Thomas merton was a person who brought focus to what was going on in civic and roman catholic circles by challenging. Books by thomas merton goodreads meet your next favorite book. Thomas merton books list of books by author thomas merton. Merton and sufism, merton and hesychasm, merton and judaism, merton and buddhism, merton and the tao, merton and indigenous wisdom is merton and hinduism. On may 26, 1949, he was ordained to the priesthood and given the name father louis. 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. 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.
Although his conversionary piety sometimes falls into stickysweet abstractions, mertons autobiographical reflections are mostly wise, humble, and concrete. 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. 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. Zen and the birds of appetite by thomas merton goodreads. Just as his studies of buddhism and islam affected his work as a poet, his studies, particularly of zen buddhism affected. Enjoy the best thomas merton quotes at brainyquote. In 1944, new directions brought out thomas mertons first book of verse. But he was also a skilled calligrapher, pen and ink painter, and photographer. Only a writer as talented as mary gordon could have written about a writer as talented as thomas merton. Thomas merton and the education of the whole person. The second half of thomas mertons book dealt with a topic that i had a lot of experience with, though i was by no means an expert. The modern monkhood of thomas merton the new yorker.
The dalai lama said merton understood buddhism more profoundly than any other christian he had met. Dec 28, 2018 thomas merton was born in 1915, to parents living in the french pyrenees. The fons vitae thomas merton series paul m pearson, james a. Thomas merton, who died in bangkok, thailand, in 1968, was internationally. A trappist monk of the abbey of gethsemani, kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion. The long encounter of thomas merton and his abbot, james fox by roger lipsey in. Three essays on thomas merton 2006, the thomas merton society of great britain and ireland, isbn 0955157110. Learn more about his life, conversion, writings, and legacy with this article.
By reading the scriptures i am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. Merton and sufism, merton and hesychasm, merton and judaism, merton and buddhism, merton and the tao, merton and indigenous. The long encounter of thomas merton and his abbot, james fox by roger lipsey in may. Thomas merton 31 january 1915 10 december 1968 was a 20thcentury american catholic writer. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious conceptsearly monasticism, russian orthodox spirituality, the shakers, and zen buddhismwith characteristic western directness. In books with titles like seeds of destruction and faith and violence. I have the privelege to know two other men who were monks as well, moved to. 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.
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. Finally, shambhala, best known for books on buddhism, will publish make peace before the sun goes down. Tongues are wagging over just how buddhist the celebrated trappist monk thomas merton became late in his life. 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. It embraced primarily the mahayana tradition, although perhaps his greatest illuminations. Thomas merton audio books, best sellers, author bio. 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. 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. 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. Thomas merton, monk in and for troubled times jack hartjes. Zen and the birds of appetite by thomas merton, 1968 online. Obscurity and oblivion were hardly in mertons karma to use a term that merton himself came to understand in the years when he began to study eastern philosophy, in particular zen buddhism, and. Zen enriches no one, thomas merton provocatively writes in his opening. 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.
Quotes and reflections from meditation by thomas merton. One reason for this skill is that he had not only studied buddhism from the outside, but. Jun 03, 2009 the lifelong journey of discovering god and ourselves. Thomas merton was recognized as one of those rare western minds that are entirely at home with the zen experience. Christianity and buddhism have often been presented as antithetical, working from bases too different to afford dialogue. 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. Thomas merton ocso january 31, 1915 december 10, 1968 was an american trappist. I first met thomas merton in his early book seeds of contemplation. Thomas merton was not perfect, and he might not have been a saint. 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. In the book contemplative prayer1 thomas merton presents his.
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. 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. Zen and the birds of appetite quotes by thomas merton. In december 1968, the catholic monk thomas merton also known by. At prayer with thomas merton 2007, sorin books, isbn 1933495057. 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. The following is a list of works about thomas merton, publications about thomas merton, the trappist monk from abbey of gethsemani. Thomas merton 19151968, a trappist monk, was one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the 20th century. 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.
The merton legacy trust, devoted to gathering all future merton scholarship, is also located at bellarmine. 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. Merton was a trappist, a member of a roman catholic brotherhood. If one is speaking of christianity and zen buddhism at the core, merton says, yes, they are incompatible. Thomas merton was a writer and trappist monk at our lady of gethsemani abbey in kentucky. Mystics and zen masters by thomas merton, paperback barnes. That book, and the extraordinary variety of catholic churches in manhattan, almost. Wiseman, roger lipsey, bonnie bowman thurston, thomas merton, jonathan montaldo, roger corless on. 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. However, merton is known well enough and these essays show him at his best. And they tend to describe it in much the same language. 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. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding. She edited thomas merton and buddhism fons vitae press, 2007, hidden in the same mystery.
Thomas merton is the saintly man who caused the dalai lama to come to admire christianity as the equal of his beloved buddhism. Thomas merton and the synergy of christianity and buddhism. View the list wheels of fire, cosmic, rich, fullbodied honest victories over desperation. I came across this article and this book just today. Park makes extensive use of the books and journals of merton, demonstrating both a familiarity and a critical knowledge of these works. Thomas merton and dialogue with buddhism america magazine. 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. 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 the 1969 book recollections of thomas mertons last days in the west, benedictine monk br. He was the author of more than 60 books, including the story of his conversion, seven storey mountain, a modern spiritual classic. 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. Merton was also a visual artist of considerable talent exploring drawing and calligraphy and, as. Barron offers a tribute to him on the 100th anniversary of mertons birth.
Thomas merton and the dalai lama thomas merton center. Merton, a longtime social justice advocate, first approached eastern theology as an admirer of gandhis beliefs on nonviolence. Zen and the birds of appetite book by thomas merton. Thomas merton series soon to join the renowned series. Her book brings his books back to life, and belongs with them from now on.
He is the author of more than 70 books, including such classics as. Quotations by thomas merton, american author, born january 31, 1915. What merton meant by zen buddhism was the religion that began in china and spread to japan as well as the rituals and. Dec 10, 2008 thomas merton was a person who brought focus to what was going on in civic and roman catholic circles by challenging. 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.
Thurston as an artist, thomas merton is perhaps best known as a poet. Her work on merton has been translated into dutch, german, italian, and spanish. David steindlrast wrote that thomas said that he wanted to become as good a buddhist as i can. Thomas merton books biography and list of works author. 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. The lifelong journey of discovering god and ourselves. Mystics and zen masters by thomas merton, paperback. A separate list of works by thomas merton is also available. Merton was also a visual artist of considerable talent exploring drawing and calligraphy and, as reflected in this exhibition, photography. Christians and buddhists mark the 50th anniversary of the passing. Thomas merton was born in 1915, to parents living in the french pyrenees.
Thomas merton and the synergy of christianity and buddhism i. Barron offers a tribute to him on the 100th anniversary of merton s birth. It is now emptiness, now dark night, now perfect freedom, now nomind, now poverty in the sense used by eckhart and by d. Thomas merton, a man of contradictions loyola press. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious conceptsearly monasticism, russian orthodox spirituality, the shakers, and. James carroll, author of constantines sword and the cloister. 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. May 01, 2008 in the 1969 book recollections of thomas mertons last days in the west, benedictine monk br. 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. Zen enriches no one, thomas merton provocatively wr.
Thomas merton books biography and list of works author of. On eastern meditation by thomas merton, paperback barnes. 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. In this collection, he discusses diverse religious conceptsearly monasticism, russian orthodox spirituality, the shakers, and zen buddhism with characteristic western directness.
Although merton was surprised to hear the monk recommend catholic books, he read them both. Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality. 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. Merton s knowledge of buddhism was rooted in the hindu traditions that preceded it. 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. 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.