Bahá'u'lláh and the Luminous Mind:
Bahá'í Gloss on a Buddhist Puzzle

by Roland Faber

Abstract: Non-duality is of central importance to Buddhist thought and experience. And if, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá confirms, human essence reveals itself in thought and mind, the core of which is mystical contemplation, then the awareness of this profound mode of thinking and experiencing is relevant to humanity's spiritual existence. Non-duality is not monism, but rather the opposite of metaphysical dualism. If dualism — e.g., differentiation between God vs. the world — is identified mostly with Abrahamic religions, monism and non-dualism are reflected in Asian religious expressions, such as Hinduism's Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism in general.