TITLE:
Kṣaṇa and Perfect Harmony—Epiphany and Symbolism in Joyce’s Poetics
AUTHORS:
Wei Wei
KEYWORDS:
Joyce, Epiphany, Buddhism’s Theory of Momentariness, Geometric Symbolism, Stream of Consciousness
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.12 No.11,
November
6,
2025
ABSTRACT: This paper explores the profound dialogue between James Joyce’s concept of epiphany and Buddhist Kṣaṇa, revealing how Joyce transforms instantaneous awakening into a dynamic narrative poetics through the fusion of Eastern and Western temporal philosophies across the textual evolution from Dubliners to Finnegans Wake. The research discovers that Joyce creates a literary path of perfect harmony transcending the dualistic opposition between sudden and gradual enlightenment by integrating Zen koan dynamics, Yogācāra seed theory, phenomenological time-consciousness with stream of consciousness techniques, while deepening from geometric imagery—from enclosed circles, dynamic spirals, and rhythmic lunar phases to integrated mandalas—into spiritual contemplation, embodying the ultimate realization that “the momentary is the eternal”.