The Nativity, Page 7

Thus far we have seen that it was the Nirmanakaya of Buddha which appeared to the shepherds in the field (Lk 2,13-14) and which, in conjunction with the embryonic sister soul of Adam in Mary’s womb, quickened the Ego of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb (Lk 1,41-44). Having seen above how the cosmic Powers withheld a portion of the first human being’s etheric body from the consequences of the Luciferic influence at the time of humanity’s Fall (Gen 3), we are now told by Steiner (GSL, Lect. 4), “In the Nathan Jesus-child there was present the Adam-soul as it was before the Fall.” The “soul” of Adam at that time consisted only of what had then evolved in humanity. The Ego was present only as a seed from Lemurian times. The etheric body existed in pure form, not having been infected by any perverse influences from the younger astral (sense and passion) body. What is meant then by Steiner’s saying the “Adam-soul, as it was before the Fall, was present in the Nathan-Jesus child”? It meant that we were dealing with a soul which had had none of the earthly experiences of humanity, no sophistication whatsoever, no developed aptitude for anything that the culture of humanity had developed over the millennia, no inclination to learning of the type taught to children in schools—the ultimate innocent and naive creature, but with bottomless understanding, compassion and love for all of God’s creatures, an openness to all, an inscrutable “power for distinguishing between good and evil,” and a primeval understanding of “the tree of life” withdrawn from the rest of humanity (Gen 3,24).

Because that “soul” had not gone through the Ego development of humanity subsequent to the Fall, Steiner refers to it as “a provisional Ego” (Lect. 4). And he tells us that the astral body of the Nathan Jesus child was the Nirmanakaya of Buddha (GSMt, Lect. 5; GOSP). The reader will recall that the definition of “Nirmanakaya” from Foundations of Esotericism (FE) was a perfected astral body, and elsewhere it is referred to as a body of “transformation” (cf. Mt 17,2; Mk 9,2-3; Lk 9,29). When one has attained perfection of the astral body, one has attained to the manas (“Manna”) state (see I-9). Thus, the constitution of the Nathan Jesus child at birth was as follows:

Luke reflects the ages of the souls of the “two Adams” through the ages of their parents, it being necessary that the “old soul” of the “first Adam” should be born of the old parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth (Lk 1,18), and that the “young soul” (Lk 1,27; the term for “virgin” also meaning “young woman”), kept so through the ages, of the “second Adam” should be born of the youngest possible parents at the threshold of reproductive maturity.

Luke reveals the presence of the Nirmanakaya of Buddha as the astral body of the Nathan Jesus child in the account of Simeon (Lk 2,22-35). Its nature is revealed by Steiner in his GOSP lecture:

At the birth of the Nazareth Jesus-Boy there descended into his astral body what we might call the later embodiment of Buddha. Buddha, in his etheric body, was now in this re-embodiment united at birth with the Nazareth Jesus-Boy, so that in the aura of this boy we see Buddha in the astral body. This is very profoundly hinted at in St. Luke’s Gospel. The Indian legend related that at the time when Prince Gautama was born, who was to become the Buddha, there lived a wonderful Wise Man, whose name was Asita. Through his clairvoyant faculties he knew that the Bodhisattva hadbeen born. He saw the child in the King’s palace, and was filled with enthusiasm. He began to weep. “Why weepest thou,” asked the King, “I see no misfortune.” “Oh, King, on the contrary, the child now born is the Bodhisattva, and will become the Buddha. I weep because I am an old man and cannot hope to live to see this Buddha.” Then Asita died, and the Bodhisattva became the Buddha. Now the Buddha descends from on high and unites himself with the aura of the Nazareth-Jesus-Boy, in order to contribute his mite to the Great Event of Palestine. Through a karmic connection the old Asita was reborn at about the same time, and became Simeon, who now saw the Buddha who from a Bodhisattva had become what he now was. The Bodhisattva as Buddha, whom 600 years before he had not been able to see, he saw now; for, as he hel d the Nazareth Jesus-child in his arms, he saw the Buddha soaring above in the child’s aura, and he then uttered the beautiful words: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for I have seen my Master.”

In 1986 my wife and I traveled to Singapore, Hong Kong and China. In one of those locations, I acquired two books on Buddhism, one of which was given to me free of charge by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai (Buddhist Promoting Foundation), of Tokyo, Japan, the English title of which (it contains also a French translation) is The Teaching of Buddha, 14th Ed., Tokyo, 1981. The following paragraph about the newborn infant Siddhartha Gautama is found in its introductory biographical sketch:

A hermit, called Asita, who lived in the mountains not far away, noticed a radiance about the castle and, interpreting it as a good omen, came down to the palace and was shown the child. He predicted: “This Prince, if he remains in the palace, when grown up, will become a great king and subjugate the whole world. But if he forsakes the court life to embrace a religious life, he will become a Buddha, the Savior of the world.

That a wise man saw his destiny at birth is confirmed also by 15 Brit 263 at 265, “The Buddha and Buddhism.” Speaking of Siddhartha’s early travels in search of truth, it says

He was joined there by a group of five ascetics, among whom was Kondanna, the Brahman who had predicted at the name-giving ceremony that the child Siddhartha would definitely become a buddha one day.

While neither account reports the sadness of Asita, Steiner’s version seems most plausible given the age difference and the wise man’s clairvoyance, both apparent from the account. Nor would a book promoting Buddhism judge the seer’s sadness a fact worth telling, particularly if not known to be connected with the birth of the Christ.