Buddhism by Paul Williams

Author:Paul Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Incorporated Catholic Truth Society

Christian - Buddhist monastic interchange

In recent years there has been close and valuable interchange between Christian and Buddhist monasteries. Abbot Christopher Jamison of Worth Abbey observes that ‘the monastic life of celibacy and prayer is strikingly similar in the Catholic and Buddhist traditions,’ and he speaks of the warm friendship that exists between the Benedictine monks of Worth and the monks at the English Buddhist monastery of Chithurst. He adds nevertheless that while ‘[w]e have good dialogues...we recognise that there are differences as well as similarities between us. We Benedictines are Christian believers and so to understand us fully requires an understanding of the teachings of Christ.’ In further monastic dialogue and exploration, Buddhist monks have sometimes stayed particularly with Benedictines, and Christian monks have visited Buddhist monasteries in e.g. India and Japan. In reflecting together on their shared experience as monks in the modern world Buddhists and Christians have come to a far greater appreciation than might have been otherwise of what they have in common and what they can together witness and offer to the modern world notwithstanding some very deep and significant differences. Some have found in Christian mysticism a point of contact with Buddhists. Thomas Merton, for example, who just before he died visited Buddhists in India and South East Asia (he died in Bangkok), enjoyed many dialogues with Buddhists, particularly on the practice of meditation. He clearly found numerous meeting points with his Buddhist partners. Pope John Paul II himself invited Buddhist leaders to his interfaith meetings in Assisi to pray for peace.

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