The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-04
CHRIST AND BUDDHA.
Striking Parallels Between Two
Great Religions.
AN ANSWER TO BARON HICKEY.
Christianity Not an Outgrowth or the
Eastern Belief-The One Greed
Eievatss, the Other Debsses.

In recent issue of the New York He,uld,
Baron Harden Hickey has written an in
teresting and scholarly article on the par
alleis and anaIogies existing between Bud
dhism and Christianity, and bases his the
SIS on the question as TO whether Christ
was simply human follower of Buddha,
having become permeated with his doc.
trines through the propagation of litera-
ture brought to Palestine by BuddhisIic
missionaries. or if the former does not in
huence the latter, wherein lies the explana-
ton of the striking points Of similarity ex-
listing between the lives of the two leaders
and their systems of religious teaching.
| Baron Hickey begins his article with the
explanation that 1t is not his intention to
make an attack upon the doctrines of
Christ or in any way to disparage Hrs
teachings. but that he simply desires to
point out the striking parallels existing be-
tween the New Testament history of the
life and teachings of Jesus and the sacred
books OF the East concerning the life and
teachings of Buddha. Notwithstanding
which declaration, the trend of the baron's
article and the conclusion in his own mind
Is to the effect that Buddha ranks first as
the one to discover the light of truth, and
that Jesus, the son of Mary. is but q mere
modern plagiarist and disciple of an older
master, and bears somewhat the relation to
buddha that an expounder does to the
originator of doctrine. If this conclusion
be warranted from the arguments OF the
learned writer. then whatever respect is
due to Christ as teacher that respect is
given to Him only as a man, standing
alone in the integrity of noble manhood,
and is not to be given Him as possessing
| positive identity of being with the God
nature. In other words, If Christ is but q
follower OF Buddha. then He is still worthy
OF all respect. but only as a man, and hence
is no more to be worshipped than Bud
/ dha, C0nfucius or Socrates.
| Baron Hickey has shown considerable
ingenuity in the discovery of parallels, and
| has handled his theme with earnestness
and IN most readable manner, but while
most of his premises are founded on his
toric data. his conclusions are not neces-
sarily valid. Conclusions based on an
aiogies between the languages and customs
OF two races are to be received with caution
But one conclusion is safe based on the
| similar words found to be running through
the different languages of the earth, and
that is that at some time ia the remote past
/
| common family in one favored spot, or
that one root language only was spoken.
Other than this, scholars are slow to accept
the different theories founded on the anal
ogies existing between different peoples,
from the simple TACT that one human mind,
though developed under different civiiiza-
ton from another mind, is still Influenced
by like needs and bound by the same inn
| a nf r>f
conclusion or similarity OF expression
hence not being so remarkable feature as
the article OF the learned German would
lead us TO suppose.
| The history of science Is replete with
most striking parallels of contemporary
discoveries, while biography abonnds with
analogies from which most startling re-
suits could be drawn. No two characters
or events are recorded in history between
which peculiar parallels could not be dis
covered by an ingenious writer. By the
method OF analogy, vigorously followed,
| Confucius, Buddha, Socrates, Christ, each
in some way drew inspiration from the
same fountain-which is probably
true-while Alexander. Cesar, We'll
ington. Napoleon, Grant. were
merest counterparts. one of the other
An ingenious architect. with plenty of time
on his hands, has by careful measurements
and comparisons, discovered that the great
pyramid of Egypt is an exact counterpart
OF the prophecies and their fulfllment con-
corning the life of Christ, the day of judg-
ment. and many minor events corded in
the Bible, showing thereby, to his own
mind, that the pyramid of Cheops was
built by inspiration. However, while too
much weight is not to be attached to the
simple fact OF historic parallels. yet analogy
has its province and may indicate some
hidden connection between the two objects
thus coming in contact.
1t Is not TO De wondered at that the specu-
lative mind of the German savant was
struck by the almost exact likeness exist
ing between the narrative of the life and
teachings of Buddha and that of Jesus.
On the surface they are pre-eminentiy
startling, so much so, indeed, that when
the Portuguese Catholic missionaries first
came in contact with Buddhism they de-
ciared themselves to be Knocked of the
| devil. The Buddbists claimed Immaculate
conception on the part of their founder,
with avirgin mother whose name, Maya"
is near equivalent 10 Mary, the mother of
Jesus. Further, the Buddhists taught the
immortality of the soul, had a system of
| rewards and punishments, erected temples.
monasteries, had nendicant priests a ritual
In dead language, incense, rosary of
beads, bells. images, holy water, saints,
angels devils, pilgrimages and so many
other points of resemblance as to COM
pietely nonplus the Christian missionaries.
Moreover, both Buddha and Christ are
represented as receiving the rite of water
baptism, OF being tempted, alone in the
wilderness, of the hidden powers of dark
ness and OF final persecution, while the
teachings and sayings of the two great
leaders of thought. at least With reference
to the mutual duties between man and
man. lie largely in the same groove. and
| frequently in definitely parallel sentences.
! buddha Is reported as u>ing the following
language, the familiarity of which tne Bible
reader will readily recognize: Follow me. +"
Il know that kingdom is appointed for
me, but l seek not worldly kingdom"
He that hath ears TO hear let him hear"
verify, say unto you" The Buddhist
| narrative says: $50 the child waxsd and
| increased in strength"
60 much Tor the fact of the parallels
| cited by Baron Hickey, and which, by the
way, have been apparent 10 the Christian
missionary and student for MANY years.
| The point of discussion il not as to the ex-
istence of definite and manifold points of
resemblance. Here no one takes issue
with the writer. The simple question is as
to the explanation of the strange phenom-
ens, and here Christian orthodoxy and the
metaphysical German are widely at vari-