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Morality and Mysticism (Ethical Research of Ethics and Religion)

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Morality and Mysticism (Ethical Research of Ethics and Religion) Goran Stojanović1 Review article Faculty of Philosophy UDC 316.74:[2-67+2-42] Banja Luka DOI 10.7251/SOCEN1305067S [email protected] Accepted: 01.06.2013. Morality and mysticism (Ethical research of ethics and religion) Abstract In classical ethical theory it is a customary to base morality with: revelation, evolution, utilitarianism, deontology, intuition and mystical experience. Th is article considers only the last foundation of morality, in a mystical experience. In doing so, mysticism is understood broadly, and it represents the identical experience, though diff erently expressed in the esoteric tradition of diff erent religions. Th e ethical problem is that such experience does not necessarily lead to morality. Looking mysticism in general, it is not justifi ed to use it for ethi- cal foundation of morality. Key words: mysticism, moralism, amoralism. Introduction Two basic positions of the relationship of mysticism and morality are mu- tually opposed. For one position that is an unsolvable confl ict: the inner qu- est leads to a complete neglect of the outside world. Neither eff ect can touch an unchanging ultimate reality, and so, no action is important. Confl ict arises between the moral and spiritual freedom - morality is also as amorality, the product of ignorance. As enlightened prisoner who returns to Plato’s cave, the mystic does not consider the value or the shadow from the world of any signi- fi cance. Th e best-known authors who advocate this view are: Arthur Danto, Martin Buber, Paul Tillich and Reinhold Niebuhr. Opposing to this is the only position that sees mysticism as compassionate and moral. Only with mystical experience we can avoid natural egocentricity, thus freeing the space for others. Th e lack of personal attachment provides mysticism an honest and equal care 1 Senior lecturer of ethics and a PhD of Faculty of Philosophy, University of Banja Luka. E-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.etika.rs.ba 67 Sociological discourse, year 3, number 5 / june 2013. 67 – 78 for all people. Th is group includes authors such as Evelina Underhill, Th omas Merton and Vera Brit. In order to demonstrate that the current situation is more complex than eit- her side wants to accept, it is necessary to briefl y defi ne the concepts of morality and ethics, and more closely defi ne the notion of mysticism. Th e term ethics in general we will call any system of values that infl uences the behavior towards ot- hers. And morality we will narrowly defi ne as specifi c actions aimed at genuine concern for others. In this context, one can be ethical because it formally adhe- res to social norms, but not moral. Mystic always has ethics, but the question is: is it a genuine concern for others, or just a tool for their own development? If all is One, why does good or bad actions even matter? If mystic with no self, spontaneously let things be, nothing accepting or rejecting, how is it possible to care for each other? And why mystical experience with exactly the same trans- cendental reality makes some extremely moral and the others immoral? Th e defi nition of mysticism Etymologically, the word mysticism comes from the Greek word μυστικός which directly translated means hidden or mysterious.2 Mysticism is an attempt to experience the unity and awareness of the ultimate reality, spiritual truth, or God through direct intuitive experience. It is important that mysticism involves only direct experience rather than faith. A person who is trying to achieve, or is in such experiences is called mysticism. Th e common goal of all mystical prac- tices is restoring the lost unity that has diff erent names in diff erent traditions: the illumination, the Unity (Christianity), Irfan (Islam), Nirvana (Buddhism), Moksha (Jainism), Samadhi (Hinduism), are some of the most known names. Th e term mysticism is often used to denote an esoteric learning in the religi- ons of the world, being an integral part of the traditional dogma. Th us, the Kabbalah and Hasidizam are the Jewish mysticism, Sufi sm belongs to Islam, Gnosticism and Hesychasm to Christian. Every mystical tradition accepts lots of apocryphal texts as well as the Canon itself, but the hermeneutical interprets it metaphorically. Mysticism explains that there is a more fundamental reality than the situ- ation that appears to us in our daily experience. For authentic mysticism, the 2 Mystery religions do not necessarily include mysticism. Th e current meaning comes from neo- Platonic representatives who have done comparison with mystery religions as a metaphor for eso- teric initiation into spiritual truths. Arcane (Latin esotericos - internal) is called tacit knowledge that is secretly transmited only to the choicest devotees, unlike esoteric learning which is public. Not every esoteric teaching is mysticism. 68 Morality and mysticism Goran Stojanović (Ethical research of ethics and religion) search for the truth about themselves, respect for others and the Reality is ori- ented introvert.3 Th rough a process of spiritual purifi cation, through prayer, meditation and contemplation, the mystic seeks to overcome any obstacles of the direct experience of Reality. Th is process, which means exactly the same transformation is variously named as: the road, fakr, fana, enlightenment, trans- cendence, the fourth track, salvation in the Christ, satori, djana or bhakti, vu-vi, etc.. Th e experience of unity with the Absolute is the same phenomenon in all mystical traditions and it is experienced as death, rebirth, raising awareness, or the disappearance of the ego. As an experience, the unity always happens here and now, never demanding faith in the past or hope for the future. Academic debates on mysticism are usually closely related only to the religi- ous context, forgetting that it is happening inside and the outside. Such natural mysticism is often experienced by artists or athletes as inexplicable connection with the existence or loss of ego accompanied by a feeling of euphoria. For sci- entists it occurs as a spontaneous ecstatic inspiration, amazement and a sense of fl ow. Mystic goes beyond the perspective of religious dogma in its teachings, usually coinciding in important matters of spirituality with the mystics of other traditions. William James 4 fi rst pointed out that the mystic sees the world with diff erent eyes. Experience of his world is noetic and is beyond the capacity of our language. Mystical experience transcended the commonplace perception and reality is seen in full. Evelyn Underhill5 will specifi cally mark the universal process through which towards the way to the Absolute go all the mystics. She identifi ed the fi ve stages of this process. Th e fi rst phase in which occurs a higher awareness of the Reality is called awakening. Th e second, where the self-critical and disciplined attempts to overcome the imperfections are happening is called purifi cation. Illumination as the third phase is generally known to visionaries and artists, and was mistakenly by some mystics marked as a fi nal stage. Th e fourth stage is named “dark night of the soul” because it is characterized by con- fusion, helplessness, apathy, abandonment of the divine presence. It is complete purifi cation and it is described as death of fi gures. And the last, the phase of the enlightened, is the spiritual resurrection which establishes the transcendent self. Enlightened and aware of the far Reality mystic returns to the cave, bringing light which destroys the shadows.6 3 Vladeta Jerotić, Mystical states (visions and diseases), Children’s novelty, 1992. 4 William James, Varieties of Religious Experience, , London: Touchstone, 1997, chapter XVI, XVII. 5 Evelyn Underhill. Mysticism: A Study in Nature and Development of Spiritual Consciousness, New York: Grand Rapids, 1999. p.126-278. 6 Evelyn Underhill. Practical mysticism, New York: Dutton&Compani, 1915. p.35. 69 Sociological discourse, year 3, number 5 / june 2013. 67 – 78 Words of mystics are as poetry often confusing and opaque, simultaneously so simple and subtle, full of hidden meaning that has an existential meaning. Th us, in the Tao Te Ching we can read: “My teaching is easy to understand and easy to follow, but a multitude understands it hard and follows it hard.” In the absence of expression of mystical experience, language must be strained to the limit through poetry and aphorisms, koans, riddles, contradictions, humor, pa- rables and metaphors.7 Because of its proximity to religion and art, mysticism is generally seen as the opposite of science, although quantum physics is at present increasingly turning towards it 8, transpersonal 9 and neuropsychology. Apart from religious, artistic and scientifi c sides, mysticism is also largely present in the philosophy. Philosophy of East nations can almost be fully equated with mysticism. In our philosophical tradition, its infl uence is implicitly or explicitly visible at the great philosophers, such as Pythagoras, Heraklio, Socrates, Plato, the Christian philosophers, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Bergson, the late Sartre, Heidegger, James and Levinas. Pantheistic philosophy of mysticism, with which epistemological-ontological ideal is achieved - true realization of being in itself, can be simply expressed: “God is Love”, “All is one”, “Atman is Brahman”, “Tat tvam asi”.10 In addition to the academic agenda, the public of the West in the late ninete- enth and early twentieth century began to be more interested in mysticism. Th e central fi gure who is responsible for popularizing the mysticism of the Th eosop- hical Society was Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Under her infl uence, integrating a number of religious, philosophical and scientifi c teachings was formed the New Age movement. As much as it popularized mysticism, the New Age Movement also quite wrongly evened it with the occult. Occult means any teaching or beli- ef based on such things as talking of the media with dead spirits or angels, exor- cism of demons, magical and telepathic transference of thought, levitation, ma- terialization, astral projection, astrology, numerology, alchemy, the miraculous healing and even hypnosis is considered to be the supernatural phenomena.
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