The Strangers to the World: attitudes on solitude and compassion in Orthodox and Buddhist monasteries
New Europe College Yearbook July 15, 2024 Universitatea de Vest, Timisoara, Adrian Schiffbeck
A qualitative analysis of an Eastern Orthodox convent in Romania and a Buddhist monastery in Scotland reveals that nuns and monks perceive solitude and compassion in similar ways, despite the geographical and doctrinal differences between the two traditions. The research shows how these concepts are transposed into their daily lives, suggesting that monasticism serves as a bridge between the two faiths.