Linguistic Strategies in Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism

Whilst focusing on language use, the study reveals some important truths about Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism and challenges many conventional understandings of them.

Youru Wang teaches Asian thought in the Philosophy and Religion Department at Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey. His area of speciality is Chinese Buddhist thought and early Daoist thought. His articles have appeared in journals such as International Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophy East and West, Asian Philosophy, and Journal of Chinese Philosophy.

1. Introduction Part 1 Deconstruction in the Zhuangzi and in Chan Buddhism 2. Understanding Deconstruction through the Zhuangzi and Chan 3. Zhuangzi's Dao Deconstructs and Zhuangzi deconstructs his Dao 4. The Deconstruction of Buddha Nature in Chan Buddhism Part 2 The Liminology of Language in the Zhuangzi and in Chan Buddhism 5. What is a Liminology of Language? 6. Zhuangzi's Liminology of 'Speaking Non-Speaking' 7. The Chan Contribution to the Liminology of Language Part 3 Pragmatics of Indirect Communication in the Zhuangzi and in Chan Buddhism 8. The Displacement of Indirect Communcation 9. The Pragmatics of 'Goblet Words'. Indirect Communication in the Zhuangzi 10. The Pragmatics of 'Never Tell Too Plainly': Indirect Communication in Chan 11. Concluding Remarks