The Problem of Pure Consciousness

A collection of essays argues that a single type of mystical experience—'pure consciousness,' a state of awareness without thought, sensation, feeling, or object—exists across diverse cultures and languages. The book presents evidence of well-attested reports of such experiences from Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, challenging the view that mystical experiences are culturally specific.

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Abstract

Abstract This collection of essays challenges the widely accepted interpretation of mystical experience. It attempts to show that there is a single type of mystical experience that cuts across cultural and linguistic lines. This is the experience of `pure consciousness', a state in which the subject remains conscious but experiences neither thought, sensation, feeling, nor object of consciousness. The book demonstrates that there are well-attested reports of pure consciousness events occurring in a wide variety of ages and traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.