The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 271
The Messiah and his Second Coming 271 one whose name will be Metteyya and who will be fairskinned will come. . . . This is why the followers of Buddhism had all along been waiting for the Messiah to appear in their country. . The Buddha, in his prophesy about the future Buddha, called him Bagwa Metteyya. Bagwa in Sanskrit means 'white'. Jesus, being of Syrian origin, was Bagwa-of white of complexion. The people of the land where this prophecy was made, i. e. , Magadh, where Raja Griha was located, were dark-skinned and Gautama Buddha himself was dark. Therefore, the Buddha related to his followers two distinct signs of the future Buddha: first that he would be Bagwa-of white complexion, and secondly, he would be Metteyya-a traveller who would arrive from a foreign land. . . . . We can never approve of the method adopted by European scholars who are so eager to prove one way or the other that the teachings of Buddhism had already reached. Palestine by the time of the Messiah. It is most unfortunate that while the very name of Jesus is to be found in the ancient books of Buddhism, these researchers adopt the devious course of trying to find traces of Buddhism in Palestine. Why do they not rather try to find the blessed footprints of Jesus as on the mountains of Nepal,. Tibet and Kashmir? I know that it was not for the likes of them to uncover by themselves such a great truth which lay hidden behind thousands of veils of darkness. It was for God Himself to do so, for He watched from on high that creature worship was running rampant in the earth and that worship of the cross and the supposed sacrifice of a human being had alienated the hearts of millions from the True God. Then, in His indignation, he sent to the world His servant in the spirit of Jesus of Nazareth in