Mysticism and Morality, A New Look At Old Questions

by Richard H. Jones

Richard Jones explores an often neglected area of comparative religious mysticism. By adressing a myriad of traditions, both Eastern and Western, Jones explores the relation of mysticism and Are mystics necessarily moral? Can they even be moral? Part 1 sets forth the relevant issues and gives definitions of "morality," "ethics," and "mysticism. Part 2 discusses the problems by looking at the Upanishads, Shankara's Advaita Vedanta, the  Bhagavad-gita , Jainism, Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, Tantrism, Daoism, and medieval Christianity. Part 3 analyzes these the relation of mystical experiences and morality, the relation of mystical ways of life and morality, the lack of social action among classical mystics, and the question of whether mysticism can contribute to morality in today's world. Richard Jones's unique work is a salient addition to philosophy of religion, ethics, and religious studies.

432 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2004