Louis Komjathy 
Contemplative Literature 
A Comparative Sourcebook on Meditation and Contemplative Prayer

This is the first theoretically informed and historically accurate comparative anthology of primary texts on meditation and contemplative prayer. Written by international experts on the respective texts and corresponding traditions,
Contemplative Literature provides introductions to and primary sources on contemplative practice from various religious traditions. The contributors explore classical Daoist apophatic meditation, Quaker silent prayer, Jewish Kabbalah, Southern Buddhist meditation, Sufi contemplation, Eastern Orthodox prayer, Pure Land Buddhist visualization, Hindu classical Yoga, Dominican Catholic prayer, Daoist internal alchemy, and modern therapeutic meditation. Each introduction to a contemplative text discusses its historical context, the associated religious tradition and literature, the method of contemplative practice, and the text’s legacy and influence. Volume editor Louis Komjathy opens the work with a thoughtful consideration of interpretive issues in the emerging interdisciplinary field of contemplative studies. Readers will gain not only a nuanced understanding of important works of contemplative literature, but also resources for understanding contemplative practice and contemplative experience from a comparative and cross-cultural perspective.

Table of Content

Illustrations

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations




Part I. Approaching Contemplative Practice



1. Approaching Contemplative Practice


Louis Komjathy



2. Contemplative Traditions


Louis Komjathy




Part II. Contemplative Traditions



3. Daoist Apophatic Meditation: Selections from the Classical Daoist Textual Corpus


Harold D. Roth



4. Quaker Silent Prayer:
A Guide to True Peace


Michael Birkel



5. Jewish Kabbalah: Hayyim Vital’s
Shaarei Kedusha
Shaul Magid



6. Southern Buddhist Meditation: The
Ānāpānasati Sutta
Sarah Shaw



7. Sufi Contemplation: ‘Abdullah Shah’s
Suluk-i Mujaddidiyya
Arthur F. Buehler



8. Eastern Orthodox Prayer: The
Rasskaz strannika


John Anthony Mc Guckin



9. Mahāyāna Buddhist Visualization: The
Guan wuliang shoufo jing


Kenneth K. Tanaka



10. Hindu Classical Yoga: Patañjali’s
Yoga Sūtras
Edwin F. Bryant



11. Roman Catholic Prayer: The
Novem modi orandi sancti Dominici
Paul Philibert



12. Daoist Internal Alchemy: Liu Huayang’s
Huiming jing


Louis Komjathy



13. Therapeutic Meditation: Herbert Benson’s
The Relaxation Response


Louis Komjathy



14. Techniqueless Meditation: J. Krishnamurti’s
This Light in Oneself
Constance A. Jones


Part III. Reapproaching Contemplative Practice



15. Comparative Reflections


Louis Komjathy



Appendix: Toward a Technical Glossary of Contemplative Studies



About the Contributors

Index

About the author

Louis Komjathy is Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Diego. He has published several books, including
Daoism: A Guide for the Perplexed and
The Way of Complete Perfection: A Quanzhen Daoist Anthology, also published by SUNY Press.