This study has been carried out against the broad background of religious pluralism and, more specifically, the area of inter-religious dialogue. Thomas Merton's contemplative experience of unity with God had as a correlate solidarity with all mankind. This led to his interest in religious experiences of believers of other religions. In the Zen experience of unity, in which the division of subject and object is transcended, Merton recognized a similarity to his own experience and initiated dialogue with Zen-Buddhists. In this study an attempt was made to analyze Merton's work, comparing it with Theravada-Buddhism. The topics explored were epistemology, the concept of God, the self, meditation and ethics. In addition to certain differences, important similarities were found between Merton and Theravada-Buddhism, especially with reference to the primacy of religious experience, a non-dualistic world view and radical transformation of this life, here and now. The conclusion is reached that further dialogue between Christianity and Buddhism should prove to be rewarding.
