The Christian Buddha: The Story of Barlaam and Josaphat
This is my summary of the story of St Barlaam and Josaphat that was recorded by St John of Damascus. The feast day for St Josaphat celebration appears in the Greek Synaxaristesion on August 26th, and in the Roman Martyrology on November 27th.
Josaphat was a prince in India. He was converted to the faith via the influences of Barlaam the Hermit. After this Josaphat leads in the conversion of India towards Christianity. For those unfamiliar with this story, the story takes an important and central role regarding the Christian veneration of Buddha. Here is the story:
In India, there was a King by the name of Avennir. He persecuted Christians throughout the land. The King was therefore not pleased when the chief of his court who was also his close friend converted to Christianity and left to go to the desert to become a monk. The King decided to search everywhere for him. Once the king’s soldiers found the monk, they brought him forward to the king. The King pointed out that now they were enemies, but the monk replied to the King that his only enemies were ire and covetous because they blind a man from pursuing truth. These enemies lead men away from prudence as well. The king became furious with the monk’s answer, but due to their former friendship, he did not kill thee, monk. On the contrary, the king just banished the monk and sent him away. The monk left in sadness because he was unable to die as a martyr.
In the meanwhile, the King was able to conceive a child. Once the child was born, the child was named Josaphat. The King was so happy that a male child was born that he offered many sacrifices to his gods. The King then assembled fifty-five astronomers to consult the future of his son. The majority of the astronomers told the King that his son will grow to be powerful and extremely rich. However, the wisest of all astronomers revealed that the King’s son will serve someone mightier than the King and would desire some greater than earthly good. The King’s son would grow up to serve the God of the Christians. The King after hearing this decided to build a palace outside the city. A place surrounded by richness and where the name of Jesus Christ could not be mentioned even once.
The King’s son was born and nourished in the magnificent palace that was built for him. As Josaphat grew, he began to wonder what existed outside the walls of the palace. Eventually, once he grew very impetuous, he called his most trustworthy servant. He demanded to the servant that he wanted to go out to see the city. The news of Josaphat wanting to see the city eventually reached the ears of the King. He was sad, but he knew the will of his son was a strong one. The King then prepared men to accompany Josaphat, men who would be cheerful and remove any sign of sadness during the trip to the city. However, not long during the ride to the city, Josaphat was able to see a blind man. Josaphat amazed at the sight of a blind man asked his companions if all men end being blind. The servants answered back to him and told him that not all men will end becoming blind. Josaphat then began to be contemplated what was the miracle of sight and where it came from. As the ride continued, Josaphat encountered an old man. He saw that the man was covered in wrinkles, so he asked if death was then the end to all men. The servants responded that all men have to die. Josaphat then after hearing this began to contemplate why life is given to men, and if there is something beyond life.
There was then a monk living in the desert of the land of Senaar named Barlaam. Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, Barlaam was able to know what had occurred to the King’s son. Thus, Barlaam dressed like a merchant and traveled to the city where Josaphat was located. Barlaam then approached the best governor of the King’s son and told him that he had a jewel that can give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, and even gives wisdom to the fool. Barlaam convinced the governor to bring the King’s son because this stone was only worthy of nobles. After Barlaam presented himself to Josaphat, he began to tell him a story on how the King always clothed his servants with many richness to reflect virtues. Barlaam then continued to tell then Josaphat through a sermon the truth of how the world was created, about the day of judgment and the reward of good and evil, as well about the errors of worshipping idols. Barlaam began to show Josaphat that truth blindness, deaf and lack of speech is when men that follow error have. When men follow false sweetness, they fall into depravity and lose their way. Barlaam convinced Josaphat of the existence of a higher truth and because of this Josaphat wanted to leave his family to follow Barlaam, but Barlaam did not let him.
Barlaam began to explain to Josaphat that he can’t follow him because he was not yet ready. As it was the costume, Barlaam then began to tell him the story of a young nobleman. There was a young man that was of noble birth, he was engaged to a noble young riel. However, during his travels, he found a virgin poor girl that labored and praised God. The young man asked the girl why she always thanked and praised God even know she was poor and always had to work. Why does she choose to praise God when He did not make her rich? he asked. The young girl explained to the boy that she received many gifts from God. Some were little gifts and others were great ones, of which the greatest one was that God made her at His image. God gave her understanding and called her to his glory and opened the Kingdom of Heaven for the people. The boy amazed at the answer asked the girl’s father for her hand in matrimony. The father, however, declined for she was his only daughter and if she got married, she would leave him. The young man then negated all his richness and left his father’s house and took up the vestments if the old man. Thus, he finally was able to marry the young girl. The young boy found that truth is sometimes leaving the false attribute of the wealth of this world. Josaphat moved for the story knew that he was not ready to leave all his luxurious life yet. Barlaam then told Josaphat not to accompany him for he should not be the author of his persecution. However, once Josaphat was ready to leave, he should go and seek Barlaam. After this, Barlaam baptized Josaphat into the faith and returned to his cave.
Not long after his baptism, the King heard the news and was filled with sorrow. One of the King’s servants, however, advised him of a plan to revert Josaphat to the King’s faith. There was a monk of their religion who looked like Barlaam, thus if they dressed him as Barlaam, they can use him to convince Josaphat on leaving the Christian faith. Thus, they went and got the monk and dressed him as Barlaam. The King then went into the desert as if he was looking for Barlaam, then returned to the palace with the fake monk. However, the Holy Spirit was able to reveal Josaphat on what was going on but informed to remain quiet for the moment being. The King approached Josaphat, and in an angry voice told him that he was forsaken his family, culture, kingdom and old gods. Josaphat, however, he let the King know that he would not leave his faith in Jesus Christ, for Christ is the Truth. The King then became furious and told his son that if he would not obey his father, he would then not be his son no more. Josaphat then turned to the King and told him not to be angry. He was only following truth, but the king furious at this response sent Josaphat fleeing as if he was a snake.
After this the king departed away from Josaphat as well, in short, he encountered his friend Arachis. Arachis convinced the King to use sweet words to convince Josaphat of the error he had taken. Thus, the King decided to meet again with his son the next day, but the sweet words did not convince Josaphat. Josaphat explained to the King that there’s time for everything, but we must obey God above all since He is the source of truth and wisdom. We must obey God even it means to disobey others. The King thus informed his son that if Barlaam could defend the Christian faith, then he, the King would listen to Josaphat ad let him lead others to the Christian faith. The King then called for the fake Barlaam, who in reality was Nachor. Josaphat turned towards Nachor and stated, “Barlaam, you know how to defend the faith, after all, you have taught me how to defend the faith. You taught me to stick to this doctrine to the end of my life, and if you’re to be unable to defend the faith then they should pluck out your tongue from your head until you die for if you cannot defend this faith, then you have corrupted the son of the King.” Nachor realizing that he was in danger was overcome by great fear. Thus, Nachor fearing for his life began to defend the Christian faith.
Nachor began to defend this faith of the Christians by showing the errors behind the worship of idols. He began by stating that the worship of idols was for fools. The Chaldees, the Egyptians, and the Greeks have all erred for they are idolaters. The Chaldees argue that the elements were created to benefit men. The Greeks state that men and tyrants had been gods as Saturn. Saturn then ate hiss children, then Jupiter rebelled against his father and threw his members to the sea. From this action grew Venus. Jupiter then became the king of the gods and transformed himself into the likeness of a beast to commit adultery. They also say Venus is the goddess of adultery ad wife of Mars and other times of Adonides. The Egyptians, they worship beasts as if mere beasts are above Kings. The Christians on the other hand worship the son of God. Nachor then continued to defend the Christian laws and how they were of a higher good than those of the pagans. Then Josaphat approached his Father and asked to speak to this Barlaam in private. The King thinking that Nachor had convinced his son allowed this. Josaphat then revealed to Nachor that he knew that he was not Barlaam, then proceed to evangelize him on the ways of the Christian faith throughout the whole night. In the end, Nachor was converted to the Christian faith. Nachor left the palace in secret and wet to the desert where he was baptized into the Christian faith.
Then a man named Theodosius heard of this. He convinced the King to surround Josaphat with beautiful women and luxury. He told the King that they would lead him again to the life of the old gods that is filled with richness. Ten years pass but Josaphat did not fall. He remained strong in his faith. After these ten years, the King decided to send his son a fair maiden, a king’s daughter. That night she tried to seduce Josaphat, but He did not waive. He said to her that a Christian does not lay-down with a woman unless they are married. She, however, did not give up and convinced to let her rest next to him, and if he could convince her of the Christian faith, she would convert. Josaphat desired her salvation, so he agreed. However, during the night a temptation appeared and came forward a demon appeared trying to tempt him. Josaphat then began to pray, and his prayer pushed the demons away in a battle between good and evil. The demon ran back to Theodosius and told him that he was defeated. That this man marked him with the sign of the cross and defeated him. When Theodosius heard this, he decided to meet the prince, ultimately after meeting him, even he was converted. The King thus seeing that he was defeated in his many attempts accepted the faith of Josaphat. While Josaphat desired to enter the desert, he stayed in the city building churches and leading others to Christ. After a long time, he went into the desert. Finally, after two years he was able to find the cave where Barlaam resided. Josaphat then dwelled there many years living a life of penance and prudence. He lived a very virtuous life until his departure towards the next life.
Josaphat and Buddha
If the story sounds familiar to those that have read or watched the story of Buddha, it is because it is the same story. The story of Josaphat is the Christian adaption written by St John of Damascus. Josaphat is a name that comes from the Arabic name Budhasaf. Throughout the times that the story of Buddha was transcribed into many languages, the B was changed to the Y. Somewhere then with the Eastern Syriac rite, the story was adapted to Christianity. Once the story then made into Greek, the name of Buddha was adapted as Ioasaph/Josaphat (A History of Sanskrit Literature, Arthur A. Macdonell).
Then upon the contemplation of how well the story was adapted to Christianity, a few points must be asked. The first and foremost is if Buddha could be a forerunner to Christ? Can Buddha occupy the place Plato and Aristotle occupied in the Western Christian world? In which the philosophers are called ‘The Divine One’, ‘The Philosopher’ and that Christians nonplatonic thinkers read them in the light of the gospels. Can Buddha like the Greek philosophers has discovered a partial revelation of the logos?
The main focus to analyze some of this intriguing question will be to look through the lenses of anthropology (rather than through a cosmological analysis) some surface similarities amid Pure Land Buddhism and Christianity. Due to Buddhism's extensive inculturation across the world, this article focuses on the most characteristics shared by Pure Land Buddhism and will not engage fully in the Buddhist work and faith developed in Japan by the religious reformed Horen. This will direct the analysis to a quick perspective on dialogue, evangelization, and similarities. To understand as well is that this engagement is with Eastern Buddhism and no the type of Buddhism that has come to exist in some Western areas. This “Western” Buddhism that acts as a form of cultural pop. Pop Buddhism usually tends to lack an in-depth analysis of Buddhist Sutras and dogmas and focused on a rater cultural appropriation to promote a corrupted image of this Eastern faith and philosophy.
Pure Land Buddhism and the Pure Land
Pure Land Buddhism is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. It is one of the most practiced forms of the Buddhist faith in East Asia. Within the framework of this school of Buddhism, there exists the belief of the Paradise of the pure land. The pure land paradise is discussed in the Amitabha Sutra, this Pure Land Paradise is known as Sukhavati (The Three Pure Land Sutras, Taisho Volume 12, xxi). Within this paradise as its described in the 12th volume of Taisho, we can see that it is not the Christian idea of heaven, rather in this “Western” heaven is a step where if one is reborn it is easier to achieve Nirvana. I would lie if I stated that Buddhism (at least within the school on which I am touching on this article) and Christianity (at least within the frameworks of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy) that they are cosmological, epistemology, metaphysically and eschatology the same. There are many variations on these topics, however, from an anthropological and in the light of proper ecumenical matters of dialogue, there are similarities that can be used for the exchange of ideas.
One of the most important and direct similarities in the practice of nianfo. Such practice can also be found in other branches of Buddhism even within Japanese schools of Buddhism. In these schools, the practice is known as nembutsu. Nembutsu while more famous by its Japanese name it began on Mahayana Buddhism (The Three Pure Land Sutras, Taisho Volume 12, 105). The practice of nembutsu is the repetition of the name of the Celestial Buddha known as Amida. To achieve this state of mind known as the mindfulness of Buddha is done through the use of chanting and imagining the Buddha in one’s mind (The Three Pure Land Sutras, Taisho Volume 12, xix). This practice on the surface shares qualities with both the Jesus Prayer and the Ignatian Exercises. Within the personal devotion of Buddha and the use of imagination to achieve a form of prayer (to put it in western Abrahamic terms), it is similar to the Christology of the Society of Jesus with the Sacred Heart. Some of the Jesuit missionaries to Japan even regarded that this practice of the Celestial Buddha made it sees Buddha as an anonymous Christ (De Lubac, Pure Land Buddhism, and Roman Catholicism, David Grumett and Thomas Plant, The Journal of Religion, Vol. 92, No. 1 (January 2012), pp. 61,62). The purpose of both religious forms of devotions shares a common end goal. The goal is to guide men towards a form of enlightenment. For Buddhists, this enlightenment consists of Nirvana, while for the Christian it is Theosis. The spiritual exercises allow one to discern the call of Jesus towards one’s life to ultimately commit to following Christ at whatever cost there is. The similarity that the nianfo has with the Jesus prayer is that both consist of the repetition of Buddha or Christ within the techniques of breathing. The Jesus prayer consist of repeating “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner”, meanwhile the nianfo is the repetition of “Hail Buddha of Infinite Light.” Such similarities permit the observation of how music and chant impact the realization that the human spirit is lifted towards a higher good through forms of aestheticism. The introduction of Paradise also played a key role in Buddhism, like in Christianity it allows all men towards the higher good. Christianity allows all men, both Gentiles and Jews to become part of God’s Covenant. In Buddhism, this teaching allows that men of low and high births can achieve enlightenment.
In the frameworks of this new teaching of enlightenment, a process is to lay down. Similar to the achievement of how the commandments of God partake on the deification of humankind within Christianity, so there are guidelines to safeguard and introduce objective truths that guide the men towards enlightenment. Three conditions contain steps towards this Buddhist “deification”; a summary of these steps appears below that has been taken from Shi Wuling writing, “In One Lifetime: Pure Land Buddhism.”
The First Condition
· Be filial and provide to your parents
· Be respectful and serve teachers
· Be compassionate and do not kill living beings
· Cultivate 10 virtuous Conducts
(These virtuous refer to the statement of objective morality within Pure Land Buddhism: do not steal, Do not kill, do not practice sexual misconduct, do not lie, do not use harsh and dividing speech, do not use enticing speech, and refrain
The Second Condition
· Take the Three Refuges: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
· Abide by precepts
· Behave in a dignified and appropriate manner
The Third Condition
· Generate the Bodhi mind (the enlightened mind)
· Believe deeply in causality
· Study and chat
· Encourage others to advance towards the path of Enlightenment
Within these conditions, the three refuges play a key important role in Buddhist development. The Buddha refers to looking up to Buddha as the maximum embodiment of purity and compassion. Such a view also refers to viewing the Buddha as the state of enlightenment and not just as the person. Dharma has two key definitions. The first is karma and rebirth. Meanwhile, the second definition is the path towards enlightenment. Finally, there is Shanga. Shanga is the equivalent to the understanding of the church in Christianity. It refers to the community of believers. (Learn Religions, Pure Land Buddhism). There are plenty of similarities with these three refuges. Both Christians and Buddhists look to “their Messiah” as the source of wisdom and illumination that leads towards a path. The path in Christianity is referred to as deification and the community of believers which is the Church allows mankind to partake of these uncreated graces that enlighten the fallen nature of men.
According to writer Gavin D’Costa, there is a sevenfold dimension categorization on the Christian faith. These categorizations are Trinity, Christ, Holy Spirit, Church, God, Mysteries, and ethics (Christianity and World Religions: Disputed Questions in the Theology of Religions, Gavin D’Costa, 35-36). In the framework on which D’Costa talks about these points from the Christian orthodox perspective. It is within the frameworks on which construct the Christian life that we can see an extension of them among other faiths since the desire towards a higher Divine exists among other cultures and faiths. Thus, when something ethical exists outside the visible Church, it is ultimately because God has guided hearts towards Him in the pursue of a higher good. From an ethical mindset, it is then that ethics present Buddhism and any revelation of truth as springs toward the desire of all mankind to know that which is Higher and Divine. This is not to state that Christianity is missing any part of the fullness of truth, but rather than a partial revelation of truth exists outside of the Christian faith. The case can be made within the analysis of the three refuges and their similarities with Christian doctrine.
The two principal refuges/jewels are explained within the framework of the Christian mindset; however, the third jewel is expanded on more points. There are six harmonies that one must follow to be part of the Shanga. The six harmonies are:
· Housing the same viewpoints: orthodoxy
· Observing the same precepts: the same communal rules
· Living together as a group: community
· Speaking without conflict
· Experience the bliss of Dharma: To live a good Buddhist life seeking happiness
· Sharing benefits
These harmonies further establish the relationship between both the Christian and Buddhist communities’ bonds. Both establish communities seeking enlightenment, and both of these create a group of beliefs established as an orthodoxy that a member of the community must follow. Thus, the similarities in institutional structure play a major role when considering both evangelization and the exchange of thoughts. Besides, the similarity in structural form represents a similar method of thinking towards the process of the Christian’s Enlightenment, theosis.
The Enlightenment and Theosis
Theosis refers to the transformation of the fallen nature of man into a gloried Christ-like nature. St Clement of Alexandria put it simply in the terms that “God became man, so men can become gods.” This does not mean we become literal gods, but rather that through the infusion of grace into mankind, our fallen nature is slowly transformed into a nature similar to God’s divine nature. The main source of this infusion occurs through the sacraments within the church since these allow a man to be reborn as new in the likeness of God. Therefore, the goal of every Christian is to become Christ-like. This process of change, known as deification, occurs by men participating in the vision of God’s uncreated Lights which is known as theoria (The Difference Between Orthodox Spirituality and Other Traditions. Met. Hierotheos Flacos, 1994). This encounter of graces transforms men towards a process of complete change, a glorified new man. St Thomas Aquinas writes that God draws toward Him the human nature of the son for men to be able to participate in the Divine good. It is then that the Incarnation serves as the ultimate purpose of this communion on which the infusion of grace changes the man-self (Summa Theologicae, Third Part, Question1, Article 2). This teaching of communal enlightenment is reinforced through the communion of the Saints. Thus, we are united in precepts as a community seeking enlightenment.
The Invisible Church and Buddha
The Concept of the Invisible Church is first introduced by St. Augustine following a Christian reading of the theory of the forms. This teaching is reaffirmed much later in history by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical Mystici Corporis, and as well by Russian Orthodox writer, Vladimir Lossky on his book, “The Theology of the Eastern Church”. The invisible Church refers to the existence of elected men that exist outside the visible walls of the visible Church. Since God is then the first mover than can move humans even beyond the visible walls of the Church, then could have God being the force that moved Buddha? While as already stated that there are dogmatically differences among the faith, it can be stated that Buddha had a partial revelation of the truth. Such cases are acknowledged among the Early Fathers of the Christian Church who see both Plato and Aristotle as forerunners of Christ. St Justin the Martyr writes specifically that the old philosophers had a partial knowledge of the Logos (New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge 3rd ed, 1914). In the Christian tradition, the word ‘logos’ is derived from Johannite theology (theology based on the Gospel of John) to refer to Jesus Christ as the “Word” of God. Christ is the speech, the rationality, the enlightenment from heaven that came to save mankind. Buddha can with other East-Asian thinkers then occupy a similar place. Therefore, since the Buddha (to a degree) is venerated as a Saint within Christianity and Buddhism is partially (anthropologically) the same with Christianity, it can be said that both Buddhism and Christianity can be said that we dare to hope that Buddha was indeed a forerunner to Christ.
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