Friday, July 14, 2006
Mahayana and Christianity
In studying Buddhist literature, I have often been struck by ideas and phrases that seem similar in Mahayana Buddhism and Christianity. (I provide some examples below.)
I sometimes see references to "Indian Fakirs," "Gymnosophists" and missionaries from emperor Ashoka living in Alexandria in centuries immediately preceding the common era. My question is, to what extent can it be documented, and do we know any details? Were there Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, maybe all three? Others? It's possible, though, that both Mahayana and Christianity had a common influence, Zoroastrianism. In fact, Zorastrianism had influence on both predecessor religions, Judaism and Hinduism.
The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Thomas Cleary, Shambhala, 1993 (composed in in the first century c.e. in an area of India that was culturally Greek.)
I sometimes see references to "Indian Fakirs," "Gymnosophists" and missionaries from emperor Ashoka living in Alexandria in centuries immediately preceding the common era. My question is, to what extent can it be documented, and do we know any details? Were there Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, maybe all three? Others? It's possible, though, that both Mahayana and Christianity had a common influence, Zoroastrianism. In fact, Zorastrianism had influence on both predecessor religions, Judaism and Hinduism.
The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Thomas Cleary, Shambhala, 1993 (composed in in the first century c.e. in an area of India that was culturally Greek.)
"When great enlightening beings see sentient beings in prisons or dungeons, dark and dim, shackled and chained, unable to rise or sit in comfort, assailed by myriad pains, without relatives or friends, without refuge or salvation, naked, hungry, emaciated, suffering unbearable torture, the enlightening beings, having seen this, give what they have, all their wealth, their spouses, children, and households, and even their own bodies, to rescue those creatures in prison." Page 587
"Great enlightening beings give their bodies to those who come ask for them; when they give, they engender a humble mind, a mind like the earth, a mind enduring all suffering without changing or wavering." Page 608
"Great enlightening beings also form this thought: 'for the sake of even one sentient being... I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my own body, arousing the will for enlightenment, to be used for giving; ... I would cause countless worlds to be filled with my body's blood, flesh, bones and marrow..." (Pages 628 - 629.)
"They also induce sentient beings to cultivate themselves, accepting suffering for the sake of all conscious creatures." Page 633
