Jesus In India — Page 103
J e s u s i n I n d i a 103 follower of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels. All this evidence, which has been briefly given, should lead an unbiased mind to the conclusion that Jesus must have visited this country. Regardless of all these certain and sure grounds, no intelligent person can afford to disregard the similarity to be found between the teachings and the ceremonial rites of Buddhism and those of Christianity, especially in Tibet. This resemblance is so close and striking that most Christian researchers believe that Buddhism is the Christianity of the East, and Christianity the Buddhism of the West. 50 Isn’t it strange that Jesus said, ‘I am the Light and the Way’, so said the Buddha. The Gospels call Jesus the Saviour, the Buddha too calls himself the Saviour (see Lalta Wasatra ). In the Gospels, it is stated that Jesus had no father, and about the Buddha too it is stated that he was born without a father, 51 although apparently, just as Jesus had a foster father Joseph, so had the Buddha a foster father. Similarly, it is stated that a star appeared at the time of the Buddha’s birth. Also there is the story of Solomon ordering the cutting of the child in two halves and giving each half to the two women; an exactly similar episode is to be found in the Buddha’s Jataka. 52 In addition to showing that Jesus did come to this country, it shows that the Jews who had migrated to this land had also established close ties with Buddhism. The Buddhistic account of the Creation is the same as the one given in the Torah. According to the Torah man is 50 See Appendix, extract 9. (Translator) 51 See Appendix, extract 3. (Translator) 52 Stories of the Buddha’s former births found in Buddhist literature. (Translator)