Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven: Reflections on the Tradition of Meditation in Christianity and Zen Buddhism

by Tom Chetwynd

Overview

"Let us guard the mind with all diligence from thoughts that obscure the soul's mirror; for in that mirror Jesus Christ, the wisdom and power of God the Father, is luminously reflected. And let us unceasingly seek the Kingdom of Heaven inside our mind. Indeed if we cleanse the eye of the mind, we will find all things hidden within us. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within us, indicating that Divinity dwells in our minds."
—Saint Philotheos of Sinai, circa ninth century.

In this provocative and very human work, Tom Chetwynd tells the story of how his skeptical first encounters with Zen Buddhism led him to discover the rich-but largely forgotten Christian tradition of pure contemplative prayer. Chetwynd explores the surprisingly Zen-like teachings of the Desert Fathers and other Christian meditation masters whose practice stems from the very first Christian communities—and perhaps Jesus Christ himself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780861711871
Publisher:	Wisdom Publications MA
Publication date:	03/01/2001
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Tom Chetwynd is the author of many books on dreams, myths, and symbols, including The Dictionary for Dreamers and The Age of Myth: The Bronze Age As the Cradle of the Unconscious. He lives in London, England.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	XI
	Introduction	1
Part 1	Zen Experience
Chapter 1	The First Step	9
	Difficulty at the Beginning	9
	Just Sitting Facing the Wall	10
	The Zen Monk Arrives	15
	My First Zen Retreat	20
Chapter 2	Baby Zendo and Sochu Roshi	33
Chapter 3	Infinite Steps	49
	"Life Is a Marathon"	49
	The Science of the Soul	53
	Last Stop, First Step	60
	The Investigation	62
Part 2	Christian Meditation in the Light of Zen
Chapter 4	The Story of Christian Meditation	71
	The Background	71
	The Buddha Was a Christian Saint, but Was Christ a Buddhist Sage?	72
	Did Jesus Christ Meditate?	77
	Jesus Christ, Teacher of Meditation	78
	Pure Mind	82
	The Kingdom of Heaven	83
Chapter 5	The Immediate Sequel	89
	From the First Christian Communities to the Desert Fathers	89
	The Righteous Men and Anthony of the Desert	91
Chapter 6	The Line of Christian Spiritual Masters	95
	The Investigation Continued	95
	From the Third to the Seventh Centuries: The Desert Fathers	98
	From the Orthodox Monks and Cassian to the Fourteenth Century	104
	From the Fifteenth Century to the Present Day in the Eastern Orthodox Branch of Christianity	114
	In the West, from Cassian to the Present Day	115
	A Break in the Chain of Christian Transmission	120
Part 3	Christian Zen Practice
Chapter 7	Christian Zen Practice	129
	The Still Body Stills the Mind	133
	Dissolving the Mind into the Breath	136
	Suitable Circumstances	140
Chapter 8	What Comes Next?	143
	Recommended Reading List	147
	About the Author	155

Editorial Reviews

"An important challenge for the Catholic Church is to open itself to the special gifts offered through the other major world religions. Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven explores the great gift of special forms of prayer and meditation that are being offered us through the tradition of Zen Buddhism. The author shows how Zen Buddhism is revitalizing rich traditions of prayer and meditation practiced in early Christianity."

John McNeill

"An excellent publication that presents the personal and direct interface of Buddhism and Christianity. Part One, 'Zen Experience,' has all the dynamics and inspiration of genuine experience and is penetrating. It alone is well worth the price of the book. Part Two, 'Christian Meditation in the Light of Zen,' traces the story of Christian meditation and its line of teachers right up to the present. The quotations given are outstanding. Part Three goes into practical details about Christians doing Zen, giving concrete suggestions for practice. We simply need more books like this one."

Bulletin of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue

"A devout Catholic, Tom Chetwynd never imagined himself as a teacher of Zen meditation. But a visit from a Japanese Zen master opened the way for him, and he's been meditating ever since. In this spare, humorous memoir, Chetwynd brilliantly recounts the experiences that led him into Zen."

Katherine Koberg

"Recommended for anyone interested or drawn to a Zen practice as a Christian."—

Monos

"Engaging, illuminating, and thought-provoking."

Reverend Priscilla Inkpen

"Zen and the Kingdom of Heaven reveals how Zen Buddhism can revitalize the rich traditions of prayer and meditation practiced in early Christianity. Chetwynd shows us the great gifts that Zen Buddhism can offer today's Christians."

Father John McNeill

"In this accessible story of his introduction to Zen practice... Chetwynd demonstrates how he has integrated his Christian faith with the teachings of Zen. One of the outcomes of this practice was his realization that meditation is an essential part of the Christian tradition."

Spirituality & Health

"Down-to-earth and enjoyable!"

The Beacon

"To some, combining an Eastern spiritual practice with Western Biblical teachings might seem absurd. Chetwynd, a Catholic who has studied Zen Buddhism for 25 years and now teaches Zen meditation, does exactly that in this book, blending the often strict meditative disciplines of Zen with the possible meditative practices of Jesus Christ. It is an insightful foray into both Christian and Buddhist systems, useful for the faithful of both beliefs. The bulk of the book focuses on zazen, or meditation, and attaining the Kingdom of Heaven. Chetwynd's primary purpose is to unite Christian belief with aspects of Buddhist discipline, making for a very thoughtful and provocative read. Includes an excellent recommended reading list."

Today's Librarian