Search

This study aims to explore the theory of Zen Master Hui-Neng using quantitative method to verify the theoretical characteristics, Master Hui-Neng is well known as the first Chinese Zen Master, who interpreted Buddhism practice with the viewpoint of Chinese culture into the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng. This paper aims to interpret the viewpoint of Platform Sutra by content analysis method, and verify how it describes mental health state of people by empirical research as well. In brief, the theory of Hui-Neng states that people are born with self-nature in commonality. Individuals who identify the self-nature and in the "adaptively" consciousness processing can reach the optimal mental health and state of wisdom. On the contrary, emotional disturbances may be generated for those who do not. The two primary purposes of this study are (1) to investigate the difference of self-schema character and fitness in relate to the theory of Zen Master Hui-Neng in different mental health state, (2) to examine the change of characteristics of self-schema and fitness regarding the theory of Zen Master Hui- Neng after the intensive Zen meditation training in a short term. 54 high school students, who were divided into three different groups based on their mental state. Perception Habit Scale" (PHS) was provided to analyze the results by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The object-relationship characteristics of self-schema were then decoded and the variables were analyzed by independent chi-square (χ2) test. The PHS was developed with the viewpoint of "adaptively" consciousness processing, includes six following indexes: pure-perception, absorption, here and now, awareness, neutrality as mirror, self-adjusting. Another scaling was the characteristics of object-relationships with identification of the selfnature; include six levels of object relations of conflict, denying, self-center, adaptability, concordance, and selftranscendence. The results indicated that (1) The PHSs and distribution of the levels of object-relationships for the subjects of the three groups were significant. The healthier one's mental state is, higher level of object-relationships would be. (2) The main differences of the three groups indicated that there are characteristics of the self-schema and degrees of fitness for the Hui-Neng Zen between different degrees of mental health. To achieve the second purpose, study two employed a pre-post experiment design of unequal groups. Recruiting from senior high schools, there were 8 participants in the experiment group (which attended the Zen meditation training) and 14 participants were in the control group The two variables regarding the characteristics of self-schema are levels of object-relationships which were analyzed by dependent chi-square (χ2) test, and "Perception habit scale" (PHS) which were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that the differences between pretest and posttest are significant for the experiment group, while the control group is not. That is, for the experiment group after Zen meditation training the score of PHSs, distribution of characteristics of higher level object relationships. To conclude, through the intensive Zen meditation in a short term, both the characteristics of the self-schema and degrees of fitness for the Hui-Neng Zen theory improved. The results of this research supported that the mind (nature) viewpoint of the self-identity system of the Hui-Neng Zen is suitable for the realization of self-schema and state of mental health. Zen meditation may effectively adjust individuals' self-schema characteristics to a better one. Based on the theory of Hui-Neng and findings of this study, the researcher developed a model of the process of self-nature actualization and the application both on counseling and special education. Future application and further studies are highly encouraged in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]