Interreligious and cross-cultural dialogue in Masao Abe’s (1915-2006) literary works

The aim of the thesis is to analyze the concept of interreligious encounter and dialogue presented by Abe Masao (1915-2006), a representative of the third generation of the Kyoto school of philosophy founded by Nishida Kitarō (1870-1945). It is worth emphasizing that it is not an analysis of a theoretical approach, but a practical one, since Abe had been actively engaged in the dialogical process for many years. His reflections are based on the experience gained during years of encounters, polemics and discussions with representatives of other religions. His literary works express the stance of a man who, from his own subjective perspective (the perspective of his own religiosity based on Zen), had been participating in the interreligious dialogue. Such an approach is related to two issues of essential importance. Firstly, it is related to his attempt to understand his own religious identity in a much broader context of other religions and worldviews. Secondly, it is related to his deep existential need to find some significance in plurality and diversity of the religious views, he had been encountering. It is worth mentioning that Abe’s literary works should not be considered as philosophical treaties, but as dialogically-religious essays, which reflect his religious experiences, dilemmas, doubts, and thoughts concerning the interreligious dialogue he had participated in. Though Abe had a philosophical background, he realized that his existential dilemmas could not be solved in a philosophical way. In his opinion they could be solved only through religion. Analyzing Abe’s essays, the author refers to different hermeneutical theories with a particular emphasis on interreligious hermeneutics, which plays a key role. The previous studies devoted to Abe’s essays in the context of interreligious dialogue have not constituted an overall analysis of the dialogue from the perspective of hermeneutical theories. This dissertation, however, is an attempt at an overall analysis and presents an innovative methodological approach to Abe’s works based on hermeneutical theories, especially on interreligious hermeneutics. In this context the author focuses on what constitutes the essence of the dialogue, i.e. (i) fundamental assumptions, (ii) hermeneutical strategies, (iii) aims of the interreligious dialogue according to Abe’s approach. The author also takes into consideration the problem of religious feelings which are of high importance in the context of any interreligious dialogue zealous believers participate in, each of them being convinced of the truth of their own religions. 7 The innovative approach of this dissertation also lies in the strategy adopted by the author, since she identifies and analyzes the key concept of Abe’s vision of interreligious dialogue and universal religiosity. Three phases which the religiously-existential path of a Zen adept is divided into are referred to in order to find references to this concept in Abe’s reflections on Buddhism and interreligious dialogue, as well as his interpretation of Christianity. It is a complex task as Abe’s views have not been systematized yet and so far none of the previous studies related to the subject has presented a similar analysis. The hermeneutical methodology adopted in this dissertation and reference to the three phases of the religiously-existential Zen path enabled the author to define the concept of universal religiosity in Abe’s approach and to distinguish his assumptions, strategies and aims concerning the interreligious dialogue he participated in. Analyzing Abe’s essays in the context of the interreligious dialogue he participated in, the author refers to four major approaches to interreligious dialogue (i.e. four kinds of interreligious hermeneutics) presented by Catherine Cornille: a) the hermeneutical retrieval of resources for dialogue within one’s own tradition, b) the pursuit of proper understanding of the other, c) the appropriation and reinterpretation of the other within one’s own religious framework, d) the borrowing of hermeneutical principles of another religion. The interreligious hermeneutics as the hermeneutical retrieval of resources for dialogue within one’s own tradition is of great importance as regards Abe’s approach. The key role is played by the metaphor of a ‘finger pointing to the moon’, which means that the ‘enlightenment’ should not be confused with words and concepts indicating it. The concept of ‘skillful means’ characteristic of Mahayana Buddhism is also of great significance. The concept allows to adjust religious message to the capacities and background of the hearers. According to this concept, the perception of the religious truth changes with the religious development of an individual. On the basis of the two aforementioned concepts and by referring to the religiously-existential act of ‘enlightenment’, Abe allows himself to reinterpret other religions in a profound way. Thus Zen hermeneutics constitutes the foundation of interreligious hermeneutics adopted by Abe and determines his approach to other religions, as well as his perception of them. This kind of hermeneutics is inseparably linked to the interreligious hermeneutics understood as the appropriation and reinterpretation of the other within one’s own religious framework. Although Abe does not adopt elements of other religions, having reinterpreted 8 them according to his understanding of Zen teachings, he assigns a new value and meaning to them. Moreover, Abe’s attitude is not indifferent to the cultural traditions of other participants in the interreligious dialogue. Though he does not introduce elements of other religions to Zen, his interpretation of his own religion takes into consideration, to some extent, the key values of Western Culture (equality and individualism), especially the American one. This approach can be considered as the interreligious hermeneutics understood as the borrowing of hermeneutical principles of another religion (another cultural tradition in Abe’s case). What is more, the interreligious hermeneutics understood as the pursuit of proper understanding of the other is not entirely unfamiliar to Abe. From 1955 to 1957 he had studied Western philosophy at Columbia University and systematic theology and Christian ethics at Union Theological Seminary. Although he was well aware of the traditional meaning of Christian teachings, he interpreted them in the Zen way. Analyzing Abe’s literary works, the author refers to the two types of interreligious hermeneutics, i.e. interreligious hermeneutics which Abe adopts in his reflections and interreligious hermeneutics he advocates. It is worth emphasizing that Abe not only had participated in the interreligious dialogue, but also presented his own concept of this dialogue (and in a broader sense of interreligious dialogue in general), as well as the concept of the reinterpretation of other religions. Thus, he can be regarded as the author of his own, unique interreligious hermeneutics