Perennials
(presumed historical)
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CHRISTIAN Jacob Boehme M Xian mystic, 1575-1624 Nicholas of Cusa M 1401-1464 German aka Niclas Krebs cardinal, mystic, mathematician, created a mathematical / theological theory of infinity, Eckhart Dionysius * M c190-265 bishop of Alexandria. Page is Osho excerpt, links to others Meister Eckhart* M 1260-1327/8 German aka Eckhart von Hochheim widely influential Dominican mystic though accused of heresy. New URL, Wiki page linked to many sources Francis of Assisi M 1181(?)-1226 Xian mystic known for rapport with animals George Fox M 1624-1691 English founder of the Quaker movement, aka Religious Society of Friends, insisted on finding truth within, discouraged hierarchy, intermediary priesthood, reliance on scripture, etc Hadewijch of Antwerp/Brabant F dc1260 Dutch Xian "love mystic," poet known only by letters Hildegard von Bingen F 1098-1179, Xian mystic and author St John of the Cross M 1542-1591 Xian mystic, classic author Brother Lawrence M c1605-1691 Carmelite monk/mystic aka Nicholas Herman, "Practice of the Presence of God." Mechthild of Magdeburg F c1207-1294, German Beguine mystic, author of "Flowing light of the Godhead," 7 vols Marguerite Porète F ?-1310 French Beguine mystic, author burned as heretic Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite M late 5th c Syrian(?) Xian author, cross-pollinator synthesized (neo-)Platonist and pagan writings into Xianity Emanuel Swedenborg M 1688-1772 Swedish visionary, scientist, philospher, theologian, multi-author Jan van Ruysbroeck* M 1293-1381 Flemish Xian mystic, contemplative author also heretic basher. New URL, chez Wiki Teresa of Avila F 1515-1582 Spanish Carmelite nun INDIAN Abhinavagupta M 975-1025, Kashmir Shaivism Sri Nadadur Ammal M author, 1165-1275 Bhartrihari * ancient, no bio Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu* M 1486-1534 incarnation of Krishna asa Caitanya, aka Visvambhar Mishra, Bengali monk led reform bhakti movement, traveled widely, settled in Puri Dattatreya * ancient, no bio Gaudapada * c 8th c "the philosophical grandfather of Shankara," see also Bhartrihari's page. Page is of sutras Guru Gobind Singh Ji M warrior-prince, 10th guru of Sikhs Siri Guru Harkrishan Dev Ji M 8th Guru of Sikhs (with links to others) b1656 Jnaneshvar M aka Jnanadeva 13th c mystic/poet nondualist. New URL Kabir M 1398-1518, poet/mystic Sri Krishna M c3000 BC, "Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, I descend Myself to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants." Lalla F b1357 Kashmiri mystic, poetry, went around naked, "claimed" by both Moslems and Hindus. aka Lal Ded, Lalleshwari, Lalla Yogeshwari Madhusudana Sarasvati * M 16th c bhakta philospher Sri Madhvacharya * M c1238-1317 Dvaita Vedanta exponent, God highest then mortals ranked by devotion, Pancha-bheda = five real and eternal distinctions Mahadeviyakka* F 12th c South Indian Siva bhakti poet, wandering naked ascetic blew off marriage to the king to celebrate celestial marriage Mirabai F 1498-1535 Rajputani poet, dancer, Krishna devotee, said to have disappeared into a Krishna idol when persecuted Nagarjuna M c150-250 major Buddhist commentator promulgated sunyata, or emptiness Namadeva * M saint, no bio, couple of fables Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji M 1469-1539 founder of Sikh religion Nandanar * M Shiva devotee Patanjali M c300 BC, Yoga Sutras author Ramananda * M 1400-1470, Ram-Bhakti Sri Ramanujacharya * M 1017-1137 Vishishtadvaita school of Vedanta, social reformer, ditched wife when she freaked out over R's guru's wife's caste Shri Samarth Ramdas M 1608-1681 Ram chanting, temples, "Dasbodh" author Ribhu * no bio sage author of Ribhu Gita. Page is anecdote told by Ramana Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj M Indian c1275-1878(!) aka Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati, incarnation of Lord Dattatreya, 250 years in termite hill, disciples said to include Ramakrishna and Shirdi Sai Baba Adi Sankara M c805-837 great treatises on Advaita Vedanta, etc, major influence on Hinduism Saraha M 8th c "re-founder" of Tantra (evolved into Mahamudra) brahmin learned from low-caste woman to be total in moment Srimad Athivan Satakopan M 1379-1458 aka Srinivasacharya, founded Jeeyars, order of mendicant sadhus based in Ahobilam Thayumanavar M 1706-1744 prolific psalm-writer Thirujnanasambhandar * M 643-659 massive outpouring of scriptural poetry in just 16 years Srimad Ananda Tîrtha M d1317 aka Sukha Tîrtha, Pûrnabodha, Pûrnapragnya and Madhva, sannyas at 11, debater, miracle-worker, etc Tukaram M 1608-1649 composer of thousands of Marathi devotional song-poems, called abhangs Tulasidas * M 1532-1623 Rama devotee, renunciate, author Vasugupta* M late 8th to early 9th c expounder of the Shiva Sutra, "originator" of Kashmir Shaivism. New URL, Wiki page, has 860-925 MISC Baal Shem Tov M Jewish mystic 1698-1760, founder of Hassid movement Chuang-tzu M Chinese various dates dc286 BC aka Zhuang Zi / Zhou / Chou, Taoist "successor" of Lao Tzu (not directly but collected eponymous writings had similar heft) Heraclitus M 535-475 BC, Greek philosopher/mystic Ko Hsuan * M 3rd c (?) Taoist, not much known. Page is Osho commentary Lao Tzu * Chinese 6th c BC, author of Taoist classic Tao Te Ching. Page has this complete Lieh-Tzu M 4th c BC influential Chinese Taoist aka Lieh Yu-Kou Oyasama F Japanese 1797-1888 aka Miki Nakayama, mind replaced by that of God the Parent, taught the "Joyous Life," org = Tenrikyo Plotinus M 204-270 Greek non-dualist, author of Enneades Pythagoras M 6th c BC Greek mystic and mathematician Socrates M b c470 BC Greek philosopher/mystic, offed by authorities Walt Whitman M 1819-1892 American poet, free spirit. Page is short mystic-bio, see also complete poems Zoroaster M c630-c550 BC Persian aka Zarathustra, first organised religion, survives (modified) among Parsis in Bombay aka Mumbai |
SUFI Shaikh al-'Arabi ad-Darqawi M, founded Sufi order in North Africa in 13th century Al-Hallaj, Abu al-Mughith al-Husayn ibn Mansur M Persian Sufi c858-922 executed as heretic: "Ana al-Haqq" = "I am the truth." Al-Junayd al-Baghdadi M early Sufi d908 "sober" mysticism in contrast to that of "God-intoxicated" Sufis, wrote Kitab al-Fana' ("Book of the Annihilation of the Self"). New URL, Wiki page, links to others Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani M 1075-1166 Iraqi, major Sufi, founder of Qadiri Order Sahl ibn 'Abdallah al-Tustari M d896 memorized Quran by age 7, super ascetic, commentaries on Quran and others Farid ud-Din Attar * M 1140?-1220? Persian mystic poet, author of classic Conference of the Birds, also Biographies of the Saints Bayazid-i Bistami M c800-874 Persian "intoxicated Sufi" Haji Bektash Veli M d 1337? Turkish "founder" of big Alevi-Bektasi dervish order whose women were and are unusually liberated and which survived much persecution Yunus Emre M c1240-c1320 Turkish poet of humanitarian bent Hafiz M 1320ish-1389ish aka Khwajah Shams al-Din Muhammad Ibn-i Muhammad of Shiraz Persian Sufi poet, composed over 500 high-quality ghazals Ibn 'Arabi M 1165-1240, Moorish Spain, visionary Sufi poet Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti* M 1141-1230 aka Gharib Nawaz founded Chishti Order, main Sufi order in India based in Ajmer, celebrates music more than most Muslim groups Mojud * M no dates Sufi who followed Khidr from pillar to post. Page is Osho discourse excerpt Ahmed er Rifa'i M 1118-1181 Iraqi founder of Rifa'i Order, cousin of al-Qadir, Turkish branch merged with Qadiri Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi M 1207-1273 Persian scholar turned mystic, major poet now quoted everywhere, whirler, love as path, Shams Rabi´a al-Adawiyya F 717-801 aka Rabia al Basri, Rabi`a al-Qaysiyya, Iraqi kidnapped into slavery, won freedom through prayer, major Sufi figure Shams-i Tabriz M d1248? Sufi mystic poet, guru of Rumi, murdered (?) by Rumi's jealous disciples. Page is book bumpf of Me and Rumi, Shams' "autobio" TIBETAN Atisha Dipankara M Indian 982-1051, brought Buddhism to Tibet. Site has a lot of material and commentaries. Gampopa M 1079-1153 Tibetan Kagyu "most famous disciple of Jetsun Milarepa," master of first Karmapa Je Tsongkhapa M Tibetan 1357-1419 aka Losang Drakpa, Gelugpa founder, fulfilled many prophecies Longchenpa M 1308-1363 aka Longchen Rabjampa, major Nyingmapa author unified divergent streams, Rigdzin Kumararaja Jetsun Milarepa M 11th c Tibetan, yogi, Marpa. Site is comic-book bio Naropa M 10th c Tibetan, Tilopa, guru of Marpa Padmasambhava M 8th c Indian aka Guru Rinpoche first brought Buddhism to Tibet, bio inseparable from mythology. Page has links to other "versions" Patrul Rinpoche M Tibetan 1808-1887 Dzogchen. Page is reprimand to himself Tilopa M 988-1069 Indian, many gurus, guru of Naropa, starting Karma Kagyu lineage (Karmapas), history semi-mythological Yeshé Tsogyel F 9th c asa Tsogyal, consort, first disciple and compiler of Padmasambhava, major female archetypal yogini, Nyingma. New URL ZEN / CH'AN Bankei Yotaku Zenji * M 1622-1693 Japanese rebellious as child. "original mind is the Unborn; and is always present, though obscured, and its activities, when unhindered, are perfectly natural," Umpo, Tao-che Bassui Tokusho Zenji * M 1327-1387 Japanese, teachings collected in Arthur Braverman's "Mud and Water," Tokukei Chien-chih Seng-ts'an * M c600, Chinese author of classic Hsin Hsin Ming, aka Seng-ts'an, Sosan, 3rd Patriarch of zen. Page has full text of HHM Chinul M 1158-1210, Korean zen reformer. Page has a good history / overview of zen. Chiyono F 1223-1298 Japanese nun aka Mugai Nyodai, "No water, no moon," Bukko Cold Mountain M Chinese 618-690 (8th c?) aka Han Shan, Kanzan, zen poet, hermit, world-class poems, no bio Dengyo Daishi M 9th c Japanese founder of Tendai Buddhism. Site is a miscellany of thoughts of current practitioners Dogen Zenji M 1200-1253, major Japanese Soto zen master, brought Soto to Japan Dongshan Liangjie* M 806-869 Chinese Soto zen founder aka Tung-shan Liang-chieh, Tozan Ryokai. Page cached by The Wanderling Hakuin Ekaku M Japanese 1686-1769 big Rinzai reformer overcame early Nichiren influence, systematized koan practice, Shoju Hongzhi Zhenjue M Chinese 1091-1157 aka Hung-chih Cheng-chueh, Wanshi Shogaku, poet, Caodong school (Soto predecessor). Page in Dutch Huang Po M Chinese d850 aka Obaku, Wobaku Kiun, lineage: Hui Hai > HP > Rinzai (Lin Chi) Hui Neng* M 638-713 Chinese, 6th zen patriarch. Page cached by The Wanderling Hui-K'o* M 487-593 2nd zen patriarch aka Eka. Page cached by The Wanderling Hyakujo Ekai M Chinese 720-814 aka Baizhang Huaihai, Pai-chang Huai-hai, created shingi or rules of deportment used in monasteries. Page is an anecdote Ikkyu Sojun M Japanese 1394-1481 aka Kyounshi, Crazy Cloud zen poet, artist, shakuhachi, specializing in crazy-wise and erotica Joshu M b778 Chinese zen master. Page is small commentary Keizan Jokin Zenji M 1268-1325 Japanese Soto zen Kyozan Ejaku * M 807-883 aka Yangshan Huiji, Yang-shan Hui-chi, disciple of Isan. Page is an Osho book excerpt Ma Tsu * M 708/9-788? Chinese aka Mazu Daoyi, major zen figure two "generations" descended from Hui Neng, guru of Hyakujo and others Rinzai Gigen M d866/7 Chinese monk aka Lin Chi, "Rinzai zen" founder, major figure Ryokan Taigu M 1758-1831 Japanese, young monk became hermit, major poet, poems transcribed only in last years by young lover Teishin, also a poet. New URL Shih-t'ou Hsi-ch'ien * M Chinese 700-790 aka Shitou Xiqian, Sekito Kisen, poet, Soto Zen precursor, Hui Neng. Page cached by The Wanderling Shih-wu M Chinese 1272-1352 hermit poet aka Stonehouse, "Mountain Poems." Page incl links Ta Hui (Tsung-kao) M 1089-1163 Chinese, developed and expanded use of koans, Yuan-wu K'o-ch'in. Long page fitting him in his place in Ch'an Takuan Soho * M 1573-? Japanese zen abbot into calligraphy, poetry, swordsmanship etc. Page is links to writings Yakusan Igen * M 750-834? aka Yaoshan Weiyan, Yueh-shan Wei-yen disciple of Sekito. Page is an Osho book excerpt Yuan-wu* M 1063-1135 Chinese aka Engo compliler of the Blue Cliff Record (Hekiganroku) of Koans, Wu-tsu Fa-yen, heirs include Ta Hui. Page is a talk of Tarrant Roshi Yung-chia Hsuan-chueh M Chinese 665-713 aka Yongjia Xuanjue, Yoka Genkaku, etc, major poet, "Song of Enlightenment," heir of 6th patriarch Hui-neng |
