The Formulation of Motoori Norinaga's Theory on the Pathos of Things and Buddhist Philosophical Thinking

Abstract

Past literature on Motoori Norinaga has considered him a critic of Buddhism, and he himself has not mentioned Buddhism's influence on his work. Thus, previous research on Motoori Norinaga does not consider Buddhism at all. Simultaneously, past research has analyzed Chinese classics since Motoori studied them as part of his medical training in Kyoto. However, the study of Motoori is deeply connected to Buddhism; if we research his connection with Buddhism, the research on this connection can lead to unconventional insights. It is also to research what Buddhism was for Motoori. This paper deals with the theory on the pathos of things, which was the starting point of the study of Motoori. It attempts to show that the formulation of Motoori's theory was deeply connected with Buddhist philosophical thinking. While much research exists on the theory on the pathos of things, some aspects lack clarity. Specifically, Motoori has said that his theory triggered Fujiwara Toshinari's waka, but previous research could not probe how it was formulated from Fujiwara Toshinari's waka. This paper will show that the formulation of Motoori's theory is connected with the Buddhist philosophical thinking about state of mind and feeling in the Makashikan.