The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy

Are mystical experiences formed by the mystic’s cultural background and concepts, as ＂constructivists＂ maintain, or do mystics sometimes transcend language, belief, and culturally conditioned expectations? Do mystical experiences differ throughout the various religious traditions, as ＂pluralists＂ contend, or are they somehow ecumenical? The contributors to this collection scrutinize a common mystical experience, the ＂pure consciousness event＂--the experience of being awake but devoid of intentional content--in order to answer these questions. Through the use of historical Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish mystical writings, as well as those of modern mystics, the contributors reveal the inconsistencies and inadequacies of current models, and make significant strides towards developing new models for the understanding of mystical phenomenon, in particular, and of human experience, in general.

Robert K.C. Forman is Associate Professor of Religion at City University of New York’s Hunter College, and author of six books and numerous articles on religion and religious experiences.