Pojo Chinul’s Contributions to the Philosophy of Forgetting in East Asian Sŏn Buddhism: The Ten Paths to No-Mind
This paper explores the role of forgetting in the thought of the Korean Sŏn (Chan in Chin.; Zen in Jpn. 禪) master Chinul (知訥, 1158–1210), situating it within broader East Asian philosophical and Buddhist discourses. While the concept of forgetting has often been treated negatively in Western philoso...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/16/7/825 |
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| Summary: | This paper explores the role of forgetting in the thought of the Korean Sŏn (Chan in Chin.; Zen in Jpn. 禪) master Chinul (知訥, 1158–1210), situating it within broader East Asian philosophical and Buddhist discourses. While the concept of forgetting has often been treated negatively in Western philosophy—as a cognitive failure or loss—this study draws on recent comparative scholarship, including Youru Wang’s reading of <i>Zhuangzi</i>, to show how forgetting can be reframed as a conscious spiritual and philosophical practice. In particular, this paper examines how Chinul integrates the practice of forgetting into a systematic Buddhist framework grounded in no-self (<i>anātman</i>), emptiness (<i>śūnyatā</i>), and the unity of <i>samādhi</i> and <i>prajñā</i>. In <i>Straight Talk on the True Mind</i> (<i>Chinsim chiksŏl</i> 眞心直說), Chinul outlines ten distinct methods for cultivating <i>no-mind</i> by offering interpretations of teachings from various East Asian Chan masters. Through a detailed analysis of Chinul’s <i>Chinsim chiksŏl</i>, this paper argues that forgetting—when understood as the deliberate letting go of discursive thought, deluded conceptualizations, and habitual dualisms—becomes a powerful method for revealing the true mind. Ultimately, Chinul’s philosophy of forgetting offers a unique account of cognitive transformation—one that challenges conventional epistemologies and calls for a reorientation of perception itself. Therefore, Chinul’s teachings on <i>no-mind</i> and <i>forgetting</i> offer a profound understanding of how deconstructing ingrained cognitive habits can lead to the emergence of enlightened awareness, providing valuable insights into the transformative processes at the heart of East Asian Sŏn Buddhist practice. |
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| ISSN: | 2077-1444 |