By the time of his tragic, untimely death in 1968, father louis as he was known at the trappist monastery where he lived for twentyseven years had published upwards of fifty books and pamphlets, including several more collections of poetry. The thomas merton studies center at bellarmine college in louisville, kentucky, contains over 10,000 items related to merton and some 3,000 of his manuscripts. Zen enriches no one, thomas merton provocatively wr. In december 1968, the catholic monk thomas merton also known by. Zen and the birds of appetite quotes by thomas merton. When he flew out of san francisco for asia on october 15, 1968, he left with the expectation of religious discovery, as if his monastic life at the.
He is the author of more than 70 books, including such classics as. Thomas merton is the saintly man who caused the dalai lama to come to admire christianity as the equal of his beloved buddhism. Merton s knowledge of buddhism was rooted in the hindu traditions that preceded it. Thomas merton was recognized as one of those rare western minds that are entirely at home with the zen experience. Zen and the birds of appetite book by thomas merton. In the 1969 book recollections of thomas mertons last days in the west, benedictine monk br. One reason for this skill is that he had not only studied buddhism from the outside, but. In the book contemplative prayer1 thomas merton presents his. I have the privelege to know two other men who were monks as well, moved to.
He is the author of more than 70 books, including such classics as new seeds of contemplation, the seven storey mountain, and zen and the birds of appetite. Thurston as an artist, thomas merton is perhaps best known as a poet. Louis, born january 31, 1915, prades, francedied december 10, 1968, bangkok, thailand, roman catholic monk, poet, and prolific writer on spiritual and social themes, one of the most important american roman catholic writers of the 20th century merton was the son of a new zealandborn father, owen merton, and an americanborn mother, ruth jenkins. Mertons last journal, the asian journal of thomas merton, recounts in detail his sense that the dialogue with buddhism was not to become some facile syncretism and did involve a scrupulous respect. David steindlrast wrote that thomas said that he wanted to become as good a buddhist as i can. Thomas mertons first book, the seven storey mountain, describes his early doubts, his conversion to a catholic faith of extreme certainty, and his decision to take life vows as a trappist. Finally, shambhala, best known for books on buddhism, will publish make peace before the sun goes down. The prechristian merton had come across aldous huxleys book on mysticism, ends and means, which sowed an attraction for not only mysticism in general, but for apophatic mysticismmeaning a knowledge of god obtained by negationthat would enable him to later relate to buddhist teachings about the void and emptiness the thomas. But he was also a skilled calligrapher, pen and ink painter, and photographer.
Zen and the birds of appetite by thomas merton, 1968 online. And they tend to describe it in much the same language. She edited thomas merton and buddhism fons vitae press, 2007, hidden in the same mystery. Thomas merton 31 january 1915 10 december 1968 was a 20thcentury american catholic writer. This book finally gives us a clear look at how that happened, how merton understood buddhism, how it moved him, and how tragically his premature death cost us the feast of insight he would surely have provided us. Thomas mertons encounter with buddhism clearly describes each of the topics that are explored, providing a historical overview and a critical analysis, drawing from wellrecognized merton scholars. Merton and sufism, merton and hesychasm, merton and judaism, merton and buddhism, merton and the tao, merton and indigenous. Merton was also a visual artist of considerable talent exploring drawing and calligraphy and, as. Enjoy the best thomas merton quotes at brainyquote. Thomas merton books list of books by author thomas merton. Her work on merton has been translated into dutch, german, italian, and spanish.
In books with titles like seeds of destruction and faith and violence. Apr 15, 2019 thomas merton s encounter with buddhism clearly describes each of the topics that are explored, providing a historical overview and a critical analysis, drawing from wellrecognized merton scholars. The following is a list of works about thomas merton, publications about thomas merton, the trappist monk from abbey of gethsemani. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious conceptsearly monasticism, russian orthodox spirituality, the shakers, and zen buddhismwith characteristic western directness. That book, and the extraordinary variety of catholic churches in manhattan, almost. Quotations by thomas merton, american author, born january 31, 1915. Thomas merton was a writer and trappist monk at our lady of gethsemani abbey in kentucky. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding.
These essays challenge that perception, without falling into vague generalisations. Dec 14, 2019 the dalai lama said merton understood buddhism more profoundly than any other christian he had met. Mystics and zen masters by thomas merton, paperback. Only a writer as talented as mary gordon could have written about a writer as talented as thomas merton. Soon to join the renowned series, merton and sufism, merton and hesychasm, merton and judaism, merton and buddhism, merton and the tao are merton and the indigenous world, and merton and hinduism. On eastern meditation by thomas merton, paperback barnes. At prayer with thomas merton 2007, sorin books, isbn 1933495057. Learn more about his life, conversion, writings, and legacy with this article. Christians and buddhists mark the 50th anniversary of the passing.
It is now emptiness, now dark night, now perfect freedom, now nomind, now poverty in the sense used by eckhart and by d. This is a collection of essays published over the years dealing with thomas mertons great interest in eastern religion, especially buddhism and more precisely zen buddhism. May 01, 2008 in the 1969 book recollections of thomas mertons last days in the west, benedictine monk br. Thomas merton was not perfect, and he might not have been a saint. James carroll, author of constantines sword and the cloister. Tongues are wagging over just how buddhist the celebrated trappist monk thomas merton became late in his life. It embraced primarily the mahayana tradition, although perhaps his greatest illuminations. A monk who lived in isolation for several years, and one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the twentieth century, thomas james merton was a prolific poet, religious writer, and essayist whose diversity of work has rendered a precise definition of his life and an estimation of the significance of his career difficult.
In mertons last address, in bangkok, thailand, he said that as western christians who have an openness with buddhism, with hinduism and with great asian traditions, we learn more about the potentiality of our own traditions because they have gone from the natural. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. Dec 28, 2018 thomas merton was born in 1915, to parents living in the french pyrenees. Thomas merton is best known today for his spiritual writings on contemplation and his own personal spiritual journey that led him to study eastern religions, especially zen buddhism. The international thomas merton society was founded in 1987 and reports a. Merton not only studied these religions from the outside but grasped them by empathy and living. Christianity and buddhism have often been presented as antithetical, working from bases too different to afford dialogue. Thomas merton ocso january 31, 1915 december 10, 1968 was an american trappist. Her book brings his books back to life, and belongs with them from now on. Thomas merton and dialogue with buddhism i have been asked, first, to sit in meditation with a buddhist group in san francisco at the end of this. The modern monkhood of thomas merton the new yorker. Merton, a longtime social justice advocate, first approached eastern theology as an admirer of gandhis beliefs on nonviolence. Thomas merton and the synergy of christianity and buddhism.
Mertons biographer, george woodcock, once wrote that almost from the beginning of his monastic career, thomas merton tentatively began to discover the great asian religions of buddhism and taoism. Thomas merton ocso january 31, 1915 december 10, 1968 was an american trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. Barron offers a tribute to him on the 100th anniversary of merton s birth. Three essays on thomas merton 2006, the thomas merton society of great britain and ireland, isbn 0955157110. Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality. In 1944, new directions brought out thomas mertons first book of verse.
Merton had perhaps one of the clearest understanding of zen, and in the ways which it came close to touching western mysticism in some of the rhenish mystics ekhart and ruysbroek and even st. Thomas merton biography thomas merton january 31, 1915 december 10, 1968 was an american trappist monk and author, born in prades in the pyreneesorientales departement of france. Jun 03, 2009 the lifelong journey of discovering god and ourselves. Thomas merton, roman catholic monk, poet, and prolific writer on spiritual and social themes, one of the most important american roman catholic writers of the 20th century. View the list wheels of fire, cosmic, rich, fullbodied honest victories over desperation. Just as his studies of buddhism and islam affected his work as a poet, his studies, particularly of zen buddhism affected. Zen and the birds of appetite by thomas merton goodreads. The lifelong journey of discovering god and ourselves. A trappist monk of the abbey of gethsemani, kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. Park makes extensive use of the books and journals of merton, demonstrating both a familiarity and a critical knowledge of these works.
Although his conversionary piety sometimes falls into stickysweet abstractions, mertons autobiographical reflections are mostly wise, humble, and concrete. The fons vitae thomas merton series paul m pearson, james a. What merton meant by zen buddhism was the religion that began in china and spread to japan as well as the rituals and. Merton was also a visual artist of considerable talent exploring drawing and calligraphy and, as reflected in this exhibition, photography. Barron offers a tribute to him on the 100th anniversary of mertons birth.
By reading the scriptures i am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. Merton was a trappist, a member of a roman catholic brotherhood. Thomas merton 19151968, a trappist monk, was one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the 20th century. I first met thomas merton in his early book seeds of contemplation. But he was indeed a master of the spiritual life, and his life and work had a profound effect on me and an army of others around the world. Mystics and zen masters by thomas merton, paperback barnes. Thomas merton, monk in and for troubled times jack hartjes. Thomas merton and the education of the whole person. On may 26, 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name father louis.
Thomas merton and the synergy of christianity and buddhism i. The long encounter of thomas merton and his abbot, james fox by roger lipsey in. Thomas merton audio books, best sellers, author bio. While many of thomas mertons books have helped a broad lay audience understand and engage in practices of western mysticism and buddhism, his prophetic and contemplative stance against white racism has yet to be understood much less practicedby a critical mass of white people of faith. And i believe that by openness to buddhism, to hinduism, and to these great asian traditions, we stand a wonderful chance of learning more about the potentiality of our own traditions, because they have gone, from the natural point of view, so much deeper into this than we have. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious conceptsearly monasticism, russian orthodox spirituality, the shakers, and. He was the author of more than 60 books, including the story of his conversion, seven storey mountain, a modern spiritual classic. The merton legacy trust, devoted to gathering all future merton scholarship, is also located at bellarmine. However, merton is known well enough and these essays show him at his best. Books by thomas merton goodreads meet your next favorite book. The dalai lama said merton understood buddhism more profoundly than any other christian he had met. Thomas merton and dialogue with buddhism america magazine. A separate list of works by thomas merton is also available. Merton and sufism, merton and hesychasm, merton and judaism, merton and buddhism, merton and the tao, merton and indigenous wisdom is merton and hinduism.
If one is speaking of christianity and zen buddhism at the core, merton says, yes, they are incompatible. Wiseman, roger lipsey, bonnie bowman thurston, thomas merton, jonathan montaldo, roger corless on. In mertons book, mystics and zen masters, he says of zen that it is a concrete and lived ontology which explains itself not in theoretical. Jul, 2012 thomas merton and dialogue with buddhism i have been asked, first, to sit in meditation with a buddhist group in san francisco at the end of this month and,then, give them a talk on thomas merton. Although merton was surprised to hear the monk recommend catholic books, he read them both. Thomas merton and the dalai lama thomas merton center. The long encounter of thomas merton and his abbot, james fox by roger lipsey in may. I came across this article and this book just today. Zen enriches no one, thomas merton provocatively writes in his opening. Thomas merton, the trappist monk whose autobiography the seven storey mountain, propelled him to fame, continued to be a man of contradictions even after he entered the trappist monastery in 1941. When i was in the convent, we spent half an hour in silent meditation before mass and morning prayer most mornings, and it was one of the most difficult aspects of the religious life for me. Quotes and reflections from meditation by thomas merton. Thomas merton series soon to join the renowned series.