We get experiences from science, scientific discoveries; history, historical revelations; philosophy, philosophical data; religion, religious doctrines. In these experiences, we see the presence of subject and object, essence and existence, vision and reality. But a mystic experience which is the immediate oneness transcends all such distinctions. This experience is the constant oneness with the Beyond, the ever-Transcending Beyond that always remains ineffable. Mysticism, poor mysticism! When it is oversimplified and underestimated, it comes down from its original sphere and stands beside religion. But even here at this point if a person is sincere and genuine, he will realise that his best religious experience is nothing more than an uncertain, obscure and faint perception of Truth. Whereas no matter what kind of mystical experience he is endowed with, he will feel the intensity, immensity and certainty of Truth.
We have also to learn that the religious ecstasy and the mystic ecstasy do not play the same role in our inner life. Religious ecstasy deals mostly with the human in us. This ecstasy is confined to the body-consciousness, the disciplined or undisciplined vital, the mind, illumined or unillumined, the heart, pure or impure. But the mystical ecstasy transports us at once into the Beyond where we are embraced by the Eternal Life, fed by the All-Nourishing Light and blessed by the Transcendental Truth.
Primitive religion offered ecstasy to the vital in the physical mind and in the desiring heart. Mysticism fully advanced is now offering its ecstasy in infinite measure to the liberated souls and in abundant measure to the souls who are on the verge of liberation.
Poor Hinduism, whenever and wherever mysticism is looked down upon, Hinduism is considered to be the main culprit. There are many sophisticated westerners who not only fail to understand the lofty Hindu mysticism, but badly misunderstand it. To them I want to say that the Hindu mysticism as they feel, is no self-hypnotism, no self-deception, but the soulful oneness with Immortality’s Life, Infinity’s Heart and Eternity’s Breath. To know Hinduism well, one has to practise Yoga, especially under the direct guidance of a spiritual adept.
Mysticism in Buddhism has been considerably inspired and influenced by the mysticism in Hinduism. Hence, far from being diametrically opposed, they practically come to realise the same Truth. Nirvana transcends pain and pleasure, birth and death. The blessedness of Nirvana is the highest mystic oneness with the liberator. A Hindu mystic, on the strength of his self-realisation becomes one with the Absolute and is freed forever from the snares of pleasure and pain, birth and death.
The Sufi mysticism of Islam expresses itself in the strongest intoxication in the inner vital and in the truth-laden symbolic love between bride and bridegroom. This kind of mysticism perhaps facilitates, to a great extent, the actual possibility of experiencing the oneness with the One and it also wants to tell us that the Allah of the Koran demands a strict self-discipline, self-controlled life. According to the adherents of this mysticism, to have a free access to Him at the same time is a very rare achievement.
The glowing mysticism of Judaism is the Kabbalah. This mystic lore is founded on the occult interpretation of the Bible and it has been successfully handed down as an esoteric doctrine to the initiated.
Christianity owes its mystical urge, not to Judaism, but to the Greek world. Some scholars are of the opinion that the New Testament is wanting in the mystical experience. I find it difficult to see eye-to-eye with them. I wish to tell them that the New Testament is replete with mystic experiences. What they are actually missing in the New Testament is the key that opens the mystic door that leads to union with God, owing to their inability to enter into the depth of the messages in the New Testament.
In Spain, Teresa of Avila offered to the world something profoundly mystical. Her mystical experience is the most successful culmination of the divine marriage between the aspiring soul and the liberating Christ and it is here that man’s helpless crying will and God’s omnipotent all-fulfilling will embrace each other.
AUM 540. This talk was given by Sri Chinmoy on 7 May 1969 at the University of Minnesota.↩
From:Sri Chinmoy,AUM — Vol. 5, No. 8, 27 Mar. 1970, AUM Centre Press, 1970
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/aum_43