mystical approach to self and no self: ‘being’ and ‘nothingness’ in meister eckhart and...

International Journal of Humanities and Religion (IJHR) www.humanitiesjournal.info Online ISSN: 2319-5630 Research Article December, 2012IJHR, 1(2): 56 -6156 Mystical Approach to Self an No Self: !"ein#$ an !Nothin#ness$in Meister %c&hart an 'eie##er Vanlal Tanpuia* and rc!ana "arua**(ept of ')*anities an Social Sciences+ Inian Instit)te of ,echnolo#y+-).ahati+ Inia /e-*ail: 0an1iit#2ernet2in3 //e-*ail: archana1iit#2ernet2in One ofthe *ost fa*o)s*ysticsof theMileA#es Meister %c&hart+ .hoisfa*o)s an at thesa*e ti*e notorio)sto4h)rcha)thorities5eca)seofhissocalleraicaltheolo#icalo)tloo&+spea&softhe nothin#ness of the creat)res in co*parison .ith the !all li#ht$ an !i0inity ! in -o2 -i0en the *etaphysical *oeofthin&in#thatpre0ailsinthe6est)rin#%c&hart$sti*e+healsospea&sof-ohea+5eyonthe #rasp of *etaphysics+ -o as -ohea is 5eyon the -o of *etaphysics+ 5eyon any na*e that the *in applies to hi*+ 5eyon lo#ical #rasp an that .ay -o is !nothin#$ to the lo#ical *in2 6hen %c&hart spea&s of -ohea+he *eans the -o 5eyon the #rasp of *etaphysics2 -ohea is the -o of*ysticis*+ for the tr)e -o cannot 5e co*prehene 5y any concept)ali7ations2 One can see that 'eie##er$s .ay is si*ilar to the*ystical0ie.e8po)ne5y%c&hart29i&ethe*ystics.ay+'eie##ercallsforanon-representational approach to "ein# an not a concept)al or rational eter*ination of it2 ,he .ay to "ein# is not thro)#h so*e #ro)n or first principle as .hat *etaphysics proposes2 ,his article *a&es an atte*pt at co*parin# *ystical ele*entsin'eie##er$sthin&in#.itha&inof*ysticis*that.eco*eacrossinso*e4hristian*ystics li&e in Meister %c&hart fro* a pheno*enolo#ical perspecti0e2 Key words: Mysticis*+ "ein#+ Nothin#ness+ :heno*enolo#y I#TR$D%&TI$# ,osho.ho.*ysticalapproachesofcertain4hristian*ysticsli&eMeister%c&hart$scan*atch.ithLater 'eie##er$sher*ene)tical-pheno*enolo#ical;)estfor"ein#+!theSelf$5elie0esitis possi5le to pass 5eyon the sphere of lo#ical tho)#ht+ that is+ he 5elie0es it is possi5le not only to inferthat -o is+ 5)t that it is possi5le to feel+ to to)ch+ to 5eco*e act)ally one .ith -o2 @Mysticis* is one of those .ors+ li&e !reli#ion$ itself+ .hich .e all )se an to so*e e#ree )nerstan+ 5)t .hich pro0esiffic)lttoefineanthereforepro)cti0eofenless*ethoolo#icalisp)tes2A2Asital.aystal&sof so*ethin# )n)s)al h)*an e8perience+ there is a char#e especially fro* the lo#ical positi0ists that !*ysticis*$ is 5y efinitionsofoolishthattheonly.ise.orto5e)tterea5o)titisa.orofis*issal2@(espitethechar#e ho.e0er+ .e ha0e the 0irt)ally )nani*o)s teachin#s of the *ystics+4hristian an non-4hristian+that the#oal of the*ysticpath+5eit)nion.ith-o+the)ni0erse+orso*efor*ofconition+is5eyonthepo.erofh)*an concepts or speech to escri5e2A3 ,he *ystics ne0ertheless clai*e to ha0e attaine s)ch a 5lissf)l )nion+ .hich the h)*an ton#)e tr)ly cannot e8plain+ a perfect state anyho. for the*2 Mysticis*+ tho)#h acte as a ceaseless 5)rner of the ch)rch alters thro)#ho)t the ch)rch$s history ha oppresse #ro.thasit.asso*e.hatli*iteanprophesi7eonly.ithintheconstraintsofthech)rcha)thority2Borany inepenentorini0i)alteachin#o)tsieofthech)rch$sinfl)encestoo0)lnera5leto5etreateasheresy2A *ysticli&e%c&hart)ners)chcirc)*stances+.ho)ni;)elye*phasi7e)pontheineffa5le)nionorspirit)al *er#e .iththe -ohea 5eyon the ch)rch$s concept of ,rinitarian -o+ a#ainst.hich @the 5)ll iss)e 5y :ope Cohn DDII on April 15+ 1329+ !In a#ro o*inico$A is of no .oner2E

*&,HRT-) '()TI&. #$TI$# ,hef)na*entaltenetof%c&hart$steachin#+speciallyinter*sofhisfa*o)sistinction5et.eenthe*anifeste ,rinitarian -o an the -ohea+ is colore 5y the inner no5ility of each ini0i)al - the see of -o in the so)l2 Ans)chsee5ein#i*printe-o+ine0ita5lyleasonetosee-ointheen+e0entho)#htheso)lislost so*e.here else in life )ner the infl)ence of the 5oy or the .orl at lar#e2 ")t .hen the i0ine so)l *er#es .ith the -ohea < its *ain essence attains s)ch a 5lissf)l state that one is not a5le to escri5e it .ith the h)*an ton#)e an .ors2 S)ch a transcenental e8perience+ %c&hart says+ is achie0e 5eca)se a pri0ile#e position solely eri0e fro*the#reatnessof-o+asheer)ni;)e*anifestationof-ointheso)l+"eca)se-ore*ains5eyonthe #raspofrepresentationsone5y*an2An@.hen%c&hartspea&sof)nion.ith-o release *an2 !6ill less lettin# 5e !isthe state .hen theso)l si*ply lets the li#ht of -o thro)#hitself2 No other thin# enters or fills the life e8cept -o hi*self2 In the fa*o)s ser*on 52+ he says+ @"lesse Are the :oorA: @,herefore+ .e 5e# -o to #et ri )s of -o so that .e *ay #rasp an eternally enFoy the tr)th .here the hi#hest an#el an the fly an the so)l are e;)al2A %;)ally+ in the ser*onI3.erea:@6hen=theso)l>sees-oasheis-oorasheisfor*orashe isthree+there isso*ethin# inae;)atepresentinit35)t.henallfor*sareetachefro*theso)lanshe#a7esonly)pontheOnealone+ thenthep)re5ein#oftheso)lfinsthatit5earshieninitselfthep)refor*less5ein#ofi0ine)nitythatis 5ein# 5eyon 5ein#2A1E %c&hart tal&e a5o)t three &ins of po0erty that is : 1>!A*anhasnothin#$+5eca)se+$yo)s)rreneryo)r0ery5ein#to5efinallytr)e5ein#2as5ein#+asa creat)reso*ethin#otherthan-oisnothin#atall5eca)se+.hate0erithasis5orro.efro*!"ein#$< !-o$ li&e the .ay the air has li#ht+ as .hite thin# are .hite 5eca)se of .hiteness22>-oinheresinall2O)r5ein#isa5orro.e5ein#2Initselfthisselfisnothin#+thereforethisspirit)ally pooris etachefro* e0erythin#createan 5ac& fro* e0erythin# create an5ac& into 5ein#5eco*es li&e ho*e #oin# < -o to-o2 In ret)rn to )nion .ith -o .hich is -o+ @"lesse are the poor in spirit+ for theirs is the &in#o* of hea0en2A Jno.in#+ .illin#+ "ein# are s)rrenere in %c&hart2,he li5eration of the ini0i)al lies in theeffortto #i0e )p any istinction anto accept all thin#s as 5elon#in# to the one: @,hereforeitisinonenessthat-oisfo)n+anthey.ho.o)lfin-o*)stthe*sel0es5eco*e one2A15 3>!:oorinspirit&no.snothin#$2,hehi#hest&no.le#eofallisto&no.nothin#3)n&no.in#+a.holly )n&no.in#.hichNicholasof4)safollo.in#%c&hartcallealearne)n&no.in#-!ataignorantia< .hich is a .ay of learne in the .ay of -o2 "eca)se concept)al &no.le#e #i0es )s a *an *ae concept of-o+aniolatry2Itisnotthe-o.ho*.eha0ee0ise.itho)rtho)#ht+.ho*.esho)lsee&+ 5)ttheessential-o+-oin'is0ery"ein#2')*anpassi0ityhere+inter*sof.illan&no.le#eis orienteto.ars-o$sacti0ity2-ocannotspea&'is.orintheso)l%c&hartinsists2Itisso)lfille .ithitso.nisco)rse2'ence+theso)l*)stclearitselfofallnoise3it*)sts)spenallconceptsan i*a#esallspo&enan.ritten.orsthanalonecantheir%ternal.or5espo&en2Inate8tthatlater attracte the attention of 'eie##er+ %c&hart .rites that the so)l co*es to see .ith the sa*e eye in .hich -osees'i*self26hen%c&hartoespreachhisser*on+hisconcernisnotonlyof*oralanethical aspects5)talsoe8presseshisconcern.ithspirit)al.ell-5ein#+s)##estin#a*eitati0esta#e)rin# .hich the self can e8plore its inner or essential concerns an philosophical fra*e.or& of h)*an e8istence2 'eie##eralsospea&sa5o)tpo0ertyofspirit+anofnon-.illin#2'esaysinthe*istofpro)cti0ity+ tho)#ht pro)ces nothin#2Inthe *istof control tho)#ht isloro0ernothin#2In the *istof *asterin# theart+tho)#htisart5o)nan*ortal2,hetas&oftho)#htisnottoac;)irethepo.er.ith.hichto tra0eltothe*oonan5ac&3itistolearn+to.ellontheearth2Itsho)l5etorespontotheestiny .hich is )nfolin# in .estern history+ to ass)*e *astery o0er it2 In a sense+ in 'eie##er .e fin po0erty of tho)#ht is less than political an technolo#ical action2 ')*anity rests onhi#her estiny of "ein# itself2 ?anlal an Archana =2012>: Mystical Approach to Self an No Self: !"ein#$ An !Nothin#ness$ In Meister %c&hart an 'eie##erDecember, 2012 IJHR, 1(2) : 56-6160 'encein5oththephilosophiesof%c&hartan'eie##erthereisaco**onalityof.ill-lesness2In 'eie##er tho)#ht is al.ays tho)#ht of "ein#+ 5ein# as 5ein#+ 5rin#s itself to tho)#ht in *an3 it is 5ein#$s o.ntho)#htofhi*self+*anistho)#htless2Ofitselftho)#htri0esto.ars5ein#calc)latin#+ *anip)latin#+acc)*)latin#"ein#2Sotho)#htstansinneeofa#race.hich.illliftit)pan5rin#it 5ac& fro* its fol2 ")t it cannot 5e one 5y "ein#$s effort+ it is "ein#$s oin# in *an2 So this relationship is s)staine 5y "ein#2 "ein# #i0es itself to tho)#ht2 ,ho)#ht is to response the response to the #ift the #i0in# of than&s2 %c&hart states: @,hey =those .ho 5elie0e> *)st &no. that the 0ery 5est an no5lest attain*ent in this life is to 5e silent an let -o .or& an spea& .ithin2 6hen the po.ers ha0e 5een co*pletely .ithra.n fro* alltheir.or&sani*a#es+thenthe6orisspo&en2,hereforehesai:!Inthe*istofthesilencethe sacre .or .as spo&en )nto *e2$A16 ,o;)ote 'eie##er$s re*ar&s fro* his essay @,he :ath.ayA: @In the )nspo&en of speech+A accorin# to %c&hart+ @-o is first -o2A As 4ap)to s)**ari7es the parallel 5et.een %c&hart an 'eie##er:@6ith the Ken *asters+ he =%c&hart> a#rees that the (i0ine -ohea is )nerstoo only in a5sol)te silence an so+ on this point+ is nearer to Kenthanto'eie##er2")t+li&e'eie##er+heisconsiera5lyinteresteinlan#)a#eanishi*selfa*asterof -er*an0ernac)lar3asa4hristianheiseeplyinteresteintheSacreScript)res+an+*osti*portantly+inthe octrine of the !(i0ine .or2$A1I Apart fro* the infl)ence of %c&hart+ 'eie##er is also inspire 5y Niet7sche$s procla*ation of the !eath of -o$ .hichisac&no.le#easthecontin)ationoftraitionaltheolo#y2Altho)#h+'eie##eri*a&eat)rna.ay fro*theolo#y+yetitholsani*portantplaceinfor*)latin#hiso.nposition2Italso*eansf)rtherthatthe theolo#ythatis*at)rein'eie##erhasane.face.hich)neresti*atestheh)*anrepresentationofthe (i0ine Mystery2 It rather a0ocates the h)*an tho)#ht or 5ein# to 5e only the clearin# of the "ein# itself+ in .hich the.illof*aniss)5orinatetothe(i0ine6ill.hichis5)te8pressehereinter*sof"ein#$slan#)a#e2 'eie##er)nerstanstheh)*antho)#ht+asthecapacity.hichisa5letoreali7e"ein#$slan#)a#einsilenceG *eitation+aninline.ithMeister%c&hart3thes)5Fecti0ityof*anisnolon#eracti0e5)tpassi0etos)ch lan#)a#e2 "eca)se+ he later on fo)n that the 5est thin# that h)*an can o is to patiently listenin# to the lan#)a#e of "ein#2 "eca)se of its richness+ *any theolo#ians + incl)in# R)olf ")lt*ann to Jarl Rahner +ha0e appropriate *anyof 'eie##er$s insi#hts in orer to e0eloptheir o.n reli#io)s perspecti0es2 Lnfort)nately+ ho.e0er+ these theolo#ians ha0e less re*ar&e in istin#)ishin# the in#reients in 'eie##er$s thin&in# .hich pro0ie the fertile soilforthose5rea&thro)#hs26hen'eie##er*aea!,)rn$heiit5y)sin#a!'er*ene)tical$approachto reciprocate philosophy an theolo#y to a post-*etaphysical stance 19 6hatiscr)cialin'eie##erishist)rna.ayfro*the,heo-centrictheolo#y.hichinirectlyne#ate anthropocentricis* that pri0ile#es @*anAo0er all creat)res2'eacc)ses)ch*etaphysics of prioriti7in# h)*an .ill or tho)#ht to )n0eil the *ystery of "ein# G -o2 ")t this *o0e*ent on the contrary+ s)5orinates tho)#ht to lan#)a#e+ an there5y restores reli#io)s *eanin# thro)#h the #enesis of the *ost pri*orial lin#)istic #est)res2 In reFectin#the*etaphysicalientificationof5ein#="ein>.ith-o+'eie##eroesnotsi*plyta&eref)#eina @sec)lari7etheolo#y2ARather+hisphilosophyof5ein#safe#)arsaconcernforthei0ine*ystery5yin0itin# tho)#ht to e8plore the li*its of lan#)a#e+ an see&in# .hat is )ni;)e to the i0inities as *)ch in the *oality of their a5sence =#bwesenheit> as their presence2 #$T*) #D R*0*R*#&*):1(o.nes+ R2 62 =?ol 5E2 No 62 1920>2 Mysticis*2 $he %iblial world + 619-62E2 6Ki**er*an+ M2 %2 =1993>2 'eie##er+ ")his*+ an eep ecolo#y2 In 42 "2 -)i#non+ $he &ambridge &om'anion to Heidegger =pp2 2E0-269>2 4a*5ri#e Lni0ersity :ress2 2Mc-inn+"2=?ol2612No=Can19I1>>2,he-o5eyon-o:,heolo#yanMysticis*inthe,ho)#htofMeister %c&hart2 $he Journal of Religion + 1-192 3 I5i H I5i ?anlal an Archana =2012>: Mystical Approach to Self an No Self: !"ein#$ An !Nothin#ness$ In Meister %c&hart an 'eie##erDecember, 2012 IJHR, 1(2) : 56-6161 9 I5i 10 I5i 1E I5i 114lassen+ A2 =2003>2Meister %c&hart$s philosophy in the ,.enty-Birst cent)ry2 Mystics M)arterly+ 6 -23 5 %ncyclopeia "ritannica ERaler+42=?ol226=2006>>29osin#theSelf:(etach*entinMeister%c&hartanItsSi#nificancefor")hist- 4hristian (ialo#)e2 %uddhist ( &hristian "tudies + 111-11H2 I I5i 12 I5i 13 I5i 15 I5i 16Schalo.+B2=2001>2Heideggerand$he)uest*or$he"ared+*rom$houghttothe"antuaryof*aith. (orrechtG"ostonG9onon: Jl).er Acae*ic :)5lishers2 1H I5i 1I I5i (a0ies+ "2 62 =2010>2 ,artin Heidegger Key &one'ts. ()rha*: Ac)*en :)5lishin# 9i*ite2 'art+J2=19I9>2$he$res'assof$he"ign+!eonstrution+$heologyand-hiloso'hy.4a*5ri#eGNe.Nor&G:ort 4hesterGMel5o)rneGSyney: 4a*5ri#e Lni0ersity :ress2 C292Mehta2 =1990>2 -hiloso'hy and Religion+ .ssays in Inter'retation. Inian 4o)ncil of :hilosophical Research2 9an7etta+ "2 C2 =?ol2 H2+ No2 2 =Apr 1992>>2 ,hree 4ate#ories of Nothin#ness in %c&hart2 $he Journal of Religion + 2EI-26I2 )3urce 34 )upp3r5: Nil &3n4lic5 34 In5ere65: None (eclare2 'o. to 4ite:'alar+ "2 =2012>: I*pact of 6estern 4)lt)re on Inian Society .ith Special reference to Jrishna 4hanra "hattacharyya2 Inter2 C2 ')*anitiesO Reli#ion+ 1=2>: 56-61