The Tomb of Jesus — Page 47
47 about preaching and doing wonders. The friend of publicans and sinners, he is transfigured on a mount, descends to hell and ascends to heaven. In short, with the single exception of Christ's crucifixion, almost every characteristic incident in. Christ's life is to be found narrated in the. Buddhistic traditions of the life of Sakya Muni,. Gautama Buddha. ' ,,3 "Jesus' idea of Kingdom of Heaven more nearly resembles the Buddhist in that life in the. Kingdom of Heaven might be here and now provided that the individual lived according to the law of the spirit world, that is, by love. It was a present, freer life of the spirit, which lifted one above the turmoil and suffering of the mortal life. . It was, within not without; it was present, it was now. Hence Jesus recognized that it would be useless to explain it in too great detail to those who were unready for its experience. They must first be awakened by his parables and hints of it, to a prior faith in it, to a prior desire for its benefit. When they reached that stage of spiritual life, they would understand by intuition its blessed and blissful reality. "This is precisely Buddhist idea. . . . . . 3 E. J. Eitel, Three Lectures On Buddhism, p. 13, 14.