Monks, Meditation, and Mysticism: A Primer on Buddhism for Orthodox Christians

No, it's not satanism and no they don't worship idols

Why am I writing this? A few reasons.

1. Having spent a decade as a practicing Buddhist I occasionally see some similarities in Orthodox Christianity and I think that the Buddhist Phronema and some practices may be helpful.

2. I have heard from Orthodox and other Christians a number of wildly inaccurate beliefs about Buddhism and a general fear of approaching or exploring any non-christian (particularly Eastern) beliefs or practices for fear of them being demonic, idolatrous, pagan, blasphemous, or sacrilegious. After 10 years as a practicing Buddhist, I don't believe this to be the case (although it could be if you allow it to.)

Personally, I think that many of these fears arise from a general xenophobia that seems to get triggered when confronted by anything we don't understand, is outside of our comfort zone, or seems foreign. When I look back on my life, I see similar freak-outs about Dungeons and Dragons and the satanic panic of the 1980s, apprehensions regarding Mormonism, Islam, etc. I understand where it's coming from; it's human nature (tribal boundaries, in-group, out-group, etc.) and I myself have many similar reservations about topics ranging from Islam to LGBTQ, etc.so I’m not saying that my sh*t don’t stink b/c it does. However, I try to reserve resistance to where I believe it is warranted - where I see a real threat or deep societal harm that will impact my family, particularly my children and future grandchildren.

The Buddha once said (and I'm probably misquoting), “All anger, hatred, ill will, and desire come from a lack of understanding." So, with that in mind, I will attempt to hit and connect the major philosophical points of Buddhism and try to point out orthodox Christian similarities, all in one article. This is a monumental task, and I'm 100% certain I will leave out important things and get things wrong due to oversimplification, my own limited understanding, or my faulty memory. So please have compassion on me. I will conclude with a quick look at Mindfulness meditation and a comparison to an Orthodox Christian practice called Nepsis b/c I see many parallels between the two. As a result of my attempt to cover a lot of ground, this article is long, and this may cause issues with publication via email. If so, at the end of your email should be a link to “View entire message” that may bring you directly to my Substack.

What the article is not intended to do is to convert anyone to Buddhism, lead anyone away from Christ, or promote Buddhist practice/beliefs over Christian practices/beliefs. This is not my intention at all. I left Buddhism for Orthodox Christianity for a reason.

What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is one of the major world religions, along with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, Hinduism and others. And in this definition, the seeds of Western Christian angst reside. As a religion, Buddhism is often seen as a competition - something that makes many people uncomfortable - b/c anything that takes you away from God or Christ must be demonic, right? (in-group/out-group dynamics at play.)

However, Buddhism is not monolithic, and “orthodox" (Theravada) Buddhism is not necessarily a religion in the way that you might think, but there are forms that come close. People often think about Gods and divine/supernatural entities when they use the word religion. In Buddhism, no God or Gods are worshipped. It does not deny the existence of one (or many) Gods, nor does it embrace or worship any particular deity. Thus, it is technically neither theistic nor atheistic; this is why many say that Buddhism is a philosophy, and groups of “progressive” minded Westerners practice what is called Secular Buddhism. My particular Buddhist group referred to themselves as Humanistic Buddhists.¹

It may be more helpful for us to think of Buddhism as a philosophy and an introspective practice than a traditional religion that worships specific Gods - and I think that's the best place to start.

Is Buddhism Atheistic?

The above might lead one to believe that Buddhists are Atheists, and that isn't true either. In fact, the Buddhist concept of Gods and Godhood differs from what you might expect in the West. Buddhists acknowledge that there are beings that are Gods, not just one but many, and that some of them may even promise to make you a God. However, these beings are attached to their own power, prestige, and glory. As a result, they can never achieve enlightenment, and thus, they should not be followed.

If Buddha is not the Buddhist God, then who is/was he?

The historical Buddha was a great teacher who discovered the path to enlightenment and taught it to others, but he was a mortal man who eventually died of old age.

Buddhism originated in the 5th to 4th century BCE in what is now Nepal and northeastern India. It was born in a cultural landscape permeated by Hindu and Hindu-adjacent religions (such as Jainism) -from which it takes or assumes many ideas such as karma, reincarnation, enlightenment, and non-harming (Jainism).

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was born into a royal family of the Shakya clan. He is often referred to as the Gautama Buddha or Shakyamuni Buddha, where Buddha means "the Awakened One."

It is claimed that his mother, Queen Maya, experienced no pain giving birth to him² and that his childhood was marked by miraculous events. He was also said to display exceptional wisdom and knowledge at a young age.

As an infant, a wise man visited him and told his family that the young Siddhartha would become the master of the world and its redeemer. His father, desiring him to become a King and his heir (and not a Sadhu - or wandering mystic³) sought to prevent this “prophecy” from coming to pass by keeping him cloistered (within the palace) and sheltered from the suffering and evils of the outside world. However, this plan backfired, and Siddhartha, as a young man, encountered the realities of suffering, sickness, aging, and death. Confronted with suffering, he was profoundly affected and renounced his privileged life to seek the truth about human existence through ascetic practice in the wilderness - which was a culturally normative practice in India at that time (and still is today.)

After years of ascetic practice and meditation in the wilderness, Siddharta Gautama attained enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi Tree. Just before attaining enlightenment, however, the evil Lord of darkness Mara, sent his 5 daughters to tempt him away from attaining enlightenment. The daughters were the spirits of Pride, Greed, Fear, Ignorance, and Desire.

Siddharta realized the nature of suffering and the path towards liberation, which he later shared through his teaching to his many disciples. The Buddha’s approach emphasizes direct experience and self-exploration, akin to the spiritual journey Christians undertake to pursue a deeper relationship with God. The connection point of ascetic practice and meditation in the wilderness reminds me of the stories of the desert fathers and St. Anthony particularly.

In fact, Buddhism is one of the first widely known religions to establish a highly organized, codified, and institutional monastic system, with clear rules, hierarchical ordination, and formal training for both men and women, which likely influenced later Christian monasticism. The monastic rules of St. Benedict (6th century AD) are similar to Buddhist rules regarding communal living, discipline, and detachment from worldly life.

The Buddha is not a God. And for many buddhists there is not just one Buddha as anyone who achieves enlightenment can become a Buddha. In traditional “orthodox” therevada buddhism the Buddha is deeply venerated, much like we venerate saints, icons or the Theotokos. Still, he is not worshipped as a God. There is a branch of Buddhism, however, that contains more typical religious devotional elements and that's perhaps where the waters get muddy.

I should draw a distinction here between different type of Buddhism. What I'm writing about are primarily going to be the doctrines from the original school of Buddhism (Theravada), but in practice, other flavors of Buddhism have elements that are more devotionally religious. Some people, particularly Mahayana Buddhists, may pray to a particular Buddha figure or Buddhist saint (Boddhisatva) and treat a Buddha like one might treat God. A Theravada Buddhist would say that such practices are meaningless as the Buddha has achieved enlightenment, escaped samsara, and has left.

In 1993, there was a movie made with Keanu Reeves called Little Buddha. The film tells the story of a group of Tibetan Buddhist monks who believe that a young boy from Seattle may be the reincarnation of their spiritual leader. The film interweaves this modern-day story with the story of Prince Siddhartha, played by Keanu Reeves, who later becomes the Buddha. It's fairly well done and provides a good introduction for an American audience. You can watch it for free online here: https://archive.org/details/little-buddha-1993-full-movie

Major Branches of Buddhism

Like Christianity, Buddhism is not monolithic. There are different major branches/types of Buddhism. After the Buddha's death, Buddhism spread and evolved into various traditions, the most prominent being Theravada and Mahayana, with a third influential branch, Vajrayana, primarily based in Tibet. My personal experience as a practicing Buddhist is with a branch that calls itself Humanistic Buddhism that apparently is related to Chinese Chan Buddhism (or Chinese Imperial Buddhism.) This humanistic Buddhism branch is part of the Mahayana Pure Land school. However, most of my academic study about Buddhism is on Theravada Buddhism, so this article will wander between both of these. Admittedly, I know little about Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, so I'm not going to delve into any details about that.

Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism (the Way of the Elders): Is perhaps considered by many the Orthodox version of Buddhism. This is often translated as "the Teachings of the Elders." Predominantly practiced in Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia, it emphasizes the monastic community (Sangha) and adherence to the Pali Canon, the earliest collection of Buddhist scriptures. Theravada strongly emphasizes individual spiritual progress and the noble path to becoming an Arhat, one who has achieved enlightenment. It is what you could perhaps say is closer to a philosophy than a religion.

Mahayana Buddhism (The protestantism of Buddhism)

Mahayana Buddhism (The Great Vehicle) emerged around the 1st century BCE as a reform movement within early Buddhism, distinguishing itself from the more conservative Theravāda (Hinayana) tradition.

It developed out of new interpretations of Buddhist teachings that emphasized universal salvation, the bodhisattva ideal, and the concept of multiple Buddhas and Pure Lands. Texts such as the Lotus Sutra and the Prajñāpāramitā Sutras introduced a more expansive, mystical, mythic, and devotional approach, encouraging practitioners to strive not only for their own enlightenment but also to remain in samsara to help all beings. Mahayana spread rapidly across India, Central Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, syncretizing with local beliefs, adapting to local cultures, and evolving into diverse schools, including Zen, Pure Land, and Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism. Its theological flexibility, emphasis on compassion, and accessible practices made it the dominant form of Buddhism across much of East Asia.

1. Mahayana differentiates between different types of enlightened beings and liberation.

   1. Nirvana is a state of liberation attained in life, beyond which there will be no more rebirth, but the liberated are no longer bound by or subject to karma.

   2. Parinirvana is a final state beyond rebirth and suffering after death. In this state, a being has totally left samsara and ceases to exist in any realm of conditioned existence.

   3. Celestial Buddha - a being who has fully attained Buddhahood and exists beyond the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsara). They serve as cosmic, transcendent guides, creating Pure Lands where beings can be reborn for easier enlightenment. They possess limitless wisdom, compassion, and supernatural abilities, often overseeing vast spiritual realms (Buddha-fields).

   4. A Bodhisattva is an enlightened being who delays final Buddhahood in order to help all sentient beings attain liberation. They have immense wisdom and spiritual power but remain engaged in the world of suffering to assist others. They serve as intercessors, guides, and compassionate teachers, often responding to prayers and helping people on the path to enlightenment. They can take various forms (male, female, divine, human, or even animal) to assist beings in need. You can think of Bodhisattvas as kind of like Buddhist Saints.

Pure Land Buddhism

I liken "pure Land” Buddhism to evangelical Protestantism in that you don't have to do much; just say you believe in the pure land and have faith in the Amitabha Buddha (Amida in Japanese or Amitoufo in Chinese), and when you die you will awaken in a paradise free from suffering, where you can attain enlightenment more easily. I describe the pure lands in more detail in the next section below.

In Pure Land Buddhism, especially in China and Japan, the emphasis is on faith in Amitabha rather than traditional Buddhist practice or studies. So, to me, it's like evangelical Protestantism, where all you have to do is profess belief in Christ, and then you are automatically saved without having to do anything else - i.e. no "works.” It's a free gift you get to have forever. (Something I also, perhaps uncharitably, refer to as American fast food religion - it's fast, easy, and cheap. But it seems that the human impulse to have everything instantly, for little or no effort, is universal. So we could say that Pure Land is the McDonalds of Buddhism.)

The Buddhist organization I belonged to was a Pure Land one, but my personal beliefs were always Theravada. (This was a common position and opinion amongst other educated American Buddhist converts I know.) I chose that organization b/c of the proximity of their temple to my home and the cultural aspect. When I arrived in the US, I landed in a place that I felt was extremely Anglo-American. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I missed the diversity and community where I had grown up and lived previously in Canada. Out of a sense of needing a connection to my ethnic roots and an expression of my identity, I drifted towards a Chinese (in this case, Taiwanese) expression of Buddhism.

Mahayana Buddhahood

Similar to the belief that we can become divine as per Theosis, Buddhists generally believe that every living being can achieve enlightenment, but only in a Human existence. This is different from theosis b/c enlightenment is obtained as an individual/solo exercise and not through communion with a particular being. There is no Reformed Buddhism, where only some people have the ability to attain enlightenment, and others are doomed to be stuck in samsara forever.

When a being achieves enlightenment, they technically become a Buddha or an “awakened one." Buddhists believe that a Buddha nature exists within all sentient creatures. That's why when I talked about the Buddha at the start of this article, I specified the Buddha's name b/c, in this form of Buddhism, there can be many Buddhas. In Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism, three buddha's are venerated.

1. Amitabha buddha (Infinite Light) a being who attained enlightenment but did not leave samsara and is thus is eternally present and available to all. According to the vows he made, he offers salvation to all those who call upon his name, ensuring rebirth in the Pure Land. Often Pure Land Buddhists will greet each other with palms pressed together while saying his name - Amitofu.

   1. Sukhāvatī (Sanskrit: सुखावती, meaning “Blissful Land”) is the Pure Land of the Amitābha Buddha, located in the western direction of the universe. It is a celestial paradise where beings can be reborn and attain enlightenment free from suffering and obstacles. It is guaranteed that everyone who is reborn there will attain enlightenment. The land itself is a paradise; the land is golden, the trees are jewel-studded and produce divine music, and the lakes grant wisdom and enlightenment for those who bathe in them.

2. Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) - is said to preside over the Eastern Pure Land. He is associated with healing, physical and spiritual well-being, and removing suffering. The Medicine Buddha rules over the Eastern Pure Land, called Vaidūryanirbhasa (“Pure Land of Lapis Lazuli Light”). It is described as a realm where suffering is healed, and those who are reborn there attain enlightenment with ease.

3. Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha) - believed to be the first Buddha of our world who leads or introduces people to Amitabha's vows and the path to rebirth in the Pure Land.

It is believed the Amitabha Buddha and medicine Buddha are celestial Buddhas in that they are not gone; they remain and will answer prayers and help people attain enlightenment.

In a pure land temple, these three buddhas will be venerated by offering three sticks of incense and performing what is called the triple bow. It is said that the first bow - is to be able to accept and learn the dharma (Buddhist teachings). The second is to be mindful of all things so that we can see reality clearly, and the last is to mindfully apply the dharma so that we can obtain and act in wisdom.

While very different in the details, I find it interesting that there are three Buddhas venerated here, almost like a Trinity. One Shakyamuni Buddha, who you could perhaps call the "father” of all Buddhas b/c he was the first and showed everyone else the way, and Amitabha, who offers a sort of salvation for all on behalf of Shakyamuni Buddha. There are perhaps some very loose parallels here to Father and Son.

Warnings for Christians

Here is where I think there be dragons for Christians, in supplying a false trinity that could be used to supplant the real trinity in devotion, where one could become tricked/deluded into "worship” of created beings over the uncreated Trinity. This would be the deepest blasphemy. I do find it ironic, however, that the Christians who are seemingly most afraid of Buddhism are protestants, and they are most afraid of the "protestant” Buddhists. They should have no fear of traditional Buddhism, which contains none of these devotional or mythic elements.

If you want to dabble in some kinds of Buddhist thinking and practice, as a practicing Orthodox Christian, I would strongly recommend you stick with strict Theravada Buddhism that does not include these devotional quasi-religious elements.

Vajrayana Buddhism

Vajrayana Buddhism (The Lightning Vehicle): Also known as Tibetan Buddhism, it incorporates rituals, esoteric teachings, and visualization practices. Much of this, at least according to my professor, is the result of syncretizing Buddhism with Indigenous Tibetan religious beliefs. It is called the lightning vehicle b/c it is said that you can achieve enlightenment faster by practicing in this school.

What, how do Buddhists believe the universe was created?

Buddhism doesn't focus on the creation of the world and hence does not have a creation myth.

• Focus on Suffering: The Buddha's primary concern was the alleviation of human suffering, not the origin of the universe. He believed that speculating about the beginning of the world was irrelevant to the path of enlightenment.

• Dependent Origination: Buddhism emphasizes the concept of "dependent origination," which states that all phenomena arise in dependence on other factors. This means that the world, as we experience it, is a result of a complex interplay of causes and conditions.

• Cycle of Existence: Buddhism focuses on the cycle of existence (samsara) – the continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The origin of the universe itself is less of a concern than understanding this cycle and how to break free from it.

Buddhism doesn't offer a creation myth like many other religions. Instead, it emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and focuses on understanding the nature of reality and how to overcome suffering.

Buddhist approaches to practicing Buddhism

Buddhism fosters a particular mindset. There are no Gods to supplicate and no Gods who can punish you. Instead, there is a rather complex philosophy. As a result, Buddhists begin small. They refer to their religious life as a practice that needs to be implemented, performed, and maintained. There is an implicit understanding that as you practice, your understanding will grow, making you ready for more advanced practices that may incorporate some forms of asceticism. Because it's a practice, there is an implicit understanding that at the beginning, you won't be very good at it and will struggle, but that by being consistent over time, you will improve.

I believe that this attitude makes it possible for new adherents to begin with having an attitude of compassion for themselves as they struggle to build discipline in practices like mindfulness meditation.

I think this is an approach that can be helpful to Christians. We all start with wanting to meet the standards Christ and God have put before us, but we often then get discouraged when we try to run before we can walk. This is perhaps why the Mercies and love of God are often emphasized, but I don't think that always lands for people. In Orthodoxy, I have been told on a couple of different occasions to take it slow. That orthodoxy is not a checklist of things to do and that if I try to do everything I will burn out and fail. The approach of starting small with something accomplishable and attainable and tackling it as a practice is, to me, the best approach. In Orthodoxy, there is so much to learn and dive into that it could very quickly become overwhelming, so I think this mindset is helpful.

Core Buddhist Doctrines

At the heart of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, which can provide a framework for understanding the Buddhist consideration of suffering and morality.

1. The Four Noble Truths:

• Dukkha (Suffering): This acknowledges the existence of suffering in life, which resonates with the Christian understanding of a fallen world.

• Samudaya (Origin of Suffering): Suffering arises from attachment, desire, and ignorance. This can be likened to the Christian view of the love of sin and the passions that lead to spiritual death and ultimate suffering.

• Nirodha (Cessation of Suffering): There is a possibility to transcend suffering, similar to the Christian promise of salvation and eternal life.

• Magga (Path to Cessation): The path to overcoming suffering is through the Eightfold Path.

1. The Eightfold Path is a practical guide to ethical living and mental development. In summary, it is comprised of:

• Right Understanding

• Right Intent

• Right Speech

• Right Action

• Right Livelihood

• Right Effort

• Right Mindfulness

• Right Concentration

Much like the Christian moral framework, the Eightfold Path serves as a guide to living a life in accordance with higher spiritual truths.

Impermanence (anicca)

Impermanence is the idea that nothing is permanent because everything is in a constant state of change. There is nothing that is fixed or eternal. Everything arises (comes into being), changes, and then eventually fades/passes away. This applies to all aspects of life (emotions, relationships, material possessions, and one's sense of self.) Because everything is transient, attaching to anything in the world will inevitably lead to suffering. Realizing this and practicing both wisdom and the ability to detach will ultimately lead to liberation.

“For the world is passing away along with its desires” (1 John 2:17). For Orthodox Christians, the transience of the world is a reminder to seek the eternal kingdom, whereas, in Buddhism, impermanence is the reason to release attachment to worldly existence - in pursuit of liberation from suffering. While not exactly the same, I think there are conceptual similarities.

Karma (kamma or kharma)

Karma could perhaps be explained as a principle of "reaping what you sow."

• Focus on Actions: Just as Christian teachings emphasize that our actions have good and bad consequences, Karma highlights the importance of our deeds and that the consequences of our deeds tend to follow us and affect us, sometimes even long after those deeds have been done.

• Cause and Effect: Karma emphasizes a natural law of cause and effect, where our actions, thoughts, and words create ripples in the universe. These ripples can then influence future experiences.

• Responsibility: Karma places responsibility for our circumstances on our own choices and actions.

Thoughts:

• In Christianity, divine moral law, sin, and the consequences of sin are governed by God. Christians emphasize the importance of God's grace and forgiveness. Here, depending on your denomination, Christ / God mediates and judges, forgiving sin and showing mercy in some instances and meting out divine justice in other instances.

  • This is kind of like the ability to forgive and release you from the negative karma generated by your sinful actions.

• In Buddhism, there is no role for divine intervention or redemption through faith in another being. Karma is a self-regulating moral principle that functions as a law of the universe, like gravity or nuclear forces.

• Like Christianity, however, intentions (cetana) matter. A deed done with good intentions produces good kharma, one with ill intentions produces negative kharma. Each thing you do that produces kharma good or bad follows you through this life and subsequent lives, but the overall balance, good or bad, can be modified as new actions shape future outcomes.

• In Buddhist thought, you will pay for negative karma through suffering and/or unfortunate rebirths. If you have a lot of very, very negative karma, you may be reborn in a hell realm where you burn, die, are reborn to burn and die, etc., over and over until your negative karma is burned off. This kind of reminds me of the Latin doctrine of purgatory - you are going to have your negative sins paid for and burned away before you can proceed.

• If you have a lot of good karma, you are likely to be reborn as a human - which is the birth that provides the greatest possibility of achieving liberation. (There is one small point here that usually gets swept under the rug. In traditional (non-hippie) Buddhism, enlightenment is believed to be attainable only by men. Women who do well in this life and have good karma will be reborn as men and can then have a chance to achieve liberation. (Those who point to Quan Yin as a female boddhisatva of compassion, don't realize that Quan Yin started out as an androgynous male Avalokitesvara, who over time and tradition became viewed as female.⁴)

• If something bad happens to you in life, a Buddhist will typically think that's your karma catching up to you from a past life.)

"You could think of Karma as a kind of cosmic law of cause and effect, similar to how our actions in this life have consequences. Just as we are called to love our neighbors and do good deeds, Karma suggests that these actions create positive ripples in the world. Conversely, harmful actions can have negative consequences. However, it's important to remember that Christian theology emphasizes the importance of God's grace and forgiveness, which transcends any system of cosmic retribution."

Samsara

Buddhists believe in reincarnation. In Buddhism, samsara is the cycle of repeated birth, death, and rebirth. It is an endless cycle of suffering with no end.

• Endless Cycle: It's not just about physical rebirth as humans. Samsara encompasses a vast range of existences, from heavenly realms to animal realms, even hellish realms.²

• Driven by Desire and Ignorance: This cycle is driven by our desires, attachments, and ignorance about the true nature of reality. These lead to suffering and perpetuate the cycle.

• Characterized by Suffering: Samsara is inherently characterized by suffering (dukkha). This suffering comes in many forms:

  • Physical pain

  • Mental anguish (like worry, fear, and frustration)

  • Change and impermanence (things we love inevitably change or disappear)

  • Unsatisfactoriness of existence (we constantly crave things, but never find lasting fulfillment)

Samsara is not just about physical death and rebirth. It's a state of being characterized by suffering, driven by our attachments and ignorance. The goal of Buddhism is to break free from this cycle through enlightenment and to achieve liberation (Nirvana).

What is Liberation/Enlightenment?

Christians are hoping to leave this life of suffering for life in Heaven, a future existence of peace and love. Buddhists have a similar goal. In the Buddhist mind, we are trapped in samsara because of our ignorance and attachment to the things of this world. Liberation is the ability to break free from samara, ending the cycle of suffering to find peace, happiness, and love.

• Enlightenment:

  • Awakening: It's like waking up from a dream. Buddhists believe that we are currently living in a state of delusion, unaware of the true nature of reality. Enlightenment is the awakening to this reality, seeing things as they truly are, without the filter of our own biases, desires, and ignorance. Kind of like Neo being able to see the matrix.

  • Understanding: It involves a profound understanding of the Four Noble Truths:

    • Life is inherently unsatisfactory (dukkha).

    • Suffering arises from craving and attachment. (Passions)

    • Suffering can cease.

    • The path to the cessation of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.

  • Wisdom: It's not just intellectual knowledge but a direct, experiential wisdom that transcends concepts and words.

• Liberation:

  • Freedom from Suffering: Enlightenment leads to liberation from the cycle of suffering (samsara), which is the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

  • Freedom from Attachment: It involves overcoming the attachments and aversions that cause suffering. This includes attachment to the self, to material possessions, to passions, and to the idea of a permanent, unchanging self.

  • Peace and Tranquility: Liberation brings a deep sense of peace, tranquility, and freedom from the anxieties and disturbances that arise from our attachments and aversions.

The Fetters and Passions

Sometimes in Buddhist practise we talk about working to sever the Fetters. The Fetters are mental chains that keep beings trapped in samsara. They are ingrained tendencies that bind individuals to the cycle of rebirth. There are different types of fetters identified, but some common ones include:

Here are some key fetters:

• Self - Identity - The belief in a permanent, unchanging self or soul.

• Doubt - Doubt or uncertainty about the Buddha, his teachings, and the monastic community.

• Clinging - Attachments to rituals and practices without understanding their true meaning or purpose.

• Sensual desires - Craving for sensual pleasures and experiences.

• Ill will - negative emotions like anger, hatred, and resentment.

• Lust for form - craving for existence in the physical (form) realm.

• Conciet - Pride, arrogance and the tendency to compare yourself favorably with others, leading to self-delusion.

• Restlessness - Agitation, worry, anxiety, and the inability to calm the mind.

• Ignorance - Lack of understanding of the true nature of reality, the noble truths, and dependent origination.

• The fetters are not all broken at once but are gradually abandoned as one progresses along the buddhist path. The breaking of all of the fetters leads to liberation and attainment of nirvana.

To me - the breaking of the fetters is conceptually similar to the orthodox discussion of the Passions - things that lead us into sin and away from God. In Orthodox Christianity, passions are considered "sicknesses of the soul" that arise from the Fall of Man. They are disordered desires and attachments that turn us away from God. Here are some key passions:

• Gluttony: Excessive consumption of food and drink.

• Lust: Intense sexual desire, often outside of marriage.

• Avarice: Greed, love of money and possessions.

• Wrath: Anger, rage, and resentment.

• Sloth: Laziness, apathy, and spiritual indifference.

• Envy: Resentment and bitterness towards the success and possessions of others.

• Pride: Arrogance, vanity, and an inflated sense of self-importance.

These passions also remind me of the daughters of Mara that the Buddha had to defeat in order to attain enlightenment. He defeated them not through force but by seeing them as the illusions and deceptions that they are. The goal for an orthodox Christian is not necessarily to destroy these but to purify and reorient them towards god in a process called ascesis - a spiritual struggle of transformation that involves:

• Awareness - recognizing the passions and how they influence us. Awareness is also key in Buddhist practice and it cultivated through mindfulness meditation.

• Repentance - turning away from sin and seeking forgiveness

• Prayer - communicating with God and asking for help to overcome our weakness.

• Fasting - Disciplining our bodies to gain control over our desires (attachments)

• Virtue - cultivating virtues to counteract the passions.

• Spiritual guidance from a spiritual father/mother.

• Sacraments - participating in the sacraments of the church which are channels of Grace.

• This is a process of transformation that is achieved over time. Some of these practices like Fasting, are ascetic. More informaiton can be found in the Philokalia and St. John Climacus’"The Ladder of Divine Ascent."

Both passions and fetters are obstacles to spiritual growth. Both lead to suffering and hinder one's connection to a higher reality (God in Christianity, Nirvana in Buddhism) and both involve a degree of attachment and aversion.

In Christianity, overcoming passions involves repentance, prayer, and reliance on God's grace. In Buddhism, overcoming fetters involves practices like mindfulness meditation, ethical conduct, and developing wisdom.

Dependent Origination

Dependent origination (Pratītyasamutpāda) is a cornerstone of Buddhist philosophy. It essentially states that all phenomena arise in dependence upon other factors.

• Interconnectedness: Nothing exists in isolation. Everything is connected to and arises from other things.

• Cause and Effect: It's like a chain reaction. One event leads to another, and so on.

• No Independent Existence: There's no single, independent cause for anything.

Imagine a tree. The tree doesn't exist independently. It depends on many factors:

• The seed

• The soil

• Water

• Sunlight

• Air

Remove any of these factors, and the tree cannot exist.

Key Implications:

• Understanding Reality: Dependent origination helps us understand the interconnectedness of all things, from the smallest particle to the vast universe.

• Overcoming Suffering: By understanding how our actions and thoughts contribute to suffering, we can work to break free from the cycle of suffering (samsara).

Dependent origination is a profound concept that offers a framework for understanding the nature of reality and our place within it. It highlights the interconnectedness of all things and emphasizes the importance of our actions and thoughts in shaping our experiences.

Non-Self (anatta)

“According to the teaching of the Buddha, the idea of self is an imaginary, false belief which has no corresponding reality, and it produces harmful thoughts of ‘me’ and ‘mine,’ selfish desire, craving, attachment, hatred, ill-will, conceit, pride, egoism, and other defilements, impurities, and problems. It is the source of all the troubles in the world from personal conflicts to wars between nations. In short, to this false view can be traced all the evil in the world.”

Wakoika Rahula - "What the Buddha Taught"

The doctrine of non-self can be challenging to grasp, and it is typically only understood after experiencing this "feeling" after a long process of accomplished meditation. In explaining this idea the Buddha goes through a long list of things (the aggregates) thought to make up a person and asks at each step is this the self? Coming to the final conclusion that none of those things are the "self”or examining each one to see if it is the self. He eventually comes to the conclusion that we are not our bodies, we are not our feelings, we are not our perceptions, thoughts or consciousness. Are any of those things really under our control so completely that they never lead to suffering? And if they aren't under our control, can they really be part of our self? We might today be inclined to think of the Self, "me" as the conscious CEO that is in charge of every aspect of our being; something that persists throughout time that can be identified as "Me.” This is what the Buddha is specifically rejecting.

This notion is, however, somewhat supported by modern neuroscience. We know from scientific studies that no one over-arching Executor controls all of your thoughts, feelings, and intentions. In fact, the conscious part of your brain is often the last part to be informed about decisions, thoughts, intentions, and feelings that other parts of your brain have already processed. Instead of a central command center that originates the mental/emotional processes of everything you do, it is more like a final filter at the end of a process if you have the self-awareness to notice. (something that mindfulness meditation helps develop.)

This can be the most challenging part of Buddhism to understand, particularly once you start asking, what gets reincarnated if there is no Self and no Soul? The Buddhist doctrine of "non-self" can seem a bit counter-intuitive, but here's a simple way to understand it:

Imagine a river:

• The river is always changing: Water flows in, water flows out. It's constantly shifting, never the same from one moment to the next.

• There's no single, unchanging "river-self": You can point to a section of the river and say "that's the river," but it's constantly changing. The water molecules are different, the shape of the riverbed might shift, the flow may speed up or slow down. but it's still a River.

We are like the river:

• We are constantly changing: Our bodies are always aging, and our thoughts and feelings are in constant flux. Even our personalities evolve over time.

• There's no fixed "self" within us: We might think of ourselves as a single, unchanging entity, but that's an illusion. We are a collection of constantly changing parts – thoughts, feelings, sensations, physical sensations. What we think what we believe are all conditioned based on other things as per the doctrine of dependent origination (our culture, society, time period we live in, education, experiences, etc.) These do not determine who we are. In fact, the personality you believe you are doesn't actually exist. It's just an aggregate of other things (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness), many of which arose from other causes and conditions. Our experience of "self” is really just an ever-changing combination of aggregates.

Why does this matter?

• Less clinging, less suffering: When we cling to the idea of a permanent, unchanging self, we get attached to things. We fear loss; we crave permanence. This creates suffering.

• More compassion: Understanding that all beings are constantly changing and interconnected can foster greater compassion and understanding.

Non-self isn't about denying our existence. It's about recognizing the dynamic and ever-changing nature of reality, including ourselves. This understanding can lead to greater freedom from suffering and a deeper connection to the interconnectedness of all things.

In Buddhism, if there is no "self" in the traditional sense of a permanent, unchanging soul, then what "survives" between cycles of rebirth is not a fixed entity but rather a collection of forces and tendencies.

Here's a simplified explanation:

• Karma: Our actions (physical, verbal, and mental) create "karma," which are essentially imprints or tendencies. These imprints influence future experiences. Think of it like planting seeds: positive actions plant seeds for future happiness, while negative actions plant seeds for future suffering.

• Consciousness: While there's no unchanging "self," there's a continuity of consciousness. This isn't a soul that jumps from body to body, but rather a stream of consciousness that carries forward the imprints of past experiences through our karma (kamma.)

Think back to the river. The water in the river is constantly changing, but the river itself continues to flow. The riverbed, the surrounding environment, and the flow of water all influence the river's course. Similarly, consciousness is a continuous flow influenced by the "seeds" of past actions (karma).

The focus in Buddhism isn't on a soul surviving between lives, but rather on the impact of our actions and the continuous flow of consciousness. By cultivating positive actions and developing wisdom, we can influence the course of our future experiences and ultimately break free from the cycle of rebirth.

Because there is not really a “you” as one might think, “your” thoughts aren't really “yours.”

In Christianity, we don't talk about the non-self. Instead, we talk about the Ego.

Reincarnation

Reincarnation—or more precisely, rebirth—is the process by which a being undergoes successive existences in different forms, shaped by the moral consequences (karma) of their previous actions. Unlike the Christian understanding of the soul as an eternal, unchanging essence, Buddhism denies a permanent self (anatta) or soul. Instead, what continues across lifetimes is a stream of consciousness conditioned by past deeds. This cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) is seen as suffering, from which one seeks liberation (nirvana), ultimately escaping the cycle entirely.

Compassion and Humility - gateways to truth and transformation.

In both Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity, compassion and humility are essential to our progress towards enlightenment or theosis. They allow us to see through deluded and deceptive thinking to the true nature of things. This spiritual clarity is required if we are to pursue truth.

In Buddhism, humility and compassion are essential components of the path to enlightenment. Humility allows us to recognize our interconnectedness with all beings and to shed the ego-driven sense of self that fuels suffering. By acknowledging our imperfections and limitations, we open ourselves to learning and growth.

Compassion, born from this understanding, extends outwards to all beings, motivating us to alleviate their suffering and cultivate their well-being. These two qualities work in tandem: humility grounds our compassion in a realistic understanding of ourselves, while compassion tempers humility, preventing it from becoming self-deprecating. Together, they form a bedrock of Buddhist practice, guiding us towards wisdom and liberation.

In Orthodox Christianity, humility and compassion are inextricably linked and considered foundational virtues for spiritual growth. Humility is not weakness but rather the recognition of one's dependence on God and the acknowledgment of one's true place in creation. This humble awareness allows individuals to see themselves as they truly are, without pride or self-deception, opening the heart to receive God's grace.

From a foundation of humility flows genuine compassion, rooted in the love exemplified by Christ. Compassion, in turn, moves us to act with mercy and kindness towards others, recognizing our shared humanity and inherent dignity as images of God. It compels us to love even our enemies, following Christ's example. Thus, humility and compassion are two sides of the same coin, both essential for cultivating a Christ-like life and drawing closer to God.

Mindfulness Meditation - A Buddhist Practice

From a Buddhist perspective, mindfulness (sati) is the disciplined practice of focused awareness, where one attentively observes thoughts, sensations, and emotions without attachment or judgment. It is central to the Buddhist path, particularly in meditation, as it cultivates insight into the impermanent and transient nature of existence. By practicing mindfulness, one develops the awareness to recognize the delusion of reality and the ability to detach from worldly distractions and gain the clarity that leads to liberation. Mindfulness is often practiced via mindfulness meditation, which can be done standing, walking or sitting. I have described the process in more detail in a previous article, which you can find at the link below:

https://www.ldstoorthodox.org/i/145540220/hesychasm-and-mindfulness-meditation

TLDR; there are 3 phases of mindfulness meditation, each moves you through a different level of control and ability to remain in a state of awareness.

1. Present moment awareness. Begin by focusing on the present and preventing it from wandering to thinking about the past or the future.

2. Silent present-moment awareness. Once you are grounded in the present, the next goal is to quiet your inner voice. We all have a “monkey mind” that, when we sit in silence, chatters to us endlessly. This step seeks to silence that voice, and as thoughts arise, we play the role of an observer, simply watching them arise and dissipate without interacting with them. Effectively, you are learning to watch your thoughts arise, linger and then dissipate without attaching (clinging) to those thoughts in any way or without becoming entangled in them.

3. Silent present-moment awareness with a focus on the Breath. Once you can be present and silent, your focus (if you are sitting) is typically turned to putting all of your focus on your breathing. Learning to focus all attention on one thing to the exclusion of everything else so that you can see that one thing clearly and at a high level of resolution.

The mindfulness process and the belief in non-self, helps to develop the skills and understanding that thoughts are transient and you don't need to act on them or allow them to act on you, and that essentially they are not your thoughts because there is no real you.

Part of the process of becoming adept at mindfulness meditation is to watch as “your" thoughts arise, linger, and then dissipate. There are a few important points here.

1. They aren't technically your thoughts since a you doesn't really exist.

2. They will fade away on their own unless you attach your awareness to them. Also referred to as "clinging” onto them. This is done when your awareness engages with a thought—by analyzing it, elaborating on it, or identifying with its content, digging into it’s narrative or meaning. When you do so it will carry you off into thoughts of the past or into delusions or imaginings of the future. You will also begin to assign meaning and judgment to that thought with which will come desires and needs - possibly dictating your future actions but almost always bringing with it deluded perceptions of reality. If you happen to start getting carried away, or entangled with a thought, gently and calmly bring your attention back to the present moment and your focus on breathing. This requires you to have have and practice self-compassion.

3. As a result of clinging to a thought, that thought doesn't just fade away as it normally would. Instead, it remains longer than it otherwise would have and may grow in size and importance. Now you are entangled in that thought and “you” no longer own that thought; the thought owns you.

4. Mindfulness meditation is about cultivating a detached awareness. Instead of getting involved with every thought, you observe them as they appear and practice letting them go without attachment or judgment. This habit helps you see your thoughts more objectively and keeps your mind clear and focused.

Nepsis & Prayer - An Orthodox Christian Practice

As I understand it, these concepts come from Hesychasm, which I wrote a little bit about previously in my post on The Way of a Pilgrim.

Hesychasm is a mystical tradition within Eastern Orthodox Christianity that focuses on achieving inner stillness and direct communion with God. This is seen as a practice to unite ourselves with God in our interior reality. Practitioners use continuous, silent prayer—often repeating the Jesus Prayer—to quiet the mind, letting go of distractions and engaging in deep, contemplative awareness. This practice, whose name comes from the Greek word hesychia (meaning stillness or silence), became prominent among Byzantine monastics and remains a central spiritual discipline in Eastern Orthodox mysticism. I notice similarities between Hesychasm and Buddhist practices, such as Mindfulness Meditation. Given the geographical locations of Orthodox centers, it is likely that Orthodox monastics interacted with Buddhist monastics.

In Hesychasm, Nepsis (Greek: νῆψις) refers to a state of spiritual wakefulness or watchfulness, also one who is spiritually sober and present in the moment. Nepsis comes from the verb ‘nepho,’ «νήφω», which means: ‘I observe carefully, I am vigilant, and I follow something.’ I'll refer to it as awareness. It is a practice of spiritual disciplines to purify the soul and attain union with God. This is closely related to the Greek term νους (nous), which can be understood as the seat of conscious awareness at the root of who we are as a human being, or the “eye of the soul” that perceives God and spiritual truths. This concept is distinct from the rational mind (διανοια.) Nepsis also has the implication of the continuous vigilance of our intellect.⁵

Nepsis is then a state of spiritual alertness, vigilance, and awareness over the movements of the nous and heart, guarding against harmful thoughts, temptations, and distractions. It enables one’s will to align with God’s Will, to Commune with the Holy Spirit

Nepsis is a spiritual method for Communion with the Holy Spirit. The English word ‘method’ from the Greek verb «µεθοδεύω» means that I walk with someone; I follow someone step-by-step. When someone wants to learn about another person—what they do and where they go—they follow them around. This is what I do with nepsis—I follow God. I stay close to Him in order to be able to follow Him. When I exercise nepsis, it’s as though I chase the Holy Spirit. If we focus completely on the Holy Spirit, this is the way we will win. This is a practice for every person on earth, not just monastics.

When we do not follow Christ, we give the “okay” to the devil to influence us. [..] [A]n evil spirit can influence and fight against us through thoughts, among other ways, and life can become difficult.

Nepsis is a very delicate thing. The first thing it helps us do is eliminate harmful thoughts, words, and actions. With God’s help, it frees the entire human being, our whole existence, from evil meanings, words, and deeds. But if we let the devil pass all these thoughts on to us, and if we dwell on them (i.e. cling to them), this shows–this proves–that we do not have nepsis. If we did, we would have rejected the thought at its first appearance.’

So nepsis is the way to «απάθεια», “apatheia,”¹ which in English is “dispassion.” It is when someone doesn’t have passions. The way to “apatheia” is nepsis. There is no other way because everything starts from our way of thinking, from our intellect. The whole body moves according to the intellect. The intellect is the governing body of our body.

Walking On the Waves. An Everyday Guide to Nepsis - A series of talks by His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa.

According to Fr Borjan Vitanov in his 6 part lectures on Nepsis and Noetic Prayer, nobody can pray properly unless they have Nepsis. (And I’m paraphrasing) If we do not have Nepsis, we are at risk of being spiritual hypocrites. The battle that we have in acquiring Nepsis is not a battle against a physical enemy, but it’s against spirits of darkness that are constantly trying to invade our mind to put us in a state of spiritual devastation. It’s not just to lead us into sin, b/c we have confession and the atonement of Christ and thus redemption. The Devil knows this, so he wants to keep us in a state of ignorance and out of the sins we have committed. he doesn’t want us to repent; he wants us to learn to love sin and to justify and rationalize it.

(The below is transcribed and somewhat paraphrased from part 5 of Fr. Borjan Vitanov’s talk on Nepsis and the Noetic Prayer.)

Nepsis and Noetic Prayer - Part 5

There are 5 stages for how the Devil attacks us through thoughts. (This applies to any passion.) The practices of the church, like fasting, are for us to learn to govern ourselves and to reprogram ourselves to live a christian life so that Christ can see himself in us. (Theosis is the goal.) That’s what it means to be Orthodox, to wake up from the delusions of the world, unplug ourselves from the fallen world to become sober. Imagine that we are having a discussion with someone on a Friday afternoon (when we should be fasting.)

1. The Attack comes in the form of a proposition or suggestion. A thought (logismi) comes into my mind and says I hear an ice cream truck passing by, and another thought comes to me, or I say to myself, “When was the last time I ate ice cream? I don’t know - maybe a month ago.” If I don’t reject this thought right away - which is the recommendation of the holy fathers - I start a dialog with this thought, “Maybe they have vanilla and sprinkles, maybe they have some lenten/vegan ice cream?”

2. So now we enter the second stage - a dialogue with my own thoughts… and by the way, this logismos - this original thought that began this, it’s not mine. This is something that people don’t fundamentally understand. They get grossed out by themselves when a wicked or blasphemous thought comes into their mind, and they think it’s theirs when it’s not. There are legions of demons behind these thoughts that are giving us, and they are just waiting for us like fish. Are we going to get hooked on a thought and start a dialog with it? [Then, from this one thought, more thoughts and rationalizations begin to take place along with judgements and desires. We don’t own the thought anymore, now the thought owns us.] The first stage is the suggestion and the second stage is the conversation with the Devil. Maybe the Devil follows this up and says maybe, “Well listen, you are a Priest, you’ve been an orthodox Christian your whole life, wasn’t it Christ who said in the Gospel, it’s not what comes into your mouth that defiles you but what comes out of your mouth defiles you. In other words, as long as you don’t curse, as long as you don’t judge, you can go eat the ice cream, and even better if you don’t spend the rest of the time talking to everyone else, you might have time to watch TV and could even eat some steaks. Big deal, nobody will know. Then you can relieve yourself since you’ve been fasting. God and you yourself as a priest said don’t be a hypocrite, you tell people it’s not important, fasting is not about the food.” Then all of these rationalizations and thoughts continue to the point where you enter the third stage.

3. The building up of the Passion. Now, I may suddenly begin to feel obsessed with eating some ice cream, and that I can’t live a second without having some ice cream. This can be applied to anything - to lust or any other passion. This leads to the 4th stage.

4. You give in and execute on the passion. Now I have fallen, but before I fell, there were 3 stages that came before where I could have said No.

5. Once I have fallen, the Devil comes again and speaks to us in a different way. Now, he accuses us. (The name Devil is the accuser.) Now he says “Oh, you are a pathetic human being, how could you be unfaithful in such little things, you can never never repent from this, nobody will forgive you. He may even quote the bible again to you: “Those who are unfaithful to me in small things will be unfaithful to me in big things.” So now I begin to think that no matter what I do, I’m finished, that I committed a huge mistake and the Devil will do everything in his power to tell me not to confess or repent for this. This is just who you are, because if you repent it’s embarrassing and you’re just going to fall again and again and again.” Then we fall into spiritual despondency (Acedia). The church fathers say that those who fall into Acedia - that is the last stage before people commit suicide. Once you feel this way, the Devil rejoices. If you do kill yourself, then you lose your right to repent and need to wait until the second coming of Christ, when we will be judged.

This is a small example, but this can be with anything. The only time the Devil can really influence us is through these logismi. He gains power over us when we allow him to, esp. when we open ourselves up to a passion and fall in love with the passion. When we become lovers of passions, we don’t want to give that up. This is a state of delusion, is being fed by the demons in a way that we get trapped in that cycle of delusion.

Hence we see how spiritual alertness/awareness is critical to helping ourselves not be snared by the Devil. Here are some key aspects of nepsis:

• Vigilance over thoughts: Nepsis involves being attentive to one's thoughts and guarding against those that are harmful or lead to sin.¹ This includes thoughts that are impure, selfish, or distracting from God.

• Sobriety of mind: Nepsis is often associated with sobriety, not in the sense of abstaining from alcohol, but in the sense of having a clear and focused mind, free from the intoxication of worldly passions and distractions.²

• Spiritual warfare: Nepsis is seen as a form of spiritual warfare against the temptations of the devil and the passions that lead to sin.³

• Continual practice: Nepsis is not a one-time achievement, but rather a continuous practice that requires constant effort and vigilance.

• Means to theosis: Nepsis is considered an essential means to theosis, which is the ultimate goal of Orthodox Christian life – becoming like God through union with Him.

Practicing Nepsis - this spiritual mental alertness can be practiced and strengthened through regular prayer, such as using the Jesus prayer as a focus of a practice that (at least to me) is essentially meditative. During prayer, we should observe every thought or emotion that arises. Instead of engaging with these distractions, simply acknowledge them as passing events. Once you notice a distraction or begin to cling to one, calmly and gently redirect your attention back to your prayer or to the awareness of God’s presence. Try to maintain this vigilant attitude not only during formal prayer but also throughout your daily life. Be mindful of your inner state in all situations, ensuring that you remain aware of any potential distractions.

Conclusions and Parting Thoughts

When looking at Buddhist philosophy and practices like mindfulness, I see parallels or at least similarities between Buddhist and Orthodox Christian thought. Of course, there are significant differences once you look at the details, but I think there are at least some commonalities that we can point out.

• An understanding that mankind is not perfect and is subject to many errors, faults, and delusional thoughts. There is a certain component of recognizing, transforming, or denying the “self” or “the natural man.”

• A shared understanding that the world has a lot of suffering and is an imperfect (or fallen) place, and hence there is a motivation to seek another realm or type of existence - whether that be with union with God in the heavens, a pure land, or Nirvana (liberation from all conditioned existence.)

• A Focus on ascetic practice, including the renunciation of material attachments and physical pleasures, with a corresponding acknowledgement that this endeavor is focused largely on an internal transformation that will be a struggle and a lifelong pursuit, but one that must be accomplished with humility and compassion.

• A shared understanding of the importance of compassion, loving kindness, and unconditional love for all people (or for all beings in the Buddhist sense).

• Strive towards self-control/self-discipline and denial of physical passions/fetters.

• A desire to identify and dispel deluded thinking and thereby to see reality clearly

• An analytical understanding the process of "sin” or “attachment” arising from our thoughts.

• A desire and focus on eventual unification with a higher “divine” principle.

• A search for an eventual end of suffering.

• A share understanding of the importance of monasticism and a monastic/asthetic life.

• Common understandings that:

  • The thoughts you have are not really “your” thoughts.

  • Thoughts spontaneously arise and will dissipate on their own as long as we do not cling to them or become entangled in them. If we notice that this is happening, we should bring our attention gently and calmly, without judgment or shame, back to the present moment and into an observer state.

  • The arising of thoughts and the clinging to them is a beginning point of trouble, and there is a similar process for how they ensare us. We cling to them, begin investigating them or analyzing them, or start a dialog with them, and then they create judgements and passions within us that lead to deluded thinking and potentially self-harmful actions that result in us being held captive in some state of suffering.

There are also remarkable similarities between the narratives surrounding the lives of Buddha and Christ.

• Miraculous births: Both Siddhartha and Jesus are said to have had miraculous births, with extraordinary events surrounding their conceptions and deliveries.

• Royal or special lineage: Both are associated with royalty or a special lineage, marking them as destined for greatness.

• Wise men's prophecies: Both stories include prophecies by wise men foretelling the child's future significance.

• Early signs of wisdom: Both children are depicted as displaying exceptional wisdom and knowledge at a young age.

• Ascetic or contemplative lifestyles: Both figures, at some point in their lives, embraced asceticism or contemplative practices, withdrawing from worldly life to pursue spiritual enlightenment.

Historical context:

• I’m not arguing that one came from the other, but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that Buddhism was present in the regions around the Mediterranean before the rise of Christianity. The Silk Road facilitated cultural exchange, and there's evidence of Buddhist communities in areas like Alexandria, Egypt, where early Christianity took root.

• Some scholars suggest that Buddhist ideas might have influenced certain Gnostic sects within early Christianity, though this is still debated.

• Given the lack of information about Jesus’ early childhood and the proximity of the two groups of believers, at least some cultural carryover, even indirectly, should be expected. Even if this is the case, there is nothing there that I feel is negatively faith-impacting or that could trigger Christian deconstruction, as there are no theological implications I can think of.

Arguments against influence:

• Distinct theological frameworks: Buddhism and Christianity have fundamentally different core theological concepts. Buddhism focuses on self-liberation through understanding and overcoming suffering, while Christianity centers on salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

• Different cultural contexts: The stories of Siddhartha and Jesus arose in distinct cultural and historical contexts, shaping the narratives in unique ways.

• While there are intriguing parallels between the early life stories of Siddhartha and Jesus, we should not infer that one came from the other, as the specific details and the overall theological frameworks of the narratives are distinct.

There are surely other similarities and parallels between Buddhism and Christianity, but this is probably enough to get people thinking. I’m not making an ecumenical argument, however. There are significant differences between the two families of religions (that, at least in my mind, are probably explainable due to the cultural/religious milieu each originated in).

Lastly, it seems to me that Christianity and Buddhism each approach things from very different perspectives (almost as a default impulse).

It seems (at least to me) that while Christianity and Buddhism both recognize that humanity is in some kind of fallen state, Christianity more often externalizes the negative origins of evil, suffering, and harmful thoughts, setting up a (somewhat) antagonistic dualism between ourselves and eternal forces (the devil, demons, etc). Buddhism is more likely to internalize and ascribe these things to the results of our own actions (karma), our present conditions (dependent origination), and the nature of humanity.

Additional Resources

• Walking On the Waves. An Everyday Guide to Nepsis: https://orthochristian.com/165439.html

• Walking On the Waves. An Everyday Guild to Nepsis Book on Amazon.

• The Therapeutic Strategy of Nepsis: https://ancientchristianwisdom.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/the-therapeutic-strategy-of-nepsis/

• Nepsis: https://stgeorgegreenville.org/our-faith/tenpointprogram/watchfulness

These resources provide further insights into the concept of nepsis and its importance in Orthodox Christian spirituality.

1. When I was a Buddhist, I did recognize that there were similarities in values, concepts, and approaches and sometimes personally viewed Buddhism as a type of “Christianity for Atheists / non-deists.”

2. I have heard the same thing said about the Virgin birth of Christ, that the Theotokos did not experience pain giving birth to Christ. I don’t know if this is literally true or just mythology, but it’s an interesting correlation. I’m not arguing for syncretism here or that this concept came from Buddhism into Christianity. It’s just an interesting similarity.

3. Sadhus (aka swamis or Brahmins) are Hindu ascetics who have renounced worldly life to focus on spiritual practices and attain moksha (liberation).

• Sadhu is a general term for a holy man or ascetic.

• Swami is often used as an honorific title for a spiritual teacher or a respected ascetic.

• Brahmins are those that belong to the Hindu priest caste (the highest caste.) This cast traditionally lived by the principle of ashrama - a system that outlined specific stages of life. The four ashramas (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa) represent an ideal progression through life, but in practice, people rarely follow them strictly. The Vanaprastha (forest-dwelling/retirement) phase happens as one approaches retirement age (old age.) Brahmins are socially expected (but not forced), near the end of their lives upon retirement, to withdraw from worldly affairs (renunciation) to practice vanaprastha , i.e., to go into the wilderness to live as ascetics.

Many sadhus and swamis wander, often going on pilgrimages to holy sites or living in remote areas like forests or mountains to deepen their meditation and spiritual practices. They may live solitary lives or travel with small groups of disciples.

While some sadhus and swamis are Brahmins (The Hindu priest class) by birth, it's not a requirement. People from any caste can renounce the world and pursue a spiritual path. What's important is their commitment to spiritual discipline and their pursuit of enlightenment.

4. As Buddhism spread into China, Chinese culture had strong traditions of feminine deities, such as the Queen Mother of the West (Xi Wangmu). Guanyin was associated with maternal compassion, which aligned with Chinese ideals of nurturing feminine power. Also, in some places it was not culturally acceptable for women to follow or offer devotion to male teachers, so Quan Yin (guanyin) was often depicted as female.

2. Association with Motherhood: Over time Guanyin became linked to fertility and childbearing, much like the Virgin Mary in Christian iconography.

3. Gender Fluidity in Mahayana Buddhism: Buddhist scriptures teach that bodhisattvas can appear in any form to aid sentient beings. The Lotus Sutra states Avalokiteśvara can manifest as male, female, or even non-human beings. In Tibetan Buddhism, quan-yin is mainly depicted as male and closely associated with the Dalai Lama.

5. https://orthochristian.com/165439.html