The Sunday Mail
WE continue with the series on showing that the scriptural life and teachings of a mythical Greek Iesous (Jesus) were not unique, special and extraordinary.
Centrality of a teacher
The central object of reverence, veneration and high regarding, every Buddhist temple is an image of a purported historical Buddha.
The central object in every Christian Church is an image of a purported historical Jesus. For both, the life and teachings of the teacher are dogmatically valued although they have suffered from serious ideological and interpretative distortions.
Proselytising hand
Three centuries after the time of Buddha, King Ashoka (304-232 BCE) of India, became a convert to Buddhism, he made it the state religion of the empire and took measures to make it secure supremacy in the East.
Three centuries after the purported historical Jesus, Constantine (272-337 CE), Emperor of Rome, created and organised Christianity, made it a state religion of his empire and won for it the supremacy in the West. (John Remsberg, “The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidence of his Existence”, 1994).
Know thyself
“To anyone who leaves behind this world without having recognised his own real world, that is of as little use as the Veda he has not studied or some work he has avoided.” (Brihad-Aranyaka-Upanishad, composed about 700 BCE).
This is found in Gnostic Gospel of Thomas #67, where Jesus said, “He who would know everything, but fails to know himself misses the knowledge of everything.”
The golden rule
“Consider others as yourself.” – Buddha, Dhammapada10:1.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” – Jesus in Matthew 7:12 (see also Luke 6:31)
Narrow path
“Life is easy for someone who is shameless like a crow, slanderous and presumptuous, boastful and corrupt. Life is difficult for someone modest who always strives for purity, detached and reticent, immaculate in life and clear in understanding.” – Buddha, Dhammapada 18:10-11.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” – Matthew 7:15-14, Luke 13:24.
On light
“The wise man should renounce the way of darkness and follow the way of light.” – Buddha, Dhammapada6:12.
“The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” – Jesus in Matthew 4:16 (see also Matthew 5:14-16, Luke 16:8, John 3:19-21, John 12:35-36.
Response to attacks
“If anyone should give you a blow with his hand, with a stick, or with a knife, you should abandon any desires and utter no evil words.” – Buddha,Majjhima Nikaya 21.6.
“But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” – Jesus in Matthew 5:39, Luke 6:29.
Impact of goodness
“Do not underestimate good, thinking it will not affect you. Dripping water can fill a pitcher, drop by drop; one who is wise is filled with good, even if one accumulates it little by little.” – Buddha, Dhammapada 9:7.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” – Jesus in Matthew 13:31-32 (see also Luke 13:18-19).
Evil from within
“The bad person speaks falsely, chained by his words. He who speaks ill and rejects what is truly just is not wise (Udanavarga 8:9) … Evil is done through the self; man defiles himself through the self. Evil is made good through the self; man purifies himself through the self. (Dhammapada 12:9)” – Buddha.
“Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” – Jesus in Matthew 15:17-20 (see also Luke 6:43-45).
Purity of generosity
“The avaricious do not go to heaven, the foolish do not extol charity. The wise one, however, rejoicing in charity, becomes thereby happy in the beyond.” –Buddha, Dhammapada 13.11.
“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” -Jesus in Matthew 19:21 (see also Luke 18:22).
Cultural conditioning
“Whosoever has laid aside human ties, leaving behind the powers of attraction of the deities, free of all bonds, that man I call holy.” – Buddha,Udanavarga 33:52.
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life.” – Jesus in Matthew 19:29 (see also Luke 9:62, 14:25-27).
References:
- 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. Jesus and Buddha — Friends in Forever … (2012) <http://inspiringthealtruisticmoment.com/blog/?p=12626>
Feedback: [email protected] and Twitter @shingaiRndoro. A gallery of previous articles is found at www.sundaymail.co.zw/author/shingairukwata
