Buddha and Jesus: Could Solomon Be the Missing Link? (47 page)
Read Buddha and Jesus: Could Solomon Be the Missing Link? Online
Authors: R. E. Sherman
All of the above quotations emphasize the great value of a few meaningful words in contrast to the worthlessness of volumes of empty chatter or large quantities of pointless actions. But again, there is no evidence for an exclusive connection between Buddha and Jesus, since Buddha could have known Solomon’s writings, and Jesus definitely knew them.
Beautiful Outside, Rotten Inside
Solomon (950
B.C.
)
“Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
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Buddha (525 | Christ ( |
“What good is hide clothing? While your inward state is a tangle, you polish your exterior.” | “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” |
Outwardly, the woman Solomon refers to is unusually attractive, but inside she lacks sound judgment and discernment. With her, first appearances are completely deceptive. Her looks can be likened to a gold ring, yet inside she has no discretion about what she takes in, much as a pig will eat anything heartily. As Buddha’s proverb states, it is not unusual that those who are messed up inside devote much effort to putting on a good front. Jesus touched on a similar theme, where showy religiosity is a cover-up for spiritual wantonness. The analogies between the different quotations for this topic are not as strong as for previous issues, but are nevertheless interesting. Again, we find no direct relationship between Buddha and Jesus that could not be explained by the connection both may have had to Solomon.
Protection Against Bad Outside Influences
Solomon (950
B.C.
)
“If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.”
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“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”
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“The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.”
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Buddha (525 | Christ ( |
“As rain leaks into a poorly roofed house, so does passion invade an uncultivated mind. As no rain leaks into a well-roofed house, passion does not invade a cultivated mind.” | “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” |
Except for the third of Solomon’s proverbs above, all of the above proverbs use an analogy involving a house. The first Solomon proverb and the Buddha proverb both allude to a house that leaks. Jesus’ parable involves a house assaulted by floodwaters, so it is a bit different from Solomon’s first proverb and Buddha’s proverb.
All three of Solomon’s proverbs credit human effort and character to preserving a good house or a good life, while Jesus’ parable pointedly asserts that what is truly important is listening to him and acting on his words, which involves at least some element of faith. The similarities between Solomon and Buddha are much clearer than the similarities between Buddha and Jesus.
Bad Desires Lead to Ruin
These quotes focus on what happens to people controlled by their desires rather than their good sense. They are ruined, snared and enslaved.
Solomon (950
B.C.
)
“The desires of lazy people will be their ruin, for their hands refuse to work. They are always greedy for more, while the godly love to give!”
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Buddha (525 | Christ ( |
“People compelled by craving crawl like snared rabbits.” | “. . . everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” |
Though all three quotes point out the power of sin to ensnare, Jesus spoke in the context of a discussion about being set free by becoming his follower. A couple of lines later, he says: “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
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In the overall context for each, Solomon and Buddha were talking about making diligent, personal efforts to do good deeds and avoid sin in order to overcome evil, while Jesus was talking about being set free simply through faith in him. Thus, it would not make sense to assert that Jesus had taken his ideas from Buddha in this case.
Truth (Wisdom) Liberates
So what do Solomon, Buddha, and Christ have to say about the relationship between truth (or wisdom) and freedom? What is the source of freedom for each?
Solomon (950
B.C.
)
“Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.”
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Buddha (525 | Christ ( |
“One who acts on truth is happy in this world and beyond.” | “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” |
Buddha’s proverb is closer to Solomon’s than Jesus’ saying is. The first two see happiness as the direct result of acting on the basis of truth (or alternatively, wisdom and understanding), whereas Jesus depicts freedom as the result of knowing truth. In the case of both Solomon and Jesus, truth is a person (the woman Wisdom for Solomon, and Jesus himself for Jesus). Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
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Nevertheless, liberation was an important theme for Buddha, since the point of seeking enlightenment was to be freed from the cycle of birth and death (reincarnation), an arduous process. Jesus, in contrast to Buddha, was talking about freedom from sin and death and being reborn spiritually to eternal life, something available immediately to all who believe. There is no indication of a link from Jesus to Buddha here.