The Buddha From Babylon Read online

  If, indeed, Siddhartha Gautama had been the Chief Magus from Babylon prior to becoming the Buddha, we may be able to find evidence of Babylonian mythology, religiosity, astronomy, divination, and numerology in the Buddhist scriptures. Highly respected historical and archeological analysts have detected clues pointing at a possible “Babylonian connection.“ Based on this premise, The Buddha from Babylon builds on their insights, and for the first time advances possible evidence of Babylonian imagery and celestial knowledge in his sutras.

  The Buddha from Babylon unravels “what the Buddha knew and when he knew it,“ providing a unified narrative of the Buddhist teachings from a fresh perspective. It brings Siddhartha Gautama to life as a real person, and yet shows why he has been dubbed the wisest man of all time and elevated to a divine figure.

  Beyond his background and personal journey, this book explores the mind of the founder of Buddhism. His biography, we believe, cannot be complete without examining his overarching purpose—the exploration of life’s deepest meanings and the grand dynamism revealed through his cosmic visions. The Buddha’s observations illuminated the essential mystery of existence, addressing the universal questions that curious minds have aspired to know from the beginning of human endeavor.

  As the quest for a “Theory of Everything“ continues in modern times, this book reveals that an identical aspiration for Universal Truth underlies the earliest notions of ancient theology, philosophy, psychology, cosmology, astronomy, mathematics, art, music, and natural law. In this book today’s scholars, students, philosophers, psychologists, historians, scientists, cosmologists, and politicians can gain a new appreciation for the misunderstood or overlooked wisdom of a forgotten past. The Buddha from Babylon was written to enlighten anyone with a desire for exploring deep meaning, regardless of their beliefs or background and whether or not they identify as Buddhists.

  An important feature of this book is its interpretations of mythic storytelling. By covering the history of world religion through symbolism and the metaphoric, the reader is introduced to the language Siddhartha Gautama uses in conveying his enlightenment. The Buddha leveraged his visionary sight to define his doctrines and insights. The result is a deep spiritual exploration into who we are, individually and as a species, and a forwardlooking framework for who we can become and how we can get there.

  The reader will experience a journey that evolves from a historical perspective to the Buddha’s visionary elucidation of life as a super-structure system. Along the way the reader will encounter how and why all things are connected across space-time, scale, and dimension. As the book unfolds, it reveals the Buddha’s purpose as a messianic mission designed to direct the future of human civilization onto a positive path of evolution. Some 2,500 years ago he foresaw an end to the era of instinct-based evolution and sought to inspire humans to self-direct the next phase of evolution toward higher consciousness. For the sake of the future he left behind a grand vision of the human psyche as a pliable system that either operates on a default basis or may be guided and shaped by its user. He recognized that our destiny—individually and collectively—was always in our hands.

  SPIRITUAL ARCHEOLOGY:

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR’S METHOD

  OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

  Author Harvey Kraft is a spiritual archeologist and founder of the Everlife Foundation, a research and education center dedicated to the investigation of Buddhist views and history. He has established a unique form of “Spiritual Archeology,” defined as a method for unearthing and interpreting ancient information.

  Spiritual archeology is used to dig beneath the surface of ancient spiritual information and unlock its secrets by: (a) employing archeological research, (b) translating and interpreting mythic literature, (c) analyzing histories from a spiritual perspective, (d) finding hidden meanings embedded in ancient linguistics, as well as (e) integrating visionary insights and observed data.

  Spiritual archeology requires an intuitive skill for connecting disparate pieces of evidence based on the premise that spiritual information was developed and exchanged widely among distant cultures prior to the advent of writing. The spiritual archeologist must search for underlying meanings in the subtext of mythic works with the spirit of a detective seeking out the intents of the ancient sacred scribes. This research has revealed that seers developed and conveyed the first versions of cosmology, mathematics, physics, astronomy, psychology, and spiritualism by using the language of mythology, metaphor, and symbolism to reveal their visionary scope of existence.

  Much of the wisdom of the seers has become elusive with time. Today, some consider myths to be fantasy or lies. Others seem to hold on to spiritual concepts and religious views as if they were set in stone, although oftentimes their notions are mere shadows of what the old seers once understood. Substantially oblivious to the common roots that most religions share, today’s cultures, both West and East, are still engrossed in contests over divine and cosmic truths.

  However, the technology of modern communications provides the spiritual archeologist with ready access to information as never before, and we can probe further and deeper to gain a better understanding of humanity’s spiritual roots essential to directing humanity’s future.

  A more lucid view of history from Before the Common Era (BCE) is hobbled by the limited amount of empirical research available. The era’s mysteries lend to fantastic interpretations and a wide spectrum of religious traditions that read legends, myths, and sacred literature as historical facts. Spiritual archeology recognizes that the brilliant, visionary writers of ancient literature embedded their wisdom within these sacred dream stories told as a history of quests. They all held a comprehensive view of the whole of Existence; each of their cosmologies contained a highly sophisticated system connecting human beings to greater powers.

  The quest for immortality has dominated belief systems from pre-historic times onward. Academic examinations notwithstanding, spiritual archeology attempts to identify the profound views of the great seers of the past who led the successful establishment of political-economic-religious structures in early civilizations based on the achievement of balance between divine order and stable climates.

  Employing spiritual archeology’s granular and deep exploration of ancient history has produced this speculative biography of the Buddha by taking into account clues that may have been overlooked or ignored by traditional historians or religious advocates, since they must work within the more stringent confines of institutional frameworks.

  Using the methods of spiritual archeology, this biography of the Buddha unearths the shamanic, Sumerian, Egyptian, Judean, Babylonian and Vedic beliefs that influenced him. Furthermore, it takes into account other beliefs and the political climate of his time and delineates his teachings, an original form of Buddhism that is a breathtaking cosmic system he espoused with the intent of influencing the quality and future development of human life.

  For most Westerners, modern thought started in Greece. In actuality, the foundation for Greek mythology and philosophy was influenced by Egyptian and Mesopotamian teachings. Others claim an Indian origin. This book proposes that the religious thoughts underlying both Western and Eastern beliefs were incubated between Greece and India, an area that today spans the Islamic nations of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This is where the first spark of Buddhism surfaced from Arya and Babylonian traditions.

  Spiritual archeology digs up and integrates information, intuition, and analysis in order to provide a richer appreciation for the origination of ancient beliefs and behaviors universally embedded in today’s human cultures. This biography of the Buddha transcends Buddhism as a religion. Rather, it approaches it as it was originally intended—as a search for the meaning of life.

  This book provides a cohesive narrative of Buddhist thought, reflective of Siddhartha Gautama’s unprecedented visionary capabilities, and unencumbered by the sectarian schisms characteristic of later eras. Taking into account the un
iversal approach of the Buddha, the spiritual archeologist writing the biography of the Buddha takes on a role similar to that of a theoretical physicist who formulates scientific concepts that may never be possible to prove in an absolute sense. Both the spiritual archeologist and theoretical cosmologist make use of elusive clues, formulas, and patterns in an attempt to decipher the unknown.

  Told in a documentary writing style, The Buddha from Babylon takes the reader on an exciting “ride“ through ancient history as it might be seen through the mind of the Buddha. A central premise of this book is that the Buddha possessed a deep knowledge of history. He was well versed in the mythic languages and religious views espoused by seers and shamans prior to the sixth century. He was also sensitive to the impact of divine order on ordinary people. He had attained a leadership role in Babylon where he was highly engaged with the public and clearly understood the plight of people both on a personal and social scale. His vast knowledge of astronomical data, sacred mathematics, and cosmic time prepared him for his own articulation of Universal Truth.

  He did not attain enlightenment out of the blue.

  Before the event known as his enlightenment, he espoused profound philosophic views about the connection of humans with the cosmos, and explored the impact of habitual behaviors on psychological wellness. Once he achieved his goal of seeing the full picture of Existence, he began immediately to explain both the vicissitudes of mortal existence and the system and laws underlying all of cosmic Existence.

  This book explores a critical nexus in history, a time when the fields of religion, philosophy, and celestial cosmogonies were inseparable and openly debated. The Buddha appeared at the height of this period, coined the Axial Age (800–200 BCE) by modern philosopher Karl Jaspers. At its inception Buddhism had a relationship with other religions of its time and was influenced by past religions. It also originated and developed new concepts, some of which were later adopted into Christianity, Sufism and Hinduism, and more recently incorporated into non-institutional spiritual practices.

  The Buddha used cosmic visions to explore the scope of the Universe, across space, time, and scale and the connection that the Laws of Existence had to human experiences. His insight into human beings offered highly advanced psychological theses and applications geared to opening the door to the unconscious, expanding the capacity of consciousness, and connecting with the Universal-Mind of a super-conscious cosmos.

  The Buddha from Babylon articulates a holistic view of Buddhism through four cosmologies, or stages. This approach encompasses the key Teachings of the Buddha prior to the development of various Buddhist schools of thought and doctrinal distinctions.

  In addition, the author has chosen to credit the Buddha with concepts that appear in sutras deemed by academic analysts to be the works of later generations. By identifying certain visionary sutras with Babylonian influences, this book suggests that these dissertations could have originated only with Siddhartha Gautama himself. The connection between the Buddha and Babylon is a most profound discovery. It affirms the considerable use of his original, oral teachings in the later recordings of his Teachings. In that respect The Buddha from Babylon reconnects and unifies the whole of Buddhism under his purview.

  The reader will discover in the Buddha’s visions a profound linkage of cosmic self-knowing and the enlightened scope of Universal Truth.

  The Buddha’s cosmic visions also appear to be shockingly congruent with modern knowledge occupied today by scientific fields. One would be hard-pressed to explain his advanced insight, farsight, and foresight without our access to the technological, mathematical, and analytical tools we have today. Ironically, unencumbered by the boundaries of the observable, he pushed the envelope of inner sight even beyond what we can see today by looking through the most powerful telescopes, microscopes, or scanners.

  But today, as science unravels the complex details of the mind and body and explores the mechanics of a vast Universe, academic studies of ancient wisdom are often approached as quaint or archaic.

  From a modern perspective that sees religious myths as exaggerations and spiritual visions as hallucinations could the discoveries of the Buddha still be relevant today?

  ABOUT THE LOTUS SUTRA

  For the fourth and final cosmology of Buddhism featured in this book, the author has chosen to focus on the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra was translated from Sanskrit and Pali into Chinese in the second century CE and then spread to Korea and Japan. It is the premise of this book that the original, oral rendition of this sutra came directly from Siddhartha Gautama.

  As the surviving written versions appear to reflect certain additions or modifications possibly made by Mahayana scribes in India, the author has focused on parts of the scripture that, in his view, reflect the sutra’s original cosmic revelation.

  The full title of the Lotus Sutra is written in Sanskrit, Chinese, or Japanese as follows:

  Original Sanskrit: Sad-dharma Punda-rika Sutra

  Chinese Translation: Miao-fa Lien-hua Ching

  Japanese Transliteration (from Chinese): Myo-ho Ren-ge Kyo

  Several translations in English attest to the interest the Lotus Sutra has generated in Western countries. The “Lotus Sutra” is a condensed title in English. The full title reflects a literal translation commonly written in English as The Sutra of the Lotus Flower’s Wonderful Dharma.

  The text has also been published as the “Threefold Lotus Sutra” with an introductory and closing sutra added to the volume or volumes of the main body of text containing the following:

  Preface Sutra: The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings (3 chapters)

  Main Sutra: The Lotus Sutra (28 chapters)

  Afterward Sutra: Sutra of Meditation on Universal Virtue Bodhisattva (1 chapter)

  The author offers his own wording for the English translation of quotations from the Lotus Sutra used in this volume. However, he also wishes to thank other English language publications of the Lotus Sutra and to acknowledge their authors in the event that there may be some overlap with the wording used in any of their works.

  Published English translations of the Lotus Sutra text include:

  The Lotus Sutra translated by Hendrik Kern, Forgotten Books (1884, first ed.)

  Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma translated by Leon Hurvitz (1975, first ed.)

  The Threefold Lotus Sutra by Kato and Tamura, Kosei Publishing (1975, first ed.)

  The Lotus Sutra translated by Burton Watson,

  Columbia University Press (1993, first ed.) © Sokagakkai (SGI)

  Sadharmapundarika: The Lotus Sutra, Vol. 17, Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, M.G. Chitkara, APH Publishing (2004)

  The Lotus Sutra by Kubo and Yuyama, Numata Center (2007, second ed.) © Bukkyo Dego Kyokai (BDK)

  The Lotus Sutra translated by Gene Reeves, Wisdom Books (2008, first ed.) © Rissho Kosei-kai

  Because Sanskrit was designed to be symbolic language with multiple “levels of subtext,“ it can be open to interpretations. Therefore, for the quotations from the Lotus Sutra provided in The Buddha from Babylon, the author chose to reword translations made in various English versions. Based on his scholarship of the sutras he has provided the interpretations that he believes best communicate the deeper meanings originally intended by the Buddha. In addition, he has chosen to use modern grammar and sentence structure for the quoted material in order to facilitate the reader’s understanding of the intended meanings. For example, rather than a literal translation of the title of the sutra, the author has chosen to bring out its original underlying meaning, wording it as The Perfectly Endowed Reality of Life Everlasting.

  A NOTE TO THE READER

  Footnotes appear throughout the book to enhance the reader’s understanding of the meanings and implications of mythic language and ancient expressions. Notes appear at the bottom of the page, rather than as endnotes, to give the reader immediate access to additional information about the origin of terms, names, and descriptions. The author dec
ided to provide important information in this way rather than interrupt the cohesive flow of the main text. In addition, the footnotes serve the traditional role of providing the source for quotes or stories.

  Introduction

  IN SEARCH OF THE BUDDHA’S BIOGRAPHY

  Do human beings have a personal connection with the Universe at large?

  Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, answered the question by weaving a grand cosmology that extended the scope of humanity beyond the bounds of life on Earth. He arrived at this perspective of the “True Reality of All Existence“ using a method of inner vision. He described what he saw in a dreamlike language that to a modern person might appear more like fantasy than reality.

  The Buddha possessed an inherent talent for cosmic knowing, but he still faced the challenge of conveying it to people. If understanding his Teachings required wisdom comparable to his, how could anyone penetrate it? Aware of this, the Buddha took a step-by-step approach aimed at making his Teachings useful to individuals, communities, and society at large. With that goal in mind, he would address three mysteries whose answers would enable the self-transformation of humanity:

  What is a Buddha?

  What is the ultimate purpose of Buddhism?

  Can ordinary people become Buddhas?

  THE ORIGINS OF BUDDHA

  The Buddha was an iconic figure in the history of world religion—a man who represented the ultimate human aspiration to understand who we are and why everything is the way it is. The person we know of as the historical Buddha was supremely gifted in this regard. He lived some 2,500 years ago. His name was Siddhartha Gautama, and he became known as the Buddha, a title that means The Awakened One.