The Strategy of Ontological Negativity in Meister Eckhart’s Metaphysics and in Philosophical Traditions of India
Tatyana Lifintseva, Dmitry Tourko
Religions November 26, 2018 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/rel9120386 via OpenAlex
Summary
The article explores ontological strategies in Meister Eckhart’s metaphysics and two Indian philosophical traditions, Advaita Vedanta and Early Buddhism. It highlights similarities in their approaches to detachment from worldly images, the non-association with physical and cognitive aspects of self, and the interiorization of consciousness. Both traditions aim for liberation from suffering, paralleling the Christian concept of salvation through renouncing sin and achieving unity with God. The comparative analysis focuses on apophatic doctrines regarding the nature of God.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Similar ontological strategies of negativity and mystical experience are found in Meister Eckhart’s metaphysics and Indian philosophical traditions, focusing on detachment and the pursuit of spiritual liberation. |
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Abstract
In this article, the authors investigate ontological strategies in Meister Eckhart’s metaphysics, which remounts Neoplatonism and the Corpus Areopagiticum, and in two schools of Indian philosophical tradition, the Advaita Vedanta and Early Buddhism. Along with differences in the anthropology, epistemology, and soteriology of these traditions, we can find similar strategies of ontological negativity and mystical experience in both traditions: detachment from the world of images and forms as the highest blessing; non-association of oneself with corporality, feelings, cognitive ability and reason; interiorizing the intentionality of consciousness, and termination of its representative function. Practically all systems of Indian philosophy were projects of liberation or personal transformation from subjugation and suffering into being free and blissful. The idea of spiritual release is also the cornerstone of Christian salvation as with the renouncement of sin and entering blissful unity with God. The apophatic doctrine of Christian neo-platonic mystics about the concealment, non-comprehensiveness, and inexpressibleness of God as the One and Nothingness, and also the idea of comprehension of God by means of detachment from the created world and one’s own ego, gives us the opportunity for such comparative analysis.