Through an in-depth discussion of the ideas of Prajñā and Laozi, which have long been of great interest to scholars, this study aims to dissolve some of the major questions that have been in the mind in this field. Specifically, this study explores ...
Through an in-depth discussion of the ideas of Prajñā and Laozi, which have long been of great interest to scholars, this study aims to dissolve some of the major questions that have been in the mind in this field. Specifically, this study explores the relationship between the Buddha's Prajñā wisdom and the
concept of Sunyata (emptiness) on the philosophical level and the similarities and differences between the Dao and Wu (nothingness) in Laozi's thoughts. Subsequently, the study examines the revelatory value that both ideas have advanced societies and been meaningfully applied in the past. Lastly, this
paper examines whether, on a practical level, the two thoughts may offer a common pathway to wisdom importation.
Although Prajñā and Laozi originated from different cultural backgrounds, this study analyzes their commonalities and differences at the philosophical level. In doing so, this study arrives at a comprehensive understanding of the natures of human existence and the universe. The formation of Laozi's thoughts is not only the result of philosophical discernment, but also a result of deep inquiry into human nature. At the same time, Laozi's thoughts were related to early Buddhist thoughts. In the later development of East Asian philosophy, Laozi's thoughts and Buddhist thoughts complemented each other and shaped the
main lineage of thoughts.
The establishment of the concepts of “Dao” and “Wu” in Laozi's thoughts provided the Chinese with a broader and deeper space for thinking, through which they could understand and explore the universe and life. As the philosophical basis for investigating the nature of the universe and the reason for
existence, “Dao” is closely related to “Wu Wei Zi Ran” (無為自然), which demonstrates an ideal state of essense-respecting, harmonious coexistence between all things in the world and human beings.
In contrast, Prajñā Thought takes Sunyata as its core doctrine, and its foundation is the principle of origination, which means that all existence and phenomena are based on interdependence.
Origination and non-self-existence indicate that there is no fixed essence of existence, which reveals that everything exists in an infinite network of constant changes and interactions. This paper examines in detail the trajectory of the formation and development of the idea of emptiness as it evolved from Early
Buddhism and Sectarian Buddhism to the Middle Way and Vaisnavism. These Prajñā thoughts, after being introduced to China during the two Han dynasties through the Western regions, underwent a gradual process of localization, and were transformed and integrated under the influence of traditional Chinese thoughts.
By overcoming the limitations and Ge-yi (domesticated) interpretation of early-stage translations, Prajñā Thought gradually reached a more accurate explanation, and subsequently developed unique Sunyata thoughts with Chinese characteristics. This process demonstrated how Prajñā's Sunyata Thought and
traditional Chinese culture have been transformed and integrated in their interaction, ultimately injecting a new dimension of thought into Chinese culture and providing new perspectives and interpretations for the Chinese people's Worldview and Philosophy of Life.