縁起の思想から見たケアの関係性

Abstract

The relationship of care is usually based on the structure of "the person who cares for -- the person who is cared for". However, this structure is variable in an actual relationship of care. We cannot really explain this structure of variable in the relationship of care as long as we have a thinking pattern that mutual communication between individuals makes a relationship. This thinking pattern is based on a unit of existence of the individual. Conversely, we must think that the relationship comes before the individual, that is, the active relationship produces a unit of existence of the individual. Indeed, this idea originates in the pratītyasamutpāda (Japanese: Engi 縁起) thought of Buddhism. The pratītyasamutpāda thought argued that all living things influence and depend on each other. This is exactly the relationship thought. According to the pratītyasamutpāda thought, especially, Huayan (Japanese: Kegon 華厳) philosophy as its completed form, the relationship reaches full growth with four aspects that proceed step by step. Therefore, the relationship of care also would reach full growth with four stages based on these four aspects.