The Healing of the Blind Man
John 9:1-7
1. As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3. Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6. When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7. and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.
The Healing of the Blind Man corresponds to the Ajna chakra of the Indian tradition. Ajna chakra is the location of the opening of the third eye on the forehead. The symbolic meaning of the “opening of the third eye” in ancient Indian texts centers on spiritual awakening, knowledge, inner vision, and transcendence of illusion. It is a metaphor for heightened perception, intuition, and divine wisdom.
In Sanskrit, mala refers to impurities. Mala is what covers, conceals, and limits access to divine Consciousness. The word mala has the following meanings:
- Any bodily excretion or secretion (e.g., saliva)
- Dirt or dust
- Sin, moral impurity
The washing of the saliva mixed with dust represents the removal of mala, which leads to the removal of the darkness of ignorance, access to divine consciousness, and the disappearance of sins.
In the previous chapter of the Gospel of John, the adulterous woman narrative, Jesus takes the role of the Buddha and the main themes of Buddhism are mentioned. In this chapter, the healing of the blind man, the author of the Gospel of John elaborates on some of the main themes of Buddhism.
Being blind from birth
John 9:1 – As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
In the previous chapter of the Gospel of John (the adulterous woman narrative), Jesus takes the role of the Buddha, and the Pharisees are compared to the Brahmins of the Buddha’s time. The Brahmins largely considered their status and access to sacred wisdom as divinely ordained by birth, granting them a privileged role. The Buddha challenged the idea that Brahmins held inherent superiority by birth. He pointed out that all humans are born similarly, and that virtue or wisdom—not ancestry—determines worth.
In Buddhism, spiritual blindness is a prominent symbol for ignorance, a fundamental “unseeing”, a deep-seated misperception of the nature of reality. It is not mere lack of information but an active delusion or obscuration that clouds true insight.
In Buddhism, darkness is associated with ignorance and light with knowledge. Overcoming spiritual blindness implies moving from darkness (ignorance) to light (knowledge), which leads to the end of suffering. This movement ends the cycle of rebirth and leads to the achievement of liberation.
Buddhism emphasizes that ignorance and wisdom are not eternal opposites; rather, wisdom naturally eradicates ignorance, like light eliminating darkness. Insight into reality transforms the mind. Even the most learned person can remain “ignorant” if they cling to views without direct experience. Such people include scholars or sectarians who grasp partial truths and mistake them for the whole due to ignorance.
The light and the darkness
John 9:5 – While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
In Buddhism, light symbolizes wisdom, clarity, and Buddha’s teachings, which dispel the darkness of ignorance. The Buddha is the “Awakened One,” bringing light to the world. The Buddha’s teachings are frequently called the light that pierces ignorance. They are the light that removes the veil, allowing us to see clearly.
The spiritual blindness of the Pharisees and of the Brahmins
John 9:39-41 – Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Just like the Buddha challenged the Brahmins of his time, Jesus challenges the Pharisees regarding their knowledge and their ability to perceive the truth.
The Buddha challenged the idea that Brahmins held inherent superiority through descent. He used logic and examples to dismantle caste claims. For instance, he pointed out that all humans are born similarly, and virtue or wisdom—not ancestry—determines worth. He argued that Brahmins of his time had often lost the meditative practices of their ancient seers, focusing instead on external rituals and social privilege. He contrasted true knowledge or vision with the sacred scriptures of the Brahmins. Brahmin students sought union with Brahma via Vedic recitation and prayer. The Buddha called this insufficient—like the blind leading the blind—and taught instead the path of virtue, meditation, loving-kindness, and insight leading toward liberation.
What comes out of the mouth of Jesus
In the narrative of the adulterous woman, the teachings of Jesus are compared to the teachings of the Pharisees and the Brahmins of India. For the Brahmins of India, what comes out of their mouths is associated with sacred utterance, mantras, and the transmission of Vedic knowledge. Brahmins were custodians of learning, philosophy, and dharma. Their mouths “emit” wisdom, prayers, and truth. The saliva coming out of the mouth of Jesus, after being mixed with clay and washed away in the waters of the pool of Siloam, renders vision to the blind man—a symbol for accessing knowledge, inner vision, and transcendence of illusion.
The saliva
In the Indian tradition, the production of saliva is associated with the nectar of immortality, Ambrosia. In the Khechari Mudra technique of Tantric Hatha Yoga, the tongue is turned back to obstruct the throat, thereby producing saliva abundantly as the nectar of immortality (Amrita). It is said that the nectar of immortality can “cleanse” the disciple’s eyes, removing the darkness of ignorance, restoring a vision of eternal truth, and relieving the pain caused by lack of spiritual knowledge.