Chuang tzu written by thomas merton and oscar wilde. Chuang tzu, who wrote in the fourth and third centuries. In 1987, fourteen people with a serious interest in thomas merton and his writings had met at bellarmine college now university in louisville, kentucky. He called his own life story the seven storey mountain.
Thomas merton was born on 31 january 1915 in prades, pyreneesorientales, france to a new zealand born painter father, owen merton and an american quaker and an artist mother, ruth jenkins. Buy a cheap copy of the way of chuang tzu book by thomas merton. Chuang tzu, the greatest of the taoist writers whose historical existence can beverified we cannot be sure of lao tzu, flourished toward theend of this period, and indeed the last chapter of the chuangtzu book chap. The respected trappist monk thomas merton spent several years reading and reflecting upon four different translations of the chinese classic that bears chuang tzu s name. Thomas merton and the eternal search the new yorker. 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. The way of chuang tzu thomas merton working from existing translations, father merton has composed a series of personal versions from his favorites among the classic sayings of chuang tzu, the most spirit ual of the chinese philosophers. Apr 09, 2010 the way of chuang tzu, by thomas merton, is the product of five years of immersion, study, prayer, and reflection on the work of zhuangzi, one of the towering figures in chinese taoism daojia who lived sometime between the fourth and third century bc.
Thomas merton, a trappist monk, is perhaps the foremost spiritual thinker of the twentiethcentury. 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. Thomas merton on solitude articles house of solitude. Contemplative prayer by thomas merton bahai studies. The way of chuang tzu second edition thomas merton. The purpose of their meeting was to consider the establishment of an international thomas merton society. Aong his seven books he has written two on mo tzu, three on. Thoughtful and eloquent, as timely or timeless now as when it was originally published in 1956, thoughts in solitude addresses the pleasure of a solitary li.
Nov 23, 2009 merton and chuang tzu both were hermits to some extent, and both spiritual philosophers of sorts, perhaps with merton heavier on the spiritual side and chuang tzu more the philosopher. New selected poems of thomas merton new directions, 2005, edited by lynn r. According to his fathers wishes merton was baptized in the church of england. Thomas merton 19151968, a trappist monk, was one of the most wellknown catholic writers of the 20th century. Jim denevan creates temporary drawings on sand, earth, and ice. Chuang tzuconsidered, along with lao tzu, one of the great figures of early taoist thoughtused parables and anecdotes, allegory and paradox, to illustrate that. It is the only thing, unfortunately, no matter what you do, that you cannot avoid being.
Working from existing translations, thomas merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of chuang tzu, the most spiritual of chinese philosophers. Thomas merton quotes author of the seven storey mountain. Because we are made for eternal life, we are made for an act that gathers up all the powers and capacities of our being and offers them simultaneously and forever to god. Out went a hand, down went a shoulder, he planted a foot, he pressed with a knee, the ox fell apart with a whisper, the bright cleaver murmured like a gentle wind. Ive noticed lately that the more i like a book the harder it is for me to discuss it. He was the author of more than 60 books, including the story of his conversion. An initiation into the heart of taoism through the authentic tao te ching and the inner teachings of chuang tzu. Sep 20, 2015 thoughts in solitude stands alongside the seven storey mountain as one of mertons most uring and popular works. One might ask why a person should learn about taoism from a trappist monk any more than one would learn the teachings of st. Chuang tzu considered, along with lao tzu, one of the great figures of early the respected trappist monk thomas merton spent several years reading and. Due to a struggling career as an artist, owen merton had an irregular. Mertons the way of chuang tzu i finished reading thomas mertons the way of chuang tzu over a week ago and have struggled to find the best way to offer my impressions of it since. Marilyn sunderman associate professor of theology saint josephs college of maine usa email.
Quotations from chuang tzu by thomas merton, terebess asia. Jul 06, 2011 prince wen huis cook was cutting up an ox. Contemplative prayer by thomas merton what is the purpose of meditation in the sense of the prayer of the heart. In lost planet 2, the players not are drained off the thermal energy. Salvador dali i abraham joshua heschel and thomas merton are anomalies as twentieth. Working from existing translations, thomas merton composed a series of his own versions of the classic sayings of chuang tzu, the most spiritual of chinese. Christianity, one on taoism and one on thomas merton. O in his autobiography, the seven s1orey mounlain, in a. Apr, 2012 chuang tzu, living almost 2500 years ago, was what we might today term a monk.
Jun 19, 20 a study of chuang tzuthe classic period of chinese philosophy covers about threehundred years, from 550 to 250 b. We do not reason about dogmas of faith, or the mysteries. There is something in the depths of our being that hungers for wholeness and finality. Oscar wildes a chinese sage was published in the speaker i.
Ping ferry about thomas merton, conducted by paul wilkes, transcribed and edited by paul m. The international thomas merton society, corpus christi chapter merton had a shower, and then, very possibly with the soles of his feet still wet, grasped a large standing fan that was defective and took a full 220 volts of direct current. Untitled image of california artist jim denevan executing a sand drawing. Mar 30, 2010 classic writings from the great zen master in exquisite versions by thomas merton, in a new edition with a preface by his holiness the dalai lama. In the prayer of the heart we seek first of all the deepest ground of our identity in god. Merton and wu collaborated on a translation of the taoist classic the way of chuang tzu second edition. 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. Alaska and california schedule notes, 1968 found in book with marginalia. Terebess asia online tao home zen index thomas merton 19151968 pdf. The way of chuang tzu by thomas merton, 9780811218511, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Abraham joshua heschel and thomas merton heretics of modernity shaul m agid. Among merton s most enduring works is his bestselling autobiography the seven storey mountain 1948, which sent scores of world war ii veterans, students, and even teenagers flocking to monasteries across the us, and was also featured. Working from existing translations, father merton has composed a series of personal versions from his.
Thoughts in solitude by thomas merton free book pdf. Thomas merton the way of chuang tzu pdf in order to determine your windows version, please do the following secondary boot loader for vxworks. Merton s fondness for the taoist text reflected his growing interest in chinese philosophy and aesthetics, but with no formal training in chinese languages and philosophy, merton s confidence in tackling a translation project was. Thomas merton was not only a monk but an advocate of the proposition that those who are inching towards the source of sacredness were brother and sister, monks and nuns regardless of official dress and doctrine. The restless journeys of thomas merton and henri nouwen duration.
The way of chuang tzu, thomas merton kaimen kaimen. Thomas merton biography thomas merton childhood, life and. A light bulb went off as well when i realized that chuang tzu was also one of thomas merton s favorite writers. The result is this collection of poetic renderings of the great sages work that conveys its spirit in a way no other translation has and that was merton s personal favorite. The essential collection merton, thomas journal of thomas merton 1 by william h. Chuang tzu was a taoist sage, living sometime before 250 b. The american trappist monk thomas merton 191568 was a prolific writer on a variety of subjects but known especially for his popularization of the monastic life and for his advocacy unique among american writers and religious of eremiticism.
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