Chaconne: Viewing Meister Eckhart through the lens of the 'Bhagavad Gita'

Chaconne: Viewing Meister Eckhart through the Lens of the Bhagavad Gita uses the form and thematic content of the (possibly second century B.C.E.) Indian scripture to explore ideas and themes from the German works of Meister Eckhart, the early 14th century Dominican theologian and mystic.1; Although dated more than a thousand years earlier than Eckhart's work, and expressing a different cultural and religious consciousness, the Hindu Gita provides a structure and continuous development of ideas that is consonant with the nature and progression of Eckhart's work. Through this lens, we are able to view his ideas in a truly international context and consider the universality of such themes as the nature of being and the relationship of individuals to the divine.; The dissertation begins with a consideration of the metaphor of the chaconne, a French dance form in which a repeated bass line supports a series of increasingly inventive variations. The chaconne represents the structure of the dissertation in which the 18 chapters of the Gita provide a ground over which Eckhart's ideas can be displayed, compared and contrasted with Krishna's teachings on work, detachment, devotion, love and the nature of Reality, among other topics.; The dissertation briefly provides biographical material about the life of Eckhart and a synopsis and historical background to the Gita. Key concepts such as dualism, union, pantheism/panentheism, and the Ground are explored. Following a consideration of Eckhart's themes through the Gita's narrative, a “not-so-final chapter” offers the author's reflections on the meaning of this exercise and its value for our time. The technique of using a text from one religion as a lens to investigate ideas from another has promise beyond this dissertation as a tool for fostering interfaith dialogue and communication.; The dissertation contains an appendix which includes a section on unitive consciousness in world religions, a bibliography, and glossary.; 1The German works were selected because they contain teachings offered to a variety of audiences, including monastics, the lay public and individuals. Similarly, the Gita offers spiritual teachings to a wide variety of audiences. In contrast, Eckhart's Latin works were, for the most part, addressed to the academic community.