A preliminary investigation into the principle of psychological dissection revealed in the writings of Xuanzang

摘要

Apart from his remarkable translation career, the Tang Tripitaka Master Xuanzang was also a brilliant exegete who left us with Cheng weishi lun and Verses Delineating the Eight Consciousnesses, two expositions of lasting academic value. This paper argues that the doctrines put forth in these two works of Xuanzang should not be regarded as simply one of many Buddhist doctrinal systems. Examined from the perspective of cognitive psychology, the tenets presented in these expositions could be understood as the principles of psychological anatomy - an investigation into the workings of the mind. Written with the spirit of modern scientific research, these two texts should be deemed as paragons of Buddhist literature for their eloquent articulation of core Buddhist teachings. This paper also shows that not only do the Cheng weishi lun and Verses Delineating the Eight Consciousnesses demonstrate the spirit of scientific empiricism, they also provide inspirational and monumental materials for modern research in psychology.