Meditation in Buddhist-Christian Encounter: A Critical Analysis

by Elizabeth Harris (Editor), John O'Grady (Editor)

Overview

In the last fifty years, Buddhists and Christians have come together in inter-monastic exchange, joint meditation retreats, dialogues concerning the relationship between meditation and social action, cross-tradition pupil/teacher relationships and joint academic explorations into the parallels between Buddhist and Christian spiritual practice. The practice of meditation has been important in all of these encounters and has become one of the most significant 'grounds for meeting' within contemporary Buddhist-Christian relationships. This book critically analyses the role in Buddhist-Christian encounter of the variety of practices embraced by the term 'meditation'. The contributors use the academic tools of historical inquiry, sociology, cultural studies, philosophy and comparative textual study. The result is an interdisciplinary contribution, which takes the religious experience of those involved in Buddhist-Christian encounter seriously, without reifying it above its cultural and socio-political contexts. With contributions by: Ursula Baatz, Karl Baier, Thomas Cattoi, Elise De Vido, Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann, Elizabeth Harris, Leo Lefebure, John Makransky, Andreas Nehring, Thao Nyugen, Robert Sharf, Sarah Shaw, Elizabete Taivane, Nicholas Alan Worssam.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783830679547
Publisher:	EOS - Editions Sankt Ottilien
Publication date:	05/31/2019
Pages:	450
Product dimensions:	5.79(w) x 8.23(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Elizabeth J. Harris John O'Grady 7

Introduction Elizabeth J. Harris 13

Introductory Address

Meditation in Buddhist-Christian Encounter: A Critical Analysis Elizabeth J. Harris 27

Theme 1 Meditation/Contemplation in Traditional Buddhism and Christianity

Meditation and Contemplation: Two Basic Types of Spiritual Exercises within Western European Christianity Karl Baier 59

Meditation and Contemplation in the Buddhist Tradition Sarah Shaw 111

Theme 2 Christian-Buddhist Encounter through Zen Practice

Why do Christians Practise Zen? Ursula Baatz 145

Why Buddhists Taught Zen Meditation to Christians Robert Sharf 173

Theme 3 Christian-Buddhist Encounter through Mindfulness

Popular Mindfulness: The Western Interest in Mindfulness Meditation Andreas Nehring 199

Thích Nhât Harm's Propagation of Mindfulness in the West Elise Anne De Vido 217

Mindfulness (Achtsamkeit) and Awareness (Bewusstheit/'positive Concentration') in the Context of Buddhist-Christian/Buddhist-Western Encounter and Ethics Sybille C. Fritsch-Oppermann 253

Theme 4 The Hesychast Tradition and its Affinities to Buddhism

Meditation in Theravada Buddhism and the Hesychast Tradition of Christianity Nicholas Alan Worssam 275

Hesychasm and Tibetan Buddhism: Anthropological Patterns and Experiential Parallels Elizabete Taivane 309

Apatheia and asrayaparavrtti: meditation and epistemic purification in the Philokalia and Yogacara Buddhism Thomas Cattoi 349

Theme 5 Meditation and Action in Buddhism and Christianity

Contemplative Practice, Social Analysis and Compassionate Action: Toward Integrating Aspects of Buddhist and Christian Epistemology John Makransky 373

Meditation and Action in Buddhist-Christian Relations Leo D. Lefebure 397

Daily Examination of Consciousness: Ignatian and Vietnamese True Lam Zen Approaches to Transformation Thao Nguyen, SJ 421

Contributors and Editors 441