Senses and Perception in the Liezi
Date Issued
2015
Date
2015
Author(s)
Rufener, Marc
Abstract
In the Liezi there is a story where the Marquis of Lu sends out for the sage Gengsangzi to inquire about the ways of perception. This thesis has the same goal. It tries to shed some light on the different aspects of perception as they are presented throughout the Liezi. After a short introduction to the use of the senses during the Warring States Period, a few general observations are made. They establish in a cosmological context, what it is that we perceive. Shape, sound, color, and taste are perceived through eyes, ears, nose, and mouth and sometimes also with the body or the heart-mind. Besides perceiving, these sensory organs also have desires and it will be argued that the Liezi offers two different opinions to deal with them: To follow them unconditionally or to constrain them. It will be shown that perception is described as a subjective and individual experience. This has to do with the fact that different people focus on different aspects of what lies in front of them and because they tend to have expectations to what they see. Nevertheless it is possible to train and enhance the senses and perception. By discovering the root of seeing it is possible to reach a level which enables a person to see things hidden for the normal eye. The third and last part discusses the peculiarities of the perception a sage has. This paper will argue that because of his unique configuration of the heart-mind, unselfconsciousness, and the unawareness of distinctions, he does not make a difference between seeing, hearing, tasting or feeling but perceives as a whole.
Subjects
Liezi
Senses
Perception
Sage
Type
thesis
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