the limitations of his analysis, particularly his lack of Buddhist case studies. The purpose of this research is to explore the possibility of other temperaments, particularly in consideration of the religious experiences of Buddhists, that William James might have overlooked, which eventually led to the discovery of a variety of temperament. In other words, beginning with the exploration of Buddhist religious experiences led to the discovery of another category in between the range of healthy-minded and sick souls, which applies not only to Buddhists but also to any individuals of a different faith to be identified with. Additionally, the study explores James’s recognition of pragmatism in choosing religions to practice, which offers a unique perspective on the intersection between James’s theories, Buddhism, and human experiences within a religious context. The research is organized into five chapters, beginning with an introduction that outlines the topics and circumstances of the study. The second chapter evaluates James’s concepts and their alignment with Buddhist religious experiences, providing a deeper understanding of the compatibility between the two. The third chapter introduces the perspective of Buddhism as Twice-Born Neutral-Minded, which offers a new and distinct characterization of Buddhist religious experiences. The fourth chapter examines Buddhist case studies to investigate if Buddhists adopt a similar pragmatic perspective while practicing Buddhism. This chapter also delves into the temperaments of these individuals and their alignment with the description of Twice-Born Neutral-Minded. The conclusion provides a detailed overview of James’s definition of the philosophy of religion and how this research contributes to a deeper comprehension of the intersection between James’s theories, Buddhism, and human experiences within a religious context. Overall, this research is a thoughtful and insightful analysis of James’s theories’ compatibility with Buddhism. This study presents a distinctive viewpoint on the connection between these two crucial fields of study by conducting a thorough analysis and interpretation.
目次
Chapter One INTRODUCTION 8 Chapter Two HEALTHY-MINDED & SICK SOULS: BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE..15 Chapter Three BUDDHISTS AS TWICE-BORN NEUTRAL-MINDED 35 Chapter Four DIVIDED SELVES & BUDDHIST CONVERSIONS 55 Chapter Five CONCLUSION 74 Reference WORKS CITED 78
