Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist (Routledge Classics)

Rating:
Summary: limited comparative approach
Review: Suzuki basically has written this book, which primarily about Buddhism rather than Christianity, as a way of drawing connections between the different mysticisms present in Christian tradition and how some of these mysticisms share common traits and insights with Buddhism. Not surprisingly, the mystic whom he chooses to do this with is almost exclusively Meister Eckhart. This is, thus, no comparative history but a Buddhist slant on Eckchart's thought and spirituality. It is a slant that might make some Christians uncomfortable but it is interesting nonetheless. This serves a window through which he continues to discussion Buddhist mysticism at large in the rest of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist
Review: This book has ten chapters; some details are omitted due to word limit.

1. Meister Eckhart and Buddhism

Beginning with Eckhart's radical sermons on creation (which differs greatly from the usual biblical interpretation), Suzuki develops from Eckhart's argument that creation arises from timelessness, nothingness and of Absolute Void. God's work is always done in an absolute present in a timeless `now', parallel to the Buddhist doctrine of nothingness (sunyata).

The rest of the chapter more or less draws parallels between Echhart and Zen Buddhism, with some introduction to Tao. There are also Zen stories to illustrate and explain Zen, and a long explanation of `emptiness' as something non-dualistic.

2. The Basis of Buddhist Philosophy

Suzuki's second chapter introduces readers to `right seeing' (sammadassana) and the doctrine of non-ego (anatman). He then goes to great lengths to explain the difference between gahakarada (empirical ego) and Atman (absolute ego), the main point being the absolute ego needs an empirical ego to manifest itself, which he takes another lengthy section to justify why (which actually cannot be solved by intellectualism but by LIVING it). Suzuki then introduces readers to terms like samsara (cycle of birth-and-death) and prajna (the way of purity), and draws parallels between Eckhart's God of nameless nothingness and the Buddhist's egoless mind.

In the same chapter, Suzuki defines the two truths (samvritti of the relative world and paramartha of the transcendental realm of prajna-intuition). He then compares extensively with Eckhart (yet again...yawn), to show the poverty of language/linguistics over actual experience, and introduces us to more pseudo-Buddhist terms like loka (this actual world) and lokottara (transcendental world) as well illustrates the poverty of language in Zen with examples. The sixth section of the chapter primarily deals with showing that Zen deals with the now-moment. The seventh and last section of the chapter deals primarily with the Enlightenment experience, and Suzuki defines Buddhist philosophy as philosophy of Such-ness, Philosophy of Emptiness, (sunyata) and Philosophy of Self-Identity. The rest of it is esoteric stuff; I don't really care, and in the spirit of Zen I ask you not to try too hard.

3. `A Little Point' and Satori

This chapter begins with a quote (Eckhart again) and you begin to wonder if the book should be titled `Mysticism: Eckhartian philosophy and Buddhism'. What Suzuki tries to suggest is that Eckhart had crossed the gap between the divine ground (of God) and returned. The main idea is we are at one with God, as much as finite is contained in the infinite (and vice versa) or time is contained in timelessness (and vice versa).

Satori, in Buddhist philosophy, corresponds to the `little point' left by God in Christian mysticism (or rather Eckhartian philosophy).

The rest of the chapter simply elaborates and illustrates how the transient is at one with the permanent and vice versa. The key idea is that of at-one-ness, hence no duality or distinction.

4. Living in the Light of Eternity

The first section of this chapter concerns itself with eternity and heaven. The main idea is to transcend logical thinking and understand the is-ness of thing.

The second section is to highlight a rather important idea that Nirvana (Enlightenment) is samsara (cycle of birth and death). The main idea is not to seek Nirvana as if it were something beyond time and samsara.

The third section (at least it contains a Basho haiku) concerns itself with transcending the temporal and relativistic point of view. Again, Suzuki tries to show that the Eastern is superior to the Western in a matter-of-fact fashion (yet again...yawn).

The fifth section of the chapter is on the poverty of linguistics via Zen examples, and also deals with the now-moment (or absolute present) as the light of eternity. Ditto the sixth and last chapter, with parallels from Biblical quotes such as `I am that I am' (God to Moses at Senai) and Christ's `I am' (before Abraham was).

5. Transmigration

The first two sections introduce transmigration of the soul and Suzuki tries to convince or persuade us that, if we are not too scientific, the idea has appeal to the imagination because transmigration affords us the chance of pilgrimaging through the whole universe.

In the seventh section, Suzuki tries to argue that the soul creates the body and introduces trisna, or `thirst', as a principle (not an entity) as the creator of the universe.

In the eighth section, Suzuki defines trisna as being itself.

In the nineth section, Suzuki tries to draw parallels between trisna and the Western (Schopenhauer's )concept of Will to live. (Again, trisna is a more superior concept. There is yet an example in this book whereby Christian mysticism is superior.)

In the eleventh and last section of this chapter, an interesting point to note is that the later Buddhists let trisna work on its own way without being impeded by anything else. This is to let trisna turn to itself and purify itself from all its encumberances and defilements by means of transcendental knowledge (prajna). You're lost? Honestly, so am I.

6. Crucifixion and Enlightenment

There are three sections in this chapter, all dwelling on the psychological differences separating the East and West, and all pointing to the same biased conclusion that Buddhist mysticism is superior.

7. Kono-Mama (`I Am That I Am')
and
8: Notes on `Namu-amida-butsu'
and
9. Rennyo's Letters
and
10. From Saichi's Journals

All things exclusive on Pure Land Buddhism and Amida, more notes on Buddhism than Christian mysticism (if any at all) as suggested by the chapter titles.

Overall, what seems like a comparative study narrows Christian mysticism to almost entirely on Eckhartian philosophy, and the entire book suggests that Buddhist philosophy is superior to Western mysticism (an obviously biased conclusion not because I disagree with him, but because the comparison is not as exhaustive as it should have been). A very good book if one wants to understand Buddhist philosophy (esp Pure Land Buddhism and Amida Buddha), but all else it's ten chapters of esoteric nothingness.