Quiet-Sitting and Political Activism: The Thought and Practice of Satō Naokata

This paper shows that quiet-sitting (seiza), a Neo-Confucian meditative practice, accommodated, at least in the thought of Satō Naokata, a readiness to endorse energetic political activism, especially in the form of aggressive opposition to tyranny. The paper first examines Naokata's writings o...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Tucker, John A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Nanzan Institute [2002]
In: Japanese journal of religious studies
Year: 2002, Volume: 29, Issue: 1/2, Pages: 107-146
Further subjects:B Learning
B Buddhism
B Religious Studies
B Samurai
B political activism
B Confucianism
B Religious Ethics
B Humaneness
B Tyranny
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:This paper shows that quiet-sitting (seiza), a Neo-Confucian meditative practice, accommodated, at least in the thought of Satō Naokata, a readiness to endorse energetic political activism, especially in the form of aggressive opposition to tyranny. The paper first examines Naokata's writings on quiet-sitting, especially his Seiza setsu hikki (Notes on quiet-sitting), to establish the pervasive importance of quiet-sitting to Naokata. The paper then explores Naokata's writings on the problem of King Tang and King Wu, two sage-kings described in the ancient Chinese classics as having risen to power after overthrowing oppressive tyrants. Unlike most other Japanese Neo-Confucian scholars associated with Yamazaki Ansai's "Kimon" teachings, Naokata was much more prepared to recognize the full sagacity of Tang and Wu rather than denigrate them because of their violent rise to power. By juxtaposing these two seemingly disparate aspects of Naokata's thought, quiet-sitting and his positive assessment of Tang and Wu, the paper suggests that quiet-sitting, at least for Naokata, served as the epistemological foundation for legitimization of remonstration against oppressive rule, and even political activism meant to end the same.
Contains:Enthalten in: Japanese journal of religious studies