Abhishiktananda
Encyclopedia
Abhishiktananda was the name taken by the French Benedictine
monk Henri le Saux, whose religious experience in India
led him to become a bridge between Hindu
and Christian
spirituality.
From childhood he seemed destined for a religious life and entered 'minor seminary' at the age of 11, becoming a Benedictine novice in 1930.
He left France for India in the summer of 1948, never to return to France despite his affection for his homeland. He became immersed in the atmosphere of India, in particular the Hindu perspective of Advaita. He founded an ashram
and religious community, Shantivanam
, in 1950 and became Swami
Abhishiktananda. In his latter years though, he found himself very drawn to religious experience within solitude, spending much time in the hermit caves at Arunachala
. But at no point did he disavow his Christianity
, and he celebrated Mass until virtually the end of his life.
He died at Indore
nursing home
, weakened by a myocardial infarction
that summer, after several years in which he had lived virtually as a hermit
.
After his death, the "Abhishiktananda Society" was formed that is dedicated "to make known the spiritual message of the late Swami Abhishiktananda and to coordinate the efforts of those interested in it and in its further implications", among other aims.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk Henri le Saux, whose religious experience in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
led him to become a bridge between Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
spirituality.
From childhood he seemed destined for a religious life and entered 'minor seminary' at the age of 11, becoming a Benedictine novice in 1930.
He left France for India in the summer of 1948, never to return to France despite his affection for his homeland. He became immersed in the atmosphere of India, in particular the Hindu perspective of Advaita. He founded an ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
and religious community, Shantivanam
Saccidananda Ashram
Saccidananda Ashram is a Benedictine monastery in India. Located in the village of Tannirpalli in the Tiruchirapalli District of Tamil Nadu, on the bank of the River Kavery, it was founded in 1938 by French priest Jules Monchanin, who was later to adopt the name Parma Arupi Anananda, and French...
, in 1950 and became Swami
Swami
A swami sometimes abbreviated "Sw." is an ascetic or yogi who has been initiated into the religious monastic order founded by Adi Sankara, or to a religious teacher.The Oxford English Dictionary gives the etymology as...
Abhishiktananda. In his latter years though, he found himself very drawn to religious experience within solitude, spending much time in the hermit caves at Arunachala
Arunachala
Arunachala refers to the holy hill at Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, where the Annamalaiyar Temple, a temple of Lord Shiva is located. Every year in the Tamil month of Karthigai , the Karthigai Deepam is lit atop the hill...
. But at no point did he disavow his Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and he celebrated Mass until virtually the end of his life.
He died at Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
, weakened by a myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
that summer, after several years in which he had lived virtually as a hermit
Hermit
A hermit is a person who lives, to some degree, in seclusion from society.In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a Christian who lives the eremitic life out of a religious conviction, namely the Desert Theology of the Old Testament .In the...
.
After his death, the "Abhishiktananda Society" was formed that is dedicated "to make known the spiritual message of the late Swami Abhishiktananda and to coordinate the efforts of those interested in it and in its further implications", among other aims.
Further reading
- A Christian dialogical theology: the contribution of Swami Abhishiktananda, Regunta Yesurathnam (Punti Pusthak, Kolkata, 2006)http://books.google.co.in/books?id=XU7ZAAAAMAAJ&dq=
- The Cave of the Heart: The Life of Swami Abhishiktananda, Shirley du BoulayShirley du BoulayShirley du Boulay is an author and biographer, resident in Oxford.She developed a career as a programme producer for the BBC, specializing in religious programming, and retired from the BBC to work as an author...
(Orbis Books, New York 2005) - An uncommon spiritual path: The quest to find Jesus beyond conventional Christianity, Dion ForsterDion ForsterDr Dion Angus Forster is an ordained Minister of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. He is a theologian and author. He was formerly the Dean of the Seminary of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, John Wesley College...
(AcadSA Publishers, Kempton Park 2008) - Swami Abhishiktananda: The man and his message, Sara GrantSara GrantSara Grant, RSCJ was an Indologist, and, as a missionary and member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, actively engaged in interreligious dialogue in India.- Life :...
, 1998, ISPCK, ISBN:8172141203