Jhana during Inquisition
Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:38 am
I wonder if Teresa d'Avila (and maybe Juan de la Cruz and Meister Eckhart) truly remained Christian after Jhana experiences.
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Given the tendency of jhāna to powerfully reinforce whatever diṭṭhi (right or wrong) prompts the person to strive for it, one would expect them to be even more Christian (or at least more Papist) afterwards, if they were indeed jhāna-attainers. In St. Teresa's case it's noteworthy that her rabid fulminations against Jews and Lutherans were all written subsequent to her mystical experiences; they are not juvenilia, but the works of her 'mature' years.lojong1 wrote:I wonder if Teresa d'Avila (and maybe Juan de la Cruz and Meister Eckhart) truly remained Christian after Jhana experiences.
True.James the Giant wrote:If they did access the first few Jhanas, nothing in that experience would disagree with a Christian world-view.
More Christian I can see, but more Papist I doubt, if Catholic authorities were deadly critical of her claims.Dhammanando wrote:Given the tendency of jhāna to powerfully reinforce whatever diṭṭhi (right or wrong) prompts the person to strive for it, one would expect them to be even more Christian (or at least more Papist) afterwards,
Dang. That attitude would surprise me, as it doesn't jive with 'Interior Castle', the only book I read. Sort of hoping her fulminations were strongly prompted by Inquisitors.Dhammanando wrote: In St. Teresa's case it's noteworthy that her rabid fulminations against Jews and Lutherans were all written subsequent to her mystical experiences; they are not juvenilia, but the works of her 'mature' years.
I'd like to see which Christian traditions still practice these meditations--Carmelites maybe?Coyote wrote:You might want to read a bit about Hesychasm and the uncreated light - these kind of experiences have been part and parcel of Christian mysticism since before the first millennia...
I reckon T of A had frequent and definite 1st jhana without mastery. Any highter jhana sort of entails the intentional dropping of specific lower factors, which she doesn't appear to have tried. All random in the hands of God.Coyote wrote:But just because they experience concentration, lights, rapture ect. doesn't necessarily make it genuine jhana, though it all seems to be based on the same principles - seclusion, refraining from immorality, deep focus on one object or sound.
Never mind. Just listened to ayya khema's talk on St. T of A.lojong1 wrote:Does John of the Cross describe anything similar besides in Dark Night o Soul? Where are Meister Eckhart's best instructions?
It's mainly eastern Orthodox, with the orientals following similar practice but without the light and such. It is interesting to read up on the debates and differences surrounding hesychasm and the oriental church because they seem to not look to kindly on this kind of mystical experience - seeing it as a product of the EO heresy lol - although I believe the recent Coptic pope has had some kind things to say about the eastern tradition... but that's just my interests I guess. Some Anglicans and eastern catholics also draw from these writings.lojong1 wrote: I'd like to see which Christian traditions still practice these meditations--Carmelites maybe?
This 'Interior Castle' is the clearest christian meditation instruction I've seen. Philokalia might also be good...it's been so long now.