There Is Nothing to Acquire: Comparing the Unborn Mind and the Silent Land
Chad Thralls
Buddhist-Christian Studies 2024 DOI: 10.1353/bcs.2024.a940767 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Bankei Yotaku and Martin Laird share the view that humans are fundamentally connected to their spiritual goal, but that Zen, as represented by Bankei, offers a more radical nonduality than Laird's Christian contemplative account; asks whether Christians can adopt such radical nonduality within their own tradition. |
Abstract
abstract: This paper uncovers similarities and differences between Zen Buddhist and Christian understandings of contemplative practice through a comparison of the writings of the Japanese Zen master Bankei Yotaku and the contemporary Christian contemplative writer Martin Laird. Though both claim that human beings are fundamentally connected to their spiritual goal, Zen emerges from the comparison with a more radical version of nonduality. The paper concludes by asking whether Christians can adopt such a radical nonduality within their own religious framework.