Contemplative Literature: A Comparative Sourcebook on Meditation and Contemplative Prayer

850 Pages·2015·17.833 MB·English

by  Louis Komjathy

CONTEMPLATIVE
LITERATURE

CONTEMPLATIVE
LITERATURE
A Comparative Sourcebook on
Meditation and Contemplative Prayer
Edited by
Louis Komjathy
Cover Image: Labyrinth (dat. 13th c.) in Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres (Chartres Cathedral) in
Chartres, France. Photograph by Jeff Saward (Labyrinthos). Used with permission.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2015 State University of New York
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Production, Ryan Morris
Marketing, Michael Campochiaro
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Contemplative literature : a comparative sourcebook on meditation and contemplative prayer / edited by
Louis Komjathy.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4384-5705-5 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-4384-5707-9 (e-book)
1. Contemplation. 2. Meditation. 3. Religions. I. Komjathy, Louis, 1971– editor.
BL625.C663 2015
204'.3—dc23 2014031752
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Illustrations vii
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Abbreviations xv
Part I
Approaching Contemplative Practive
Chapter 1. Approaching Contemplative Practice 3
Louis Komjathy
Chapter 2. Contemplative Traditions 53
Louis Komjathy
Part II
Contemplative Traditions
Chapter 3. Daoist Apophatic Meditation: Selections from the Classical Daoist
Textual Corpus 89
Harold D. Roth
Chapter 4. Quaker Silent Prayer: A Guide to True Peace 145
Michael Birkel
Chapter 5. Jewish Kabbalah: Hayyim Vital’s Shaarei Kedusha 197
Shaul Magid
Chapter 6. Southern Buddhist Meditation: Th e Ānāpānasati Sutta 265
Sarah Shaw
Chapter 7. Sufi Contemplation: ‘Abdullah Shah’s Suluk-i Mujaddidiyya 307
Arthur F. Buehler
vi / Contents
Chapter 8. Eastern Orthodox Prayer: Th e Rasskaz strannika 359
John Anthony McGuckin
Chapter 9. Mahāyāna Buddhist Visualization: Th e Guan wuliang shoufo jing 407
Kenneth K. Tanaka
Chapter 10. Hindu Classical Yoga: Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras 457
Edwin F. Bryant
Chapter 11. Roman Catholic Prayer: Th e Novem modi orandi sancti Dominici 503
Paul Philibert
Chapter 12. Daoist Internal Alchemy: Liu Huayang’s Huiming jing 547
Louis Komjathy
Chapter 13. Th erapeutic Meditation: Herbert Benson’s Th e Relaxation Response 593
Louis Komjathy
Chapter 14. Techniqueless Meditation: J. Krishnamurti’s Th is Light in Oneself 645
Constance A. Jones
Part III
Reapproaching Contemplative Practice
Chapter 15. Comparative Refl ections 705
Louis Komjathy
Appendix: Toward a Technical Glossary of Contemplative Studies 737
About the Contributors 753
Index 757
Illustrations
1.1. Major Types of Contemplative Practice 6
1.2. Roland Fischer’s Cartography of Meditative and Mystical States 8
1.3. Some Major Contemplative Practices with Global Distribution in the
Modern World 8
1.4. Contemplative Studies as Interdisciplinary Field 12
1.5. Four Aspects of the Study of Religion 18
1.6. Autonomic Nervous System 27
1.7. Human Brain Anatomy 27
1.8. Brain Regions and Associated Functions 29
1.9. Rorschach Inkblot (Card V) 29
1.10. fMRI of Carmelite Nuns 31
1.11. Dimensions of (Religious) Praxis 38
2.1. Interior of Korean Son (Zen) Buddhist Meditation Hall 56
2.2. Sema of the Mevlevi Sufi Lineage 59
2.3. Dimensions of (Religious) Praxis 61
2.4. Comparative Chart of Contents of Contemplative Literature 76
3.1. Western Han Statue of Se-zither Player 96
3.2. Summary of Inner Cultivation 101
3.3. Selections from the Classical Daoist Textual Corpus 102
4.1. Quaker Meeting House of Brigfl atts 155
4.2. Interior of Brigfl atts Meeting House 155
4.3. Sections of A Guide to True Peace 159
5.1. Etz Hayyim (Tree of Life) 207
5.2. Categories and Associations of the Ten Sephirot 209
5.3. Sections of the Received Shaarei Kedusha 212
vii
viii / Illustrations
5.4. Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet 215
5.5. Chart of Kabbalah Letter Permutations 264
6.1. Statue of Seated Buddha 266
6.2. Wall Mural Depicting the “Sermon at Deer Park” 270
6.3. Some Key Dimensions of Southern Buddhist Meditation 276
7.1. Mujaddidi Cosmology 316
7.2. Subtle Centers and Associated Colors Utilized in Mujaddidi Visualization 317
7.3. Th e Mujaddidi Path 320
7.4. Sections of the Suluk-i Mujaddidiyya 321
8.1. Nineteenth-Century Map of Russian Cities Where Pilgrims Purchased
“Pilgrims’ Booklets” 362
8.2. Redaction Chart of the Received Rasskaz strannika 363
9.1. Taima (Tall Hemp) Mandala 417
9.2. Sixteen Visualizations according to the Guanjing 418
10.1. Harappan Seal 459
.
10.2. Classical Sāmkhya and Yoga Psychology 464
10.3. Yogic Consciousness 466
10.4. Sections of the Yoga Sūtras 469
11.1. Side Panel Depicting Saint Dominic 504
11.2. Nine Ways of Praying according to the Novem modi orandi sancti Dominici 515
11.3. First Way of Praying: Bowing 532
11.4. Second Way of Praying: Full-Body Prostration 533
11.5. Th ird Way of Praying: Self-Flagellation 534
11.6. Fourth Way of Praying: Repeated Kneeling 535
11.7. Fifth Way of Praying: Standing with Gestures of the Hands 537
11.8. Sixth Way of Praying: Standing with Outstretched Arms 538
11.9. Seventh Way of Praying: Standing with Upraised Body and Hands 540
11.10. Eighth Way of Praying: Sitting and Reading 542
11.11. Ninth Way of Praying: On a Journey 544
12.1. Sections of the Received Huiming jing 563
12.2. Eight Stages of Alchemical Transformation according to the Huiming jing 564
12.3. Stage 1 of Alchemical Transformation: Cessation of Outfl ow 578
Ilustrations / ix
12.4. Stage 2 of Alchemical Transformation: Six Phases of the Dharma Wheel 582
12.5. Stage 3 of Alchemical Transformation: Governing and Conception Vessels 584
12.6. Stage 4 of Alchemical Transformation: Embryo of the Dao 586
12.7. Stage 5 of Alchemical Transformation: Sending Out the Fetus 588
12.8. Stage 6 of Alchemical Transformation: Transformation Body 590
12.9. Stage 7 of Alchemical Transformation: Facing the Wall 591
12.10. Stage 8 of Alchemical Transformation: Disappearance into the Void 592
13.1. Herbert Benson, circa 1996 596
13.2. Sections of Th e Relaxation Response 614
13.3. Lockhart Building 618
14.1. J. Krishnamurti, circa 1924 649
14.2. J. Krishnamurti, 1968 652
14.3. Sections of Th is Light in Oneself 658
14.4. J. Krishnamurti Speaking at Brockwood Park School 667
15.1. Cruciform Posture 709
15.2. United States Military Sniper 718
15.3. Contemplative Studies as Interdisciplinary Field 724
15.4. Labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral 727