TheBuddhistsusedtheword“samadhi“aswellastheHindus；but“dhyana“istheirspecialwordforhigherstatesofcontemplation。Thereseemtobefourstagesrecognizedindhyana。Thefirststagecomesthroughconcentrationofthemindupononepoint。Itexcludesdesire，butnotdiscernmentorjudgment：itisstillintellectual。Inthesecondstagetheintellectualfunctionsdropoff，andthesatisfiedsenseofunityremains。Inthethirdstagethesatisfactiondeparts，andindifferencebegins，alongwithmemoryaself-consciousness。Inthefourthstagetheindifference，memory，andself-consciousnessareperfected。[Justwhat“memory“and“self-consciousness“meaninthisconnectionisdoubtful。Theycannotbethefacultiesfamiliartousinthelowerlife。]Higherstagesstillofcontemplationarementioned——aregionwherethereexistsnothing，andwherethemediatorsays：“Thereexistsabsolutelynothing。”
andstops。Thenhereachesanotherregionwherehesays：“Thereareneitherideasnorabsenceofideas。”andstopsagain。Thenanotherregionwhere，“havingreachedtheendofbothideaandperception，hestopsfinally。”Thiswouldseemtobe，notyetNirvana，butascloseanapproachtoitasthislifeaffords。
IfollowtheaccountinC。F。Koeppen：DieReligiondesBuddha，Berlin，1857，i。585ff。
IntheMohammedanworldtheSufisectandvariousdervishbodiesarethepossessorsofthemysticaltradition。TheSufishaveexistedinPersiafromtheearliesttimes，andastheirpantheismissoatvariancewiththehotandrigidmonotheismoftheArabmind，ithasbeensuggestedthatSufismmusthavebeeninoculatedintoIslambyHinduinfluences。WeChristiansknowlittleofSufism，foritssecretsaredisclosedonlytothoseinitiated。
Togiveitsexistenceacertainlivelinessinyourminds，IwillquoteaMoslemdocument，andpassawayfromthesubject。
Al-Ghazzali，aPersianphilosopherandtheologian，whoflourishedintheeleventhcentury，andranksasoneofthegreatestdoctorsoftheMoslemchurch，hasleftusoneofthefewautobiographiestobefoundoutsideofChristianliterature。Strangethataspeciesofbooksoabundantamongourselvesshouldbesolittlerepresentedelsewhere——theabsenceofstrictlypersonalconfessionsisthechiefdifficultytothepurelyliterarystudentwhowouldliketobecomeacquaintedwiththeinwardnessofreligionsotherthantheChristian。M。SchmoldershastranslatedapartofAl-Ghazzali’sautobiographyintoFrench：[248]——
Forafullaccountofhim，seeD。B。Macdonald：TheLifeOfAl-Ghazzali，intheJournaloftheAmericanOrientalSociety，1899，vol。xx。，p。71。
“TheScienceoftheSufis。”saystheMoslemauthor，“aimsatdetachingtheheartfromallthatisnotGod，andatgivingtoitforsoleoccupationthemeditationofthedivinebeing。Theorybeingmoreeasyformethanpractice，Iread[certainbooks]
untilIunderstoodallthatcanbelearnedbystudyandhearsay。
ThenIrecognizedthatwhatpertainsmostexclusivelytotheirmethodisjustwhatnostudycangrasp，butonlytransport，ecstasy，andthetransformationofthesoul。Howgreat，forexample，isthedifferencebetweenknowingthedefinitionsofhealth，ofsatiety，withtheircausesandconditions，andbeingreallyhealthyorfilled。Howdifferenttoknowinwhatdrunkennessconsists——asbeingastateoccasionedbyavaporthatrisesfromthestomach——andBEINGdrunkeffectively。Withoutdoubt，thedrunkenmanknowsneitherthedefinitionofdrunkennessnorwhatmakesitinterestingforscience。Beingdrunk，heknowsnothing；whilstthephysician，althoughnotdrunkknowswellinwhatdrunkennessconsists，andwhatareitspredisposingconditions。Similarlythereisadifferencebetweenknowingthenatureofabstinence，andBEINGabstinentorhavingone’ssouldetachedfromtheworld——ThusIhadlearnedwhatwordscouldteachofSufism，butwhatwasleftcouldbelearnedneitherbystudynorthroughtheears，butsolelybygivingone’sselfuptoecstasyandleadingapiouslife。
“Reflectingonmysituation，Ifoundmyselftieddownbyamultitudeofbonds——temptationsoneveryside。Consideringmyteaching，IfounditwasimpurebeforeGod。Isawmyselfstrugglingwithallmymighttoachievegloryandtospreadmyname。[Herefollowsanaccountofhissixmonths’hesitationtobreakawayfromtheconditionsofhislifeatBagdad，attheendofwhichhefellillwithaparalysisofthetongue。]Then，feelingmyownweakness，andhavingentirelygivenupmyownwill，IrepairedtoGodlikeamanindistresswhohasnomoreresources。Heanswered，asheanswersthewretchwhoinvokeshim。Myheartnolongerfeltanydifficultyinrenouncingglory，wealth，andmychildren。SoIquittedBagdad，andreservingfrommyfortuneonlywhatwasindispensableformysubsistence，I
distributedtherest。IwenttoSyria，whereIremainedabouttwoyears，withnootheroccupationthanlivinginretreatandsolitude，conqueringmydesires，combatingmypassions，trainingmyselftopurifymysoul，tomakemycharacterperfect，topreparemyheartformeditatingonGod——allaccordingtothemethodsoftheSufis，asIhadreadofthem。
“Thisretreatonlyincreasedmydesiretoliveinsolitude，andtocompletethepurificationofmyheartandfititformeditation。Butthevicissitudesofthetimes，theaffairsofthefamily，theneedofsubsistence，changedinsomerespectsmyprimitiveresolve，andinterferedwithmyplansforapurelysolitarylife。Ihadneveryetfoundmyselfcompletelyinecstasy，saveinafewsinglehours；nevertheless，Ikeptthehopeofattainingthisstate。Everytimethattheaccidentsledmeastray，Isoughttoreturn；andinthissituationIspenttenyears。Duringthissolitarystatethingswererevealedtomewhichitisimpossibleeithertodescribeortopointout。I
recognizedforcertainthattheSufisareassuredlywalkinginthepathofGod。Bothintheiractsandintheirinaction，whetherinternalorexternal，theyareilluminedbythelightwhichproceedsfromthepropheticsource。ThefirstconditionforaSufiistopurgehisheartentirelyofallthatisnotGod。
Thenextkeyofthecontemplativelifeconsistsinthehumbleprayerswhichescapefromtheferventsoul，andinthemeditationsonGodinwhichtheheartisswallowedupentirely。
ButinrealitythisisonlythebeginningoftheSufilife，theendofSufismbeingtotalabsorptioninGod。Theintuitionsandallthatprecedeare，sotospeak，onlythethresholdforthosewhoenter。FromthebeginningrevelationstakeplaceinsoflagrantashapethattheSufisseebeforethem，whilstwideawake，theangelsandthesoulsoftheprophets。Theyheartheirvoicesandobtaintheirfavors。Thenthetransportrisesfromtheperceptionofformsandfigurestoadegreewhichescapesallexpression，andwhichnomanmayseektogiveanaccountofwithouthiswordsinvolvingsin。
“Whosoeverhashadnoexperienceofthetransportknowsofthetruenatureofprophetismnothingbutthename。Hemaymeanwhilebesureofitsexistence，bothbyexperienceandbywhathehearstheSufissay。Astherearemenendowedonlywiththesensitivefacultywhorejectwhatisofferedtheminthewayofobjectsofthepureunderstanding，sothereareintellectualmenwhorejectandavoidthethingsperceivedbythepropheticfaculty。Ablindmancanunderstandnothingofcolorssavewhathehaslearnedbynarrationandhearsay。YetGodhasbroughtprophetismneartomeningivingthemallastateanalogoustoitinitsprincipalcharacters。Thisstateissleep。Ifyouweretotellamanwhowashimselfwithoutexperienceofsuchaphenomenonthattherearepeoplewhoattimesswoonawaysoastoresembledeadmen，andwho[indreams]yetperceivethingsthatarehidden，hewoulddenyit[andgivehisreasons]。Nevertheless，hisargumentswouldberefutedbyactualexperience。Wherefore，justastheunderstandingisastageofhumanlifeinwhichaneyeopenstodiscernvariousintellectualobjectsuncomprehendedbysensation；
justsointhepropheticthesightisilluminedbyalightwhichuncovershiddenthingsandobjectswhichtheintellectfailstoreach。Thechiefpropertiesofprophetismareperceptibleonlyduringthetransport，bythosewhoembracetheSufilife。Theprophetisendowedwithqualitiestowhichyoupossessnothinganalogous，andwhichconsequentlyyoucannotpossiblyunderstand。
Howshouldyouknowtheirtruenature，sinceoneknowsonlywhatonecancomprehend？ButthetransportwhichoneattainsbythemethodoftheSufisislikeanimmediateperception，asifonetouchedtheobjectswithone’shand。”
A。Schmolders：EssaisurlesecolesphilosophiqueschezlesArabes，Paris，1842，pp。54-68，abridged。
Thisincommunicablenessofthetransportisthekeynoteofallmysticism。Mysticaltruthexistsfortheindividualwhohasthetransport，butfornooneelse。Inthis，asIhavesaid，itresemblestheknowledgegiventousinsensationsmorethanthatgivenbyconceptualthought。Thought，withitsremotenessandabstractness，hasoftenenoughinthehistoryofphilosophybeencontrastedunfavorablywithsensation。
ItisacommonplaceofmetaphysicsthatGod’sknowledgecannotbediscursivebutmustbeintuitive，thatis，mustbeconstructedmoreafterthepatternofwhatinourselvesiscalledimmediatefeeling，thanafterthatofpropositionandjudgment。Butourimmediatefeelingshavenocontentbutwhatthefivesensessupply；andwehaveseenandshallseeagainthatmysticsmayemphaticallydenythatthesensesplayanypartintheveryhighesttypeofknowledgewhichtheirtransportsyield。
IntheChristianchurchtherehavealwaysbeenmystics。Althoughmanyofthemhavebeenviewedwithsuspicion，somehavegainedfavorintheeyesoftheauthorities。Theexperiencesofthesehavebeentreatedasprecedents，andacodifiedsystemofmysticaltheologyhasbeenbaseduponthem，inwhicheverythinglegitimatefindsitsplace。[250]Thebasisofthesystemis“orison“ormeditation，themethodicalelevationofthesoultowardsGod。Throughthepracticeoforisonthehigherlevelsofmysticalexperiencemaybeattained。ItisoddthatProtestantism，especiallyevangelicalProtestantism，shouldseeminglyhaveabandonedeverythingmethodicalinthisline。
Apartfromwhatprayermayleadto，Protestantmysticalexperienceappearstohavebeenalmostexclusivelysporadic。Ithasbeenlefttoourmind-curerstoreintroducemethodicalmeditationintoourreligiouslife。
Gorres’sChristlicheMystikgivesafullaccountofthefacts。SodoesRibet’sMystiqueDivine，2vols。，Paris，1890。A
stillmoremethodicalmodernworkistheMysticaTheologiaofVallgornera，2vols。，Turin，1890。
Thefirstthingtobeaimedatinorisonisthemind’sdetachmentfromoutersensations，fortheseinterferewithitsconcentrationuponidealthings。SuchmanualsasSaintIgnatius’sSpiritualExercisesrecommendthediscipletoexpelsensationbyagraduatedseriesofeffortstoimagineholyscenes。Theacmeofthiskindofdisciplinewouldbeasemi-hallucinatorymono-ideism——animaginaryfigureofChrist，forexample，comingfullytooccupythemind。Sensorialimagesofthissort，whetherliteralorsymbolic，playanenormouspartinmysticism。
Butincertaincasesimagerymayfallawayentirely，andintheveryhighestrapturesittendstodoso。Thestateofconsciousnessbecomestheninsusceptibleofanyverbaldescription。Mysticalteachersareunanimousastothis。SaintJohnoftheCross，forinstance，oneofthebestofthem，thusdescribestheconditioncalledthe“unionoflove。”which，hesays，isreachedby“darkcontemplation。”InthistheDeitycompenetratesthesoul，butinsuchahiddenwaythatthesoul——
“findsnoterms，nomeans，nocomparisonwherebytorenderthesublimityofthewisdomandthedelicacyofthespiritualfeelingwithwhichsheisfilled……WereceivethismysticalknowledgeofGodclothedinnoneofthekindsofimages，innoneofthesensiblerepresentations，whichourmindmakesuseofinothercircumstances。Accordinglyinthisknowledge，sincethesensesandtheimaginationarenotemployed，wegetneitherformnorimpression，norcanwegiveanyaccountorfurnishanylikeness，althoughthemysteriousandsweet-tastingwisdomcomeshomesoclearlytotheinmostpartsofoursoul。Fancyamanseeingacertainkindofthingforthefirsttimeinhislife。Hecanunderstandit，useandenjoyit，buthecannotapplyanametoit，norcommunicateanyideaofit，eventhoughallthewhileitbeamerethingofsense。Howmuchgreaterwillbehispowerlessnesswhenitgoesbeyondthesenses！Thisisthepeculiarityofthedivinelanguage。Themoreinfused，intimate，spiritual，andsupersensibleitis，themoredoesitexceedthesenses，bothinnerandouter，andimposesilenceuponthem。
Thesoulthenfeelsasifplacedinavastandprofoundsolitude，towhichnocreatedthinghasaccess，inanimmenseandboundlessdesert，desertthemoredeliciousthemoresolitaryitis。There，inthisabyssofwisdom，thesoulgrowsbywhatitdrinksinfromthewell-springsofthecomprehensionoflove，……andrecognizes，howeversublimeandlearnedmaybethetermsweemploy，howutterlyvile，insignificant，andimpropertheyare，whenweseektodiscourseofdivinethingsbytheirmeans。”
M。ReCeJac，inarecentvolume，makesthemessential。
Mysticismhedefinesas“thetendencytodrawneartotheAbsolutemorallyANDBYTHEAIDOFSYMBOLS。”SeehisFondementsdelaConnaissancemystique，Paris，1897，p。66。Butthereareunquestionablymysticalconditionsinwhichsensiblesymbolsplaynopart。