See this imageSelf and Liberation: The Jung-Buddhism Dialogue (Jung and Spirituality Series) Paperback – March 1, 1992
by Daniel J. Meckel (Editor), Robert L. Moore (Editor)
5.0 out of 5 stars 4 ratings
This important new book makes available a significant collection of essays devoted to the relationship of C.G. Jung's work to Buddhism. Includes all four of Jung's major essays on Buddhism, a transcript of the conversation between Jung and Zen Master Shin'ichi Hisamatsu in 1958 at Jung's home in Kusnacht, and nine essays on Jung's work by psychology and religion scholars.
338 pages
Product details
Publisher : Paulist Press; First Edition (March 1, 1992)
Paperback : 338 pages
Robert L. Moore
Top reviews from the United States
Neal J. Pollock
5.0 out of 5 stars Jung related to Zen & Vajrayana--a high quality gemReviewed in the United States on June 10, 2005
This is a terrific book. It has 3 parts:
Jung's Commentaries on Tibetan Buddhist texts,
his meeting with a Zen expert, &
9 articles by contemporary authors on Jung-Buddhist issues.
It is bi-directional, addressing both Jung's contributions to Buddhism & vice versa. Some of the authors have published valuable books too-
Radmila Moacanin,
Nathan Katz, &
Harold Coward.
Jung said:
p. 49: "Matter is an hypothesis. When you say `matter' you are really creating a symbol for something unknown, which may just as well be `spirit' or anything else; it may even be "God,"
p. 76: "close parallelism between the findings of Eastern & Western psychology," &
p. 83: "The Bardo Thödol is in the highest degree psychological in its outlook." The book addresses mostly Zen & Vajrayana Buddhism & Jung, though there is a bit on Freud too.
Nathan Katz says: p. 324: in "Dakini & Anima..."-"a paradigm for comparative religion-psychological study which neither reduces one perspective to another, nor sees the discourses of Buddhist & Jungian psychology as rigidly & artificially compartmentalized." This relates to virtually the entire book.
As James Thomas states: p. 221: "The language of both Jung & Buddhism is a study in elaborate avoidance of metaphysics. The language of both strives to be purely empirical."
The book also addresses Jung-Buddhist differences:
The book also addresses Jung-Buddhist differences:
p. 183: Mokusen Miyuki in "Self-Realization in the 10 Oxherding Pictures," "The Eastern concept of `mind' is radically different from that in the West."
Quoting Jung, "In the West, `mind' is more or less equated with consciousness, whereas in the East the word `mind' is closer to what the West refers to as the unconscious...Our study, employing Jung's concepts & methodology, has afforded us a psychological understanding of Zen satori (enlightenment) in terms of self-realization, or the urge of the Self to realize itself."
And since the U.S. is considered ESTJ (Extroverted/Sensate/Thinker/Judgmental) & Tibet seems opposite in psychological type & Westerners go down into the unconscious (& Kabbalists go down to the Chariot) while Easterners rise up to their Buddha nature, Jung suggested Westerners read the Bardo Thödol backwards.
Also, p. 163: Thomas Kasulis, says "The Zen Buddhist view of the person goes beyond the more restricted psychoanalytic categories of Freud & Jung." Interestingly, the Pu-ming oxherding pictures remind me of the Tibetan Path of Shamatha in Kalu Rinpoche's "Luminous Mind" or Dzogchen Ponlop's stages of resting in "Wild Awakening."
But the largest difference is in the view of the final stage of enlightenment vs. individuation-Self-centered vs. ego-centered people-whether the Self can be "conscious" without the ego. IMHO this is a matter of conceptual definitions-& it reminds me of Casteneda's 2nd Attention with which Jung was unfamiliar.
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Jack Kornfield
5.0 out of 5 stars From the Back CoverReviewed in the United States on November 24, 1999
"A remarkable and helpful collection of the dialogues begun by Jung and his followers with the great teachings of the East. These are visionary papers which raise profound questions about human wholeness in the spiritual and psychological world. I hope that this book sparks continued and deepening discussions."
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9 people found this helpful
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Jack Kornfield
5.0 out of 5 stars From the Back CoverReviewed in the United States on November 24, 1999
"A remarkable and helpful collection of the dialogues begun by Jung and his followers with the great teachings of the East. These are visionary papers which raise profound questions about human wholeness in the spiritual and psychological world. I hope that this book sparks continued and deepening discussions."
4 people found this helpful
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