Zen Buddhism and the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

Abstract

This chapter examines two forms of practices, one from the Buddhist, and another from the Christian tradition, that have found widespread acceptance among people across the multireligious landscape of our contemporary world. From a cursory view, these two approaches to spiritual practice seem to differ on a number of key points. The Spiritual Exercises, devised and formulated in the sixteenth century by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the influential Jesuit order, continues to be a powerful and transformative practice that draws many Christians across denominational lines. Zen Buddhist practice eschews discursive, analytical inner work, and invites one to simply sit still, be aware of one’s breathing, and allow the heart and mind to come to a point of stillness. What can a deeper exploration of these two forms of spiritual practice yield, in terms of their transformative effects on the practitioner? What mutually complementary features may be discovered that may shed new light on the spiritual path? What can a Christian learn from engagement in Zen practice? What can a Buddhist learn from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius?