Essay Camparing Christian Mysticism and Buddhism - 3257 Words

What can be said about the unspeakable? How does one begin to describe the indescribable? The very act of discussing ineffability questions whether anything can be truly ineffable in the first place. Religion almost always critically depends on the ineffability of some experience or entity. This is a widespread tendency, but some would argue that it is a rule for all religions. That there must be the recognition of something â€Å"beyond,† â€Å"transcendent† or â€Å"pure.† Prior to judging Christian or Buddhist beliefs, it is necessary to understand ineffability itself. Generally speaking, it is unspeakable. Conceptually, it is not attainable. By our standards, it is beyond our human realm. To speak is to make distinctions. As†¦show more content†¦In order to grasp the ultimate truth, it is necessary to escape the linguistic and conceptual limitations that are part of humanity. To see beyond our filters and ourselves is the only way to experience something purely. 2. Christian Mysticism In the Christian religions, there is a God. Worshiped and loved, this divinity is three persons in one: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost. Among the multitude of denominations, and through the ages there have been many types of Christian mystics. The foundation of all religions is arguably set by mysticism, which is as Evelyn Underhill put it, â€Å"the direct intuition or experience of God† (Fanning, 2). Those who are identified as mystics in the Christian traditions claim to have had a very intimate, direct connection to God. This divine communion with God is claimed by mystics to be beyond words. It is not something that can be described to anyone who has not experienced it. That which we have heard it called, includes: â€Å"divine possession†, â€Å"mystical marriage with the deity†, and â€Å"mystical ecstasy† (Fanning, 7-13). They feel to have become one with God, and that they are God. They say that their way is the only way to properly worship God. Simply knowing of him is not enough; one must truly come to know him through mystical experiences. In order to achieve such a feeling, devotes must go through some personal growth first. To