Thomas Merton the Buddhist

[Everyman]

Okay, can anyone help me understand the thinking of Thomas Merton? I ran across a web site last night that claimed Merton as the most influential New Age thinker. They also quoted him supposedly saying “I want to be the best Buddhist I can.”

Over Christmas, I read his Seven-Storey Mountain and did not pick up on any such attitude. What’s the truth behind this?

 

[doomhammer]

just some piece of information
monks.org/thomasmerton.html

 

[tjmiller]

The 7-Story Mountain details Merton’s conversion to the Catholic Church, and is one of his earliest published writings.
But like so many others, he went downhill in the 60’s.