Mr John Wu

Abstract: The German philosopher Martin Heidegger, a second-generation phenomenologist, caused the closest possible alignment between Western philosophy and Eastern thought in his discovery of the ontological difference between the meaning of being (Sein) and the existence of beings (Seiende) when he published his magnum opus, "Being and Time" ("Sein und Zeit") in 1927. This subtle differentiation has the very significant impact of making individual existence whole again through the re-interpretation of man and woman as "Dasein", as that unique being (Seiende) which has as its essence a holistic engagement in the understanding of the meaning of being (Sein) that overcomes the traditional metaphysical model of human existence as a problematic split between mind and body. This holistic "mind-body" hermeneutics is essential to Buddhism of all traditions. However, in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, its exaltation of Dzogchen as the supreme path of enlightenment is founded upon an understanding of the primordiality of being (kun zhi) which, in the phenomenological sense, surpasses even the Madhyamaka doctrine of emptiness in that existence (Dasein) and awareness are unified in a principle that results in gnosis (rig pa) and in sainthood (embodiment and action of bodhicitta). In this state of pure authenticity, the phenomenological ideal of an unalientated Dasein finds a perfect expression. The emancipatory power of primordiality is the focus of this discussion.

Bio: John Wu is a Ph.D. candidate in his final year at the Department of Indian Studies, SLC, University of Sydney, with close association with the Department of Studies in Religion through the RLA initiative, for which he has read conference papers of esoteric interest. His thesis is on primordiality and transcendence in Heidegger, Western esotericism and Tibetan Buddhism. During the day John works at the Fisher Library, collecting fines and analysing their effects on the integrity of book circulation and collection. John has enjoyed an accomplished career in the police service and this has given him insights into the vicissitudes in Dasein's understanding of being.