Emptiness and becoming : integrating Madhyamika Buddhism and process philosophy

Beginning with a comparison of process philosophy and Madhyamika Buddhism -focussing in particular on Charles Hartshorne and Nagarjuna - which seeks to find points of similarity and difference, this thesis goes on to ask whether the differences are disagreements or complementary insights that may be integrated by means of a hermeneutical framework which can facilitate the enrichment of both systems. It is argued that process philosophy's method of creative synthesis and Madhyamika's method of negative dialectics are complementary rather than rival methods, because: (1) the Madhyamika bi-negation of symmetrical internal and external relations is complemented by process philosophy's argument that asymmetrical relations have primacy, which can be integrated into a theory of 'asymmetrical interdependence'; (2) the Madhyamika bi-negation of being and non-being is complemented by process philosophy's argument that becoming has primacy; (3) Madhyamika's emptiness (or openness) and process philosophy's creativity are complementary ideas that can be integrated into a ‘creative emptiness’; (4) Madhyamika's deconstruction of theism and acceptance of a conventional (and thus empty) ‘Cosmic Buddha-Bodhisattva’ and process philosophy's panentheism are complementary and can be integrated in the idea of an ‘empty God’; (5) The creative emptiness and the empty God are two different but complementary ultimates - the ultimate activity and the ultimate actuality; (6) Madhyamika’s two truths -conventional (empty world) and ultimate (emptiness) - can be enriched by expanding the conventional to include ultimate actuality (empty God), and not subordinating the conventional to the ultimate; (7) process philosophy can be similarly enriched by meditating on creative emptiness, which reveals the empty God-world, which is not dominant vis-a-vis creative emptiness. An attempt is made to develop a hermeneutical framework for the comparison and integration of Madhyamika and process thought, which can also be used to construct a general theory of worldviews and a theory of interreligious dialogue. Finally, the practical applications of the integration of process thought and Madhyamika Buddhism are explored, focussing on ethical and socio-political issues and how the integration of the two systems can be used to advantage in these contexts.

The halloween effect and Japanese equity prices : myth or exploitable anomaly

Bouman and Jacobsen (American Economic Review 92(5), 1618–1635, 2002) examine monthly stock returns for major world stock markets and conclude that returns are significantly lower during the May–October periods versus the November–April periods in 36 of 37 markets examined. They argue that, in general, the Halloween strategy outperforms the buy and hold strategy thereby casting doubt on the validity of the efficient market paradigm. More recently, Maberly and Pierce (Econ Journal Watch 1(1), 29–46, 2004) re-examine the evidence for U.S. equity prices and conclude that Bouman and Jacobsen’s results are not robust to alternative model specifications. Extending prior research, this paper examines the robustness of the Halloween strategy to alternative model specifications for Japanese equity prices. The Halloween effect is concentrated in the period prior to the introduction of Nikkei 225 index futures in September 1986. After the internationalization of Japanese financial markets in the mid-1980s, the Halloween effect disappears.

Prelude to the birth of Wayo-Secchu (Japanese hybrid style) in Japanese early modern architecture

This paper will investigate the background of the emergence of Wayo-secchu (Japanese Hybrid Style), by re-examining the rhetoric of the government-oriented early Meiji Western style architecture and Japanese traditionalism's reaction to it. I will elucidate the undercurrent of the intentional shift in nineteenth-century Japan towards the recuperation of traditional Japanese style, a shift which initiated the Japanese hybrid style we now call Wayo-secchu. I will discuss the effect of institutional pressure to Westernize, by investigating what was meant by a new architectural method as expressed by the government of the time.

Cultural politics and the appropriation of Theravada Buddhism in contemporary Burma (Myanmar)

In Burma, under the State Peace and Development Council, Burmese culture and Theravada Buddhism have become conjoined, the distinctions between the sacred and the secular have become blurred, and the political and the cultural have become intertwined, as the military regime seeks to legitimate its political power and authority.

Narrative analysis of female student 'resistance' in a Japanese private university

The thesis points to the emergence of a series of distinctive tensions which were informed by the author's position as a Western male researcher living in Japan, and the changing perceptions of what occured as notions of 'empowerment' and 'voice' touched the 'grounded' data. It argues that the generative narrative(s) constitutes a form of ongoing 'conversation' which succeed in producing an unstructured reading or pedagogy. Although the research does not achieve tangible liberatory outcomes, the generative narrative(s) provides the lens through which to view the student 'resistance' and, as such, permits the examination of an instance of student 'resistance' in Japan.

Paths to Buddhahood : the "sudden" and "gradual" awakening models in Mah ̄y n̄a and Vajray n̄a Buddhism

Examines the graduated paths of Mah ȳn̄a and Vajrayn̄a Buddhism and the instantaneous paths of Ch'an/Zen, rDzogs chen and Mahm̄udr.̄ The main contention between these approaches relates to how the mental defilements are to be purified and how the positive qualities of Buddhahood are to be realised. After comparing and examining the paths it is argued that the polarisation of the "sudden" and "gradual" approaches is the result of the critical philosophies of late Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, rather than a real spiritual dilemma for adherents of either path.

Team teaching and communicative language teaching in Japanese secondary schools

Explores team teaching and communicative language teaching in Japanese schools. The study's first phase uses the ethnographic approach of participant observation. The second phase uses eleven case study interviews to discover the teachers' conceptions of communicative language teaching. Identifies elements of team taught lessons and elucidates the conceptions of communicative language teaching held by a sample of teachers.

Fractured lives : Australian prisoners of war of the Japanese and their families

Examines how the particular nature of captivity by the Japanese during World War II intensified and complicated the impact, legacy and memory of war for POWs and their families. It presents insights into the experience of the prisoners' wives and how battalion associations protect and promote the remembrance of war.

A case study exploring the sociocultural characteristics of adult Japanese ESL learners in Australian EAP programs

Research findings show that the poor level of English accomplishment amongst Japanese students in English as Second Language (ESL) settings continues to be an issue of concern. This interpretative study adopted an ethnographic case method to explore and advance reader’s understanding of Japanese learner’s sociocultural characteristics and, also, to investigate how cross-cultural similarities/ differences between the sociocultural heritage of Japanese learners and the contextual factors of Australian English for Academic Purposes (EAP) study abroad programs interact. This study aims to interpret the problems surrounding the poor performance of Japanese students in Australian ESL contexts and identify issues not present in the literature that warrant further investigation. Interviews, structured by a thematic reporting framework, were used as the interpretive instrument for data collection. Data, supported by the reporting framework, was analysed using a constant comparative method. The exploratory nature of this report led to the following conclusions. Firstly, Japanese students’ past educational experience interferes with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Australian EAP study abroad programs. Secondly, Japanese students have a predisposition towards integrative motivation. Thirdly, significant others influence Japanese learners’ ability to cope with transition issues, such as managing academic and social problems. Finally, contextual factors of Australian EAP programs (e.g. course materials, teaching and learning methodology and assessment) negatively impact English language learning. This study raises questions about the difficulties experienced by Japanese learners in Australian EAP study aboard programs.

Religiosity and subjective wellbeing in Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism

The relationship between three religions (Christianity, Buddhism and Taoism) and subjective wellbeing were studied. Religiosity and spirituality-religion satisfaction were significant predictors of subjective wellbeing. A new construct of religious self-esteem and a new scale of Christianity secondary control were found as useful in explaining subjective wellbeing.