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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA 2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO )

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VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS n WAS ORDAINED TO THE DIACONATE IN #ONSTANTINOPLE DURING THE GREAT PERIOD OF DEBATE ON THE TWO FUN DAMENTAL DOGMAS OF ORTHODOX #HRISTIANITY THE 4RINITY AND THE )NCARNATION (E ASSISTED 3T 'REGORY OF .AZIANZUS AT THE &IRST #OUNCIL OF #ONSTANTINOPLE AT WHICH THE .ICENE #REED RECEIVED ITS l NAL FORM !

DISCIPLE OF THE #APPADOCIAN &ATHERS %VAGRIUS HAD STUDIED THE DOCTRINES OF /RIGEN OF !LEXANDRIA IN CONSIDERABLE DEPTH (E CONTINUED THESE STUDIES IN THE COMPANY OF -ELANIA THE %LDER AND 2Ul NUS OF !QUILEIA ON THE -OUNT OF /LIVES IN *ERUSALEM (E RECEIVED THE MONASTIC HABIT FROM -ELANIA AND PROCEEDED TO THE %GYPTIAN DESERT SOUTH OF !LEXANDRIA TO LEAD THE LIFE OF AN ANCHORITE (E WAS IN TOUCH WITH BOTH #OPTIC AND 'REEK SPEAKING MONKS OF THE PERIOD AND BECAME ONE OF THE LEADING l GURES BECAUSE OF HIS UNUSUAL LEARNING AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS %VAGRIUS PENNED HE WAS A NOTED CALLIGRAPHER A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT WORKS ON TRAINING CANDIDATES FOR THE MONASTIC LIFE !MONG THE SURVIVING WORKS ARE THE 0RAKTIKOS THE 'NOSTIKOS AND THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO CONSTITUTE A TRILOGY OF TEXTS ON SPIRITUAL TRAINING 4HE 0RAKTIKOSS IS A BASIC INTRODUCTION TO THE INNER PRACTICE OF THE MONK FOCUSING ON CONVERSION OF HEART THE REJECTION OF SINFUL THOUGHTS AND THE CULTIVATION OF THE VIRTUES %VAGRIUS CALLED THIS ASPECT OF ASCETIC TRAINING PRAKTIKE 4HE 'NOSTIKOS IS A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A QUALIl S ED SPIRITUAL GUIDE 4HIS IS GIVEN IN ORDER THAT THE GUIDE MAY KNOW HOW TO REGULATE HIS OR HER OWN LIFE AND HOW A MONK MAY KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE SOMEONE WHO WILL BE CAPABLE OF GUIDING HIM OR HER TO THE HIGHER AND DEEPER DIMENSIONS A OF THE #HRISTIAN MONASTIC LIFE &INALLY THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA PROVIDES PARAGRAPHS OR VERSES ORGANIZED INTO SIX CHAPTERS OF NINETY VERSES ON WHICH THE PROl CIENT MONK IS TO MEDITATE SEQUENTIALLY AS A METHOD OF MATURING HIS ALREADY ESTABLISHED PRACTICE OF THE INNER LIFE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

4HE 0RAKTIKOSS OFFERS THOSE MEDITATION TOPICS WHICH NURTURE SPIRITUAL PROGRESS IN SEVEN STAGES #ONVERSION OF HEART .URTURANCE OF THE VIRTUES IN THE DIRECTION OF ACQUIRING APATHEIA !PATHEIA OR PURITY OF HEART ,ATIN PURITAS CORDIS WHICH ENTAILS FREEDOM FROM THE IRASCIBLE AND DESIRE DRIVEN ASPECTS OF THE PASSIONS 4HESE THREE PRAKTIKE STAGES ARE PREPARATORY TO THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE

E THEORIA

BECAUSE IN THE HABITUAL CONDITION OF PURITY OF HEART IT BECOMES POSSIBLE FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE TO UNFOLD IN THE NEXT THREE #HARITY AGAPE )NTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE CREATED ORDER GNOSIS TOU KOSMOU )NNER COMMUNION WITH 'OD THEOLOGIA IN THIS LIFE 4HESE STAGES OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESS CULMINATE IN 0ERFECT BLESSEDNESS MAKARIOTES IN ETERNAL LIFE )N HIS TRILOGY %VAGRIUS DEMONSTRATED A MASTERY OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE /RIGENISTIC AND #APPADOCIAN THEOLOGICAL SPECULATIONS (IS UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION BASED ON HIS RICH PHILOSOPHICAL AND #HRISTIAN TRAINING WAS TO MAKE THE THEOLOGICAL PROGRAM INTO A PSYCHOLOGICALLY SPIRITUALLY AND EXISTENTIALLY COHERENT PATH OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT %VAGRIUS S VISION OF THE MONASTIC LIFE WAS ADOPTED AND ADAPTED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE #HRIS TIAN MONASTIC MOVEMENT SPREADING TO ,ATIN AND #ELTIC MONASTICISM WITH %VAGRIUS S DISCIPLE *OHN #ASSIAN )T WAS THE CORNERSTONE OF "YZANTINE MONASTICISM THANKS TO THE WORK OF -AXIMUS THE #ONFESSOR AND 0ETER OF $AMASKOS THE !THONITE TRADITION EMBRACES IT IN THE ANTHOLOGY KNOWN AS THE 0HILOKALIA 4HE 3YRIAC #HURCHES TOOK UP THE SAME SYSTEM BY PRESERVING TRANSLATIONS OF %VAGRIUS S WORKS COMMENTING ON THEM AND TRANSMITTING THEM TO MONASTIC COMMUNITIES IN #ENTRAL !SIA AND #HINA WITH THE SPREAD OF .ESTORIAN #HRISTIANITY 4HE IMPORTANCE OF THE SYSTEM OF %VAGRIUS EVEN AFTER ITS PARTIAL CONDEMNATION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIXTH CENTURY CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED %LEMENTS OF THIS SYSTEM EVEN TURN UP IN THE 3Ul WRIT INGS SUCH AS THOSE OF )BN @!RABI !MONG THE VERSES IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA THERE ARE MANY THAT ADDRESS TOPICS THAT ARE SIMILARLY HANDLED IN THE "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA LITERATURE )N SOME CASES THE TEXT OF %VAGRIUS TREATS TOPICS SUCH AS THE STRUCTURE OF THE BODY THE OPERATION OF THE SENSORY MECHANISM DISTINCTIONS AMONG MENTAL PHENOMENA THE NATURE OF THE COSMOS MATERIAL AND NON MATERIAL ELEMENTS OF NATURE STATES OF BEING AND OTHER CONCERNS IN WAYS THAT ARE STARTLINGLY CONVERGENT WITH "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA WORKS FROM THE PERIOD TO # % $ID %VAGRIUS SIMPLY BORROW THESE THEMES FROM THE 3TOICS AS HE CERTAINLY DID IN SOME INSTANCES OR DID HE HAVE A "UDDHIST PHILOSOPHICAL SOURCE FROM WHICH HE WAS QUOTING /R DID SOME OF THE 3TOIC MATERIAL HAVE A "UDDHIST

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

PROVENANCE WHICH ONLY EMERGES WITH CLARITY IN THE CONTEMPLATIVE MILIEU OF THE $ESERT &ATHERS OF LATE FOURTH CENTURY %GYPT %VAGRIUS DOES NOT USUALLY CITE HIS SOURCES OTHER THAN THE "IBLE BUT IN SOME CASES IT IS POSSIBLE TO DETECT A PHILOSOPHICAL hVOICEv BEHIND HIS PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS TO DISCIPLES (AD %VAGRIUS BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE WITH THE "UDDHISTS OF NORTHWEST )NDIA IN HIS OWN DAY HE WOULD HAVE FOUND AMONG THEM CONTEM PLATIVE SCHOLAR PRACTITIONERS LIKE HIMSELF WITH MANY INTERESTS IN COMMON WITH HIS OWN )F WE COULD VERIFY THAT %VAGRIUS S TEACHINGS MADE USE OF AN )NDIAN "UDDHIST SOURCE WE WOULD HAVE EVIDENCE FOR THE l RST TIME OF AN ACCURATE AND DETAILED TRANSMISSION OF PHILOSOPHICAL TEACHINGS FROM )NDIA TO THE (ELLENISTIC WORLD (OWEVER EVEN SHOULD IT BE DEMONSTRATED THAT %VAGRIUS S TEACHINGS DERIVE EXCLUSIVELY FROM SOURCES WITHIN THE (ELLENISTIC WORLD AND EARLY #HRISTIANITY HIS WRITINGS WOULD REMAIN A SOURCE AS YET UNTAPPED FOR A DEEPER CONTEMPORARY DIALOGUE BETWEEN "UDDHIST AND #HRISTIAN CONTEMPLATIVES )) %VAGRIUS UNDERSTOOD OUR HUMAN CONDITION AS A FALLING AWAY FROM THE PURE CONTEMPLATION OF THE (OLY 4RINITY ON THE PART OF SPIRITUAL BEINGS WHO ARE ENDOWED WITH FREEDOM FROM THEIR PRIMORDIAL ORIGIN 4HEIR RETURN TO CONTEMPLATION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY MEANS OF A PROCESS OF DIVINE PEDAGOGY

ITSELF OF A SPIRALING CHARACTER 4HUS A WORK LIKE THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKAA IS NOT A LINEAR DESCRIPTION OF THE STAGES OF THE FALL NOR OF A LINEAR RETURN 2ATHER

ACROSS THE SIX CHAPTERS THE MEANS OF RETURN ARE PROPOSED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO THE CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTITIONER SO THAT HE OR SHE MAY NOT ONLY GLIMPSE THE WAY OF RETURN BUT MAY BE PERFECTLY STABILIZED IN THAT RETURN IN THE FORM OF AN ENTIRE WAY OF LIFE I E MONASTICISM 4HIS MODEL WAS ELABORATED FULLY IN #ONFERENCES AND THE S -ONASTIC )NSTITUTES THE WORKS OF %VAGRIUS S DISCIPLE *OHN #ASSIAN WHO WAS BORN IN $ACIA AND WENT ON TO FOUND MONASTERIES IN THE SOUTH OF &RANCE 5NLIKE SPECULATIVE THEOLOGIANS WHO DESCRIBE A GENERALIZED OVERALL PAT TERN TO THE HISTORY OF SALVATION AND THE PROCESS OF SANCTIl CATION IN DIVINE GRACE %VAGRIUS S APPROACH WAS TO PROPOSE A SERIES OF TOPICS OF MEDITATION THAT WOULD TRANSFORM THE DAY TO DAY THOUGHT PATTERNS OF DISCIPLES 7E MAY CONTRAST THIS APPROACH TO THAT OF /RIGEN FOR EXAMPLE WHO DESCRIBES TO HIS READERS THE COMING FORTH OF ALL THINGS FROM 'OD THEIR REDEMPTION IN THE #HRIST EVENT AND THEIR RETURN APOKATASTASIS TO 'OD AT THE END OF HISTORY /RIGEN S PATTERN A KIND OF hGREAT PARABOLAv COMING FROM INl NITY TURNING AT THE #HRIST EVENT AND RETURNING TO INl NITY PROVIDES A USEFUL CATECHETI CAL MODEL A GRAND NARRATIVE OF THE FALL THE REDEMPTION AND THE ESCHATON >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

(OWEVER IT DOES NOT SHOW HOW THE GRAND NARRATIVE CAN BE APPLIED IN THE DAILY STRUGGLE OF THE ASCETIC #HRISTIAN %VAGRIUS ON THE OTHER HAND WRITES EXCLUSIVELY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO THE ASCETIC PROCESS IN THE MONASTIC LIFE 4HESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THE SUBTLETIES OF MENTAL FALLS FROM AND RETURNS TO THE CONTEMPLATIVE STATES ACCESSIBLE IN #HRISTIAN PRACTICE 4HUS

%VAGRIUS PROVIDES HIS DISCIPLES NOT SO MUCH WITH A SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF A THEOLOGY OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE BUT RATHER AN ACTUAL hWORKBOOKv OF SPIRITUAL EXERCISES THAT ARE TO BE FOLLOWED ASSIDUOUSLY AND IN SEQUENCE )N FACT THE ENTIRE SIX KEPHALAIA REPRESENT A SPIRALING METHOD OF TEACHING IN WHICH SPIRITUAL PROGRESS TAKES PLACE THROUGH PERIODIC REPETITION OF KEY THEMES !LSO IN SOME SECTIONS SIMPLER VERSES ALTERNATE WITH MORE DIFl CULT ONES 4HE METHOD SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THAT CERTAIN VERSES WERE ASSIGNED FOR MEDITATION FOR A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME 4HE MOST LIKELY PATTERN WOULD HAVE BEEN BASED ON THE WAY OF LIFE OF THE %GYPTIAN ANCHORITES %VAGRIUS PROVIDES 4HE MONKS LIVED IN SOLITUDE FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK FOLLOW ING A RIGOROUS RULE OF PRAYER RESTRICTED DIET AND MANUAL LABOR /N 3ATURDAY EVENING THEY GATHERED TOGETHER FOR A WORKBOOK OF COMMON PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION IN THE COURSE OF A NOCTURNAL VIGIL THAT ENDED WITH THE %UCHARISTIC SYNAXIS SPIRITUAL EXERCISES AT DAWN %VAGRIUS WOULD HAVE ASSIGNED ONE OR MORE VERSES TO INDIVIDUAL MONKS DURING THE VIGIL THE FOLLOWING 3ATURDAY THE INSIGHTS GAINED DURING A WEEK OF MEDITATION WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED DURING THE TIME OF SPIRITUAL CONVERSATION %VAGRIUS HIMSELF FOLLOWED THIS PRACTICE IN HIS OWN DAILY MONASTIC OBSERVANCE 4HE EXERCISES AND THEIR RESULTS IN THE MIND OF THE CONTEMPLATIVE ARE TO BE CHECKED REGULARLY BY THE SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR THE GNOSTIC OF THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE TRILOGY 4HE GOAL OF THIS PRACTICE IS TO ATTAIN THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF SANCTITY HUMANLY POSSIBLE UNDER GRACE IN THIS LIFE 4HIS IS IN FACT THE NUMEROLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE NUMBER SIX WHICH THE AUTHOR ASSOCI ATES WITH THE SIX DAYS OF CREATION 4HE WORLD AND THIS HUMAN LIFE CONSTITUTE A hPLACEv PROVIDENTIALLY CREATED +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKAA ))) WHERE RESCUE AND PEDAGOGY WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR RATIONAL BEINGS LOGIKOI BUT ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS THE hSEVENTH DAY v I E THE 3ABBATH LIES BEYOND THE SCOPE OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IN THIS LIFE 4HUS THERE ARE SIX CHAPTERS IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA BUT NONE OF THE CHAPTERS IS DEDICATED TO A SINGLE TOPIC IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE 2ATHER ACROSS THE SIX CHAPTERS THERE ARE MEDITATIONS THAT ARE TO BE DONE IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER TO BRING ABOUT COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION IN A MATURE AND BALANCED WAY 4HE SEVENTH DAY THE hRESTv OF (EBREWS IS NOT DISCUSSED HERE WITHIN THE SPHERE OF SPIRITUAL METHOD BUT IS HINTED AT IN SUCH SECTIONS AS ) )

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

) 6) ))) )6

ETC )N THE PLAN OF THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA

WE ARE STILL WITHIN THE WORLD SYSTEM WHEREIN

BY PURE CONCEPTUAL PROCESSES

A RATIONAL BEING CAN BE LIFTED UP TO PURE CONTEMPLATION BY MEANS OF THE ACTIVE LIFE OF CONVERSION AND GROWTH IN VIRTUE AND IN THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE OF PURITY OF HEART CHARITY KNOWLEDGE OF THE COSMOS AND THEOLOGICAL COMMUNION 7E ONLY LOOK INTO THE DIMENSION OF BLESSEDNESS THE PROMISED LAND OF hRESTv HESYCHIA AS -OSES LOOKED INTO THE 0ROMISED ,AND FROM -OUNT 0ISGAH $EUT FOR AS LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE IN THIS EMBODIED LIFE )N ALL THESE MEDITATIONS %VAGRIUS TAKES THE "IBLE AS HIS GUIDEBOOK

WHICH HE READS IN A RELENTLESSLY MYSTICAL WAY CONSTANTLY DRAWING OUR ATTEN TION TO ALLEGORY AND ANAGOGY IN THE GREAT AND WELL KNOWN TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE AS WELL AS IN OBSCURE REFERENCES TO MINOR EVENTS THAT ONLY AN ASSIDUOUS READER OF THE BIBLICAL TEXT MIGHT NOTICE %VAGRIUS SEES THE "IBLE AS AN INSPIRED WORK FOR TEACHING THE SUBTLE DOCTRINES OF BOTH THEOLOGICAL SPECULATION ESPECIALLY %PH AND THE MORE DIRECTLY CRUCIAL CONCERNS OF GUIDANCE ON THE PATH TO SPIRITUAL FREEDOM %VAGRIUS FREQUENTLY IMITATES THE STYLE OF 'REEK THAT HE KNEW FROM THE ,88 'REEK 3EPTUAGINT TEXT IN PARTICULAR THE VERSES OF THE BOOK OF 0ROVERBS BUT HE DOES NOT CONl NE HIMSELF TO THAT STYLE OF WRITING (IS USE OF THE ,88 DOES NOT CIRCUMSCRIBE HIM EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN THE WORLD OF *EWISH AND EARLY #HRISTIAN "IBLICAL INTERPRETATION FROM THE 'REEK TEXT 2ATHER %VAGRIUS MAKES IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT HE SUPPORTS HIS "IBLICAL READING WITH SUPPLEMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS DERIVED FROM (ELLENISTIC MEDI CAL COSMOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EVEN MATHEMATICAL RESEARCH 4HE l NAL GOAL OF HUMAN PERFECTION FOR %VAGRIUS IS THUS ANYTHING BUT A RENUNCIATION OF THE WORLD )NSTEAD THE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS PURIl ED OF THE PASSIONS

IS DISCLOSED AS THE MOST PERFECT INSTRUMENT FOR A FAITH ENLIGHTENED UNDER STANDING OF ALL PHENOMENAÂ&#x2C6;MATERIAL ENERGETIC COSMIC AND DIVINE ))) )T IS RELATIVELY EASY TO ESTABLISH THE (ELLENISTIC BACKGROUND OF MOST OF %VAGRI US S PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY (E IS CLEARLY INm UENCED BY 0LATO !RISTOTLE 0LOTINUS 0ORPHYRY AND SUCH 3TOICS AS :ENO $IOGENES S ,AERTIUS AND 3EXTUS %MPIRICUS )N SUCH WORKS AS THE 'NOSTIKOS AND IN THE TRACTATE /N 4HOUGHTS HIS #HRISTIAN SOURCESÂ&#x2C6;AMONG THEM 'REGORY OF .AZIANZUS #LEMENT OF !LEXANDRIA AND /RIGENÂ&#x2C6;ARE HARMONIZED WITH THEIR (ELLENISTIC COLLEAGUES PREDECESSORS OR CONTEMPORARIES !LL THIS IS IN THE TRADITION OF THE #HRISTIAN AS THE PHILOSOPHER PAR EXCELLENCE -OREOVER

%VAGRIUS IS WRITING IN A MONASTIC MILIEU IN WHICH STUDY AND DISCUSSION WERE GIVEN THE ADDED DIMENSION OF RIGOROUS ASCETIC PRACTICE 4HE THEMES >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

TREATED IN THE WORKS OF THE PHILOSOPHERS WERE EXPERIENCED SOTERIOLOGICALLY AND EXISTENTIALLY IN THE DAILY MEDITATIONS TEMPTATIONS AND PRAYERS OF THIS LEARNED CIRCLE OF MONASTICS &OR EXAMPLE THE NOTION THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE MIND TO RECEIVE TWO THOUGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY #H /N 4HOUGHTS COULD HAVE BEEN DEBATED SPECULATIVELY BY ANY OF THE AUTHORS CITED BUT IN THE SETTING OF THE DESERT AMONG ANCHORITES THE TOPIC HAS CRUCIAL IMPORTANCE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST EVIL THOUGHTS '£HIN AND THE 'UILLAUMONTS TELL US THAT THIS ASSERTION hARISES FROM THE 3TOIC NOTION THAT COMPARES A MENTAL IMAGE OF ITS OBJECT TO THE IMPRINT OF A SEAL IN WAX v "UT NOTICE HOW %VAGRIUS TREATS THIS ANALOGY IN /N 4HOUGHTS .O IMPURE THOUGHT ARISES IN US WITHOUT A SENSORY OBJECT )F OUR MIND

BECAUSE OF ITS GREAT RAPIDITY OF MOVEMENT TIES ONE THOUGHT TO OTHERS IN SERIES ONE SHOULD NOT FOR THAT REASON BELIEVE THAT THE THOUGHTS ARE FORMED ALL AT THE EXACT SAME TIME 4HIS INSIGHT INTO THE RAPIDITY WITH WHICH MENTAL IMAGES CAN SUCCEED ONE ANOTHER CORRESPONDS TO THE EXPERIENCES OF YOGINS AND MEDITATION PRACTITIONERS 4HE "UDDHIST SAGE 6ASUBANDHU DISCUSSES THE APPARENT CON TINUITY OF THE MIND STREAM AND DISTINGUISHES THE INSTANTS OF THOUGHT IN HIS !BHIDHARMAKO|SA WHERE HE ANALYZES THE DISTINCT hNATURESv THAT CONSTITUTE PHENOMENA DHARMAH AND THE m UX OF EXISTENCE OF BEINGS DRAVYA 4HIS OBSERVATION FOR %VAGRIUS AND FOR 6ASUBANDHU IS NOT A MERE MATTER OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPIRICISM 4HE DISCUSSION OF THOUGHTS IS CONCERNED WITH THE REPULSION OF EVIL THOUGHTS /NLY ONE EVIL THOUGHT CAN PRESENT ITSELF IN A SINGLE MOMENT OF MENTAL ATTENTION 4HUS TO RID ONESELF OF SUCH THOUGHTS

/NE MUST IN THE MOMENT OF TEMPTATION TRY TO CAUSE THE MIND TO MOVE FROM AN IMPURE THOUGHT TO A SECOND MENTAL IMAGE AND FROM THAT ONE TO A THIRD THUS ESCAPING THE WICKED hTASKMASTER v )F THE MIND DOES NOT DISPLACE ITSELF AND DOES NOT UNTIE ITSELF FROM ITS OBJECT IT IS SUBMERGED IN PASSIONS AND RUNS THE RISK OF MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF ACTUALLY COMMITTING A SINFUL ACT 3UCH A MIND REALLY DOES NEED A GREAT DEAL OF PURIl CATION OF VIGILS AND PRAYER 7E ARE CLEARLY IN A WORLD OF SPIRITUAL PRACTITIONERS HERE AND AT SOME REMOVE FROM THE STYLE AND APPROACH OF SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHERS )6 7HEN WE OBSERVE THE EXTRAORDINARY CONVERGENCES BETWEEN "UDDHIST !BHID HARMA AND THE TEACHINGS OF %VAGRIUS WE l ND OURSELVES DRAWN TO ONE OR MORE HYPOTHESES TO EXPLAIN THE CONNECTION )S THERE A LITERARY CONNECTION

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

)S THERE ANY POSSIBILITY THAT A WORK OF THE 3ARVASTIVADA SCHOOL OF +ASHMIR SUCH AS THE !BHIDHARMAHR DAYAA WAS TRANSLATED INTO 'REEK AND ENTERED INTO THE THOUGHT WORLD OF -IDDLE AND .EO 0LATONISM 4HE 'REEK !RAMAIC INSCRIPTION OF !SHOKA GIVES AN INDICATION OF THE LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL SET TING AT THE INTERFACE OF (ELLENISTIC AND )NDIC CIVILIZATIONS ! 0ALI TEXT THE -ILINDA PA¶HA SHOWS A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A 'REEK PRINCE AND A "UDDHIST MONK OVER TOPICS EXTENSIVELY TREATED IN !BHIDHARMA -UCH LATER WE HAVE A 3OGDIAN TEXT MS # WHICH REPRODUCES THE 3YRIAC VERSIONS OF SEVERAL #HRISTIAN ASCETICAL WORKS INCLUDING THE !NTIRRHETICUS OF %VAGRIUS 3OGDIAN OF THIS TYPE IS HEAVILY INm UENCED #AN A WORK OF THE BY !RAMAIC I E 3YRIAC BUT IS A #ENTRAL !SIAN )NDO %UROPEAN LANGUAGE BRIDGING THE (ELLENISTIC AND )NDIC 3ARVASTIVADA SCHOOL HAVE WORLDS 4HE MANUSCRIPT IN QUESTION IS LATEÂ&#x2C6;DATING PER HAPS FROM THE SEVENTH OR EVEN EIGHTH CENTURYÂ&#x2C6;BUT IT IS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO 'REEK IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT INDICATES A RARE INSTANCE IN WHICH A 'RECO !RAMAIC #HRISTIAN DOCUMENT UNDERGOES RETROVERSION INTO A #ENTRAL !SIAN LANGUAGE LINKED TO )NDIAN "UDDHIST TRANSMISSIONS 4HE SUGGESTION IS THAT THE 3OGDIAN #HRISTIAN COMMUNITY WAS INTERESTED IN THE SAME LITERATURE OF ASCETICISM THAT AROSE IN 3YRIA 0ALESTINE AND %GYPT IN THE FOURTH CENTURY

AND THAT IT MADE USE IN SOME CASES OF TERMINOLOGY BORROWED FROM "UDDHIST 3ANSKRIT 0RAKRIT MILIEUX 4HE INSCRIPTION OF !SHOKA IN THE THIRD CENTURY " # % WAS NOT THE LAST INSTANCE OF LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE )NDIC AND (ELLENISTIC WORLDS /F COURSE WE MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT CONTEMPLATIVE TEACHERS DISCOVERED THESE INSIGHTS INDEPENDENTLY AS A RESULT OF LONG HOURS OF MEDITATION PRACTICE %VEN SHOULD THIS BE TRUE WHAT PARTICULARLY ATTRACTS OUR ATTENTION IS THE COMPATIBILITY OF THE LANGUAGE IN WHICH THE EXPERIENCE WAS EMBODIED IN THE FORM OF WRITTEN TEACHINGS ON THE CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE 6 "EYOND THESE MORE GENERAL SPECULATIONS WE CAN DETECT SPECIl C INSTANCES A OF A CONm UENCE OF "UDDHIST IDEAS IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA BY ATTEMPTING TO UNDERSTAND THE TEACHINGS GIVEN THERE IN CRYPTIC SUTRA LIKE FORM 4HERE A ARE MANY PLACES IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA IN WHICH THE FULL MEANING OF THE TEXT IS MADE CLEAR ONLY BY COMPARISON WITH )NDIC TEXTS ON SPIRITUAL PRACTICE 3TOICISM IS NOT ENOUGH AND EVEN !LEXANDRIAN *UDEO #HRISTIAN ALLEGORICAL HERMENEUTICS DOES NOT FULLY OPEN THE DOOR OF MEANING +NOWLEDGE OF )N DIC PRIMARILY YOGIC AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA TEXTS IS HELPFUL ALONG WITH EXPERIENCE OF CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE

>HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

4WO 3YRIAC 6ERSIONS OF THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA )N ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THAT SOME OF %VAGRIUS S VERSES HAVE AN )NDIC OR A EVEN !BHIDHARMA "UDDHIST REFERENTS WE NEED TO SUMMARIZE THE NATURE OF THE SOURCES WE ARE USING 7E HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED %VAGRIUS S WORK /N 4HOUGHTS AVAILABLE IN THE 3OURCES #HR£TIENNES SERIES AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WORK S CLEARLY MANIFESTING THE INm UENCE OF 3TOIC AND OTHER (ELLENISTIC PHILOSOPHI CAL IDEAS 7HEN WE COME TO THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA THE THIRD WORK IN HIS TRILOGY ON MONASTIC TRAINING WE HAVE A SOURCE THAT HAS COME DOWN TO US IN A NUMBER OF VERSIONS &OR OUR PURPOSES THE TWO 3YRIAC VERSIONS TRANSLATED BY 'UILLAUMONT ARE CRUCIAL AS ARE THE LARGE NUMBER OF 'REEK FRAGMENTS COLLECTED BY )RENAEUS (AUSHERR 3 * AND BY RELATED SCHOLARSHIP 4HE TWO 3YRIAC VERSIONS 3 AND 3 ARE SIGNIl CANTLY DIFFERENT IN MANY OF THE VERSES 3 WAS MADE LITERALLY FROM THE 'REEK ORIGINAL OF %VAGRIUS WHILE 3 SEEMS TO BE A SIMPLIl CATION OF 3 DESIGNED TO REMOVE MOST OF THE TEACHINGS THAT WERE CONDEMNED IN #ONSTANTINOPLE IN THE SYNOD OF )N SOME CASES

HOWEVER 3 MAY HAVE SIMPLIl ED 3 FOR PEDAGOGICAL PURPOSES AND NOT MERELY TO EXPUNGE HERETICAL VIEWS FROM AN OTHERWISE VALUABLE WORK OF A $ESERT &ATHER 4HUS THE FACT THAT 3 TONES DOWN THE MYTHIC CONTENT OF 3 SUGGESTS TWO POSSIBILITIES l RST THAT THE PRODUCERS OF 3 WANTED TO PRESERVE %VAGRIUS S TEACHING FOR YOUNGER MONKS IN A DOCTRINALLY hSAFEv AND DIGESTIBLE FORM SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW EARLY ON IN THEIR TRAINING ABOUT THE ROAD MAP TO SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AND SECOND THAT THE PRODUCERS OF 3 WERE AWARE OF *USTINIAN S CONDEMNATION OF %VAGRIUS S IDEAS IN THE SIXTH CENTURY AND THEY WERE MAKING AN EXPURGATED VERSION THAT WOULD BE SAFE FROM ECCLESIASTICAL AND STATE CENSORSHIP )F 3 WAS 3 ADAPTED FOR BEGINNERS IT IS STILL LIKELY THAT 3YRIAC SPEAKING GNOSTIC MONKS hGNOSTICv IN THE SENSE OF BEING SPIRITUAL MASTERS NOT IN THE SENSE OF MEMBERSHIP IN AN EARLY h'NOSTICv SECT WOULD HAVE KNOWN AND USED BOTH VERSIONS 3 MAY HAVE BEEN FOR THE NOVICES WHILE 3 SERVED AS THE hTEACHERS GUIDEv WHICH WAS NOT TO BE OPENLY DIVULGED )T IS CLEAR THAT 3 SHOWS A BETTER GRASP OF THE MORE ADVANCED CONTEMPLA TIVE PRACTICES ADVOCATED BY %VAGRIUS IN +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA 4HE TRANSLATOR OF 3 WAS A l NE SCHOLAR AND UNDOUBTEDLY AN EXPERIENCED CONTEMPLATIVE WHO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE GUIDANCE OF OTHERS 7HILE ) DO NOT THINK THAT 3 AND 3 WERE PRODUCED BY THE SAME TRANSLATOR IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WERE IN SOME WAY RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER 3 WAS THE MANUAL FOR THE ADVANCED SPIRITUAL TEACHER AND 3 WAS FOR THE ADVANCING SCHOLAR MONK %VAGRIUS HIMSELF ADVOCATED A PEDAGOGY THAT TAKES INTO CAREFUL CONSIDERATION THE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY AND SPIRITUAL STATE OF PROGRESS OF THE DISCIPLE !S WE EXAMINE SOME OF THE VERSES IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA WE l ND RECURRING THEMES AND RESONANCES WITH A VARIETY OF SOURCES &OR EXAMPLE

THE EXISTENCE OF A PLURALITY OF WORLDS

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

6) 3 .OT ONE OF THE WORLDS WAS SUPERIOR TO THE PRIMORDIAL WORLD IT IS SAID IN EFFECT THAT THAT ;PRIMORDIAL= ONE WAS MADE FROM THE ORIGINAL QUALITY AND IN IT ALL THE WORLDS WILL BE PERFECTED AN ATHLETE A GNOSTIC TAUGHT US THIS 6) 3 4HUS h-ANKIND WAS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF 'OD v IS POS ITED WITHOUT RESTRICTION AND THE ONES WHO ARE DILIGENT ARRIVE AT THIS

ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE &ATHERS &IRST OF ALL NOTE 3 S REFERENCE TO THE MYTH OF THE COSMIC FALL AND TO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PRIMORDIAL WORLD AND THE SUBSEQUENT WORLDS THIS RESONATES WITH THE "UDDHIST !GGA¶¶A 3UTTAA STORY OF THE ORIGIN OF EMBODIED BEINGS IN A SERIES OF DESCENTS FROM SUBTLER TO COARSER STATES OF EXISTENCE 4HE ATHLETE GNOSTIC WHO TAUGHT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SPIRITUAL MASTER WHO HAD PERFECTED THE PATHS OF PRAKTIKE AND GNOSIS HE COULD HAVE BEEN -ACARIUS OR $IDYMUS THE "LIND WHO WERE THE TWO PRINCIPAL %GYPTIAN TEACHERS OF %VAGRIUS 4HE 'REAT /RIGENISTIC 0ARABOLA 4HE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA HAS A VISION OF THE HUMAN CONDITION BASED ON A A DESCENT FROM A HIGHER SPIRITUAL STATE TO A LOWER COARSER STATE #ONSCIOUS BEINGS WERE hONCEv RATIONAL AND ABSORBED IN THE CONTEMPLATION OF THE (OLY 4RINITY 6) 3 4HE l RST ORDER KNOWLEDGE THAT IS IN THE LOGIKOI IS THAT OF THE (OLY 4RINITY &OLLOWING THAT THERE WAS THE MOVEMENT OF LIBERTY

THE PROVIDENCE THAT GIVES HELP AND THE CATCHING UP ;OF THE LOGIKOI= NOT LETTING THEM DISSIPATE COMPLETELY AND THEN THE JUDGMENT AND AGAIN THE MOVEMENT OF FREEDOM PROVIDENCE JUDGMENT AND SO ON UP TO THE (OLY 4RINITY )N THIS WAY A JUDGMENT IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE MOVEMENT OF FREEDOM AND THE PROVIDENCE OF 'OD 4HIS IS A NEAT SUMMARY OF THE PARABOLA OF RATIONAL BEINGS AS DISCUSSED IN /RIGEN S /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES !BIDING PRIMORDIALLY IN THE PURE KNOWLEDGE OF THE (OLY 4RINITY RATIONAL BEINGS EXPERIENCE A MOVEMENT OF FREEDOM THAT ENTAILS THEIR SEPARATION FROM THAT PRIMORDIAL STATE 0ROVIDENCE IS 'OD S HELP EXTENDED TO THESE BEINGS WHO HAVE SEPARATED THEMSELVES FROM PRIMORDIAL KNOWLEDGE SO AS TO RESCUE THEM BY OFFERING THEM THE MATERIAL CREATION AND THE THREE KINDS OF EMBODIMENT WITHOUT WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE FALLEN INDEl NITELY AND A WAY BY WHICH TO RETURN THEN COMES hJUDG MENTv WHICH MIGHT BE A TERM FOR THE #HRIST EVENT ITSELF AS THE OFFER OF GRACE SO THAT BEINGS MAY RETURN TO 'OD FOLLOWED BY A FREE RESPONSE TO THE OFFER OF GRACE THE PROVIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE OF LIFE IN THE #HURCH AS THE WAY OF >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

RETURN THROUGH ASCETIC DISCIPLINE PRAKTIKE AND GROWTH IN CONTEMPLATIVE AWARENESS THEORIA OR GNOSIS 4HE l NAL JUDGMENT IS TO BE THE APOKATASTASIS

AND l NAL RETURN TO UNITY WITHIN THE 4RINITARIAN LIFE OF 'OD 4HE PATTERN OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS A PEDAGOGICAL GNOSTIC ONE %VAGRIUS MADE USE OF THE TERMINOLOGY hl RST ORDER KNOWLEDGEv AND hSECOND ORDER KNOWLEDGEv TO DESCRIBE THE TWO PHASES OF CREATION &IRST ORDER REFERS TO THE PRIMORDIAL STATE OF PURE CONTEMPLATION SECOND ORDER REFERS TO THE RETURN TO CONTEMPLATION BY MEANS OF AN ASCETIC ASCENT IN AND THROUGH THE CREATED ORDER OF NATURE 3 AT 6) TRIES CAUTIOUSLY TO SUM THIS UP AS FOLLOWS 4HE l RST ORDER KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS IN THE RATIONAL NATURE IS CONTEM PLATION OF THE (OLY 4RINITY THERE FOLLOWED THE MOVEMENT OF FREEDOM

AND AFTER THAT THE HELP OF THE PROVIDENCE OF 'OD ;IN THE FORM OF= THE CHASTISEMENT THAT CAUSES A RETURN TO LIFE OR BY THE TEACHING THAT CAUSES AN APPROACH TO l RST ORDER CONTEMPLATION .ONDUALITY 4HE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA OPENS WITH THE FOLLOWING DARING ASSERTIONS A ) 3 AND 3 4HERE IS NOTHING OVER AGAINST THE 0RIMAL 'OOD BE CAUSE IT IS IN ITS ESSENCE THAT IT IS 'OOD AND NOTHING COULD BE CONTRARY TO THAT ESSENCE ) 3 AND 3 #ONTRARIETY IS TO BE FOUND IN THE CHARACTERISTICS AND CHARACTERISTICS ARE TYPICAL OF EMBODIMENTS THEREFORE IT IS AMONG CRE ATED THINGS THAT OPPOSITION IS FOUND 4HE PRIMORDIAL STATE IS ONENESS IN THE 'OOD AS WE HAVE SEEN THE PRIMORDIAL RATIONAL BEINGS ABIDE IN THIS ONENESS CONTEMPLATING THE (OLY 4RINITY 7ITH THEIR FALL INTO NEGLIGENCE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VARI OUS FORMS OF THE EMBODIED STATE THERE IS THE ARISING OF CONTRASTS OPINIONS AND PREFERENCES 4HIS SAME INSIGHT IS FOUND IN $AOISM AND "UDDHISM THE l RST MOVEMENT FROM THE PRIMORDIAL NATURE OR GROUND IS A MOVEMENT INTO MULTIPLICITY THAT NECESSARILY CREATES OPPOSING CHARACTERISTICS (ENCE IN THE 6AJRACCHEDIKA 3UTRA THE PRIMORDIAL "UDDHA NATURE IS WITHOUT CHAR ACTERISTICS 4HE SAME VIEW OF THE ABSOLUTE IS TAUGHT IN A LATE WORK FROM THE 4IBETAN TRADITION THE -AHAMUDRA #LARIl CATION BY -ILAREPA THIS WORK IS N RELEVANT DESPITE ITS LATENESS IN THAT IT SUMMARIZES CENTURIES OF "UDDHIST CONTEMPLATIVE EXPERIENCE .OW IN THIS TEACHING UNDERSTAND THAT THE ESSENCE OF MIND IS THE NATURAL STATE AND THIS IS -AHAMUDRA 4HE l RST TOPIC 4HE MODE

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

OF ABIDING OF PHENOMENA IN THEIR NATURAL STATE h4HE INTENTIONS OF THE "UDDHASv AND THE hNATURE OF THE MIND OF SENTIENT BEINGSv ARE NOT ESTABLISHED AS SHAPE OR COLOR OR MARGINS OR CENTER THESE ARE FREE FROM PARTIALITY AND EXTREMES 4HEY NEITHER ENGAGE IN EXISTENCE NOR NONEXISTENCE THEY DO NOT ERR NOR ARE THEY FREE FROM ERROR THEY DO NOT ARISE FROM ANY CAUSE NOR DO THEY CHANGE IN RELATION TO CONDI TIONS 4HEY ARE NOT CONTRIVED BY A SKILLFUL I E KNOWING "UDDHA

NOR CORRUPTED BY DULL SENTIENT BEINGS NOR DO THEY IMPROVE THROUGH 2EALIZATION NOR WORSEN BY ERROR 4HIS IS 'ROUND -AHAMUDRA !LTHOUGH THE 'OSPEL OF *OHN n HAS STATEMENTS SUGGESTIVE OF A NONDUAL VIEW OF REALITY THE NOTION OF ONENESS WITHOUT CONTRARIETY IS ALIEN TO NEARLY ALL #HRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSE WITH THE TELLING EXCEPTION OF A THEOLOGICAL POEM ATTRIBUTED TO %VAGRIUS S BISHOP 3T 'REGORY OF .AZIANZUS (YMN TO 'OD IN 0'

%VAGRIUS WORKS WITH TWO TERMS TO DESCRIBE THE ORIGINAL STATE OF BEINGS 7E HAVE ALREADY ENCOUNTERED LOGIKOI THERE IS ALSO THE EVEN MORE CHARAC

TERISTIC TERM NOUS WHICH REFERS TO THE COGNITIVE CAPACITY OF MIND BEYOND DEPENDENCE ON CONCEPTS AND SENSE DATA %VAGRIUS EVEN REFERS TO THE hNAKED NOUS v ) 3 AND 3 4HIS IS NOT THE 5NITY WHICH ON ITS OWN PUTS ITSELF IN MOTION BUT IT IS PUT IN MOTION BY THE RECEPTIVITY OF THE NOUS WHICH

BECAUSE OF NEGLIGENCE TURNED ITS FACE AWAY AND BEING DEPRIVED OF ;5NITY= ENGENDERED IGNORANCE 4HIS COULD HAVE BEEN SAID BY /RIGEN OF !LEXANDRIA E G IN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH BUT HAS OBVIOUS AFl NITIES WITH THE "UDDHIST COS MOGENESIS DEPICTED IN THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA ))) 3 AND 3 )T BELONGS TO THE NAKED NOUS TO SAY THAT WHICH IS ITS NATURE AND THERE IS NOW NO REPLY TO THAT QUESTION BUT AT THE END THERE WILL NOT EVEN BE A QUESTION 4HE SECTION PREVIOUS TO THE ONE JUST QUOTED ))) IN 3 POINTED OUT THAT hAMONG ALL THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED ONLY THE NOUS IS CAPABLE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE (OLY 4RINITY v ))) 3 PUTS IT MORE SUBTLY h)T IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT THE NOUS BE CONSTITUTED OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN CONTEMPLATIONÂ&#x2C6;THAT IS

UNLESS EVEN THAT SHOULD PROVE INCAPABLE OF ;RISING TO= THE 4RINITY v )6 3 AND 3 4HE hCO HEIRv WITH #HRIST IS THE ONE WHO ARRIVES IN THE 5NITY AND DELIGHTS IN CONTEMPLATION WITH #HRIST 6) 3 AND 3 4HE (OLY 4RINITY IS NOT LIKE A TETRAD A PENTAD ETC THESE ARE IN EFFECT NUMBERS BUT THE (OLY 4RINITY IS A SINGLE ESSENCE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

%VAGRIUS IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT FAILING IN MONOTHEISM SINCE THIS IS SETTLED IN THE CREEDAL FORMULA HOMOOUSIOS HE IS EXPRESSING A DISTINCTION IN "EING (E IS ALSO ARTICULATING A CONTEMPLATIVE MANNER OF KNOWING THAT GOES BEYOND SUCH OPPOSITIONS AS SINGULAR AND PLURAL THIS CONTEMPLATIVE COGNITIVE CAPACITY IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE NOUS "UT THE NOUS HAVING FALLEN FROM CONTEMPLATION AND BEING ENVELOPED IN A hSOULv PSYCHE AND A BODY /RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH NO HAS TO UNDERGO HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION IN ORDER TO RECOVER ITS NATURAL CONDITION 4HE 4HERAPEUTIC .ATURE OF THE 3TAGES OF THE 3PIRITUAL ,IFE 4HE STAGES OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE ARE SEQUENTIALLY THERAPEUTIC TO BECOME WHAT WE ARE MEANT TO BE A CONDITION OF ILLNESS MUST BE CURED 4HIS IS THE BASIC PRINCIPLE ANIMATING THE ENTIRE PROJECT OF THE "UDDHIST TEACHINGS ON THE &OUR 4RUTHS OF THE .OBLE /NES CATUR ARYA SATYA WHICH IS DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC !S WE HAVE SHOWN ELSEWHERE IN A DISCUSSION OF THE HISTORY OF "UDDHIST SYSTEMATIC PHILOSOPHY THE !BHIDHARMAA SCHOLARS ORGANIZED THEIR THERAPEUTIC RESEARCH INTO CATEGORIES BASED ON THE CLASSIC &OUR 4RUTHS 4HE THREE POISONS IN "UDDHISM ARE DESIRE CF EPITHUMIA ANGER CF THUMOS

AND IGNORANCE CF AGNO SIA Â&#x2C6;JUST AS THEY ARE IN THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA ))) 3 +NOWLEDGE CURES THE NOUS LOVE THE STATE OF ANGER THU MOS AND CHASTITY THE STATE OF DESIRE EPITHUMIA !ND THE CAUSE OF THE FORMER IS THE LATTER AND THE CAUSE OF THE LATTER IS THE THIRD &URTHER )6 3 !LL CONTEMPLATION IS IMMATERIAL AND INCORPOREAL ACCORDING TO THE SIGN OF ONE S UNDERSTANDING "UT WHETHER MATERIAL OR IMMA TERIAL IT IS SAID THAT IT ;CONTEMPLATION= IS THAT WHICH GRASPS OR DOES NOT GRASP THE OBJECTS THAT FALL UNDER ITS ATTENTION 4RANSLATING FROM 'REEK !LL CONTEMPLATION BY THE SIGN OF ITS INTELLECTION IS IMMATERIAL AND INCORPOREAL BUT MATERIAL OR IMMATERIAL IT IS SAID TO BE THAT WHICH POSSESSES OR THAT DOES NOT POSSESS OBJECTS WHICH FALL BENEATH IT %VAGRIUS SEEMS HERE TO BE MAKING A SUBTLE CRITIQUE OF ORDINARY SPEECH IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE HIGHER NOETIC DEl NITION OF CONTEMPLATION THAT HE WOULD PREFER HIS DISCIPLES TO USE .OTICE AGAIN THE LANGUAGE SO CLOSE TO !BHIDHARMA OF hGRASPINGv AND hAPPREHENDING v COMING FROM THE NOTION OF THE SENSES INCLUDING THE MENTAL ACTIVITY CAITTA AS hEXTENDINGv THEM SELVES OUTWARD TO THEIR OBJECTS A TOPIC THAT WILL BE REPEATED IN %VAGRIUS S DISCUSSION OF THE SENSES &URTHER THERAPEUTIC ANALYSIS RELATES TO THE INm UENCE OF OTHER KINDS OF BEINGS OVER THE HUMAN SOUL

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

)6 3 AND 3 4HE DEMONS PREVAIL OVER THE SOUL WHEN THE PASSIONS MULTIPLY LEAVING A MAN WITHOUT GOOD SENSE EXTINGUISHING THE POWERS OF HIS ORGANS OF SENSE FOR FEAR THAT SHOULD HE PERCEIVE A NEARBY ;SAV ING= OBJECT HE MIGHT CAUSE THE NOUS TO RISE AS IF FROM A DEEP WELL 4HE ORGANS OF SENSE ARE UNDERSTOOD TO BE POWERS CORRESPONDING TO THE 3ANSKRIT TERM INDRIYA #OMBAT WITH hTEMPTERSv CF "UDDHIST -ARA IS UNAVOIDABLE IN THIS WORLD SYSTEM 4HE HEALTH OF THE SOUL IS PRIMORDIAL AND NEEDS TO BE RESTORED )) 3 AND 3 4HE WEALTH OF THE SOUL IS KNOWLEDGE ITS POVERTY IS IGNORANCE "UT IF IGNORANCE IS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THEN WEALTH PRECEDES POVERTY AND THE HEALTH OF THE SOUL COMES BEFORE ITS STATE OF ILLNESS (AVING UNDERGONE SPIRITUAL HEALING THE NOUS ASCENDS TO ITS PRIMORDIAL STATE ))) 3 AND 3 #ONTEMPLATION IS SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN AND WHICH WILL BE WHICH CAUSES THE NOUS TO ASCEND TO ITS l RST RANK ))) 3 4HE SPIRITUAL RENEWAL OF THE JUST IS THE ASCENT FROM ONE VIRTUE TO ANOTHER AND FROM ONE KNOWLEDGE TO A SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE 4HE WORLD SYSTEM ITSELF WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE A SITUATION IN WHICH THIS TRANSFORMATION CAN OCCUR ))) 3 4HE WORLD IS THE NATURAL SYSTEM THAT COMPREHENDS THE DIF FERENT AND VARIED BODIES OF THE LOGIKOI FOR ;THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING ABOUT= THE KNOWLEDGE OF 'OD 2ATIONAL BEINGS HAVE A PRIMORDIAL CAPACITY TO UNDERGO TRANSFORMATION AND TO ASCEND )) 3 AND 3 4HE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE LOGIKOI IS OLDER THAN DUALITY AND THE COGNITIVE NATURE IS OLDER THAN ALL NATURES 4HE BODY ITSELF WILL BECOME SUBTLE )) 3 7HEN THE NOES ;PLURAL OF NOUS= SHALL HAVE RECEIVED THE CONTEMPLATION THAT CONCERNS THEM THEN TOO SHALL THE NATURE OF BODIES BE TAKEN AWAY AND THUS SHALL THE CONTEMPLATION ;OF THE NATURE OF BODIES= BECOME IMMATERIAL )) 3 7HEN THE NOES OF THE SAINTS SHALL HAVE RECEIVED THE CONTEM PLATION OF THEMSELVES THEN TOO SHALL THE DENSITY OF BODIES BE TAKEN >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

AWAY FROM THEIR MIDST AND AT LAST THE VISION WILL BECOME SPIRITUAL CF /RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH 3 MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE BODY IS NOT hTAKEN AWAY v BUT RATHER IT IS THE DENSITYY OF THE BODY THAT IS REMOVED BY THE PROCESS OF ASCENT 4HUS IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF ELIMINATINGG THE BODY FROM ESCHATOLOGY BUT OF TRANSFORMING ALL THAT IS MATERIAL FROM DENSITY INTO SUBTLETY BY MEANS OF CONTEMPLATION NOTHING IS ACTUALLY LOST OR ELIMINATED BUT ALL BECOMES THE SOMA PNEUMATIKOS OF ) #OR ! FAMILIARITY WITH THE REVERSAL DOCTRINE OF !SANGA INVOLV ING THE RETURN TO A BODY hMIND MADE FEEDING ON DELIGHT SELF LUMINOUS

A MOVING THROUGH THE AIR GLORIOUSv !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA WOULD SUPPORT THE VIEW GIVEN IN ) #OR ON THE SPIRITUAL BODY )NSTEAD CONDEMNING %VAGRIUS AND /RIGEN %PIPHANIUS OF 3ALAMIS AND *EROME OPTED FOR THE MORE MATERIAL INTERPRETATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY 4HE %XPERIENCE OF 0ERCEPTION -ADE 0ROGRESSIVELY 3UBTLE /NE OF THE ASPECTS OF THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA THAT MOST CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE !BHIDHARMAA LITERATURE IS IN THE THEORY OF PERCEPTION BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE SENSES AND THE PERCEIVING SUBJECT MIND ) 3 AND 3 ! SENSE IS NATURALLY MADE TO PERCEIVE BY ITSELF THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ITS OBJECTS BUT THE NOUS AT ALL TIMES PREPARES ITSELF AND WAITS TO SEE THAT SPIRITUAL CONTEMPLATION THAT COMES TO IT IN VISION 4HIS VERSE MAKE CLEARER SENSE WHEN WE KEEP IN MIND THE CLASSIC !B HIDHARMA NOTION OF hACTIVEv SENSE ORGANS 4HIS NOTION ALSO DISTINGUISHES A BETWEEN THE SENSES WHICH ARE ACTIVE REACHING OUT TO THEIR OBJECTS AND THE DEEPER LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH IS PURELY RECEPTIVE ! DISTINCT hCONSCIOUSNESSv CAN BE DISTINGUISHED CORRESPONDING TO EACH OF THE l VE A SENSES A SIXTH CORRESPONDS TO MIND ITSELF &OR THE !BHIDHARMA MASTERS THE SENSES OPERATE THROUGH l RST SIX EXTERNAL BASES OF SENSORY CONSCIOUSNESS VISIBLE OBJECTS RU U PA AA YATANA AUDIBLE OBJECTS S|ABDA AYATANA

A OLFAC A GUSTATORY OBJECTS RASA AYATANA

A TANGIBLE TORY OBJECTS GANDHA AYATANA

OBJECTS SPRASTT AVYA AA YATANA AND NONSENSORY MENTAL OBJECTS DHARMA A YATANA SECOND SIX INTERNAL BASES OF CONSCIOUS PERCEPTION FACULTIES EYE CAKS U INDRIYA AYATANA

A EAR S|ROTRA INDRIYA AYATANA

A NOSE GHRANA INDRIYA A YATANA TONGUE JIHVA INDRIYA AAYATANA SKIN KAYA A INDRIYA AYATANA

AND MIND MANA INDRIYA AAYATANA AND THIRD SIX CONSCIOUSNESSESS LINKED TO THE FACULTIES INDRIYAS SIGHT CONSCIOUSNESS CAKS U VIJ¶ANA

HEARING CONSCIOUSNESS S|ROTRA VIJ¶ANA OLFACTORY CONSCIOUSNESS GHRANA VIJ¶ANA GUSTATORY CONSCIOUSNESS JIHVA VIJ¶ANA TACTILE CONSCIOUSNESS KAYA VIJ¶A A NA AND MIND CONSCIOUSNESS MANO VIJ¶ANA

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

)N THIS SYSTEM PERCEPTION IS THE ACTIVE MOMENTARY AND USUALLY KARMA DRIVEN CONNECTION OF EXTERNAL OBJECTS WITH INTERNAL FACULTIES -IND AND MENTAL STATES CITTAA AND CAITTAS ARE CLASSED AS FACULTIES CITTA OR MANAA IS THE FUNDAMENTAL AND ULTIMATE FACTOR THAT IS TREATED BY THE !BHIDHARMAA MASTERS AS A GOVERNING INDRIYA WHICH PREDOMINATES OVER THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF PER CEPTION 4HE IMAGE OF THE BODY AS A HOUSE WHERE THE SENSES hLODGEv AND WHERE PERCEPTION OCCURS SUGGESTS YOGIC PRACTICE ESPECIALLY IN THE PRACTICE OF CUTTING OFF THE SENSES WITH THE BHANDHAS PRATYAHARA )6 3 AND 3 4HIS BODY OF THE SOUL IS THE SIGN OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENSE ORGANS ARE THE SIGN OF THE WINDOWS THROUGH WHICH THE NOUS LOOKS OUT AND SEES SENSORY THINGS -ORE EVIDENCE THAT %VAGRIUS HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE OF SYSTEMS OF YOGIC PRACTICE MAY BE FOUND IN HIS DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SENSES AND SENSE ORGANS ) 3 AND 3 4HE SENSES AND THE ORGANS OF SENSE ARE NOT THE SAME THING NOR IS THAT WHICH SENSES AND THAT WHICH IS SENSED 4HE SENSES

IN EFFECT ARE THOSE POWERS WITH WHICH WE CUSTOMARILY PERCEIVE MATERIALS THE ORGANS OF SENSE ARE THOSE MEMBERS IN WHICH THE SENSES RESIDE THAT WHICH SENSES IS THE LIVING SUBJECT WHO POSSESSES SENSE ORGANS AND THAT WHICH IS SENSED IS THAT WHICH FALLS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE SENSES "UT IT IS NOT THUS WITH THE NOUS BECAUSE IT IS WITHOUT ONE ;THREE = OF THESE FOUR 7E COULD NOT BE IN CLOSER HARMONY WITH THE WAY OF THINKING ON THE TOPIC OF SENSE PERCEPTION AS EXPOUNDED IN THE !BHIDHARMA LITERATURE SUM MARIZED ABOVE )) 3 AND 3 4HE SENSORY EYE WHEN IT SEES SOMETHING VISIBLE

DOES NOT SEE ITS TOTALITY BUT THE INTELLIGIBLE EYE IN EITHER NOT SEEING OR EVEN IN SEEING SURROUNDS ON ALL SIDES THAT WHICH IT SEES 4HIS IS A YOGIC PHENOMENON AND REFERS TO THE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING WITHOUT USE OF THE MATERIAL SENSE ORGAN A HINT AT THE DIVYAM CAKSUS THE A DIVINE EYE IN "HAGAVAD 'ITA )T TIES IN TO SEEING WITH THE LIGHT OF 'OD IN ) 3 AND 3 *UST AS THE LIGHT AS LONG AS IT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE HAS NO NEED OF A LIGHT WITH WHICH IT CAN BE SEEN SO ALSO 'OD INSOFAR AS HE MAKES ALL SEE HAS NO NEED OF A LIGHT WITH WHICH HE WILL BE KNOWN IN EFFECT IN HIS ESSENCE hHE IS LIGHT vv

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2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

7E HAVE ALREADY SEEN IN #HAUDHURI S COMMENTS ON THE !BHIDHARMAKO|SA THAT CITTA IS THE ULTIMATE FACULTY HERE %VAGRIUS USES NOUS AS A PRECISE SYN ONYM FOR CITTA )) 3 4HE ORGANS OF THE SENSES AND THE NOUS SHARE THINGS ACCES SIBLE TO THE SENSES BUT ONLY THE NOUS HAS UNDERSTANDING OF INTELLIGIBLE THINGS IT ;ALONE= PERCEIVES ;BOTH= OBJECTS AND OF UNDERSTANDINGS LOGOI 4HIS COULD BE APPLIED TO EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE SINCE THE MEANING OF THINGS UNDERSTOOD EMPIRICALLY CAN ONLY BE DETERMINED BY THE NOETIC CAPACITY OF THE MIND !S 9ASOMITRA POINTS OUT IN HIS COMMENTARY ON THE !BHIDHARMAKO|SA h4HE WORLD IS LED BY THE MIND IS ENTIRELY SUBJUGATED BY THE MIND !LL PHENOMENA ARE SUBJECT TO THIS ONE $HARMA THE MIND v !S ONE MAKES PROGRESS IN SPIRITUAL PRACTICE SENSE PERCEPTION IS LEFT BEHIND AND IMMATERIAL CONTEMPLATION BECOMES POSSIBLE ))) 3 4HOSE WHO HAVE ARRIVED WITHIN IMMATERIAL CONTEMPLA TION ARE ALSO IN THE SAME ORDER BUT IT IS NOT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE SAME ORDER WHO ARE FROM NOW ON IN IMMATERIAL CONTEMPLATION )N EFFECT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY ARE IN THE CONTEMPLATION THAT CONCERNS INTELLIGIBLE THINGS WHICH ALSO NEEDS A NAKED NOUS IF IT IS SEEN AGAIN ANOTHER TIME NAKEDLY ;4HE 'REEK HAS 4HOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED TO IMMATERIAL CONTEMPLATION ARE ALSO IN THE ;SAME= STATE BUT THEY ARE NOT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE SAME STATE WHO ARE FROM NOW ON ALSO IN IM MATERIAL CONTEMPLATION )NDEED IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY ARE AGAIN IN THE CONTEMPLATION THAT CONCERNS THE INTELLIGIBLES WHICH ALSO REQUIRES A NAKED NOUS IF IT PREVIOUSLY HAS ALSO SEEN IT NAKEDLY = $IRECT NOETIC COGNITION IS SUPERIOR TO SENSE DATA 4HE PREVIOUS TWO SAYINGS INDICATE THE CHARACTER OF THE STATE OF PERFECTION ))) 3 )F THE PERFECTION OF THE NOUS IS IMMATERIAL KNOWLEDGE AS IT IS SAID AND BEING THAT THE IMMATERIAL KNOWLEDGE IS THE 4RINITY ALONE

IT IS EVIDENT THAT IN THAT PERFECTION NOTHING MATERIAL WILL REMAIN !ND IF THAT IS SO ONCE NAKED THE NOUS WILL BECOME A SEER OF THE 4RINITY ))) 3 AND 3 4HE DEl CIENT SOUL IS THAT WHOSE POWER SUBJECT TO PASSION INCLINES TOWARDS VAIN ;THINGS= ))) 3 AND 3 4HE PERFECT SOUL IS ONE WHOSE PASSIBLE POWER ACTS ACCORDING TO NATURE

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

4HE DIFl CULT TEXT AT ))) REFERS TO A FORM OF SUBTLE KNOWLEDGE OF INTEL LIGIBLE THINGS THAT IS NOT QUITE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 4RINITY BUT IS AT THE SAME TIME NOT THE KNOWLEDGE OF MATERIAL SENSE OBJECTS EITHER )T IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MEANING OF THINGS THAT ARE CREATED GNOSIS TOU KOSMOU BUT IT IS NOT THEOLOGIA 4HIS DISTINCTION SUGGESTS THAT %VAGRIUS HAS COMBINED TEACHINGS ON HIGHER PERCEPTION FROM )NDIC SOURCES WITH THE TEACHINGS HE RECEIVED FROM THE #APPADOCIAN &ATHERS ON KNOWLEDGE OF THE (OLY 4RINITY )6 3 /BJECTS ARE OUTSIDE THE NOUS AND THE CONTEMPLATION OF THEM IS CONSTITUTED WITHIN IT "UT WHEN THE ;CONTEMPLATION= IS OF THE (OLY 4RINITY IT IS NOT LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT IS EXCLUSIVELY ESSENTIAL GNOSIS 4HIS IS A KEY TEXT ON NONDUALISTIC CONSCIOUSNESS &IRST NORMAL SENSE DATA ARE WITH REFERENCE TO THE SECOND ORDER CREATION 0ROVIDENCE AND HAVE A WITHIN AND A WITHOUT APPEARANCE 3ECOND THE NOUS IS THE PERCEIVER 4HIRD

CONTEMPLATION OF THE 4RINITY WHICH IS GNOSIS IS NOT THE SAME AS SENSE DATA PERCEPTION )T IS ESSENTIAL GNOSIS I E l RST ORDER OF THE PRIMORDIAL NATURE OF NOUS IN ITSELF !T THIS LEVEL OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT %VAGRIUS IS DISCUSSING VISIONARY

CHARISMATIC FORMS OF PERCEPTION ))) 3 4HE CHANGE OF THE JUST IS THE PASSAGE OF BODIESÂ&#x2C6;BOTH PRAKTIKE AND SEEING TO SEEING BODIES OR TO INCREASINGLY SEEING BOD IES 'REEK 4HE CHANGE OF THE JUST IS THE PASSING FROM BODIES WHICH ARE PRAKTIKE AND SEEING INTO BODIES WHICH ARE SEEING OR VERY CLEARLY SEEING )T IS SIGNIl CANT THAT TO TRANSLATE THIS PASSAGE THE 3YRIAC TRANSLATION USES HZHY I E VISIONARY SEEING RATHER THAN A WORD BASED ON THE SENSE ORGANS 3 Y TRIES TO BE HELPFUL TO THE BEGINNER h4HE SPIRITUAL RENEWAL OF THE JUST IS THE ASCENT FROM ONE VIRTUE TO ANOTHER AND FROM ONE KNOWLEDGE TO A SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE v !GAIN WE CAN SEE THE PATTERN OF A PEDAGOGICAL PROCESS BASED ON SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF REl NEMENT /NE UNDERGOES THIS REl NEMENT BY UN DERTAKING RIGOROUS SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE PRAKTIKE AND GRADUALLY OPENING UP THE FACULTIES TO THEIR TRUE NATURAL STATE OF HIGHER PERCEPTION )6 3 4HE OBJECTS THAT THROUGH THE SENSES COME TO THE SOUL S ATTENTION SHAPE IT TO MAKE IT RECEIVE IN ITSELF THEIR FORMS BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORK OF THE NOUS IN KNOWING JUST AS THE ANIMALS THAT BREATHE FROM OUTSIDE AND IT THE NOUS FALLS INTO DANGER IF IT DOES NOT WORK

ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF 3OLOMON THE SAGE h4HE LIGHT OF THE ,ORD IS THE BREATH OF MENv 0ROV 88

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2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

4HE THEORY LINKING SENSE PHENOMENA WITH MIND AND WITH BREATH SOUNDS VERY )NDIAN 4HE IMPRESSION OF AN OBJECT SHAPES THE PERCEPTIVE CAPACITY OF THE SOUL REPLICATING ITSELF THEREIN PERCEPTION NOURISHES THE SOUL AS AIR NOURISHES THE BODY LIGHT IS PRANA 9OGIC THEORY BOTH "UDDHIST AND NON "UDDHIST HAS MIND hRIDING UPONv BREATH BREATH AND INTERNAL ENER GETIC CURRENTS WORK TOGETHER IN THE YOGIN S BODY UNDER HIS OR HER CONTROL 5LTIMATELY BREATH ENERGY MIND AND LIGHT ARE DIMENSIONS OF THE ONE BASIC REALITY 4HOSE WHO ARE ON THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY BEGIN TO NOTICE THESE MATTERS INTUITIVELY AND WITH GREATER AND GREATER CLARITY AS THEY GO ALONG 6 3 *UST AS WE NOW APPROACH SENSORY OBJECTS VIA THE SENSES

AND AT THE END WHEN WE HAVE BEEN PURIl ED WE WILL ALSO KNOW THE WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING THEM SO WHEN AT l RST WE SEE OBJECTS AND MORE SO WHEN WE SHALL BE PURIl ED WE WILL KNOW THE CONTEMPLATION THAT CONCERNS THEM AFTER WHICH IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO KNOW EVERMORE ALSO THE (OLY 4RINITY 6 3 4HE NOUS DISCERNS SENSATION NOT SO MUCH AS hSENSORYv BUT AS SO MUCH SENSATION AND SENSATION DISCERNS SENSORY THINGS NOT SO MUCH AS OBJECTS BUT IN AS MUCH AS THEY ARE SENSORY OBJECTS (ERE WE CAN SEE HOW SUBTLE %VAGRIUS S THINKING ON SENSE PERCEPTION REALLY WAS AND HOW CLOSE TO !BHIDHARMA TEACHINGS (ERE THE NOUS A WOULD CORRESPOND TO THE PRINCIPLE OF CONSCIOUSNESS VIJ¶ANA AS THE BASE OF PERCEP TION THE ACT OF PERCEPTION IN WHICH THE NOUS RECEIVES DATA FROM THE SENSE ORGANS IS A GRASPING OF A SET OF SENSATIONS FROM WHICH AN OBJECT IS INFERRED !LL OBJECTS ARE THEREFORE CONCEPTUALIZED AS HAVING hSUCHNESSv BUT ARE IN REALITY AN INFERENCE DERIVED FROM A COMPLEX SET OF SENSE DATA ASSEMBLED BY THE BASE OF CONSCIOUSNESS 3 GOES ON TO SAY IN 6 THAT SENSATION DOES NOT DISCERN SENSATION BUT IT DISCERNS ONLY THE SENSE ORGANS NOT AS SENSE ORGANS

BUT AS ENTITIES CAPABLE OF SENSE PERCEPTIONS 4HE NOUS DISCERNS SENSATION AS A SET OF SENSORY PERCEPTIONS AND THE SENSE ORGANS AS A SET OF SENSE ORGANS -ORE ON PEDAGOGY ))) 3 AND 3 *UST AS THOSE WHO TEACH LETTERS TO CHILDREN TRACE THEM ON TABLETS SO ALSO #HRIST IN TEACHING HIS WISDOM TO THE LOGIKOI

TRACED IT IN THE CORPOREAL NATURE ))) 3 4HE ONE WHO WANTS TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE WRITTEN NEEDS LIGHT AND THE ONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN THE WISDOM OF BEINGS NEEDS SPIRITUAL LOVE

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

4HE HUMANITY OF #HRIST SERVES AS A MODEL OF CONDUCT FOR HUMANS ES PECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE BEGINNERS IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE 4HE hLIGHTv IS THE TEXT OF THE 3CRIPTURES GIVEN A MYSTICAL INTERPRETATION 0SALM h)N YOUR LIGHT WE SEE LIGHTv AND SPIRITUAL LOVE PREPARES ONE FOR THE STAGE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CREATED THINGS IN %VAGRIUS S SEVENFOLD SCHEME 4HE 4HEME OF .OURISHMENT %ATING AS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM IS THEOLOGICALLY CONNECTED WITH THE &ALL 'EN AND THE EATING OF THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT AND ALSO WITH THE "UDDHIST MYTH OF THE DECLINE OF PRIMORDIAL BEINGS IN THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA )N FACT %VAGRIUS S UNDERSTANDING OF THE &ALL ARISES FROM THE ESOTERIC TRADITION OF "IBLICAL IN TERPRETATION IN WHICH FOR EXAMPLE THE hGARMENTS OF SKINv ARE UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE BODY OF m ESH GIVEN TO !DAM AND %VE ONLY AFTER THEIR SIN 4HE ORIGINAL CONDITION OF THE HUMAN PERSON WAS TO BE IMMORTAL AND NONm ESHLY 4HESE VIEWS WERE CONDEMNED IN THE ANTI /RIGENIST CANONS OF AND

LINKED TO THE DECREES OF THE 3ECOND #OUNCIL OF #ONSTANTINOPLE %VAGRIUS

HOWEVER RETURNS FREQUENTLY TO THE THEME OF NOURISHMENT BOTH BODILY AND hMENTAL v 7ITHOUT A KNOWLEDGE OF "UDDHIST COSMOLOGICAL SPECULATION IT IS DIFl CULT TO INTERPRET HIS TEACHINGS ) 3 5NDERSTANDINGS OF THINGS OF THE %ARTH ARE hTHE GOOD THINGS OF THE %ARTH v "UT IF THE HOLY ANGELS hKNOWv THESE ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE 4EKOITE ;A WISE WOMAN FROM 4EKOAH WHO TOLD $AVID h9OUR MAJESTY IS AS WISE AS THE ANGEL OF 'OD AND KNOWS ALL THAT GOES ON IN THE LANDv 3AM = THE ANGELS OF 'OD EAT THE GOOD THINGS OF THE %ARTH "UT IT IS SAID THAT hMAN ATE THE BREAD OF ANGELSv ;0S = IT IS THUS APPARENT THAT ALSO A FEW AMONG MEN HAVE KNOWN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THAT WHICH IS ON %ARTH )T IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW %VAGRIUS CITES AN OBSCURE /LD 4ESTAMENT PAS SAGE TO DISCUSS THE QUESTION OF BREAD AS KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWLEDGE AS LINKING THINGS OF (EAVEN TO THINGS OF %ARTH !T l RST GLANCE THE REFERENCE TO THE BREAD OF ANGELS IN 0SALM SEEMS TO BE TO THE MANNA STORY IN %XODUS TO WHICH THE 0SALM ALLUDES "UT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NOETIC UNDERSTANDING AND hEATINGv SOMETHING GOOD I E SWEET ON THE %ARTH PUTS US VERY CLOSE TO THE "UDDHIST 'ENESIS STORY OF $IGHA .IKAYAA 886)) FF THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTAA CF !BHIDHARMAKO|SA ))) A B .OT ONLY THAT ALLUSION BUT ALSO THE DISCUSSION OF +ING $AVID AS HAVING UNUSUAL KNOWLEDGE IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE LAND FROM THE INSIDIOUS PLOTS OF HIS SON !BSALOM SUGGESTS THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA )N CASTE IS DEPICTED IN THE NEED K THE SUTTA THE ORIGIN OF THE WARRIOR KSATRIYA TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM THIEVES WHO WOULD STEAL CROPS FROM THE l ELD )N THE CASE OF !BSALOM TO GET *OAB S ATTENTION HE HAS *OAB S l ELD OF BARLEY >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

BURNED 3AM n $AVID IS A TRUE KSATRIYA KNOWING AND PROTECTING K THE l ELDS KKS ETRA !BSALOM IS A CRIMINAL PLOTTING AGAINST THE KING HIS FATHER

AND DESTROYING THE l ELDS HE IS THEREFORE UNWORTHY OF KINGSHIP !NOTHER REFERENCE TO THE "UDDHIST COSMOLOGICAL SUTTA IS FOUND IN ) 3 AND 3 )F THE HUMAN BODY IS A PART OF THIS WORLD AND IF hTHE FORM OF THIS WORLD IS PASSINGv ;) #OR = IT IS APPARENT THAT THE FORM OF THE BODY IS ALSO PASSING 4HIS PASSAGE TAKES %VAGRIUS ON THE ROAD TO DENYING THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY IN A LITERAL SENSE 7E ARE TEMPTED TO l ND HERE A RESONANCE WITH THE NOTION IN THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA IN WHICH THE PRIMORDIAL FORM OF THE BODY IS PURE MIND AND LUMINOUS ONLY TO BECOME GROSS AND MATERIAL AS A CONSEQUENCE OF KARMIC NEGATIVITY WHICH BEGAN WITH THE ACT OF GLUT TONY IN CONSUMING THE SWEET SUBSTANCE ON THE SURFACE OF THE %ARTH &ROM THE %VAGRIAN POINT OF VIEW THE RETURN TO PURE CONTEMPLATION WILL REQUIRE A REVERSAL OF THE DENSITY OF EMBODIED EXISTENCE AND A PURIl CATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE SENSES ! SIMILAR IDEA OF hREVERSALv CAN BE FOUND IN THE WRITINGS OF %VAGRIUS S )NDIAN "UDDHIST CONTEMPORARY !SANGA IN THE "O DHISATTVABHUMI 4HAT THIS IS ABOUT SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION IS CLEAR FROM THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE ))) 3 %ACH CHANGE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO NOURISH THE RATIONAL BEINGS LOGIKOI AND THOSE WHO SO NOURISH THEMSELVES ARRIVE AT THE EXCELLENT CHANGE BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT SO NOURISH THEMSELVES ARRIVE AT AN EVIL CHANGE ;CF ))) ON THE NOURISHMENT OF ANGELS HUMANS

AND DEMONS= 4HIS IS A KEY PASSAGE FOR UNDERSTANDING %VAGRIUS S PEDAGOGICAL THEORY

ITSELF INSEPARABLE FROM THE SEVENFOLD SCHEME OF GROWTH IN HOLINESS CITED IN THE l RST CHAPTER OF THE 0RAKTIKOS SEE ABOVE &IRST OF ALL HERE WE HAVE THE DIMENSION OF CHOICE ONE CAN CHOOSE TO PROGRESS IN VIRTUE THE CHOICES ARE PROGRAMMED AND ESTABLISHED THE CHARACTER OF LEARNING IS A COGNITIVE PRO CESS NOESIS DESCRIBED AS hNOURISHMENTv THAT LEADS TO TRANSFORMATION 4HE +EPHALAIA THEMSELVES CONSTITUTE THIS PROGRAM OF SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT .OT A TO FOLLOW THEM LEADS ONE TO A BAD END JUST AS THE STUDENT WHO DOES NOT STUDY FAILS 4HUS WE CAN IDENTIFY THE IMPERFECT NOUS AND THE PERFECT NOUS ))) 3 4HE IMPERFECT NOUS IS THE ONE WHO STILL NEEDS THAT CON TEMPLATION KNOWN THROUGH CORPOREAL NATURE ))) 3 AND 3 4HE PERFECT NOUS IS THAT ONE WHICH CAN RECEIVE EASILY THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

4HE NATURE OF THIS PERFECTION CORRESPONDS TO THE hLUMINOSITYv THAT CHAR ACTERIZED THE PRIMORDIAL BEINGS IN "UDDHIST COSMOLOGY h"ODIES OF LIGHT v WHICH AT l RST SEEM TO REFER TO STARS BUT WHICH ARE REALLY THE LUMINOUS CLOTHING OF THE NOES ARE MENTIONED IN ))) 3 AND 3 4HE THEORY OF THE BODY OF LIGHT IS THE BASIS FOR LATER 3YRIAC SPECULATION ON THE MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE OF LIGHT h4HE NOES OF THE HEAVENLY POWERS ARE PURE AND FULL OF KNOWLEDGE

AND THEIR BODIES ARE THE LUMINARIES THAT ARE RESPLENDENT UPON THOSE WHO COME NEAR TO THEM v 4HIS MAY BE COMPARED TO 6 3 AND 3 4HE NOUS THAT HAS DESPOILED ITSELF OF PASSIONS BECOMES ENTIRELY LIKE LIGHT BECAUSE IT IS LIT UP BY THE CONTEMPLATION OF BEINGS 4HE 4HEORY 4HAT "EINGS #ORRESPOND TO 4HEIR 0ROPER 3PHERE OR !BODE COMPARABLE TO THE 3ANSKRIT TERM LOKA %VAGRIUS SHOWS SOME FAMILIARITY WITH THE IDEA OF MULTIPLE WORLDS SOME THING ALSO PRESENT IN /RIGEN AND HE HAS CLEAR IDEAS ABOUT THE NATURE OF BEINGS IN THOSE WORLDS ) 3 AND 3 4HOSE WHOSE GENESIS IS SECOND ORDER ARE ESTABLISHED

BY THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE WITHIN VARIOUS WORLDS WHEREIN THEY PURSUE INDESCRIBABLE COMBATS "UT IN THE 5NITY NONE OF THIS OCCURS THERE THERE IS AN INEFFABLE PEACE AND THERE ARE ONLY NAKED NOES WHO FOREVER SATIATE THEMSELVES OF ITS ABUNDANCE IF ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF OUR 3AVIOR h4HE &ATHER JUDGES NO ONE BUT HAS GIVEN ALL JUDGMENT TO #HRIST v )N %VAGRIUS S UNDERSTANDING OF COSMOGENESIS THE SECOND ORDER CREATION WAS 'OD S PROVIDENTIAL OFFER OF A MATERIAL WORLD WITHIN WHICH BEINGS COULD BE HELD AND EVENTUALLY RECOVERED AND RESTORED TO l RST ORDER CONTEMPLATION "UT THE WAY OF LIFE THAT BEINGS ANGELS DEMONS AND HUMANS FOLLOW IN THEIR RESPECTIVE WORLDS OR ABODES IS FULL OF VIOLENCE 3ALVATION WILL CONSIST OF AN INEFFABLE PEACE IN WHICH THE NOETIC BEINGS RETURN TO THE PRIMORDIAL 5NITY

HAVING PURIl ED BOTH THE PRIMORDIAL FALL AND THE SUBSEQUENT COMBATS OF THE WORLD OF THE SENSES 4HE WORLDS OF BEINGS HAVE A VARIETY OF NOURISHMENTS )) 3 4HE SPIRITUAL POWERS DO NOT HAVE BODIES BUT ONLY ;BEINGS THAT HAVE= SOULS ;HAVE BODIES= WHICH ARE NATURALLY MADE TO NOURISH THEMSELVES FROM THE WORLD TO WHICH THEY BELONG )N THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA THE PRIMORDIAL FOOD OF ALL BEINGS WAS SAMA DHI BUT THEY FELL INTO THE HABIT OF INDULGING IN THE SWEET %ARTH WHICH TRANSFORMED ITSELF ACCORDING TO THE KARMIC LEVEL OF SUCCESSIVE APPEARANCES OF BEINGS 4HE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

SPIRITUAL POWERS MENTIONED HERE ARE THE PRIMORDIAL NOES BEFORE THEIR FALL AND THE APPEARANCE OF EMBODIED EXISTENCE COMPOSED OF VARIOUS PROPORTIONS OF THE PRIME ELEMENTS 3PIRITUAL POWERS CORRESPOND TO THE hBODIES MADE OF MIND LUMINOUS v AND UNDIFFERENTIATED AS TO SEX IN THE EARLY "UDDHIST ACCOUNT !S BEINGS DECLINE UNDER THE INm UENCE OF NEGATIVE KARMA THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS PRINCIPLE NOUS OR VIJ¶ANA ARE ENVELOPED BY THE SOUL OR SUBTLE BODY AND ARE GRADUALLY DISTINGUISHED BY SEX AND THE MATERIAL BODY 4HE SOUL PSYCHE ))) CONSISTS OF THE NOUS WHICH BECAUSE OF NEGLIGENCE

HAS FALLEN FROM THE 5NITY AND WHICH AS A CONSEQUENCE OF ITS NONVIGILANCE

HAS FALLEN TO THE LEVEL OF PRAKTIKE 4HE NATURE OF EMBODIED EXISTENCE IN THE S +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKOS STRANGELY RESEMBLES "UDDHIST TEACHING ))) 3 AND 3 4HE SIGN OF THE HUMAN ORDER IS THE HUMAN BODY

AND THE SIGN OF EACH OF THE ORDERS IS GREATNESS FORMS COLORS QUALITIES

NATURAL FORCES WEAKNESS TIME PLACE PARENTS GROWTH MODES LIFE

DEATH AND THAT WHICH LATCHES ON TO THINGS 4HIS LIST CORRESPONDS IN SEVERAL POINTS TO THE TWELVEFOLD CHAIN OF PRAT TYASAMUTPADA IGNORANCE KARMIC FORMATION CONSCIOUSNESS NAME AND FORM SIX INVOLVEMENTS CONTACT FEELING CRAVING GRASPING EXISTENCE

BIRTH OLD AGE AND DEATH 4HIS IS ALSO THE THEME OF THE CATEGORIES OF BEINGS IN 6 3 AND 3 &ROM THE ORDER OF ANGELS COME THE ORDER OF ARCHANGELS AND THAT OF PSYCHICS FROM THAT OF PSYCHICS ;WILL COME THAT= OF DEMONS AND OF MEN AND FROM THAT OF MEN WILL COME ANEW THAT OF ANGELS AND DEMONS IF A DEMON IS THAT WHICH BECAUSE OF AN ABUNDANCE OF RAGE THUMOS

HAS FALLEN FROM PRAKTIKE AND HAS BEEN JOINED TO A DARKENED AND EXTENSIVE BODY 4HE TEXT HAS STRONG AFl NITIES WITH THE NOTION OF METEMPSYCHOSIS EVEN IF IT COULD BE INTERPRETED TO REFER TO THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF A MONK WHO HAS FAILED MOMENTARILY IN HIS ASCETIC PRACTICE PRAKTIKE )T IS ALSO CLEAR THAT THERE IS SOME AFl NITY WITH THE NOTION OF DISTINCT REALMS OR DESTINIES 3AN SKRIT GATI CORRESPONDING TO KARMIC FRUITION 4HIS LATER BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE 4IBETAN "ARDO 4HODOLL INSTRUCTIONS TO BE HEARD AFTER DEATH IN THE INTERMEDIATE STATE THE h"OOK OF THE $EADv !NOTHER TEXT WITH AFl NITIES WITH THIS THOUGHT WORLD IS 6 3 WHICH HINTS AT EXPERIENCES ENCOUNTERED IN 4IBETAN STYLE DARK RETREAT 4HE WORLD BUILT UP OUT OF THOUGHT IS CONSIDERED HARD TO SEE BY DAY

BECAUSE THE NOUS IS ATTRACTED BY THE SENSES AND BY THE SENSORY LIGHT THAT SHINES BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE IT BY NIGHT WHEN IT IS IMPRINTED LUMINOUSLY AT THE TIME OF PRAYER

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

(ERE 3 IS SPEAKING OF THE WORLD OR BODY MADE OF PURE LUMINOUS CON

SCIOUSNESS THE STATE OF THE PRIMORDIAL BEINGS IN THE !GGA¶¶A 3UTTA BEING INVOLVED WITH MATERIALITY AND SENSE PERCEPTION DRAWS US AWAY FROM THAT KIND OF INTERIOR UNIVERSE $ARK RETREAT OR NOCTURNAL CONTEMPLATION OPENS IT UP FOR US AND TEACHES US ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL WORLD 3 OCCUPIES HIMSELF HERE WITH A DISCUSSION RELEVANT TO DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS AT PRAYER 6) SHOULD DISPEL ANY DOUBT ABOUT THIS INTERPRETATION !CCORDING TO THE WORD OF 3OLOMON THE NOUS IS JOINED TO THE HEART AND THE LIGHT THAT APPEARS ;TO THE NOUS= SEEMS TO ARISE IN THE PHYSI CAL HEAD 4HIS IS A VERY ESOTERIC INSIGHT THAT COULD ONLY BE BASED ON EXPERIENCE WITH MEDITATION PRACTICE %NDLESS CONTROVERSIES ABOUT THE NATURE OF THIS LIGHT ENSUED IN %ASTERN #HRISTIAN MONASTIC CIRCLES 3IMEON THE .EW 4HEO LOGIAN AND 'REGORY 0ALAMAS ARTICULATED THE HESYCHASTIC DOCTRINE ON THE INNER LUMINOSITY )N THE "UDDHIST 6AJRAYANA VIJ¶ANA IS IN THE HEART CHAKRA

ACCOMPANIED BY THE SEED SYLLABLE HUNG WHICH MEANS INDIGO BLUE IN COLOR THE WHITE LIGHT IS EXPERIENCED IN THE HEAD FOREHEAD ACCOMPANIED BY THE

!H H IS WHITE SEED SYLLABLE /M AT THE THROAT CHAKRA THE RED SEED SYLLABLE VISUALIZED TO GIVE ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION IN THE DREAM STATE "Y WORKING WITH THIS LIGHT THE CONTEMPLATIVE INITIATES A PROCESS THAT WILL CONSUME BOTH SOUL AND BODY TO LEAVE THE NOUS NAKED AND FREE )) 3 AND 3 *UST AS l RE HAS THE POWER TO CONSUME THE BODY OF ITS FUEL SO TOO WILL THE NOUS HAVE THE POWER TO CONSUME THE SOUL WHEN IT WILL BE ENTIRELY BLENDED WITH THE ,IGHT OF THE (OLY 4RINITY 6) 4HE -ETHOD OF 2ETROVERSION 2ETROVERSIONS OF %VAGRIUS S 'REEK TEXT INTO 3ANSKRIT CAN GIVE US SOME INDICATION OF THE EXTREME CLOSENESS IN WORLDVIEW AND APPROACH BETWEEN A THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKAA AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA TEXTS ) CAN JUSTIFY THIS PROCEDURE ON THE BASIS OF THE TRANSLATIONS FROM 0RAKRIT INTO 'REEK AND !RAMAIC THAT WERE DONE IN THE !SHOKAN INSCRIPTIONS IN THE THIRD CENTURY " # % ) AM BORROWING THE "UDDHIST 3ANSKRIT TERMINOLOGY FROM SUCH WORKS AS THE !BHIDHARMAKO|SA OF 6ASUBANDHU A CONTEMPORARY OF %VAGRIUS WHOSE WRITINGS ACCURATELY REm ECT THE EVOLUTION OF "UDDHIST COSMOLOGY AND PSY CHOLOGY DURING THE l RST EIGHT CENTURIES OF THE SPREAD OF THE $HARMA -Y METHOD WILL BE AS FOLLOWS ) WILL GIVE THE 'REEK TEXT OF THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA RECOVERED FROM SURVIVING 'REEK FRAGMENTS OF %VAGRIUS AND MY %NGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE 'REEK 4HE TRANSLATION FROM THE 'REEK IS REl NED BY >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

COMPARISON WITH ! 'UILLAUMONT S &RENCH TRANSLATION OF 3YRIAC MANUSCRIPT 3 4HEN ) WILL SUGGEST CORRESPONDING "UDDHIST 3ANSKRIT TERMS FOR A RETROVER SION INTO A HYPOTHETICAL 3ANSKRIT SOURCE THAT CAME INTO THE (ELLENISTIC WORLD SOME TIME BEFORE THE COMPOSITION OF THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA )) 3 'REEK ORIGINAL ! S|THESIS MEN KAI NOUS MERIZONTAI TA A STHETA NOUS DE MONOS E CHEI TA NOETA KAI GAR TO N PRAGMATO N KAI TO N LOGO N HO AU TOS GINETAI THEATES %NGLISH TRANSLATION 4HE ORGANS OF THE SENSES AND THE MIND SHARE THINGS ACCESSIBLE TO THE SENSES BUT ONLY THE MIND HAS UNDERSTANDING OF INTELLIGIBLE THINGS IT ;ALONE= CAN PERCEIVE ;BOTH= OBJECTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS 2ETROVERSION %NGLISH 3ENSE ORGANS 'REEK ! S|THESIS MEN 3ANSKRIT INDRIYAH A

AND THE MIND KAI NOUS CA CITTAH

%NGLISH THINGS ACCESSIBLE TO THE SENSES 'REEK TA A STHETA 3ANSKRIT INDRIYARTHAN A I

SHARE MERIZONTAI VIBHAJANTI BUT ONLY THE MIND NOUS DE MONOS CITTAH EVA HI

%NGLISH HAS UNDERSTANDING OF INTELLIGIBLE THINGS )T ALONE 'REEK E CHEI TA NOE TA +AI GAR CITTARTHAN A I %VA HI 3ANSKRIT UPALABHATE %NGLISH CAN PERCEIVE 'REEK GINETAI THEATES 3ANSKRIT PA|SYAN

BOTH OBJECTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS TO N PRAGMATO N KAI TON LOGON HO AU U TOS ARTHABUDDHIVISAYAU |

)) 4HE 'REEK CORRESPONDS TO THE 3YRIAC TEXT 'NO SIS DIOTI TO N LOGIKO N PRESBUTERA DEUTEREIAN KAI GAR HO NOUS PRESBUTERA PASO N TO N LOGIKO N %NGLISH TRANSLATION 4HE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING ALL THE LOGIKOI IS OLDER THAN DUALITY AND THE COGNITIVE NATURE IS OLDER THAN ALL NATURES 2ETROVERSION %NGLISH 4HE KNOWLEDGE 'REEK GNO SIS 3ANSKRIT J¶ANAH A

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CONCERNING DIOTI PRATI

THE RATIONAL NATURES LOGIKON SARVA CETANAA NI

%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

%NGLISH IS OLDER THAN 'REEK PRESBUTERA 3ANSKRIT VARS YAH

DUALITY AND DEUTEREIAN KAI GAR DVAITAT CA API A

%NGLISH 'REEK 3ANSKRIT

ALL NATURES PASO N TO N LOGIKON SARVADHARMABHYAH

IS OLDER THAN PRESBUTERA VARS YAH

THE COGNITIVE NATURE HO NOUS BUDDHIH

)6 'REEK FRAGMENT FROM (R NFG / KOU MEN EIKONA TO SO MA TO TE T S PSUCHE S

HAI DE AISTHESEIS THURIDON EPECHOUSI LOGON DI HON PARAKUPTON HO NOUS BLEPEI TA AISTHE TA %NGLISH TRANSLATION 4HIS BODY OF THE SOUL IS THE SIGN OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENSE ORGANS ARE THE SIGN OF THE WINDOWS THROUGH WHICH THE MIND LOOKS OUT AND SEES SENSORY THINGS 2ETROVERSION %NGLISH 4HIS BODY 'REEK TO SO MA 3ANSKRIT TAT |SAR RA

OF THE SOUL TO TE S PSUCHES DEHINAS

IS THE IMAGE EIKONA RU U PAH

OF THE HOUSE O KOU GRHASYA

%NGLISH AND 'REEK HAI DE 3ANSKRIT CA EVA

THE SENSE ORGANS CORRESPOND TO AISTHESEIS EPECHOUSI INDRIYAH A GRHN A TI

THE FUNCTION LOGON LAKS ANAM

%NGLISH 'REEK 3ANSKRIT

OF THE WINDOWS OUT OF WHICH THURIDON DI HON JALASYA A YENA

%NGLISH AND 'REEK KAI 3ANSKRIT API

SEES BLEPEI PA|SYATI

THE MIND HO NOUS BUDDHIH

LOOKS OUT PARAKUPTON PA|SYAN A

OBJECTS OF THE SENSES TA AISTHETA INDRIYARTHAN A I

6)) #ONCLUSIONS )T IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS ARTICLE IS MEANT TO RAISE MORE QUESTIONS THAN IT RE SOLVES 3INCE THERE ARE NO KNOWN 'REEK TEXTS THAT MAKE ANY CLAIM TO BE DIRECT TRANSLATIONS OF AN )NDIC ORIGINAL WITH THE PRECIOUS EXCEPTION OF THE +HANDAHAR INSCRIPTION OF !SHOKA IT IS PARTICULARLY DIFl CULT TO ESTABLISH A LINE OF TRANSMISSION FOR PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS FROM NORTHWEST )NDIA TO THE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO

CENTERS OF (ELLENISTIC LEARNING (OWEVER IT IS POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATION GOING THE OTHER WAY AT VARIOUS PERIODS 7E KNOW THAT TRADE CERTAINLY WENT BOTH WAYS !N )NDIAN IVORY l GURINE AT 0OMPEII IS MATCHED BY NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF 2OMAN WARES DISPERSED IN THE ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS IDENTIl ED ACROSS )NDIA 4HERE WAS AN ENTIRE 2OMAN TRADING TOWN SOUTH OF WHAT IS NOW 0ONDICHERRY IN 4AMIL .ADU %XAMPLES OF 'RECO 2OMAN INm U ENCE ON 'ANDHARAN SCULPTURE ARE NUMEROUS AND NOT IRRELEVANT TO OUR STUDY OF !BHIDHARMA TRANSMISSION TO THE 7EST IN FACT SO NUMEROUS THAT THEY MERIT A A MORE CAREFUL CHRONOLOGY SINCE MANY OF THE PIECES DATE FROM THE THIRD AND FOURTH CENTURIES # % Â&#x2C6;THE PERIOD MOST RELEVANT TO OUR STUDY AND NOT FROM THE POST !SHOKAN PERIOD THREE CENTURIES BEFORE THE BIRTH OF #HRIST !LL THE MORE VALUABLE THEREFORE IS IT TO l ND A TEXT LIKE THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKAA OF %VAGRIUS CONTAINING REMARKABLE PASSAGES THAT LEND THEMSELVES TO RETROVERSION INTO "UDDHIST 3ANSKRIT 3UCH PASSAGESÂ&#x2C6;AND THOSE THAT CONTAIN TYPICAL EARLY #HRISTIAN AND 3TOIC THEMES BUT WHICH ARE BROUGHT INTO FULL RELIEF ONLY IN THE LIGHT OF YOGIC AND "UDDHIST TERMINOLOGY AND PRACTICEÂ&#x2C6;SUGGEST A MUCH STRONGER EXCHANGE OF IDEAS THAN HAS HERETOFORE BEEN DEMONSTRABLE 7E HAVE HEARD OF THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON IN THE ,OTUS 3UTRAA OR THE ENTRY OF THE CHILD "UDDHA INTO THE TEMPLE AND THE ASTONISHMENT OF THE ELDERS IN THE A ,ALITAVISTARA COMPARABLE TO ,UKE THE CHILD *ESUS IN THE TEMPLE BUT THESE TALES HAVE MANY CHARACTERISTICS IN COMMON WITH ORALLY 7E ARE TEMPTED TO IMAGINE TRANSMITTED FOLKLORE 7ITH THE 3OGDIAN #HRISTIAN MAN USCRIPT # WE HAVE A LATE EXAMPLE OF A 'RECO !RAMAIC PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS IN TEXT TRANSLATED INTO AN )NDIC RELATED LANGUAGE 3OGDIAN /NLY IN TEXTS FROM THE PEN OF %VAGRIUS AT 7ADI .ATRUN AND 3KETIS IN %GYPT DO WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT LOOKS EVEN THE LIBRARY AT !LEXANDRIA REMOTELY LIKE AN AUTHOR OF (ELLENISTIC CULTURE FULLY MAK ING USE OF TEACHINGS THAT HAVE STRONG AFl NITIES WITH SPECIl C "UDDHIST AND YOGIC TEACHINGS AS DISTINGUISHED FROM ORAL FOLK TALES PROVERBIAL MATERIAL AND THE LIKE %VEN WHERE #LEMENT OF !LEXANDRIA MENTIONS h"UDAv IN THE 3TROMATEIS

WE ARE NOT GIVEN AN EXTENSIVE ACCOUNT OF ANY DISTINCTLY "UDDHIST TEACHINGS

!ND IN THE -ANICHEAN +EPHALAIA THAT HAVE COME DOWN TO US

A THE EXTENT OF "UDDHIST CONTENT IS REDUCED TO AN EXTREME MINIMUM (OW THEN DO WE l ND TEACHINGS ON THE MIND ON THE OPERATION OF THE SENSES ON COSMOLOGY AND SO MANY OTHER TOPICS IN A #HRISTIAN SCHOLAR WHO WAS A DISCIPLE OF THE #APPADOCIAN &ATHERS 7E ARE TEMPTED TO IMAGINE PALM LEAF MANUSCRIPTS IN THE ,IBRARY OF !LEXANDRIA READ BY A DISCIPLE TO $IDIMUS THE "LIND AND HANDED ON TO -ACARIUS AND %VAGRIUS $ID -ELANIA AND 2Ul NUS HAVE "UDDHIST TEXTS TRANSLATED INTO 'REEK IN THEIR /RIGENISTIC COLLECTION IN *ERUSALEM 7E HAVE CERTAINLY STUMBLED UPON ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING MYSTERIES OF ANCIENT #HRISTIANITY ONE THAT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR PRESENT

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA

DAY DIALOGUE WITH AND STUDY OF "UDDHISM )N FACT THIS RESEARCH EMBRACES THE ENTIRE DRAMA OF RELIGIOUS RELATIONS IN VIRTUALLY ALL OF %URASIA 4HE VERY TOPICS THAT INTEREST US WERE AMONG THOSE CONDEMNED IN AND AT #ONSTANTINOPLE /NE CAN ONLY WONDER IF A PROPER UNDERSTAND ING OF THE YOGIC BASIS OF THESE TEACHINGS MIGHT HAVE RESCUED THEM FROM THE CONDEMNATION 7ERE THESE TEACHINGS ABOUT A COSMIC VISION OF THE HUMAN PERSON OR WERE THEY ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL PROCESSES OF INTERIOR TRANSFORMA TION 7ERE THEY ONTOLOGICAL COSMOLOGICAL OR MYSTICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL 4HE SAME QUESTION BEWILDERS STUDENTS OF .AGARJUNA S NEGATIONS IN THE -ULAMA DHYAMIKAKARIKA ARE THESE A DESCRIPTION OF THE ONTOLOGICAL OPENNESS OF BEING ITSELF OR ARE THEY INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEDITATORS TO REMAIN IN THE FRESHNESS OF THE STREAM OF MENTAL PROCESSES SO AS TO BE FREE FROM IMPURITIES AND ATTACH MENTS )N THE +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA THERE ARE MANY TEACHINGS THAT DO NOT FALL UNDER THE CONDEMNATION OF #ONSTANTINOPLE )) BUT WHICH HAVE STRONG AFl NI TIES WITH !BHIDHARMA SUCH AS THE TEACHINGS ON PERCEPTION AND THE SENSES !GAIN THESE ARE TOO CLOSE IN THEIR )NDIC AFl NITIES TO BE EASILY EXPLAINABLE AS TYPICAL (ELLENISTIC DESCRIPTIONS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PHENOMENA 7E NEED TO REVISIT THE HISTORY OF THE EVOLUTION OF "UDDHIST SYSTEMAT ICS FOR THE CHRONOLOGY AND CHARACTER OF THE "UDDHIST WORKS WHICH PREDATE %VAGRIUS AND WHICH THEREFORE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LITERARY SOURCES FOR THE TOPICS THAT %VAGRIUS WORKED INTO HIS SYSTEM OF MENTAL TRAINING FOR ADVANCED A ANCHORITES #ERTAINLY THE !BHIDHARMAHR DAYA WOULD BE A PRIME CANDIDATE 5NFORTUNATELY IT SEEMS TO EXIST ONLY IN A #HINESE TRANSLATION A PRECIOUS WITNESS TO THE ABUNDANT WRITINGS OF THE 6AIBHASHIKAS AND 3ARVASTIVADINS OF +ASHMIR IN THE l RST THREE CENTURIES OF THE # % &URTHER RESEARCH WILL WANT TO INVESTIGATE THE KEY MOMENTS IN OUR CHRO NOLOGY FROM !SHOKA TO THE 3OGDIAN MANUSCRIPT # TO ESTABLISH THE LIKELY PATHS OF TRANSMISSION FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES ACROSS THE TRADE ROUTES OF SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST !SIA 7E WILL ALSO WANT TO ACCOMPLISH MORE PRECISE TRANSLATION FROM 'REEK BACK INTO 3ANSKRIT AND TO EVALUATE CAREFULLY THE VOCABULARY AND THE MET RICS OF THE POSSIBLE RETROVERSIONS 4HIS WILL REQUIRE A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE EXISTING %VAGRIAN 'REEK FRAGMENTS %VAGRIAN STUDIES HAVE BECOME SOMETHING OF A COTTAGE INDUSTRY AND WE CAN HOPE THAT SCHOLARS WILL ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS SOONER OR LATER )N THE MEANTIME ) HOPE THIS ESSAY WILL SPUR THEM ON THEIR TASK AND THAT IT WILL BE A RAY OF HOPE TO THOSE OF US WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PERSEVERANCE IN INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE CONSIDERING THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY WAS DONE WITH EXTRAORDINARY FECUNDITY IN THE REMOTE PAST 7E ARE PICKING UP THE SCATTERED THREADS OF ANCIENT SUTRAS ALLOWING THEM TO QUESTION US AFTER SO MANY CENTURIES ON THE LIFE AND DEATH CONCERNS THAT ARE AT THE HEART OF THE UNICUM NECESSARIUM s >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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,ES 3IX #ENTURIES DES @+EPHALAIA 'NOSTICA $ Â&#x203A;VAGRE LE 0ONTIQUE TRANS !NTOINE 'UILLAUMONT 0ATROLOGIA /RIENTALIS 886))) &ASC 0ARIS &IRMIN $IDOT ET #IE

4HIS IS THE TERM USED BY %VAGRIUS S DISCIPLE *OHN #ASSIAN 3EE "RUNO "ARNHART AND *OSEPH 7ONG EDS 0URITY OF (EART AND #ONTEMPLATION ! -ONASTIC $IALOGUE "ETWEEN #HRISTIAN AND !SIAN 4RADITIONS .EW 9ORK #ONTINUUM

n S %VAGRIUS 0RAKTIKOS

WHICH SUMS UP THE SEVENFOLD SCHEME OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE ACCORDING TO %VAGRIUS 3EE !UGUSTINE #ASIDAY h'ABRIEL "UNGE AND THE 3TUDY OF %VAGRIUS 0ONTICUS v 3T 6LADIMIR S 4HEOLOGICAL 1UARTERLY NOS n n FOR A RECENT DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE MUCH DEBATED TOPIC OF %VAGRIUS S CONDEMNATION AT THE 3ECOND #OUNCIL OF #ONSTANTINOPLE -UHYIDDIN )BN @!RABI n *OURNEY TO THE ,ORD OF 0OWER ! 3Ul -ANUAL ON 2ETREAT TRANS 2ABIA 4ERRI (ARRIS .EW 9ORK )NNER 4RADITIONS )NTERNATIONAL ,TD

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IS THE BEST ORIGINAL SOURCE FOR %VAGRIUS S SYSTEM 3EE ALSO #OLUMBA 3TEWART h)MAGELESS 0RAYER AND THE 4HEOLOGICAL 6ISION OF %VAGRIUS 0ONTICUS v *OURNAL OF %ARLY #HRISTIAN 3TUDIES n 4HIS WAS GIVEN IN THE h,ETTER TO -ELANIAv WHERE THE SPECULATIVE FRAMEWORK IS ACCOMPANIED BY DUE WARNINGS OF CAUTION ABOUT DIVULGING IT TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT PRACTICED THE ASCETIC DISCIPLINES THAT ARE THE INDISPENSABLE TRANSFORMATIVE PREPARATION FOR SUCH KNOWLEDGE 3TEWART h)MAGELESS 0RAYER v n *EREMY $RISCOLL / 3 " 4HE h!D -ONACHOSv OF %VAGRIUS 0ONTICUS )TS 3TRUCTURE AND ! 3ELECT #OMMENTARY 2OMA 3TUDIA !NSELMIANA

n Y 3EE $RISCOLL 3PIRITUAL 0ROGRESS

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3OURCES #HR£TIENNES .O n 4HIS TREATISE MAY BE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE 0RAKTIKOSS BECAUSE BOTH WORKS DISCUSS TOPICS RELATED TO THE THREEFOLD STAGE OF PRAKTIKE

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA 3EE 3TEWART h)MAGELESS 0RAYER v n ,E 0ONTIQUE 0ENS£ES N #F +EPHALAIA 'NOSTIKA ) )) 4HE CITATION IS FROM 0ENS£ES n ALL TRANSLATIONS FROM THE &RENCH ARE MY OWN #OMPARE 0OINTS OF #ONTROVERSY +ATHAVATTHU 0ALI 4EXT 3OCIETY

h!PPLICATIONS OF MINDFULNESS v n AND 4HE 0ATH OF $ISCRIMINATION 0ATISAMBHIDAMAGGA 0ALI 4EXT 3OCIETY

h/N BREATHING 4REATISE ))) v 3EE THE !BHIDHARMAKOS|A ) B FOR THE DEl NITION OF $HARMA AND A !BHIDHARMA !BHIDHARMAKOS|A ON DRAVYA ) ))

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,E 0ONTIQUE 0ENS£ES

4HE LITERATURE OF "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA A IS VAST 6ASUBANDHU CALLS !BHIDHARMA hENVISIONING THAT NATURE WHICH IS THE OBJECT OF SUPREME COGNITION ULTIMATELY

NIRVANA v $HARMAA IS THAT WHICH BEARS DISTINCTIVE AND OR COLLECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS !$+ ) B 4HE 0ALI #ANON INCLUDES SEVEN WORKS IN THE !BHIDHAMMA 0ITAKA $HAMMASANGANI 6IBHANGA +ATHAVATTHU 0UGGALAPA¶¶ATTI $HATUKATHA 9AMAKA

AND 0ATTANA (OWEVER LATER COMMENTARIES AND ORIGINAL COMPENDIA ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR WORK SINCE ANY OF THE WORKS ESPECIALLY THOSE TAUGHT IN .7 )NDIA MIGHT HAVE MIGRATED WEST TO THE (ELLENISTIC LIBRARIES 3EE (AJIME .AKAMURA )NDIAN "UDDHISM !

3URVEY WITH "IBLIOGRAPHICAL .OTES .EW $ELHI -OTILAL "ANARSIDASS

n S &OR EXAMPLE IN THE h,ETTER TO -ELANIAv THE SENSES ARE LISTED IN THE SAME ORDER AS THAT GIVEN BELOW IN OUR DISCUSSION OF INDRIYAS WITH SPECIl C SIGNIl CANCE IN THE !BHIDHARMAKOS|A ! "ILINGUAL 'RAECO !RAMAIC %DICT BY !S|OKA 4HE &IRST 'REEK )NSCRIPTION $ISCOVERED IN !FGHANISTAN TRANS ' 0UGLIESE #ARRATELLI AND ' 'ARBINI 2OMA )S-%/ 3EE ALSO 2OMILA 4HAPAR !SHOKA AND THE $ECLINE OF THE -AURYASS /XFORD AND .EW $ELHI /XFORD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

ESPECIALLY THE AFTERWORD n WHICH DISCUSSES THE 'REEK !RAMAIC INSCRIPTION ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE AND TEXTUAL EVIDENCE FOR CONTACT BETWEEN )NDIA AND THE (ELLENISTIC WORLD .ARESH 0RASAD 2ASTOGI )NSCRIPTIONS OF !SHOKA 6ARANASI #HOWKHAMBA 3ANSKRIT 3ERIES /Fl CE

GIVES A 0RAKRIT RENDERING OF 'REEK AND !RAMAIC ORIGINALS n DEMONSTRATING THE METHOD OF RETROVERSION .ICOLAS 3IMS 7ILLIAMS 4HE #HRISTIAN 3OGDIAN -ANUSCRIPT # "ERLIN !KADEMIE 6ERLAG

3EE 'UILLAUMONT ,ES 3IX #ENTURIES DES h+EPHALAIA 'NOSTICA v n FOR A DISCUSSION OF MANUSCRIPT SOURCES )R (AUSHERR h.OUVEAUX FRAGMENTS GRECS D Â&#x203A;VAGRE LE 0ONTIQUE v /RIENTALIA #HRISTIANA 0ERIODICA 6 2OME

AND * -UYLDERMANS

A %VAGRIANA %XTRAIT DE LA REVUE ,E -US£ON AUGMENT£ DE .OUVEAUX FRAGMENTS GRECS IN£DITS 0ARIS 0AUL 'EUTHNER

S

4HE CONDEMNATIONS OF THIS SYNOD WERE APPENDED TO THE DECREES OF THE &IFTH %CUMENICAL #OUNCIL IN AS REPORTED IN 'RILLMEIER S WORK #HRIST IN #HRISTIAN 4RADITION VOL )) PT CH n BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED AMONG THE DECREES OF THE ECUMENICAL COUNCILS IN RECENT EDITIONS 3EE .ORMAN 0 4ANNER 3 * ED $ECREES OF THE %CUMENICAL #OUNCILS 6OLUME ) .ICAEA ) TO ,ATERAN 6 ,ONDON 3HEED 7ARD 6 'EORGETOWN 'EORGETOWN 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

n TAKING PARTICULAR NOTE OF n WHICH EXPLAINS THAT THE CONDEMNATIONS OF /RIGEN CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS #OUNCIL ) E THE UNUSUAL TEACHING ON THE &ALL THE NOTION OF CREATION AS A PROVIDENTIAL

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2EV #ANON &RANCIS 6 4ISO hCATCHMENTv FOR FALLING RATIONAL BEINGS AND THE AMBIGUITY BETWEEN THIS MYTHIC STRUCTURE AS THE OVERALL PATTERN OF CREATION OVER AGAINST THE INSIGHT THAT THE PATTERN IS RELIVED BY THE CONTEMPLATIVE IN THE DAILY BATTLE WITH THOUGHTS 3EE 0ARMENTIER h,ETTER TO -ELANIA v

IN WHICH %VAGRIUS EXPRESSES HIS UNWILLINGNESS TO PUT EVERYTHING INTO WRITTEN FORM BECAUSE THERE ARE hSECRETS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE LEARNT BY EVERYONEv ) /RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLESS 'LOUCESTER 0ETER 3MITH 0UBLISHERS

BOOK CH

NO F 4HE ,ONG $ISCOURSES OF THE "UDDHA ! 4RANSLATION OF THE $IGHA .IKAYA ED -AURICE 7ALSHE "OSTON 7ISDOM 0UBLICATIONS

n $RISCOLL !D -ONACHOS

/RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH 4HE CAUSE OF THE &ALL WAS NEGLIGENCE #OMPARE ANY OF THE SATTI PATTHANA MINDFULNESS TREATISES OF "UDDHISM A /RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH NO AND BOOK CH CF LVIII AND N

4HE TEXT IS MY OWN TRANSLATION FROM THE 4IBETAN TEXT FOUND IN THE G$AMS NGAG MDZOD COMP *AMGON +ONGTRUL ,ODRO 4HAYE VOL n AND n 4HE TERM LOGIKOI DESCRIBES THE PLURALITY OF I NOES NOUS BEFORE THE &ALL NOUS IS THE S CORE REALITY OF RATIONAL BEINGS THAT HAS BEEN SHEATHED IN THE PSYCHE 3EE /RIGEN /N &IRST 0RINCIPLES BOOK CH AND /NE CAN COMPARE THE USE OF THE TERMS CITTAM

MANAS AND VIJ¶ANA IN THE A $HAMMA SAMGANI SECTIONS

AND TAKING NOTE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO PERMANENT SUBSTRATUM IN THE !BHIDHARMA ANALYSIS OF MENTAL PHENOMENA AN INSIGHT THAT DOES NOT APPEAR IN %VAGRIUS OR /RIGEN *OS£ 0EREIRA AND &RANCIS 4ISO OP CIT 4WO OF WHICH

BY THE WAY ARE NOT hNOBLEv ªRYAA REFERS TO THOSE WHO KNOW THE TRUTHS

THE NOBLE ONES THE SAINTS WHO HAVE ATTAINED REALIZATIONÂ&#x2C6;IN OTHER WORDS THE GNOSTICS OF %VAGRIUS S SECOND VOLUME 4HIS ACTION OF THE SENSES EXTENDING THEMSELVES TOWARD THEIR OBJECTS IS ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE hCONTACTv THEORY OF PERCEPTION 3EE $HAMMA SAMGANI SECTION F $ISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC BY #AROLINE ! & 2HYS $AVIDS IS QUITE IN LINE WITH OUR RESEARCH SEE LIXnLXIII THEORY OF PERCEPTION LXV LXXII LXIX ETC 3IMILARLY )) AND 6 ALSO ))) AILMENTS OF THE SOUL #AROLINE 7ALKER "YNUM 4HE 2ESURRECTION OF THE "ODY IN 7ESTERN #HRISTIANITY

.EW 9ORK #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

n 0 0RADHAN !BHIDHARMAKO|SABHASYAM OF 6ASUBANDHU 0ATNA + 0 *AYASWAL 2ESEARCH U )NSTITUTE

n 3UKOMAL #HAUDHURI !NALYTICAL 3TUDY OF THE !BHIDHARMAKO|SA #ALCUTTA 3ANSKRIT #OLLEGE

F (ATHA 9OGA 0RADIPIKA CHAP VERSES F F F F 3IVA 3AMHITAA h4HE YOGIN SEES HIS SOUL IN THE SHAPE OF LIGHTv ATMANAM JOTI RUPAN SA PASYATI #ITTENA NIYATE LOKAS CITTENA PARIKRSYATE EKA DHARMASYA CITTASYA SARVA DHARMA VASANUGAH *AMES , +UGEL 4RADITIONS OF THE "IBLE ! 'UIDE TO THE "IBLE AS )T 7AS AT THE 3TART OF THE #OMMON %RA #AMBRIDGE (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

n !LOYS 'RILLMEIER 3 * WITH 4HERESIA (AINTHALER #HRIST IN #HRISTIAN 4RADITION &ROM THE #OUNCIL OF #HALCEDON TO 'REGORY THE 'REAT n 0ART 4WO 4HE #HURCH OF #ONSTANTINOPLE IN THE 3IXTH #ENTURY TRANS *OHN #AWTE AND 0AULINE !LLEN !TLANTA *OHN +NOX 0RESS

n AND CH DISCUSSING CANONS ) )) )6 8 8) 8)6 86

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%VAGRIUS OF 0ONTUS AND "UDDHIST !BHIDHARMA OF THE 3ECOND #OUNCIL OF #ONSTANTINOPLE !LEX 7AYMAN h!SANGA S )DEAS ON &OOD v IN "UDDHIST )NSIGHT %SSAYS BY !LEX 7AYMAN

ED 'EORGE %LDER $ELHI -OTILAL "ANARSIDASS

2OBERT "EULAY ,A ,UMIÞRE 3ANS &ORME )NTRODUCTION Í L £TUDE DE LA MYSTIQUE CHR£TIENNE SYRO ORIENTALE .AMUR "ELGIUM DITIONS DE #HEVETOGNE

E 3EE !BHIDHARMAKOS|A ))) FOR THE THOROUGH DISCUSSION OF LOKA 4HE CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHICH IS 3T *OHN $AMASCENE "ARLAAM AND )OASAPH TRANS ' 2 7OODWARD AND ( -ATTINGLY #AMBRIDGE (ARVARD 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

)AIN 'ARDNER 4HE +EPHALAIA OF THE 4EACHER 4HE %DITED #OPTIC -ANICHAEAN 4EXTS IN 4RANSLATION WITH #OMMENTARY ,EIDEN % * "RILL

0TOLEMEY GAVE THE ORDERS TO hSEEK OUT BOOKS FROM )NDIA 0ERSIA 'EORGIA AND !RMENIA FOR THE LIBRARY IN !LEXANDRIA v 4HE 'REEKS WANTED EVERYTHING TRANSLATED INTO THEIR LANGUAGE 3EE 'UY ' 3TROUMSA h!LEXANDRIA AND THE -YTH OF -ULTICULTURALISM v IN , 0ERRONE ED /RIGENIANA /CTAVA /RIGEN AND THE !LEXANDRIAN 4RADITION 0APERS OF THE TH )NTERNATIONAL /RIGEN #ONGRESS ,EUVEN ,EUVEN 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

) n *OS£ 0EREIRA AND &RANCIS 4ISO OP CIT

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