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.

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 Ennoea (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."