The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-03-20
Buddhism IN Relation to Christianity

At the last meeting held in February, by the
Victoria (PhilosophcaD Institute. I, Adelphi
Terrace, London, Il paper was read bv the Rev.
X. Z. Collins, Nj. A., on Buddhism in relation
to Christianity. Referring to the parallels be-
tween the persons and characters of BudCfah
and Jesus Christ, he said Take, as promin-
ent instance, the birth stories. | need not here
give details, which are to be found in anv mod
ern work on Buddhism. The supposed mirac-
ulous conception; the bringing down of Bud
dha from the Tusita heaven; the Devas ac-
knowledging his supremacy: the presentation
IN the Temple, when the images of Indra and
other gods threw themselves at his feet; the
temptation by Mara-which legends are embel-
lished by the modern writer | have already
quoted. under such phases "Conceived by
the Holy Ghost" Born of the Virgin Mara"
song OF the heavenly host" representation in
the Temple and temptation in the wilderness"
hone of these is found in the early Pail texts.
L he simple story of ancient Buddhism is that
an ascetlc. whose family name was Gautama,
preached new doctrine of human suffering
ana new way of deiVerance from it. There is
no thought IN the early Buddhism of which we
read IN The Pali text, of deliverance at the hands
OF GOD but the man Gautama BudCha stands
alone III his striving after the true emancipa-
tion from sorrow and ignorance. The accounts
OF his descending from heaven. and being con
ceiVed III the world of men, when a preternat-
ufai light shone over the worlds, the blind re-
ceNeu sight, the dumb sang, the lame danced
the sick were cured, together with all such
embellishments, are certainly added by later
hands; and if here we recognize some rather
remarkable likenesSes in thought or EXPRESSION
to things familiar to Us in our Bibles we need
not be astoniShed. when we reflect how great
must have been the influence, as | have before
hlhted, of the Christian story in India in the
early centuries of the Christian era and per-
hap>, long subsequently. This is a point which
mas been much overlooked, but it is abundant
~ hp
OF the god hrshna, which is Il manifest parody
OF the history of Christ. The Bhup,tat Gita. IL
lheosophlca poem into the mouth of krishna.
Is something unique among the productions of
the East, containing many gems of what we
should call Christian truth Wrested from their
proper setting, to adorn this creation of the
Dfailnlan poet and indicating as plainly
theif origin AS do the stories of his life in
the Nahn-Bhaiuta: so that it has not un-
reasonably been concluded that the story
OF hrl>tina was inserted in the Nuhu Bhuluhl
to furnish a divine sanction to the Bha9rcut
G"". If, then, as there is the strongest reason
TO belleVe, The Christian story, somewhere be
tween the first and tenth centuries Of the Chris
tl;tn era, forced itself into the great Hindu epic
and was at the foundation of the most remark
abe poem that ever saw the light in India. can
we be surprised if We find similarly borrowed
ana initiated wonders in the later Buddhist
stories also: Several Home and Colonial appli-
cations to Join the Institute as guinea Subscri-
ber> were received, and its object being to in
Ne>tSate all philo>t phica and scientific uues-
tons, especially any said to initiate against the
truth of the Bible.--a discussion ensued in
which Mr.. IIormuz Rassam Professor Lett
ner, from Lahore, Mr. Coles, an earnest stu
dent of the question during - years residence
IN teylon, Professor Rhys Dayid>, and Others
TOOK part. All agreeing in and confirming the
statements Of Mr. Collins paper. DR.. Leitner
brought large number of photographs of early
indian and Tartar sculptures, showing he first
introduction of the Christian story into those
monuments between about the second and
tenth centuries, and he pointed out the value of
such additional confirmation Of Mr.. Collins
statements.