WESTERN
MYSTICISM
FROM
PLOTlNUS
AND
PUILO
TO
STo
JOHN
OF
THE
CROSS
IWill
no
a emp
wi hin
he
scope
oi
his
pape
o gi e a
de ini ion
oi
mys iciSin. Volumes
b¡a e
been
w i en
on
his
opic,
and
mos
end
wi h
he
au ho
saying
ha
his
de ini ion
ls lnadequa e due o
he
ul ima e
ine abili y o
he
mys icial
,expe ience. W i e s o a ious eligious
adi ions
and
hose
ou side any
pa icula
adi ion
ag ee
in
essence
bu
disag ee
on
in e p e a ion.
The
mys ical expe ience
has
been
in e p e ed
as
he
cessa ion
o desi e,
union
wi h
God, eabso b ion
in
he
One,
and
many
o he
hings. Desc ip ions o
he
mys ical expe ience show a
ema kable deg ee o unanimi y,
and
ai ly ob iously
e e
o
he
same expe ience.
As
one who belie es
ha
he
mys ical
expe ience is a
con ac
wi h
a eali y, a cosmic spi i ual p esence
owa d which all
g ea
eligions g ope, 1 a o
nei he
sup ised
no
dis u bed by
his
unanimi y. Mys ics o a ious adi ions
ag ee
on
he
ine abili y
o
he
expe ience,
i s
pa odoxical,
alogical,
and
con adic o y
na u e,
he
eeling o comple e
oneness
and
uni y,
and
an
ecs asy which de ies desc ip ion.
A hu
Koes le , who
Hes
ou side
any
pa icula
eligious
adi ion, is
in
comple e
ag eemen
wi h
he
abo e desc ip ion.
In
his
wo k we shall be conce ned
wi h
wes e n
a he
han
o ien al mys icism.
AH
he
o ms o mys icism men ioned
in
i his
wo k,
wi h
he
possible excep ion o Plo inus,
a e
70
MICHAEL
MCCLAIN
[z}
unques ionably
wi hin
he
wes e n mys ical adi ion.
The
g ea
eligions o
he
wes , Judaism', Ch is iani y,
and
Islam
a e
heis ic
a he
han
pan heis ic.
In
a
pan heis ic
heology, comple e uni y
wi h
B ahman,
Tao, o
he
Qne ls
heo e ically possible ...
ln
he
heis ic
eligions o
he
wes ,
he
Sansk i
ph ase
" a
am
así",
" ha
a
hou"
mus
be
in e p e ed
as
union
o likeness
and
simila i y o pu pose (S .
John
o
he
C oss),
o
"o
sunligh
and
ai ,
o
o
ho
i on
and
hea "
,
(Jan
on Ruysb oeck),
a he
han
as
li e al
uníon
and
iden i y. Keeping
his
in
mind, we
shall
p oceed
wi h
Plo inus.
Qu
s udy begins i ingly
in
Alexand ia,
he
golden ci y.
In
Alexand ia G eek, Heb ew, Egyp ian
and
e en
Pe sian
me
on
com non g ound.
and
came in o
con ac
wi h
elemen s
am
a he
eas .
As
well
as
being a
mel ing
po
o peoples
and
ideas,
Alexand ia was a cUy o unbeUe able wickedness side
by
si de
wi h
unbelie able pie y. While
many
sough
sensuous pleasu es,
many
o he s
sough
God,
in
many
di e en
ways.
In
he
nea
u u e, Alexand ia would become "' he an il
o
Ch is iani y".
Qne o
he
Alexand ians who
sough
God was Plo inus. Plo-
inus
was
he
g ea es
o
he
neo-Pla onic
school o Alexand ia,
who d ew
hei
1nspi a ion om,
oe
Pla onic dialogues
"Ti-
maeus", "Laws",
and
pa s
o
o he
dialogues. Neo-Pla onism
was a nYs ical philosophy
wi h
a ionaUs ic ele nen s
and
in,.
iuences
om
Pe sia
and
India. Plo inus
spen
so ne ime
in
Pe sia
s udying philosophy,
and
died
while
on
he
way
o
India
o
he
saine pu pose.
The
neo-Pla onis s
ca ied
Pla ó'g
idea
o
he
Good
and
he
wo ld o o ms one
s ep
a he .
The
Good
and
he
wo ld o o ms we e ne ely
emana ions
o
he
Qne,
which
is compa able o
he
ludian
B ahma
and
he
Chinese
Tao.
AH
hings
a e
emana ions
o
he
One,
and
he
,Qne is
undi e en ia ed
uni y.
AH
hings
ow
om
he
One
and
seek
o
e u n
o i .
The
One is
nei he
pe sonal
no
conscious, as
a ibu es
imply di ision.
Th ough
con emipla ion, leading a
wholesome li e,
and
wisdo n, a pe son seeks
eunion
wi h
he
One.
The
mys ical expe ience
1s
euníon
wi h
he
Qne,
when
he
illusions o dis inc ions
and
mul iplici y
a e
elimina ed,
and
may
be
in e p e ed
in
he
ligh
o
he
Pla onic
me apho
o
he
ca e.
As
all
hings
a e
emana ions
o
he
Qne, all
hings
WESTERN MYSTlCISM FROM PLOTlNUS
AND
PHILO TO
STo
JOHN OF THE CROSS
71
a e
sac ed,
and
a mo al eode is ounded
upon
his. Howe e ,
he e
is a
hie a chy
o emana ions,
he
wo ld o pu e in elligence,
he Pla onic o ms, is aboye o dina y mind, which is aboye
ma e .
In
Plo inus one inds a
g ea
in ellec , a sup emely
g ea
mys ic,
and
a
g ea
mo alis
uni ed
in
a single indi idual.
S o
Augus ine was qui e
igh
when
he
said
ha
Plo inus
need
change only a ew wo ds o be a Ch is ian.
In
spi i
Plo inus
would need o change no hing.
Plo inus w i es
in
a li ely ye deep
and
schola ly s yle
e-
miniscen
o
Pla o. Howe e , sugges ions o mys ical ecs asy
and
in ensi y
a e
mo e common
in
Plo inus
han
in
Pla o. So
we
lea e
he
God-in oxica ed sage o Alexand ia.
Had
Alexan-
d ia p oduced only Plo inus,
she
should ichly dese e
he
i le
" he
gOlden ci y".
Howe e , we now discuss
ano he
jewel
in
he
c own o
Alexand ia, Philo Judaeus, who showed
ha
he
Heb aic
and
Heleno-O ien al
adi ions
we e
no
an i he ical,
bu
comple-
men a y
Philo
has
been mo e hono ed
in
l1e
Ch is ian
adi ion
han
in
hIs own Heb aic adi ion, as many,
hough
by no
means
aH,
Jewish TheoIogians
and
Talmudis s ha e conside ed
him
a
he-
e ic
and
Helenise .
Neo-Pla onism did
no
begin wi hi Plo inus.
In
ac , Plo inus
li ed
in
he
hi d
cen u y
AD,
no
long be o e neo-Pla onism
was abso bed by Ch is iani y. Philo was a con empo a y o
Ch is ,
and
is some imes called
he
i s Jewish mys ic.
Philo combined neo-Pla onic me aphysics
wi h
Jewish mo-
nono heism
in
an
ingenious
and
a ional
manne .
No
doub o
comba
he
an h opomo phism
common o a
g ea
pa
o
his
ellow Jews, Philo s esses
he
ine abili y
oí
God,
and
is
hus
conside ed by some
he
ounde o
he
" ia nega i a",
ha
any
quaU y
a ibu ed
o
Goid
is alse, beca use
a ibu es
imply
limi a ion,
hough
he
" ía
nega i a" is
ound
much
ea lie
in
India. Faced
wi h
he
di icul y o combining
he
ine able,
unchanging
God who is beyond all ca ego ies o
ime
and
space
wi h
he
c ea o
God o
he
Jewish
adi ion,
Philo bo owed
he
Logos
om
He acli us
and
in e p e ed
i
as combining
he
MICHAEL MCCLAIN
unc ions o
he
One
and
he
Pla onic wo ld o
pu e
in elligence.
Pu e
mono heism was
main ained
by
in e p e ing
he
Logos
as
he
c ea
i
e
and
sus aining
aspec
o
God.
Thus,
he
Logos
is a pe sonal aspec o
an
impe sonal God.
The
mys ical
expe ience is
an
encoun e
wi h
he
Logos.
Pan heism
was
a oided by s essing
ha
aH
hings
a e
c ea ions
a he
han
emana ions
o God. This Logos doc ine is
ound
in
he
Gospel
o
S o
John
and
in
he
Nieene C eed. Jewish law
and
e hícs
we e iden i ied
wi h
he
S oic concep o
uni e sallaw.
Fo Philo, howe e ,
he
mys ical expe ience is
no
undi e-
en ia ed
uni y,
bu
"beholding God
in
all His glo y". Tb:is was
o become a unique aspec o Jewish mys icism, dis inguishing
i
om neo-Pla onic, Ch is ian,
and
Islamic mys icism. The
p esen
w i e belie es
his
dis inc ion o be me ely a
ma e
o
wo ds
and
seman ics. This dis inc ion is
no
made
by all Jewish
mys ics.
Philo w i es
in
a s yle which be ays bo h:'
his
Heb aic
and
his G eek
an eceden s
and
is
in e es ing
o
his
eason.
Philo's in uence on Ch is iani y
and
on Jewish mys icism
would be di ieul o o e es ima e. Philo is a key igu e
in
he
c oss- e ilisa ion o ideas
which
ook place
in
Helenis ic Ale-
xand ia.
The
o igin o
Ch is ian
mYs icism is di icul o pinpoin .
The e
a e
passages
in
he
Epis les o
S o
Paul
which seem o
indica e
ha
he
had
mys ical leanings.
S o
John
he
E angelis
was ob iously in uenced by Philo,
bu
he e
is no posi i e e i-
dence
ha
he
himsel was a mys ic.
The
i s
Ch is ian
mys ic o which we may be
ce ain
is
Dionysius
he
A eopagi e. This
name
is p obably a pseudonym,
and
he
was p obably a Sy ian
Ch is ian
o
he
second cen u y
AD.
Wha
is signi ican is
ha
h¡e
was
an
ea ly
Ch is ian
nys ic.
In
Dionysius,
he
in luence o
he
neo-Pla onis s is ob ious
in
bo h
"Mys ical Theology"
and
"Di ine Names". Dionysius,
like PhHo, was a ollowe o
he
" ia nega i a", o
he
Upan-
ishad
injunc ion
ha
he
Uni e sal SeU is incommensu able,
"no
his,
no
ha ",
he
nega i e si de
oí
he
mys ical expe ience.
Fo
example
hese
quo a ions om "Mys ical Theology".
"God is
he
Supe
Essen ial Da kness.
I
is
no
numbe ,
no
{5]
WESTERN MYSnCISM FROM PLOTlNUS
AND
PHILO TO
STo
¡OHN OF THE CROSS 73
o de ,
no
g ea ness
no
li lel'l.ess,
no
equali y,
no
inequaU y ...
no
is
i
he
One,
no
is
i
GOdhead
no
Goodness;
no
does
I
belong o
he
ca ego y
oí
non-exis ence
no
o
ha
o exis-
e ce"
Dionysius econciles
his
wi h
his
Ch is ian
heism
in
he
"Di ine Names" by
s a ing
ha
any hing
man
may say
abou
God is
alseo
Thus
Dionysius is a
o e unne
o
such
hinke s
as
Rudol O o
in
his iew
ha
aH
wo ds used o desc ibe God
a e
o necessi y symbolical
and
me apho ical.
Also
in
Dionysius we ind a
s ong
eso e ic elemen o
Fo
example; "These
hings
hou
mus
no
disclose o
any
o
he
unini ia ed
... ".
"Fo
no
wi hou
eason is
he
blessed Moses
bidden i s o unde go
ini ia ion
himsel ,
and
hen
o
sepa a e
himsel om hose who ha e
no
unde gone
i
... ". This eso e i-
cism ils mo e
han
a li le eminescen o gnos icism,
hough
Dionysius was e y
a
om
gncs icism o he wise.
I
would
eappea
in
a Jewish guise
in
he
Cabala.
Dionysius w i es
in
a s yle which s ill p ese es aces
oí
i s
G eek an eceden s,
bu
in
~ s
'incandescen
manne
be ays
in luence om
a he
Eas -Pe sia
and
India.
The
in luence o Dionysius was eno mous.
Thanks
o him,
a e y
pu e
o m o mys icism acqui ed
an
almos canonical
au ho i y.
Dionysius
mus
be conside ed
he
o e unne
oí
a
e y long
and
ichly a ied
Une
o
Ch is ian
nys ics.
The
gold o Alexand ia is
no
e exhaus ed.
We
pass now
o
one o
he
mos
p o ound
and
in e es ing
o all
Ch is ian
hinke s:
O igen.
O igen is p ac ically
he
an i hesis
o Dionysius. Dionysius
was a mys ical philosophe who was indubi ably Ch is ian,
bu
whose Ch is iani y is
almos
inciden al o his mys ical heo y.
The
g ea e
pa
o
he
wo ks
Ol
Dionysius could ha e been
w i en
by a Ch is ian. a Moslem, a Hindu,
o
a Jew,
and
in
ac
may
be
mis aken
o
ce ain
passages
in
he
Upanishads.
O igen. on
he
o he
hand,
was a e y e sa ile
hinke
whose mys ical heo y o ms only a small
pa
oí
his
o al
ou pu .
O igen's in e p e" a ion o his mys ical expe ience could
only be Ch is ian.
I
Dionysius was a mys ic who
happened
o
be a Ch is ian, O igen was a
Ch is ian
who
happened
o ha e

74
MICHAEL MCCLAlN
[6J
a mY8 ical expe ience.
F om
he
iewpoin o mys icism,
O i-
gen
18
in e es ing
beeause
he
8eem3 in
many
ways
o
be a
o e unne
no
only o
la e
Ch is ian
bu
o Jewish
and
moslem
mys icism.
O igen's mys ical doc ine is
sca e ed
h ough
his wo ks,
bu
p incipally
in
ce ain
homilies
on
Le i icus
and
Numbe s
and
in
his Coinmen a y
on
he
Song o Songs.
lUexand ia was a ci y
oí
many
Jews
and
he e
is e e y
e idence
ha
O igen ollowed
he
Rabbia
in
a
g ea
pa
o
his exegesis
o
he
booka o
he
OId
Tes amen .
Thus,
he
Ho-
oiliea
o
O igen show
much
in iuenee
o
Rabbinie exegesis,
no
unlike
he
Talmud. Howe e ,
his
is
no
all.
The e
a e
also
s ong
elemen s
o
he
80 o exegesi8 used
by
Medie al Ca-
balis a.
Is
his
coineiden al? We e
he e
o e unne s
ol
he
Cabalis s
in
hi d
cen u y
Alexand ia?
We
do
no
know.
In
O igen,
he
mysUe
ques
has
nine
s ages.
Eigh
o hese
s ages
a e
desc ibed
in
he
homilies
on
Le i icus
and
Numbe s
he
nin h
in
he
commen a ies
on
he
Song
oí
Songa.
The
i s
eigh
s ages in ol e
he
sel -knowledge
and
pu -
ga ion
common
o
aH
mjTs icism,
bu
so ne
pa s
a e
e y
in e -
es ing. A speci ically
Ch is ian
elemen ,
and
one
which
will
be
ei e a ed
by
la e
Ch is ian
mys ics is
he
"second
bap ism"
01'
"second con e sion".
In
O Igen,
his
means
a new consciousness,
unde
g ace, o
he
ue
con en
o
Ch is ian
me.
The
se en h
s age
is one
ound
in
he
w i ings o
many
mys ics, no ably
S o
Ca he ine
o Siena.
This
is
he
s age
in
which
he
mys ic is
ha assed
by
alse
isions, isions which
emp
be
aspi ing
mys ic o de ia e om his ques .
In
he
homilies,
his
s age
is iden i ied
wi h
he
Wilde ness o Sin.
"Sin"
in
he
Rabbinic
in e p e a ion
meanig
" emp a ion".
The
eigh
s age
is
ha
called by
S o
John
o
he
C oss
"Da k
Nigh o
he
Soul",
hough
in
O igen
he
da ks
is
1ess
absolu e.
S o
John
o
he
C oss uses
he
"Ascen o M . Ca mel" as
an
allego y o
he
:mys ical ques . O igen uses
happenings
in
he
books
oí
Le i icus
and
Numbe s
and
s ages
in
he
jou ney
o
he
Is aeli es
om
Egyp
o
Canaan
o symbolise
he
a ious
[7]
WESTERN MYSTICISM FROM
PLOTlloi'US
AND
PHILO TO
STo
¡OHN
OF
THE
CROSS
75
s ages
o
he
mys ical ques
in
a
manne
emínescen
oí
he
Rabbis
and
he
cabalis s.
The
nin h
s age
is
he
s age
oÍ mys ical uníon,
hough
O igen ne e uses
his
e mo This s age
is
deal
wi h
in
he
wo ks
on
b¡e
Song
o
Songs. He e
i
is
impo an
o
di e en ía e
be ween desc ip ion
and
in e p e a ion.
In
he
desc ip ion~
O igen uses images
oí
sexual lo e
in
an
allego ical : ashion e y
much
like
many
Moslem Su is,
and
also
like
S o
John
o
he
C oss
in
he
Spi i ual
Can icle
and
o he
wo ks. This is a i s
in
he
his o y
o mys icism,
a
leas wes
o
India.
He also uses
he
senses as
an
analogy, common
enough
in
mys ical w i ings.
In
Psalm
34
one inds
" as e
and
see
ha
he
Lo d is good".
In e p e a ion
is
ano he
ma e .
He e
we
ha e a
con as
wi h
Plo inus. Fo Plo inus,
he
objec
is simply
uníon
wi h
he
One.
O igen comes
nea
o his,
bu
his
Ch is ian
Theism d aws
him
back om
migh
,be
conside ed
pan heism.
Fo
O igen,
he
mys ical expe ience is
uníon
in
in en ion
wi h
Ch is
coupled
wi h
an
illumina ingconsciousness o God
in
Ch is . Two symbols
O igen uses
a e
ins uc i e,
he
symbol o ea ing,
which
is
o
cou se
in
e ms
o
he
Eucha is ,
and
he
symbol o ma iage.
aken
om
he
" wo
in
one iesh" ound
in
Genesis.
O igen was
he
o e unne
in
a
g ea
many
hings
ypical
oí
Ch is ian
mys icism,
and
in
ac
may
be conside ed
he
Íoun-
de
oi
one
b anch
o
Ch is ian
mys icism, Dionysius
he
ounde
o
he
o he .
Fo
O igen,
he
mys ical expe ience is o
he
"sunligh
and
ai "
o
"ho
i on
and
hea "
ype, in ol ing a
"conpene a ion"
oi
c ea o
and
c ea ed,
bu
wi hou
eal unÍon
o
abso p ion. O igen, unlike Dionysius, is
no
Theosophic,
he e
is no specula ion
on
he
na u e
o God.
O igen's mys icism is
no
ecs a ic
a
any
poin . Also,
in
con as
o
Plo inus, Dionysius,
and
O igen's ellow Egyp ian
Ch is Ians,
he
dese
a he s,
i
is
no
soli a y,
01'
a
leas
he
ques
is
no o
The
ole o
he
chu <;h ls o
g ea
impo ance
in
O igen's mys ical
ques
as
he
isible body o
Ch is
on
ea h.
O igen
and
Dionysius
a e
hus
he
o e unne s
o
he
majo
MICHAEL MCCLAIN
[8]
:s ands o
Ch is ian
mys icism,
hough
mos
la e
Ch is ian
mys ics
a e
somewhe e be ween
he
wo
a he
han
being
s ic
ollowe s o one o
he
o he .
Ve y ea ly igu es
in
he
his o y o Ch is iani y,
such
as
S o
Igna ius
oí
An ioch
and
he
unknown au hoT
o
au ho s
o
he
Sy iac
Odes o Solomon
be ay
a
mix u e
o mys ic
and
gnos ic
elemen s. Fai ly ·ea ly, howe e ,
he e
is a
sepa a ion
be ween
mys icism
and
gnos icism, so
ha
Ch is ian
mys ics,
such
as
O igen,
S o
G ego y o Nyssa, Dionysius,
and
S ephen
ba
Sadaili
ha e
H le o
he
gnos ic abou
hem,
while
Ch is ian
gnos ics,
such
as
he
unknown
au ho s
o
he
Gospel o Thomas,
he
Gospel o
T u h,
and
he
Gospel o
he
Egyp ians show ew
mys ical elemen s. A
ce ain
pa allelism exis s be ween gnos i-
cism
and
mys icism,
bu
beyond a
ce ain
poin
he
wo di e ge
and
in
ac
becoine
nea ly
an i he ical.
This di ision be ween
mys icism
and
gnos icism
in
Ch is iani y was no doub
u he ed
by
he
ac
ha
while !mys idsm was accep ed as o hodox,
gnos icism was condemned as he esy.
Be o e
aking
lea e o
his
pe iod
in
he
his o y o
Ch is -
iani y
I should like e y
miUch
o ecommend
he
w i ings
o '
he
ea ly,
eas e n
chu ch
including hose o
he
he e ical
gnos ics. The w i ings o
his
pe iod ha e a eshness, ichness,
and
a ie y di icul o equal
in
any
ime
o
place.
When
we
u n
o
Judaism,
he
si ua ion
is qui e di e en .
The e
was ne e a clea
cu
b eak be ween gnos icism
and
mys -
icism.
In
ac ,
i
may
be conside ed a cb;a ac e is ic o Jewish
mys icisin
ha
while
Ch is ian
mys icism ea ly pu ged i sel
o gnos ic elemen s
(and
was oUowed
in
his
by
he
Moslem
Su is), gnos ic eleimen s ha e pe sis ed
in
Jewish mys icism
down o ou own day.
The
easons
o
his
a e
p obably because
he
Rabbinic
adi ion
ejec ed alike gnos icism
and
mys icism,
hus
ending
o
a
once p ese e
he
sec e i e, eso e ic
a mos-
phe e
so ypical on gnos icism, while
a
he
same
ime eal i
gene ally non- iolen pe secu ion
ended
o keep gnos icism
and
mys icism uni ed.
AIso,
Jewish gnos ic5
and
mys ics claimed
o be ollowing
an
eso e ic
adi ion
pa allel
wi h
he
o hodox
o
Rabbinic adi ion,
and
hence
he e
was a
g ea
eluc ance
o
ejec
o simply igno e
any hing
pu po lng
o be o
his
adi ion.
WESTERN MYSTICISM FROM PLOTlNUS
AND
PHILO
TO
STo
¡OHN
OF
THE CROSS 77
The
cabalis s ha e always claimed o ollow
an
eso e ic
adi ion
ex ending back o
he
Pa ia chs
and
e en o Adam.
In
ac ,
he
eso e ic gnos ic-mys ic
adi ion
in
Judaism
ex ends:
o
be o é
he
ime o Ch is . So ne place
he
o igins
01
his
adi ion
in
he
Pe sian
pe iod,
o he s
place
i
la e
in
he
ime
o
he
Seleucids o
he
Maccabees.
We
know
nex
o
no hing
o
he
ea Ues pe iod o his adi ion,
bu
om
oughly
he
la e
pa
oí
he
i s cen u y
BC
o
he
ise o Cabalism
in
he
Middle Ages,
his
adi ion
ga e ise o
Me kabah
m ys icism.
In
he
s udy
o Me kabah mys icism one gene ally ge s
he
imp esion
ha
one
113
dealing
no
wi h
mys icism
bu
wi h
a.
so
o isiona y gnos icismo Ne e heless, 1 e el
ha
Me kabah
mys icism
has
a place
in
his
wo k because
a
imes
a
leas
one
can
de ec
a
so
o ecs a ic mys icism
behind
he
gnos ic
a<;ade,
hough
exp essed
in
odd ways,
and
because o i s
im-
po ance
in
he
o ma ion o Cabalism.
Me kabah
mys icism is
he
wo k
oí
Jewish sages o
Pa-
les ine
and
Babylonia.
I
is known o us
í om
he
w i ings
o
now anonymous
au ho s
who used a a ie y
o
li e a y
o ms-
mishnaic
commen a ies on Biblical ex s, apoc yphal wo ks
such
as
he
Book o Enoch
and
he
Apocalypse
oí
Ab aham,
and
"in-
dependen " wo ks
such
as
he
Book o C ea ion.
The
wo d
me kabah
means
" h one",
and
is de i ed om.
he
ision o Ezekiel.
The
obj
ec
o
he
me kabah
adep
113
he
ision o God
en h oned
in
glo y
in
he
hiekalo h, o
he
g ea
halls
and
palaces o Hea en. A imes one
i8
eminded o
he
Byzan ine
and
Sassanian
cou s.
The
emphasis
he e
is all
on
he
glo y
and
he
m!aJes y o God. He e oo a
a he
complex
angelology is de eloped.
The
co e o
his
sys em could
ha dly
be mo e gnos ic.
The
souI,
in
i s
ascen
o
he
h one
o God,
o , exp essed
ano he
way, o
he
ullness o God's ligh , passes.
h ough
he
sphe es o
he
se en hos ile
plane a y
a chons,.
and
-he
U e a u e con ains i id desc ip ions o
he
pe ils o
his
ascen . Said
ascen
is always p eceded by asce ic p ac ices
o a ying du a ion. He e, howe e ,
he e
is no
hin
o
he
Shekinah,
God's
Immanence
in
he
wo ld, o
la e
Cabalism,
compa able o
he
A man o Hindu adi ion. AH emphasis is
on God
anscendan .
In
gnos ic ashion, a dis inc ion is
made
MICHAEL MCCLAIN
p ophe ic,
and
his sys em is qui e
a
om Cabalism
in
bo h
he
li e al
meaning
o
he
wo d
and
wha
is no mally conside ed
as
being
cha ac e is ic
o Cabalism.
Abula ia
has
a
g ea
deal mo e o say
oí
he
mys ical expe-
ience
han
his. He equen ly w i es o
he
ision o
he
spi i ual
guide o eache , iden icle o
he
Hindu
spi i ual
gu u.
This
is known
in
Me kabah mys icism, whe e
he
"gu u" is
iden i ied
wi h
he
angel Me a ion. He e Abula ia is mo e
inclined o iden i y
he
gu u
as
an
aspec o God. He e Abula ia
comes eiy close o saying
ha
he
mys ic is
uly
uni ed
wi h
God,
and
hus
e y
nea
o
pan heism.
A
numbe
o imes
Abula ia speaks o
he
iden i y
o
he
mys ic
and
his
gu u.
Abula ia says "now
he
is no longe
sepa a ed
om his mas e ,
and
behold
he
is his
mas e
and
his
mas e
is
he;
o
he
is so
in ima ely
adhe ing
o
him
ha
he
canno
by
any
means
be
sepa a ed
om
Him, o
he
is HE". A bolde
s a emen
o he
union o
he
soul o
he
mys ic
wi h
God would be di icul o
ind wes o
India.
The e
is
a
leas
an
appa en
equi oca ion be ween
he
p o-
phe ic
aspec
and
he
uni i e
aspec
o
he
mys ical expe ience.
In
ano he
con ex
Abula ia seems o cla i y his,
and
also his
con inui y
wi h
he
oIde
Me kabah
mys icism.
In
speaking o
he
sephi o h,
o
p imal
numbe s
so
dea
o
he
Me kabah
mys ics, Abula ia
s a es
ha
one shou d begin
wi h
con empla ion o
he
sephi o h
and
la e
pass
on
o
he
le e s
o
he
Heb ew alphabe ,
and
by
an
un ansla able
play
on
wo ds,
s a es
ha
his sys ein is
he
ue
ision o
he
me -
kabah.
Abula ia
a!Bo
desc ibes se en s ages o knowledge o
he
To ah.
The
six h
s age is
ha
o
p ophe ic cabalism,
he
se-
en h
s age
he
Holy o
HoUes
abou
which
i
is
no
possible
o speak. This
se en h
s age would seem o be
he
uni i e s age
spoken o ea lie . No e
ha
in
his
con ex
he
p ophe ic s age
is six h,
no
se en h.
A ew gene al wo ds abou Abula ia. His sys em is ecs a ic,
no
heosophic.
The e
is i ually no specula ion
as
o
he
na u e
o God anywhe e
in
his w i ings. Like Buddha, Abula ia

[J
7]
WESTERN MYSTlCISM FROM PLOTINUS
AND
PHILO TO
STo
JOHN 01' THE CROSS
85
conside ed philosophical: ques ions which do
no
aid
in
he
achie emen o
he
mys ical expe ience o
"un ying
he
kno s"
as
i ele an
and
a was e o ime. This is clea ly e y
a
om
he
Zoha
o
Cabalism
in
gene al.
Also
no e
ha
Abula ia did
no
hink
o himsel as ollowing
an
inc edibly ancien , eso e ic adi ion,
bu
a he
emphasised
he
newness
and
indi idua
li
y o his sys em.
The
gnos ic ele-
men s
gene ally
cha ac e is ic
o Jewish mys icism
a e
e y
nea ly
absen
in
Abula ia.
Also
clea ly, Abula ia's concep o God is qui e
a
om
he
ea some, un eachable Dei y o
a
leas he
g ea e
pa
o
Me kabah mys icisin.
We
now
ake
lea e o a
g ea
nys ic
and
a
g ea
mano
A
his
poin
1 wish
ocommen
on
a
pe sis en
heme
oi
Jewish mys icism. This
1s
he
p oblem o
he
Ein So .
Though
he
e m
is
an
in en ion o
he
Cabalis s,
he
issue was e y
much
ali e
among
he
Me kabah
mys ics.
The
Ein So is
he
"God beyond God",
he
In ini e,
he
Di ine
G ound,
he
God o Dionysius,
he
God Who
anscends
he
c ea o
God o
he
Bible,
GOd,
in
he
wo ds o
he
Cabalis s,
"in
he
dep hs
o
His no hingness".
In
Me kabah
mys icism
he
Ein So
has
no special
name,
bu
only
such
de ini ions
as
" he
inde inible essence o God".
Th oughou
mos
o
he
his o y o Jewish mys icisin,
he
p oblem
o
he
Ein So
has
been cen al, o
nea ly
so.
The
Caba-
lis s deny
he
eali y o
any
di ision be ween
he
Ein So
and
he
C ea o
God,
bu
he e
ha e
been he e o hodox sys ems which
admi
a dualism
o
e en opposi ion be ween
he
wo. He e
we
p obably
ha e
he
o igin o hose gnos ic sec s which iden i ied
he
God o
he
Old
Tes amen
as a demon. He e o hodox
Ju-
daism,
unde
he
in luence o
I anian
dualismJ
and
he
e ible
disas e s o
he
Jewish people
in
he
la e
hal
o
he
i s
and
i s
hal
o
he
second cen u y,
came o
belie e
ha
while God
is good,
he
wo ld o
ma e
was
c ea ed
by a demon. This
ex eme dualism is e y
a
om
any
80 o mys icisin. No
all gnos ic sec s we e so ex emely dualis ic;
The
doc ine
oi
he
Essenes, o example,
hough
essen ially gnos ic
and
la gely
dualis ic
("The
Sons o
Ligh
e sus
he
Sons o Da kness")
86
MICHAEL
MCCLAIN
[
8J
s ill ecognised
he
c ea o
God o
he
010.
es amen
as
he
ue
God.
Howe e , Abu alia
lS
a ypical o Jewish mys ics.
In
Judaism,
pe haps
mo e so
han
in
Ch is iani y
o
Islam,
he
dis ance
be ween
c ea o
and
c ea u e
is s ongly s essed.
"Th one"
mys icism is mo e yical.
Con empo a y
wi h
Abula ia was
he
g ea
age o Cabalism,
which
culmina ed
in
he
Zoha ,
he
Book o Splendo .
In
he
Cabalism o Medie al Spain
we
ind
he
eso e icis n
as exp essed by Dionysius
a
i s heigh . Despai ing
oi
exp essing
mys ical
u h
by
me e
wo ds,
he
Cabalis s
u ned
o s ange,
eso e ic symbols, ideog ams,
and
symbolic language.
F om
he
Zoha "when
he
hi een
oun ains
o
he
i e s o oil descend,
all hese
a e
me cies".
"Also we
lea ned
ha
i e
nakednesses
can
be e ealed
on
ha
side, which
a e
he
i e judgemen s;
and
hese i e
jud-
gemen s
a e
ex ended
in o
248
pa hs".
The Cabala also
made
use o mys ic numbe s
and
combina-
ions o le e s.
The
bulk o
he
Zoha
was composed by a
Spanish
Jew
na-
meO.
Moses
de
Leon
in
he
la e
pa
o
he
13 h cen u y.
The
ünmedia e
cause o i s publica ion was
an
an ido e
o
he
igiO.
a ionalism: o
he
con empo a y Talmudis s. I onically,
he
Zo-
ha
isw i en
in
a s yle which
imi a es
he
Pales inian
Talmud,
o
he
ex en
ha
i
is
w i en
in
an
a chaic
A amaic
a he
han
Heb ew, A abic,
o
La in. Howe e , a
g ea
pa
o
he
Zo-
ha
esembles a se ies o medie al se mons mo e
han
he
dialo-
gue ypical o
he
Talmud.
This was also
he
g ea
age o Jewish philosophy,
Jehuda
Ha-
le i, Moses
and
Ab aham
ibn
Ez a, Joseph
ibn
Zaddik,
Ab aham
ba
Hiyya,
Bahya
ibn Pakuda, Solomon
Ibn
Gabi ol,
Ab aham
ibn Daud, Moses
ben
Maimon,
and
many
o he s
being ci izens
oi
medie al Spain.
The
doc ine o
he
Zoha
is heosophic
a he
han
ecs a ic.
Indeed,
i
is
nea ly
he
an i hesis
o
he
doc ine o Abula ia.
The
heoso ic doc ine
oi
he
Zoha , 1
am
no
ashamed
o say,
18
he
wo s
head-b eake
1 encoun e ed
in
my
esea ch
o
[19]
WESTERN MYSTlClSM FROM PLOTlNUS
Al:'<1)
PHILO TO
STo
JOHN OF THE CROSS
87
his
pape o To
he
unini ia ed
i
seems a
mass
o con adic ions,
wo ds
wi h
eiled meanings,
and
ank
nonsense.
The
doc ine o
he
Zoha
is
semi-pan heis ic.
The
uni e se
is
made
o
en
se i o h,
sünila
o
he
eman ions
o Plo inus
e.nd
he
phenomenal
o ms o
he
Su is.
The e
is a di e ence,
howe e .
The
se i o h
a e
no
in e media e
s eps be ween God
and
he
wo ld. These se i o h
ake
plaoe wi hin
GOd,
and
a
he
same
ime enable
man
o pe cei e God.
In
he
p ocess,
God's c ea i e powe
b eaks
h ough
he
elosed
she11
oi
he
Ein
so ,
he
In ini e,
he
Inne mos
Being o Di ini y,
he
"elea
ligh
o
he
oid",
henee
he
possibili y o
he
mys ieal expe-
ience.
The
ela ionships o
he
se i o h
and
hei
names
1 will
no
go
in o
he e. To symbolise
hese
di e en
aspee s o Di ini y,
wi h
hei
many
g ada ions,
he
symbol
oí
he
human
body
is used.
Though
aman
is one indi idual,
hands,
eyes, e c.,
ha e
di e en
une ions.
This
is
elabo a ed
in
he
Zoha .
The
numbe
o symbolisms
in
he
Zoha
is as ,
bu
a
leas
one mo e is wo hy o men íon,
he
He, You
and
1.
GOd,
in
he
mos
deeply hidden o His
mani es a ions
is ealled He. God,
in
he
s age
oí
he
un olding o His Being, G aee,
and
Lo e, is
eaHed You. God,
in
he
sup eme
mani es a ion,
when
he
ullness
o His Being inds inal exp ession
in
he
las
and
aH
emb acing
01
His
a ibu es
is called 1.
This
Di ine Sel ,
his
"1", is
he
shekinah,
he
immanence
01
God
in
an
c ea ion.
I
is
a
his
poin
ha
he
mys ic becomes awa e o
he
p esence
01
GOd,
and
he e
p og esses
in o
he
deepe
egions o
he
Di ine,
he
"You",
and
"He",
in o
he
dep hs
o
he
"elea
ligh
o
he
oid".
C ea ion is
he
ex e nal
aspee o
some hing
which
akes
place
in
God Himsel . (No e:
a
his
poin
P o esso
S anley
Lusby
no ed
in
he
ma gin
o
his
pape :
"No unlike
Mudhyan-
aka
Buddishsm
in
some espec s").
I doub
i
he
eade
knows
wha
1
am
ge ing
a , sinee I
doub i 1 know mysel . Le us mo é
on
o
some hing
alse,
he
p oblem o
he
ex e nal
aspee
o e ea ion,
he
phenomenal
uni e se,
and
i s
ela ion
o God.
The
eo e
01
he
Zoha
ls semi-pa heis ic, as
has
been said,
o
pe haps
panen heis ic,
o
use
he
e m
o p o esso Cha les
88
l !1ICHAEL
lVlCCLAIN
[20]
Ha sho ne. Acco ding o
he
Zoha , c ea ion akes place
on
wo le els;
ha
which p oduced
he
uppe wo ld o
he
se i o h,
and
ha
which p oduced
he
lowe wo ld o
he
isible c ea ion.
The
highe
o de ep esen s
he
dynamic
uni y
o
GOd,
he
lowe o de
he
wo ld
o
sepa a ion, whe e exis hings isola ed.
om each
o he
and
om
God. Howe e ,
he
mys ical
spi i
o
Moses de Leon comes o
he
su ace,
and
he
says:
"I
one con-
empla es
he
hings
in
mys ical medi a ion, e e y hing is e-
ealed as One,
and
He (God) ills e e y hing,
and
He is e e-
y hing".
On e e y le el,
c ea ion
e lec s
he
inne
mo emen o
he
Di ine Li e. F om
he
Zoha :
"E e y hing exis s linked
wi h
.e e-
y hing
else down o
he
lowes link on
he
chain,
and
he
ue
essence o God is aboye as well as below,
in
he
Hea ens
and
on
he
ea h,
and
no hing
exis s ou side Him,
and
"Medi a e
on
hese hings,
and
you will
unde s and
ha
God's
essence is lin-
ked
and
connec ed
wi h
aH
wo lds,
and
ha
aH
o ms o exis-
ence
and
essence".
This
pan heis ic
(o ,
a he .
panen heis ic) side
has
i s
lim:i. s
and
may dis ega ded
(i
usually is
in
Jewish ei cles), as all
c ea ed
exis en
ce
has
a
kind
o eali y
in
which
i
appea s
independen
o
he
mys ical wo lds o unl y. Howe e ,
such
was
no
always
he
case. Be o e
he
jn oduc ion
oI
eVil,
e e y hing s ood
in
immedia e mys ical
appo
o e e y hing else. No e: ThIs is one
o
he
uni e sal doc ines o mys icism-
ha
which makes o
sepa a ion is e il. No e
he
wo ds
wi h
e ilconno a ions
de i ed
om
he
Indo-Eu opean oo s
meaning
wo- du
and
bi -dubious,
diabolic, bilious, disas e , doom, enial (b o
),
doub ,
The
wo d
di ide
has
e il connno a ion, dis ac ,
pe haps
die, iolen ,
ioIa e, disc imina e, dis-
he
lis is almos endIess,
and
a simila
si ua ion
is ound
in
all
Indo-Eu opean
languages.
The
p oblem o e il is
deal
wi h
in
he
Zoha .
Sepa a ion
om
he
uni ied li e o GOd,
and
he e o e e il, ca ne abou
when
so ne
c ea u e
seeks o
nain ain
his own seU,
and
hus
des oy
he
p is ine
uni y,
making
a wo ld o alse con ex s, which only
he
mys ic
may
pene a e
and
e u n
o eali y.
The e
is also a
deepe o igin
o e il, conce ned
wi h
he
se i o h.
As
one
canno
ha e a
moun ain
wi hou
a alley, so
he
exe cise o God's
21]
WESTERN MYSTlCISM PROM PLOTlNUS
AND
PHIW
TO
S .
¡OHN
OE'
THE CROSS 89
me cy
and
lo e, symbolised by he.
igh
hand,
canno
be exe -
cised
wi hou
s ic
jus ice
and
judgeme i , symbolised by
he
1e
hand.
When
he
1e
hand
ceas es
e
be empe ed by
he
igh ,
i
b eaks away om God
and
becomes e il.
The
pa allel
wi h
Jacob Boeh ne is s iking.
The
soul o
man
has
h ee
di isions, ne esh,
o
li e, Ruah,
o
Spi i ,
Neshamah
o
soul p ope ,
simila
o
he
Sanskl:i A -
mano
The
Neshamah
is beyond sin, being o
he
sam:e subs ance
as
God
(I
almos said B ahma),
and
only
he
Ne esh sins
and
su e s. Souls
a e
p e-exis en
and
ha e been since e e ni y.
A e
dea h
he
soul
e u ns
om whence
i
ca ne, sa e hose
oi
sinne s.
Reinca na ion
en e s
he e.
In
ce ain
cases a soul is
einca na ed
in
a new body,
pa ly
as
punishmen ,
pa ly
as a
chance
o es i u ion.
Much o
he
Zoha is a mys ical
in e p e a ion
o
he
To ah.
Co esponding o
he
uppe
and
lowe wo lds,
he e
lB
he
isible
and
p ac icable To ah,
and
he
in isible
and
mys e ious To ah.
o Much o Cabalis ic
li e a u e
is de o ed o
he
disco e y o eiled
meanings
in
he
To ah.
The
Su is conside ed
he
Co an as
ha -
ing
eso e ic, mys ical meanings,
bu
he
Cabalis s
wen
much
u he
in
his
so
oi
hing,
making
use o sound alues o
he
Heb ew le e s (example: wo Heb ew wo ds
wi h
he
same
num-
e ic alues ha e
he
same
meaning, he e o e a wo d
in
he
To ah
may
be cons ued o ha le mo e
han
one
meaning.
Likewise
he
Cabalis s ansposed Ie e s,
and
i
he
nume ic
alues o
he
le e s o a wo d equalled a mys ic numbe ,
su
eh
as
se en,
his
was conside a .sign o a eiled, mys ical meaning).
The
Su is almos ne e
wen
beyond a eompa a i ely simple
allego ical:
in e p e a ion
o
he
Co an, somewha like O Igen's
allego ical-mys ical
in e p e a ion
o
pa s
o
he
Bible.
The
mys ieal heo y o
he
Zoha
is some hing o a com-
p omise be ween
he
Me kabah,
o
" h one
mys icism",
and
he
"iden i y
in
di e ence" o
he
Su is,
Ch is ian
mys ies,
and
Abula Ia.
The
soul o
he
mys ic eaches de eku h, o "adhesion"
wi h
heshekinah,
and
pene a es
beyond
he
musíon o se
...
pa a ion.
A Iowe , less de eloped o m o de eku h
may
be
ac-
complished wi hin
he
no mal
U e
o
he
indi idual
and
com-
muni y,
hus
e e y phase o li e
may
be sanc ie id.
In
he
ZOha ,

9°
MICHAS!. MCCLAIN
po e y is s essed
asa
eligious i ue.
The
poo
a e
caUed "God's
b oken essels". This glo i ica ion
oí
po e y is ound
in
he
psalms,
bu
died
ou
in
he
Rabbinical adi ion,
and
was e i ed
by Cabalism
and
medie al
and
mode n
Hasidism.
Cabalism is a
as
s udy,
and
1 ha e
men ioned
only
he
Zoha
and
Abula ia. On
he
ZOha , 1 me ely
a emp ed
o
ex ac
i s
essence,
hough
my
in e p e a ion
should be
aken
wi h
a
g ain
o sal o Much o
he
Zoha
1 did
no
co e . Someday 1 will
e u n
1.0
he
eso e ic,
head-b eaking
s udy
o
he
Cabalah.
The
Zoha
has
since
aken
i s
place
behind
he
To ah
and
he
Talmud,
and
is
oi en
"in e p e ed"
so
ha
i
will
sound
mo e o hodox.
I
is
he
inspi a ion
o
mode n
Hasidism.
Wha
is
he
ela ion
oi
Cabalism
1.0
he
o he1' o m
oí
Jewish
mys icism, Hasidism?
Though
mode n
Hasidism is in luenced
by
CabaIism,
i
esembles medie al Hasidism
in
hese
espec s:
Cabalism is heoso ic, Hasidism is ecs a ic, Cabalism is eso e ic,
Hasidism is exo e ic. Cabalism is
Ío
he
eli e, Hasidism is mo e
deínoc a ic, Cabalism exp esses i sel
in
symbols, ideog ams,
mys ical poems,
and
eso e ic w i ings. Hasidism exp esses i sel
in
simple olk ales, anecdo es,
and
apho isms. 1 ha e
deal
wi h
nei he
medie al
no
mode n
Hasidism,
hough
I
ha e
ead
Ge shom
Scholem's
ana
Ma in
Bube 's w i ings
on
he
subjec .
Howe e , 1 eel
ha
1
ha e
gi en
enough
space
o
Jewish
mys -
icism, ol'
he
ime
and
space
a
my dispo'Sal. I hope
he
Baal
Shem
will
pa don
me
o his, as
ce ainly
no dis espec was
in ended.
Fo
hose
in e es ed
in
Hasidism, 1 ecommend
Ma in
Bube . Pel'haps a compa ison be ween Cabalism
and
Hasidism
wouId be
his:
Cabalism, is like a
meal
which
más
ake
longe
o
ea
and
o
diges ,
bu
o hose
wi h
a sui able cons i u ion,
con ains
much
mo e nu imen o
.[1
...
ew wo ds
abou
la e
Cabalism. Be ween
he
w i ing
o
he
Zoha
and
he
expulsion o
1492,
he
Cabalis s o
Spain
de eloped
ce ain
ends,
hough
hese
a e
o eshadowed
in
he
Zoha . These
ends
a e
away
om
he
apocalyp ic, messianic
doc ines
so
ypical
o
Judaísm.
Ra he
han
communal,
he
sal a ion
sough
by
hese
Cabalis s was indi idual;
a he
han
awai ing
he
end
o
he
wo ld,
hese
Cabalis s
sough
he
beg-
inning;
a he
han
awai ing
a
messiah
who would
lead
hem
[23]
WESTERN MYSTlCISM PROM PLOTlNUS
ANO
PHILO TO STo
¡CHN
01' THE CROSS 91
oea hly
powe
and
gIo y,
hese
Cabalis s
sough
uníon
wi h
God.
A wo d
o
explana ion is
needed
he e.
Wha
hese la e -
Cabalis s
sough
was o
e u n
o be o e
he
beginning
o
ime,
be a e
heDi ine
Uni y was comp omised, be o e
he
i s
de~
cep ion o
Sa an.
This whole idea is e y gnos ic,
hough
he
ex-
eme
dualism
o
he
mo e ex eme gnos ic sec s is a oided.
Howe e we
mus
no
be misled.
S ange
hugh
all
his
may
sound,
i
is a
ma e
o wo ds
a he
han
subs ance,
in e -
p e a ion
a he
han
ac . Qui e clea Iy hese
la e
Cabalis s'
we e seeking o
he
same
hing
as
o he
mys ics - o
anscend
he
spa io- empó al
ca ego ies, o be
uni ed
wi h
God.
The
expulsion om Spain,
he
second exile o second
dias-
po a, p oduced
spi i ual
e ec s
in o
which
1 do
no
wish
o
del e
he1'e.
We
now
e u n
o Ch is iani y,
and
o
he
golden age
oí
Ch is ian
mys icism, om
he
wel h
cen u y
o
he
e o ma ion.
Medie al
Ch is ian
mys icism
has
so ne dis inguishing
cha ac-
e Is ics.
Wi h
ew excep ions,
Ch is ian
mys icism is ecs a ic
a he
han
heosophic.
The
mys ic
uníon
is
in e p e ed
in
e :ms o
iden i y
in
di e ence Because
Ch is ian
mys ics
had
e y.li le
con ac
wi h
India,
and
because
Ch is ian
o hodoxy
was mo e
sympa he ic
o mys icism
han
Islam,
Ch is ian
mys-
ics
a e
in
gene al less colo ul, o iginal,
01'
as
da ing
hinke s
as
he
Su is. A one o
g ea e
gen leness
and
humili y is
ound
among
Ch is ian
mys ics
han
among
Cabalis s 01' Su is,
bu
he e
is
in
gene al less uni e salismo
In
no
o he
adi ion
is
mys icism
soclosely
linked
wi h
cha i y
and
lo e o God
and
one's ellow mano Says
Eckha :
"I
one be
in
mys ical ecs asy,
and
hea
o a
man
in need,
go
ilmmedia ely o help him". Tl1e e
we e
no
mys ics
in
he
inquisi ion,
and
mys ics we e
no
an i-
semí ico
Wha
1
ha e
said
applies
o
mys icism
in
he
Eas e n
as
well as
he
Wes e n Chu ch.
In
he
Eas e n
Chu ch
in
he
middle ages, mys icism,
hough
no
less widesp ead,
Hes
unde
a cloud
o
anonymi y,
and
speci ic
in o ma ion
is di icul o come by. Mys icism
in
he
Eas e n
Chu ch
di e ed
om
he
Wes
in
hese
ega ds:
he mi s
and
asce ics we e mo e common
in
he
Eas
han
in
he
Wes .
Eas e n
mys ics we e mo e soli a y, less li e a y,
and
mo e
in-
92 MICHAEL MCCLAIN
-clined
owa d
comple e de ach nen
and
quie is n,
hough
so ne
beca ne popula
and
well known
in
spi e o hemsel es. The
humili y
and
sel lessness o hese nys ics is
no
o
be qnes io-
ned.
I
eas e n
mys ics we e less inclined owa d
aking
an
ac i e
pa
in
he
li e o
he
imes,
hey
we e
a
h:;as
he
equals o
hei
wes e n b o he s
in
modes y
and
humili y,
and
, >ne
who
Calme
o
hem
was ne e
u ned
away.
Meis e
Eckha
is
he
mos
o iginal
hinke
and
g ea es
-me aphysician among Ch is ian mys ics.
Though
he
held
a
high
posi ion
in
he
Dominican o de ,
and
was a
lea ned
man,
his
w i ings
a e
plain, s aigh o wa d,
and
lack
he
beau y
and
polish o so ne
o he
mys ical w i ings.
Only m igena among
Ch is ian
mys ics
i~
compa able o
Eckha
as a heosophis .
Eckha 's
ideas,
hough
somewha unsys ema ic,
a e
s a ling
o
hei
o iginali y,
and
a e
he
subjec
o endless specula ion
as o
hei
o igin.E igena's Cel ic
he i age
is unmis akable
in
his
w i ings
bu
Eckha
had
no Cel ic he i age,
and
almos
uni elsal
mys ic image y
and
me apho s
a e
no
ound
in
his w i ings.
Rudol O o
has
made a
poin - o -poin
compa ison be ween
Eckha 's
ideas
and
hose o
Shanka a,
he
yedan is ,
and
has
shown
hem
o be almos iden ical.
Eckha
was o ally
igno an
"o
Hindu
o
Buddhis
mys icism,
and
he
a ini y is
uly
amazing.
Wha
a e
hese ideas o
Eckha
which
a e
so amazing?
Mo e posi i ily
han
e en E igena,
Eckha
epea s
he
Upanis-
hadic
ph ase
" a
am
asi".
Fo
example:
"In
he
mys ical
expe ience
he
God
wi hin
(A man
o
Neshamah) con empla es
he
God wi hou .
I
is God
con empla ing
God".
Eckha
goes beyond
he
T ini y,
o
Posi i e Di ine,
o
he
undi e en ia ed
uni y,
he
Di ine G ound,
he
ba en
Godhead,
he
"elea ligh o
he
oid".
Eekha
s essed
ha
he
Di ine
'G ound is o mless, undi e en ia ed. (No e pa allel be ween
he
'T ini y
in
Eekha
and
he
Se i o h o
he
Zoha .) Says
Eckha
o
he
Di ine G ound: "God is
no
good, 1
am
good". This means
ha
he
Di ine G ound is beyond all ca ego ies, ineluding good
and
e il, while
he
mys ic is
no o
When
he
soul is eed om all empi ical eon en ,
and
hus
becomesundi e en ia ed
uni y,
hen
i
may expe ienee
he
un-
di e en ia ed
uni y
o
he
Godhead.
Eckha
a
imes
con a-
[25]
WESTERN MYSTlClSM FROM PLOTlNUS
AND
PHILO TO
STo
jOHN
OF THE CROSS 93
dic s himsel
on
his
poin . A imes
he
says
ha
in
E e ni y
he e
is no
sepa a ion
o mul iplici y,
a
o he
imes
he
hin s
ha
one li le
poin
o c ea u eliness
emains
on
euníon
wi h
he
-
Di ine G ound.
The
Di ine G ound, being
he
nega i e Di ine.
does
no
ac ,
he
T ini y
_o Posi i e Di ine does.
In
e e ni y
he e
is no space
no
ime, no
pas
no
u u e. Mys ics knew
housands
o
yea s be o e Eins ein
ha
ime
and
space
a e
he
same.
Eckha
a
imes seems o belong o
India
a he
han
he
wes .
The e
is no dis inc ion be ween subjec
and
objec
in
he
mys ical expe ience acco ding o
Eckha .
This
con as s'
wi h
he
dualis ic heo ies o
he
Ch is ian
and
Moslem
adi-
ion
and
he
Zoha .
"The
bi h
o
Ch is
in
he
soul"
akes
place
when
he
soul
is
emp ied
o all empi ica! con en s.
The
Son is bego en by
he
Fa he
in
he
soul o
he
mys ic.
In
Eckha 's
wo ds,
"1
am
iden ically His Son,
and
no
o he
... I
am
His only bego en
Son".
(Sepa a ion
is
an
illusion.) HI
...
1
am
changed
in o
GOd,
hen,
by
he
li ing God,
he e
is no dis inc ion be ween us".
One
may
eadily see why
Echa 's
hinking
has
been a cause
o
amazemen
o schola s.
AH
his
mus
no
be allowed
o:
obscu e
Eckha 's
pu ely Ch is ian sympa hies. He li ed
and
died a de ou Ca holic.
Meis e
Echa
was
he
leading igu e
in
a mys ical mo e-
men
cen e ed
in
he
Rhine
alley called
he
Begha ds,
o
he
F iends o God. No
he e ical
in
in en ,
his
mo emen was
ole a ed
and
encou aged by
he
Chu ch
o
he
13 h
and
14 h
cen u ies
un il
i
degene a edin o
magic, . enzy, e c,
when
i
was
cu ailed
by
he
chu ch.
We
now
e u n
o Spain.
Spanish
mys icism
has
a la o
aH
i s own
which
is di icul o exp ess
in
a ew wo ds. 1
am
inclined
o
a ibu e
i
o long associa ion
wi h
Moslem
and
Jewish mys-
ics.
Ch is ian
mys icism
in
Spain
has
a longe con inuous
his-
o y
han
in
any
o he
coun y
wes o Pe sia,
and
Spain
has
cel' ainly
eaped
a
la ge
e ip o mys ics
han
any
o he
coun y
in
Ch is endom. When
he
Moslem
and
Jewishmys ics
who
made
Spain
hei
home is added o his,
he
numbe
becomes
as ouding. People inclined o be bi e ly c i ical o
Spain
and
Spanish
Ca holicism keep
his
inmind,
as well as
he
ole ance
enjoyed by Moslems
and
Jews
in
Medie al Spain.