Sungtaek Cho, Prgram in Korean Studies, State University of New York at Stony Brook; stcho@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
關鍵詞
佛教人物=Buddhist; 菩薩=Bodhisattva
摘要
The difficulty of developing a theoretical framework for Buddhism’s engagement with contemporary social issues is rooted in the very nature of Buddhism as an ontological discourse aiming at individual salvation through inner transformation. It is my contention, however, that the concept of “selflessness” can become the basis of a Buddhist theory of social justice without endangering Buddhism’s primary focus on individual salvation. In this article, I show how the key concept of selflessness can provide a viable ground for Buddhist social justice by comparing it with one of the most influential contemporary Western theories of social justice, that of the American philosopher John Rawls. Drawing on the bodhisattva ideal and the Buddhist concepts of “sickness” and “cure,” I then demonstrate how selflessness can serve as a link that allows Buddhists to be socially engaged even while pursuing the goal of individual salvation.
目次
Introduction 76 Selflessness and Social Justice 78 The Selflessness of the Bodhisattva: Curing Oneself by Curing Others 81 Who Curse? 82 Notes 84 References 85
