The watermill and the water buffalo: Monastic thoughts on distraction and mind

Summary

The dialogue explores the perspectives of John Cassian, a late antique Christian monk, and Dōgen, a medieval Zen teacher, on the significance of religious concentration and the experience of distraction or 'losing focus.' It highlights the importance of mental focus in religious practices and examines the consequences when distraction prevails.

Abstract

本稿は座談会のかたちで、古代末期のクリスト修道士ジョン・キャッシアンと鎌倉時代の道元禅師の考えをもとにして、宗教的な集中力の大切さまたはその反対である「失心」の体験について論じる。 This Dialogue thinks about how the late antique Christian monk John Cassian and the medieval Zen teacher Dōgen described religious concentration, exploring both why mental focus is so important and what happens when distraction wins the day.

Tags