The Problem of Pure Consciousness
March 29, 1990 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780195059809.001.0001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Citations | 175 |
| Key points | Argues that there is a single type of mystical experience, 'pure consciousness', that cuts across cultural and linguistic lines, with reports found in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. |
Abstract
Abstract This collection of essays challenges the widely accepted interpretation of mystical experience. It attempts to show that there is a single type of mystical experience that cuts across cultural and linguistic lines. This is the experience of `pure consciousness', a state in which the subject remains conscious but experiences neither thought, sensation, feeling, nor object of consciousness. The book demonstrates that there are well-attested reports of pure consciousness events occurring in a wide variety of ages and traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.