Hisamatsu Shin’ichi: Oriental Nothingness

Abstract

HISAMATSU Shin’ichi 久松 真一 (1889–1980) was a well-known Zen philosopher and Zen Buddhist scholar. As a student of NISHIDA Kitarō 西田幾多郎 (1870–1945), and a teacher of ABE Masao (1915–2006), he can be seen as loosely connected to the Kyoto School. However, although he was a professor at Kyoto University and received an honorary doctoral degree from Harvard University, Hisamatsu has primarily become known in the West as a charismatic lay Zen master, who criticized Japanese Zen for its focus on awakening (J. satori 悟り) at the expense of consideration of social and political issues. His aim was to come to a reformed, true Zen. This essay will explore his life and philosophy.