The East Asian Mahāyāna Teaching of the One Mind and Its Implications in a Polarized World

Polarization, a pressing global issue, can be understood and addressed through the East Asian Buddhist teaching of the One Mind, as outlined in the Treatise on Awakening Mahāyāna Faith. The deluded and polarized mind arises from the human condition but is not separate from awakening. By recognizing the One Mind—the common foundation of equality and interconnectedness of all sentient beings—people can return to an original still and pure mind that perceives reality beyond discriminating thought. Cultivating mindfulness and awareness of the mind, along with recognizing fundamental interconnectedness, offers a solution to post-truth, epistemic bubbles, and echo chambers.

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Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of polarization, which is considered one of the most pressing issues facing humanity, from the perspective of Mahāyāna Buddhism, specifically, the East Asian Buddhist teaching of the One Mind. The teaching is outlined in the Treatise on Awakening Mahāyāna Faith (Dasheng qixin lun), a significant text in East Asian Buddhism. The paper suggests that the One Mind teaching can help counteract the deluded and polarized mind, which seems inevitable due to the human condition but gives rise to polarization. We have the potential to move from delusion to awakening, since these two mental states are not separate from each other. By awakening to the One Mind, which is the common foundation of equality and interconnectedness of all sentient beings, we can return to our original still and pure mind that is capable of seeing the reality beyond the discriminating, prioritizing, and repressing mind, which has no intrinsic self-nature. Thus, the solution to the problem of so-called “post-truth”, epistemic bubbles, and echo chambers lies in cultivating mindfulness and awareness of the mind as well as recognizing the fundamental interconnectedness of all beings through the One Mind.