The Sunday Mail
WE continue with the series that shows that the teachings of the scriptural Jesus as found in the Christian texts, Greek Scriptures, are not new.
There are two possibilities – 1) the purported historical figure of Jesus (Iesous) represents the historical Hebrew yearnings to rekindle the ancient teachings of what had been abandoned by the Roman-friendly Hebrew priestly class (Matthew 5:17-20) or 2), the scribes attached a human name of a mythical Greek Jesus to the synthesis of ancient Egyptian, Hindu, Persian, Buddhist and Esseneian teachings already in existence as an allegorical narrative about the human nature, condition and powers.
Let us look at the comparative quotes as follows:
Chief disciple
The first and chief disciple (“savaka”) among equals among the disciples of Buddha was Sâri Putras (“Sariputta”), considered a top master of Wisdom.
The first of the disciples of Jesus was Simon Peter (Gr. Petros), considered the “Rock.” Is this coincidence?
Purpose of parables
“I have taught the truth which is excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle, and excellent in the end; it is glorious in its spirit and glorious in its letter. But simple as it is, the people cannot understand it. I must speak to them in their own language. I must adapt my thoughts to their thoughts. They are like unto children, and love to hear tales. Therefore, I will tell them stories to explain the glory of the Dharma. If they cannot grasp the truth in the abstract arguments by which I have reached it, they may nevertheless come to understand it, if it is illustrated in parables.”- Buddha quoted in Paul Carus, “The Gospel of Buddha, Compiled from Ancient Records” Chapter 62, (1894), www.wisdomlib.org/buddhism/book/the-gospel-of-buddha/index.html
This is found in Matthew 13:10-17.
A tree recognized by its fruit
“No matter what a man does, whether his deeds serve virtue or vice, nothing lacks importance. All actions bear a kind of fruit”Buddha, Udanavarga9:8.
“The bad person speaks falsely, chained by his words. He who speaks ill and rejects what is truly just is not wise.” – Buddha, Udanavarga8:9.
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”– Jesus, Matthew 12:35 and Luke 6:45.
“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” – Jesus, Matthew 7:18-19 and Luke 6:43-44.
Impact of our actions
“If you harm one who is innocent, the harm comes back to you like dust thrown into the wind.” – Buddha, Dhammapada.
“Everything that we are is the result of our former thoughts and actions. If we speak evil, or act with evil intention, then suffering follows us. If we speak and act with good intentions, happiness will follow us like a shadow.” – Buddha, Dhammapada.
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” – Jesus, Matthew 7:1-2, Luke 6:37-38.
Blind guides
“Verily, Vàseññha, that Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas should be able to show the way to a state of union with that which they do not know, neither have seen, such a condition of things can in no wise be!
“Just, Vàseññha, as when a string of blind men are clinging one to the other, neither can the foremost see, nor can the middle one see, nor can the hindmost see, just even so, me thinks, Vàseññha, is the talk of the Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas but blind talk: the first sees not, the middle one sees not, nor can the latest see. The talk then of these Brahmans versed in the Three Vedas turns out to be ridiculous, mere words, a vain and empty thing!’ – Tevijja-Sutta (“The Sutta spoken to knowers of the Three Vedas”), Digha Nikaya (“Collection of Long Discourses”) 13:15).
“Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” – Jesus, Matthew 15:14.
The house on the rock
“Just as rain penetrates a badly-covered house, so passion enters a dispersed mind. Just as rain does not penetrate a well-covered house, so too does passion not enter a well-developed mind.” – Buddha, Dhammapada1:13-14.
This is also found in Luke 6:47-49.
The light of the body
“As a man with eyes who carries a lamp sees all objects, so too with one who has heard the Moral Law. He will become deeply wise.” (Udanavarga 22:4)
“Just as a lotus blossom, scented and beautiful, can blossom on a dunghill at the side of a road, so too radiates the wisdom of the Buddha’s pupils who have realized the Dharma, while normal mortals are blind.”(Gandhari Dharmaphada 303-304).
“No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.” – Jesus, Luke 11:33-36 (Matthew 5:15, 6:22-23, Mark 4:21, Luke 8:21).
References:
- 1. Elmar R. Gruber and Holger Kersten, “The Original Jesus: The Buddhist Sources of Christianity” (1995),
- 2. Richard Hooper, “Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, And Lao Tzu: The Parallel Sayings” (2007).
- 3. Stuttgart, “Jesus and Buddha — Friends in Forever …” (2012)
For feedback email at [email protected] or tweet @shingaiRndoro. A gallery of previous articles is available at www.sundaymail.co.zw/author/shingairukwata
