初探佛教心理學之思想起源與現代意義：以「軸心突破」為線索=The Philosophical Origins of Buddhist Psychology and its Relevance to Modern-day Explorations of Mind: Taking the ＂Axial Breakthrough＂ as a Clue
This article focuses on the ＂axial breakthrough＂ in an attempt to uncover the philosophical origins of Buddhist psychology. While the roots of Buddhist psychology can be traced back to the ancient Indian tradition of Brahmanism and the Upaniṣads, the ＂axial breakthrough＂ prompted a rejection of a ritualistic world-view in favor of renewed interest in the value of human life and the quest for ＂inward transcendence＂. Unlike the Brahmanist doctrine of ātman (Soul/ Self), the Buddha propounded the concept of anātman (Non-Self) and on that basis developed a theory of mind and consciousness which is said to enable the cessation of suffering through mental cultivation. This soteriological concern of Buddhist psychology can perhaps in a sense be regarded as an idealist system built around the theme of transcendence. Rather than trying to discover the mechanisms of the physical ＂brain＂ or attempting to decode the outward ＂behavior,＂ it focuses instead on ethical cultivation and inward spiritual growth. In Buddhism therefore, mind is not merely seen as a biological or physiological referent, but rather as an axiological term closely related to karma. This unification of psychology with axiology, ethics and soteriology, though markedly different to the approach taken by modern psychology, could prove immensely beneficial in our quest to gain a more comprehensive understanding of mind.
