Early Buddhism; sense-experience; innate ideas; innate tendencies; extra-sensory perception (abhiññā); dukkha; John Locke; sensation; reflection
摘要
The studies produced related to the epistemological foundation of early Buddhism whose literature is extant in the Pali Language, have reached the conclusion that Buddhism is similar to empiricism. For example, K. N. Jayatilleke in his Early Buddhist Theory of Knowledge (London: Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1963, p.463) and D. J. Kalupahana in his work, Buddhist Philosophy (University Press of Hawaii, 1976, p.22f) have stated that early Buddhism is a form of empiricism. It is an academically interesting task to examine this suggestion from a comparative perspective when we consider one of the initiatives of an empiricist in the western history of philosophy, John Locke (1632-1704) in comparison with the early Buddhist theory of knowledge. Both Lockean and Early Buddhist traditions deny ‘innate ideas’ and accept the inevitability of sense-experience as the initial step in the process of forming knowledge. However, early Buddhism sees ‘innate tendencies’ as a critical aspect of the human psyche and does not claim sense-experience as an infallible source of knowledge. Early Buddhism oriented toward gaining liberation from suffering, recognizes extra-sensory perception and higher forms of knowledge gained through meditational practice, as means to realize the truth of reality. In this paper, I am going to discuss the similarities and dissimilarities we can find in the Lockean theory of knowledge in comparison with the early Buddhist theory of knowledge. In conclusion, I will point out that though early Buddhism shows certain characteristics similar to Lockean empiricism, it differs greatly in its account as to the aspects such as sources of knowledge, purpose of bringing forth epistemological views and variety of levels of knowledge. Finally, it will be pointed out that the Lockean theory of knowledge is aimed at settling secular issues and takes a more philosophical approach whereas early Buddhism is aimed at attaining liberating knowledge from the cyclic suffering (saṃsāra dukkha) and takes a psychological approach in its theory of knowledge.
目次
Introduction 71 Backgrounds of Buddhism and Locke 71 Purpose of Locke vs. Early Buddhism 72 Locke's Empirical Thesis 72 Sense Experience in Early Buddhism 72 Extra-sensory Perception in Early Buddhism 74 Ideas as Content of Knowledge 75 Contents of Super Cognition 76 Substance 77 Conclusion 77
