The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius as a No-Man's Land between Buddhism and Christianlty

This thesis represents a study of The Consolation of Philosophy by Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 480 – 524 AD) and is an attempt to read this text through the prism of the Buddhist doctrine. It contains an Introduction, five Chapters, and a Conclusion.

Taking the divisions in order: Chapter One explores the reasons for which the focus of both public and scholarly attention is gradually being shifted from the Consolation towards more contemporary texts. Boethius’ universalism, his wish to regard philosophy as a spiritual path rather than purely intellectual training, today’s consumerist approach to spiritual texts, and self-confident sectarianism of Boethius’ later fellow-believers, as opposed to his own broad worldview, are named as some of the possible explanations for this.

Chapter Two is concerned with the status of Lady Philosophy, being the central image of the Consolation. The range of scholarly opinions on who she might be varies greatly. We present our own interpretation of this figure, equating it to that of Prajna Paramita who is a Buddhist deity of wisdom; this vision is then supported with arguments.

Chapter Three gives a closer look at the parallels between ‘Boethian’ teaching, as it is presented in his final work, and the Buddhist doctrine. Boethius ontological views, his epistemology, and his soteriological notions are given full attention.

Chapter Four, being a logical extension of Chapter Three, focuses more specifically on Boethius’ concept of Divinity. It is stated that Boethius’ vision of God as Path, his statement that God does not intervene with human affairs, as well as his unique theodicy, while being rather unorthodox for later Christianity, are not dissimilar with the Buddhist understanding of the Ultimate Reality.

In Chapter Five, the issues of Boethius’ personal faith are handled. While being decidedly a Christian, the author of the Consolation avoids specifically Christian language. Some reasons underlying it are discussed; it is also suggested to read the Consolation as a polyphonic text (in the definition of Mikhail Bakhtin) whose characters become as philosophically weighty as its own author, while holding dissimilar opinions. It is argued that Boethius, a Christian as he was, saw Christianity as only a part of the universal truth, that he wanted to avoid a sectarian attitude, and he also clearly wished to create a text aimed at anyone seeking answers to any of the major philosophical problems.

The Conclusion, while attempting to see the Consolation as a meeting ground between the followers of Christianity and Buddhism, also concentrates on two specifically Boethian ideas which may be regarded as ‘bridge piers,’ or philosophical foundations, for the interreligious dialogue to be initiated.

The Bibliography includes sixty-six sources in English, German, and Latin.