I don't know if "continuity" is the right word. It seems closer to "retention of metaphor", and it is impressive over such a time of authorship.
But the Hindus use an ocean metaphor to describe the divine (in terms of depth, vastness, stillness) from the Rig Veda to the B-Gita, which would be a similar time scale.
In the Buddhist canon, you can find a metaphor of the Buddha's teaching of dhamma described as "uprighting what has been overturned" in many places throughout the canon: Digha Nikaya 2, DN 12, DN 16, DN 31, Majjhima Nikaya 4, MN 41, MN 57, MN 58, MN 72, MN 75, MN 107, MN 135, Samyutta Nikaya III.1, SN VII.2, SN VII.6, SN VII.14, SN VII.17, SN XII.48, SN XXXV.127, SN XLII.2, SN XLII.3, SN XLII.6, SN XLII.8, SN LI.15, Anguttara Nikaya III.65, AN III.73, AN IV.111, AN X.176, AN IV.184, Udana V.3.
>>In terms on continuity, is there another canon that even comes close?<<
Yes, see above.
Most claims to uniqueness of the Christian canon pre-suppose the ontology presented by that canon, or pre-suppose the orthodox (within christianity) views of historical authorship. These claims can be reduced to the meta-claim of "But the Bible is true!", which is both the goal of claiming uniqueness and the axiom upon which this claim is based. I'm sure the circularity does not escape you. |
