scholarly journals 大乘中觀哲學的生死觀

Author(s):  
Ellen Y. ZHANG

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.生死是任何哲學和宗教都不能迴避的問題,佛教更是如此。相比中國傳統的儒家思想,佛教對死亡,甚至如何去死具有更詳盡的梳理和論證。而佛教的生死觀又源於佛教的核心的教義以及其背後的哲學思考。根據佛教的教義,覺悟、解脫或涅槃意味著從根本上去除人生的煩惱,而佛教認為,人生最大的煩惱便是生死輪迴之煩惱。但大乘佛教的反對將覺悟與紅塵、涅槃與輪迴看作絕對的二元對立,因此強調在生死煩惱中體驗超越的時空和宇宙的真理。本文以大乘中觀學派為主,從其「緣起性空」的哲學脈絡和「相即不二」的辦證思維,審視大乘佛教的生死觀以及它對中國儒道傳統的補充與融合。最後,文章論述中觀學的生死觀在當代臨終關懷中的啟示意義。Death is one of the major issues for all religious traditions; it is especially so for Buddhism, as Buddhist teaching is centered upon death and the impermanence of life. This essay discusses death and dying from the framework of the philosophy of life and death, as outlined in the Māhayānic Buddhism of China. The discussion centers on early Madhyāmika Buddhism and its non-dualist approach to samsara and nirvana, this world and the other world, and life and death. The essay shows that the notions of reincarnation and karmic action offer an alternative perspective on the finitude of human existence and reflection upon life’s uncertainty pertaining to the experience of death. The author contends that the theory of interdependent origination explicated by Madhyāmika Buddhism helps Buddhists to develop adaptive qualities that enable a person to remain balanced in the maelstrom of change and impermanence. This realization of the impermanence of life and the emptiness of interdependent origination leads to the Buddhist ethical positions of no self and non-attachment.The essay also addresses the question of hospice care from the perspective of Buddhism as a religious support system. Although Buddhists understand that suffering is a part of life, there is a general desire to avoid suffering whenever possible. Hospice care is important in Buddhism not only because Buddhists recognize the weakness and fragility of the body and mind in the process of death and dying, but also because Buddhists see the connection between the patient’s end-of-life needs, both physical and spiritual, and the well-being of other people associated with the patient. The essay argues that a positive attitude toward life and death, as presented in Madhyāmika Buddhism, can help patients and their families to deal with the pain and anxiety of terminal illness.DOWNLOAD HISTORY | This article has been downloaded 1527 times in Digital Commons before migrating into this platform.

Author(s):  
Kam Ming YIP

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract in English only.This article comments on Zhang Ying’s essay “Death and Dying in Chinese Madhyāmika Buddhism”. The central thesis of Zhang’s essay is that Madhyāmika’s non-dualist approach to samsara and nirvana, this world and the other world, and life and death helps narrow the gap between life and death and consequently remove our fear of death, which in turn has important implications for hospice care. However, Zhang did not explain how this non-duality can be put into practice, which is a major defect of Zhang’s paper. And if accessibility to non-duality in practice is not fully explained, people’s confusion around hospice care remains. Moreover, Zhang’s essay fails to explain the implications of Madhyāmika’s non-dualist approach for the practice of hospice care in contemporary society, which Zhang promised to do so.DOWNLOAD HISTORY | This article has been downloaded 147 times in Digital Commons before migrating into this platform.


Author(s):  
Ellen Y. ZHANG

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.臨終關懷也稱為“安寧療護”、“善終服務”、“寧養服務”,主要指對生命臨終病人及其家屬進行生活護理、醫療護理、心理護理、社會服務等的關懷照顧,是現代社會一種強調身—心—靈的全人、全家、全社會、以及全程的全方位醫療方式。其目的是為臨終者及家屬提供心理及靈性上的支持照顧,使臨終者達到最佳的生活品質,並使家屬順利度過與親人分離的悲傷階段。本文以現代生死學為框架,從道家哲學,特別是《莊子》一書中所體現的生命倫理觀,探討構建道家臨終關懷的可能性與現實性。In the past, the term “hospice” was rooted in the centuries-old idea of offering a place of shelter and rest, or “hospitality,” to weary and sick travelers on long journeys. In 1967, Dame Cicely Saunders first applied the term “hospice” to the specialized care of dying patients at St. Christopher's Hospice in London. In the contemporary world, hospice care now refers to care that is targeted specifically at terminally ill patients. Sometimes called “end-of-life” care, hospices aim to provide humane and compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable disease, so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible.This essay discusses issues relating to hospice care in China, from the framework of the philosophy of death and dying and the Daoist viewpoint on life and death, as outlined in the Zhuangzi. According to Zhuangzi, the world of experience is constantly transforming and death is part of that transformation. Hence, it is possible for the adaptive qualities of the perfectly well-adjusted person to remain balanced in the midst of this maelstrom of change and transformation. This realization of the impermanence of life and the transient nature of worldly fame and wealth leads to the Daoist ethical positions of “non-attachment” (wuzhi) and “non-self” (wuwo), which can help the individual to ultimately transcend the dichotomy between life and death, or life-affirmation and life-egation.This essay argues that a positive view towards life and death,as represented in Daoism, can help the patient and their family to deal with the pain of terminal illness. The essay also points out that good hospice care, which includes the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient, is an ethical and social issue that requires attention from both academia and society. The ideal model for hospice care should involve H (Hospitality), O (Organized Care), S (Symptom Control), P (Psychological Support); (Individual Care), (Communication), and E (Education).DOWNLOAD HISTORY | This article has been downloaded 1423 times in Digital Commons before migrating into this platform.


Author(s):  
Cuiting CHEN

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.臨終關懷的兩大議題是疼痛和死亡,對於臨終患者來說,死亡的話題有為凸顯,患者在死亡面前普遍表現出濃重的焦慮和恐懼。本文試圖通過追溯《莊子》的生命哲學,從中汲取面對死亡的智慧,揭開死亡的神秘面紗,消解臨終患者對死亡的恐懼。將死亡從繁複的人倫關係中抽離出來,以期還原死亡的本真狀態。本文闡述了莊子自然主義思想對人們面對生死問題的啟發,並進一步論述從“觀化”的角度,消融狹隘的個體本位,才能實現形上生命的自我超越。而明瞭生死一條的道理,將死亡視作一種可能性經驗,則是對生的最為深刻的覺醒。Two major issues in hospice care are pain and death. For those who are facing death and dying, the issues are intensified. This paper discusses the issues relating to death and hospice care in a framework of the Daoist philosophy on life and death, as outlined in the Zhuangzi. The author attempts to show that the wisdom of Daoism can help us to deal with the finitude and vulnerability of human life when facing death. According to the Zhuangzi, the world of experience is constantly transforming and death is part of that transformation. Therefore, it is possible for the adaptive qualities of the perfectly well-adjusted person to remain balanced in the midst of this unavoidable stage of change and transformation (hua). This realization of the impermanence of life and the transient nature of worldly things, even human relations, leads to the Daoist attitude of non-attachment that enables one to realize the true nature of life and death. The paper concludes that a positive attitude toward life and death, as represented in the Zhuangzi, can help patients and their family members to deal with the pain of illness and death. The author also points out that embracing natural transformation is a way for the Daoist to attain the self-transcendence that ultimately dismantles the dichotomy between life and death.DOWNLOAD HISTORY | This article has been downloaded 1379 times in Digital Commons before migrating into this platform.


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-271
Author(s):  
Pairote Wilainuch

This article explores communicative practices surrounding how nurses, patients and family members engage when talking about death and dying, based on study conducted in a province in northern Thailand. Data were collected from three environments: a district hospital (nine cases), district public health centres (four cases), and in patients’ homes (27 cases). Fourteen nurses, 40 patients and 24 family members gave written consent for participation. Direct observation and in-depth interviews were used for supplementary data collection, and 40 counselling sessions were recorded on video. The raw data were analysed using Conversation Analysis. The study found that Thai counselling is asymmetrical. Nurses initiated the topic of death by referring to the death of a third person – a dead patient – with the use of clues and via list-construction. As most Thai people are oriented to Buddhism, religious support is selected for discussing this sensitive topic, and nurses also use Buddhism and list-construction to help their clients confront uncertain futures. However, Buddhism is not brought into discussion on its own, but combined with other techniques such as the use of euphemisms or concern and care for others.


Author(s):  
Evi Zohar

Continuing the workshop I've given in the WPC Paris (2017), this article elaborates my discussion of the way I interlace Focusing with Differentiation Based Couples Therapy (Megged, 2017) under the systemic view, in order to facilitate processes of change and healing in working with intimate couples. This article presents the theory and rationale of integrating Differentiation (Bowen, 1978; Schnarch, 2009; Megged, 2017) and Focusing (Gendlin, 1981) approaches, and its therapeutic potential in couple's therapy. It is written from the point of view of a practicing professional in order to illustrate the experiential nature and dynamics of the suggested therapeutic path. Differentiation is a key to mutuality. It offers a solution to the central struggle of any long term intimate relationship: balancing two basic life forces - the drive for individuality and the drive for togetherness (Schnarch, 2009). Focusing is a body-oriented process of self-awareness and emotional healing, in which one learns to pay attention to the body and the ‘Felt Sense’, in order to unfold the implicit, keep it in motion at the precise pace it needs for carrying the next step forward (Gendlin, 1996). Combining Focusing and Differentiation perspectives can cultivate the kind of relationship where a conflict can be constructively and successfully held in the inner world of each partner, while taking into consideration the others' well-being. This creates the possibility for two people to build a mutual emotional field, open to changes, permeable and resilient.


Author(s):  
Deborah Carr ◽  
Vera K. Tsenkova

The body weight of U.S. adults and children has risen markedly over the past three decades. The physical health consequences of obesity are widely documented, and emerging research from the Midlife in the United States study and other large-scale surveys reveals the harmful impact of obesity on adults’ psychosocial and interpersonal well-being. This chapter synthesizes recent research on the psychosocial implications of body weight, with attention to explanatory mechanisms and subgroup differences in these patterns. A brief statistical portrait of body weight is provided, documenting rates and correlates of obesity, with a focus on race, gender, and socioeconomic status disparities. The consequences of body weight for three main outcomes are described: institutional and everyday discrimination, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the ways that recent integrative health research on the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity inform our understanding of population health.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
A.F. Jităreanu ◽  
Elena Leonte ◽  
A. Chiran ◽  
Benedicta Drobotă

Abstract Advertising helps to establish a set of assumptions that the consumer will bring to all other aspects of their engagement with a given brand. Advertising provides tangible evidence of the financial credibility and competitive presence of an organization. Persuasion is becoming more important in advertising. In marketing, persuasive advertising acts to establish wants/motivations and beliefs/attitudes by helping to formulate a conception of the brand as being one which people like those in the target audience would or should prefer. Considering the changes in lifestyle and eating habits of a significant part of the population in urban areas in Romania, the paper aims to analyse how brands manage to differentiate themselves from competitors, to reposition themselves on the market and influence consumers, meeting their increasingly varied needs. Food brands on the Romanian market are trying, lately, to identify new methods of differentiation and new benefits for their buyers. Given that more and more consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about what they eat and the products’ health effects, brands struggle to highlight the fact that their products offer real benefits for the body. The advertisements have become more diversified and underline the positive effects, from the health and well - being point of view, that those foods offer (no additives and preservatives, use of natural ingredients, various vitamins and minerals or the fact that they are dietary). Advertising messages’ diversification is obvious on the Romanian market, in the context of an increasing concern of the population for the growing level of information of some major consumer segments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Malpass ◽  
Kate Binnie ◽  
Lauren Robson

Medical school can be a stressful experience for students, resulting in stress-related mental health problems. Policy recommendations from the General Medical Council (GMC), the body responsible for improving medical education in the UK, recommend the use of mindfulness training to increase well-being and resilience to stress. Students participating in an eight-week mindfulness training between Autumn 2011 and Spring 2015 were invited to complete a free text survey at the end of their mindfulness course. In addition, six qualitative interviews were conducted lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Interviews used a topic guide and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the framework approach to analyse the data. Students reported a new relationship to their thoughts and feelings which gave a greater sense of control and resiliency, an ability to manage their workload better, and more acceptance of their limitations as learners. The small group context was important. Students described improved empathy and communication skills through building inner awareness of thoughts and feelings, noticing judgments, and developing attentive observation. The findings show how resiliency and coping reserve can be developed within medical education and the role of mindfulness in this process. We present a conceptual model of a learnt cycle of specific vulnerability and describe how MBCT intercepts at various junctures in this self-reinforcing cycle through the development of new coping strategies that embrace an “allowed vulnerability.”


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110009
Author(s):  
Li Ping Wong ◽  
Sik Loo Tan ◽  
Haridah Alias ◽  
Thiam Eng Sia ◽  
Aik Saw

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on the Silent Mentor Programme (SMP); this pause has not only caused unprecedented challenges for the delivery of medical education but has forced changes in the programme ceremony sessions. We aimed to describe the psychological impact and experiences of family members of silent mentors during the COVID-19 pandemic using qualitative interviews. Many expressed feelings of remorse and unrest about the unprecedented delay of the SMP. The delay increased negative emotions particularly among some elderly family members; however, there was no prominent negative effect on their functional health and well-being. Several participants relayed the belief that the soul cannot rest until the body receives a proper burial while some worried about the deterioration of the physical condition of the mentors. In conclusion, findings provide insights into the importance of not overlooking the mental health implications of delaying the SMP in future outbreaks or crises.


2021 ◽  
pp. 014920632198979
Author(s):  
Lilia M. Cortina ◽  
M. Sandy Hershcovis ◽  
Kathryn B. H. Clancy

This article builds a broad theory to explain how people respond, both biologically and behaviorally, when targeted with incivility in organizations. Central to our theorizing is a multifaceted framework that yields four quadrants of target response: reciprocation, retreat, relationship repair, and recruitment of support. We advance the novel argument that these behaviors not only stem from biological change within the body but also stimulate such change. Behavioral responses that revolve around affiliation and produce positive social connections are most likely to bring biological benefits. However, social and cultural features of an organization can stand in the way of affiliation, especially for employees holding marginalized identities. When incivility persists over time and employees lack access to the resources needed to recover, we theorize, downstream consequences can include harms to their physical health. Like other aspects of organizational life, this biobehavioral theory of incivility response is anything but simple. But it may help explain how seemingly “small” insults can sometimes have large effects, ultimately undermining workforce well-being. It may also suggest novel sites for incivility intervention, focusing on the relational and inclusive side of work. The overarching goal of this article is to motivate new science on workplace incivility, new knowledge, and ultimately, new solutions.


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