Intentions and actions are basic elements in Buddhist ethical models. Yet, how are the values of those decided? This article asserts that some of the inherent qualities of lived experience are the basic factors that determine the value of ethical motives and ethical behavior. The examination of Buddhist descriptions of lived experience reveals two complementary types of inherent values—values that accompany individual phenomena and values that indicate structural aspects of human consciousness. Both types manifest certain inherent possibilities of awareness that are necessary for the appearance of ethical values. The first kind of inherent values consists of distinct feelings and volitions, while the second kind includes dualistic and non-dualistic aspects of awareness. By considering these two kinds, it becomes possible to understand how ethical differences are based on distinctions between felt qualities, and how some of these qualities lead to the culmination of the Buddhist path—abiding in non-dual awareness without affective and cognitive afflictions.
目次
Abstract 247 Introduction 248 Eidetic Nature and Emptiness 250 Inherent Values of Temporal Experiences 257 Early Buddhist Descriptions of Consciousness 258 The Yogācāra Model of Consciousness 263 The Inherent Values of Liberated Awareness 266 Conclusion 272 Abbreviations 274 Bibliography 274
