花岡永子=Hanaoka Eko; 世界的表現性的證成=realization of the establishment of the world.; 虛無=mere emptiness; 相對有=relative being; 西谷啟治=Nishitani Keiji; 相對無=relative nothingness; 絕對有=absolute being; 絕對無=absolute nothingness; 典範=Paradigm; 自我的目的性的證成=teleological establishment of the self
This is a critical study of the ideas of absolute nothingness put forward by Hanaoka Eko generally regarded to belong to the fourth generation of the Kyoto School. The study also deals with Hanaoka’s conceptions of the philosophical paradigms. This concept embraces the meaning of ultimate truth and thereby is the general principle of an overall philosophical system. She proposed five paradigms as follows：relative being , relative nothingness , absolute being , mere emptiness and absolute nothingness. Her understanding was , relative being concerns merely the finite and unreal world , like the shadow of a real entity. Relative nothingness is the other side of relative being . and stays on the same level. Both relative being and relative nothingness have nothing to do with the realization of the absolute and ultimate truth. Absolute being is an eternal substance , such as Plato’s Idea , Hegel’s Spirit and the personal God of Christianity. Mere emptiness is exclusively negative in nature , which destroys all attachments and false views , without carrying any positive elements that can build up a wondrous world of entities. With regard to absolute nothingness , Hanaoka maintained that it is the world of truth attained by overcoming and transcending doctrinal limitations such as duality , relativism and differentiation and, by doing so, one can uplift himself from self establishment onto world establishment. In response to Hanaoka’s conception of the philosophical paradigm, the author raised three critical points. First , Hanaoka took the human life to be the manifestation of absolute being , this is attained by means of the absolute self-negation and the great death , as held in Zen Buddhism. However , this presupposes the existence of a dynamic and transparent subjectivity. In view of that Zen pertains to the way of thinking of non-substantialism , it can establish a dynamic and transparent subjectivity, but is not on a par with the standpoint of non-substantialism. Second , mere emptiness , as an ultimate paradigm , can destroy all kinds of delusion and false views , and yet has the ability to initiate the wondrous world of entities. Consequently , it is not entirely negative in nature. Hanaoka has not paid full attention to this understanding. Third , absolute nothingness is able to breakthrongh all kinds of duality , relativism and differentiation , but unable to realize the manifestation of the world from the teleology of the self. This is because absolute nothingness , with the Buddhist concept of non-substantial emptiness as its basis , does not possess sufficient dynamic or power to achieve this difficult goal , which is , in short , the universal salvation of all sentient being
