Studiesiru Spirituality 19, 199-225.doi: I0.2143ISIS.19.0.2043680 @ 2009by Studiesin Spiritualiry.Allrights reserved.

Hennro \íer-c.cH

A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSTANMONK'S RE,CIPE TO MULTIPLEKENSHO

Hugh of Balmat Approach to Mystical Union and Some Striking Similarities to Modern ZenTeachingl

Expertus i nfaI li bi liter nouit. [\7ho hasexperience has flawless knowledge.] JohnDuns Scotus

SUMMARY- The CarthusianHugh of Balma (flourishedaround 1260) is one of the most important and least known writers of the Christian mystical tradition. He held that a unification of the soul wirh God was possible,following the Pseudo-Dionysianway of letting go of all mental operations.The result of this union is experientialknowledge of God. After describingwhat is meant by this concept it is contended that this is rather similar to some Zen rcachingsin modern times, thus opening up a bridge betweenthe traditions. \(/hat Hugh had in mind is pure recep- tiviry similar to enlightenedmindfulness in the Soto tradition, while at the sametime acknowledgingthe fact that dramatic experiencesof enlight- enment might also be possible.The relationship bervveenthese nvo tra- ditions and the open questionsis discussed.One of them certainly is the question about the nature of this final realiry

Kensho, experiential realisation of onek true nature, is at the heart of Zen Buddhist teaching. Although in essenceineffable, this term denotes an immedi- ate experience of the true realiry of the world. as well as the human mind, and some descriptions of such experiences have been published.2 At its core is the realisation of connectiviry and interdependence of all beings and the insight that

I wish to expressmy gratitude towards those friends and scholarswho have helped me under- stand Hugh of Balma'stext and come to grips with its pitfalls, or helped otherwise: Dr. James Hogg, Dom Hubert Maria Blijm OCart, Dom Augustin Devaux OCart, Dr. \Tolfgang Augusryn, Prof. Erhard Oeset Dr. Claudius Sieber. I would not have been able to at least par- tially understand Hugh's writing and its connection to Zen teaching were it not for what I have learnedin my Zen training with Niklaus Brantschen SJ and many talks and informal gather- ings with Pia Gyger SIKW Prof, Klaus Jacobi, Freiburg gave helpful advices which improved the manuscript. P Kapleau, The threepilkrs of Zen: Tèachingpractice, enlightenmenr,New York 1969. 200 HÁMLD'SrAIÁCH A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 201 there cannot be individual salvation without, or even at the cost of,, the salva- of the Christian mystical tradition,s and, among others, the source of the anony- likely tion of other beings.3 Hence the first of the Four Vows begins with the vow ro mous |4'hll5,h century rreatise Cloud of Unhnowing,whose author very out save all beings.aThe method to attain realisation of one's narure traditionally is came from the environmenr of an English charterhouse. It has been pointed Zazen, sitting in silent meditation, abstaining from wilful cognitive activity, that The Cloud is most akin to Zen teachings.e Hugh of Balma also influenced - Herp, mindfully observing the breath until the mind becomes clear as a sdll lake. Sit- the Dutch mystical writers of the 14'h and 15'l' century Ruusbroec, - ting in still meditation without actively engaging in rational, cognitive activiry Grote - directly and thus the whole lay movement of the modern devotion or imaginative work has been a common denominator of different traditions in deuotio moderna- which was so influential as the forerunner of reformist ideas.lO Buddhism, particularly of Zen. But most notably, through the Spanish author Garcia de Cisneros, the Vita \írhile theZen tradition places much emphasis on rhe right method of med- Christi of Ludolph of Saxony, as well as through early Spanish translations and itation source for the Spanish mystics, Teresaof Avila, and the experience of Kensho, as well as on the deepening of this expe- ^St.printings, he *", an important rience in daily life, the Christian mystical tradition has not been very method- of the Cross Ign"rius of Loyola,rr the founder of a distinct mod- lohi "nd ological. It placed more emphasison'grace', the notion that the final e*perience ern tradition of a Christian experiential approach' is not attainable by one's own efforr alone, but is freely given by God, who Hugh of Balma is probably the writer closest to Zen teaching. Thus, he might offered himself in the mystical experience of union to the soul.s Although the be ablà to firnction boih as a textual but also as a contextual bridge berween Zen context and the theological interpretation of what actually happens in the mys- Buddhist and Christian teachings.By looking at possiblelinks we might be able tical experience, or Kensho respectively, is rather difFerent, it has been observed to better understand what Hugh's teaching, little understood up to now, actu- in by different writers that the experiences themselves seem to be remarkably sim- ally meant, and we might also be able to find a description of what happens ilar.6This has been discussedwith referencero Meister Eckhart, one of the best deep meditation in terms of \(/estern thinking. known German mystical writers of the middle ages: both his paradoxical for- In the following I would like to give a brief aPer1uof Hugh of Ba-lmasteach- his mulations and his diverse pleas for puriry of mind, abstinence from thinking, ing, before pointing our some of the similarities and dissimilarities berween others' and his teaching that within the soul there is a spark of the soul, seem akin to tei'ching and the íen tradition, thereby using both traditions as the in Zen teaching.T Practically unknown is the fact that, around l2ío, approxi- irrt.rpr."t"nt. I am going about this task with an experiential backgr.ound tradi- mately two generations before Eckhart, and probably one of his sources of inspi- both tradirions, h*i"g practised imaginative rypes of meditation in the years' ration, there lived a literally unknown writer, who later became known as rhe tion of Saint Ignatius iidZr" meditation of the Sanbo Kyodan line for studied Carthusian monk Hugh of Balma. He was one of the most important writers and with a scholarly background in Hugh of Balma's writing, having

'Buddhist R.L.F Habito, philosophy as experientalpath: A journey through the Suta Nipata', 8 (Jberrahme [Jmgestaltungdes Platonismus durch die Vàter, in:, InternationalPhilosophical Quarterly 28 (1988), 125-139. E. v. Ivanka, Plato Christianu, t und R. Aitken, Zen als Lebenspraxis,Miinchen 1988. Einsiedeln1964. 'Affectus e English spirituality, New York 1965; \í. Zwingmann, illuminati amoris: Uber das Offenbarwerden der Gnade und die \7alsh , The Cloud of Unknowing in pre-Reformation J.-Arrony-.rr, (The unhno*i=rg, ed., trans. & introd. J. \íalsh, New York 1981 Erfahrung von Gottes beseligenderGegenwarr', in: Citeaux lB (1967), 193-22G;J. Sudbrack, The cloui of 'Western and oneing: A study of conflict in the Die uergesseneMystih und die Herausforderungdes Christentums durch Mw Age,\Wiirzburg 1988. Classicsof Spiritualiry); R.\7. Englerr, Scattering 'Die 1983 (Analecta Cartusiana 105); H. Dumoulin, Zen Erleuchtung in neuerenErlebnisberichten, in: Numen: International works of the author o7ft, Cioud.of Unhiowing, Salzburg '\Williám Maurice Chaunry, and the Cloud of Unknowing', in:. Spiritu- Reuiewfor the History of Religions 10 (1963), 133-152; K. Albert, Die ontologischeErfahrung, M.G. Sargent, Exmewe, 'Original Kocijancic-Pokorn, audi- Ratingen 1974; A. Ammann, Die Gottesschauim palamitischen Hesychasmus:Ein Handbuch der atitat heuL und.gestern. Bd,. 4, Salzburg 1984, 17-20; N. tradition and the Carthu- Spiit byzant i n i sc h en M1 sti h, \Wiirzburg I 9 86. ence of The Cloud of Unknowirrg', irriJ. Hogg (Ed.), The mystical H. Ho[, Scintilla animae, Bonn 1952; S. Ueda, Die Gonesgeburtin der Seeleund d.erDurch- sians.Yol. I , Salzburg 1995, 60-77. 'Der ,,Nicht-Mystik', r0 Histoire de la spiritualité chrétiennr. Vol. II La spi- bntch nrr Gottheit, Giirersloh 1965; Idem, Zen-Buddhismus als unter J. Leclercq, F. Vandeibroucke 8c L. Bouyer, gebedbij Hendrik Mande: besondererBeriicksichtigung desVergleichs zur Mystik Meister Eckharts',in j G. Schulz (Ed.), ritualité iu -oyrn age,Paris 1961; T. Mertens,'Het aspiratieve 'Das (1984),300-321. TïansparenteVeh: FestschrtfifiirJean Gebser,Bern-Stuttgart 1965,291-313; Idem, Nichts Invloed van Hugo de Balma?" int ons geestelijhErf 58 rr in: NouuelleReuue ThéologiqueTB (1956),937' bei Meister Eckhart und im Zen-Buddhismus, unter besondererBeriicksichtigung von The- J. Beyer,'Saint ignace de Loyola chartreux', pablo 'Amor en la vida mística segón Hugo de Balma" in: ologie und Philosophie', in: D. Papenfuss& J. Sóring (Eds.), Tïanszendenzund-Immanenz. 951;-F. d. Maroto, y conocimiento Philosophieund Theologiein der ueriindertenrWelt, Stuttgan 1978, 257-266. ReuistaEspiritualidad 24 (1965), 399-447. 202 HARÁLD STATACH A MEDIEVAI CARTHUSIAN MONI('S RECIPE 203

the historical background of his writing and having translated German.l2 his rexr inro text witness is an anonymous text dated I371, stemming from Tiier charter- house, and it is only 100 years later that texts bear Hugh (even Henry) of Balma, I will be making a cruciar presupposition: I suppose that from an experien_ tial point of view experience, or Palma, Carthusian, as author. ah.-r.lrres are similar if not idendcal.13 humans But since I have argued extensively that the traditional version of who this author was are cultur"f b.i.rgr, and rangu"g. ir-;;;ïr,rr. prime consdtuents culture' it is not of is not very plausible.l6 This received view runs roughly as follows.rT There is possible ,á h"',r. .*p.ii.rr..s without reflection, description, and nobody in the extensive Carthusian documents and archives known by the name finding a framework for them in terms of known conceprs of religion' \xzhile ph'osophy and of Hugh of Balma who would fit the time of the writer. Even rather early his- an existential experience like that of love, or human ross, or for toriographers and Carthusian scholars not know, who that matter l(ensho, might do this writer was. The b. .á-p"rabre in conrenr and subjective expression, qualiry yet diverse renderings of Carthusian history are full of contradictions. There is one valuation, importance, and culturar interpretation may vary. interpretative framework-depends The Hugh of Balma mentioned in connection with the charterhouse of Meyriat in on the cultural background, which available the makes Burgundy, France, as a local knight and benefactor, but he lived about 100 years languag. .àrr..p,, with which ":{ to order and interpret experi_ ences' some have argued before the author of the text. Balma, on the other hand, is a rather frequent that th.r.. is no way out of this apriori of language and name of indistinct origin. Its Latin meaning is'cave', and it is extant in all areas culture'r4 \7ith Robert Forman I beg . aírr.r- rrre stance I paper shall take in this where lime-stone hills made cave formations a normal phenomenon, which is is a moderate realist one: I .r"ri fro- the assumption that the experience itself and the capaci true for the ivhole Jura area running from Southern Germany across Lake ry for it is likely grounded in our hu-"r, interpreted narure. n.r. ,h. -"y Constance down to Burgundy, and again in the Southern French Alpilles, as andrivei i, h."r,iivà.p."a.". r,i.,"rf,*r"r,gu"g., ;:ï :ifl:lïed' "" well as the limestone areasof the Alpr, and for that matter practically the whole mountain ridge of Italy and the mountains on the Balkans. Thus, it is not pos- sible to conclude by a clear geographical indication from where the bearer of this Hucru _ name would have come. As it happens, there are quite a few families named oF BArMA Tnr MAN AND Hrs \fzurrr.lc Balma around Burgundy in France, and what is now Switzerland. There is one Tlte Áuthor family de Balma, however, connected to the charterhouse of Meyriat. One mem- ber of this family, Hugo de Dorchiis, could be traced in the documents and was Although Hugh of Barma's rext wae sjon Lugenr (The \,ays to prior of the charterhouse of Meyriat around 1300. At the time of the writing of one of zionMourn) was 'Dorche' the most widely copied and distrib.rï.a Viae Sion Lugent the branch of the family died out. The construction ,à*r, of the middre ages_ more than 120 copies k ro*r, and numerous rranslationsand print within the received view would demand that therefore Hugo de Dorchiis, after ."r_11,- virtually "r. editions are nothing is known about i,, or.l, having entered the charterhouse and after his family had died out and the prop- \'hile there is some ".rrt consensusnow that the main body erty was transferred to the Balmeto branch of the family, would have converted written of his teachingwas 'de roughly around 7260,it is rather back his name to the original line of Balmeto'. Everyone knowing the Carthu- unclear who the writer was.The first sian order and its absolute seclusion from worldlv affairs even todayls would ; H' lr'"r"*" Notitia etcPerimentalisDei - Erfahrungserhenntnis Batmas 'wae Gottes: studien zu Hugo de Text sion- Iugent' und deutsch,e {;:^;;;;';;,"ï;;;"rr 1994; rdem,,Notitia expe_ 16 \íalach, Notitia experimentalisDei. t"ty, d. Bd-;í.Ë;,ï; 17 'Flugues iï,ï.'fl:::'^:#:,1ïïij":' È,r"h.,,.,g,.,Ë";,;;;Gottes: S. Autore, de Balma', in Dictionnaire de théologiecatholique. Yol. 7, eds. A. Vacanr, tradition and the Carthusians. 'La Vol. 5, S"frUrrg l;16, 45-66. E. Mangenot & E. Amann, Paris 1922,215-220; P. Dubourg, date de la theologia mys- '' 'Hugues tica', in: ReuuedAscétique et de Mystiqae 8 (1927), 156-16l; A.M. Sochay, de Balma', e innatecapacitv: Mvsticism, psychohst, and phitosophy, 5;Ï;.Ï:#iï.ll'r!# oxrord:oxrord in:'Hugues de Balma', in: G. Jacquemet(Ed.), Catholicisme:Hier aujourd'hui, demain.Yol. 14 s'T. Katz (Ed.), 5, Paris 1962, 1028-1030. Mvsticism.andranguage, New york: r5 oxford University press,r992. r8 see\Talach' Nuitia experimenmlisb,ï;Hugode I have made a visit to the German charterhouseat Seibranz,and spent a few days there. I was Balma, Theoigie mystique: Latin, *aduction, Introduction, texte told that even now family members are not allowed within the precincrsof the charterhouse noteset index, ed. F- Ruilo;ljilí""ïïrir,lgg5; .The Zion Mourn', in: Idem, roads to and have only very limited visitort accessto members of the charterhouse.There is no news- Carthus(i1t;!t.yt;tr,.rh, *rítn[;i;;;; tr. of Batma and Guigo de ponte, D.D. Martin, New york 6gl, el_ílo. paper,no TV, no telephoneconnection for single members.The prior would make a summary of the most important happeningsin the world such that the monks may pray for the world. 204 HAMTD \TATACH A MEDIEVAL CARÏHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 205

find it difficult to is a believe that a monk, let alone the officials of the charterhouse, perspectives: Standing in the stream of the mystical tradition, the text would have changed theol- the name, because a cousin of a professed monk lost her i.rti-orry of mysticdkperience and of fierce battle against mainstream land. Thus, the whole construcdon of the received view of who ldugh of Balma ogy. In consequence, its main teaching deman.ls the final loss of personal iden- was resrs on rather boggy ground, considering external evidence. tiï1r, th. girt of the teaching being perfect, total and repeated uni^911vith God, I also argued from 'hundreás in con- \ave internal evidence À"t the author of Wae Sion Lugent .rr.n h.rJon earth, or thousands of times, day or night"20 This very likely was familiar with quite specialised discussions within the Franciscan sequencewould naturally result in what has been known as the Loss of the Self.2r order, especially raised by texts of Saint Bonavenrure in Paris 1258.I have made TË,rr, the teaching of Hugh has come true in his personal history: he has passed a case that the last 'Quaestio part of his text, the difficilis', has to be seen as an out of historical records as an individual. inaugural disputation as was customary for a masrer of theology ar rhe begin- The main point which he made against the theological establishmen_tof his ning of his teaching career, and that he implicitly addrerr.d ,riátt.rs which fit time - mainly exemplified by Bonaventure, the minister general of theTrancis- more neatly into the context of academic debate at the theological faculry in can order of ihor. days and an eminent theologian, but also against the Domini- Paris than into the educational context of mystical training arid erudition of can tradition as exemplified by Saint Thomas Aquinas who were both teaching fellow monks, as would - be implicated by the received view. From conrexrual in Paris shortly beforË or ar rhe time of Hught writing is in sum the follow- evidence I have argued that the whole text corpus speaks a language of its own ing. He contends that which puts it into "1. the context of academic deLate .h.!,rJrtion: \íhat k is possïble to attain direct knowledge of God which is immediate and is the most direct "rolrrrd way of attaining knowledge of God? In this, the author of Viae experiential.22 Sion Lugenr builds on two texts, one of whÈh ir of Franciscan origin, and which Z. ftris knowledge is beyond cognitive activity such as thinking, knowing, can be made out to be the immediate predecessor text,le the seánd one being imagining, rational conclusion, linear thinking and cognitive activity, as Thomas Gallus. Thus my tentative conclusion was rwofold: that the received well as imagination, which are even a hindrance' view is probably wrong, knowl- and that the author possibly \ryasa Franciscan who had 3. There is ,roire.ondition for this experience, in terms of education, to retrear into the charterhouse, for personal safery or as a punishment, or out edge, or stat-us;lay persons can attain it just as much as priests, theologians, of personal commitment. This would explain the silence of the Carthusian or monks; women as much as men. sources. Until now, direct evidence has not been found about this author, and 4. It follows a simple, threefold method (niplex uia) which is well known thus we have to rely on contextual evidence. The safestconclusion about the per- from history anà tradition and founded on the Neoplatonist tradition. sonal history of the - author to date is-in my opinion that he was a theologiàly First purifr your senses and soul (way of purification aia Purgatiad)' trained author, meddling - actively in the theological debate around 1260,attack- Then let yourself be illuminated (way of illumination uia illuminatiua). ing directly, and - aggressively,the prevailing vielvs of the leading scholars of the Third, l.i yourrelf be taken into union (way of union uia or.nitiua). Franciscan and Dominican order .on..r.ring the knowledg. oï God, and .*p.ri.r.. happens in what he calls (affect) in the medieval that 5. This ffictus 'Frery after roughly 100 years this autho, ,,rrf"..J in historical ,our.es as Hugh of ter-inology - \Me *ill .o*. back to this term later, on wings of Balma, Carthusian. The received view that this Hugh of Balma is identical to love', and the prior of the charterhouse - of Meyriat, Hugh of Dárche, is, if not impossible, 6. it is real union with - and not just the reflection or an image of God. weakly founded and rather implausible. It foreshadows eternal bliss already here on earth, and can be had as often as one chooses. The Tbxt

It is telling that the author of this text has faded out of history as a concrere while his work Person' survived the centuries. This is understandable from rwo

Hugh of Balma, in: Martin, Carthusianspiriruality,0.B5. I am referring to the text in the cnt- ical"edition, English rranslation,where Ro-"n digits indicate the part, ancl Arabic numerals forth. ;t the paragraptt. Ítte Prologueis referred ro as 0, Wa Purgatiua as l, and so P*"dttrh"mas Gallus,Le 'deiformis commentairedu cantiquedes Cantiques animaegemituí, 2l g. Rob.itr,- The experieníeof nourlf, A contemplatiuejourney, Boulder-London 1984; S. Segal, crit. ed. Barbet,paris 1972. Jeanne Kollision rtit d.er Unendlichieit: Ein Lebenjenseits d.espersiinlichen Selbst, Bielefeld 1997. 207 CARTHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 206 FTARALD\flAIÁCH A MEDIEVAL -west was revived in the by an eminent l. Experiential Knowledge of God proclos, propagared by Pseudo-Dionysius Thomas of St' Victor' later abbot the 13.h century, Thoma, ê"il,r, or writer of 'commentator his I have traced part of the underpinnings of this term elsewh ere.23Briefly, Hught called vercellensis' by of vercelli in Piemont, whence he was 'Commentatoi written com- opinion rests upon the prevailing medieval psychology, which was written down rations, ('one who has of in a kind of psychological-mystical textbook, the Liber de Spiritu etAnima (Book . hed commented several times on the work on the Spirit and the Soul). This text was possibly written by the Cistercian Ie strove to combine the Eastern-Chris- Alcher of Clairvaux who compiled what was known from the Augustinian and h the \íestern Augustinian tradition' from other traditions.2a Hugh combines two lines of tradition in his teaching: .t Hugh took uP and ProPagaled more in The Augustinian tradition of loving grace and the Pseudo-Dionysian tradition the sJul's directly uniting with God of mystical union beyond the intellect. ed scintilla synderesis('spark of the syn- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite was a Syrian monk of the 5'h century, prob- , affect'). ably a student, but certainly influenced by the great neo-Platonic writer and sys- nction which was codified by dte Liber tematic thinker Proclos, who had formed the ideas of his teacher Plotinos into 'een affect and intellect' The Book of the a coherent whole.25 Pseudo-Dionysius used the authoriry of the Apostle Paul, sensein the soul, which naturally strives who, according to the Act of Apostles had converted one of the Athenian ng and knowing of the qood is the sense philosophers of the Areopague, Dionysios, to Christianiry and thus he spoke as tJ the affect, while thinking and know- this direct disciple of Paul. \ilZhat he handed down, however, was pure neo-Pla- allus takes up this distinction and com- tonism combined with some Christian teaching36 ln his Mystical Theologt ogy which systematically accommodates in Pseudo-Dionysius demanded that one should abandon all thinking, all cognitive #God.'o This psychology, contained activiry and rise in the darkness of the mind to the ultra-radiance of the One Áf tht soul: intellect and uu''rrerrL4r/ vrr roer.-r r---- -:neral.faculties o,s the affect is beyond all concepts and words. In the fifth chapter of the Diuine Names he is direcr.d"to*"'ds knowing truth' 'organ' affect. \íhile the intellect .'ht. made explicit that there was a specific for this mystical union within the drivenbytakinguPthegood.Bothtogethermake.upthehumanmind.Thus- soul, which in its Latin translation became known as scintilla synderesis,the spark which is driven by affected can be understood. as a -."át faculry 'Synderesis' the affect senses of the synderesis, or spark of the soul. is a difficult notion, and it is it is concerned with the good of the by - the good. ó;; ;.ty basic level not yet clear how this term was handed down through the ages.27\7hat is clear for.basic living' on a.higher and the body, st,i't'i"g fár *hat is good is that the Stoic notion of seed of eternal fire in the souls was combined with diltinguishing good from, t:t 'upper concerned *ith tht 'íot'l good' 9l -: the Platonic and Neo-Platonic teaching of an part of the soul', which level it is concerned with the attainmen was more akin to the Good, or godlike.2s This teaching, originally coming from Tl is interesting in this context is that in that resPect' that 22 Pseudo-Dionysius \(/alach, Notitia experimentalisDei,Y.l4. is o 'Notitia is not intellectual or cognitive' but 23 \7alach, experimentalisDei - \7as heisst das?'. apex scintilla syn' 2a Pseudo-Augustinusalias Alcher von Clairveavx, Liber de spiritu et anima. (Patrologiaecursus com- affectus, the ffictus, unibilil'3r Hence i pletus.Series Latina [PL], ed. J.-P.Migne, Paris 1845, no. 40, 779-832). God' (solusDio est 25 r{/. Beierwaltes, Proklos: Grundziige seinerMetaphysik, Frankfurt 1965. cognitively by concepts and cognitive 26 J. Koch, Augustinischer und dionysischer Neuplatonismus und das Mittelalter', in: Idem, 'The Kleine Schrifien.Vol. 1, Rome 1973 (orig. publ. 1959),3-25;D. Knowles, influence of Pseudo-Dionysius on western mysticism', in: P. Brooks (Ed.), Christian spirituality: Essaysin Guibert(Eds.), Dictionnaire de , Gallus,,in: M. Viller, F. Cavallerasc J. de honour of GordonRupp,London 1975,79-94; J. Leclercq,'Influence and noninfluence of 1u,u,;tlromas oue'iq* el mystique'.Vol'l5' Paris1990' 800-816' Dionysius in the \Zestern Middle Ages', in: The completeruorhs, London 1987, 25-32. spiritualité in: Vie Spiritue|le47 0936), 27 'The 30 ed. G. Thér1, M.B. Crolve, term synderesisand the scholastics',in: Iish TheologicalQuarterly 23 (1956), ThomasGaIIus,...Comment"i,.,',-I,"ie,,, 228-245" surra theorogiem.stiqre, 28 'The ,, in mlsticamtheorogiam: Gra.nd. commentaire lvanka, Plato ChristianusiH. \flalach, higher self: Spark of the soul, summit of the mind. lffi'" alr.os,Exprnnatio is onecopy in the 'W'est', parii ; practicallyunavailable' There History of an important concept of transpersonalpsychology in the in: International ed.G. Théry, t9l4.This comm.n;r7 of Mainz' Germany' Journal ofTranspersonalStudies 24 (2005), 16-28. the Universitylibrary 208 HARALD \TAIÁCH 209 A MEDIEVALCARTHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE about by unification 'sense with God. And there is Thus' if this one term which the tradition the good itself. This absolute good is God' reservesfor immediate knowledge: to be affected by experiential knowledge. i, cannot be mistaken in that' ence It iu, ài,.., experi- is affected,,i, ir"orrly by God himself, of God and as such a unifiïation, ;;*' "ná which takes place in the summit 'fhomas happens in the affect, which is beyond cognitive affect. This summit of the Gallus teaches that this of the a.ffect, ^,u* not forget, with God' tak- y., is the summit of that part ts, and that this is union passivelv,bv the calls this imme- ,'i::ïï,ïlJ*H:ffected', go-oï"'d doesnot ensase rher these elements and ".ti,,.ry nmediate knowledge of God, which can A few words regarding the philosophical oblique operations of the rational mind' tial knowledge all of God, á, ,nËdi.u"f I"r, ,experience, ïiri in order'ere. The rerm "";; .;;, Íi;; #, as laid down in his 2. Beyond Cognition metapirysics.32Ther. h; ;;;;;-, experience is an immediaie that this rising up to God can affection of the sensesa It has already been taught by Pseud,o-Dionysius This is in direct and stark oppo- fhe prime movet the Aristo, o'ty ir m.r,ál is suspended. il;.; ".iirriry t6ink- re experienced, "il and.Aristátelian teac6ing which both make since experience was sition to traditional Platonic 'experiential a .",.*oru ,eserved that the Platonist or rus, ,lt, *or,hy of the Gods. \(/hatever it is kno*Èdge of God, ;;;ï;rtradic_ ing the noblest of thinking. The Dionysian tradition' \ristotelian philosophy, *Ëi.h fuistotelian God does, it i, ,o-. kind was the fr.rr"iti.rg ui.* to attain his book that one has to g9 bglond thinking, if one wants On the SiuiArirto'e says,fr"r.J.r. however, points out is a kind plotinos has ca[ed exstasis.3TIn Thomas this union with God or the one, *n[n sis t o n i d io n_ the, finds a natural explanation: since God is the pe rc.o, ï: :ïi: ï il:: l"*il:f :i Gallus' pry.hology 'r,ir ,.".rting organ-34N'e can b. in ;:ï _i,ï,:'il *..r,::Í; by the affect, not by the intellect' it is .rro, about ruhat we see o, good, g;d can only be attained h.",, but we cannor be in intel- error about the fact that we "rri.h. of mental work, as it were, that it is not by see or hear (excep, in ,r"*s of due to the natural distribution rtrptio'). diseaseor mental dis- affected' that this Even wrren we hit our by the affect, or strictly speaking by being ey.s (as opposed to hearing lectual activiry, but properly), we will :r.ears or seeing able to be aFfected,mental oPera- have visuar o, impressiorri.'thu, union can be attained. Thus, in order to-b. ".á.rrtic ,h. ,.rrr.ï-pression nat- specific for a sense m^odariry ratiocination, have to be stopped' This is a is itserf.fre. ft;;;rr% Aristotre .Indeed tions like thinking, imagining, perception, says, the uogueat the time at least of the proper object it-is À.rr.q,rence-which is not at all en of ,.rL-i, ,ro, f"lr., b,ri the ural conseq...n..ib.rt slon we get of it " impres_ " that a good theological prepa- is not the same ,h. p.r..piioi.l! Hughs writing. saint Bonaventure had taught Wfr", Hugh does follow_ of ing the direct line from pseudo-Dionysius", (in medieval senseof the word' which means Tho-as rarion, thinking ind meditating the psychological Garus and, using the wants to tradition of the Liber "rrd .thinking something') is compulsory if o.ne. spiritu ,, À),r*o as an pondering course he /e instrument (of "bo*1, "Ëo,r, describing in his liner- does nor say this directly, but ladder àf th. mystical heights he is ilri, i, ;;';;.."rtruction of climb the ment, which I have his argu_ "r..n,Io tradition, following Aristotle' backed by extánsive quores Dominican eÉewhere),36is close . irrg.rr_ ious. The hermeneuti. ,..orrrtrucrion, rn the fact that knowledge of God is nec- in brief,, is as follows: Aristotle Saint Thomas' follow- saysa r..T.r. organ perceiving its cognitive activiry. own -odJiry cannor be mistaken perceiving this modaliry. in more often than any other cod is the n"tJrd percepr ,sense tt. quotes sttscordis) of the heart, (sen_ "y, in His essence ' In other words, it is the natural "i;. Aristotle, maintains that of the senseof ".a.ayïo.u.rg the heart and that we can only follow His God is not knowable by the human intellect, have attained perfect knowledge' vestiges k.o*ïi, #oru"gs.3e Those, who "rd " Arisrorle, The metaphysics,tr. 33 H.Tiedennick, London 1961. Arisroteles,Vom Himmel, V"";rr-i;;i:'Wn der Dirhthonrt,tr"nrl. & ed. Plotins' E'insiedeln 1974' 9-36' O. Gigon, Miinchen 37 lfr. g.i**"f tes,Reflexion und' Einung: Zt Mystik Lat' & German' ,, 38 pinerari,m rnentisi, óru*t De red'uctioneartium ad theologiam' ,r, worhsofAristotte, Bonaventura, frï,i,ï:,J:r:Á,T;;;,ll ed.\MD.Ross & M.A.Hon. 6. introd. Kaup, Mtinchen 1961' _ïlnn:,,'n, trans. J. l0 35 'Gott.r.,ktt"tt"is im 13' in" MiscellaneaMedieualia Aristorle, Metaphysics,Iy. v.20-24, as \W.J.Hoye, per essentiam Jahrhundert" 'o l0l0blf. 'Die^un.rk.nnbarkeit nachThomas \(/a.lach,'Notitia Idem, Gottes als die letzteErkennrnis experimentalisDei _ (I976),269-284; \7", heisst das?,. uonAquin' Vol' l9' Berlin l9B8' 117-139' von Aquin', in: A. Zimmermann (Ed")' Thomas 210 HARÁLD \rÁIACH A MEDIEVAL CARIHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 2tr

clerics.a2If the other parts of his teaching are only theologically very provocative but certainly well founded, this part is revolutionary in the sense that in conse- quence it questions the mediating role of professional theologians and of clerics as an institution. \7e do not know what echo this teaching had. But it is easy to see from later writers that this was a particularly sensitive area. Theology is debatable but the special role of clerics and the church as a mediating institution has always been a taboo. \7e need only little imagination to understand what an outcry this teaching would have provoked had it been raised in any official context like a the- ological debate. M"É. Hugh was already inspired by the existing movement of lay piety, as visible in the Beghine movements, maÈe he was an inspirer thereof.a3 It is a historical fact that from the beginning of the 14'h centurylay movements and pious unions of lay persons were one of the backbones of Christian renewal movements, sometimes incorporated into the official church hierarchy like the moderate Franciscans,sometimes expelled like the radical Franciscan morrement.44 Hugh's writings were probably the earliest widely read and copied texts repeatedly stating that this experience of affective union with God was attainable by every- one, if he or she followed his instructions.

4 Threefold'Way

These instructions are simple: purifir your sensesand thinking first - he speaks of a few weeks to accomplish this. Then enter into illuminating practice. At last follow the path to union itself. At the basis of all practices is leaving aside cog- one has to relish this position . uisà'ais theteachingsof st. Bonaventure, nition, mental-rational operations and thinking. This should be left behind as for 'Lord, soon as possible. Short affective prayers, like have mercy', repenting one's sins, and letting oneself be affected by whatever emotional experience follows from that is the prime method here. The aim is to puri$r the soul from unwanted strivings and mental imbalance, as well as from excessivethinking. After this period of purification the soul enters the state of illumination. This means, as I understand it, that once the soul has freed itself from superfluous contents, a clear understanding of its state, as well as of theological truths and biblical texts 3. For Everyone ensue. The deeper structure of the holy texts becomes apparent, and this again entices the soul into striving for more. If she manages to leave behind all think- 'surges 'totally ing and mental activiry and on the fiery wings of the affect',

42 Ibid.,0.A4. 43 ,ceas ffained and theologically R.E. Lerner, The heresyof the free spirit in the later Middle Ages, Berkeley 7972; A. Mens, educated 'Beghine, begardi, beghinaggi',in: G. Pelliccia & G. Rocca (Eds.), Dizionario degli Isthuti di perfezione.Vol. l, Rome 1974,1165-1180; K. Ruh,'Beginenmystik:Hadewijch, Mechthild, Marguerite Porète', ín:. Zeitschrifi fir DeutschesAltertum und DeutscheLiteratur 106 (1977), 265-277. aa H. Grundmann, ReligitiseBewegungen im Mittelaher, Darmstadt 1977. 2r3 MONK'S RECIPE A MEDIEVAL CARIHUSIAN 212 FTARALD \TÁ]ÁCH absorbed in love' she is unmistakably being united with God.in an upsurge oÊ love. This love is universally radiated. It extends to one's fellow Christians just as much as to those of other faiths, like Jews or Muslims, ro rhose in hell, as well as to those in human bondage and suffering. It is uncompromising and disin- terested compassion with all beings. There is not much methodological teaching to be gleaned from Hugh apart from what I have sketched. He offers some contemplative exercises,which influ- enced Saint Ignatius later on. He practices and recommends a repetitive kind of short prayer which can be compared to the prayer of the heart of the Eastern Christian tradition, and which bears some resemblance to the Zen tradition of using a wato, or repetitive syllable, for meditation. But he is rather loose con- cerning posture. All he recommends is withdrawal from the world into a still room or chamber and disengaging from active work. But whether sitting, lying or ambulating does not marrer much. The most distinct part of his teaching, also very prominent in Eckharr, is cer- tainly the instruction to leave aside all thinking and enter the darkness of the mind, which later has been termed the cloud of forgetting and unknowing. Apart from that there is not much of a method, because what happens then is something which is not made by the soul but happens to it. Perhaps rhe only 'sighs hint is his frequent repetition that this union is attained by of love and desire'. I am inclined to read this methodologicallyi If all thought has ceased, a sigh of desire is a deep in-breath that may catapult the experience into a stare of bliss. The theological construction behind it is this: it is God's narure to be good, and all he wants is to reside in every soul as the bridegroom, as poetically described in the Song of Songs, which by the same token becomes a guide to the mystical experience itself, Thus, if the soul opens itself up and leaves behind everything intellectual, steadfastlyholding on only to the affect, using love as her guiding rope, as it were, God, by way of metaphysical necessity has to exacr his grace, if He wants to be true to His own nature, and unite himself with the soul. The key principle is rwofold: abstaining from cognitive activiry and at the same time founding oneself in affect only, which is identical with nourishing love as the sole content of the soul. If this is accomplished, Hugh says, rhe uniting experience is something like a necessaryconsequence. He is eager, however, not to fall into the Pelagian heresy, which made away with grace altogether and taught that salvation can be brought about, and depended alone on, the free will of man. Hugh, on the contrary, emphasizes that the union still is a com- plete act Miinchen 1987' of grace all the same, but that this grace is somewhat of a necessarycon- Zen und cbrisilich e Spiritualittit' 4.M-E chez les théologiensdu XIIIe sequence,following from God's nature itself. Hugo Enomyia-Lassalle once \l/rote ".-iya-Lassalle'.Ilobjet et le medium í, ïírt á"" i!",inq"t 'cognoscere 46 H.-F. Dondaine, Idem' ,r-uaaleuale 79 dgsz),60-130; that, from a Christian perspectíve, Zen is not, as many critics think, a suspen- R rhrrrln, d, rl'atogi, arrmi, siècle,, in, et Médieuale zz (t95)' 72-78' *quid irrhril,r, a, fni"iitt Àncienne sion of grace for the sake of human selËsalvation, but that in meditation the soul de Deo .ri,,i in-, 2t4 HARAID \TAIACH A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSTAN MONK'S R-ECIPE 215

the Christian mystical position formulated so far. Later and earlier writers have mind in pure receptiviry. I would even contend that Hugh's emphasising the mostly spoken 'organ' in mctaphors and paradox images. Hugh quite prosaically says this affect arrd the summit of the affect as the of the mystical experience can is real union with God. It happens, when the mind ir r,n.a .nd summoned in be aligned withZenteaching without distortion.lnZenwhat is realised in Ken- its highest affective part. And it can happen referred to as Buddha nature. In the Chris- 'hundred, as often as one wishes, many times, sho is-one's true nature, soÁetimes even thousand time s a day'.[7 It is the bliss of eternal life already here tian tradition this would be translatable into onet own Christ nature and the on earth. This is bold. To say that this experience was possible, in general and birth of Christ within the soul.as And in Hugh's terminology the apex ffictus, in principle, with very exceptional persons gifted by grá.., like Sairit paul, was or spark of the soul is the divine part of the soul. Concentrating all faculties of theologically sober. Saint Thomas and otheis had claimed this. But to say rhar the mind in the summit of the affect, as Hugh postulates, is realising this divine Tom and Paula could achieve this, without theological training, without think- nature of the soul and can be likened to realising one's true Buddha nature, as ing (even better than persons who were professional thinkers)] and as often as the Zen tradition calls it. Thus there seem to be striking parallels. Incidentally, they wished, and to say that this was indeed uniting contacr with God's essence, Hugh even uses an example familiar to the Zen tradition. He says that this expe- and heavenly bliss already in be mistaken, this life,-was quite frorro."rive statement. Again, ri.nle is so clear that even young and uneducated people cannot it is easyto_imagine " what would have been ih. t.".1ions of the theological estab- just as much, as the eye is not mistaken when it seesan ox pass by.ae lishment of those days, or even of todays. And yet Hugh points .*".ïly at that, One part of Hugh's teaching stands out, ho\Mever,and it is at the same time speaking plainly of a real union. th. .ru.i"l question for interreligious dialogue between Buddhists and Chris- To sum up: what - Hugh proposes is a way of experiential access to God, tians: Hugh calls the goal of his unitive way union with God and the resulting beyond cognitive activiry founded in a speciaÍ f".rrlty of the human mind, the knowledgé experientiJ knowledge. That latter part is probably easyto be agreed summit of the affect. He thereby uses bits and pieces offered to him by the tra- upon: *f,"..*, happens in an enlightenment experience, it is a deeper kind of dition, but interpreted and radicalised to a strici and consequenr teaching of his Ëo*l.dge which is .alled experiential. Thereby we normally mean a type of own making. It is easy to discern a lot of motives cognitive, emotional-affective, and moti- brought forward by later mys- knowled[e-.1.-.n,, which is holistic, comprising tical-writers, especially the German Dominican myrti.i tradition ,.pr.s.rrt.d'by vational in one. Thus an enlightenment experience is not only some- Eckhart and Thuler, but also other topoi. Hugh's work stands o,r, oi history fikL thing which gives us a clearer understanding of our own nature, but also carries a rock monument in a plane. k is familiar in its parrs, and utterly foreign in its an Àotional-affective component, resulting in a serene ordering of emotions, totality. Thus it is both understandable, how it b.-."-. influential, b,r, oíly and it also has a motivarional part, which makes bringing the experience into the historical "ft., details around the author became lost in the haze of the past. pracrice compulsory. In that sense,both the Zen tradition and Hugh talk about e*perience oi.*p.ri.rrtial knowledge as a clear, immediate, holistic rype of under- standing. But what about'the theistic connotations of Hugh's teachin-gson the Hucs AS A BRTDGEBET\írEEN THE c'nrsrmN AND THE ZeN TnaorrloN orr. h"rid, claiming real union with God, and the Buddhist notion of non-the- istic realisation of the true nature of things on the other hand? Union utith God and Enlightenment This is the difficult part and I would not proclaim to solve this puzzle here. But what could probabiy be said by way of agreement is that in both caseswhat The relationship of Hugh of Balmat writing to some teachings of the Zen tra- The Christian tradition, dition should be is intended is a union with the final realiry of things. obvious by now. Like him, the zen tr"diïion places more thus tradition, calls this final realiry emphasis on personal practice, following the historical Jesus and Jewish exercise and experience than on intellectual 'father'Jr'God', while theZen tradition, as far as I can see,refrains from per- Zen teaching is adamant about leaving sonalising this final nature. However, the Buddhist distinction into absolute and awareness in a pure field of receptiviry. ph.rro-Jnal nature does ring familiar, and is suggestive of the distinction rhasis on personal experience, over and tX/hat L.*..r, God the father and God the son, i.e. Christ. has to be left for :adition and dogma. Like him Zen tra- consequence of the total stilling of the 'Die H. Rahner, Gottesgeburt: Die Lehre der Kirchenvátervon der Geburt Christi im Herzen Theologie53 (.1933), 333-418- t der Kirche und der Glaubigen, in; Zeitschrift fiir Katholische H"gh B"lma,in: Martin, Carthusian "f spirituality,0.B5. Hugh of Balma, in: Martin, Carthusianspirituality,II.E2T ' 216 FIARAID \rAI-ACH A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 217

preaching, intensetoil in all things firrther discussion benveen theologians is how and whether these concepts and compassion,with fiery word for widespread Ttd \What from on high. In this way divine majesry their meanings can be reconciled. is enough for our purpose here is to wiil te coveredwith dawning wisdom to sendfonh wisdom, teaching,and faith, so that everycreature' realise that Hugh actually speaks of a true union with this final realiry called God mercifully stoops to South, Christian, or Gentile, for all of in the Christian tradition and interpreted from East to \(/est, from North Jew as Love. In Hugh there is no distance knowl- whom the Prince of Glory deignedto aPPearon earth, might come to true and no mediation anymore but true union. If we use a conremporaneous the edgeof rruth; so that no.r.",.rr. might miss out on.the h"PPy comPany of medieval philosophical definition for God, which certainly was familiar to Hugh the orrï *ho gavehimself not for one but for all as a pricelessprize o-nthe altar of since it was published at the time of Hugh's studying and training, namely rhe cross;so ih", ,ro creaturemight lack the h"pPy vision of him'"t0 one ProPosed by Saint Thomas Aquinas, we would call this final realiry the iden- in modern carthusian where a tiry of existenceand essence,where being, being real, being one, and being what- This teaching is still very much alive Practice for prayer for the world' Thus, in Hugh ever it is in its deepest essenceis one and the same. Thus, the Zen notion of certain time áuring the áay is allotted mystical experience is not only a per- being united with realiry as it is, and unification with God as an immediate real- of Balma \Mecan .'Í."rly dir.ern that the dimension which also incorpo- isation and union in love as with Hugh of Balma do not seem to be as far aparr sonal private lunch with God but has a uniting of other humans and the world at as one would think at first sight. Hugh was a writer truly rooted in the'S?'estern rates the awareness for the \Manr of healing pfactice to work for a more Christian tradition who formulated this concept of experiential union in a strik- Iarge. This also is the starting point for a grounded. of zen. Although Hugh, ingly similar way as it is known ín Zen Buddhism. human world, as is rypical for^some modern branches the being a medieval *ní a reclusive mystical writer, was not concerned with of wealth, Experiential Union and'saluation of all Sentient Beingí i-piorr.-ent of social welfare, political sffuctures or equal distribution he his writings bear the seed for such teachings and action' Emphasisin-g, as A central part of Buddhist teaching is that the experience of Kensho is not only the foun- does, the necessiryto include all beings into the great salvation, he lays a private moment of bliss and happiness but a fundamentally cosmic experience Being(s) dation fo1.e*pr.sring rhe experience of uniry with God and thus with all contributing to saving all sentient beings. It has even been said that the first of several in an acrion ,.fl..tirg this experience. If we bear in mind that he states the four great vows in Zen'Innumerous are the sentient beings, I vow to save to times that this .*p.rÉ^.. .-po*.tr individuals to live their lives according them all' is identical with the vow to strive for enlightenmenr. This does nor seem lay persons clerics alike, he clearly impli- this experience, *o-.r, Áen, ld to be a comPonent of Christian mysticism in general, but is more part of the ".rd cates a more egalitarian and rightful system of living together and sharing Power Practical side of Christianiry which emphasisescharitable action and social com- for that than was common in the Vidale Ages and still is in the modern era mitment. Again, here Hugh is one of the writers who clearly point out that this mafter. experience also has consequences. He states several times that this experience of union is a kind of salvation, and that each one of these experiences brings the Experiential Knowledge and Radical Questioning of Authority soul closer to salvation and to forgiveness of all sins, thus identifyt"g the mys- and ritualistic authoriry and tical uniting experience with salvation (which would put him on rhe list of Zen tradition has been indifferent to scholarly at least in theory. This endangered species in the Catholic world). He suggesrsthar one who has had only personal experience is what conveys true authoriry has tried everything and this experience of union cannot but pray for the salvation of all souls, sinners ."o b. traced to the historic Buddha Gautama who experience the chief and heathens alike, since he knows them to be connected to him in a universal arrived at last at his own true experience, making personal Thus Buddhism, as it brotherhood, and that the souls truly united with God yearn as God does him- signpost for truth, not adherence to any tradition- Zen tradition can again be self for the coming of the heavenly kingdom, thereby exerring a kind of cosmic .rï.rg.d, was inherently critical of tradition, and traditional teachings. Hugh, pull towards God which extends to others and especially to those far from God. ,..r, L a radical aversion from the entrenchment of Hugh states: as other Christian mysrics, was not critical of church authorities or scriptures cer- for the sake of being critical. But their experience led most of them, and [A]nyone insensitiveto the pains and incurable wounds of his fellow members is under- tainly Hugh of BalÀa, to being aware of the fact that only experiential no living and effectivemember united to Chrisr the head (...) Thii industrious effort brings down from heaven no small mercy, and thus he who approachesit with his whole heart, with all his pleading,with his godly affectionscoated with 50 Hugh of Balma, in: Martin, Carthusianspirituality,Ill'C6'78' 2t8 HARÁLD \Jr'ÁTACH A MEDIEVAI CARTHUSTAN MONK'S RECIPE 219 standing of the teachingsof the scriptures generarestrue understanding.This was called understanding the .mysdcal,,."í"gogi."l, .uniring, Muhiple Kensbo or senseof the scriptures'as oPposed to \What ih. Iiteral and mord :J;.. In underst"íairrg is particularly provocative in Hught teaching is his claim that this experi- tical senseof the scriptures, the mys- and i",,h. ;;;;J'ir9..r, of ence of union with God can be had by one who has progressed accordingly on with its resulting uniting experience experientialknowledge of mystical many times a day,'hundreds, even thousand times a cod, inly christ himse-lfcan be the the path of union day'. \7hile with other Christian writers this mystical experience seems to be a Ïil|1ï:"'*ï'ï;ru;ïi,:::ï:i::*È41""i"'o"i'd.";;Jï.,.,.-po*-r,,í, nrr',,Àd^A ^^_^ss to understanding, single, or at least rare event, Hugh seems to preach an inflation of enlightenment, no mediation berween where revolution making it a natural consequence of a typical kind of mental state. There are many againstclerical contror in a nutsh.l, reports of Christian mystics and saints who seem to have experienced some state tradition which "rrdtt"ïï:tïilLi"J: ,ff;.ï demandsthorough .*p.ri.rriá urrd.rrr"rrding of exceptional clariry enlightenment or ecstasies.It is biographically reported with the consequence of the Dharma of individuar Francis, who had at least two such strong experiences. His -.*prerrior, understanding,even if it from saints as Saint has to go againsttradition and "irrri. ritual. ti i, i--Ji"rely clearthat Franciscan follower and possible opponent of Hugh, Bonaventure, also seemsto strict clericaland at f time with worldly hierarchiesand th. .o--on have had at least one such experience, and accordingly makes this of expe- the church understandingthat only rype authoritier, Lirhop, and_-clergy journey ."r, u.^-.diator b.r*..i the indi_ rience the summit of a long in his ltinerary of the Mind to God. Saint vidual and God, this teachingi, i., .ff..t,?rro, i' irrr.,rtion, rather anti_author_ Thomas Aquinas, contemporary to both of them, is reported to have had several raJt,this can be said exceptional experiences, the last being the one on 6'h of Dec 1271, after which ïï:ï""fi".ïïlï:::ï"Iï or mosrrater chri,,i",, -y,ri.,. he stopped writing in the midst of his Summa Theologiae,declaring that every- i",l,,i!{ffi di,...ry l.;:l,iï:ï::,r"Hi,: thing he had written so far - and this is probably the greatest treasure of insight in the \7est, as far as I se - that' Thereby, a and clariry of Christian theology and philosophy ever written was straw in the empowering the teaching individu face of what he had seen.5l Saint Catherine of Siena, a 15'h century mystic and accessto truth via the my saint, went into a kind of supor and ecstasyrepeatedly. Saint Ignatius of Loyola tradition, ï'&:ïir:::ïËf,,** or rather out of it, which "roré has never been calmed down dictated an autobiography which makes it easier to trace his spiritual develop- It has reached its climax since. in the modern era of À. v"ri."n ment.52 He, apart from his conversion experience which made him choose a spir- ious council and its var- documents._Even though today's *ourd rike itual rather than a worldly careet had a sffong experience of immediate insight a quiet grave, :.hrf.h ;;".ti.. to bury it in a Christian principle applies h.rá in Hught terminology, count as an experience of union. ,oo, Vhat has once tr,rly liu.d, which would probably, never dies, or will see ,.rurr.Ëtio.r. " He reports several other experiences later in his life saying that they never reached the depth of the single one at the end of his hermit period. To -y knowledge it Loue and Compassion has not been reported in Christian hagiography that any saint was in a kind of Hugh is very permanent state of rapture. So what is Hugh meaning, really, by saying that this repetitive in stating that this union with God is one of Love, it can only be accomplished that kind of experience can be had frequently during one day? Is he overstating his by"love, that rove is the result guiding arrow, and the just of the e*pe.ience again ráv. caseto get more attention? Is he bluffing? Or what is his intention? in ,'.rdi"g .h"i". This was menrioned "r rove exrends, as It is, perhaps, useful to note at that point that the concept of Kensho or Sar- in the paragraph, to "bot: ail oth?r-t.irgs, and is thus versal narure. rn zen of uni_ tori is treated rather differently within several traditions of Zen.It is a hallmark as we[ irr"oth.r forms oiguda]rism result ", compassion is the its renewal by Hakuin in the 18'h century, who and goal, as well as the preconditio' of the Rinzai tradition ever since oi.rrr"ig;,.rr-enr, roo. one has understood For only if himself has had several Kenshos, that the striving for this experience of realisa- the ,..r. ,rirure of oneserf and ïh.r.by of the universe other beings, is it possibl: and r.:p out of the ,.F.;;;d view the reification l? which comes with of m. r:jtïdy"r .go. In the same r.rr.., Hughs teaching implies 5l Gulelmus de Tocco, Ystoriasancti Tomeder Aquino de Guillaume de Tocco,Toronto 1996. The that the unification with God in Ë'r,. is the way to;;;;.o-. interpretation given by Flasch, (Das philosophischeDenken im Mittelalter: Von Augustin zu ish nature our inherÀtry selÊ and tendenry, because it Stuttgart 1986) that Saint Thomas' refraining from finishing his Summa was due align, .rr'*i,i ,1. ,rrrirr.rsal love Machiauelli, who is, as the of God, letter of St. John saÀ love. to a profound depressioncould not be a deepermisunderstanding, in my view. Ignatius von Loyola, Der Bericht desPilgers, trans. 6{ comm. B. Schneider, Freil>urg 7977. 220 FIARALD \VAI"TCH A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSIAN MONK'S RECIPE 22r tion and subsequent unfolding through koan training is central to teaching and practice.t3 Kensho is conceived here as a rather unique and distincr evenr, possi- bly repeatable.The Soto tradition on the other hand seems to place less empha- sis on it. S. Suzuki recently de-emphasised the centraliry of Kensho by placing much more weight on the simple practice of zazen and the consequent realisa- tion of mindful presence in daily life.5aAnd in a passagefull of beaury and hind- sight he says that this is like continuous little moments of Kensho:

At leastwe must havg some enlightenment experience.You must put your confi- dencein the big mind which is alwayswith you (...) To find yourself as someone who is doing something is the point-to resumeyour actual being through prac- teachingand experienceand the Zen tra- tice, to resume the you which is always with everything, with Buddha, which is a rrue bridge beween Christian mystical fully supported by everything.Right now! You may say it is impossible.But it is ditions. possible.Even in one moment you can do it! It is possiblethis moment! It is this moment! That you can do it in this moment meansyou can alwaysdo it. So if you have this confidence, this is your enlightenment experience.If you have this OpBNQuesrtoNs AND CoucruolNc REMARKS strong confidencein your big mind, you are alreadya Buddhist in the rrue sense, even though you do not attain enlightenmenr.55

I propose to use this description as the background against which Hughb teach- ing is understandable. Tlanslating Hugh into modernZen terminology his inten- tion probably was: If you collect yourself into what is called summit of the affect, being pure receptiviry layingaside all selfish thoughts and cognitive activiry just being a single ray of love tending towaids the One with intention beyond words, then unity is already realised.This is Kensho, or in Hugh's term union with God. \flhile there might be space for an initial single, impressive and quasi-implosive experience of Kensho, as witnessed by the reports in Kapleau and in Christian hagiographies, for that matter, and as intended by Rinzai training, there might also be a place for that rather quiet type of continuous state of enlightened mind- fulness as cherished by the Soto school. Hugh, I would guess, covers both: the ecstatic experience of union,56 and the fact that this, by the virtue of repeated training, aligns with a more continuous and less spectacular state of heightened presence,in which union with and presence in life become more'normal'. I sug- gest that he has in mind the more extraordinary and exceprional experiences, when he talks about the fact that this experience of uniting love is bliss and a fore- boding of the life of the Saints already here on earrh. And he intends this less explosive, continuous fype, when he says that this experience can be had

53 Hakuin, The essentialteachings of Zen Master Hahuin, ed. N. \7addell, Boston 1994. 5a S. Suzuki Zen mind, beginners , mind, New York-Tokyo 1975. work has fulfilled its intended goal. 5t tbid., r37. Hugh'stlxt might offer a readingof Christian mysticism 56 In fact he speaksof ehstasisonly On the other hand, two times, in IVllO and V48, pointing out that theseare guddhist as that of other the specialmomenrs. which is closer to zen teaching and experience 222 FIARAID'ITALACH A MEDIEVAL CARTHUSIAN MONKS RECIPE 223

writers. Hopefully, authors rooted in the Buddhist tradition will take up this Collingwood, R,G., An essayon rnetaPhysics,Oxford: Clarendon Press,1998. 'The Theohgical 23 thread and look into the commonalities and differences betweeá Zen anà this Crowe, M.B., term synderesisand the scholastic',in: Irish Quarterly author. (1956), 15r-164; 228-245. Intuitiue cognition: A hrl to the signif.canceof the late scholastirs,St. Bonaven- Obviously, Hugh writes within a clearly theistic conrexr and uses theistic lan- Day, S.J., t,.rre,NYr FranciscanInstitute Publications, 1947. (PhilosophySeries 4) 8|age to exPresshis thoughts. I have tried to form a bridge using theological- 'Lobjet Dondaine, H.-F., et le medium de la vision béatifique chez les théologiensdu philosophical concepts from the time of Hugh's writing. Ir is certáinly open to XIIIe siècle',in: Recherchesde ThéologieAncienne et Médieuale19 (1952),60-130. debate whether this is a feasible approach. 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