Suffering in the mystical traditions of Buddhism and Christianity

This article seeks to explore the mystical approaches to suffering characteristic of both Buddhism and Christianity. Through the analysis of the meanings, the two traditions in question ascribe to suffering as a ‘component’ of mystical experience; it challenges the somewhat oversimplified understand...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHervormde teologiese studies Vol. 70; no. 1; pp. 1 - 10
Main Author Urbaniak, Jakub
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Portuguese
Afrikaans
Published Pretoria African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS 01.01.2014
AOSIS (Pty) Ltd
Reformed Theological College of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Pretoria and Society for Practical Theology in South Africa
AOSIS
Subjects
Analysis
Buddhism
Christianity
Mysticism
Religion
Religious aspects
Spirituality
Suffering
Theology
Traditions
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Summary:This article seeks to explore the mystical approaches to suffering characteristic of both Buddhism and Christianity. Through the analysis of the meanings, the two traditions in question ascribe to suffering as a ‘component’ of mystical experience; it challenges the somewhat oversimplified understanding of the dichotomy ’sage-the-robot versus saint-the-sufferer’. Thus it contributes to the ongoing discussion on the theological–spiritual dimensions of the human predicament, as interpreted by various religious traditions. It also illustrates (though only implicitly) in what sense – to use the Kantian distinction – the mystical experience offers boundaries (Schranken) without imposing limits (Grenzen) to interfaith encounter and dialogue.Man [sic] is ready and willing to shoulder any suffering, as soon and as long as he can see a meaning in it. (Frankl 1967:56)
ISSN:0259-9422
2072-8050
2072-8050
DOI:10.4102/hts.v70i1.2117