Faith, Hope, and Charity
St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh
My dear friends,
In exploring the teachings of the Apostle Paul in his letters to the Corinthians, we are guided to understand the essence of spiritual virtues, which parallel the Bodhisattva path: a journey of love, compassion, and wisdom for the liberation of all beings.
Strive for the Greater Gifts
and individually members of it.
And God has appointed in the church
first apostles, second prophets, third teachers;
then deeds of power, then gifts of healing,
forms of assistance, forms of leadership,
various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets?
Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all possess gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
But strive for the greater gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
- 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
The call to strive for greater gifts, as outlined by Paul, resonates deeply with the Bodhisattva's pursuit of higher virtues for the benefit of all. These gifts, when rooted in love and compassion, transform personal spiritual attainments into tools for universal well-being, reflecting the Mahayana principle of using one's abilities for the service of others.
The Indispensable Prerequisite
but do not have love,
I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but do not have love,
I am nothing.
If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast,
but do not have love,
I gain nothing.
- 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Paul's assertion that actions devoid of love are empty echoes the teachings of Bodhicitta, the Awakening Mind motivated by the desire to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. Without love and compassion, even the most impressive spiritual or mystical abilities amount to little, as they do not fulfill the ultimate purpose of aiding sentient beings in their path to liberation.
The Qualities of Love
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
These qualities of love outlined by Paul are the very fabric of a life devoted to bodhicitta. Patience, kindness, humility, and a readiness to bear hardships for the truth are mirrored in the Six Perfections (Paramitas) that form the backbone of Mahayana practice, guiding us towards altruistic actions and a life lived in the service of others.
Love Never Ends
But as for prophecies, they will come to an end;
as for tongues, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part;
but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end.
- 1 Corinthians 13:8-10
Paul speaks of love as eternal, transcending even the most esteemed spiritual gifts. In the Mahayana tradition, this eternal nature of love is akin to the enduring truth of Dharma, which remains unchanged even as worldly conditions and individual perceptions evolve.
A Call to Spiritual Growth
I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child;
when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.
Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
- 1 Corinthians 13:11-12
This passage symbolizes the journey from ignorance to wisdom, a core tenet of spiritual development in both Christian and Buddhist traditions. It is a call for us to mature spiritually, shedding limited understandings and embracing a deeper, direct perception of reality—seeing things 'face to face' as they truly are.
Love is the Greatest Gift
and the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13
As Paul concludes, love stands supreme among the virtues. In Buddhist terms, it is the essential quality that nurtures the bodhisattva's journey towards enlightenment and the creation of merit (punya) and wisdom (prajñā), culminating in the attainment of Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.
Paul's exhortations remind us that the path of true spiritual growth is marked not merely by personal attainment but by our capacity to love deeply and act wisely in the service of others, reflecting the profound journey of the Bodhisattva.