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Mystics and Zen Masters
Thomas Merton was recognized as one of those rare Western minds that are entirely at home with the Zen experience. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious concepts-early monasticism, Russian Orthodox spirituality, the Shakers, and Zen Buddhism-with characteristic Western directness. Merton not only studied these religions from the outside but grasped them by empathy and living participation from within. "All these studies," wrote Merton, "are united by one central concern: to understand various ways in which men of different traditions have conceived the meaning and method of the 'way' which leads to the highest levels of religious or of metaphysical awareness."
303 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
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About the author
Thomas Merton
566 books1,910 followersThomas Merton, religious name M. Louis, was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion. In December 1941 he entered the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani and in May 1949 he was ordained to priesthood. He was a member of the convent of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky, living there from 1941 to his death.
Merton wrote more than 50 books in a period of 27 years, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Among Merton's most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain (1948). His account of his spiritual journey inspired scores of World War II veterans, students, and teenagers to explore offerings of monasteries across the US. It is on National Review's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century.
Merton became a keen proponent of interfaith understanding, exploring Eastern religions through his study of mystic practice. His interfaith conversation, which preserved both Protestant and Catholic theological positions, helped to build mutual respect via their shared experiences at a period of heightened hostility. He is particularly known for having pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama XIV; Japanese writer D.T. Suzuki; Thai Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He traveled extensively in the course of meeting with them and attending international conferences on religion. In addition, he wrote books on Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, and how Christianity is related to them. This was highly unusual at the time in the United States, particularly within the religious orders.
Merton wrote more than 50 books in a period of 27 years, mostly on spirituality, social justice and a quiet pacifism, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Among Merton's most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain (1948). His account of his spiritual journey inspired scores of World War II veterans, students, and teenagers to explore offerings of monasteries across the US. It is on National Review's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century.
Merton became a keen proponent of interfaith understanding, exploring Eastern religions through his study of mystic practice. His interfaith conversation, which preserved both Protestant and Catholic theological positions, helped to build mutual respect via their shared experiences at a period of heightened hostility. He is particularly known for having pioneered dialogue with prominent Asian spiritual figures, including the Dalai Lama XIV; Japanese writer D.T. Suzuki; Thai Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He traveled extensively in the course of meeting with them and attending international conferences on religion. In addition, he wrote books on Zen Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, and how Christianity is related to them. This was highly unusual at the time in the United States, particularly within the religious orders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
November 16, 2007
This was an interesting little book. It is a work comprised of Merton's essays which analyze and summarize a selection of mystical texts individually. There is obviously a Christian odor about it, but that is easily ignored if that sort of thing is distasteful to you (considering many of the addressed mystics are Christian as well, it is recommended for non-Christians to read this work with a vigilant suspension of judgment...there are many, many fruits for those who can do this). This book inspired me to read 'The Cloud of Unknowing' - an unparalleled work that I anticipate returning to for many years. All in all M&ZM is not a fantastic book, but if you are interested in the mystic tradition - or spirituality in general - it will hold your attention nicely and perhaps give you some good leads.
May 24, 2020
This is a sympathetic treatment of the general subject of mystical religious experience with a particular eye toward affinities between the experiences of Christian mystics such as Julian of Norwich, St. John of the Cross, Eckhart, Boehme, etc., and those of devotees of Eastern religious practices, Zen Buddhism in particular. In between he devotes chapters in defense of celibacy as a spiritual practice, of cloisters of various stripes, and of the contemplative path to the divine as an equal alternative to the path of activity and activism (they are not really opposed in the end in his view). The penultimate chapter is a spirited attempt to rescue the legacy of existentialist thought from its too-close association with (alleged) nihilists like Sartre. He argues that its fundamental intuition is about the enmity between modern social life and relations (the "I-IT" realm depicted by Buber) and the religious quest for an experience of the ungrounded ground of all being (the "I-THOU"), though he seems to suggest that some of its leading lights (e.g., Heidegger) seem not to understand the spiritual basis of what they describe. It is clear throughout that Merton is at pains to give as much credit as he possibly can to other traditions while reserving the crown of Truth (with a capital T) for the Catholic tradition and teaching. He does an admirable job of delineating how easily a passionate quest for truth and authentic encounter can ossify and degenerate into mere dogma and doctrine, but I do wish more of the book had dealt with the precepts and practices of Zen itself, though the short chapter on Zen Monasticism is very good. I was left wondering what his impression of the crisis faced by the current Pontiff would be.
May 14, 2009
I found the sections on classical Chinese thought, Zen, Ecumenism, and the Kentucky Shakers to be the most interesting. Merton is a Catholic writing about other religions in the wake of the Vatican's second council. The second Vatican council, among other things, was a monumental step for the Catholic Church towards a less exclusive world view. It occurred in the sixties (i think), and in it the Catholic Church formally admitted that other religions contained truths that the Catholics could learn from. This may be a small step for an individual, but for an institution like the Catholic Church which holds a doctrine of its own authority over all other religious authorities, this was quite a leap. In the wake of Vatican II there are Catholic writers like Merton trying to understand and work through the value in other religions and ideologies so he can be more informed within his worldview. With that said, Merton is definitely a westerner tackling eastern philosophies and he brings his western rational approach with him. So my main criticism is that he was a bit to un-Zenlike when he discussed Zen, and a bit to scholarly-ish in his language when exploring the simple philosophies and ideas of the medieval mystics and the 19th century New England Shakers. He also included certain sections that seemed to pop out of nowhere when taken alongside the other sections of the book, like his chapter on the Latin Fathers view of virginity.
April 24, 2008
Thomas Merton was a Christian monk who lived and wrote in the early to mid-1900s. A Catholic author of noteworthy influence, he had a gift for analytical writing. While Merton lived from 1915 to 1968 he participated in talks with the Dalai Lama and traveled the world, paying particular attention to the Far East where he struggled to learn all he could of Zen and Buddhist mysticism.
I admire the breadth of Merton's reading and am somewhat envious of his travel record. I am not, however, impressed by his anti-human and woman-hating philosophies, drawn and inspired by his Christian background.
It is to his credit that he had the intellectual courage to draw the correct and necessary conclusions that Christian thought demands. Merton, for all his faults, is no coward, nor is he one who distorts his views or the views of others. He does not shy away from the conclusions his philosophies demand. He shares something with Rudolf Otto, who realized the moral of the story of Job is not that God will reward faith, but that God cannot be described as loving by human standards.
I admire the breadth of Merton's reading and am somewhat envious of his travel record. I am not, however, impressed by his anti-human and woman-hating philosophies, drawn and inspired by his Christian background.
It is to his credit that he had the intellectual courage to draw the correct and necessary conclusions that Christian thought demands. Merton, for all his faults, is no coward, nor is he one who distorts his views or the views of others. He does not shy away from the conclusions his philosophies demand. He shares something with Rudolf Otto, who realized the moral of the story of Job is not that God will reward faith, but that God cannot be described as loving by human standards.
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April 4, 2016I own this Book.
May 27, 2025
Thomas Merton’s life was tragically cut short in l968 at the age of 53 while he was in Asia for inter-religious meeings. This book of sixteen essays was published in l961 and reflected Merton’s growing interest in eastern religions, particularly Buddhism, and the similarities of some of its practices with contemplative aspects of Christianity.
In “Contemplation and Dialogue” he writes, “In all religions, we encounter not only the claim to (divine) revelation in some form or other, but also the record of special experiences in which the absolute and final validity of that revelation is in some way attested. Both Buddhism and Christianity make that claim to contact with a transcendent reality., and much of the book discusses how humans make that contact.
To enter into an existence of transcendent reality always involves moving beyond the ego that operates almost all of the time in a world of objects to which the ego is attached in a subject-object way of perception. This ”moving beyond” is difficult and requires much effort.
Paradoxically, though, at least in Zen Buddhism, the effort results in a simplicity which dismisses the effort. If one reaches this state of mind, a non attachment to any concepts , there is no longer any distinctions to be made. The effort is not to directly aim for this non-attachment, but more to put oneself into a receptive mood.
Similarly, the early Desert Fathers of Christianity talked about a “life in the spirit’ which meant a purity of heart and the avoidance of making conceptual knowledge an end in itself. Merton rises an interesting question which he leaves hanging. When a Zen Buddhist practitioner reaches a state of being called a riddle without an answer, he is aware of his own nothingness. Merton wonders if the Zen experience opens out into an unconscious demand for grace. In Christian terms, grace is a transforming gift from God. Buddhists don’t recognize any term such as grace, but the key word is “unconscious” – grace may be present in both traditions.
The biggest difference between the Christian contemplative tradition and Buddhism, is the presence of Christ in Christianity. Grace, a gift, cannot be separated from Christ. A definition of grace, in fact, is a merging or reconciliation in Christ with one’s true self, one’s neighbor, and with God. This would come about if one were a perfect practitioner of the Lord’s prayer and of the Beatitudes.
But aside from Christ and grace, Christian contemplatives and Buddhists share an enormous amount. In what culd be a conclusion, Merton talks about humanity in the west being increasingly attracted to idealized images such as sports, entertainment, or the acquiring of wealth. The attractions may not be the same in Asia where Buddhism is strongest, but any kind of images, whatever the culture, that stop at t his level and do not search for God, called the ground of being, is limited. To explore this commonality was no doubt one reason that Merton was Asia..
In “Contemplation and Dialogue” he writes, “In all religions, we encounter not only the claim to (divine) revelation in some form or other, but also the record of special experiences in which the absolute and final validity of that revelation is in some way attested. Both Buddhism and Christianity make that claim to contact with a transcendent reality., and much of the book discusses how humans make that contact.
To enter into an existence of transcendent reality always involves moving beyond the ego that operates almost all of the time in a world of objects to which the ego is attached in a subject-object way of perception. This ”moving beyond” is difficult and requires much effort.
Paradoxically, though, at least in Zen Buddhism, the effort results in a simplicity which dismisses the effort. If one reaches this state of mind, a non attachment to any concepts , there is no longer any distinctions to be made. The effort is not to directly aim for this non-attachment, but more to put oneself into a receptive mood.
Similarly, the early Desert Fathers of Christianity talked about a “life in the spirit’ which meant a purity of heart and the avoidance of making conceptual knowledge an end in itself. Merton rises an interesting question which he leaves hanging. When a Zen Buddhist practitioner reaches a state of being called a riddle without an answer, he is aware of his own nothingness. Merton wonders if the Zen experience opens out into an unconscious demand for grace. In Christian terms, grace is a transforming gift from God. Buddhists don’t recognize any term such as grace, but the key word is “unconscious” – grace may be present in both traditions.
The biggest difference between the Christian contemplative tradition and Buddhism, is the presence of Christ in Christianity. Grace, a gift, cannot be separated from Christ. A definition of grace, in fact, is a merging or reconciliation in Christ with one’s true self, one’s neighbor, and with God. This would come about if one were a perfect practitioner of the Lord’s prayer and of the Beatitudes.
But aside from Christ and grace, Christian contemplatives and Buddhists share an enormous amount. In what culd be a conclusion, Merton talks about humanity in the west being increasingly attracted to idealized images such as sports, entertainment, or the acquiring of wealth. The attractions may not be the same in Asia where Buddhism is strongest, but any kind of images, whatever the culture, that stop at t his level and do not search for God, called the ground of being, is limited. To explore this commonality was no doubt one reason that Merton was Asia..
September 13, 2019
This book is an exercise that I suspect really only can be appreciated in the context of Vatican II, when it was written. Merton focuses both on underlying truths that join religions and on the role of mystics and ‘outsiders’ in pressing the edges of traditional dogma (or revealing its underlying truth).
He pushes ecumenical thought towards all the major religions, not just the different denominations of Christianity. And he seeks out basic principles of Catholic humanism that allow ‘good Catholics’ to embrace all good people, of all religions.
I don’t think my mom knew a thing about Merton, but Vatican II opened her up to this appreciation of serious people from all religions. And in this way, the arguments of the book feel very familiar to me. The wonderful thing is that it gets to the heart of ecumenical mechanisms for Catholics. In other words, ‘How can you be open to people of Islam and still be Catholic?’ It is pretty specific in how you can do that while staying true to your Catholic principles.
So it depends what you are looking for. If you are a Roman Catholic who stresses out about Islam and Buddhism, read this. It offers a way to appreciate what those religions offer their adherents and how religious human striving unites us all. If you are looking to be inspired and to becoming more knowledgeable about the contemplative experience, this book probably will not offer you much.
Merton has a big, giant brain and spiritual life. There is something for a lot of people in his work, but each work will not offer what each reader needs.
He pushes ecumenical thought towards all the major religions, not just the different denominations of Christianity. And he seeks out basic principles of Catholic humanism that allow ‘good Catholics’ to embrace all good people, of all religions.
I don’t think my mom knew a thing about Merton, but Vatican II opened her up to this appreciation of serious people from all religions. And in this way, the arguments of the book feel very familiar to me. The wonderful thing is that it gets to the heart of ecumenical mechanisms for Catholics. In other words, ‘How can you be open to people of Islam and still be Catholic?’ It is pretty specific in how you can do that while staying true to your Catholic principles.
So it depends what you are looking for. If you are a Roman Catholic who stresses out about Islam and Buddhism, read this. It offers a way to appreciate what those religions offer their adherents and how religious human striving unites us all. If you are looking to be inspired and to becoming more knowledgeable about the contemplative experience, this book probably will not offer you much.
Merton has a big, giant brain and spiritual life. There is something for a lot of people in his work, but each work will not offer what each reader needs.
October 25, 2022
I am a Thomas Merton fan without a doubt. He is so logical that he can break down a complex subject so that it is accessible to those of us less gifted. The insights he has acquired through the daily practice of meditation/contemplation are so apparent that they make the best argument for following such a practice.
If that isn’t argument enough, he delineates the practice across religions and time. A compelling read that I recommend to those who do not yet have a commitment to daily meditation.
If that isn’t argument enough, he delineates the practice across religions and time. A compelling read that I recommend to those who do not yet have a commitment to daily meditation.
March 2, 2024
A beautiful and thorough (classically Merton) exploration of the connections and contrasts between the greatest thoughts of Zen masters and Christian mystics throughout history. The parallels are profound, as are the contrasts, and each shine light on the other belief in a way that deepens rather than undermines ones commitment to his or her own spiritual foundations. While technical in places, the writing never failed to hold my attention, as everything Merton explores here has immediate application to the ways we live our lives every day. Recommended.
January 27, 2025
This was a surprising book. At the end of the day i found it very enjoyable, thought-provoking, and much more than i would have imagined.
It is a series of essays talking about Zen in the context of a contemplative , perhaps monastic, mysticism; in comparison to the Christian theology of a similar bent. I will add this book to my re-read list.
I would recommend this book to those with the vocabulary, knowledge of history, and philosophical background to enjoy it.
It is a series of essays talking about Zen in the context of a contemplative , perhaps monastic, mysticism; in comparison to the Christian theology of a similar bent. I will add this book to my re-read list.
I would recommend this book to those with the vocabulary, knowledge of history, and philosophical background to enjoy it.
April 18, 2021
This is a terrible title for what this book is. It feels that a couple of the essays on zen and what-not were forced because this was the topical thing at the time but the rest of the essays were of much greater interest covering various themes and epochs of Christian contemplative/mystical history and tradition.
August 23, 2021
Merton is again filled with complex insights about why we do what we do. Through the explanation and comparison of some the worlds oldest religions and spiritual traditions, he shows us how little we’ve learned from our mistakes, and how much we still have yet to learn about everything we’ve known for centuries.
October 20, 2019
3 stars overall, but the essays "From Pilgrimage to Crusade", "Contemplation and Dialogue", and "The Other Side of Despair" are 5 stars.
June 5, 2020
Thomas Merton is a must read.
October 14, 2023
Deep read
This book is not for the faint of heart, but has deep insights. The vocabulary of the author alone will lead to the looking up of words.
This book is not for the faint of heart, but has deep insights. The vocabulary of the author alone will lead to the looking up of words.
August 19, 2024
A really good read on Christian mysticism and Buddhism. Morton’s knowledge was way ahead for his time. It’s truly fascinating the relevance still in 2024.
March 8, 2023
In "Mystics and Zen Masters," Thomas Merton explores the similarities and differences between Christian mystics and Zen masters. One point of similarity is the noetic quality of their experiences - both seek to go beyond normal perception and experience something ineffable. They also share a belief in the importance of contemplation and meditation, but Christian mystics emphasize the role of faith and God's grace in achieving a direct experience of the divine.
Another point of similarity is their struggle to express the ineffable nature of their experiences in everyday language. Christian mystics often rely on biblical concepts to articulate their understanding, while Zen masters use paradoxical language like koans. These differences reflect their contrasting views of ultimate reality - Christian mystics tend to view it as personal and relational, while Zen masters view it as impersonal and nondual. Overall, "Mystics and Zen Masters" offers an insightful and thought-provoking exploration of two distinct spiritual traditions. Merton's clear and concise writing style makes this book accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and his analysis of the similarities and differences between these two traditions is both nuanced and illuminating.
Another point of similarity is their struggle to express the ineffable nature of their experiences in everyday language. Christian mystics often rely on biblical concepts to articulate their understanding, while Zen masters use paradoxical language like koans. These differences reflect their contrasting views of ultimate reality - Christian mystics tend to view it as personal and relational, while Zen masters view it as impersonal and nondual. Overall, "Mystics and Zen Masters" offers an insightful and thought-provoking exploration of two distinct spiritual traditions. Merton's clear and concise writing style makes this book accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and his analysis of the similarities and differences between these two traditions is both nuanced and illuminating.
August 8, 2008
This is hit or miss. I think this book was compiled from independent essays. I set about to read a book about Zen and found this in my library (oddly enough). This is a survey of various contemplative traditions, with a little bit of comparing and contrasting. I'm 90% through the book and am powering through it out of sheer tenacity. Not going back to Merton any time soon. The book was written in the 60's as well, and it's starting to feel dated in places.
Having finished this book now, I firmly don't recommend it. Find something more recent. I learned more about Zen from Grace & Grit by Ken Wilber than this book.
Having finished this book now, I firmly don't recommend it. Find something more recent. I learned more about Zen from Grace & Grit by Ken Wilber than this book.
March 30, 2021
A collection of essays dealing with a variety of religious subjects, I was fascinated by the title essay when I read it way back when, in about 1969. As a Christian, it gave me an appreciation of Zen Buddhism and Eastern Mysticism in general. The essay on pilgrimages and crusades was also intriguing as a piece of the historical development of how the idea of going on a pilgrimage for spiritual reasons morphed into going on a crusade to fight the infidels.
January 3, 2011
Any book that takes 6-months to finish speaks for itself. A few interesting late chapters on inter-religious dialogue and the crossover points between Catholic monasticism and Zen, but other than that Merton is well over my head. The closing chapter on existentialism was the literary version of 15-mile ocean swim. Onto lighter fare...
November 26, 2011
This is not a book about Zen Christianity. But it does describe some methods that modern Christians would do well to incorporate. Contemplative prayer is a nearly lost art. This book is for anyone who is trying to discover new ways to sit still and let God be God.
May 24, 2020
The first essay in this collection is fantastic; some of the others overlap it, which is a bit of a drag. I also particularly enjoyed the essay on the late-medieval English mystics. Overall, a sensitive and readable book by a writer whom I intend to further explore.
September 3, 2007
Merton was the first Catholic figure to embrace Buddhism...this book explores the connection between Christianity and Buddhism..esp the role of meditation.
October 1, 2008
An amazing writer who has an uncany ability to clearly explain Eastern and Western religious thought, and throw in just a dash of Christian Existentialism.
June 16, 2009
Lots of different little articles - easier to read once I got into that "intense theology" reading mindset.
It can be like reading Greek sometimes.
It can be like reading Greek sometimes.
August 13, 2011
"Zen insight is not our awareness, but Being's awareness of itself in us."
September 29, 2010
I really love this book! An exhaustive study of the worlds various religious practices, and how the vast majority deal with care of the self, and askesis (the exercise of the self in thought).
April 1, 2014
I will utilize portions of the book as a reference point for further research into the relationship of Zen to Christianity.
March 27, 2016
Merton is a mystic worth emulating (if that's something you feel called to)
February 5, 2017
Awesome
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews