The Absolute as a Common Ground of Mysticism
Keywords:
Advaita, supra-reflective consciousness, saccidananda, Sunyata, Nirvana, Nagarjuna, Mystical Experience, John of the CrossAbstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the contention that an absolute is a common and ultimate foundation in all forms of mystical experience found in major world religions. The initial question is whether we can have a concept of the absolute at all. If we were to admit its possibility, it has to be conceded that it would belong to a supra-reflective consciousness. As we know, knowledge in its initial form is pure awareness or consciousness. Here not only the object is known but knowledge itself is known. This awareness is not in a communicable form for, of itself, it never affirms; nor does it deal with anything that is not existentially in act; it does not picture itself or represent. Consequently even the idea of "otherness" of object is absent from it. This pre-reflective consciousness is to be conceived as the opposite pole of a supra-reflective consciousness.
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