Cowe, Jennifer (2016) Killing the Buddha: Henry Miller’s long journey to Satori. PhD thesis. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/7105/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten: Theses https://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Killing the Buddha: Henry Miller’s Long Journey to Satori Jennifer Cowe Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Critical Studies College of Arts University of Glasgow 2016 ! 2! Abstract The aim of this thesis to is explore the relationship between Henry Miller, Zen Buddhism and how this may offer new ways of reading Miller. By exploring the life-long interest of Miller in Eastern Philosophy I hope to show that far from being the misogynistic, sexual miscreant of legend, he was in fact a deeply spiritual man who wished his work to inspire and motivate readers rather than be a form of titillation. My attempt here is not to rehabilitate Miller’s reputation in regards to race, religion or gender, but rather to examine his work through a more spiritual lens. In the process I will attempt to use a more complete selection of Miller’s works than is commonly utilized by critics, although particular attention will be given to Tropic of Cancer, I will show how later, more spiritual works illuminate Miller’s Zen Buddhist beliefs. By using novels, essays, letters and pamphlets I hope to provide a wide-ranging examination of Miller’s oeuvre both chronologically and spiritually. Two key words that will be found to re-occur throughout the thesis are ‘journey’ and ‘progression’. Journey in the sense that Miller saw his own life in Zen Buddhist terms; he existed to evolve and gain awareness though his life experiences through the writing and re-writing them until he could move beyond them. Progression in the sense that movement is crucial to the development of spirituality, the mind and heart must be open to new knowledge and understanding. I will show that Miller came to conceptualise both his life and work through the Zen Buddhist teaching of The Four Noble Truths and Miller’s daily implementation of The Eight Fold Path. I will start by arguing that it is impossible to understand Miller’s journey without first examining the process by which he came to shape his own life narrative. The Zen peace of Miller’s later years was hard fought and gained at considerable price to both him and those close to him. Miller first had to develop a conceptualisation of creativity before he could be open to meaningful spiritual change. This thesis will examine the lasting influence of both Otto Rank and Henri Bergson on Miller’s idea of what it meant to be a writer, how reality in relation to his life experiences was malleable and how this provided Miller with the foundation on which to explore his spirituality. I will show how Miller’s close relationship to Surrealism caused him to re-think some of his positions in relation to language, style and freedom, yet ultimately why he felt impelled to continue on his journey to Zen Buddhism enlightenment. ! 3! Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 4 Author’s Declaration ......................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1 – I am an Artist: Henry Miller and Otto Rank ................................................. 32 Chapter 2 – The Art of Becoming: Henry Miller and Henri Bergson .............................. 56 Chapter 3 – Refusing the Automatic Message: Henry Miller and Surrealism .................. 85 Chapter 4 – Killing the Buddha: Henry Miller and Buddhism ......................................... 110 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 137 List of References ............................................................................................................. 142 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................... 154 ! 4! Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Christopher Gair for his guidance and unstinting patience and the College of Critical Studies at the University of Glasgow for their administrative support. My thanks to Professor David S. Calonne for his help in locating obscure publications and Professor James M. Decker for encouraging my interest in the lesser known Miller. To my parents Margaret and John Cowe I thank you for your support throughout my education. To Ralph, Tracey and Francoise I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for your forbearance, encouragement and support. Thank you. 5 Declaration of Originality Form – Research Degrees This form must be completed and signed and submitted with your thesis. Please complete the information below (using BLOCK CAPITALS). Name JENNIFER COWE ....................................................................................................................... Student Number 1008247 ....................................................................................................................... Title of degree PhD AMERICAN STUDIES ............................................................................................ Title of thesis KILLING THE BUDDHA: HENRY MILLER’S LONG JOURNEY TO SATORI ................ The University's degrees and other academic awards are given in recognition of a student's personal achievement. All work submitted for assessment is accepted on the understanding that it is the student's own effort. Plagiarism is defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, which is not one's own, without acknowledgement of the sources. For further information on what may be considered ‘plagiarism’, please read carefully the University’s Statement on Plagiarism as contained in the University Calendar. I confirm that this thesis is my own work and that I have: Read and understood the University of Glasgow Statement on Plagiarism Clearly referenced, in both the text and the bibliography or references, all sources used in the work Fully referenced (including page numbers) and used inverted commas for all text quoted from books, journals, web etc. Provided the sources for all tables, figures, data etc. that are not my own work Not made use of the work of any other student(s) past or present without acknowledgement. This includes any of my own work, that has been previously, or concurrently, submitted for assessment, either at this or any other educational institution. Not sought or used the services of any professional agencies to produce this work In addition, I understand that any false claim in respect of this work will result in disciplinary action in accordance with University regulations DECLARATION: I am aware of and understand the University’s policy on plagiarism and I certify that this thesis is my own work, except where indicated by referencing, and that I have followed the good academic practices noted above Signed ....................................................................................................................................................... ! 6! Introduction The publication of Tropic of Cancer in 1934 would secure Henry Miller’s legacy as one of the most notorious writers of the twentieth century, leading to his being pigeonholed as everything from a counter-cultural icon, a sexual libertine to a misogynist pornographer.1 The fact remains that Miller is often judged purely upon his first novel, or novels that concentrate on the same specific time frame. The emphasis upon these works, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn (1939) and The Rosy Crucifixion, comprising Sexus (1949), Plexus (1953) and Nexus (1960) has led to a skewed perception of Miller as a writer. Despite publishing his first novel at forty-three years old, Miller had a prodigious output over his lifetime, publishing almost thirty books and collections, seventeen pamphlets and small print runs, ten volumes of correspondence and one play. By limiting our understanding of Miller to selected texts as has been the case with many critics, then using those texts as biographical sources, we run the risk of fundamentally misinterpreting and undervaluing what Miller was trying to accomplish in his work. I will argue that Miller’s lifelong output should be read in relation to his growing interest in and adherence to Zen Buddhism. In this introduction I will show how Miller’s life was saturated with spirituality from an early age and how works relating specifically to Eastern Philosophy played a key role in shaping how Miller understood his life experiences and propelled his progression