Lineage
by Julien DuBrow

About the author

Julien holds a Master’s degree in theology and is a spiritual director and artist. She lives in the Bay area with her husband and two dogs.

Siddhartha Gotama spent his life seeking enlightenment.

If one person could attain self-realization,

all people could. He made up his mind

and sat under the Bodhi tree until it was done.

Five hundred years later, Yeshua of the house of David

achieved union with the one true god.

And he said,

Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

But Buddha said it first.

Buddha said,

Let us live most happily, possessing nothing

let us feed on joy, the radiant gods.

Different words. Same meaning.

One spoke to Hindus who had lit candles

at the alter for a thousand years.

One spoke to Jews who had lit oil lamps in temples

for just as long.

Both spoke of God, charity, goodness and grace,

becoming gods they denounced,

pleasured by simplicity, grieved by everything,

mortal skin sacks to be cast off.

After release from his bones, Jesus sat with Buddha in heaven.

They still don’t get it, he said.  One of us should go back.

Yes, Buddha agreed.

Until there is an end to suffering and all beings are free.

But now we rest.

They passed the bowl of rice between them.

After a thousand years, their wizened sister,

the goddess herself, came into the garden,

leading a young boy.

“I found a new one,” she said, patting his head.

After taking the rice bowl Buddha passed her,

she pulled a sword from under her skirt.

“You’ll need this,” she said.

She handed it to the boy.

“We’re trying something different.”

Buddha sighed, Jesus shook his head.

Mohamed gazed at his older siblings with respect.