Examining Zhang Zai’s viewpoint of Buddhism from a cognitive perspective, we can find Zhang Zai’s critical and repellent attitude towards Buddhism, which is involved in the fields of ontology, the theory of mind and nature, the theory of cause and effect, the way of preaching and so on. On the ontological level, and from the aspects of movement of "gas", the varied existential forms of "void", the function of "void" and the reality of life, Zhang Zai proves the existence of the "void", denies the Buddhist doctrine that everything is unreal and criticizes the Buddhist idea of karma on the basis of his gasification theory. And in respect of heart and nature, Zhang Zai criticizes Buddhist thoughts of "regarding the felling as the nature", "destroying people,s nature", "getting rid of the ethic" and "discussing the heaven’s nature arrogantly", which indicates Zhang Zai’s great wish to revive Confucianism and his firm consciousness of Confucian orthodoxy. However, it also reflects his bigoted attitude towards and misreading of Buddhism.
