Linguistic Strategies in Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism

As the first systematic attempt to probe the linguistic strategies of Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism, this book investigates three areas: deconstructive strategy, liminology of language, and indirect communication. It bases these investigations on the critical examination of original texts, placing them strictly within soteriological contexts. Whilst focusing on language use, the study also reveals some important truths about these two traditions and challenges many conventional understandings of them. Responding to recent critiques of Daoist and Chan Buddhist thought, it brings these two traditions into a constructive dialogue with contemporary philosophical reflection. It discovers Zhuangzian and Chan perspectives and sheds light on issues such as the relationship between philosophy and non-philosophy, de-reification of words, relativising the limit of language, structure of indirect communication, and use of paradox, tautology and poetic language.

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