_Johannine Buddhism._
The Indians of old observed that one portion of the sky was dark at
night and one portion lit with stars. They judged that the dark portion
was spirit--primary substance, and that the light portion was the same
substance made tangible to the senses under the form of matter. The
Buddhists took over these ideas and called the dark portion Nirvritti
and the light portion Pravritti. In Nirvritti dwelt the formless,
passionless, inconceivable God--Swayambhu the Self-Existent. Pravritti
contained numerous world-systems (Buddha-Kshetras), the Ogdoads of
the Gnostics. These christened Nirvritti "Buthos," and Pravritti, the
luminous worlds, the "Pleroma." In Buddhism, Pravritti was presided
over by five beings, emanations from Swayambhu. These are announced
in the Buddhist books to be simply the attributes of Swayambhu
personified. They were probably invented to provide the vulgar with
a substitute for the old Brahmin hierarchy. Each has a Sakti (wife,
female energy). I give a list of them with their Saktis, and the divine
attributes that they personify.
ATTRIBUTES. | DHYANI BUDDHAS. | SAKTIS.
| |
Su-vis'uddha Dharma | Vairochana. | Vajra Dhateswatî.
Dhâtu. (Purifying | (Sun-born.) | (Goddess of
eternal law.) | | eternal elements.)
| |
Adarsana. | Akshobhya. | Lochanâ.
(Invisibility). | (Immovable.) | (Eye goddess.)
| |
Prativekshana. (Eyes | Ratna-Sambhava. | Mamukhî.
that sleep not.) | (Born of the jewel.) |
| |
Sânta. (Calmness.) | Amitabha. (Diffusing | Pândarâ.
| infinite light.) | (Pale goddess.)
| |
Krityânushtana. | Amogha-Siddha. | Târâ. (Star.)
(One who performs | (Unfailing aim.) |
rites.) | |
Turning to Basilides we find that he placed in Buthos the "Unnameable,"
a being similar to Swayambhu. From the Unnameable emanated also five
beings, whom he called Æons (Eternals), a substitute for the Dhyani
Buddhas. Their names were Nous (Mind), Logos (Speech), Phronesis
(Prudence), Sophia (Wisdom), Dunamis (Power).
Plainly these also are simply divine attributes personified, the five
Dhyani Buddhas.
Valentinus has also a supreme Æon, Unbegotten, Invisible,
Self-Existent, remaining from everlasting in impassive serenity. This
God, named Bythus, has his Sakti like the Dhyani Buddhas. She is called
Ennœa (Idea), also Charis (Grace).
Bythus is also called Propator (First Father). After countless ages he
determines to evolve the Pleroma, and for that purpose brings forth
Nous (Mind) and Aletheia (Truth).
From Nous, according to Valentinus, by the aid of Aletheia proceeded
Logos (Word) and Zoe (Life). Nous was also called Monogenes (the Only
Begotten).
Zoe brought forth Anthropos (Man) and Ecclesia (Church). These brought
forth other Æons.
In this system Christ figures as Phos (Light), Soter (Saviour), and
Logos (Word). He gives light to the Pleroma.
Now let us turn to the famous opening verses of the fourth gospel. I
copy down the translation of them by the author of the "Evolution of
Christianity."
"In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the
Logos was divine. The same was in the beginning with God. All things
came into existence through him, and without him nothing came into
existence. That which hath been made in him was Zoe (Life), and Zoe
was the Phos (Light) of men, and Phos shineth in the darkness, and the
darkness apprehended it not....
"And the Logos became flesh, and dwelt amongst us, full of Charis
(Grace) and Aletheia (Truth). And we beheld his glory, glory as of
Monogenes (the Only Begotten) from the Father."
As the author of the "Evolution of Christianity" truly says, we have
here a condensation of the Æons of Valentinus. John unifies Christ in
Monogenes, Logos, Phos, and Soter. He descends as Phos (Light). He has
Æonic relationship with Charis and Aletheia.
"Of his Pleroma have we all received," says the fourth evangelist.
(John i. 16.)
"It was the Father's good pleasure that in him the whole Pleroma should
have its home" (Col. i. 19).
"In him dwells the whole Pleroma of the Godhead in bodily shape." (Col.
ii. 9).
"The Church, which is his body, the Pleroma of him that filleth all in
all." (Eph. i. 23.)
We turn now to the Æons or Dhyani Buddhas.
"According to the purpose of the Æons." (Eph. iii. 11.)
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations."
The author of the "Evolution of Christianity" shows that the authorised
version has no sense. He amends it thus:--
"The mystery concealed from the Æons and from their offspring."
From this two things are patent:--
1. Johannine Christianity is Gnosticism.
2. Gnosticism is Buddhism.
In chapter ii. I said that Buddha, like the Gnostic Christ, ruled the
Pleroma or Pravritti. In the "Lalita Vistara" many pages are devoted
to show that he is Purusha, the God-man of the Hindoos. Purusha is
always contrasted with Pracriti, the Buthos of the Gnostics, that part
of the Kosmos which is un-fashioned and non-luminous. Purusha is like
the divine man of the Kabbalah, the Christ of St. Paul, humanity, ideal
humanity. Valentinus proclaimed that from Sophia the Mother, proceeded
Ecclesia the Church. Jesus called his flock the sons of Sophia, and
said that his mother, the Holy Spirit, had carried him up to the top of
Mount Tabor.
As early as the Asoka inscriptions the triad of Buddhism was:--
1. Buddha or Swayambhu, the Self-Existent.
2. Dharma or Prajñâ (Sophia).
3. Sangha (literally Union). Sangha "created the worlds," says the Pûja
Kanda. (For this triad, see Hodgson, "Lit. Nepal," p. 88.) This triad
with the vulgar is now Buddha, his Law, and the Church.
A version of this was not unknown in Palestine, for Hegesippus records
of the early Christians:--
"In every city that prevails which the Law, the Lord, and the Prophets
enjoin."