DOI: 10.30792/2949-5768-2024-9-27-34
UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF EMPTINESS AND HUI-NENG’S SELF-NATURE THROUGH THE LENS OF GESTALT SHIFT
Lam Kuen (Anita) – PhD student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Hong Kong, China).
E-mail: klamad@connect.ust.hk
The realization of “Self-natureˮ is often considered the ultimate goal of practice in Ch’an Buddhism, encompassing a direct understanding and complete comprehension of the concept of emptiness. However, the Platform Sutra attributed to the Sixth Patriarch HuiNeng asserts that all sentient beings are primordially enlightened and share the same “Self-natureˮ. It is intrinsically pure and self-sufficient. If one thinks we need to gain something to reach that realization, it’s a misunderstanding. Because we cannot gain what we already have. If one thinks we need to lose something instead, it’s a misunderstanding again. We cannot lose what we don’t have. If we don’t need to gain or lose anything to realize our “Self-natureˮ, while most of us are still blind from it, what soteriological approach should we practice? To answer this question, applying Gestalt Shift, a psychological tool originating from the Western tradition, offers valuable insights. This essay will first explore the Gestalt Shift, its relationship with Hui-Neng’s realization of “Self-natureˮ, the concept of emptiness, and the paradox of duality. Furthermore, through the lens of Gestalt Shift, we will unveil Hui-Neng’s final teaching, which employs the utilization of the “36 pairs of oppositesˮ as a means to transcend duality, genuinely grasp the essence of emptiness, and attain full emancipation while embracing the world.
