The Harrowing of Hell
Nicholas Roerich, 1933
Dharmaraja - Buddha of the hell realms
- Erich Huntington
My dear friends,
The Christian tradition of the Harrowing of Hell, commemorated on Holy Saturday, holds a profound place within the wider narrative of Easter, symbolizing Christ's descent into Hell between His crucifixion and resurrection. This event is said to have been a mission to save the righteous souls who had died before His coming. Its scriptural roots are indirect, drawing from a few key passages in the New Testament rather than a single, explicit narrative.
The depiction of the Harrowing of Hell has been a powerful motif in Christian art and theology, emphasizing Jesus' ultimate victory over death and Hell, asserting His dominion over all realms, and highlighting His mercy and the breadth of His redemption.
In the context of the bhavacakra, a symbolic representation of the "wheel of existence" in Tibetan Buddhism, the Hell realm is one of six realms of samsaric existence characterized by intense suffering. The presence of a Buddha or bodhisattva within this realm, pointing the way out, symbolizes the potential for enlightenment and liberation even from the depths of suffering. This figure serves as a guide, offering hope and a path to liberation through the practice of the Dharma, or Buddhist teachings.
The connection between these two traditions lies in their shared emphasis on compassion, liberation, and the possibility of transcendence beyond the conditions of suffering. In both, there is a message of hope—that no realm, not even Hell, is beyond the reach of salvation or enlightenment. This underscores a universal spiritual principle: the possibility of liberation and the transformative power of compassion, mercy, and wisdom. It highlights the role of the savior or enlightened being in guiding souls out of suffering, whether it be through the Christian narrative of redemption or the Buddhist path of awakening.
While arising from distinct religious traditions, the Harrowing of Hell and the image of a Buddha in the Hell realm of the bhavacakra share a symbolic resonance, emphasizing the potential for liberation from suffering and the compassionate engagement of spiritual beings with all realms of existence. This interconnection enriches our understanding of both traditions, inviting a contemplative reflection on the nature of salvation, liberation, and the boundless scope of compassionate action.
The motif of a descent into the underworld, often with the aim of rescuing its inhabitants or achieving some significant quest, is a widespread theme found across many ancient myths and religious narratives. This theme is also a crucial aspect of Joseph Campbell's concept of the "hero's journey," detailed in his work The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell identified the "descent" or "The Hero's Descent into the Underworld" as one of the archetypal stages in the broader narrative pattern of the hero myth, which he termed the "monomyth." In this stage, the hero must venture into the realm of the dead or another challenging environment to confront death, uncover some hidden truth, or retrieve a lost loved one or a powerful object.
- The Epic of Gilgamesh: In this Mesopotamian epic, one of the oldest known pieces of literature, Gilgamesh ventures into the underworld to seek immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu, confronting his own mortality in the process.
- Orpheus and Eurydice: In Greek mythology, Orpheus, a legendary musician, poet, and prophet, descends into the underworld to retrieve his wife Eurydice, who had died of a snake bite. His journey and attempt to bring Eurydice back to the living world is one of the most poignant tales of love, loss, and the limits of human power.
- Inanna's Descent to the Underworld: In Sumerian mythology, Inanna, the Queen of Heaven and Earth, descends into the underworld, ruled by her sister Ereshkigal. Her journey is rich with themes of death, rebirth, and transformation, as she undergoes trials, death, and eventually, resurrection.
- The Twelve Labors of Hercules: In Greek mythology, one of Hercules' tasks involves descending into the underworld to capture Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding its gates. This labor represents Hercules' confrontation with death and his triumph over the underworld's dangers.
- The Aeneid by Virgil: In this Roman epic, Aeneas descends into the underworld to meet his father Anchises, who provides him with insights into his destiny and the future of Rome. This journey underscores themes of duty, destiny, and the connection between the past, present, and future.
These myths, while diverse in cultural origin and narrative detail, share the common theme of a perilous journey into the realm of the dead or another world. This reflects universal human concerns with mortality, the afterlife, and the quest for knowledge or salvation. Campbell's analysis of the hero's journey highlights how such stories resonate deeply within the human psyche, embodying the spiritual and psychological quests that define the human experience.