Buchbesprechungen Comptes Rendus

Author(s): Johannes Bronkhorst
Publisher: Johannes Bronkhorst

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BUCHBESPRECHUNGEN/COMPTES RENDUES 715 result of reflections by non-mystics on mystical experiences. Here, as well as elsewhere in chapter 4, the emphasis shifts from mystical experience of Buddhists to mystical experience of the Buddha. The concluding section of the book confirms this shift of emphasis (p. 156): no attempt is being made to press Buddhism as a whole into the procrustean bed of mysticism, but only to point out that the historical roots of Buddhism lie essentially in mystical experience. This, of course, is nothing new. The most important "historical root" of Buddhism is the historical Buddha, and few would contest the link between him and mystical experience. No new book was required to establish this. But in spite of this conclusion, most of the book is not at all concerned with the mystical experiences of the historical Buddha, but with the influence of mystical experiences on developments that took place long after him. As a whole, this book does not lead us beyond the truism that Buddhism has much to do with mysticism. It does not succeed in showing that the doctrines and beliefs it discusses are expressions of, or essentially determined by, mystical experience. It rather gives evidence of the a priori conviction on the part of its author that many aspects of Buddhism must be the result of such experience. The result is unconvincing, confused, and of little use in understanding Buddhism in its various manifestations. Johannes Bronkhorst