Nishitani’s Realizational Approach to Religion

an Awareness of Originary Evil

Abstract

While confirming Nishitani Keiji’s ultimately existential treatment of religion which emphasizes ‘realization,’ this paper aims to elucidate the particular character of this realization through Nishitani’s interpretation of Shinran. There grasping the ‘originary awareness of evil’ as a negative and qualitative overturning of sociological or psychological ethics, I argue that Nishitani’s existential religious attitude does not limit itself to Zen Buddhism, but also realizes the existential standpoint of Kamakura Shin Buddhism, and thereby conclude that Nishitani’s approach to religion has meaning beyond any one particular religious sect.