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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 31 2009 : 7:31:00 PM
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And the latest entry in "interesting schools of non-duality" (at least potentially) ....
Christian Shaivism
(No Kidding) --->
http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research.../dupuche.pdf
(NOTE: Link opens PDF {Adobe Acrobat} file, directly.)
The PDF opens an issue of the Australian Journal of Theology from 2005, and an article by Catholic priest, the Rev. Dr. John R. Dupuche, parish priest and author of Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual, which is the only English translation of part (the 29th Chapter) of Abhinavagupta's encyclopedic work, Tantraloka (encyclopedic is no exaggeration; Tantraloka is comprised of twelve separately bound volumes).
Father Dupuche's article title is:
Renewing Christian Anthropology in Terms of Kashmir Shaivism
Why is Kashmir Shaivism such a big deal?
Because it's one of the few accurate-map spiritual paths where *both* the symbolism *and* the interpretation of the symbolism can be (relatively) easily understood by anyone ... and which has always been open to anyone and everyone.
In 10th century India, the caste system was firmly in place; education was for Brahmins only, women and lower-caste people need not apply .... yet Kashmir Shaivism was offered freely to all people ... regardless of race, gender, social status *or* religion (utterly unheard of in that time ... and per the last item, anywhere ... ever.)
Of his paper, Dupuche writes:
"This attempt will be the beginning of a Shaiva Christianity, or a Christian Shaivism."
Is this article worth reading?
I'll give you a hint --> the last line of the article, written by Father John R. Dupuche, parish priest (currently) in Australia:
"All in non-dual (a-dvaita). All is one."
Heart Is Where The AUM Is,
Kirtanman |
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grihastha
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - Jul 31 2009 : 11:22:06 PM
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Amazing. I love it.
Emaho!
gri |
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chinna
United Kingdom
241 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2009 : 5:31:48 PM
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Thanks very much for this interesting link.
There was a very fruitful encounter between non-dual Hinduism and Catholicism in the middle of the last century:
You probably know of Fr Henri Le Saux OP, a Dominican friar who met Ramana Maharshi and became Swami Abhishiktananda and lived on his own in a cave in advaitin's self-enquiry.
Also Fr Jules Monchanin OSB, and later Fr Bede Griffiths OSB a Benedictine of Camaldoli, who created the Hindu/Christian synchretistic Saccidananda Ashram, still in existence.
Fr Aelred Griffiths, OSB, monk of Ampleforth Abbey, wrote Zen Catholicism.
And there have since been many others, advaita+Catholicism, and zen+Catholicism.
Thomas Merton deserves a mention too. From the other direction, Merton's great friend the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nat Han has also written compellingly about Christian teachings from a non-dual Zen point of view.
The eclipse of liberalism and ecumenism under the present and previous Popes' shift to the right has made such synchretistic exploration difficult and risky for its Catholic promoters, but it's great to see someone putting their head above this parapet again. Australia's a long way from Rome, perhaps!
Once again, many thanks for this.
chinna (a catholic Saivite for two decades!)
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2009 : 7:05:37 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by chinna
Thanks very much for this interesting link.
There was a very fruitful encounter between non-dual Hinduism and Catholicism in the middle of the last century:
You probably know of Fr Henri Le Saux OP, a Dominican friar who met Ramana Maharshi and became Swami Abhishiktananda and lived on his own in a cave in advaitin's self-enquiry.
Also Fr Jules Monchanin OSB, and later Fr Bede Griffiths OSB a Benedictine of Camaldoli, who created the Hindu/Christian synchretistic Saccidananda Ashram, still in existence.
Fr Aelred Griffiths, OSB, monk of Ampleforth Abbey, wrote Zen Catholicism.
And there have since been many others, advaita+Catholicism, and zen+Catholicism.
Thomas Merton deserves a mention too. From the other direction, Merton's great friend the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nat Han has also written compellingly about Christian teachings from a non-dual Zen point of view.
The eclipse of liberalism and ecumenism under the present and previous Popes' shift to the right has made such synchretistic exploration difficult and risky for its Catholic promoters, but it's great to see someone putting their head above this parapet again. Australia's a long way from Rome, perhaps!
Once again, many thanks for this.
chinna (a catholic Saivite for two decades!)
Hi Chinna,
Thanks very much for this info ... it helps connect the dots, "Catholicadvaitically", big-time!
I'm familiar with all the teachers/mystics you mention .... and as you may know (I forget if this info is in Dupuche's paper, or his bio) ... he was influenced by some of them (Abhishiktananda, at least) ... and finds a similar synchronicity between Catholicism and Hinduism/Advaita.
Many people either don't know, or don't recall, that Catholicism means "Universalism" ... and every so often, bits of it "peek through" (I recently saw a video where Father Thomas Keating of "centering prayer" fame mentioned that in the Vatican II councils (major updating revision of Catholic doctrines and practices in the 1960s) ... the Vatican actually determined that salvation is available via religions *other* than Christianity.
I'd guess that most people, most Christians, and specifically most Catholics, have never heard this!
I also noticed that Dupuche mentioned getting some positive input from a certain Cardinal Ratzinger.
Ironically, I believe this was the pre-papacy name-title of the current Pope (he must have been having an open-minded day or two .... he's usually known for being rather conservative, as you mentioned!)
And ... for those who may not know: Father Anthony Demello, who has been mentioned in this same general "lineage" ... and taught from it ... is very much "Advaita Catholic", as well.
Finally, I also recently saw a video with Ed Kowalczyk from LIVE was strumming an acoustic guitar and singing his hit Lightning Crashes ... while in the background, Integral Philosopher Ken Wilber was chatting with Father Thomas Keating.
It appears that Oneness is kind of breaking out all over ......
Including my own humble effort, just started:
http://kirtanmantra.blogspot.com/
This One Heart Is Where The AUM Is,
Kirtanman |
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grihastha
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2009 : 8:18:54 PM
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| I wonder: is there any intersection between Advaita and Orthodox Christianity? It seems likely, considering the mystical nature of Orthodoxy, the meditation tradition, the key position of 'logos.' I can't help thinking such a thing would be beautiful - Greek Orthodoxy is part of my upbringing, so I've been thinking about this recently - but I'm not sure if there's a progressive movement in the Orthodox churches or not, having lost touch with that whole world many years ago. |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2009 : 10:02:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by grihastha
I wonder: is there any intersection between Advaita and Orthodox Christianity? It seems likely, considering the mystical nature of Orthodoxy, the meditation tradition, the key position of 'logos.' I can't help thinking such a thing would be beautiful - Greek Orthodoxy is part of my upbringing, so I've been thinking about this recently - but I'm not sure if there's a progressive movement in the Orthodox churches or not, having lost touch with that whole world many years ago.
There's a *LOT* of info ... enough that I think I'll start another thread.
In the meantime, here's an "appetizer" ....
http://christiannonduality.com/hesychasm
Heart Is Where The AUM Is,
Kirtanman
PS- Thanks, Gri .... your question, along with about 5 minutes' worth of "Open Googling" (Hesychasm Advaita Greek) .... I couldn't remember the term "Hesychasm" ...so I Googled About for a few mins (Advaita Greek Orthodox Mysticism) .... "like that" .... point being .... I don't exactly have special skills @ this (either that, or those *are* the special skills .... so now we all have 'em ....  ).
There's a lot in the way of religious misconceptions that can be shattered with a "few minutes Googling"! .. and even more importantly, a LOT of info from all traditions, that's easily "findable" on the Web, that can benefit everyone's opening into the reality of non-dual awareness! |
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grihastha
USA
184 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2009 : 10:22:33 PM
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Fabulous - the hesychasts, of course. It's all coming back to me (I studied early Byzantine history once upon a time). Something about the hermits and the stylites reminds me, probably irrelevantly, of the mahasiddhas, and they were contemporary to each other, of course.
I'll have to have a long chat with my Orthodox (actually extremely heterodox) uncle about all this when I get back to the UK. I expect he's way ahead of me.
All the love,
gri |
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chinna
United Kingdom
241 Posts |
Posted - Aug 03 2009 : 3:55:45 PM
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Dear both
It's great to find two people on AYP Forum who have similar interests in this area.
I don't know about Orthodox-advaita dialogue directly, though as you say, hesychasm is a potentially rich field for comparative exploration. All I can say is that I once had the privilege of setting up and running the Underground University in Theology and Philosophy in pre-revolutionary eastern europe (which played its part in the fall of the communist regimes). What I found was that, under the surface of the society, the dissident Christian community was extremely eclectic and esoteric in its spiritual interests. Not surprisingly perhaps, an amazingly rich and potent interest in what were for them 'secret doctrines' of any kind was evident. And I have since come across considerable interest in advaita in post-communist countries.
Thank you Kirtanman for the Christian non-duality website - I have come across others, but not this one, thank you. And for your blog, which I for one shall follow with interest!
Peace and joy!
chinna |
Edited by - chinna on Aug 03 2009 4:00:56 PM |
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Christian Shaivism
