Paths to Transcendence According to Shankara, Ibn Arabi & Meister Eckhart

by Shah-Kazemi, Reza

• ISBN13: 9780941532976
• ISBN10: 0941532976
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-02-22
• Publisher: World Wisdom

Summary

In our day when there is much strife between factions, this work illuminates the theme of transcendence as understood by the saints of the religious traditions: Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Introduction	xi
Shankara: Tat tvam asi	1	(68)
Doctrine of the Transcendent Absolute	2	(10)
Designations and Definitions of the Absolute	2	(6)
Being and Transcendence	8	(4)
The Spiritual Ascent	12	(41)
The Role of Scripture	13	(4)
Action	17	(4)
Rites and Knowledge	21	(3)
Meditation	24	(4)
Concentration and Interiorization	28	(8)
Moksa	36	(17)
Existential ``Return''	53	(16)
The Mind	54	(2)
``All is Brahman''	56	(3)
Action and Prarabdha Karma	59	(4)
Suffering and the Jivan-Mukta	63	(2)
Devotion	65	(4)
IBN ARABI: La ilaha illa'Llah	69	(62)
Doctrine of the Transcendent Absolute	71	(8)
Doctrine as Seed or Fruit?	71	(4)
Unity and Multiplicity	75	(4)
The Spiritual Ascent	79	(26)
Sainthood and Prophethood	79	(8)
Ontological Status of the Vision of God	87	(5)
Fana'	92	(13)
Existential ``Return''	105	(13)
Poverty and Servitude	105	(6)
``The People of Blame''	111	(2)
Theophany: Witnessing God's ``Withness''	113	(3)
The Heart and Creation	116	(2)
Transcendence and Universality	118	(13)
Meister Eckhart: The Geburt	131	(62)
Doctrine of the Transcendent Absolute	132	(10)
Beyond the Notion of God	132	(3)
From God to Godhead	135	(7)
The Spiritual Ascent	142	(30)
Virtue and Transcendence	142	(10)
Unitive Concentration, Raptus, and the Birth	152	(8)
Intellect and Grace	160	(12)
Existential ``Return''	172	(21)
Thought and Action in the World	173	(2)
Seeing God Everywhere	175	(3)
The Saint and Suffering	178	(4)
Poverty	182	(11)
The Realization of Transcendence: Essential Elements of Commonality	193	(28)
Doctrines of Transcendence	193	(5)
Dogma and Beyond	193	(3)
One Absolute or Three?	196	(2)
The Spiritual Ascent	198	(13)
Virtue	198	(1)
Ritual and Action	198	(2)
Methods of Ascent	200	(3)
Bliss and Transcendence	203	(2)
Transcendent Union	205	(2)
Agency in Transcendent Realization	207	(4)
Grace	211	(1)
Existential ``Return''	211	(10)
Poverty	211	(3)
Existence and Suffering	214	(3)
Devotion and Praise	217	(1)
Vision of God in the World	218	(3)
EPILOGUE --- RELIGION AND TRANSCENDENCE	221	(8)
APPENDIX --- AGAINST THE REDUCTION OF TRANSCENDENCE: A Critical Appraisal of Recent Academic Approaches to Mystical Experience	229	(24)
Part I: Against Reductionist Epistemology: Katz and ``Contextualism''	229	(8)
Part II: Against Reductionist Experience: Forman's ``Pure Consciousness Event''	237	(4)
Part III: Against Reductive Typologies: Stace, Zaehner, and Smart	241	(7)
1. Stace and The ``Universal Core''	241	(2)
2. Zaehner: ``Monism'' vs. ``Theism''	243	(2)
3. Smart: The ``Numinous'' vs. the ``Mystical''; ``Union'' vs. ``Identity''	245	(3)
Part IV: Against Reductive Universalism: Staal and Huxley	248	(5)
Bibliography	253	(4)
Biographical Note	257	(2)
Index	259