He Who is of God Hears the Word of God
James Tissot, ca. 1890
My dear friends,
Today, let us examine John 17:6-19, which captures the essence of Jesus' prayer for unity and sanctification among his disciples, through the lens of the Bodhisattva path, a central practice in Mahayana Buddhism.
The table below presents a synthesis of spiritual wisdom from Christian and Buddhist traditions, showing that despite their diverse origins, both paths share common goals: the transformation of the mind and heart, the cultivation of deep truths, and the fostering of a harmonious community.
| Verse | Jesus | Bodhisattva |
|---|---|---|
| 17:6 | I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. |
I have shared the teachings with those who have come to me from the diversity of life. They were seekers of truth, and have embraced the teachings wholeheartedly. |
| 17:7 | Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; |
Now they realize that all teachings I impart are derived from the highest wisdom; |
| 17:8 | for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. |
for the teachings that have been passed down to me I have shared with them, and they have embraced them and understand that they originate from a lineage of wisdom; and they trust deeply in this path. |
| 17:9 | I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. |
I dedicate my efforts on their behalf; my focus is not on worldly concerns, but on those seekers of truth, for they are committed to the path. |
| 17:10 | All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. |
All insights that arise in me arise in them too; and in this shared understanding, there is mutual enrichment. |
| 17:11 | And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect in your name those that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. |
And now, though I am no longer bound by worldly concerns, they remain engaged in the world, and I aspire for their protection through the wisdom of their interconnection with all of existence. |
| 17:12 | While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. |
While I was physically present with them, I shielded them with the wisdom that was entrusted to me. I preserved their path, and none strayed except the one who chose a different destiny, fulfilling their own journey. |
| 17:13 | But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. |
But as I prepare to leave this conventional realm, I impart these words to cultivate joy within them. |
| 17:14 | I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. |
I have imparted the profound teachings to them, and they are not favored by those attached to worldly ways because they are not of worldly inclinations, just as I am not. |
| 17:15 | I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. |
I do not seek their removal from the world, but I seek their safeguarding from delusion. |
| 17:16 | They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. |
They are not bound by worldly attachments, just as I am free from such bindings. |
| 17:17 | Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. |
Cultivate them in wisdom; the teachings are the embodiment of truth. |
| 17:18 | As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. |
Just as I have been sent to share wisdom in the world, so too have I empowered them to do the same. |
| 17:19 | And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. |
And for their benefit, I commit myself to these teachings, so that they too may be deeply rooted in truth. |
By viewing the prayer of Jesus through the Bodhisattva aspirations, we gain a broader understanding of how spiritual teachings can be universally applied to nurture compassion, wisdom, and unity among all beings. This comparative exercise not only highlights the adaptability of spiritual messages across different traditions but also encourages a deeper interfaith dialogue that respects and cherishes the intrinsic values found in each path.