The Awakened Ones: Phenomenology of Visionary Experience

Gananath Obeyesekere believes that a bold confrontation with visions and dreams can lead to an even richer knowledge. He combines psychoanalysis and anthropology to explore the relationship between personal symbolism and religious experience, and he discusses the unconscious motivations underlying rapture, the fantastical consumption of Christ's body and blood, and body mutilation and levitation. This book revitalizes western philosophical and scientific inquiry and translates the epistemology of Hindu and Buddhist thinkers for western audiences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 644 pages
Publication date: 18 April 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Gananath Obeyesekere, a philosopher renowned for his exploration of visionary experiences, posits that a deeper understanding can be attained by engaging in a bold confrontation with the realm of visions and dreams. His work spans both Buddhist and European traditions, delving into the symbolic and nonrational aspects of these phenomena. By reawakening the intuitive and creative impulses that fuel greater understanding, Obeyesekere seeks to unravel the mysteries of these experiences.

In his book, Obeyesekere delves into the visionary trances experienced by Buddha, where he witnesses countless past births and the evolution of the world over eons. He connects this fragmentation of empirical and visionary time to the realm of space, exploring the subjective experience of a female Christian penitent who fixates on a tiny crucifix, only to perceive the space around it expanding to mirror Christ's suffering.

Through his analysis, Obeyesekere uncovers the unconscious motivations underlying phenomena such as rapture, the fantastical consumption of Christ's body and blood, and body mutilation and levitation. He bridges medieval Catholicism and early modern thought, as reflected in the artistic visions and poetic dreams of figures like William Blake. He also develops the term "dream-ego" through a discussion of visionary journeys, scientific dreaming, and cosmic and erotic dream-visions of New Age virtuosos.

Obeyesekere defines the parameters of a visionary mode of knowledge that offers a more elastic understanding of truth. This volume serves as a career-culminating work, translating the epistemology of Hindu and Buddhist thinkers for Western audiences while revitalizing Western philosophical and scientific discourse. By embracing the visionary, Obeyesekere invites us to explore the depths of our consciousness and unlock the full potential of our intellectual and creative faculties.

Weight: 932g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 41 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231153638