Asian Journal (A New Directions Paperbook) (New Directions Books)

This book comes years after the wonderful Seven Story Mountain which is about Merton's escape from a life of depravity into the church of Jesus Christ and his discovery of life, true life in Christ. Merton ended his time on earth in opening or broadening his spiritual horizon. As a profoundly committed Trappist monk he had a firm grounding in Christ and from this grounding he was able to appreciate other faiths: Islamic, Buddhist (Theravada and Mahayana) and Taoist and to learn important lessons from them about life and God.From a Christian perspective: the Nature of God is nameless, wordless, conceptless, formless and thoughtless. the nature of God is totally beyond and yet as Tillich said: the Nature of God is at the same time Being, very Being itself, existence itself. This ties in with the Emptiness is Form experience. within this emptiness is ''One'', this One is Self/Me and is also empty in its fullness. God is all things on all levels. Ultimate. so we see that God is perhaps supremely Emptiness.There is a clear correspondence here between Christian and Buddhist approaches/experience. In Buddhist experience perhaps the True Self is dropped, and emptiness: Gods ultimate nameless formless Nature is focused on.Taking a look at the True self and then dropping this experience (if it can ever be dropped) and returning to Emptiness:Many have said that to know the true 'ME' is to be enlightened.Master Keizan:The master of the house is ''I'' (Keizan: Denkoroku, case 1 on Siddharta Buddhas enlightenment: The Transmission of the Lamp(Light?))Master Zhao Zhu/Joshu:Take one look at me, I am nothing other than I am. The True Self is simply this. Right here what more is there to be sought for? (Zhao Zhu: The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu: James Green Translation: p 78.)Master Yunmen:The old men definitely had some word creepers which could be of help. For instance Xue Feng said: ''The whole world is nothing but you.''(Master Yunmen's Record: case 46: Urs App Translation: p 108)And case 38 on page 102: Someone asked Master Yunmen, ''What is most urgent for me?'' The Master said, ''The very you who is afraid that he doesn't know!Master Dogen:At the moment when the Dharma is authentically transmitted, you are immediately your original self. (Genjo Koan, Ch: ''Actualizing the Fundamental Point'': Tanahashi Translation of Shobogenzo.)Master Seng Tsan (Patriarch):When all things are seen equally the timeless 'S'elf essence is reached. (Hsing Hsing Ming: The Eye Never Sleeps: p. 130 Merzel.And p. 131: There is neither 's'elf nor other than self. [there is however True Self, but this too is empty.]Daisetz T Suzuki in one of his last ever essays: Essays in Zen, has a wonderful chapter on the True Man of No Rank, which is all about this subject of the ''ME''.in Christianity and Islam there is an ancient saying: ''He who knows himself knows God''. who am I? I am me.this same teaching is found in the teachings of Ramana Marharshi, a hindu teacher and many Zen masters. not everyone can feel their 'me', it is by asking the question: ""who am I?'' and not answering with words, but with feelings that one experiences the small i/me as a direct experience. that practice takes a little time to crystallise.what are the qualites of 'ME'?Who just sees?who thinks, feels and remembers or forgets?who eats when hungry or sleeps when tired?who just is?who just breathes?who drinks the tea?who makes the tea?who is aware?who is unaware?who do we come from?who are we?who are we going to?who is Mind?who is emptiness?who is 'this'/'that'?the answer to all these questions is 'ME'.Me is one, empty within emptiness. the point of the eye.the only main quality of the small 'me' is grasping and clinging... to that which is bound to cease. when ego has ceased there can no longer be clinging. one has entered upon non abiding.is there a metaphor for the True 'ME' and the small ego 'me'?The moon is the true Self/Mind, the reflection of the moon in many puddles is the reflections of the small 'ego' or false selves... since they can be said not to exist as anything other than illusion.what is the true ME? it is awareness, in which one cannot abide. it is one, which one ceases to abide as. it is one and yet empty. the nucleus of emptiness.what do i see when i have lost individual or small 'me', ego and have attained personal extinction?observing observes.Form/suchness observes.the object observes where there is no longer a subject.the observing which is form is 'ME'.what is observed observes what is observed (itself/ME).what is observed is observing what is observed.how does one drop or cease to abide as this one true 'ME'?with awareness of 'ME'. mindfulness of 'ME' dissolves awareness of 'ME'. it naturally drops off. then there is emptiness again and nothing at all to be grasped, nor that can be grasped. nowhere whatsoever to abide.'ME' returns to awareness and then awareness returns to emptiness, both naturally so. the places of abiding become the non place of non-abiding.There is a need for practice and seeking. without it one cannot open the eye of Prajna (wisdom seeing) nor observe the true nature of things and their emptiness. in the end however... is anything really attained? emptiness is no place of abiding. there is no satisfaction in Buddhism someone once told me. perhaps this is true for now.My final word is this short essay is that ''one'' cannot abide in or as ''ME'', nor in or as anything else. Not after the atomistic or small self is deleted.I hope this is helpful.best wishes, Tom.

Excellent book with lots of interesting material

A spiritual and biographical eye-opener, if you let it. Full of fascinating stuff.

Wonderful Merton at the end of his life .

THE ASIAN JOURNAL OF THOMAS MERTON reads in many ways like a travelogue but the one subject which Merton manages to return to constantly is contemplation. He has an abiding curiosity about the contemplative experiences of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and virtually all mystics from any religion. Merton is especially interested in Tibetan Buddhism. At the same time he appears to remain firmly rooted in his committment to Catholicism and very appreciative of the opportunity to pursue God as a Trappist monk.The editors have added much helpful material - including copious notes at the end of each chapter and an extensive glossary of terms.I recommend THE ASIAN JOURNAL OF THOMAS MERTON as an intriguing book which provides a clear snapshot of Merton's thinking during the final weeks of his life.