Esoteric Cross-reference

I was rather surprised to discover that two very distant mystical traditions (Japanese Shingon Buddhism, an esoteric Buddhist tradition originating in 6th century India, and Western mysticism, Kabbalah and Christian mysticism) share some unlikely common elements, pointing perhaps to some common historical origins (of Sumerian source, in all probability) not of traditions themselves, but of said elements.

As it is widely known, in the Jewish teaching of "The Name" (or HaShem) we find various names of God, the most famous being the Tetragrammaton, "Four Letters" or YHVH. Of all the names of God, the Four Letters appears most frequently in the Bible. The Hebrew Bible mentions it no less than 6,828 times. In reading aloud, traditionally it is replaced by "the Lord" (Adonai). Variants of the Four are YH (Yah) and YW (Yaw). The meanings of YHWH are indeed many, and conventionally it is rendered as "I am who am", however - esoterically speaking - every letter/syllable has various hidden meanings on several levels of depth. In addition, we find the common forms IHVH and even JHVH.

Now, the Four Letters may signify four elements (earth/solidity, water/fluidity, fire/radiance, air/mobility) or four directions or four manifest worlds (emanation, creation, formation, manifestation) or parts of one's total being. We may see that any such fourfold division yields itself to a number of approximations or, some might argue, correspondences. Hence we find four colours, four animals, four actions etc.

As it turns out, the Buddhist esoteric tradition, itself a confluence of many practices, some of pre-Buddhist origin, teaches the seed-mantra "Jah Hum Vam Hoh", ascribed usually to Vajrasattva, the non-dual Wisdom deity. It is immediately obvious that these four syllables are essentially the same ones we found in the Tetragrammaton (essentially, it's Buddhists pronouncing the HaShem!). The meaning is symbolically given as "hook, lasso, shackles and bell" in Tibetan exegesis - these signify four actions of inviting, touching, embracing and rejoicing together. In more exoteric parlance, they are the "four immeasurables" i.e. equanimity, love, compassion and joy, the so-called divine abodes. The whole represents wisdom and symbolic representation becoming one in nondual union.

(Note on transcription: in Western transcription of Tibetan writings we frequently find "Dza Hum Bam Ho", just as in Japanese we find "Jaku Un Ban Ho". Both are corruptions of Sanskrt Siddham syllables Jah Hum Vam Hoh. Japanese, Chinese and Tibetan canons are notorious for dubious transliterations of Sanskrit mantra.)

Moving further on, the pentagram is recognized as an ubiquitous esoteric symbol. For Pythagoreans it was mathematical perfection, and later a represenation of the five elements: water, earth, fire, air and Idea. It also represents the morning star (Venus). It's a symbol found worldwide, of course, but in Japanese Vajrayana we find a way of using it remarkably similar to some Western forms. Standing up, right foot forward, as the right hand draws the star beginning from the left lower point, five syllables are invoked signifying the five innate wisdoms, namely "Vam Hum Trah Hrih Ah", after which the star is entered with another "Hum". The hand gesture used is "sword of truth", with index and middle finger cutting the air. Anyone cognizant with Western esotericism will recognize the resemblance.

Again, "abracadabra" comes most likely from Aramaic "avra kedabra", meaning "I create as I speak". Several other ethymologies have been offered. Whatever the actual origin, the expression is remarkably similar to the series of seed-syllables "A Va Ra Ha Kha Ha Ra Va A" found in the Shingon dynamic meditation known as "five elements of the perfected body". A mystical stupa is visualised as one's own body/being composed of five elements (the exoteric earth, water, fire, wind and space are esoterically equated with the five types of wisdom-awareness) and the emanation process is directed upwards (A-va-ra-ha-kha) and then downwards (Kha-ha-ra-va-a), as in the evolution/involution process. Also in the esoteric Buddhist meditative ritual, we find consecration and purification of ones body with water and fire, as well as cross-shaped purifications (right and left shoulder, heart, throat and forehead), externally quite similar to symbolic actions in Western spirituality. The inner dimension, however, proves important and fundamental differences.

There are other examples I've found, some quite amuzing, but these will do for now.