Unity with God in Christian Mysticism and Indian Mysticism A Descriptive-Critical Analysis of Meister Eckhart's Philosophy and Traditional and Modern Vedanta

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Philosophy and Theology, Faculty of Philosophy and Theology, Shahid Motahari University, Tehran, Iran

10.22059/jpht.2025.387252.1006091

Abstract

The issue of human unity with God is one of the fundamental and challenging topics that has occupied the minds of thinkers and mystics in both the East and West. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method, conducts a comparative study of the perspectives of Meister Eckhart and the Vedanta school on human unity with God, and aims to explore the "possibility of human unity with God from the viewpoint of these two philosophical and mystical traditions." Meister Eckhart, a Christian mystic, considers unity with God as the ultimate goal of human beings and emphasizes the necessity of detachment from worldly attachments and the self to achieve this unity. He believes divinity can be discovered in the depths of human existence and integrates mysticism with everyday life practices. In contrast, Vedanta, particularly the Advaita school, presents unity as an eternal truth that remains hidden from humans due to illusion (Maya). This school, emphasizing philosophical knowledge, views liberation from Maya and the understanding of Brahman as the path to realizing the truth of unity. This article, in addition to a comparative analysis of these two views, seeks to clarify the philosophical boundaries between Christian mysticism and Indian philosophy. The findings show that both traditions emphasize detachment from attachments and the significance of unity in daily life, but one focuses on mystical experience while the other focuses on philosophical knowledge. Nonetheless, the theoretical and practical challenges of both viewpoints in realizing this unity still persist.

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References

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Philosophy of Religion
Volume 22, Issue 1
April 2025
Pages 83-94

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