Interrelatedness: a comparison of the spiritualities of St. John of the Cross and Buddhaghosa for the purpose of examining the Christian use of Buddhist practices
John of the Cross, -- Saint, -- 1542-1591; Gautama Buddha -- Teachings; Meditation -- Christianity; Meditation -- Buddhism; Theravada Buddhism
摘要
This dissertation investigates the conditions of possibility for a Christian use of Buddhist practices. Specifically, it investigates the conditions for a Christian contemplative use of Theravada meditative techniques. In investigating such a possibility, this pager initially delineates the theoretical field most germane to the project. First, it investigates the nature of interreligious dialogue, which is where interreligious practice is being located here. Second, it examines both philosophical and theological responses to the plurality of religions. Third, it investigates distinct theoretical models for interreligious practice.
Once the theoretical field has been described, this paper compares the spiritualities of St. John of the Cross and Buddhaghosa as representative writers of the Christian contemplative and Theravada meditative traditions. We see in comparing their spiritualities that they share virtually identical diagnoses of the nature of the unreformed aspirant, and they teach similar strategies for purification. We also see that their meditative techniques have different ultimate aims and radically different theoretical foundations. Both similarities and differences are used to help determine both the possibilities and limitations to interreligious practice.
Specifically, this paper concludes that the inclusive theological model as articulated by the transcendental method of Karl Rahner allows for interreligious dialogue and practice that is both open to the other and theologically responsible. Second, this paper recommends as a model for interreligious practice that founded on the work of John Dunne. These two theoretical foundations taken synthetically along with the data from our comparative project demonstrate that a Christian use of Buddhist practices not only furthers dialogue, but can strengthen one's Christian path. This work also concludes that, given the differences in Buddhist philosophy and meditative strategies from that found in Christianity, such an integration is limited, and that these limitations ought to be respected.
