Jesus In India — Page 98
98 J e s u s i n I n d i a that Professor Max Muller, on page 517 of the October 1894 issue of his periodical The Nineteenth Century, supports the aforesaid statement and says that established and renowned writers have pointed out many a time that Jesus was influenced by the principles of Buddhism and that attempts are being made even today to discover some historical route along which the principles of the Buddha’s faith could be proved to have reached Palestine in the days of Jesus. 48 This observation by Max Muller corroborates the Buddhistic records in which it is claimed in as many words that Yasa was the disciple of the Buddha. When Christians of such repute as Professor Max Muller admit that the principles of Buddhism had certainly influenced Jesus, it would not be far wrong to say that this would amount to his being a disciple of the Buddha. Nevertheless, we consider the use of such a title in respect of Jesus disrespectful and impertinent. The statement found in the Buddhist literature that Yasu was the disciple of the Buddha, is only an example of the age-old habit of Buddhist priests to designate a great personage appearing at a later date as if he were the disciple of his prototype. Apart from this, as has been pointed out, there being great resemblance between the teachings of Jesus and those of the Buddha, it would not be wrong to speak of their relationship as that of the master and the disciple, though such thinking is very irreverent. Nevertheless, we do not approve of the way the European investigators are eager to prove that the teachings of Buddhism had reached Palestine in the days of Jesus. It is, indeed, unfortunate that when the name and mention of 48 See Appendix, extract 8. (Translator)