Chia-ju Chang
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, Brooklyn College
美國紐約布魯克林城市大學現代語文學系 教授
『What Can Meditation Do in Times of Ecological Crises?: Toward ‘Chan Ecocriticism』
Abstract
Meditation is often seen as a quietistic turning away from the world. This talk will argue that, on the contrary, it can make an essential contribution in the effort to come to grips with today’s ecological crises. Chan ecocriticism, an interdisciplinary field within Environmental Humanities and Contemplative Studies, understands Chan/Zen meditation as a transformative method for collective awakening, addressing the distorted perspectives that shape society. Focusing on the themes of worldmaking and scale, the talk draws from Yogācāric-Chan Buddhism to outline a framework for “bodhisattvic cartography”—a guiding vision for enlightened worldmaking in times of uncertainty.