Meister Eckhart believed that there is only one fundamental principle of reality, sometimes called Oneness, the One, Being, or God. According to Eckhart, this principle is infinite and unlimited and therefore cannot be defined or described in any rational way. In this context, Eckhart states: "If you ask me what God is, I do not know. If you ask me to distinguish Him from things, I do not know. All things are in God and He is in all things" (1). This idea of Oneness implies that everything is created in accordance with one principle, which means that everything is one. All differences between things and beings are actually illusions because everything originates from the same unique source.
Eckhart's philosophy of Oneness is also highly spiritual and mystical, and its ultimate goal is complete union with God. This goal can be achieved through a mystical experience in which the individual feels that they are one with God and that all creatures are truly one. According to Eckhart, such an experience requires renunciation of all material and mental things, including one's own identity. This idea of union with God in Eckhart's philosophy of Oneness coincides with the concept described in Vedantic philosophy of Eastern religion, where unity is achieved through renunciation of ego-consciousness and union with the absolute, also called Brahman.
Meister Eckhart's philosophy of Oneness also has a significant impact on the ethical dimension of human life. He argues that all deeds done outside of unity with God, for example, out of self-interest or selfishness, are doomed to failure. Instead, the goal of each individual must be to serve God and achieve Oneness. In this sense, Eckhart states:
"I ask for nothing, I seek no profit, I seek nothing that is mine, nothing that I could keep. I seek nothing that is yours, but I seek only you, only you, my God" (2).
Meister Eckhart's philosophy of Oneness or non-duality was one of the most innovative interpretations of medieval Christian theology. His philosophy combined elements of Christian theology, Neoplatonism, and mystical experience to develop a complex system of metaphysical and ethical principles. His idea of Oneness implies that everything is created in accordance with one principle, which means that everything is one. This philosophy also has a significant impact on the ethical dimension of human life, where the goal of each individual must be to serve God and achieve Oneness.
Author: Jasmin Koso
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(1) Meister Eckhart, "Lectures and Sermons," translated by Richard Newhaus, Penguin Classics, 2009, p. 201.
(2) Ibid., p. 136.
Bibliography:
Meister Eckhart, "Lectures and Sermons," translated by Richard Newhaus, Penguin Classics, 2009.
Bernard McGinn, "The Mystical Life of the Middle Ages: An Overview," HarperOne, 2005.
Kurt Flasch, "Meister Eckhart: Thoughts on Thought," HarperOne, 2013.
