Peter Feldmeier is a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis. He holds an STL in systematic theology from Weston Jesuit School of Theology and a doctorate in Christian spirituality from the Graduate School of Theology in Berkeley, California. He is currently associate professor of theology at St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. In this helpful and illuminating paperback, he presents an interreligious dialogue between sixteenth-century Christian mystic St. John of the Cross and fifth-century Buddhism monk and scholar Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa.

In the opening chapter, Feldmeier outlines his ideas on postmodernity, the current in Catholic Theology, and what he calls "the crucial move toward the other." More than 40 years ago, theologian Paul Tillich called interreligious dialogue the greatest modern theological challenge and the distinctive journey of our time. It has taken a long time for this to be taken seriously. Feldmeier notes that dialogue should be without any ulterior or covert motives, individuals should come to the table with essential openness, other religious traditions must be respected in their own right and on their own terms, differences are not to be downplayed, and no hasty determinations are to be made about the other.

Feldmeier cogently examines three central themes in Christianity and Buddhism: the human being (Who are we?), the path of the spiritual life (How do we become holy?), and the ultimate horizons, that is, union with God and Nirvana (What are we striving for?) Although differences are evident in John of the Cross and Buddhaghosa, it is clear that a Buddhist path is somewhat similar to the Christian practice toward union with God. Both of these spiritual teachers see narcissism as a hindrance on the path of holiness and detachment as a means of spiritual growth.

In the chapter titled "Final Bliss," the author tells a Hindu story of a holy woman who went into a town square with a large bowl. "She sat by the market putting dirt into the bowl and a little water, and she stirred. This drew some attention of a few passersby. But what really caught the attention of many was that periodically she would put her hand into the bowl and pull out a gold nugget. When she had enough gold to finance her continued journey, she got up to leave. A merchant seized the opportunity and ran over to her.

"Are you a magician?"

"No," she replied.

"Is this a magic bowl?"

"No," she said, "it's just an ordinary bowl."

"He asked her to explain how she got the gold to come out. 'All I do,' she said, 'is put in ordinary dirt, add ordinary water, and then stir. Then sometimes a gold nugget emerges. There's no magic here.' He was not convinced, and ended up buying the bowl for quite a sum. She gave this money to the local orphanage and continued her journey. The merchant was delighted, and for many days he did as she instructed. But he found no gold no matter how hard or long he tried. Several months later, the woman was passing through the same town and he accosted her. 'You tricked me,' he said. 'I did everything you said, but I found no gold.' She answered, 'Oh, there is one thing I did neglect to tell you. In order to get the gold, you have to renounce your greed.' "

Both Christians and Buddhists would agree: the ego's demands must be set aside in the spiritual path.