In Chapter 2, the ways how Abe interprets the Buddhist idea of sunyata for his western audience are explored. There are three characteristics in his interpretation, namely clarifying the meaning of sunyata in comparison with the western philosophical and religious concepts, emphasizing the subjective aspect of sunyata, and taking sunyata as a dynamic activity rather than a static state. Among these characteristics, the dynamic interpretation of sunyata is of the most importance. Abe's interpretation goes beyond the classical meaning of sunyata formulated by Nagarjuna, and distinguishes itself from the traditional Chinese Buddhist thought. This dynamic interpretation of sunyata is arguably an original interpretation made by Abe and might have been inspired by the western thought he dialogued with. / In Chapter 3, this thesis scrutinizes closely Abe's proposal of "kenotic God" and summarizes the Christian responses attracted. According to Abe, the kenosis of Christ involves the kenotic understanding of God, which means the original nature of God is self-emptying. Abe was not satisfied with the traditional Christian doctrine of Trinity, and proposed "Great zero" or "Absolute nothingness" as the ground of the divine Trinity. Except very few Christian theologians who totally agree or disagree to Abe's idea, most of them accept his idea of "kenotic God", but refuse to take "Absolute nothingness" instead of Trinity as the ultimate divine reality. It can be said that Abe's proposal of "kenotic God" aims at offering a Buddhist interpretation,
