Abstract:

As the foundation of all things in the universe, “Reality” (ti) in XIONG Shi-li can mean “original mind” or “substance”. However, this distinction doesn’t suggest an internal contradiction in his theory. In contrast, it reflects the core issue of metaphysical construction in XIONG, that is, clarifying the universal (constant transformation - original mind) and the highest (unitary substance) as well as their belonging to one “Reality”. With the starting point of explaining “aspect” (xiang) with “function” (yong) or “act” (xing) and grasping the two types of “Reality” through various forms of “function”, XIONG’s metaphysical construction consists of two steps, that is, “returning from function to Reality” and “returning from Reality to function”. The former concerns the highest and the universal, while the latter how to grasp the highest, the universal and their relationship. By responding to these questions with his theory of Reality- function, XIONG develops a metaphysical approach different from Buddhism and Western philosophy.

Key words: XIONG Shi-li, theory of Reality- function, metaphysics, mind