posit  the ego-self  as center  and focal point.  At

　　   this   rudimentary   level,  hsin  or  consciousness

　　   engages in (ultimately futile) wei activity, seeking

　　   to control and manipulate  what is perceived  as the

　　   other.

　　　　  In  turn, the  I  or  ego-self  perpetrates  the

　　   subject/object   duality   of   questioner   (1)  as

　　   distinguished   from   that   which   is  questioned

　　   (myself). Hence arises the eternal and central query

　　   of  western  philosophy  concerning   self-identity,

　　   epitomized   by  the  Cartesian   meditations.   The

　　   subjective  (inquiring) Self may be identified  with

　　   the  Tree  Self  discussed  in the Upanisads  as the

　　   aatman. Since it is impossible to grasp this aatman,

　　   the  ultimate  result  of  the  attempt  to do so is

　　   self-estrangement  and  anxiety.  In  a  generalized

　　   sense, the Buddha  termed  this dukkha, while modern

　　   psychotherapy  has referred to it as the Existential

　　   Vacuum (k'ung k'ung tung tung). As Abe observes:"The

　　   ego-self, split at the root into subject and object,

　　   is forever dangling over a bottomless  abyss, unable

　　   to gain any footing." (47)

　　　　  The existential realization of the  unattainabi-

　　   lity  of the True  Self constitutes  an opaque  wall

　　   blocking   the  path   of  enlightenment.   Only  by

　　   destroying   the  ego-self   can  no-self  or,  more

　　   precisely, no-ego-self, emerge, thereby  putting  an

　　   end  to  the  false  subject/object   duality.   The

　　   possibility of realization, and the impossibility of

　　   attainment, also  underscores  the present  fact  of

　　   enlightenment  as  an  awakening  to  a pre-existing

　　   reality   rather   than  an  accomplishment   to  be

　　   achieved.

　　   II 'Mountains  are  not  mountains, waters  are  not

　　   waters'

　　　　  The  keynote  at this  stage  is the  denial  of

　　   differentiation,  affirmation, and  objectification,

　　   that is a total contradiction of the preceding stage

　　   and   can   be  characterized   as  nihilistic.   It

　　   encompasses  the an-aatman  and pu-wei  of Taoism as

　　   well as Hui-neng's pu-hsin, in direct opposition  to

　　   the previous stage. For Nietzsche, it corresponds to

　　   the  nay-saying  rebellious  lion, representing  the

　　   common chord of destruction-Great Doubt.