When I began my 3-month Study Leave Retreat, I choose to take St Teresa of Avila's book, The Interior Castle as my retreat companion. This was because others had also discovered both Teresa and the Buddhist traditions appeared to share a similar well of wisdom while guiding us along two parallel spiritual paths. So, while attending the daily classes and focusing on the work of the 3-month retreat, on the one hand, I also slowly read through Teresa's Interior Castle.
Teresa presumably had no knowledge of Buddhist teaching. She also lived and wrote under the shadow of the Inquisition. Yet her book describes a seven-stage reflective progression of discovery that guides us how we can“enter within” and find God, in “the little heaven of our souls”. In this way, both The Interior Castle and the Anapanasati Sutra, begin with a similar goal in mind. Both seek to lead us on a practical path to spiritual awakening. By providing a series of directions that require us to engage in a process if we wish to make much sense of their instructions.
Both teachers begin with simple instruction. Teresa recommends we begin, by learning to enter into ourselves because our Interior Castle is already within us and enter through the door of 'prayer and meditation'. The Buddha recommends we sit under a forest tree, or in an empty hut, and mindfully begin focusing on our breathing. However, both traditions realise it won't be long before we discover we are easily distracted. The India Guru Ramakrishna suggests our mind is like a “tree full of monkeys, all chattering away”. And Teresa suggests, “As we enter the castle, we are liable to bring with us a whole host of other creatures with us” – our self-regarding habits and preoccupations that stop us from any kind of self-awareness. This is because the knowledge and experience we seek is not an intellectual one. It is a practical familiarity that comes with experience. Very similar to the knowledge we gain when we learn how to ride a bicycle or bake a loaf of bread.
The second thing both traditions recognise is that it is usually not long before the novelty of prayer and meditation begins to fade, and we discover first-hand that our enthusiasm to begin to meditate or pray is insufficient to hold us. It takes both discipline and will-power. However, both traditions recognise that if we are willing to put in the effort and time, we will be soon rewarded with many of the following discoveries:
Teresa presumably had no knowledge of Buddhist teaching. She also lived and wrote under the shadow of the Inquisition. Yet her book describes a seven-stage reflective progression of discovery that guides us how we can“enter within” and find God, in “the little heaven of our souls”. In this way, both The Interior Castle and the Anapanasati Sutra, begin with a similar goal in mind. Both seek to lead us on a practical path to spiritual awakening. By providing a series of directions that require us to engage in a process if we wish to make much sense of their instructions.
Both teachers begin with simple instruction. Teresa recommends we begin, by learning to enter into ourselves because our Interior Castle is already within us and enter through the door of 'prayer and meditation'. The Buddha recommends we sit under a forest tree, or in an empty hut, and mindfully begin focusing on our breathing. However, both traditions realise it won't be long before we discover we are easily distracted. The India Guru Ramakrishna suggests our mind is like a “tree full of monkeys, all chattering away”. And Teresa suggests, “As we enter the castle, we are liable to bring with us a whole host of other creatures with us” – our self-regarding habits and preoccupations that stop us from any kind of self-awareness. This is because the knowledge and experience we seek is not an intellectual one. It is a practical familiarity that comes with experience. Very similar to the knowledge we gain when we learn how to ride a bicycle or bake a loaf of bread.
The second thing both traditions recognise is that it is usually not long before the novelty of prayer and meditation begins to fade, and we discover first-hand that our enthusiasm to begin to meditate or pray is insufficient to hold us. It takes both discipline and will-power. However, both traditions recognise that if we are willing to put in the effort and time, we will be soon rewarded with many of the following discoveries:
“Increasing calm, clarity of mind and increasing absorption.
We may also notice our breathing will gradually slow down and settle”. (1)
We may also notice our breathing will gradually slow down and settle”. (1)
Our inspiration to begin this inner journey and our willingness to persevere, not only results in a sense of increasing calm but also the willingness to learn detachment from the things we regard to be ours. These may be material possessions or the desires of our hearts or minds. This is not an easy lesson, but one that both Teresa and the Buddha recognised. In fact, they say it is a necessary requirement if we wish to advance very far into inner stillness. Part of this mystery of choosing the inner journey is that we need to discover first hand, that simply to have lived with ourselves does not mean we know ourselves. This form of knowing St Teresa suggests often comes through times of hardship, struggle, suffering, or loss.
A corresponding lesson is also taught by the Buddha. All things are transient. Any hope we hold that is based on the transient nature of life will prove ill-founded. Even our physical breathing body, despite its wonder-full nature, will also pass away. Nothing exists in reality outside the present moment. The past and future are illusions. To cling to the past or grasp after what has not yet come can give neither peace nor security. To live in the awareness of this truth is to be able to rest in the “idea of spacious openness where things are rising and passing.”
The human body, at peace with itself, is more precious than the rarest gem.
Cherish your body - it is yours this time only.
The human form is won with difficulty, it is easy to lose.
All worldly things are brief, like lightning in the sky;
This life you must know as the tiny splash of a raindrop;
A thing of beauty that disappears even as it comes into being.
Therefore set your goal; make use of every day and night
To achieve it.”(2)
Cherish your body - it is yours this time only.
The human form is won with difficulty, it is easy to lose.
All worldly things are brief, like lightning in the sky;
This life you must know as the tiny splash of a raindrop;
A thing of beauty that disappears even as it comes into being.
Therefore set your goal; make use of every day and night
To achieve it.”(2)
To return to my opening question, 'Was St Teresa of Ávila a Buddhist?' The answer of course is 'No'. However, as I continue this Blog reflection you will discover there is a similarity of imagery and methodology that gives the impression, to use a Teresian metaphor, of drawing from the same inspirational well.
To be continued.
Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and good will on your journey.
Phil
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Tarchin Hearn, Satipatthana, Available at https://greendharmatreasury.org/
Tsongkhapa: from: ‘Readings From The Refuge Tree of the Western Buddhist Order', Available from https://aucklandbuddhistcentre.org/event/buddha-day-may-15
