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Document Details :

Title: The Mystery of Böhme's 'Ungrund'
Author(s): VERSLUIS, Arthur
Journal: Studies in Spirituality
Volume: 11    Date: 2000   
Pages: 205-211
DOI: 10.2143/SIS.11.0.505282

Abstract :
In 'The Mystery of the Ungrund', Versluis argues that the heart of Jacob Böhme's complex and extensive writings is not cosmological but metaphysical, and resides in his concept of the Ungrund, or not-ground, the mentaöntic or transcendent origin of being.
Versluis compares Böhme's writings on the Ungrund to Mahayana Buddhist teachings on shunyata, or emptiness, and cites and analyzes the major references in Böhme's works to this central concept. He outlines the possible parallels between Böhme's writings and Vedanta as well as Vajrayana Buddhism, making a critical distinction between the concepts of the Nichts and the Ungrund. Ma or religio-philosophical references here include the works of Nicholas Berdyaev and Nishitani Keiji.


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