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Tag Archives: John of the Cross
The Reunion
After the grand ceremony of initiation, Pamela found herself in one of the exquisite ante-rooms of the temple. The air was filled with a sense of serenity and anticipation, as if the very walls were whispering ancient secrets. It was in this hallowed space that she unexpectedly crossed paths with Agnes; the sight of Agnes filled Pamela’s heart with immense joy, for she had always admired her wisdom and grace.
A Darkness full of Light
Chapter Two: A Darkness full of Light
I pray we could come to this Translucent Darkness so far above light! If only we lacked sight and knowledge so as to see, so as to know, unseeing and unknowing, that which lies beyond all vision and knowledge. For this would be really to see and to know: to praise the Transcendent One in a transcending way, namely through the denial of all beings. We would be like sculptors who set out to carve a statue. They remove every obstacle to the pure view of the hidden image, and simply by this act of clearing aside they show up the beauty which is hidden. Now it seems to me that we should praise the denials quite differently than we do the assertions. When we made assertions we began with the first things, moved down through intermediate terms until we reached the last things. But now as we climb from the last things up to the most primary we deny all things so that we may unhiddenly know that unknowing which itself is hidden from all those possessed of knowing amid all beings, so that we may see above being that darkness concealed from all the light among beings.
Posted in Theologia Mystica
Tagged John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, Translucent Darkness, via negativa
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Christian Mystics & the Soul
The first on the horizon to give birth to what became known as Christian Mysticism is undoubtedly Dionysius the Areopagite. He in essence formulated the terminology that Christian Mystics use to describe their experience of Union with the Godhead. Yea, despite the overwhelming influence of Dionysian ideas on writers such as Eriugena, Meister Eckhart, The Cloud of Unknowing and many others, there has never been anything like Dionysian theology—it set the apophatic standard for all that came after it. Dionysius shed illuminative light on the notion of the soul:
The Purge
The initial inspiration for this series is based upon a book (The Doctrine of the Void as Propounded by St. John of the Cross and as Viewed in the Light of Thomistic Principles, 1955) by Rev. Leonard McCann (1908-1966). This was his Doctoral-Thesis based on the works of St. John of the Cross. What he provided in its pages are actual Bullet-Points incorporating the nature of the Void in relationship to the saints spirituality and works under each heading, for example, Memory and the Void, Various effects of the Void, Beginners and the Void, etc.—all in aphoristic fashion. This blog follows suit and has provided a version in light of the Unborn. Unfortunately, the book is long out of print and I only hope to do it justice in light of our subject matter.
Posted in Doctrine of the Void
Tagged imagination, John of the Cross, memory, mortification, Purgation
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Nada and Silence in John of the Cross
We have extensively covered the rich apothatic spirituality of John of the Cross in a prior series. Our focus now is on the significance of this Nadayana and its twin sister, Silence. John’s negative path is a cradle of nothingness in that no-thing can withstand the awesome splendor of the Unborn Absolute:
Nothingness in Nāgārjuna and John of the Cross
Our offering for this autumn season is a series based on the Negative-Way as found in the notion of Nothingness. Two proponents of this Way are Nāgārjuna and John of the Cross. From the Mādhyamika thrust of Nāgārjuna it is considered as śūnyatā, and from the mystic-pen of the Discalced Carmelite John of the Cross it is coined as nada. Thus we have emptiness clearly exhibited in two diverse spiritual traditions yet containing a kernel of comparability, although singularly expounded in each. Our main resource for this series is a marvelous text written by C.D. Sebastian entitled, The Cloud of Nothingness: The Negative Way in Nāgārjuna and John of the Cross. Professor Sebastian initiates his study with two prominent quotes:
Posted in Nothingness in Nāgārjuna and John of the Cross, Spirituality
Tagged apophaticism, C.D. Sebastian, gnoseological apophaticism, John of the Cross, Nagarjuna, Negative-Way, Nothingness, ontic apophaticism, Raimon Panikkar, sunyata, The Cloud of Nothingness, via negativa, via positiva
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Karma’s Repository
The advent of Mahāyāna Buddhism that coincided with the beginning of the Christian-era gave birth to the most sublime innovations in Buddhist-thought that have not been surpassed even to this day. Colorful, dynamic and transcendent in scope, resplendent with rich metaphorical language founded in the rich soil of sūtra and śāstra laden literature, the Mahāyāna shaped a new and indefatigable-direction for the nature of the karma-effect. According to the Sarvāstivādin and Theravādin doctrine, one’s goal in unraveling the karmic-equation was to slowly and diligently eradicate it through determined demolition of its defilements, in essence, being empowered to save-oneself. In Mahāyāna doctrine the emphasis was not so much in eradicating its effects, but standing above and beyond it by not focusing so much on individual-salvation, but by the salvation of others by practicing the six perfections or pāramitās. This found its inestimable worth in the cult of the Bodhisattvas. Generally, the causes of birth for ordinary beings are past deeds (karman) and defilements (klesa). But the Bodhisattva’s birth is unique in that it is caused exclusively by his will and purpose. Thus, a Bodhisattva volunteers to be born (saṃcintyabhavopapatti—intentional birth) into a life of suffering for the precise purpose of alleviating the suffering of sentient beings.
Posted in Karma and Rebirth
Tagged Alaya vijnana, Awakening of Faith, Cittapada, Cittidhatu, Fa-shang, John of the Cross, Lankavatarian Book of the Dead, Mahāyāna Buddhism, paramartha, paravrtti, ritambharā, saṃcintyabhavopapatti, Seedless Contemplation, Tsung-mi, turn-about, Yogacara
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In Darkness and Secure
We have been covering the preparation for Infused Contemplation, the preparation of the Mindground as it were. An evacuation of the sensate faculties was in order before proper Union with the Unborn Mind could be conferred. If the mortal (and spiritual) appetites are not mortified, then the adept is still held-bound and preoccupied with habit-energy and thus not free to receive the Supernal Self-Realization and communication of the Unborn Spirit. Hence the mortification of habit-energy leaves the adept in a form of darkness and void with respect to them. The spirit is no longer fixated upon, and thus secured, from being further affected by them. The way is thus open for the first rudiments of Infused Contemplation to unfold. The active night of the senses thus ended, the way is now set for the active night of the spirit.
Ascending the Noble Mountain of Primordial Perfection
For some time now this blog has been presenting the Way of the Unborn through different modalities: Within Yogic parameters the The Yogasūtras of Patañjali and The Bhagavad Gita portray the ascetical discipline necessary in which to put to rest the appetite for carnal things within which the Unborn can be approached freely and unobstructed. The Lankavatarian Book of the Dead, The Tathāgatagarbhatārā Tantra, and Notes from the Iron Stupa comprises a Tantric Trilogy which encompasses Atiyoga, Mahayoga, and Anuyoga all highlighting elements of Sacred Tantra, the Bardo Realms, and even Shamanistic components that altogether constitute transcending the skandhic potpourri and stimulating the direct Primordial Ascendency of the Unborn. This past Spring’s, The Secret Golden Light of the Unborn, highlighted the Golden Spiritual Elixir of the Unborn as its channeled through the chakras with the Great Turn-About in the inner depths of consciousness in order to discover that Golden-Thread, which if faithfully followed, would lead one back to their True Primordial Home. With the recent conclusion of the Unborn I Ching series we explored certain Divine-aspects of Divination, which accompanied by an earlier sister series that also highlighted aspects of divination that was nuanced with Tozen’s splendid early teachings on the Unborn, The Dragon Mind of Zen Tarot. Indeed, divination if approached from a transcendent angle accompanied with Right Gnosis reveals how the abiding primordial functions of the Unborn can be a constant companion and mentor on the spiritual journey. Another element that the Unborn I Ching series expounded upon was the further extension and exposition of the fourth constituent of the Noble Truths. As one progresses on the Noble Road to Self-realization it becomes evident that they go beyond the standardized “Eight-fold Path”—which was meant for novices in order for the early development of a sound foundation—as there are a vast array of Noble Truths (beginning with the Bodhisattva path) revealed when the adept matures in the further unfoldment of the Buddhadharma. Along with Right Conduct would eventually come Right Discernment and even Right Analysis; for our upcoming series the emphasis is on Right Contemplation. Doctrinal series like The Awakening of Faith and The True Lion’s Roar of Queen Śrīmālā depict sound Mahayana Principles that highlight the unique position of the Unborn in terms of Tathagata-garbha formulations. Of course, our numerous series on pertinent sutras also contribute to principles that pertain to the Unborn. Tozen’s marvelous Tozen Teachings empower the adept to attune to the Way of the Unborn in his own singular fashion.
Posted in Ascending the Noble Mountain of Primordial Perfection, Spirituality
Tagged Absolute Contemplation, Active Contemplation, Actual Self, apophatic way, Ascent of the Mount, Ascesis, Dark Night, Dark Night of the Senses, dark night of the spirit, declamatio, ehipassiko, En-Darkening, eremitical-monastic lifestyle, Illuminative Way, Infused Contemplation, intuitive darkness, John of the Cross, Noble Truths, Pseudo Dionysius the Areopagite, quietism, Real Recollection, Right Acsesis, Right Analysis, Right Conduct, Right Contemplation, Right Discernment, Right Gnosis, Yathabhutam
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The Living Midnight
VII. The Living Midnight
It is said that Great beings are born at the midnight hour. In ancient China there was talk of the “Living Midnight” that promoted the dark principle which instantly could dispel the false light of any day or night, symbolizing that it is in the minds perfect silence that your spirit is ready to meet its own true self– Tozen